7 Ways You’re Wasting Money at Five Below
While anyone can fall victim to wasting money at Five Below, the youngest generations are most susceptible. The store largely caters to tweens and teens with its fun and trendy merchandise that’s organized across eight different “worlds” — Style, Room, Play, Create, Party, Candy, New & Now and Tech.
And that design is no mistake. The company wants you to lose yourself in an experience that has been carefully crafted within its stores to tempt you to buy. On the discount chain’s “About Us” page, it states, “Five Below knows life is way better when you’re free to let go & have fun in an amazing experience filled with unlimited possibilities.”
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Shopping at Five Below sounds like a great time without the guilt of spending hundreds of dollars, but that doesn’t mean you’re not wasting money. Here’s how it happens.
Making Impulse Buys
If you go into Five Below without an idea of what you’re looking for, you might fall victim to impulse buys. While casually browsing the aisles, you might be tempted to buy a set of glow-in-the-dark Bluetooth earbuds, a graphic tee with your favorite Disney character or a giant yard pong game for seasonal fun — none of which you planned to buy or even need.
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Not Keeping Tabs on Your Total Because Each Item Is So Cheap
Another way you’re wasting money at Five Below is randomly tossing items in your basket, not thinking about what the total will be once you reach the checkout. Even though Five Below prices most of its items between $1 and $5, carelessly tossing a dozen items in your cart just because they’re a great deal can quickly add up to $60. Perhaps you picked up a few things that will be useful to you, but did you really need to buy a dozen items — or would part of that money be better spent elsewhere?
Buying Electronics
A quick check of Five Below on Trustpilot yields plenty of unhappy customers — some of whom made electronics purchases at the discount retailer. One reviewer said his wife bought him a pair of earbuds (recommended by the Five Below associate as one of the best choices). After two days, the earbuds and cord became unusually hot during use. He stopped using them out of fear they might catch on fire. Another reviewer said they bought headphones at Five Below, but they simply didn’t work.
Not Comparing Prices
While it’s true that Five Below is a discount store that keeps most of its merchandise priced at $5 or less, that doesn’t mean you’re always getting the best prices. Compare prices on items with other stores that carry low-priced merchandise, such as Dollar Tree, Dollar General and Family Dollar.
One example is sherpa throw blankets. Five Below sells the blankets in a 50-by-60-inch size for $5.55 each, while Dollar Tree has the same size sherpa blankets for $5. If you’re stocking up or buying multiple blankets for gifts, the money you’re wasting can really add up.
Not Keeping Your Receipt
Unlike Walmart — which will allow you to exchange your item or receive a gift card if you don’t have a receipt — Five Below requires you to have your original receipt (or online order confirmation) if you want to exchange or return your purchase.
If you lose your receipt or your online order confirmation, Five Below won’t exchange the items or give you a refund, which equals a waste of money if you don’t want or can’t use the item.
Opening a Product and Then Deciding You Don’t Want It
If you buy a boxed or packaged item at Five Below and open it, it’s yours. Five Below’s return policy states that merchandise must be unopened or defective for you to be able to return it. So if you just don’t like something about the product but it works fine, you have no recourse if you’ve opened it.
Ordering Online and Paying Shipping Costs
If you’re in the habit of ordering merchandise from Five Below and having it shipped to you, you’re likely wasting money on shipping costs — especially if you’re buying single items. For example, if you add a $5.55 blanket to your cart, you’ll pay a flat-rate $7.95 shipping fee, which means you’ll pay $13.50 total.
If you’re buying two or more blankets, the shipping fee might be worth it. If you’re buying just one, however, you could consider a sherpa throw of the same size on Amazon for around $11 (or maybe even less) with no shipping costs.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 7 Ways You’re Wasting Money at Five Below
