Okay, now (in step 7, part 1) you’ve decided what you’re going to BUY versus MAKE. Now it’s time to plan your purchases.
Goods Step 7 (part 2) is the seventh step in a step-by-step guide to acquiring what you need to set up housekeeping. You’ll find all the posts in this series in The Goods Steps: an Overview.
Make a Plan!
Here’s what you need to think about:
- Who will pick it out?
- Who will make the purchase?
- Who will pay for it?
- What is it (exactly)?
- Where will you get it?
- Where will you have it sent (if it’s being shipped)?
- Where will you put it once you buy it?
- When does it need to be purchased?
- How are you going to accomplish this?
Get Specific About Who
Who will pick it out? The bride, the groom, or both together? One in consultation with the other?
Who will purchase it? Who will actually go to the store to get it? Who will make the order? You might want to assign different stores and mail order companies, rather than individual items, to each person.
Who will pay for it? Whose pocket or bank account will the money come from: the bride’s, the groom’s, the parents of the bride’s, the parents of the groom’s, or a combination?
Get Specific About What
What is it ~ exactly? That is, what brand and model is it, what size is it, what color is it, what features does it have, etc. ?
Get Specific About Where
Where will you get it?
- Second-hand stores
- Hardware stores
- Building supply companies
- Home goods stores
- Online stores
- Online auctions
- Specialty boutiques
- Mail order catalogs
- Farmer’s Markets
- Local farms
- Co-ops
- Trading papers
- Local Auctions
- Garden centers
- Discount stores
- Family and friends (“one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”!)
- Home parties
- Supermarkets
- Grocery stores
List possibilities (such as the above list) as well as specifics (specific stores, mail order companies, etc.). For some items, your source will be obvious. Make lists for each of those sources of what you will purchase from that source. For other items, you might have columns called “Where” or “Source” in your list. It depends on what works for you. The point is that you find out where you are going to get your stuff so that you can then go get it.
Why do it in such an organized manner? Because you want to get the right thing, from the best place, at a good price, while going to each individual store as few times as possible.
Where will you have it sent? If you’re ordering online or from a catalog.
Where will you put it once you buy it? What are you going to do with it “in the mean time” before you settle into your new home?
Get Specific About When
When is it to be purchased? Six months before, three months before, one month before, two weeks before, etc.? Determine three things:
- The earliest it can be purchased. If something comes with a one year warranty, for example, you probably shouldn’t buy it ten months ahead of time. Food items, because of their perishability, can only be purchased so far in advance (depending on what they are).
- The latest it can be purchased. Anything that can be purchased before one month before the wedding probably should be ~ you’re going to be busy enough as it is.
- When you intend to purchase it. This is your plan, but if it doesn’t work out, numbers one and two will help you quickly and easily rework your plan.
Don’t forget to consider seasonal availability and seasonal sales.
Get Specific About How
How is this to be accomplished? Get your shopping tools together!
- Do you have the money you need?
- Do you need a friend to haul it home for you?
- Do your research ~ know what you are looking for.
- A tote bag might come in handy ~ to carry your lists, research notes, and anything that needs matching.
- Get the phone numbers and addresses of stores.
- Bookmark web stores.
- Get maps and driving directions.
- Get catalogs.
- Plan shopping trips with the appropriate people.
- If possible, carry a cell phone with you so you can check with your future husband/future wife or someone else, or call stores, if necessary.
Now, the only thing left is to carry out your plan!
Next up, planning what you’ll make.
