How many times have you purchased something and then when you got home you regretted it? I don’t know about you, but there are items that I own, but I never removed the tags. Generally when I bought those items, I had doubts, but I either purchased them because they were either:

• On sale,
• I thought that if I lost a couple of pounds they would fit,
• Thought that later I could find the perfect item to match, or
• Didn’t try them on and later realized they it didn’t fit, and I never got around to returning them

What I learned is that when you buy, you must purchase items that are ready to wear. If you have to say, “I will wear this when” or “I’m justifying this because” then you don’t need it. However, if you end up in a position where you change your mind after your purchase, it can be extremely frustrating if you don’t know what to do. Please read on for 5 tips to help you to navigate returning your merchandise.

1. Know the store’s return policy: Before you buy, know your rights. Understand if the store will allow you to return for cash or if you can only get a merchandise credit. If you can’t get your money back, please be absolutely sure that you want the item before you buy.
2. Don’t be lazy: If you are shopping, sometimes it’s tempting to hold up the item to your body and try to estimate what the item will look like on. This puts you at risk of getting the item home, trying it on and it either does not fit or does not look the way that you want. Then you are forced to make a special trip to make the return.
3. Don’t panic if you lose your receipt. Some stores like Target or Costco can swipe your credit card and pull up your receipt for easy returns. Other stores will give you a merchandise credit. To avoid getting the sales price in return for the item, try to return the item as soon as possible.
4. Pay attention to return dates: Know the dates. If you have a 30-day, 60-day, or 90-day window, be sure to honor the dates and return the item within the return window. This will put you in the best position to get all of your money back.
5. Be polite: If you have a special return, please be polite. Store managers have flexibility in determining who to give exceptions. A little common curtsey can go a long way in returning your item.

Aisha Taylor is a #1 Amazon Best Selling Author of the book “5+5 FNPhenomenal Ways to Save $100 This Week Without Killing Your Lifestyle”, and the Founder of FNPhenomenal (Frugal –n- Phenomenal). FNPhenomenal helps women to break the vicious cycle of making money, but not keeping it. FNPhenomenal provides education about money management, empowers women to take control of their lives, develop a healthier relationship with money, and pursue being phenomenal.

Visit Aisha online at www.FNPhenomenal.com

Follow Aisha on Instagram/Twitter: @FNPhenomenal

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