There is no denying that sometimes a trip to the mall is necessary. Where else can you visit a specialty shoe store, pretzel kiosk, and nail salon all under one roof? Although you may be able to find all of the items you need at the mall, it usually comes at a pretty heavy price—your sanity.
The mall can be cluttered, overwhelming, and just plain irritating to shop at. Before your next mall trip, read through our top five tips for keeping your mall shopping trip as relaxing as possible.
Getting a discount on something you’re buying can make the entire mall experience worth it. If you know the stores that you’re going to be visiting ahead of time, do a bit of research to see if they are currently offering any coupons or discounts. You would be surprised at the number of stores at the mall that offer deep discounts on certain items to draw customers in.
One of the most frustrating aspects of mall shopping is when you show up at the store you want and find it closed. You can get around this irritating setback by going onto the malls website, and researching specific store hours ahead of time. Sure, it takes an extra few minutes out of your day, but it’s better than wasting all that time driving to the mall and back without anything to show for it.
Weekends and post-school rush hour are the worst times to be shopping at the mall. Malls attract teenagers and pre-teens like moths to a flame. If you don't want to wade through seas of ill-behaved children, you should go to the mall Monday through Friday during school hours, such as during your lunch break. Although this may be inconvenient depending on your work schedule, it will save you a lot of headache while shopping at the mall. Alternatively, try going late at night just an hour before the stores close.
One of the best parts about the mall is being able to visit a large amount of specialty stores all under one roof. If you only allot one hour to your mall shopping experience, you will be missing out on all sorts of good deals at other stores. The less that you are pressed for time, the more enjoyable your mall shopping experience will be. This way you will not stress out if the person in front of you at the checkout line is using ten separate coupons and paying in pennies!
As adults, we sometimes forget to loosen up and have fun. While you're at the mall, try to relax and have some fun. Enjoy a Cinnabon or a fresh pretzel and take the opportunity to unwind while browsing through a plethora of stores. You never know what kind of amazing deals you will run into the next time you go shopping at the mall!
Image: Arina P Habich / Shutterstock
