Unit 9

Know where they can shop for various items

Invite the group to refer back to their spending diary and name the places where they spend money, places where they shop and what they buy where.

Name the local shops – ask the learners to say what can be bought in each shop.

Talk about “Smart Shopping” – focusing on planning and going to the appropriate shop for certain goods makes more sense.

Ask the group to go to Activity 9.1 – ask the group to match the item or service with the picture of where the appropriate location to purchase it would be i.e. not getting a weekly shop in the local grocer.

Understand the concept of value for money and know how to compare prices and like items with like

Help the group to understand how to compare like items with like – we only know where we get better prices or value when we are able to compare like items with like.

Ideally, the group should be able to handle goods at this stage – help them read the label. Are things the same size? How do we know which is better value?

If possible, a trip to the supermarket should be arranged. Talk about own-brand goods; mention that often the more expensive items are at eye-level, with the cheaper items down lower and so on. Point out these concepts to the group while on the excursion to the shop.

Look at branding – have a group discussion around branding, briefly explaining what may attract someone to a certain product – what do companies do to make us buy their product i.e. ads, packaging, price, celebrities etc, discuss the merits and demerits of these ways.

Ask the group what it is that attracts them to a certain product e.g. if their favourite footballer is in an ad for a certain drink, would they buy it?

Pass around the various empty packaging that you have brought in and discuss the various items.

• What is attractive about the packaging?
• What is not?
• Would you buy it?
• Would you not – why?

Deciding where to shop – ask the group to navigate their way to Activity 9.2. They will be provided with various shopping lists and they must choose the appropriate shop to purchase them. The lists will grow in complexity as the activity progresses.

Where to Buy

Understand what impulse-buying is

Impulse-buying is buying on impulse! With no plan or intention to buy, simply seeing something and making a purchase. Talk about what it means. In particular, what impact will it have on someone’s budget if they buy on impulse – are they buying what they need? Will they be able to stick to a budget when they do this?

Identify some useful shopping tips for their own use

Bring this into the lives of the learners - approach the idea that having a “Shopping Checklist” could be a good idea to make sure you have enough items in the fridge or press each week so that you won’t run short.

• Image bank
• Sample Shopping Checklist

View a Sample Shopping Checklist here. Explore the checklist with the group, explaining to them the various items that have been included, to ensure that you never run out.

Print off a Blank Shopping List here for each learner. Ask the learners to create their own personal checklist by writing in or using pictures from the image bank of the items they need each day / week / month.

Suggest to the group that their checklist could go on the fridge or wall at home to ensure that they do not run out of milk or butter etc.

Understand on-line shopping

Sometimes, we shop on-line. Facilitators should be aware of any internet-usage guidelines in their centre or service and learners should be advised to remain within these. Ask learners to talk about their experience of on-line shopping.

Briefly go through the process of purchasing on the internet and the importance of safety while doing so.

Through group discussion, make the group aware of the following guidelines for their safety:

Know your merchant: It’s a good idea to buy from a company that you know or have heard good things about before.

Protect your privacy: You should know what information the company is collecting about you, how it will be used and if they share it with or sell it to any other companies. They should have a privacy policy in place that will explain what they intend to do with your information. Be careful if you're asked to supply personal information not needed to make a purchase, such as your Personal Public Service Number (PPS) or personal bank account information – you should never give these details away.

Get the details of expected delivery dates, shipping and handling fees, warranties, return policies and other important information. Look for an email address to write to (or a phone number to call) if you have a question, a problem, or if you need help.

Use a credit card and keep your password safe: It is safer to use a credit card because if there is a charge on it that you did not allow then you may not be held responsible for it. If you don’t have a credit card, you can use PayPal or 3v vouchers. You can get these from…PayPal and 3v keep your passwords safe and never share them with other people.

Keep good records: Make sure to print or save electronically any records related to your online transactions. This will help you keep track of posting dates, postage, handling fees and other details of your transactions.

Ask the group to open a new internet page so they can visit the following examples of sites. This will allow the group to practice the process of purchasing without making a purchase.

• Ticketmaster www.ticketmaster.ie
• Ryanair www.ryanair.com
• Aer Lingus www.aerlingus.com
• www.lastminute.com

Some other sites often used by learners include iTunes and Internet Banking - these sites could also be visited.