How to Save Money on Supplements
With the cost of living going up and up, it’s becoming harder to afford all of our favourite supplements. Luckily it doesn’t have to be this way. Enjoying all of your favourite goodies shouldn’t force you to break the bank. Read below to find out all the sneaky hacks you can implement that will save you money on supps!
BUY LOCAL BRANDS
International brands often sell more expensive products because the cost of importing is so high. Shipping prices have risen monumentally since the pandemic and bringing protein in all the way from the USA is no easy feat. Buying New Zealand made products is great for local suppliers and also your wallet. Keep your eyes peeled for brands like NZProtein, EatMe and Balance. These are made closer to home and have a more reasonable price tag because they don’t have to travel as far. Supplements made in New Zealand also tend to be higher quality because our regulations are so strict. Do yourself and your wallet a favour by sticking to high quality, NZ made products.
CHECKOUT CLEARANCE SECTION
Most supplement stores have a clearance section on their website. We have a plethora of deals on the Big Dog Clearout tab. These get updated regularly. So if you keep checking in, you are bound to find some great supplements at a price that seems too good to be true. This is mutually beneficial because the customer saves money and the supplier can get rid of extra stock they don’t need as much of. Most of the clearance products are well within their best before date unless stated otherwise. There are some absolute bargains on the clearance tabs so be sure to keep your eyes peeled.
BUY IN BULK
Often you can save money by purchasing combo deals or buying in bulk. TopDog has a category called Combos where we offer a collection of related products for a cheaper price. You could purchase a pre-workout and get a free shaker or get two proteins for the price of one. These options are great if you want to get the most bang for your buck. Some stacks also let you choose a couple of different flavours. So if you can’t decide between the grape or the apple amino flavour, buy both for the lower price! This little hack is known as economies of scale and will save you a lot of money in the long run.
GO HALVES WITH YOUR GYM BUDDY
Do you really need that whole kilogram of protein powder? What if you get sick of the flavour? Solve this problem by splitting it with a friend. This way you only pay half the price. You and your gym buddy can try a wide range of supplements and get through the products faster. Although TopDog doesn't charge for shipping, some websites do. Buying your products with a friend means you can halve the shipping costs and bond over your favourite products.
FIND DISCOUNT CODES
Every influencer and their dog have a discount code these days. Even if it only gets you a cheeky 10% off, those savings will still add up. You’d be a fool not to do your research before placing an order. Have a look at a company’s tagged Instagram photos. Often you will be able to find an influencer who has posted about that company, tagged them and left their discount code in the caption. The influencer will be extremely grateful you used their code and also you will save money. This is a win-win scenario.
ONLY BUY WHAT YOU NEED
Do you buy into the marketing hype and get a massive stack of supplements without checking if they are right for you? There is no need to stock up on vitamin C tablets if you regularly consume fruits and vegetables. Before adding random items to your cart, think about what you genuinely need. Examine.com is a great resource to check whether a supplement is worth taking. Make sure that everything you buy is for a purpose. Shopping for the sake of it leads to money being wasted. Figure out which items will actually benefit your health and fitness, then stick to those. You don’t get points for having a big closet full of unnecessary supplements that don’t get you any closer to your goals.
WATCH FOR SALES
Most retailers have sales on special occasions or national holidays. Boxing Day, ANZAC Day, Easter and Waitangi are all popular occasions which warrant a good sale. By holding out until one of these events, you could easily save yourself a cheeky 10-20% on supplements. Top Dog often does spontaneous one day sales. So keep an eye on our social media accounts as you never know when one might pop up. Also get yourself a calendar and mark down all the national holidays. This way you can plan in advance when you will stock up on your favourite supplements.
Buying supplements doesn’t have to be an expensive ordeal. You just need to know what to buy and time it right. Maybe go halves with a mate or shop from the clearance tab. Spending the most money does not always equate to receiving the best products. Shop smarter and you’ll be able to maintain your gains without chipping away at your bank balance.