I’ve started making it a habit of reading reviews before I make purchases - especially if I’m going to buy online.  Amazon, Walmart, and Target all offer reviews on their sites.

I also participate in writing reviews in order to help other people make good purchases.

Something to keep in mind when reading reviews is that more people are likely to be negative than positive. So when you’re reading a review, try to figure out if someone is just a “half glass empty” personality. One way to do this is by reading their other reviews.

You also have to watch out for campaigns to just bring someone down. I noticed this on Amazon today. Some people were upset about a comment an author once made, so they just bombarded the reviews with fake negative ones. But that’s rare.

Reading reviews is a good way to avoid making impulse buys as well. You can remind yourself at the store to go home and check reviews before you buy something. Later, when the emotions of seeing something new and exciting wear off, you’ll be in a better frame of mind to decide if the purchase is a good one for you and your budget (and wardrobe!) or not.