Whether you are buying your weekly groceries or you are a buying for a business there are a few golden rules that never change. These rules are the same now as they ever were - and ever will be...

1. Ideally only buy based on personal experience or through a recommendation from a trusted source

2. Avoid products that are heavily promoted. The product will include the costs of promotion

3. Do not purchase goods from a salesman who wears designer clothes and drives an expensive car. You are paying for all this plus his Caribbean cruises

4. Do not purchase goods from a salesman who looks like he is going broke. There may be something wrong with his company's products

5. If you want the best and the most original products try to spot the next big thing before it becomes big

6. However, never buy the latest gadget. It will be pricey and you may become an unwitting guinea pig with a beta product for which nothing will be compatible

7. Never never buy from companies that keep you waiting on the phone and treat their customer like cattle. Your product will probably be cheap, but if they treat you with contempt before you buy, just wait until you become a customer...

8. The measure of the value of a product or service is low price x high quality. Low quality can be costly in the long run. A too highly specified product or service may result in you paying over the odds. For what its worth I generally avoid the cheapest and the most expensive

9. Remember that nothing is free. If you need to buy product A in order to have product B free, then product A was overpriced in the first place

10. Avoid complicated pricing structures. They are usually complicated for a reason

11. Try to buy as close to the production point as possible. The more middle men in a chain, the more layers of cost are added each time

12. Try not to buy under duress. If the salesman tells you that you will save xxxx amount if you buy before a certain time, at least ask him why. There may be a good reason and you may be getting a real bargain. If you get the impression that an arbitrary time limit has been set, walk away

Here are some specifics:

Fashion:

1. Fashion is a lot like food. It is extremely perishable. Buy small lots often

2. Be prepared to change your source of products often. Keep things fresh

3. Do not follow the crowd. You are too late

Food:

1. Food is a lot like fashion. It often looks good but is not very functional. Avoid plastic food. Food that looks perfect may taste bland. As an example, blemish free apples that are thick skinned and heavily waxed may look better than they taste

2. Buy with all your senses. Heavily packaged food will not allow you to evaluate it properly

Remember that sellers and marketers want you to dance to their tune. Buy this product by this date and get this other one cheaper. Join this scheme or that scheme. Choose plan X, Y or Z. You need to try to regain the initiative. Why not put your own plan A, B or C to the seller. I will buy that if this if free. I will buy more if the price is lower.

It is true that the lower your buying power is, the less leverage you have. But you do have some power, whatever your budget. Remember that you have the money that the seller wants. They have the goods that you may buy. In an ideal world there should be rough equality between these two forces. From the point of view of the buyer, of course, the more power you have, the more control you can exercise. If you feel that the balance is not in your favour, then look for another source.