bargain hunting

psychological research suggests we associate finding a bargain with positive feelings. this might be rooted in the concept of loss aversion - the idea that we feel more strongly about losses than gains. when we find a bargain, we feel like we've gained something valuable while avoiding the potential loss of paying full price

finding a bargain activates the reward centres in our brains. the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward, gives us a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when we buy something for a lower price. research also shows that the positive feelings become greater if we feel we've outsmarted the seller, the bargain is rare or involved some effort on our part

some of my favourite bargains:

• coffee table - heavily discounted as ex-display

• shelves - some parts were bought secondhand

• sofa (pr product) - currently on sale