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| LOFT shirts I bought 40% off |
1. Make a budget. This may seem simple but it is extremely important. Part of being a smart shopper is being financially smart, and setting a budget is the best way to do this. Before your shopping trip, figure out an amount that you are comfortable spending and make sure you stick to it. If you aren’t very good at staying within your budget, you might consider taking that amount of money in cash and leaving the credit cards at home. Once the cash is gone you won’t be able to spend more.
2. Shop on the weekend. This is the best time to shop because most stores run their best promotions on the weekend. The weekend in the land of retail starts on Friday and ends on Sunday (although some retailers will start their weekend promos on Thursday). Retailers run their best promotions when the most people are in the mall and more likely to walk into their store, so they use tempting promotions like 40% off full price items to lure you in. Although you will most likely be shopping with the crowds, you will be getting a better deal. Here’s a tip: In my experience, Friday night is often the least busiest time during the weekend, so if you must avoid the crowds, Friday night might be the best time to do so.
3. Sign up for store email lists. If there are certain stores you can’t get enough of, sign up for their email lists. You will always be the first to know about their steals and deals and some stores even give you a coupon just for signing up!
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| 40% off skirts from Banana Republic (email told me about this sale) |
5. Try on clothes in the store. I know it seems like a chore, but you have to try clothes on in order to truly know what is going to work on you. I always try on everything I buy and I rarely end up having go through the hassle of returns or regret my purchases. It only takes a few extra minutes, but it saves me an extra trip to return the item. If you aren’t too keen on deciding what looks good on you, ask a friend you trust to shop with you or ask a sales associate what they think. I know some people are afraid to ask a SA for help, but remember it’s their job to help you. Many are very helpful and nice and if they get too pushy about making a sale just tell them straight that you really are only interested in the item you have.
6. Don’t always look for the cheapest deals. It’s really easy to get sticker shock when shopping and it makes the sale section a lot more appealing. But getting into the fall season most of what is on sale is not going to serve you much of a purpose since most of it is leftovers from the summer. Fall might actually be one of the hardest times to shop the sale section of your favorite mall store. Instead of the sale section look at the full price items when they are on a promo. I tend to buy items that are full price when the store has a 30 or 40 percent off sale. This way I can get the clothes I need when I need them and not have to pay the full price on the tag. There is certainly nothing wrong with buying sale items, but you have to be diligent and not just taken in by the cheap price. Really question the sale pieces you do buy: are they in season? Will they fill a hole in your wardrobe? Are they quality pieces that will last? How many outfits can you make using the new item with pieces you already own? Come to think of it, these are great questions to ask yourself of any piece you buy, regardless of the price.
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| After trying on this dress from Limited I knew I would be able to style it many different ways |
7. Consider quality before price. I try not to look for the cheapest deal but rather the best quality I can afford. Here is an example: I like to buy sweaters made with more than 50 percent wool and try to avoid sweaters made of acrylic or more than half man made materials. Why? Wool and merino wool in particular tend to last you for many many years when cared for correctly. They are also warmer but breathable which keeps you comfortable in the cooler months. Acrylic is a man made material that many cheaper sweater are made of and make the sweater warm but not breathable, making you feel sweaty and uncomfortable pretty quickly. Acrylic and materials like it tend to pill and do not have the durability that wool has therefore making wool a better investment in the long run. This is obviously just one example and not a hard and fast rule but knowing what makes a garment a quality item is going to make you a much smarter shopper and give you a wardrobe that will last you for years. Things I don’t mind spending more money on for sake of quality include sweaters, jeans, blazers, jackets and shoes. Things I like to save on include handbags, tees and layering pieces.
8. Look at the store website before you shop. This will help you out if you are short on time. You can scope out the pieces that interest you and then go to the store and be able to bypass all the stuff you don’t need and get straight to the items you do. If you look online you might also find a better deal than in store. Check it out at the store first and if you still like it and online has a better price, go home and order it. I also know some stores might honor a better online price in order to get your purchase in store. You may want to ask nicely if they can do that for you. Worst thing they can say is no.
9. Make sure you are clear on return policies and if things are final sale or not. This will help keep you from buying on impulse now and ending up with un-returnable merchandise later.
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| Obviously I'm loving this shirt to pieces! |
10. Have fun! Shopping should be fun and not a chore. Enjoy your trip and don’t feel like you have to buy something. Sometimes half the fun is just looking.
Check out this week’s video that features all the clothes I bought for fall using the tips above!
Keep Life Cute!
Kelly
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