Shopping Tips, Tricks, and Rules

I’m sure it is no surprise to you, but I love shopping! And since I love shopping I have picked up a few tips and tricks to be able to shop and get the clothing I want, without breaking the bank. With spring break just around the corner and spring in sight, I thought I would pass on a list of some of the rules I follow while shopping, as well as some tips on how to save money!

Personal Rules/Tips:

1.    Think it through

When I am shopping I have a rule for myself: I have to be able to put whatever I am considering buying with at least two different outfits. I do this so that I don’t buy something and only be able to wear it one way. I want to get the most out of my clothes and be able to wear them several different ways! I know that not everyone is able to just visualize an outfit, but I personally find it very helpful!

2.    Try it on

I know that I definitely sometimes don’t feel like trying everything on, but things can look so different on than they did on the hanger! It can be a hassle, but it is worth it! I would much rather spend five minutes trying something on, than having to come back and mess around with returning or exchanging. It is much easier and time efficient to just try it on in the store. That way you won’t have to deal with the possibility of the store no longer being in-stock of the different size or color when you come back to exchange it!

3.    Experiment wisely

When experimenting with a look or style, don’t invest too much in it! Look for trendy pieces you want to experiment with at stores like Forever 21 and H&M. They both offer trendy pieces, and if you end up disliking them you won’t have spent much on it!

4.    Cost per wear

Sometimes I fall in love with something that is more than what I was hoping to pay for it. When this happens I think through what the cost per wear would be. When I know that I will get a lot of use out of it, I can justify spending more. When I know that it most likely won’t get much wear, I typically end up putting it back and looking some place cheaper. The cost per wear is basically thinking through if you will get your money out of the purchase. The more you wear the item, the lower the cost per each individual wear it would be since it would get more use.

5.    If you don’t like it in the store, you won’t like it at home

People find things most appealing when the item is still in the store. If you are trying to convince yourself to buy something in hopes that it will grow on you, chances are it won’t. Don’t waste your money buying something that you don’t even like in the store, you will probably like it even less when you get it home!

6.    Shop for what makes you feel the best

Don’t force yourself to buy something if you really don’t feel good in it! Just because something is popular or looks good on one person, doesn’t mean that it is meant for everyone! Shop for what makes you comfortable and feel your best. It’s good to try something out of your comfort zone every once and awhile, but don’t go too far out that wearing whatever you bought doesn’t sound appealing! Shop for what you think is flattering, comfortable, or cute; don’t let other people’s opinion’s change what is your style.

Tips for saving:

1.    Sign up for e-mailing lists from your favorite stores

      I like to do this especially when I have my eye on something, but I don’t want to pay full price for it! Stores will send you coupons and discounts as well as alerts when sales are going on.

2.    Check coupon app’s like Retail me Not before you make your purchase

      Several times I have been in line to check out, and decided to quickly check to see if there were any coupons out there that I didn’t know about. Thankfully I decided to check because I discovered some really great coupons that I would have otherwise missed out on!

3.    Set a budget for yourself

When looking for something specific, make sure to set a realistic budget and don’t go too far over it. If you end up finding what you are looking for and it is way out of your price range, keep looking! Most likely if you are patient and keep looking, you will be able to find a similar item at a cheaper store.

Extra tip: The stores that I have had the best luck with finding look-alikes are Forever 21 and Target

4.    Take advantage of big sales  

      Taking advantage of big sales is a huge money saver! I like to watch out for sales such as end of summer, after Christmas, and my favorite, Black Friday. Sales at these times really allow for you to get the most bang for your buck, and who doesn’t like to save money!

5.    When you feel like your paying too much for something in store, check online

I have found that sometimes stores will have completely different sales in store than online! It’s so frustrating for me to buy something in store and the next day see that it would have been $5 cheaper if I had gotten it online! I always make sure to do this before buying something at Old Navy. I love Old Navy, but I have found that they can sometimes be sneaky and offer way better sales online!

6.    Shop Clearance

      If you have time to browse, take advantage of looking through clearance! You never know what you might find! I have found some great pieces that were on clearance and was able to save a lot! Who knows, maybe that shirt or those pants you almost bought last time you were in the store are now $10 cheaper on clearance!

7.    Shop at Outlet Stores

      I LOVE outlet stores! They typically have wider selections with a fraction of the price in a normal store! My favorite outlet stores are Gap, Old Navy, and Loft.

I hope that you were able to find a few things from this post helpful! These are my own tips, tricks, and rules for shopping so feel free to pick and choose which ones work for you! Everyone feels differently about shopping, but I thought I would share some ways to maybe make shopping easier or more bearable! I know this post was really long, but if I missed something or you still have a question, feel free to leave a comment down below! I would love to answer any additional questions you have about shopping or style!

Just in case you were wondering…

My Favorite places to shop are:

·      Target

·      Forever 21

·      H&M

·      Francesca’s

·      Charming Charlie’s

·      Old Navy

·      Gap