Broke bitch? Cheap ass? Call me what you want, but I love to shop! I share a bond with shopping like no other fashionista. I have a serious problem with buying items for full price, depending on what it is of course. Fashion for me consists of clothes, accessories, and SHOES! Some might argue that I try live a materialistic lifestyle and that I have a lot of shoes. Wrong! I live for the pleasure of finding deals at affordable prices. Bargain shopping is not a skill, it is a lifestyle and it can be followed. Don't expect to find something you won't feel guilty about later when you shop at Nordstroms or JMR because I did once upon a time and there shit always goes on sale after you buy it anyways... grrr! This doesn't mean you have to give up all your favorite stores or your expensive taste you just have to consider the alternatives to smarter shopping! Good finds are out there you just gotta spend the time looking for them. The idea is to get more than what you pay for. I can go in to Charlotte Russe with $20 and walk out with at least three new things just from their clearance rack selections. (If anyone has additional advice he or she would like to add about wise shopping please do because I love sharing and saving haha!) When girls want to go shopping and have money to splurge it's like we can never find anything we like and when we don't have money it's like everything we like finds us! It's seriously the worse feeling in the world to not get what you want ;) This of course was not intended to be a factual statement, it just happens all the time with me and my friends when we go shopping.
Yesterday, me and Renee went to the Gateway to occupy time, I was waiting for the frontrunner and she was waiting for her husband to get off work. We browsed through are favorite stores then we went to Urban Outfitters and with no intention of buying anything I saw no harm looking at what was on sale there. I saw the biggest cutest bag on sale, I didn't really have a need for it right now, so I thought of how this purchase could benefit me in the near future. So I bought it! I can use it as a carry-on perfect for traveling, and now I've got something big enough to combine my backpack and purse into one! This bag will be able to haul all of my books/notebooks for school and I'll have extra room to pack a lunch! How convenient this was truly a match made in heaven. If I decide to later stick with my backpack this coming semester, then no biggie!
Originally $78 on sale for $19.99 by Deena & Ozzy at Urban Outfitters!
So this is how I do it, I never go shopping to intentionally buy anything, if that makes any sense. I will go window shopping to my favorite stores browse through what's new and hot that way I get an idea of what will be on sale at a later time haha then I browse through the sale items and compare the discount from it's original cost. Buy 1 get 1 free (Bogo's) and anything 50% off or more is a good deal! Good deals don't last very long so it's wise to buy or place something on hold before the next prospect shopper steals your deal. Recommended time consumption to effective bargain shopping is 20 minutes per store, that's how long it should take you to skim through clearance racks BEFORE trying things on. If a shopper has gone longer than 40 minutes then he or she is wasting energy and must continue on to the next store! The work effort is the biggest con for bargain shopping, yes it's a hassle sometimes to look through tangled hangers and buckets of clothes, but when that moment of glory comes when you found that perfect blouse for your perfect price, it's like finding treasure! So I recommend "skimming" don't look at stuff you know already isn't your style duh. To be honest, a lot of discounted items are FUGLY* and/or XXS, XS, XL, XXL so there is a reason why some things can be practically free. The time of the season is THE most important factor in bargain shopping. My mom and I like to shop holiday specials, day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday), and end of season sales. Right now retailers are gearing up for the Fall season styles while Summer is still here and this is an example for perfect timing to browse through discounted summer selections while they last. I find my best deals at: Old Navy, JC Penney, Wet Seal, Charlotte Russe, and Tai Pan Trading (accessories and home decor only) and for the men I suggest going to: Savers, Plato's Closet, Rue 21 and I don't really know where else haha guys aren't as lucky when it comes to deals. Also, what I like to do is sell my clothes to Plato's Closet or UpTown Cheapskate by recycling fashion and to ensure that I have the closet space and extra cash for new updated styles. :)
*Term used to describe something fucking ugly!
A few helpful reminders that I would like to leave for my shopping friends is to remember B.L.A.C.K. this can be easily remembered as you strive for successful bargain shopping. (Black for Black Friday and because it happen to work out that way, not because I'm racist).
Step 1: Be realistic about where you choose to shop.
Step 2: Look for things that can match items you already have.
Step 3: Always ask for a military or student discount lol.
Step 4: Clearances and Sale racks are usually in the back or very front of the store.
Step 5: Know your budget, spend what you can spare.
Happy Shopping!
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