Well Hello There!! [Wendy Williams voice] How you doin? :D
LOL, ok so I consider myself a true, expert bargain shopper. Let me explain why I say this. I subscribe to coupon emailing lists for stores I like to shop at, I am a member of sale alert websites, I don't mind looking through every single clearance rack at a store, and I know how to manipulate the seasonal fashion cycle to get the best deal possible on clothes and shoes that I want. My friends have this theory that I am a shopaholic, but I do not consider myself one, because I do not buy what I cannot afford, shopping does not "trump" everything else in my life, I do not use money that is designated to important things like books, health, bills, and groceries in order to finance my shopping habit. I just know how to get the BIGGEST BANG for each and EVERY BUCK I choose to spend on clothing, shoes, and accesories.
How do I do this? Here are some tips/techniques I have on
HOW-TO SHOP EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY:
1. Shopping sta
rts at home. You can begin this process in the comfort of your sweatpants and oversized t-shirt. I am on so many stores' mailing lists. I get emails everyday about sales, sometimes with coupons. On the home webpage of stores that I like to shop in, there is usually a link for a weekly ad/promotion(Target, Walmart-DON'T SLEEP ON WALLY WORLD), or just browse the website and find sales on the website(Charlotte Russe, Rue21, Forever21, Express, NY&Company, Rack Room Shoes, Payless). This helps you know where to go in order to find what you want at an amazingly good price without having to go from store to store with the possibility of disappointment. Personally, it is very discouraging when I go from store to store and don't find what I want anywhere. If you start your shopping journey at home, on the web, where you can comfortably browse, you will appreciate it. It saves gas and time, and when gas is $3/gallon, who wouldnt want to??
2. ONLINE ONLY DEALS! I cannot count how many times I have found un-promoted sales online when I was just casually searching! Online, stores may display items that might be limited supply or have been pulled from stores at a very low price!! I get so excited when I see these! They tend to go quickly, especially if it is an extremely cute piece. Now, if you aren't comfortable with shopping online because of sizing and fit, then you may need to shop only on store sites that you feel comfortable/familiar with. I usually check my favorite store sites a couple times a week, just to see what is on sale, and I might find some, I may not. CHECK ANYWAY! It never hurts to look!
3. The single biggest mistake I see people make when it comes to in-store shopping is getting stuck at the front of the store. Think about the front of any select mall store. Col
orful, new, sometimes expensive items are placed strategically at the entrance of a store in order to draw potential customers into the store. The dressed mannequins, the cute shoe displays, or just a HUGE SIGN ON THE WINDOW can capture and keep a person's interest. What do I do? I walk right past those pretty displays and straight towards the back of the store, which is where the sale/clearance racks usually are. These racks are usually stuffed with clothing as shoes just as cute as the clothing showcased in the front of the store. It will be hard at first. Because I am an experienced bargain shopper, I have developed a certain "callous" to the marketing strategies of retail stores. Go to the back of the store! You will find TREASURES! Now, I will warn you...YOU MUST LOOK THROUGH THE RACKS! The sales will not just reveal themselves to you! This search requires patience and determination. You can do it! I believe in you! LOL
4. COUPONS-COUPONS-COUPONS, PROMOTION CODES-PROMOTION CODES-PROMOTION CODES!! I cannot stress the aforementioned enough! Some people have abandoned using coupons because they do not know where to find them and don't feel like looking for them. Trust me, looking for them online, in newspapers, ANYWHERE...it will be worth it! Take, for example, a pair of jeans I bought online. Not only did the store email me a subscriber-only promo code, but i googled coupon/promo codes for the store and found one for an EXTRA 15% off! See what a bit of searching can do? ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT! :D
Everybody cannot follow all or any of these tips. Everyone cannot be a bargain shopper. And you know what...THAT IS OK! If you don't have the patience or the time to do all that I do, then find WHAT WORKS FOR YOU! That's all that matters...YOU! Well these are the tips that I can think of right now, but if I think of any more I'll be sure to do another post on it!
HAPPY SHOPPING!!
~NaturalNubia :D <3
LOL, ok so I consider myself a true, expert bargain shopper. Let me explain why I say this. I subscribe to coupon emailing lists for stores I like to shop at, I am a member of sale alert websites, I don't mind looking through every single clearance rack at a store, and I know how to manipulate the seasonal fashion cycle to get the best deal possible on clothes and shoes that I want. My friends have this theory that I am a shopaholic, but I do not consider myself one, because I do not buy what I cannot afford, shopping does not "trump" everything else in my life, I do not use money that is designated to important things like books, health, bills, and groceries in order to finance my shopping habit. I just know how to get the BIGGEST BANG for each and EVERY BUCK I choose to spend on clothing, shoes, and accesories.
How do I do this? Here are some tips/techniques I have on
HOW-TO SHOP EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY:
1. Shopping sta
rts at home. You can begin this process in the comfort of your sweatpants and oversized t-shirt. I am on so many stores' mailing lists. I get emails everyday about sales, sometimes with coupons. On the home webpage of stores that I like to shop in, there is usually a link for a weekly ad/promotion(Target, Walmart-DON'T SLEEP ON WALLY WORLD), or just browse the website and find sales on the website(Charlotte Russe, Rue21, Forever21, Express, NY&Company, Rack Room Shoes, Payless). This helps you know where to go in order to find what you want at an amazingly good price without having to go from store to store with the possibility of disappointment. Personally, it is very discouraging when I go from store to store and don't find what I want anywhere. If you start your shopping journey at home, on the web, where you can comfortably browse, you will appreciate it. It saves gas and time, and when gas is $3/gallon, who wouldnt want to??
2. ONLINE ONLY DEALS! I cannot count how many times I have found un-promoted sales online when I was just casually searching! Online, stores may display items that might be limited supply or have been pulled from stores at a very low price!! I get so excited when I see these! They tend to go quickly, especially if it is an extremely cute piece. Now, if you aren't comfortable with shopping online because of sizing and fit, then you may need to shop only on store sites that you feel comfortable/familiar with. I usually check my favorite store sites a couple times a week, just to see what is on sale, and I might find some, I may not. CHECK ANYWAY! It never hurts to look!
3. The single biggest mistake I see people make when it comes to in-store shopping is getting stuck at the front of the store. Think about the front of any select mall store. Col
orful, new, sometimes expensive items are placed strategically at the entrance of a store in order to draw potential customers into the store. The dressed mannequins, the cute shoe displays, or just a HUGE SIGN ON THE WINDOW can capture and keep a person's interest. What do I do? I walk right past those pretty displays and straight towards the back of the store, which is where the sale/clearance racks usually are. These racks are usually stuffed with clothing as shoes just as cute as the clothing showcased in the front of the store. It will be hard at first. Because I am an experienced bargain shopper, I have developed a certain "callous" to the marketing strategies of retail stores. Go to the back of the store! You will find TREASURES! Now, I will warn you...YOU MUST LOOK THROUGH THE RACKS! The sales will not just reveal themselves to you! This search requires patience and determination. You can do it! I believe in you! LOL
4. COUPONS-COUPONS-COUPONS, PROMOTION CODES-PROMOTION CODES-PROMOTION CODES!! I cannot stress the aforementioned enough! Some people have abandoned using coupons because they do not know where to find them and don't feel like looking for them. Trust me, looking for them online, in newspapers, ANYWHERE...it will be worth it! Take, for example, a pair of jeans I bought online. Not only did the store email me a subscriber-only promo code, but i googled coupon/promo codes for the store and found one for an EXTRA 15% off! See what a bit of searching can do? ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT! :D
Everybody cannot follow all or any of these tips. Everyone cannot be a bargain shopper. And you know what...THAT IS OK! If you don't have the patience or the time to do all that I do, then find WHAT WORKS FOR YOU! That's all that matters...YOU! Well these are the tips that I can think of right now, but if I think of any more I'll be sure to do another post on it!
HAPPY SHOPPING!!
~NaturalNubia :D <3
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