How to Shop Without Going Broke
Attention shoppers!! Do you love shopping but hate how light your wallet feels after racking up? Read my most useful tips for how to shop without going broke!
Hello Lovelies!
I hope you all are doing well. I get a ton of questions in regards to buying clothes: where to shop, how I know about sales, and how to shop without going broke. These questions come up so often I decided to share my best tips with everyone, and what better day to talk about shopping than on Friday (aka PAY DAY!)?
Top: Zara | Pants: Zara | Shoes: Marshalls
1. Sign Up for Store Emails
This is a very simple thing to do that can save you so much money! I sign up to receive emails from all the stores I like shopping at. Many people don’t do this because they don’t want to get spammed, but store emails are so valuable! You’re the first to know about sales your favorite stores are having so you know exactly when to shop and get the best savings. If you’re a frequent shopper you may even get emails with exclusive coupon codes. If you have a Gmail account, your emails are automatically categorized so your inbox isn’t flooded with all the promotional emails. iPhone users, I highly recommend downloading the Gmail app and turning off notifications for the default email app so you don’t get a ton of notifications all day.
2. Have an Idea of How Much You want to Spend
Before you even walk into a store, have a number in mind that you don’t want to go over. When I go shopping in stores, I’ll say to myself “Okay, I don’t want to spend over $100” . Having this mental budget helps me remain conscious of the price of everything I’m picking up in the store. If my total comes up higher than my mental budget at the register, I’ll let go of whatever I need to so I can stay under budget. This method requires a lot of self control, so if you know you aren’t quite there yet, I recommend shopping with cash and only carrying with you the amount you’re willing to spend in the store. An alternative tactic is to bring a friend along who you know will keep you on track. Having that voice of reason to say “you don’t need that” or “that item is too expensive” really helps when you’re on a budget.
3.Shop the Sale and Clearance Sections
If I’m being totally honest, I very RARELY buy clothes at full retail price. Shoutout to my mom for that because whenever we went shopping in my youth, she made a beeline for the clearance section. I abhorred it then but now I understand why she did it. The sale or clearance section of a store may require more time to look through (stores please do a better job of making your clearance sections more appealing) but you can find some gems there. I often find pieces that are still in season on clearance at a fraction of the cost. If you want to try incorporating bold colors or patterns into your wardrobe, the clearance section is a great place to start so you don’t have buyer’s remorse if something doesn’t work out.
4. Stop Buying Cheap Clothes
I say this because I love y’all. Please, please, PLEASE stop buying cheap clothes! When I say cheap I don’t just mean cheap in price, I mean cheap in quality. I know it’s easy to go to certain websites and stores that always have cheap clothes and feel like you got a lot for your money because you got 15 items for $100. But as the saying goes, quality over quantity. Building your wardrobe with cheap items means that you’re going to have to replace those items more frequently, thus spending more money in the long run. I use these sites if I really want to try out a new trend or when I’m getting auxiliary pieces. When I was filling my core wardrobe by shopping for pieces, I realized I was encountering a lot of ill-fitting clothes, unforgiving fabrics and pieces that were unraveling at the seams after a couple of washes. I decided that I deserve better, ad you do too.
5.Buy Pieces During Off Season
This is one of my favorite shopping tactics. Many websites will have pieces like winter coats, sweaters and cool-toned pieces on sale during the early parts of summer. This is the time to buy those pieces, and vice versa when shopping for summer clothes. Y’all know we advocate for buying timeless pieces, so buying pieces off season is no big deal when you’re going for classic pieces that suit your personal style. In college I really wanted a long peacoat for the winter. Instead of waiting until October to buy it at full price, I bought it in July and got an 80% discount. I didn’t wear it right away but I had it for when I needed it. I felt accomplished for finding exactly what I wanted for such a great price. When you’re on a budget, every dollar counts. Shop smarter, not harder.
6.Use Cash Back and Coupon Programs
If you have a credit card that offers cash back for every purchase, you can use it to shop so you can earn points and pay it right off to keep your balance low. I love cash back bonuses because it’s like getting paid to shop. Another great way to earn cash back for shopping is by using Ebates. I was super skeptical of Ebates at first because it seemed like a scam. All I do is shop online like usual and I get a percentage of that money back? How Sway?! It took for Sydney to recommend the site to me for me to give it a try. I signed up for an account and within two weeks I received my first check. Different stores offer a different cash back percentage so you can really rack up depending on where you shop. Ebates will also send you emails when stores are having sales and double cash back. Win-win situation. If you’re interested in signing up for Ebates you can use my referral code here (I do earn additional cash back for referrals). You can also use coupon widgets like Honey that will scan a website for any active discount codes before you check out. Another simple way to get a nice discount.
These are some of my most tried and true shopping tips that have helped me get the most bang for my buck. I enjoy shopping but I always do so carefully and make sure not to over-spend. Did you find any of these tips helpful? Are you going to put any of them into practice? Comment below and let me know!
About the Look: My entire outfit is from Zara! If you saw our Zara haul on IG TV you’ll recognize these pieces. I paired these fun, bright pink pants ($25) with a black peplum top($10) to break up the colors in this look with a muted, neutral color. A bold, floral statement necklace and black sandals complete the look. Adding more visual appeal and still keeping the look office friendly.
