I love to shop. There is nothing I love more than hitting the mall to buy shoes, clothes, things for my apartment, and crafty things. However, I don’t really have the money to shop. My husband’s favorite words are “We Can’t afford it.”
And since we started saving, I shop less. But that doesn’t mean I go crazy when I do shop.I learned tricks to be a savvy shopper. Someone told me recently it is trendy to see how much you can get for the lowest price. This is the easiest trend to follow.

Spontaneous Shopping

    Most people are unplanned shoppers. That means they go into the store for a new shirt, and they come out with a new shirt, a cute skirt, shoes and a purse to match. And when someone asks why we didn’t just get the white shirt we say, “But it was on sale.” And it was. One of the great things about this recession is the sale. Retail is having a hard time so they but everything on sale. And we flock to it. The only way to beat this is to resist temptation. What I do is only take the amount that I think that I will need. Give your self a limit, and leave your credit card at home.

Treasure Hunt Shopping

One of the best ways to be a savvy shopper is to shop the clearance racks. I love to go to high-end stores and shop the clearance racks. There are many great deals out there. You just have to dig to find them. Boutiques are the some of the best places to find these deals because they are privately owned and mark prices down as low as they want to. They also are willing to bargain or haggle with you..

Tech Savvy Shopping
   
Online shopping is also a great way to find deals. If you have a more competitive nature, you might want to try eBay. Also if you are in the market for any kind jewelry from low end to high end check out ex-boyfriend jewelry.com. They have great deals and super funny stores that go along with all of the listed items.

Quality Matters

When you do make a purchase make sure that you are purchasing something that is of good quality and will remain in style for many seasons to come. Also make sure that you are not just buying something because it is on sale. Someone once told me that fashion is a right not a privilege.  You should not have to sacrifice your style for your hard earned dollars, stores like Ross ad Forever 21 have great deals on items that are fashionable as well as inexpensive.

Before you take out that credit card

Last but not least, before you make an “impulse purchase” see if you can put the item on hold, even if it is only for 24 hours. This will give you 24 hours to think about the item. My rule is that if I think about the item more then three times, then I really want it. And if I am allowed to, I will go back and get it.
Just because we are in an economic crunch does not mean that you have to abandon your love for shopping. But, you do need to learn to control in, and live with in your means. While shopping is really fun, it is more important to save money and pay off debt. So learn to be a savvy shopper and your pocketbook will thank you in the end.