I wrote once, an article on the best ways to shop & save money.  And there was a period of time where I did go from freelance job to freelance job, & still tried to make ends meet.  After finding many ways of saving money when I shop, I thought, why not share it with everyone else?  And viola!  I started blogging.

Something I have to mention: I didn’t grow up being a well off girl.  In fact, I have never been that girl.  But yet there are times when I do like to buy high end things without it breaking my wallet.  And honestly I find myself lucky not having been the rich girl, for I have found all kinds of ways around not paying for things full price, how people just look to rip you off; and it has allowed me to realize how much overrated / overpriced certain things are.

 

And here they are!  How I buy things at reasonable prices!

Clothes & Shoes: As much as I hate to admit that I do love fast fashion, when I feel like buying certain things of higher quality, usually I head over to an outlet, Century21, or Nordstrom Rack.  If you don’t know of an outlet near you, check out Outletbound which allows you to search for the nearest one!  I also shop a lot online, & for designer things I’ll shop at places like Hautelook, Gilt, Beyond the rack, Rue la la, The Real Real, and Ideel for flash sales that allow me to buy things discounted!  (Most of them require you to sign up for their membership, but don’t worry it’s always free to join!)  Other sites I would go to would be YOOX.com, & Net-A-Porter for designer clothes on sale; & once in awhile I do pick up things in a sample sale.  For those of you who live in the NYC area, Stylish City is a great source of sample sales!  (Do a search of sample sales in the city nearest you!)

With all these resources nowadays, why would I pay for anything at retail price?

Bags: I’ve been a lucky girl in the sense that I know of a consignment store not too far from me, that sells designer bags (like Coach!) starting at $30!  I also know of someone who happens to sell used designer bags for ridiculously low prices.  Otherwise I would head over to outlet as well.

Another tip: It’s always a good idea to head over to the sale section of a high end store.  The last time I stopped by a Valentino store, their sale section is up to 90% off!  And price watching never hurt anyone.  If ever visit i.e. a flagship store, you can wait towards the end of the season when things go on sale.  And of course, when you shop online, bookmark the items you want, & wait for them to be discounted.  For other tips & tricks on saving money when shopping check out The Smartest Ways To Shop & Save Money Online!

Makeup:  They sell makeup sets of Estée Lauder & Clinique ridiculously cheap on Amazon, they make great gifts & they start at only $25!!  If not, I head over to Ulta & Sephora.  When you sign up for their memberships, (Sephora’s Beauty Insider & Ulta’s Ultamate Rewards) you’re entitled to a free birthday gift!  Also you accrue points whenever you shop, which leads to more free stuff!

I know, Sephora doesn’t sound so cheap.  If I would like something high end, I buy things in sets or I wait for their coupon.  BUT at Ulta as an Ultamate Rewards member, there are lots of perks where I can get coupons or makeup for free!  When I accrue points, & that adds up to dollars that I can use to get free makeup / perfume, or I save when they send me a coupon!  And I have gotten lots of stuff for free from Ulta, including their prestige brands, just by being a member.  And when I do get them you can get 20% off anything in store!

Skincare products & perfume: If I can’t use a coupon from Sephora or Ulta?  Do you know where I go?  Amazon or Ebay.  And I’ve gotten most of my perfume off of Ebay!  From Chanel, to Chloe, Armani, Christian Dior (and many more!) I’ve gotten all of them from Ebay!  Both are great places to check out i.e. to get something cheaper than retail; or to buy something that has been discontinued.  A lot of people are wary of Ebay, which is understandable.  BUT if you do shop on there always go with a vendor who has a 99% approval rating; & I do think it’s a place worth glancing at.

Salon treatments (Haircuts, manicures, etc.):  The hair salon that my mom brought me to cuts my hair really well & they only charge me $20!  Also there are lots of nail salons by me, which charge $25 for a mani/pedi!  Otherwise I would check out lifebooker.com for discounts & great deals!  (Groupon is a great place to look at, too!)

Spa, & Gym memberships: One word for you: Groupon!  You can even find great deals on things like laser hair removal!  And they are a great resource for lots of other things as well!

Travel:  I use a lot of tactics to save money when I travel.  Actually I wrote a whole article about it!  Check out here:  How To Make Traveling Affordable! Some Tips & Tricks You Can’t Find Anywherelse!

You may think, ‘Oh you use a lot of ways to not pay full price’; and you’re right, I do!  I think that the most foolish people are those who spend money on expensive things they can’t afford.  And I think it’s important to not be that fool.  And I read once in a news article that sales & discounts can cheapen a brand; & that may be true, but no one is coming to my house to console me when I can’t pay off my bills.  I’ve mentioned this before: Be smart.  Shop smart!

 

Related articles:

The Smartest Ways To Shop & Save Money Online!

Where & when to buy high end designer things at reasonable prices!!

SHOPPING ONLINE!!! The stores that are online, and online only…

How To Make Traveling Affordable! Some Tips & Tricks You Can’t Find Anywherelse!