I love fashion and being fabulous just as much as the next fashionista but I don’t want to spend all my coins doing so. Over the years I found different ways to shop without breaking the bank. It really started when I was in college. I went to school full time and worked part time so I didn’t have much money for extra spending like clothes but when I did I shopped smart. I came up with six rules below that I live by to stay fabulous and cute while on a budget. I avoided the obvious like shopping sales and the clearance racks.
1. Thrift Shop
Now being the thrift addict that I am, this is my obvious #1 choice to save money. Some of my most worn pieces came from a resale shop or thrift store. Not only can you find unique clothes but you can find high end brands and good quality pieces for low prices. Something I look for the most when thrifting are items like blazers and button down shirts. These are clothing items I wear to work on a consistent basis; they never get old or go out of style.
When it comes to thrift stores, theres levels to this sh*t. The lower end stores are going to be the ones where you have to look and search through racks and racks of clothes and a lot of the time it’s hit or miss. My favorite low end thrift store is Family Thrift. They have several locations in Houston. The prices range from about $.75 to $20. I usually pop in my headphones and began looking. It may take some time to fully look but the most gratifying part is when I leave with a bag full of clothes and have only spent $50. The mid-price thrift stores would be like Buffalo Exchange. I always can find good pieces from shops like this one however I always see a lot of things I would rather not spend that much money on. Last would be the high-end thrift stores which are usually Mom & Pop owned. I would definetly not recommend this if you are looking to save money but whenever you want name brand, high end clothing for half the price, this is the place to go.
2. Splurge on Classic Pieces
Trendy pieces are always fun to wear but when you think about the life span of them, you might reconsider. Spending a little extra than you normally would on something can be beneficial in the long run. Think about a good pair of black classic heels. These can be worn for years to come like going to a job interview or to a funeral where the last thought should be is on what you’re going to wear. Other classic pieces include a good winter coat, a sturdy black bag, and a little black dress. All of these are versatile and are must haves for a women’s closet.
3. Shop at Lower End Stores
I don’t know why but many people act like their too good to shop at places like Forever 21, Marshalls, or Target. When you don’t have money to splurge on higher price classic pieces, you can always find some great stuff at Forever 21. I know because I use to work there and not everything is cheap and going to shrink as soon as you wash it. These places are great when starting to build your wardrobe. Places like Target have stepped their fashion department up and have some really great clothing for super affordable prices. You’ll also be surprised on what great bags and even shoes you can find at Marshalls that are name brand. Don’t sleep on these places.
4. Spend Less on Beauty Products
Tip #3 leads right into number #4. Even though I love make-up brands like MAC, Smashbox, and others, I once couldn’t afford much of it. When I was in college most of my make-up was drug store brands like Maybeline, NYX, and Covergirl. Some of my best and most favorite lipsticks came from Walmart and Target. Even when you watch some of the top beauty Youtubbers they can all agree. You don’t need to spend an arm and a leg on make-up and beauty products to look like a make-up guru. It’s all in the application just like clothing is all in the styling.
5. Use Apps
Apps like RetailMeNot and Shop Savvy always come in handy when looking for sales, coupons, and saving money. When it comes to RetailMeNot I love it because you can get coupon codes and sales at your favorites stores for both online and in-store. Now before I even go into a mall I’m checkin this app to see who is having what. This way you can use all the sales and coupons to your advantage to save money during your shopping trip.
[Tweet “You don’t need to spend an arm and a leg on make-up and beauty products to look like a make-up guru. It’s all in the application just like clothing is all in the styling. – @itsmsjones_2u”]
