What kind of woman likes to go bargain shopping? Any woman who
wants more bang for her buck and just about any woman with a
reflection and a pulse.
And because we help women of all shapes, sizes and economic
backgrounds, we know that bargain shopping is a must for a lot
of women. New clothing is a luxury they just can’t afford.
However, economics aside, every woman, no matter how little she
has, wants to buy herself something new. So, read on and learn
how to enjoy the splurge with none of the guilt.
Here are the five ways to look like a million on a minimum wage.
1. DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Let us marvel you with our psychic powers. How much prep time do
you put in before you go shopping? We know what your answer is
going to be. Zip. Right? You just get that primal urge or that
extra space on your credit card and off you go. All we ask is
that you take two seconds to take a deep breath what you need,
how much money you have, what’s in, what’s out
Your first step is to go shopping in your own closet so you can
make a mental or written note of what you want to add to it. See
what needs to be replaced or if there are any basics you’re
still missing like tops to go under blazers or shoes that go
with everything. You know the drill. Then try to think of a few
classic pieces that might help to stretch what you already have
like a white shirt with a French cuff or a little black dress.
2. KNOW WHAT TO BUY
What should a shopper look for when buying a “bargain”? Check
the merchandise carefully. Is it well constructed? Are the seams
stitched properly? Are there loose threads? If there is a
pattern, does it match at the seams? If a store is selling
seconds that are slightly flawed or irregular, there should be a
sign or a tag from the manufacturer telling you so.
If merchandise is marked down, make sure you know why. Check for
rips, tears, dirt or make-up smears. If you find a problem
that’s easily cleaned or repaired, check with the sales people
to see if you can have the item at an even bigger discount.
3. TIMING IS EVERYTHING
The best time to find bargains? Discount stores offer bargains
all year round. But you can catch great buys at your favorite
retail watering hole faster than you can say ... holiday. And
there’s a slew of them. If you can time your urges, try to make
them coincide with the following dates.
HOLIDAY SALES -- President’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s
Birthday, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter/Spring Week, Memorial Day,
Fourth of July, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, The Day
After Thanksgiving(A big one!), After Christmas and After New
Year’s.
And there’s more! In addition to the racks that every store
keeps permanently stocked with sale items, each individual store
or chain has developed their own schedule of advertised sales.
STORE SALES — Liquidation Sales, Fire Sales, Manager’s Sales,
Summer’s End Sales, Winter’s End Sales, Anniversary Sale,
Inventory Sale and Closing Sales. (Some stores use the “Going
Out of Business” banner to get you in for jacked-up prices. Some
have been going out of business for years.)
Then every few weeks some stores will have a “take an extra 25%
off” sale just for the heck of it. So, if you’ve seen a “must
have” item but it falls into the “can’t afford” column, just
keep your calendar and local paper handy. Don’t just check the
advertising pages. Flip quickly to the business section. If the
economy is down, stores will be using the “sales” bait to get
you in.
4. WHERE TO GO
If you want movie stars, try Betty Ford. If you want bargains,
hit outlet and off-price stores. And don’t think they just get
the items that didn’t make it in the big time. They also get
items that are overstocked, discontinued or that stores just had
to get rid of to make room. It’s like buying retail but without
the cost. Try the following --
Department Store Outlets — 9.9% of your major department stores
have one. Just check with your favorite and ask where they’ve
stashed theirs.
Factory Outlets — Check your Yellow Pages for the one nearest
you. Beware: quality can vary widely. Some items are not the
expensive designer pieces you expect from the manufacturer.
Off-price Stores — TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, Dress for Less and
the mother ship, Loehman’s, to name a few.
Discount Catalogs — There are catalogs that specialize in
discount items like Chadwick’s and Bedford Fair. Some
established manufacturers like Clifford and Wills puts out
several sales catalogs each season.
The Internet — We offer discounted fashions on our site but you
can also recommend searching out the “clearance” pages on the
websites of your favorite retail outlet or manufacturer.
Discount Chain Stores — Target, K-Mart etc. They’re stocking
great basics these days — like cotton shirts and anything made
of denim.
Television Home Shopping — This is a way to shop for basics in
your bunny slippers. Often, during late night, they will have
fashion close-outs for even better savings.
Resale Boutiques — The very rich clean out their closets and
bring their clothes here. They’re a great place to buy
honest-to-God real designer labels without the sticker shock.
Check your local Yellow Pages.
Thrift Stores — Check out a thrift store swarming with the very
young and hip . Find out the day the “buyer” is in or when the
store gets its deliveries. That way you get first shot at
whatever comes in.
And don’t forget the obvious haunts that you just may have
overlooked. Garage sales are good bets but go early on Saturday.
And if you need the right blazer for a job interview or a dress
for a one-time only social occasion, there’s always the closet
of someone you love. And see if there’s something they want to
get rid of. One woman’s fashion mistake is another woman’s
“find”.
5. BE IN CHARGE
The question you must ask yourself before putting down your hard
earned plastic for a bargain is, “Why am I buying this?” If it
doesn’t go with two things in your closet, put it back! It is a
waste of money. Either you will never wear it or you will have
to buy more things to go with it. When it comes to bargain
shopping there are two categories: Impulse and Laser Guided.
Don’t buy anything you don’t love or need. Don’t let a sales
person, friend or well-meaning stranger talk you into buying
anything that you’re not comfortable with. They don’t have to
wear it in public, you do.
The information in this article comes from decades of personal
and professional experience. We are not ashamed to admit that we
are card carrying members of the Imelda Marcos Center for the
shop-a-holic and that our book was a form of occupational
therapy. Happy shopping!
*****
Shirley Pierce and Janet Behmer are the authors of the book
that's changing the way women think about clothes and themselves
-- Dress Me Now: How to Make Your Wardrobe Behave.
http://www.dressmenow.com
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