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Wednesday, March 4, 2015

finds: Shopping Tips

shopping

My husband may have a Ph.D. in biochemistry... but I have a Ph.D. in shopping.  

If a friend of mine has found a particularly great shopping deal, I can usually top it.  Easy.  I may identify a little too much with the character Cher in Clueless, but I have performed my role with very little out of pocket cost.  Vintage fur coat for $2.49.  Dress from Dillard's for $1.99.  Thrifted wool coat for $4.00.  Not only do I enjoy the obviously wonderful find, but I love the dumbfounded look I receive when I tell someone how much it was.  But how to find "it?" 

As a Culture Thrift, I tend to employ the following tips when I am shopping, as general guidelines to aid in the process.  Not that an amazing find will always happen- be patient!- but using these tips will change the way you shop, your spending habits, and will make shopping a delightful treasure hunt, rather than a chore.  

Shopping Tips

  • Shop out of season- Stores want to get rid of these items and will do so at significantly lower prices.  You will also never run the risk of showing up as someone's twin!
  • Look for sales- January and June are usually hot points for many clothing stores.
  • Try closeout stores- Ross, TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Nordstrom Rack... the options are endless!  Some of my best finds are with these babes!
  • Start at the clearance rack- No matter where you are shopping, even if the store itself is a discount store.  
  • Be openminded- Sometimes I try on clothing items as a legitimate joke, but ended up at the register with my find.  
  • Ask yourself "Is ______ worth it, at ______ price"- If a silk shirt is listed at $4, of course it is worth it, but am I willing and should I pay $50 for it?
  • "Do I look fabulous?- If the answer is no, then keep shopping.  (This has been a great help, thanks to one of my friends who gave me this guideline)
  • Thrift, thrift, thrift- While you can't always depend on thrift stores for specific items, you will find wonderfully constructed, classic pieces that will last forever- and wear forever!
  • Coupons- Whether cut out papers or as an app on your phone, coupons are so worth it.  Look for coupons in the mail, sign up online, or try retailmenot.com and add it as an app on your phone.  
  • Free shop- I do this on occasion for a little challenge: I will only use coupons or gift certificates that I already have and have a goal to not spend any money.  None.  
  • Shop online- I admit it's not my favorite way to shop- I so enjoy the experience of seeing, touching, trying on the item I'm planning on buying- but online shopping does carry many advantages: price comparison, no waste of gas money, customer reviews, massive quantities in very little time, etc.  
  • List needs & wants- Keep an ongoing list of both of these to help prioritize where you should splurge and where you should try to save.  
  • Take a month off!- Remember to appreciate what you have and to not base your existence on the material.  
  • Give- After all this shopping, look through your closet and get rid of things you do not wear, but another person could.  Make friends with your local Goodwill donation center.  
Now, it's your turn!  Become a Culture Thrift and find those screaming deals.  I'd love to hear about your oh-so-amazing finds... comment below on the blog or snap a picture of it and use #theculturethrift on Instagram.  I can't wait to hear about them!

Written next to a stack of receipts,

Sarah, The Culture Thrift 

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