How well do you shop in the sales?
Clothing sales can be both a blessing and a curse. On one hand you can buy pieces that were out of reach when they were full price while on the other you can accidently stock up on those “great idea” items which once home get stuffed in the back of a drawer never to be spoken of again.
It’s a delicate balance of being able to spot a bargain and not being gullible.
In response to the upcoming post-holiday sales, today’s post is about being sensible in the sales and how a little bit of planning can save you from defaulting on your mortgage payments and instead allowing you to bring home the ultimate bargain.
found via Etsy! Buy the print here+
So where do you go wrong in the sales?
The first step in working the sales to your advantage is knowing how they have you at a disadvantage. Because every person is different I have taken a hard look at myself during previous sales and made a bullet point list of what I have bought which hasn’t benefited me in the long run.
- Buying something just because it was cheap
- Buying it because I want to buy something
- Buying an item as a ‘project’ that I will ‘fix up’
- Buying doubles of previous/existing purchases and bulk buying basics
- Buying in a hurry and not trying it on or buying things that don’t fit quite right but feel good enough
- Using the phrase, “I’ll shrink down into it . . . “
The biggest lesson that I can immediately take away from this list is this, impulse buys don’t work for me but they do work for the retail industry. I am sure that I am not the only one to fall prey to impromptu sales or feeling as if just because its cheap means that I should buy it! Sale time can make even the best of us a little crazy!
So as I sat at home the other day with yet another online shopping basket I began formulating a plan! If my downfall is spur of the moment buying then I am going to make a plan for the sales which will hopefully ensure me a successful sale time!
Make a plan.
- What do you want to get from the sales? a specific piece or are you filling a gap in your closet?
- Where are you going to shop? Online or in Store?
- Whats your realistic budget?
What do you want to get from the sales?
A specific piece.
I think this is the easiest thing to do to make sure you only make sensible purchases. For me it is Monsoon’s Alexa Cocoon Dress+ I have been courting this dress for a while now and decided that in order to have it in my winter capsule I would have to buy it in the sale. The greatest thing about having already scooped out your purchases is that you have the ability to have already tried it on. (I haven’t but thats mainly because I worried if I did I would feel the need to buy it before its been reduced.) Secondly you know its previous price so you won’t be conned by any poor tricks and you can also better judge if its still a worthy investment.
Filling a gap in your closet.
Tougher but not impossible when you are shopping for something like new white T-shirts I think its always important to shop in only the shops that you know work great for you! For me that means, Gap, Zara Basics and on occasion Next. My problem in sales comes when I deviate into stores I wouldn’t normally shop in. For instance I only ever go into River Island in the sale. Why? Because their sizing is quite small and I am more than often too tall for their styles so why do I think it will be any different at sale time? It isn’t and so to avoid temptation its far easier to simply avoid the stores that aren’t suitable.
- Therefore make a list of stores that you usually shop in and stick to it!
Online v.s in Store
Most stores make both their physical and online prices match but there are on occasion there are deals to be had! However if you have never shopped online before this can sometimes not be the greatest time to try it out or maybe the best! This would just be dependant on what you are looking for.
Remember to also look out for delivery charges, return guidelines and also returns charges!
What is your realistic budget!
If nothing else giving yourself a realistic budget is of vital importance! You can go into any store with no idea of what you want but if you at least have a budget in mind then you may find that you are still more sensible when shopping. On occasion I even give individual stores their own budgets so that I spend less in stores which don’t offer as great quality as another! Further resist temptation by only shopping with cash!
and finally . . .
Listen to your inner mother!
After all is said and done its still easy to be bowled over by something incredible but I always find the greatest thing to have is your inner mother. By taking a moment to assess the garment in your hands you may save yourself, last minute from a bad purchase so always remember these simple thoughts;
- Would I have bought this full price?
- What’s the quality like? and is it reflective of the price
- Where will I wear it and how often (for pro’s pair it with five other things in your wardrobe)
- If I walked away would I miss it?
So thats it! My tips for surviving sales season with your bank balance in check!
To everyone who reads here regularly or who have just popped by today thank you for all your likes, thoughts and love this year you’ve all been incredible and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas with your families and loved ones!
Enjoy Sale season and therealjlow will be back on the 31st with a quick 2014 recap before regular posting resumes on the 5th of January 2015!
In the meantime keep up with me on Twitter & Instagram.
therealjlow 