Strange & Charmed

With Black Friday just short of two weeks away, I thought now was the perfect time to discuss my favorite ways to get deals and save money, especially on pricier items. I am definitely the type of person who has slightly more expensive tastes, but I am also a complete cheap-skate! I hate spending more money than I have to on an item (who doesn’t, really?) and I will go out of my way and spend extra time price checking and scouring clearance racks to get a deal on an item I want. I realize, however, that not everyone always has the time to comparison shop and price check, so I thought it would be helpful to compile a list of a few tried and true methods I use to find deals quickly, when I need to make a purchase!

1. Take advantage of Black Friday Deals: Now, although Black Friday only happens once a year, it’s one of those events that we all know is coming. So, throughout the year, I will hold off on buying certain items for myself, my family and my home if I can wait until November 30^th to grab them at a great price. With Black Friday around the corner, I suggest giving good thought to items in your home that may need replacing, upcoming gifts you may need to buy within the next year, and any wish list items you have been pondering. Decide if its worth it to upgrade that aging tv now, to buy your nieces graduation gift a few months early, or to pick up that high-end bag you have been eyeing, taking advantage of seasonal sales for purchases you know are coming down the line anyway!

2. Shop Designer Outlets: I think you can tell from watching a few of my youtube videos that I am something of a designer handbag and accessory nut! I love having quality staples in my wardrobe, but I don’t like to pay full price! I don’t even like to buy bags and accessories from designers when they have sales or provide me with a 25% off coupon (I feel like they send those to me every week)! No, I pretty much never buy a designer item from their retail stores, instead I shop their outlets or larger department store outlets and take advantage of real savings and price cuts! Outlets are great because their items are always significantly marked down in comparison to what you would pay for an item in a designer retail store, and on top of that they are always running at least one sale on any given day. If you shop around holidays (any holiday really, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day- not just Christmas) they often have sales on top of sales! If you ever wondered how it is that I own multiple bags that retail for a few hundred dollars each, it’s because when I want a $500 bag, I go to the outlet where they sell it for $350 and then take advantage of their 40% off with an additional 30% because it’s a holiday. So that $500 bag ends up being less than $150 dollars!

3. Sign up for store mailing lists: Now, you and I both know that it isn’t the occasional splurge purchase on a handbag that kills your budget, but rather it’s those daily expenses on pricey necessities that add up quicker than anything! Clothing, home supplies, or car repairs are much more dangerous to our finances than we give them credit for and on a daily basis, I don’t think enough of us are taking advantage of sales and discounts in these areas. Make sure to sign up for store mailing lists and email marketing lists to the places you shop at most often, and even a few you may only occasionally visit. Why? Because most stores send out weekly coupons and flyers that outline sales on specific items, and if you just spend a few minutes checking out what is on offer and making your shopping decisions based on the stores advertising coupons or running sales across specific departments, you will save loads of money for sure!

4. Price check through Amazon: Whenever you are questioning whether or not you are getting a deal on an item, the best thing to do is to price check through Amazon.com. Why? Because Amazon is all about making sure they price match even the best published deals. So, if you are looking for an item and you think you are getting a deal in store, Amazon will be able to accurately tell you what the lowest advertised price is for that item, because they automatically lower their prices to match deals found elsewhere in store and online! So, if you have the time to do one quick little price check, use Amazon and feel confident that it was time well spent!

5. Check Clearance and As Is sections: For some pricey items, especially home goods, appliances and furniture, many stores keep a clearance/as is section where you can find great deals on new items that may be older or slightly damaged. With many large items, even the smallest dent or scratch means the store can’t sell the item at full price because it’s not in perfect condition. If you don’t mind a little superficial marking or buying an item that is maybe a model year older than current offerings, make sure to check for Clearance and As Is sections in your favorite stores because you can save a lot of money this way!

I hope these tips help save you some time and money, not just during the holiday season, but year round! There are plenty of great deals out there, you just need to know a few little retail secrets to find them sometimes! If you score some big deals this Black Friday, make sure to let me know about it in the comments or send me a tweet!

xoxo,