Make Shopping Work for You....and Your Budget

Being that I spend an inordinate amount of my free time hunting for deals to fuel my own budget-lorn shopping habit, I thought it was only fair to share my finds.

I learned the hard way that paying retail for beautiful clothes translated to guilt, and stress, but consequently, that not feeling confident and excited about what I wore on my body was equally disheartening.

I am not suggesting that great finds can't come with small price tags, but rather, it will do you more good in the long term if you evaluate purchases based on quality and fit rather than justifying buying something based on how inexpensive it is. Those small purchases you justify because of their price rather than how excited you will be to own them eventually add up. And besides, that means you won't crowd your closet with a fraying mess of crap that eventually finds its way to good will.

So then how do you not erupt into a spending frenzy? The short of it: stake out the items you want in stores and online, and size up the retailer to find out to find out when and how to get those items on sale or with a promotion code. This works particularly well with large chains like Banana Republic, Gap, and JCrew since you can go to the store to try something on, and often find a way to get that item cheaper online if you sign up for that stores email list to stay in the loop on promotions. In the example of these three, you can count on almost everything going on sale.

If you are unsure of what retailers you like and are squeamish about ordering clothing online, start by looking in your closet and picking out your five favorite things. Look at their labels, and make your way to to the store to get the lowdown on colors, fits, and pieces you will want in your wardrobe. Oftentimes, brands use the same colors from season to season so by getting a mental image of what BCBG or Banana Republic "blue" looks like you can avoid the shock of colors looking differently online then when they arrive at your doorstep.

Enough of my blather for now. Time to go shopping. Here are some deals for ya:

Online:

***Gap is offering 20% off any online purchase between today and August 23rd. Just enter the code FALL at checkout

In Store and Online:

**Ann Taylor Loft is offering a buy 1, get 1 50% off special for sweaters. Click this link to print for in-store visits

Happy Shopping! Back with more as it comes in.