Wednesday, August 25

The Three C's

     What can twenty-one dollars and one afternoon of shopping do for the average Joe? Usually, not a whole lot. But for the canny spender, even the smallest of budgets can yeild amazing results! For me, as you saw from yesterday's extravaganza, twenty-one dollars refreshed my makeup stock, enhanced my shoe collection, and ultimately topped off my fall wardrobe. And I did it by following the Three C's of Shopping:
  • Coupons
  • Clearance
  • Control
     Ask your grandma, coupons are the number one way to save dough when you shop. The easiest way to get the coupons that will end up saving you the most is through E-mail. I have two personal E-mail accounts. One for personal E-mails from friends, coworkers, coaches, and teachers, and then an additional E-mails for stores! This way, I won't be tempted by those "save-ory" sales when I'm not intending on shopping, and E-mails that need a reply won't be hidden among the alerts. Now everytime a sales clerk asks, "Are you on our E-mail list?" I eagerly fork mine over. Another great way to get a heads up on sales and coupons is by becoming a fan or "liking"  your local mall or favorite shops on facebook and twitter. By reading about the grand opening of a local Tilly's store via facebook, I ended up scoring myself a a load of goodies and a free gift card. My beau, who I dragged along to the event, scored one worth $100! But I'll tell you more about that deal later. ;) Another way to get coupons is via snail mail. Old fashion coupon clipping will always be in style! Sign up for store mailing lists by inquiring about a free catalog!
    The second "C" of shopping is Clearance. The clearance sections are the best way to score inexpensive and trendy additions to your closet. While often mix-matched and messy, shopping clearance can be a challenge, because of the limited availability of colors and sizes. Don't let the clutter distract you from your mission for savings! Focus on finding peices that you can pair with a variety of items that you already own, to spice things up. And most of all, stick with your size. Regardless of how affordable something is, it isn't a bargin if it doesn't fit, which leads us to our next "C": Control. Next time you're tempted to blow it all on those $80 boots, think about how many other cute items you could scarf up for the same cost. Do 16 pairs of jeans or 8 pairs of ballet flats seem like a better deal? If so, you'd better put the boots down. While there isn't anything wrong with the occasional splurge, the key to getting the look for less is having self control. I will be the first to admit it: Restraint is difficult! But just remember, for every dollar you save on one outfit, you have one more dollar to put towoards the next one.
     How do you make your dollar stretch? Shoot me an E-mail (to the address for people) and tell me all about your deals and dilemmas!

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