Grand Opening Goolah

It comes as no surprise that in order to score the hottest deals, a fashionista needs to be thrifty. But these days, even the most frugal of shoppers still find themselves muttering in hindsight about unlucky worms and giddy birds. This is because a truly successful shopper knows that to save more than she will spend will require more than a quick eye and speedy shoes - it will require patience.
Although there are countless ways to prove dedication to your dollar, standing behind dozens of other anxious and dedicated divas seems to top the charts as proof. If the temperatures are below freezing or the guest list is over 100, shoppers seem to rake in the brownie points by the minute. Now, while my shopping buddies and I had been number twelve or so in the air-conditioned line, I would like to think that the two or so hours we spent waiting for the grand opening of our local Tilly's store was at least a small tribute to our extreme dedication. ;)
Unfortunately, we were not able to stay for the entire day's events, which included a visit from a local radio station, a live debut by Kids of Survival, and refreshments (when in doubt, go for the food!). But we were able to score free tee-shirts, discounted merchandise, and other goodies! The first 100 dedicated shoppers were guaranteed to receive a Tilly's logo tee, Volcom brand stickers, and a Tilly's key chain. In addition, the first 50 early-birds scored themselves a promotional $10 gift card (with one extremely lucky shopper receiving a $100 gift card). Now, tell me, fashionistas: What is shopping-lingo for "extremely lucky"? Whatever it may be, insert it here, because after waiting in line a few hours, one of my shopping buddies (who, ironically, was bribed to tag along for mere company) walked away not only with their slew of goodies, but with nearly $100 in free merchandise, thanks to being lucky number thirteen in line. :)
We ended up shopping around, but saving much more than we spent, by using plenty of the discount coupons laying around the store.
If you would like to see some of the items from our Tilly's Haul, just click here!

P.S.

I completely forgot to tell you about one the biggest bargains of my shopping adventure, yesterday! At Victoria's Secret they were having a sale on their new panty line. But, lucky for me, I had a coupon entitling me to one complimentary pair of panties with no purchase required! I scored a cute pair for less than a penny. :) I got this coupon in the mail, and while I try not to shop there too often, their freebies tend to lure me in. And let's face it: I'm a total sucker for freebies (not to mention PINK perfume) so they know what they're doing!
If you're as big of a Victoria's Secret fan as I am, you've probably already "liked" them on facebook. They're constantly posting about new additions and events, and you simply can't beat the sales and coupons!