How to shop on a budget

One of my favorite things to do is to go shopping. This can be a major problem for your bank account. However, I have a few little tips for all the shopaholics out there. One of my main thing when budgeting is that I put aside some money for shopping. (I will talk about this on my next blog post where I will let you know how I save money). Once my shopping money is gone, I will NOT dig into my savings or money that is for other things. You have to build that discipline, but once you figure it out, you will be able to shop and enjoy the things that you want.

I always say that it’s not about how much you earn, it’s about how you manage what you earn. (Stay tuned for next weeks blog)

Now lets shop on a budget…

1.Always shop sales

This is very important. Always shop the sales. Hardly ever do I buy anything at full price (Tip two: I’ll talk about full priced items). I usually go directly to the sale racks and look for the best deal. However, I don’t buy items just because they’re on sale. I look for items that I will actually use and be able to take advantage of.

My favorite places to shop are:

Target has the best clothing items. They are so in style and you can usually find an outfit for under $60. They always have the cutest accessories and all for a great price. But remember to look through their sale items first. Wait till they have buy 1 get one 50% off.

My favorite items from Old navy are their jeans, dresses and dress pants. You can always find a sale item at old navy. And even if you don’t find it on sale, they still have some of the best prices. The best part about old navy is that they constantly have 40% off. I alway wait until I can use that discount.

Believe it or not, Amazon has some of the prettiest accessories and some cute clothing items. The best part about Amazon is that you will receive your order within two days with Prime. You can always get a few items for under $20 and add some fashion to your closet.

You will never go wrong by shopping at Tjmaxx. To be honest, this is one of the stores that you can actually look for items at full price because they are so affordable. You will find a variety of prices and options. My most recent Tjmaxx adventure was to find a whole outfit for under $50. I exceeded my goal and paid $45.

2.Save up for the big items

Don’t use credit cards. This is the one thing I never do when it comes to shopping. I recently purchased my first Louis Vuitton purse, BUT i did not buy it on credit. It took me a few months to save up for it. If there is something that you have been wanting for a long time now, save up $10 a week, $50 a month. Whatever you are able to and your budget allows you to. Don’t buy the things you can’t afford just because you want them, wait till you have the money.

3.Use discount codes

If you’re shopping online always look through your emails first. Check for discount codes that they might have sent out. Sometimes they offer discounts and you don’t even know it because you skip through your emails like I do. When it comes to online shopping, I try to look for discount codes that will give me free shipping. I hate paying for shipping.

4.Wait for Semi-Annual Sales

Semi annual sales are my favorite. Usually stores will have the biggest sales around this time. They’re normally in December and again in the Summer. They usually put all their sale items at an extra 50% off. You can end up with so many outfits, accessories and so much more if you hold on till the biggest sales come around.

One of my favorites is Dillards. They have the biggest sale on New Years day. They do 50% off all their sale items. You can end up finding some of the best brands for under $60. So don’t miss out when this comes around.

My Little Secret: Every time I go to a store, I have a set amount. That amount will include tax and I can’t go over my budget.

I also try to stick with neutral colors, not a lot of print (I usually buy statement necklaces and earrings, shoes with print, to add color). This way I can mix and match more items.

I hope that you are able to do some shopping with these tips.

Remember to budget before you go out and spend all your money.