Have you ever wondered why the girl in the office across the hall always looks like she just stepped out of a magazine, especially when you know she makes less than you do? Do you want to know her secrets? Then read on!
There’s a difference between browsing the sale racks when you go into a store and being a discount shopper. A big difference. A true discount shopper regularly uses the web to score percentage off coupons, BOGO (buy one/get one) offers, free shipping codes, and additional discounts for ordering online.
The discount shopper will go one step further by being on the electronic mailing lists of his/her favorite places to shop in order to get advanced notice of sales, as well as special preferred customer incentives. Oh, and a true discount shopper isn’t an impulse buyer; he/she buys what is needed at the best possible price.
Retailers know you have less to spend these days and that they have to work hard to earn the privilege of taking your money. Here are some places and ways you can save and look like you didn’t…
JC Penney is famous for having the ‘sale of the year’…every weekend! There is absolutely no reason you should ever pay full price for anything you by at Penney’s. In addition to their sale prices, most every receipt has an on line survey code on the bottom that will allow you to save 15% on your next purchase in exchange for you answering a few short questions about your last visit to the store. AND, several times a year they send frequent shoppers coupons such as $10 off a purchase of $10 or more (yes, you can get something for free), $10 or $15 off a purchase of $50 or $75.
The really great thing about these discounts is that they even can be used with sale and clearance merchandise, too-in the store and on line.On a recent shopping trip to the store, I found a dress I just had to have. The original price of $70 was being discounted by 40%, AND I had a coupon for $10 off any purchase. Sadly, though, they didn’t have my size. The next week, I went to their website to see if it was available in my size. It was…and it had been reduced even more. So, by taking advantage of the clearance price AND my $10 coupon, I ended up paying $11 plus $3 shipping for a $70 dress I wear as often as I can get away with.Speaking of shopping on line…Penney’s website offers a larger variety of merchandise than is found in most of their stores, and will allow you to have it shipped to your local store for free, or directly to your home for a small charge (or even free much of the time).
JC Penney is known for quality merchandise. They carry name brands such as Levi, Lee’s, Liz Claiborne, Decree, Southpole, Carter’s, and Nike, in addition to their own brands, Arizona, and St. John’s Bay, so you’ll be able to find something for everyone in your family.
Old Navy is ‘guilty’ of frequently offering free shipping, percentage discounts for shopping on line, and on line only items. Old navy is a fashionable and cost-effective option for just about anyone’s household budget.
High-end label discount chains like TJ Maxx and Marshall’s take deep discounts on designer duds, accessories, and home furnishings. Remember that half off may still be more than you would spend for a comparable item elsewhere.
Charlotte Russe, Forever 21, The Deb, and Aeropostale are just a few of the popular retail clothing chains that bring the latest trends in fashion to the masses. While not all offer the convenience of on line shopping, they regularly discount their already low prices. The Deb is especially good for getting a great buy on formal wear. Buying at the end of the season will enable you to purchase dresses that are ‘to die for’ for under $25! We were fortunate to find four matching dresses in the sizes we needed for the bridesmaids in one of my daughters’ weddings for only $18 a piece! The dresses were originally priced at $75 each, which was a bargain in itself, but saving $57 on each dress wasn’t any too shabby, either. They will even try to get clearance priced formal wear from one of their other stores for you.
Overstockcosmetics.com and overstockperfumes.com will save you a considerable amount of money on designer and high-end cosmetics and fragrances. Shopping at big name discount stores like Wal-Mart, Target, and Walgreens will also allow you to have the latest looks in cosmetics without spending too much. A tube of Elizabeth Arden mascara that sells for $25 does the same job as the Cover Girl tube that costs $9.
If you’re fortunate enough to live near any one of the Charming Charlie stores located in 23 states in the Eastern and Midwestern part of the United States, you’ll be in accessory heaven. Paying as little as $5 for a pair of earrings, a ring, hair clips, or other accessory, will even make the guys happy. They do have items that cost more, but the most you’ll every pay for shoes, purses, or other larger items is just under $50. Claire’s and the Icing are two other accessory stores that will put the finishing touches on your look without finishing off your bank account.
While outlet malls are, for the most part, not the bargain centers they claim to be, you will be able to clothe your children in Carter’s clothing for pennies on the dollar. Their clothes are durable, stand up to washing after washing, and resale well. You can’t miss with Carter’s.
In addition to knowing who offers the best discounts, there are a few other things you can do to save even more. Shopping through ebates.com earns you additional discounts and rebates from a multitude of retailers. Membership is free. Web sites like retailmenot.com, bestonlinecoupons.com, and several others have done most of the work for you. Just click on your favorite store logo to find and print all the available codes and coupons.
One other tip worth mentioning is only for those of us disciplined enough to pay the balance in full each month is our cash back credit card. Most cards automatically get 1% cash back for every penny spent, but some like Discover, offer up to 10% cash back from a number of retailers when you shop through their store. Plus, you can turn your cash back bonus money into gift cards to be used at a number of your favorite stores for more than the face value of your points.
Armed with all this savvy shopping knowledge, hit the web and the mall this weekend. Then when you go back to work on Monday morning, the girl in the office across the hall will want to know a few of your shopping tricks.
About the author: Darla Nicole is a contributor at CreditDonkey where you can find special discounts from your credit cards to make shopping rewarding. Darla says “shopping is fun, more so when you’re being smart and saving money”. So remember to take advantage of the discounts from credit cards to save more. Photo courtesy of Marek Bernat.