“Whoever said money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to shop.”
It will be here in a matter of days and I don’t mean Thanksgiving Day. I’m talkin Black Friday.
Surprisingly, according the National Retail Federation, Thanksgiving Day may now be the biggest bargain-shopping day of the year. Of the 247 million Americans who shopped for deals over Thanksgiving last year, 30 percent shopped on Turkey Day itself…more than on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or any other day of the year. Now that is downright flawed!
Although I have never gone shopping on the infamous day after Thanksgiving and never plan to, I think the quote at the beginning of this blog is true, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to shop at expensive stores. I remember reading somewhere that if you shop at flea markets and resale stores, you know no one else will be wearing the same thing you do.
Great tip, right? Here are just a few more valuable shopping tips for those of you brave (or crazy?!) enough to head out to the malls, boutiques, and clothing stores of any kind anytime between Thursday and Saturday.
- I am a big believer in spending more on bags and shoes then on clothes. You will probably keep and wear those classic pumps or riding boots and designer bag way longer then you will wear those moto boots and animal print leggings. For clothing, shop at less expensive stores, especially for the season’s trendier items. As Karl Lagerfeld says, “Trendy is the last stage before tacky.”
- When considering purchasing something, think of three things you already own that you can wear with it.
- Also, ask yourself if you can live without the item, if you’ll wear it only once or twice, and if you already own something very similar to it. Only if the answer is “no” to all three should you buy it.
- Limit your shopping venture to two hours, after which experts say your productivity starts to fall and you’ll be more apt to make hasty purchases you may later regret. (Due to crowds and number of bargains, this may be difficult to do on Black Friday, but it’s something to always keep in mind.)
- Always, always, always check the store’s return policy. This is especially true around the holidays, when retailers often change their return policies.
- Speaking of return policies, a good idea is to return anything you’ve purchased but haven’t worn within the return date.
- Consider downloading the Coupon Sherpa app (free on iTunes) for coupons that can be scanned on your smartphone at retailers nationwide.
- Sign up to receive emails from your favorite retailers and websites so you can be among the first to receive sale notices and coupons.
- When shopping on-line, always click on the “sale” page, where great bargains can be found.
- If you’re looking for a one-time special event outfit, consider sites like Rent the Runway where you can rent a dress and save money doing so.
I also like what “The Classy Woman” blog recently posted abut shopping:
“One notable difference between Europeans and Americans is that they live in a less ‘throw away’ society and tend to buy quality over quantity. They’ll save up and buy one really great well-made dress, bed sheets, set of dishes, or pair of shoes vs. several of inferior quality. In the end, they buy less and avoid filling their homes with meaningless junk. The pieces also last over the long run. Less is truly more.”
I couldn’t agree more, even though I do tend to “collect” things.
So, happy shopping my friends. Let me know if you come across any great bargains. Me? I’ll be watching football and maybe catching the new Princess Di movie starring Naomi Watts. Now she was a lady who knew how to shop and shop well!
Beyond Words 