Tips for Cheap Fashion

Tips for Cheap Fashion

Trying to keep up with fashion trends these days can be pretty difficult, not to mention expensive. Those signature stylish items you crave cost so much, especially if they are a recent trend that just blew up. While I totally condone occasionally “treating yo-self” as Tom and Donna from Parks and Rec would say, I also believe in being frugal and finding what you want for cheap. So, here are 5 tips for finding those fashionable items you desire for low prices. Treat yo-self wisely.

1. Before you buy ANYTHING online, first try Googling for coupons. So many online stores have secret coupon codes that they don’t advertise on their websites, and you can find them simply by Googling. Websites like RetailMeNot.com and many others collect these secret coupon codes and give them away for free! Although the codes don’t always work for your purchase, you can commonly find a 10% off coupon or at least free shipping.

2. Try searching for the same item you want on discount websites like Zulily and Amazon. This tip might seem obvious, but it’s surprising what you can find. I have found the exact same necklaces that J. Crew sells for $100 for about $15 on Amazon. Zulily also has some great discounted running shoe and athletic brands if you can snag the products before they are gone.  

3. If you have a particular brand name item in mind, consider making a trek to the closest outlet mall. Outlet shopping is a great way to load up on brand names for much cheaper prices. Plus you have the added benefit of being able to try items on before you buy them, unlike with online shopping.

4.  Another great way to get trendy items for cheap is to plan out what you really want and settle in for a wait. Deciding months in advance that you want to buy a certain purse for example will give you plenty of time to track the sales and pounce when the price drops into your range. Having a plan rather than spontaneously buying something you really want in the moment prevents you from being overcharged and from buying something you might never use again.

5. Be prepared to make some sacrifices about the specifics. Lets say you want to buy a pair of Hunter rain boots, but the yellow color you wanted is twice as much as the red. This is a great opportunity to capitalize. Think about how much you really value the yellow over the red and if it’s actually worth paying twice as much.