(Photo by Teo Zirinis)
As college students, it’s easy to get stressed out. With classes, relationships, work, and extra curricular activities taking our time and energy, it’s hard not to be stressed. Going out for a day of shopping can help you relax, but you should always keep your finances in mind. You never know when you’re going to need that hard earned money you’ve saved. So here are some tips I’ve come up with to help you avoid the financial mess that too much shopping can bring you.
Don’t Spend What You Don’t Have
Plain and simple, if you don’t have money to spend, you’d be better off using that shopping time to make money instead. Find a part time job that you love, then, when you get the urge to treat yourself, you’ll have the ability to pay for it then and there.
Getting a credit card may seem like a great idea, but they definitely have consequences. Most student credit cards have ridiculous interest rates, and you could get stuck with a bill for a lot more than you wanted to spend in the first place.
Don’t get me wrong, credit cards can do great things for your financial future, but they need to be used wisely. If you pay for something with a credit card, make sure you have the ability to pay it off as soon as you get home. That way, it’s almost like paying with cash, and you still get the perks of airline miles, cash back, or whatever other offer the credit card gives you. It’s not bad for your credit score to show that you can be responsible with a credit card either.
Thrift Stores Aren’t Just for Theme Parties
Sure, shopping at Goodwill and The Salvation Army is fun when you’re looking with your friends for an outfit to dress up like an 80’s go-go dancer, but take a look around. There’s a lot more to these stores than meets the eye.
If you are an avid shopper, you love the thrill of the hunt, or even if you just like saving money, a thrift store is the place for you. Every day, new cloths are put on the racks waiting for you to find them. As you’re walking through the store, pick up anything you think looks interesting or might go well with something else you have in your closet. If you don’t, it may not be there when you go back.
You can easily find an outfit in a thrift store that looks just like something a department store would put on a mannequin, but for a fraction of the cost. Your friends won’t be able to tell the difference, but you’ll want to tell everyone about the great deals you scored as soon as they complement your fashionable outfit.
Accessories Speak wonders
If you go out shopping with your friends, but you know you can’t spend a whole lot of money, focus on the accessories. A great scarf or a cute pair of shoes can make the simplest outfit look new again.
Go shopping in something neutral (a pair of jeans and a white shirt or something) and find bright pops of color with accessories while you’re browsing. A chunky necklace or a bright blue headband will look great and cost way less than a whole new outfit.
Just remember that everything is good in moderation. Shopping with your friends can be fun, but spending a great amount of money every week is not. Watch your bank statements, find great deals, and buy great, low priced accessories that will go great with any look and you will be fine.
Amy Young is an author of consumer finance articles focused on helping people learn more about credit cards for people with no credit.