How to Look Great While Spending Less

Clothing

Despite what the media would have you believe, shelling out cash for a certain brand or designer is not essential to looking good. Fashion is not based on how much money you spend, but on how well you’re able to work with what you have.

For basic essentials that often need to be replaced, such as simple cotton v-necks and tanks for layering, the best option is to purchase these items at supercenter chains such as Target and Walmart. In my experience, I’ve found that, regardless of how much you spend, after frequent use, white cotton t-shirts will eventually turn off-white and cotton tanks will eventually stretch out and lose their shape, so it’s better to spend the least amount possible since these will probably need to be replaced every year if you wear them a lot.

Discount chains such as Marshalls, Ross, and T.J. Maxx offer a variety of brand name clothing for relatively inexpensive prices, and these are usually the places where I get most of my staples because the brands sold at these stores are of a reliable quality, so they can hold up to frequent wear-and-tear, but they’re also inexpensive, so it’s a win-win. I’ve gotten amazing deals on brands such as Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, Roxy, Minnetonka, the list is practically endless. Instead of spending an obscene amount of money on active wear at a sporting goods store, these stores are also my go-to spot when I need active wear for my job or the gym because they offer brands like Adidas, Jockey, and Nike. All of these stores also have many items in their clearance sections that are great bargains.

Less inexpensive mall stores such as Wet Seal, Forever 21, and Body Central are great places to test out trends that you’re a little wary about because they introduce new items frequently, so they often have the newer trends in stock, but they’re also relatively cheap and have great sales. Wet Seal also has a fabulous feature on their website that allows you to create full outfits based on the items they offer and browse through outfits created by other users, so you can play around with different looks featuring the same key item or search through outfits categorized by different occasions, such as school, clubwear, etc. I will offer a word of warning though based on my own clothes-addict experience, while these stores are great for getting a cute dress or skirt that you’ll only wear occasionally or that pair of shoes that only goes with one outfit, the clothing from these stores is not the best quality, and I’ve found that they don’t hold up to frequent wear-and-tear well.

If you’re a bit of a brand loyalist, as I am (I swear by Hollister jeans), and shopping on a budget, all hope is not lost. Many stores such as Hollister, while a bit pricey, frequently offer great sales, such as half-off denim, half-off entire store, and twenty-percent off clearance, which make their items more affordable. If you have a few favorite brands that lean on the more expensive side, it’s a great idea to sign up for text or email alerts through the company because they can notify you when there’s a sale going on (some stores eve offer “secret sales” only for people signed up) and send you promo codes for certain discounts.

Beauty Products

For beauty products such as cosmetics, hair care products, and shower essentials, the best deals can be found in drugstores and supercenters like Target and Walmart. Though some people prefer department store cosmetics, there are benefits to finding a good drugstore brand that works for you. Aside from being less expensive than department store cosmetics, most drugstore brands offer various coupons that can be found either online or in the newspaper, and many drugstores have reward systems in place for shoppers with a free membership card, such as credit towards future store purchases, exclusive offers like “buy one, get one free” and “buy one, get one half off,” and percentages off your next purchase.

If you’re living on a budget, drugstore hair care products are also usually the better option compared to salon brands because, as is true with cosmetics, it’s easier to find coupons. More drugstore brands are catching up with salon brands by offering products for various hair types, color-treated hair, and remedies for common hair ailments like split ends, frizz, and dullness.

Stores such as Ross and T.J. Maxx often have salon shampoos and conditioners for a reasonable price, but their stocks are not consistent, so the next time you’re in need of a specific brand or product, it may not be available.

Skimp or Splurge?

This is an age-old question that I find myself struggling with more frequently than I’d like to admit. Should I spend fifty dollars on that gorgeous dress to wear out for my birthday even though I know that will probably be the only time I’ll wear it? Unfortunately, the answer is not always simple.

While it can be great to treat yourself every now and again, it’s also important to be smart about it. A general rule of thumb is to spend based on how much use you’re going to get out of a specific item of clothing. For instance, if you’re a jeans-and-tee kind of girl, it would probably be a better decision to splurge on a good quality pair of jeans that you know you’re going to get a lot of use out of than that expensive dress in the boutique window that is absolutely stunning but not as practical in your day-to-day life.

Though it’s a good idea to have a few pieces that aren’t your everyday style, such as a nice dress for going out to special occasion dinners or a suit to wear for interviews, it’s better to keep things in perspective instead of falling victim to the all-too-common impulse buy. A trick that I’ve found useful is to hold off on buying the item on the spot and instead, give it at least twenty-four hours to decide if I still want it once I’m out of the store, sort through my closet to see what it would go with, and to decide if it’s really something that I need and can afford. I’ve found that by doing this, I’ve avoided impulse buys and the dreadful buyer’s remorse.

In short, there are no true secrets to looking great on a budget, but the key is keeping things in perspective and making the most of what you do have. Instead of buying entire new outfits, shop for a couple new pieces that would update the clothes you already have and make them feel new again. Also, you don’t have to spend forty hours a week or be like the people on TLC’s Extreme Couponing in order to benefit from clipping coupons. Finding coupons for the brands that you use regularly can be incredibly helpful, as well as signing up for text and email alerts from your favorite stores. Looking great doesn’t mean that you have to spend all of your money on clothes and beauty products, you just have to shop smart.

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