5 Shopping Tips To Save You Money

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Shopping and saving money are both things that we enjoy doing. Preferably at the same time! Whether you're shopping in-store or online, there are ample opportunities to both save money and buy the things you want. 1. Clearance Events / Major Holidays - A few times a year stores have major clearance events and blow-out sales. Often times, these sales can take place on or around major holidays. Keep an eye out for super low deals, and be sure to snag them as soon as they are available.

2. Cash Back Rewards - Some stores have cash back rewards programs. Once a customer purchases a certain amount of items, the store will give a percentage or dollar amount off of their next purchase. For example, when you reach 2,000 points using your Ann Taylor card, you are given a $20 off rewards card to use on any purchase at Ann Taylor, Loft, or either of their factory outlets. The $20 reward is able to be used on any purchase within the allotted period, and can be combined with any other coupons or sales. Ann Taylor also offers customers the chance to earn double points during certain events throughout the year. It's fantastic!

3. Coupon Apps - Apps like RetailMeNot, Spendless and Shopkick are just a few coupon apps that are amazing for saving time and money. Don't check-out at the register until you have searched for coupons using one of these apps, you never know what deals they will find for you.

4. New Subscriber Deals - We are constantly discovering new online boutiques, and almost all of them offer money-saving coupons when you subscribe to their website. So make sure to always check and see what the perks are for joining a store's mailing list. A 10-20% off coupon may be sent to your inbox just for signing up.

5. Check Tag & Receipt - Always check the price tag and compare it to the receipt. This may sound like a no-brainer, but in the long run this tip may save you hundreds of dollars. Retail is always subject to human error, and a shirt that was tagged at $10, could end up costing you the original value simply because it was not logged into the computer system properly. Now, why should you have to pay for that error? The answer is - you shouldn't.

We hope these tips come in handy when making future purchases. Whether you're in the market for new clothing, textbooks or electronics, keep these money-saving tips in mind and keep more money in your pocket!

Written by: Anastasia Jones 

 

Image: Pinterest

A Thrifted Look for Spring

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You may look at this outfit and question how black or leather are spring trends, but the truth is that they are classic looks. Black can never go out of style, no matter what season; and leather is one of those trends that comes and goes but you can be confident that it will always come back. The main spring piece in this outfit is the emerald green lace dress. Bright colors are a must for spring! Check out Alexis' thrifted look below.

Alexis

Believe it or not, but this entire outfit was thrifted! Some people are surprised when I show up in an outfit where every piece is second-hand, but I like to be living proof that you can dress for success without going broke getting there!


This emerald green lace SHIFT dress was just $3.50 at Salvation Army during their weekly 50% off Wednesday sale, and my jelly wedge shoes were $4 thrifted there too. They both even came NEW WITH THEIR ORIGINAL TAGS!

The leather leggings were a $7 investment from Platos Closet– a second-hand clothing store that sells gently used name brand items! The classy cameo earrings are a vintage-inspired gift from a friend. Lastly, although the white oversized handbag is Jessica Simpson brand, it was actually found for a couple bucks at Goodwill.

My ENTIRE OUTFIT totals to about $20, but it makes me feel like a million bucks!

Fun on the Lake

 

Unfortunately because all the items are thrifted, we can't link back to the original ones, but here's a few similar looking pieces:

Emerald Green Dress Macy's Price: $89 | Thrifted Price: $3.50

Leather Leggings Macy's Price: $7-22 | Thrifted Price: $7

Jelly Wedge Shoes Lulu's Price: $28 | Thrifted Price: $4

Cameo Earrings Overstock Price: 20 | Gifted Price: FREE White Handbag Forever 21 Price: $20 | Thrifted Price: $4

TOTAL SAVINGS: About $150


Alexis Smiling

I encourage you to flip through some positive fashion magazines and our Instagram feed to get your latest inspiration on fashion, make a list of the items you want in your wardrobe, and go on a thrift shop hunt to find them! When purchasing the items for this look, I knew there were a couple things I wanted: jelly shoes, a statement purse, and leather leggings. The lace dress was an added bonus!