8 Sale Shopping Secrets Every Woman Should Know ...

One of the best sale shopping secrets is to have a game plan. That doesn’t mean that you can’t grab anything gorgeous that just happens to catch your eye, but it does improve your chances of getting the things that you actually need. Like well-fitting jeans, in my case! Assess your closet and look for any big gaps. Do you need new swimwear? Shoes? Dresses? Choose the most important pieces, and aim to get those first.

Most shops will bring out old stock from other seasons during the sale, so make sure you check it out. You may not feel like shopping for coats or boots in the sun, but you’ll get a much better price – and a great choice, too. Avoid the urge to limit your shopping to things you could wear tomorrow, and you could end up with a stunning new cashmere sweater, or a beautiful beret for next Winter.

You need to know how much you’ve got to spend before you even leave the house. First, work out how much you could comfortably spend. Then decide how much you’d like to spend. Aim for the second figure, but keep the first in mind for those amazing shoes that keep drawing your eye! Knowing your budget clearly will stop you from overspending due to those really low prices. It still all adds up! If you are prone to overspending, try drawing out your budget in cash, so you can see exactly how much you have left. Leave your credit cards at home, too!

Think about where you are going before you choose your shopping outfit. It can be tempting to pick something utterly chic to show off your shopping style, but that might not be the most practical – I’ve lost out on a great deal more than once thanks to wearing too-high shoes! If you are doing general sale shopping, rock jeans and a simple T-shirt, so that you’ll have something to try on with various skirts, trousers and tops. If you’re shopping a sample sale, remember that they don’t usually have changing rooms, and any trying on will be done in front of a crowd. I’d recommend leggings and a tight fitting vest top for that, so you can slip any purchases on over the top.

Everyone has one look that they’d love to wear, but in actual fact, never do. Whether it’s vintage tea dresses, pencil skirts or sports luxe, it can be easy to convince yourself that you’ll wear it when it’s in the sale. In actual fact, you are no more likely to wear it at 90% off than you are if it cost $900. If you won’t wear it, don’t buy it. Save your money for something that you will wear, and totally own.

I’m pretty bad for this one! If you find something lovely but your size is sold out, it can be really tempting to reach for a size too small – motivational, right? – or a size too big. In actual fact, you’ll probably just end up not wearing it. If you find dresses, skirts or trousers that you really must have, go a size too big and have them altered. For coats and jackets, it needs to fit off the rack to be worthwhile – altering is expensive and often doesn’t work well. Shoes can be bought down a size using gel insoles, as long as they are still comfortable and aren’t made of patent leather, which doesn’t stretch well. As for lingerie – I have two drawers full of cute bras that are too small. They don’t fit, don’t flatter and aren’t comfortable. Leave the too-small underwear alone!

Found something you are tempted by? Keep it in your hand, and use your phone to do a quick Google and check prices. While it might have a great markdown in this store, next door could have them even cheaper. It’s always worth checking! Next, take a look at the refund policies of the store. You might find that sales items can’t be returned, or can only be exchanged for store credit. Make sure you know your rights before you buy!

One of the best sale shopping secrets? Become great friends with the staff at your favorite shops. They usually get advanced notice of sales, which they can then pass on to you, and some sales people will even set pieces aside for regular customers to ensure you get what you want. You could even get tipped off that the gorgeous coat you are debating is about to be reduced. Win.

It sounds like a lot of effort, but if you put these sale shopping secrets to work, you can be totally sure that you’ll return home with bags full of things that you love, and can wear. That’s much better than spending the next year eyeing up that too-small but utterly gorgeous dress you couldn’t resist! Have you got a sale shopping secret? I’d love to hear it!