How to Be an Expert Shopper

Recently while shopping at one of the local, more upscale clothing stores, I realized how expensive clothing has gotten. And yes I am just realizing this fact as I'm not your 'typical' woman, meaning that I absolutely hate shopping. It's a task I only do when I have to and even then I don't waste my time browsing. I go into a store with a mission, to purchase what I need and get out of there fast. But still I'm smart enough to realize that big crowds of bargain hunting females and red tag sales, just don't mix, in fact they can be a dangerous combination.

When you are among those women who are stalking the aisles of stores looking for huge discounts, it's better to make allies and come prepared. Be honest with yourself about what you need, what you want and what you absolutely must have, this will save you tons of money in the long run. You should begin your shopping endeavors in stores that you are familiar with. In fact you might even want to start going into the store the month before and just browsing and saying hello to the sales people who work there. The friendlier you are to the sales people, the more likely they are to alert you about any secret sales that may be coming up. Neiman Marcus has secret sale nights and forming a relationship with one of these sales people is how you find out when this event occurs. Another tip for top shoppers is to dress wisely and be prepared to strip down in front of total strangers. During major sales, there's about no chance of getting a dressing room. So if you want to try on the clothes you are considering, you may to improvise by wearing a dress, tights and shoes that are easy to slip on and off. When a store has a major sale the racks get picked over pretty quick. I found this out recently when I began a search for a particular Hannah Montana shirt my daughter just had to have. So if there's something particular you're wanting and hope to find at a red tag sale, you'd better be lined up outside the store an hour or even 2 before they open, so you'll be the first in the door.

Another great idea is to stock up on tee's and tanks when there discounted. The Gap often has great sales on these items. I recently bought about 30 tanks for my daughter and myself. Of course they were on sale at $1.99 each, you definitely can't beat that. If you buy little items such as these when they are on sale then you can afford that occasional splurge on the Prada bag you just must have. And speaking of the Prada bag, sales are a wonderful time to shop for big ticket items like designer bags and black tie gowns. While you may have no need of a designer evening gown right now, you'll be happy you bought it at a discounted price when the time comes that you wear it and look fabulous, and no one but you knows how much you paid for it. It's always fun to splurge on something we know we don't need but we want anyway. However, most times you want to be a smart shopper and don't buy anything unless you know that you absolutely have a need for it. Personally, shopping is an adventure in finding the things I need for the best possible price. I make it a habit to always make a list before hitting the stores. This prevents browsing and spending money on things I really don't need. Like I said earlier, I go into the store with a purpose, complete my mission and get out again, all while keeping a tight hold on my credit card. Personal shoppers get paid to give us advice and ideas on how we can shop for the things we need at the least amount of expense to our pocketbooks. Or, for those who can't hold on to their reserve when faced with those endless racks of beautiful, expensive clothing, they can even do our shopping for us. A personal shopper isn't necessary if you make and stick to a few of your own personal shopping goals. For information on getting the most for your money when shopping visit www.shoppingtips.com