Use Common Sense Before Dishing Out Money at an Outlet

After a recent visit to the Camarillo Premium Outlets, the biggest lesson to be learned was not that you should go early to find better parking or that you should wear good walking shoes or bring a cart on wheels to store all your goodies. No. the lesson to be learned was that outlet shopping really isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

In fact, if you want real savings, you are better off waiting for your favorite store to have a sale, and just buy what you want then.

In truth, outlet shopping has always been for those seeking thrills. The idea of going to a place where every store is offering a markdown on every piece of inventory is like a magnet that pulls in some people. However, before you decide to spend your entire two weeks worth of pay on a bunch of stuff from last season, keep in mind a few of these rational points.

To begin with, what you are seeing in these stores is not the latest in trends. In fact, you will notice odd colors or odd cuts. Some outlet stores carry inventory that has slight defects, which you will want to be aware of. In most cases, the styles are usually a season off. In many cases this may not matter to you. However, if you are willing to dish out $70 for a Lacoste polo shirt just because the store says you are getting something at a discount, you'd better think twice. How much are you really saving?

Incidentally, if you are only saving 10 or 20 percent off the original price, you may as well just wait for a store to have a sale because that is sale savings - not outlet savings.

Another point to keep in mind is that the trendier labels tend to offer the worst discounts. People think because a few dollars are knocked off the price of a Coach bag or Betsey Johnson dress, that they are getting a great deal. However, a minute percentage off a big price tag, will still be a big price tag once sales tax is tacked on.

A final point to ask yourself before you plunk down your heard-earned cash is if you really need the stuff. If a bunch of shirts or pants are dirt cheap, then it may make sense to splurge and stock up. However, if you are buying just because but have no real need for the item and can't see the item matching anything you already own, you may want to think twice.

Outlet shopping can offer some good deals, but you just have to know how to look. Be able to sift through all the fake discounted items, so that you can score without splurging too much.