off-price stores

Besides shopping at the outlet malls, there are other good alternatives such as off-price stores like Nordstrom Rack, Last Call by Neiman Marcus, or department stores such as Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Loehmann's.

Fitted & Flat Sheets + 2 Pillow Cases at $40

These stores carry a wide spectrum of goods and brands. In addition to clothes, handbags, shoes, and fashion accessories, you can also find home goods at Marshalls and TJ Maxx.

paying full price?

Many have come to associate the outlet malls with great deals especially for certain coveted brands.  And retailers are also known to start separate product lines to cater to those who shop at outlet stores.

I found this pair of jeans at clearance going for $40

Just the other day, I needed to shop for jeans which is probably one of my least favorite activity.  The vocabulary of denim jeans are mind boggling - fit (skinny, boot, straight, flare), wash, etc.  Personally, jeans are workhorses (durable and able to withstand wear and tear) so they shouldn't cost an arm and a leg.  So I thought the best place to get them, with my budget of under $50, would be at the outlet mall since I was there to run some errands.

While browsing, I discovered certain brands of denim are classified as "premium" and many of the brands were unfamiliar save for a few.  And it was because long ago, a friend attempted to educate me after he paid quite a tidy sum for a pair of "premium" jeans.

Being poorly versed in this area, I did some "research" online and learned that some of these jeans can set you back a few hundred dollars (seriously!?). And some of these brands are highly susceptible to fakes.  There are sites that are devoted to discuss the brands and offer tips on how to spot a fake!

The way I decide is as long as there is no bunching and sagging at the wrong places, cutting into the skin, and fits comfortably, it'll do. I eventually found something within my budget and while I did not pay full price, I fully expect it to be a workhorse no less.

coupons and codes

I thought I'll continue the theme of "bargain hunting" from the last post and talk about coupons and promo codes. I mentioned how the stores here are really good at "enabling" you to shop.  If it is the first time you shop at a store, they'll cajole you to join their mailing list and send you coupons or codes for online shopping to get you to go back.

If you ever watched "Extreme Couponing", you'll see how some of these ladies spend hours clipping coupons for groceries and they'll pay almost nothing when they leave the supermarket with carts of stuff!  That is the extreme but I learn a thing or two watching the programme, like what it means to "stack" your coupons, or get a "rain check" for out of stock items.  I also always Google to find a promo code before I "check out" when I shop online.  Sometimes I'll find a code that gets me free shipping.

Just the other day at a store selling kids' clothes, I mentioned to the cashier that I didn't bring along the coupons they sent me and she immediately suggested that I pay for the item at full price and then do a price adjustment at any of their outlets later with the coupons (get the discount after the purchase).  Music to my ears...

bargain hunting

I started to follow a forum recently and was inspired by a thread on bargain hunting.  So recently, I made a couple of trips to the malls just to *ahem" "verify the stuff they said there".  And of course I end up spending money.  I did bagged some great bargains, like these shoes (pictured) at 85% off the original price.

Miu Miu heels (L) and Bruno Magli Satin Heels (R)

The stores are really good at "enabling" you to shop. They have sales associates positioned at the door to give out discount coupons (take another 30% off!) or tell you that they are having additional discount on certain section of the racks, etc.  Sometimes, one can be pleasantly surprised when the take the item to the cashier because they take more off the price at the register.