Shop for Clothes, Don’t Lose Your Shirt

Oh, glorious department stores and boutiques. Your aisles burst with such colorful possibilities! Your wares call to me like Ulysses and the sirens!

As you’re heading off to Barney’s, your favorite vintage shop, or the ultimate sample sale, consider this: physical wealth has less to do with what you earn and more to do with what you don’t spend. Here are some shopping tips designed to ensure that you have money left over each month to save:

1. Keep your ideal shopping list of what you want to buy next season in your iPhone, Blackberry or planner, and only buy from your list. That way, as you’re scanning the aisles for a new dress, you won’t be tempted to buy the cute black cardigan, since you already have two.
2. If something doesn’t fit you (like it pulls a little tight over the tummy), don’t buy it. You won’t wear it. It’s a waste of money.
3. If you love the style, but don’t love the material, don’t buy it. You won’t wear it. It’s a waste of money.
4. Make sure you clean your closet before shopping for a new season’s wardrobe – you’ll discover so much you forgot you had.   Oh, and obviously donate or sell (ebay or consignment stores) anything you no longer wear.
5. As you exit the store, take a deep breath, and congratulate yourself for not over shopping. Appreciate your evolution into a responsible shopper.

Learn about Mindful Shopping with Dr. April Lane Benson, author of To Buy or Not to Buy. Can you add to this list (comments section below)? How do you avoid over shopping?

Guest Blogger Amanda Steinberg runs a kickass free daily personal finance email for women called DailyWorth.   We heart ‘em cuz they deliver practical tips, empowering ideas and the occasional kick in the tuchus, which we all need on the reg… especially when it comes to shopping!

Tags: Amanda Steinberg, Couture Sales, Daily Worth, DailyWorth, dailyworth.com, Sample Sales, Saving money on clothing