Well the sales have already begun haven’t they!! They seem to get earlier every year – some people love them but for some they are just a huge headache!  However, if you follow my Sensible Sale Shopping Guide you can be a super smart sale shopper, and maybe snare yourself a fabulous bargain or two!

Prepare

Have a look through your wardrobe – identify key items that you need and also items that you have a lot of already that you definitely don’t need more of, so you can avoid buying those!   Make a list and aim to stick to it.

Make a budget – work out what you can afford, and stay within it!

Stick to your Plan

Be disciplined – if it’s not on your list is it really something that you need? Tempting though it is to fill your basket with every pretty thing, ask yourself a few key questions … Do I really need this? Can I style it with at least 3 other items in my wardrobe?  Does it work for my body shape and style? Does it fit me? (Don’t be tempted to buy something that is a size too small just because it is cheap!) *if something is a little on the large side, however, don’t dismiss it, as a seamstress could salvage it for you.

Don’t be sucked in by the low price either – if it’s not something you would have bought at full price, ask yourself if you really like it enough to part with your hard-earned!

Be Smart

Use this opportunity to stock up on some of the more investment pieces for your wardrobe – such as a coat, good pair of boots, fine knitwear or handbags, items that will you will wear and wear that will work hard in your wardrobe.  A bargain in a sale is a great way to add quality pieces into your wardrobe.

Don’t get sideswiped by impulse buys…

Don’t be a slave to fashions and trends – the chances are these things will be out of fashion in a matter of time, and you are less likely to wear it! Stick to your personal style and you’ll be winning!

Plan Ahead

Do you have holiday/wedding other special occasion coming up? Keep those in mind, as now could be the time to snap up a bargain – these are items that you actually need, and you could be finding them at a good price!

Look for those items you’ve had your eye on all season

Is there a particular brand that you’ve been lusting after, but can’t justify the price? Check out their sale! If you have favourite brands or retailers, sign up to their mailing lists – this way you won’t miss out on a bargain as you will be alerted when sales begin.

Another tip, is that if there are particular items that you like, you can add them to a wishlist – that way if an item on your wishlist goes into the sale you will get an alert.

Is there a particular item you’ve been drooling over for a few months? This could be a great time to grab it at a bargain price.  If it’s something you have been mulling over for a while, I’d say go right ahead – this makes it a well-considered purchase and if you can get it at a discounted price, so much the better!

Try it on

If you have the opportunity to try it on, do take the time – returns of sale items can be a nightmare process, so it’s well worth taking 10 minutes to try on to save yourself a lot of hassle!

Good luck, and have fun shopping the sales!!