Millennial Money: Simple Ways To Shop Smarter

I hate to be the one to break it to you. We might be in a recession. That said, now is the time to think of some ways that we can cut back and save money. One of the ways that we can do so is to shop smarter. This doesn’t mean that you need to stop shopping or buying things. It means trying to put more thought in the items that you purchase.

So, how do you do that? Here are some tips to get started:

• Buy quality not quantity: How many of you have tried the cheaper option — only for it to be of lesser quality of the item that you really want. Then, you end up buying the item that you were actually wanting in the first place. Instead of trying to substitute the item and take the cheap way out, just buy the item that you really want and the quality will be there. Also when you buy items of lesser quality, chances are, you’ll be replacing them more as well. Therefore, buy items that are of better quality. Some of the items that I tend to be more for the quality include: purses, jewelry, shoes, and electronics.
• Know what works for you: Do you not wear a lot of a certain thing? For example, if you know that in your everyday life, you don’t wear a lot of graphic t shirts because of your work, then try not to buy that many because truth is, you’ll only be wearing them a few times a week. Therefore, you don’t need that many. The same goes for things that are formal wear, etc. If it’s something that you don’t normally wear, don’t buy much of that item.
• Don’t buy trendy: I try to stick to classics most of the time. The reason why is because after a season or two, it will be off trend and not look right. The classic items on the other hand? Well, those stay in your closet for years. So try to stick to those classics. And, if there is a trend that you love, try to get it on sale.
• Picture when you’re going to wear it: Whenever you buy clothes or shoes, try to think of ways that you’ll be wearing them prior to purchasing. For instance, if you’re looking at a shirt, think of three ways you would wear it. This helps you picture whether or not it will go with the rest of the clothing, and give you examples of when you are going to wear it. Then, you’ll actually wear it.