Shopping tip: An important question

I’m just going to say right off the bat that this tip isn’t my own. It’s actually from Tim Gunn’s book. Le Gunn is wise, though so we trust his advice.

Here’s a question to ask yourself whenever you’re tempted to buy an item that’s on sale, you have a coupon for, or the item is otherwise cheaper than full retail:

Would I be willing to pay full price for this item if it wasn’t on sale? Would I still want it as badly as I do now?

Now, I’m not saying to immediately drop the item and run out of the store if the answer is “No” (Incidentaly, Tim Gunn would say that but I’m nicer than he is, I guess). I am saying to stop yourself and consider why you want the item in your hands. Will it really add value to your wardrobe or do you want it because it’s cheap and you’re afraid to pass up an opportunity?

This question can be tough if you’re a bargain hunter like myself. In the case that I’m actively waiting for an item to go on sale before buying it, I don’t really ask myself the Big Question. In that case, it’s a planned purchase and I’m just waiting to get a good deal.

However, if I’m in a store or just putzing around online and come across something on sale and think “omg I need this right now or I’ll never be able to find anything like it ever again!!!”

I stop.

And ask, “Is this item so wonderfully unique that I will never find anything like it ever again at a similar price?” And the answer is almost always no.

The question isn’t intended to make you want to pay full price for everything you need. It’s just a way to measure how valuable the item is to you and whether you’d be willing to sacrifice a little more financially to have it.

Comments

[Marcy Webb]

Well, the simple truth of the matter is that not everything on sale is worth buying, regardless of one's size ot body type.

For me personally, if I like an item, and if it fits well and compliments me, I'm going to buy it, and not wait until it goes on sale. For, a sale may prove too late, and then I've missed out on a great article of clothing.

[JennyRose]

Great advice. I try to ask myself before I go shopping what I want and how much I am willing to pay. I am trying to buy fewer items of a higher quality.

I always head for the sale rack first. It is like I am allergic to paying full price. I have always thought full price was for suckers but my real reason may be a bit deeper than that. I think in the past I have not believed I deserved an item at full price and that a sale item was good enough.

When I get dresed in the morning, I do not judge an outfit by the price I paid but whether or not I like it and if it feels comfortable. The result is I have a lot of 2nd rate stuff in my closet that I am not excited about wearing. That is a real waste of money.

I also save certain clothes for go no matter how appropriate they are for the situation. I need to stop that hurtful habit too.

This post has given me a lot to think about and I appreciate that.

Here - I'll say it. I am worthy of quality clothes that make me feel good!

[Colleen]

"Here - I'll say it. I am worthy of quality clothes that make me feel good!"

What a wonderful statement, JennyRose! And it's very true :)

[Rachel]

I might be apt to buy something on sale that I wouldn't buy regular price if I didn't think it was worth the regular price to begin with. I also don't tend to wait for something to go on sale because my ADD brain will totally forget about it.

I am, however, a big believer in that I refuse to buy something just because it fits. If I don't like it, I don't buy it, regardless if nothing else in the store fits me.

[bridget loves]

Great tip and I also want to add, totally STOP looking at numbers and sizes. I try on everything in all sizes. I don't care if people tell me I am not that size, I will try it on and just see. Cuts are all so different and individual, so being a "number" isn't all that. I am The Un Diet Coach here in Los Angeles, California. I help people quit diets for life and find their "Skinny". They give up numbers, learn to enjoy food and LOVE their body. Woo hoo!

Bridget Loves
info@theundietcoach.com

[Marissa]

That's a good question to ask, and easy for me to forget. When I was growing up my dad would always make a beeline for the clearance section of any store, and buy things whether he wanted/needed them just because they were "such a good deal!" That rubbed off on me. It's easier for me to control my spending now with the bad economy hurting my family, but in better times it's always a struggle to not automatically spend just because something is a good deal.

[Kate]

This is why I love Ebay. If I see something I want at full price, I try it on for size and then check Ebay. I have seen lots of high-end designer stuff (like Prada and Escada and other non-rhyming designers) on there in larger sizes lately, and I'd rather make an investment in something that will last.

[Constance]

Too many times I've fallen in love with something but decided to wait til it went on sale only to discover my size isn't available anymore. So if it's something I love I'll pay full price. I shop the sale/clearance section when I need basics like tanks and panties. But there are so many sellers of wonderful Lane Bryant panties on Ebay I rarely order them from the LB site or buy them in the store.