Almost all stores have some type of weekly sale (especially this time of year) to lure customers into their doors or make entice them to make online purchases. Because of my business degree, I have had some exposure to the psychology of marketing. I have seen first hand how retailers encourage customers to buy, buy, and buy and how to encourage their employees how to sell, sell, and sell-- to be honest, this is how they keep their doors open.... But fortunately, because I've been exposed to both sides of the coin, here are some tips for the shopper to use when preparing themselves to look good, avoid the retail traps, snag some good deals, and still save some cash!
1. Emotional shopping will lead to you wanting to spend money until you "begin to feel better". But a lot of times, emotional shopping is not the way to go if you are trying to save money. But if you absolutely have to reach out to just "get something...you have to start somewhere. Instead of going to the mall, go to a discount store or even a thrift store. You can snag some unique and affordable finds! You have to be conscious of your caution that you don't buy and end up debt.. because then you end up with 2 problems instead of one. Proceed with caution, but this works.
2. Practical shopping people will shop because they feel they don't have anything to wear. Trust me, I KNOW you have SOMETIHNG to wear. It's just about thinking outside the box. When this person feels the clothes they have are not good enough to wear, they will go a spend money on what they feel will work for them in that moment. I know people that have more clothes than two or three of my friends closets put together, and still say "I have nothing to wear!" What???? Try going on www.polyvore.com to get some cute ideas. Pick things that are similar to what you already have, and get creative.
3. Identity shopping will lead to wasteful shopping every time. When someone shops because they don't feel good about themselves to fill an emotional void. Honestly, I don't feel like trying to buy more clothes/items when you have no direction is the way to go. Take the time to figure out who you are and what you stand for. Stick to your authentic style.. search to find what that is. Make sure that you shop for what YOU LIKE, not what you think everybody else will like. You can't shop for what you see someone else with. What works for one person, may not work for everyone else.
4. Financial shopping is easy for those that have a lot of money. But don't be fooled. There are people that spend and spend like they have a lot of money, but in reality, they are drowning in credit card debt. These shoppers spend money because of their relationship to their money. It can be hard to save money and shop wisely when there is no limit. Setting a budget is important. You can spend what you want, but you need to figure out if YOUR object spending or saving.
You can have nice things and not have to go broke to get them. TRUST ME, I DO IT ALL THE TIME. If you are conscious of what your goal is, no one can take that from you. I'll admit, shopping makes me feel better too...because the reality is, if you look good you feel good. You just have to know it can be done in a strategic way. You know your style and the types of things you like, a sale can be a great thing. If these shopping issues are stronger than your discipline, you need to rethink what is important. Do you want to look good and be broke? Remember, there's a way... you can have a fat wallet and a fabulous style as well.
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