Guide to surviving the sales (Pt2)

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So you decided to venture out and hit the shops. Hopefully you  have read part one of my guide and made a list.

First things first, you will need to do the following:

Wear comfortable shoes
If you're anything like me, expect to cover a lot of miles when out and about. Go hard or stay at home!

Eat a good breakfast
You will be exerting a lot of energy walking, running, queuing etc and you don't want your hard won booty to be prized from your hands as you lay prone on the floor after fainting from low blood sugar.


Carry water / sugary drink with you
The stores get so hot so have a bottle on hand to re-hydrate you as you stand in line to pay.


Wear Clean undies- it is a must
Your Nan was right, wear clean underwear as you may be forced to use a communal changing room or the mirror outside if it's closed.

Make sure your phone is charged and the bill paid
I have gone shopping with friends, each armed with an extensive list and an area of the store to cover. You will need to remain in contact with each team mate -updating them on your progress and striking items off as you get them. Valuable time can be wasted by members searching for the same item or inefficiently working the queue.

Work the queue= one joins the other goes off to shop, you must, I repeat, must be back in time before you reach the front or all items risk self destructing or face the wrath of other shoppers behind you.

Remember your manners and observe local etiquette
Now ladies, we should not need to debase ourselves in the pursuit of a bargain.

Common gripes:

• If  you're gonna leave the queue, tell the person behind you - thank them upon your return and offer to do the same should they too wish to leave (do not do so more than twice). 
• Bump someone, stop and say sorry
• If you both reach for the same item under no circumstances are you to engage in any fighting, back away and chalk it down to a loss. Karma is real y'all!
• Leave the baby at home (know this is controversial but it has to be said). Pram rage is ugly and ramming your pram against me will cause me to call the Social on you for abuse!
• Haggle gracefully. Please note that if the sales assistant / store manager / area rep has said no to your wonderful offer of 99% off, STOP trying to haggle and pay the price. Your holding up the queue and disgracing us all.  

On a side note, I'm slowly tuning into a online shopper. I can do it from the comfort of my own home (bed) and can quickly compare the price among other retailers.

Feel free to let me know what tips / strategies  you deploy during the sales.

Happy Holidays!

Guide to surviving the sales (Pt1)

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It's that time of the year when we all start to count down the hours until Christmas, obviously we are all excited at the prospect of spending time with family (right?) but it's the anticipation of the bargains that Boxing Day promises to provide that really gets the adrenaline pumping. 

I thought it might be wise to impart some helpful tips  

Plan ahead - Get an idea of what you want

Those of us who worked in retail know that Christmas eve is the time to start slyly moving items due to be reduced together. The savvy shoppers among us will have already started to stalk out potential hunting  grounds. I'm a big fan of these missions - trying on items to gauge  a coveted items fit,  determining if alternative sizes  are an option should your preferred size get snapped up etc...  

Know what you are prepared to pay 

I've made the mistake of buying an item in a sale only to get home and discover that it's only been reduced by £5. To avoid  this, I now make a point of finding out what the original selling price is and  will mentally start to mark out how much i'm prepared to pay - it's got to be half price or less for me to consider it. 

Forget trends

Ever wonder why the stores look like a jumble sale? Always remember, sale time is a way for stores to get rid of OLD stock and make way for new items. I tend to shop for classic or basic garments I am confident will fit into my existing wardrobe without any fuss. Neon / Pastels /Floral  may have been 'in' this year but there was a reason why you didn't purchase the neon perspex daisy chain bangle a full price. This year I'm low on underwear and bottoms so will make a point of seeking these items out. 

Cash is King - Know how much you can afford to spend BEFORE you start

Make a list of what you need or want to get before hitting the shops or loading up your online basket. If you find an item but it needs any alteration -leave it. The cost of making repairs will eat into the initial bargain.

Cost per wear

How many times will I wear it, will it fit into my look comfortably. Carrie might have worn a tutu in New York but how many times are you gonna be able to rock that dalmatian yellow version? 

Money too tight to mention?  Go Thrifting

Shake off that outdated image of the charity shop and head down to pick up an item that will not be instantly recognisable to all. Laugh at everyone queuing outside the department store and take your time searching for that unique item at the faction of it's original price. Make sure you bring a bag of your own unloved pieces that have been languishing at the bottom of your wardrobe!

Quick fire questions to ask: 

Would I buy this at full price if I won the Lottery? 

Does it suit me?

If I didn't see that woman pick it up first, would I still want it? 

Stay tuned for part two of my guide...