5 Tips on How to Score Great Deals

It's that time of year Dahlings, when online and offline retailer are offering huge discounts  to make room for spring arrivals. And I've been loving it. I got my NYE party dress from Mango which was marked down to $79.99 from $169.00.  In Cache--a store I've never been into before ( I thought it was for more mature ladies but turns out they've got some cute formal dresses)-- I purchased this dress, which was marked down to $139 with an additional 50  percent off. At Zara I picked a cute skirt I've been eyeing for under $40  and two pairs of shoes. All three items totaling $100. Clearly I need to stay locked in my house. But sales are a huge way to make your money go a long way. Here are some tips to help you maximize your spending.

1.Make Friends With Sales Staff. A great salesperson is a serious shopper's best friend. Not only will sales people tell you about upcoming sales, some -- especially at boutiques -- may even hold merchandise a day or two to give you time to take advantage of the sale.

2. Shop Off Season.  Hit the sale racks for short sleeves in November, December-January, winter items, wool sweaters in April, bathing suits in September. What you give up in selection, you make up for in spectacular savings (75-90% off isn't uncommon).

3.End-of-Season Gives Best Selection. As demonstrated above you'll save big -- 40% and up is common -- and get to shop from choice pieces if you shop immediately after the season. The day after Christmas xmas is a huge time to save on every thing you didn't get from Santa.

4. Be Careful What You Buy. Invest in Classics. Avoid trendy items which will always be enticing when they are on sale, but remember that even the cutest trends have a short life cycle. If you want to get more than a few months' wear out of your purchase, stick with the classics. End-of-season sales can offer great buys on pieces you'll wear for years, from cashmere sweaters to wool blazers to leather pumps.
5. Sign up for Sale Alerts Online and Offline. Major department stores sometimes offer a sign up for their sale alert newsletters. In some large cities, you can sign up for specialized newsletters. Try googling "sale alert newsletter" your city's name. There are also some great online outlets that let you know when your favorite brands are on sale. I personally love Shop it to Me.  Sample sales are also a great way to get notified of sales from your favorite designers. Here's a list of notable sample sales. In addition to email alerts you can also sign up for texts alerting you to sales from your favorite online store.

Other helpful tips when shopping sales is to make sure you know the holes you need to fill in your closet to avoid buying an item just because it's on sale; it's also good to start your shopping as early in the day as possible to get the best choices; step out of your comfort zone and visit the stores that are normally out of your price range to get better quality of items on sale; and never buy anything that you can't pair with at least two other items in your closet. Happy bargain hunting.