How To Buy What You Want For Less

When I first got into blogging, I thought that it would be an expensive hobby. However I find that you can still buy things that you want, and can also get some kind of deal too - it all depends on how much you are willing to wait. I wanted to write this post to shine some light on how I currently shop for the things that I want, beauty or otherwise. 

Black Friday

Black Friday is one of my favourite US traditions that has now came over to the UK. Although the US has better deals, anything electrical such as my MacBook Air and Dyson Vacuum Cleaner are the best items to buy as both products had a substantial saving which was around £150 off the original price. I actually start thinking about any Black Friday purchases a few months in advance and begin to write a list of what things I want to scout around for - this makes it easier for shopping on the day - as it's mostly done online. The things on this list aren't urgent things I need to buy and so I can wait a few months to ensure I get a better discount. This is also a great time to think about Christmas presents too as you will be buying the same thing around a month earlier and hopefully with a discount! 

Duty Free 

If I am going away I know I can utilise Duty Free to get some discounts on makeup, skincare, perfumes and sunglasses. I always ensure that I use this as although the saving might not be big, it is still a way to get the products you want for a better price. Duty Free is also a great place to buy handbags at a better price. I went to Heathrow back in February and spotted a Gucci Bag that was over £1100 that ended up being just around £980 in Duty Free. So Duty Free is a place where you can also make substantial savings too. 

Store Discounts 

Sometimes if you aren't going anywhere and Black Friday is too far away, I settle for normal store discounts. This can range from 10-20% which is still great, especially in stores like House of Fraser and Debenhams on their beauty products. I feel like sometimes we need something straight away and then we end up paying full price during times when these discounts aren't there, whereas if we shopped a bit smarter we would be able to get the same products for a better price. I always try and shop for the 3 for 2 deals in Boots and Superdrug too, as they can also save a lot of money in the long run, especially on products that I know I love and will use. 

Designer Outlets 

If you know me, you will know that I am a massive fan of Bicester Village, and I used to go there around every 2-3 months prior to COVID-19. I think it's such a great place to get brands that you love for a more affordable price tag. I think the trick with designer outlets is to not go there with a specific thing you want e.g. The Gucci Dionysus bag or the Dior Book Tote, but to have a vague idea of the style of bag you want and to see what they do have. I have bought a more than a few items from Bicester Village from Gucci, Coach, DKNY, Michael Kors, Hugo Boss and Monica Vinader just to name a few over the past few years. 

Joining Mailing Lists/ Memberships

Similar to store discounts, shopping during sales can also be advantageous. I'm a fan of online sales, where you don't have to go through hordes of clothes to find the one thing you want. Joining mailing addresses of the shops you love can come in handy. I'm a member of the H&M club, which gives free delivery to every member and also notifies members 24 hours before their sale launches and gives members access to shop the sale before everyone else, so that nothing is really sold out or not in your size. I have ordered clothes so many times at such a great discount that being a member and being notified via email is more exciting than annoying. If there is a particular store or brand you like, then I think it is worth joining a mailing list to get notified of any sales or discounts. 

So these are my top 5 ways of how to buy what I want for less, and it is about buying less impulsively. I think sometimes having time to stew over purchases also helps too as if is a faze, you can identify that quickly, however if after 3 months you still want the item then it may be worth investing in. If you would like to read more posts then be sure to follow me on Bloglovin to stay up to date!