Shopping Ahead....Part 1

Just like stockpiling food is a great way to save money, you can shop ahead in other areas of your life to save lots of money too. I always try to shop before it is a necessity for as much as I can to prevent from having to pay outrageous prices because I need it right now.

Part of how I shop I call "Shopping Ahead". I use this strategy for clothing for myself and the kids. I do most of my shopping in regular retail stores and not in thrift stores. I've tried my hand at thrift store shopping and do occasionally find a great deal, but most of the time I leave frustrated or disappointed. I feel like I spend a lot more energy sifting through thrift stores then I do being aware of retail stores schedules and shopping accordingly. I also can get items new for the same cost or less than I can at a thrift store.

For example, most stores clearance out their clothing on a seasonal basis. Once we start getting to January and February, you see many stores marking their winter clothing down in order to make way for their spring and summer wear. I take advantage of these times and stock up for the next year, especially for the kiddos who grow so fast they seem to wear clothes only for one season before moving on to the next size. Remember the Children's Place sale I mentioned here?

This is what I scored for a total of $26.47...
It includes 2 fleece jackets for me. A black fleece jacket with hood, the 2 pink hooded jackets pictured (and one my daughter refused to take off) and the gray winter coat for my son. I shopped online for these so I didn't have to drive anywhere lugging both kids with me. I also had a free shipping code, so didn't have to pay for that either. Total full retail cost for these 7 jackets is $188.45!! Can you believe that? The winter jacket alone was $59.50, which I was able to get for less than $8.50.

Why did I buy 3 of the same jacket for my daughter you may wonder? Since I paid around $2.50 per coat, I figured I could buy one in the next few sizes for her, she won't care or notice that they are the same exact jacket, she'll just be so stinkin' happy that they are pink. Whenever I find a great deal like these jackets, I buy the item in multiple sizes. Usually for me to do this, the item has to be something that isn't too trendy in style and is marked down at least 75%.

Any time I see killer deals at the end of the season, I make sure to stock up. That way I can still get great stuff for us without spending a fortune. You can also take advantage of frequent shopper programs that the stores offer to save even more money in the long run.

I'll do my best to pass along these great sales, so that you can take advantage of them too!

Part 2 of the "Shopping Ahead" strategy to save money to come in the near future.