Bougie Rouge

Bougie Rouge's Shopping Tip:

I pride myself on not paying full or regular price for anything. I have a passion for beautiful shoes, and would like to think of the ones I have as a collection of sorts. I also love designer clothes, not for the label, but mostly for the quality of the materials, craftsmanship, and the added details and design. To keep my “laissez faire” shopping spirit in check, I preset the amount I plan to spend that particular day, and almost never do I exceed it. I don't shy away from shopping at high-end stores or specialty boutiques, but I strategically use tunnel vision as I focus on the sale and clearance racks.

I use the same coupon mentality at the department stores that I use at the grocery store. Based on my shopping expertise (I use that term loosely), I have found that Macy's reigns as queen of customer loyalty coupons. Nordstrom offers its loyal credit card holders, a generous rebate once a certain amount in purchases is reached. They also offer a generous annual amount of alteration credit, once you reach a certain level of spending. This can really save you a lot of money, as the costs of alterations can be very expensive.

If you don't mind reading a few extra emails, go ahead and sign up with the stores you frequent the most. Many stores send special sale alerts and include extra discount coupons in their emails.