Prom Shopping Tip #2: Use Those Codes!

Prom is getting closer! If you plan on buying your dress, shoes, accessories, or anything else online, make sure you take advantage of coupon codes!

Yay for throwback magazine covers!

Make sure to use your social skills and sign up for emails, follow on twitter, or like on facebook the stores you are planning on shopping at. You'll be the first to know whenever they have sales, or coupon codes to save you money.
Also take advantage of your birthday. If you have a birthday in April or May, sign up for all the stores you can. Most stores send out special coupon codes just for your birthday.

Around this time of year, jewelry and beauty stores are flooded with prom shoppers and to bring in even more coupons and coupon codes are sent out all over the internet. Prom magazines are full of them. Special issues like Seventeen Prom and Teen Magazine Prom are full of coupin codes and contests on many of the pages. And make sure you pay attention to the ads. Some ads can be traded in for a makeover if you bring them to department store makeup counters or nationwide hair salons.

Last but not least don't make the mistake of buying something online for full price because you didn't get emailed a coupon code. Many people are kind enough to post coupon codes they received online for everyone to see. All you have to do is search on google (ex: "promgirl coupon codes" or "rent the runway coupon codes" etc.).

I hope these tips will help you and happy prom shopping!

Any questions or comments? Leave them below!

Holiday Gift Guide: To Groupon or Not to Groupon?

During the Holiday Season group buying sites like Groupon become more popular, helping people save money at the places where they buy their gifts. But is it okay to give someone a coupon as a gift without seeming cheap? To answer this question you have to first answer three different questions:

1. Is it a cheap or unexciting gift?
Group buying sites offer amazing discounts on expensive things, but they also offer discounts on smaller things. For example, the other day I recieved a notification from LivingSocial for 50% off on 5 Big Macs and 5 large fries from McDonald's. Although it's a good deal (and a bulk buy), it might not be the best gift for some people because they can go to a McDonald's whenever they want. The answer to giving coupons like this would normally be a "No". All in all it depends on the person. I'm sure Don Gorske would appreciate a McDonald's coupon like this very much.

2. Is it something they have to participate in?
Many times a week, group buying sites offer deals on activities like bowling, whale cruises, and trips to the spa. These types of coupons are usually okay to give as gifts because it can be something your gift recipient has always wanted to do or the activities are normally expensive. For example Groupon San Diego is currenlty offering $25 for a $65 ticket to the Poinsettia Bowl football game, $39 for a $110 fitness class, and $32 for $80 worth of hair treatments and wine at a salon. These are all examples of acceptable gifts and each group buying site has something for every budget. The answer to this question would be a "Yes".

3. Is it something you can do yourself?
Gift buying sites sometimes offer deals for merchandise at stores.  Such as $48 for an $80 curling iron. While it would be acceptable to give the coupin directly to the gift recipient, it would be more courteous to use the coupon to buy the curling iron yourself and directly give the person their gift. The answer to this question could go both ways but it would be safer to go with "No".

Any questions or comments? Leave them below!

Group Buying Sites

If you haven't had the chance to sign up for a group buying site, it's never too late to start.
Group buying websites such as Groupon, Yipit or Living Social allow discounts of crazy amounts (usually over 50% off) for stores, restaurants or activities in your city. Signing up is amazingly easy, all you do is enter your email and your city and right away you'll start recieving daily emails with deals.
When you see a deal you like, just buy it and print the voucher to bring to the store, salon, or wherever it's for.
But here's the catch, the deal is only valid if enough people also buy the deal i.e. the group buying part.
My first buy off of a group buying site was 50% off from the GAP. I paid $25 for $50 worth of stuff and instantly fell in love. So what are you waiting for?
Here a few sites to get you started:
Groupon
LivingSocial
Yipit
BuyWithMe

Any questions or comments? Leave them below!

Kohl's Tax Free Shopping Days

Because not all states have Tax Free Shopping days, Kohl's offers 10% off everything in the store during the tax free shopping season. Visit Kohl's This weekend (August 5-7 or August 6-7 depending on the State) to start your tax free shopping!

Questions of Comments? Leave them below!

Tax Free Shopping Dates

Yes, that's right; Tax Free! Some states have a few days a year when you can go shopping and not pay taxes on certain items.
They are usually held right before the start of a school year to help the country with Back-to-School shopping. Click here for a list of dates!

Use Your Social Skills

Technology allows us to keep in touch with people all over the world and share our ideas. It also helps us become insiders with our favorites stores and designers. Being in on a secret sale or discount can be as simple as hitting "Like", "Follow", or "Subscribe".
The advantages of different social networking sites vary depending on the store. Stores on Facebook will usually tell their fans about sales before anyone else and offer contests only available to fans. Followers of stores, designers, and magazines on Twitter will usually receive special discount codes, tips on how to wear or use their product, and contests.
Many stores want people to sign up for their email lists so much that they offer a certain amount off of their next order. By receiving daily or weekly emails, you have access to secret sales, coupon codes, and sneak peeks at new collections. Email isn't the only mail you should subscribe to however. A store's catalog sometimes comes with a coupon or code to use on your next order.