I shop everyday. It doesn't matter what it is. It might be a whole look that I have in my head that I have to buy every piece for. If that is the case I am not happy until it is all together and perfect exactly how I see it in my head. Or it can just be me going into a store and looking at every little thing for hours, until I find "it". Whatever it is I love the feeling of buying something that makes me feel good about myself. Whether its clothes,make-up(that's a whole separate issue) or a gift for someone else. As long as I get some form of gratification from it doesn't matter where the money is coming from(or used to be not coming from).
I have been a lot smarter with my money and purchases since having my son who is now 5. I now love to get a great deal. I used to think the more money you spend, the better the product. Not so, especially with cosmetics and health and beauty. Stay tuned for those reviews.
Best way to start making smart buys is research. I hate calling it that because it sounds so boring, intimidating and dull. Just think of it as window shopping via the world wide web. The reward will be much better if you go prepared. There are a couple staple sites I go to when wanting honest consumer reviews. One of the best is http://www.amazon.com/ you get reviews on both ends of the spectrum which is great. Another site that I love is http://www.shespeaks.com/. SheSpeaks is a great site where you can find reviews on everything from mixers to lipstick. Love it.
When you do your window shopping make sure to read some of the good and some of the bad. The bad reviews won't necessarily deter you from the purchase, but may make you aware of certain things you didn't know about the product. The product might be much larger than expected or a different quality of material than you had initially thought. Read as much as possible about the product and weigh the pros and cons. This will help you make a smart buy and will prevent most buyers remorse. Especially on those big purchases.
My challenge that I am dealing with now is trying to find the perfect watch for a gift. You have to consider personal taste and functionality along with great style. Doing the research on this purchase is a little more difficult, but I am confident that I will make the smart buy that is absolutely perfect. To be continued...
Coming up how to handle those unplanned purchases without regreting it later.
