Impulse shopping can sometimes get the best of us, making us bring home items that will undoubtedly keep their tags until the day they are given away, donated, or sold off to new homes. If it’s a small price on that tag, then the annoyance is easy to get over. But if you’re spending big bucks on a bag, pair of shoes or dress, you better make sure you’re completely committed to the purchase. If you’re thinking of making room in your closet for a pricey, new find, then read ahead and ask yourself these seven questions before handing over your credit card.
7 Questions to Ask Before Making a Big Fashion Purchase
- Can I really afford this? While you may have an irresistible craving for that new “It” bag, if it’s going to dig into your rent money, it may not really be worth taking the plunge. Check your budget, think about how long it will take you to pay it off, and whether you can afford it without having to dig into your savings.
- Do I really need this? Determine whether this is more than just a “want.” Is that new bag going to make your life easier, helping you accommodate your life more comfortably than what you currently have? Are those new shoes going to pay for themselves because you’ll wear them all the time? Consider the use you’ll get out of the item rather than just using it for a season and putting it away in the closet to collect dust.
- Do I need it right now? Can this purchase wait? Sleep on it overnight. Do you still want it the next day? Will you be able to put off purchasing it for a few weeks, when you’re in a better cash-flow situation? The impulse for a want-able item hits hard and fast making it feel as if you need the item right away, but if you stop and think for a minute, you may realize you can wait on buying it, perhaps even on sale.
- Will it work well with what I already have? There’s no use in purchasing a great, beautiful, brightly colored pair of shoes if they will not match with anything you already have in your closet. You may be able to admire a piece but learn how to distinguish appreciation for want. Consider the items you have in your closet and think about at least two pieces this new item will work with.
- Will this item go on sale? If you have determined you absolutely must have the item, getting it at the best possible price should be your mission objective. Check with sales reps to see if there will be an upcoming sale and ask to be contacted if the item drops in price. If you’re shopping online, add it to a wish list and check for coupons or promotions related to that shop.
- Can I get this item on consignment, at an outlet, or at a thrift shop, instead? You’d be surprised at the amazing finds you can dig up at consignment shops, with many items never even having been worn. Thrift stores are a goldmine of designer labels, if you have the patience to look through the inventory. Give the shop your info, tell them what you’re looking for, and you may be able to snag it for a fraction of the retail price.
- Is this an investment piece? Finally, is this the kind of piece you’ll pass down through the generations? Will this piece, though costly, become a covet-able family heirloom? Or will you at least use this season after season, year after year? If this is the kind of staple that will basically pay for itself from constant use, it’s definitely worth the investment.
