Pro Tips: How to be savvy in the January sales

How to make the most of your student loan: Daljinder Johal tells us how to be frugal yet fashionable…

New clothes, cool Nikes, the latest iPad…we live in a world where buying things has become a bit of an obsession. In fact I get a bit close to saying “Hi there, my name is Daljinder and I’m a shopaholic”. I’m not even joking, the book and film of Confessions of a Shopaholic hit a little too close to home for me. When I’m not feeling great, I always end up buying myself a cute notebook from Paperchase or yet another lipstick.

Plus, I love the buzz of getting something on sale. Luckily, I’m pretty good at not descending into a spiral of crazy like Isla Fisher and instead channelling this into being a savvy shopper. This also means that I’m a wealth of information on how to grab a steal in the January sales.

Now is the time to gravitate towards high quality investment pieces that you’ve been eyeing on sale…

To avoid your small uni room looking like a hoarder’s, assess what you already have. Instead of thoughtlessly buying stuff that you already have or will never use, take a step back and figure out a list of key pieces and a few non-essentials. You probably don’t need yet another striped top or fourth iPhone case. Working out the maximum price that you’re willing to spend is especially helpful on a tight student budget, and it’s worth having a quick browse online to check whether you can get it cheaper – things like beauty products or music often have specialised sites running good deals or let you collect points (to buy more).

Internet shopping is becoming more and more popular but it’s best to be shrewd. Electronics and books are a fairly safe bet to buy online, but trying on clothes in person is far better than hoping the skirt that looked so cute on the model online doesn’t turn out to make your butt look like a space ship. Learn from my tragic mistake – I went all the way to the post room for that. Being tactical about what shops to buy from is crucial. Now is the time to gravitate towards high quality investment pieces from upmarket brands – just make sure to grab the one you’ve been eyeing on sale. This is better than pouring money into everyday clothes that haven’t got as big of a markdown and aren’t very good quality.

Sale shopping in person can be overwhelming, so it’s best to whittle down your three preferred shops for an item. Then, if you don’t have any luck, you can save an obviously more precious commodity than your money – time – and move onto something else. Before buying something, take the opportunity to inspect items closely for scratches, rips or other flaws so you don’t end up with a nasty surprise. If it’s a good deal and a minor fixable issue, go for it.

Finally, always check the return policy; some stores have brilliant ones so if you’re in two minds, you can actually have a bit more time to ponder rather than doubt losing you a great find. Don’t feel guilty about an impulse buy once in a while – sometimes the best things aren’t planned!