Today I thought I might do something a little different. I realize everyone’s budget is different and not everyone can afford to pay full-price for certain items or just buy things only on sale. In this post, you’ll find some of my favorite options when it comes to scoring a good deal and making the most of your purchases.
SAVE BEFORE YOU BUY
Whether you’re purchasing an item that’s full-price or on sale, there are two tools that will instantly help you save even more. Ebates is your first way to save and is extremely convenient. Simply install the Google Chrome plugin and it will alert you if you are able to receive any cash back on your purchase. While it doesn’t work for every site, it works for most major retailers.
Continue to save on your future purchase by signing-up for Honey and use it simultaneously with Ebates. Instead of digging through coupon sites and being bombarded with ads, Honey does all the heavy lifting for you and often finds promo codes to help you save more. These two tools come especially in handy for packing on the savings even when something is already on sale.
FINDING A GOOD DEAL
After adding the Ebates and Honey Chrome plugins, you’re probably wondering how do I stay on top of sales and deals? One of my favorite resources that I always refer people to is the Frugal Male Fashion subreddit. You’ll be hard pressed to find one website that will aggregate all of the best deals focusing on quality brands and products. What I love most about this section is that it’s not always about the household names and you’ll really be able to find some gems in there from time to time. With over 800k members, it’s constantly being updated.
Alternatively, brands like Taylor Stitch, Gustin and Beckett Simonon offer unique ways to help their customers save by getting the same quality as their competitors at a fraction of the cost. Crowdfunding has been utilized by Taylor Stitch (save 20%) and Gustin to reduce cost, gauge interest and give you the best deal. Beckett Simonon also does something very similar by taking pre-orders at an affordable price with quality that rivals high-end brands. The downside is that you’ll have to wait if you go down this route for either of the three brands, but their loyal customers have reaped the rewards for their patience.
THE SECONDARY SEARCH
While your first instincts will be to scour your favorite retailers and brands, a secondary search goes beyond that. Another favorite among savvy online shoppers is Grailed, a market place to purchase new and used items. Although it is an extremely popular destination for streetwear and sneakers, you can still find your favorite menswear and workwear pieces on there. There’s deals to be found and you can even negotiate with sellers rather easily.
From there, you can continue your hunt on-the-go by using apps like Depop and Poshmark with several others also available.
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST
While this is probably the most obvious suggestion, it is often the most overlooked. Thrift stores aren’t for everyone and it takes a special type of person to voluntarily wear used clothing, but not all thrift stores are made the same. While limited to just Los Angeles and San Francisco, Wasteland is a must for anyone looking for premium items. With a stock of used designer and vintage items, you can often find brand new products with the tag still attached for a reasonable price.
Build your wardrobe to how you like is going to take time and often comes one item at a time. The key is to add staple pieces little by little and hopefully this guide will help you track them down. With some patience, you can get great deals on items that you’ll keep for years to come.
