MAKE IT CUTE

DO plan ahead

You want to know where to go and what you’re going to look for before you leave the house.  Andrea suggests using OutletBound.com to help you figure out where the nearest outlet mall is and where all the great sales are. Your mom and dad will appreciate you knowing what to look for, and they might even see something they like! 

DON’T go overboard

Outlets are a great way to get big name brands for less money, but just because something is at an outlet, it doesn’t mean it will necessarily be in your budget.  “Prices on outlet items may not be as low as you expect,” Andrea says. You can expect items to go down about 30% from their store price due to sales and promotions, so set a limit with your parents on how much you’re willing to spend on any given item and stick to it.

DO look for coupons

You can save additional money by looking for coupons online.  Andrea suggests CouponSherpa, which can help you find more discounts wherever you go.  Also, check to see if the outlet offers any special deals.  Some of them have a coupon booklet you can buy for extra discounts!  Who doesn’t want to save even more money?

DON’T assume quality

Just because it’s got a nice brand name on the label, an item might not necessarily be made out of high quality stuff!  Some brands make clothes just for their outlets, so you might be getting things with cheaper material that won’t stand up as well as the full price stuff in the regular stores.  Be cautious and ask a manager if the clothes are overflow from the store or made for outlets.  

DO have fun!

A lot of outlets aren’t super close to cities or big towns, so make a day trip with mom and some friends and hit up your fave stores.  You can start early in the morning and end the day at home with a fashion show, strutting your stuff in your awesome new clothes!

Blog about it: Will you be going BTS outlet shopping this year? What are your best tips?

by Kate Geraghty | 2/1/2016