How to Survive the January Sales

Tips to Avoid Overspending in the January Sales

As we are approaching the end of the year, it is time to get ready for what shopaholics (and broke people like me) see as one of the biggest event of the year: yes, the January sales are almost upon us. Each January of every year, millions of shop owners around the world reduce their prices in order for the old stock to make way for the new arrivals. If you can manage not to turn your shopping day at the sales into a wild money-spending marathon, you will have survived the January sales.

In my view, the purpose of buying clothes in the January sales is saving money, not digging yourself deeper in your credit card abyss, so for those of you who find it difficult not to throw yourselves at reduced priced clothing items, here are a few tips that should help you save money:

1- The day before you go on a shopping trip, open your wardrobe. Look at the clothes you already own. If you notice some clothes that you never wear, find out why: is it because they are out of fashion, were they impulse buys that you later decided did not match your style or size, or because you don't own anything else matching it?

2- Put aside the out-of-fashion items and impulse buys. Maybe you could sell them on EBay or donate them; get rid of them, they are only taking up valuable space in your wardrobe.

3- Decide on a number of work outfits, leisure outfits and party outfits you need. If you own 10 pairs of black trousers, maybe it's time to inject colour in your life (or white and cream if you are not the risky type). Don't forget to think about shoes and underwear. I don't want to play Trinny and Susannah here (especially since I can't bear these two women), but try and think of the colours and clothes shapes that suit you.