Cheap Chic: Must-have shopping apps that will help you save money

04/23/2015

By Brooke Bigda
Comment Columnist

Technology can be a great money-saving tool. Photo by Brooke Bigda.

Speaking as a shopping addict, I know how difficult the struggle is when shopping retail. Whether you’re out doing errands or on the computer doing homework, it’s so hard not to look into a window or browse online to see all the new styles and brands you want but cannot afford.

Shopping smart can now be easy as clicking a button. I found these amazing apps for your phone or tablet that will save you money on your favorite looks and designer fashions. All the apps I mention in this story can be found on the App Store or Google Play Store.

You’ve seen the commercial, right?

“What’s my routine? Gym, Coffee, Hautelook.” Well, that commercial has become my reality (except for the gym).

What I love about Hautelook is that there are so many different sales everyday. They have a variety of products including clothes for men, women, and children, shoes, beauty products, and home goods.

Being college students, we try to do whatever we can to save money. It doesn’t matter if you’re a penny-pincher or a full-blown fashionista, Hautelook is perfect for someone on any budget.

Plus, they allow you to share items through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or more privately through an email or text message. Every time you share an item, and a friend or follower buys that item on Hautelook, they will give you $20 on your next purchase.

Sharing with friends and family will save you even more money on the must-haves you love is great, but just a friendly tip: do not make it an everyday thing. Oversharing can become annoying and they’ll feel pressured into buying something, even if they can’t afford to spend their extra money.

Another app to look out for is Gilt. Like Hautelook, Gilt is an online store that provides designer labels at almost half the cost. However, Gilt is more for the fashionista than the penny pincher.

Although there are items that are affordable to your tight budget, Gilt sells top designer brands that are very expensive. So even if you see a gorgeous pair of Valentino shoes for 50% off, they are probably still going to be out of your price range.

Not to worry, because there is a very simple solution to this problem. When you click on a sale, all you have to do is filter your price range, starting at the items with the lowest price. That way you can buy the clothes you want with a prices you want.

Gilt also sells a variety of high-end labels without the high-end prices, so there are different price ranges depending on the brand.

If you’re looking for accessories, Fab is the perfect app for you. With amazing sales on jewelry, household items, fashion pieces, and gifts, you’ll end up filling up your cart in a matter of minutes. Fab also has daily deals, items for under $50 section, and free shipping on orders over $75.

If you’re not into high end fashions or you feel that these deals are not up to your standards, Forever21 and H&M have their own apps, so that you can shop at your convenience. There are other fantastic money saving apps that will send you coupon codes for retail stores and online, such as RetailMeNot.

When downloading these apps, I would suggest to sign up for email or text notifications. After signing up, they will send you updates on sales and coupons that will help you save money the next time you shop.

Just because it’s on sale does not mean that it’s a good buy. There’s no point of buying a really expensive pair of shoes and saying, “but I got a great deal.” That’s not what a great deal is. A great deal means that you bought something that you got something that was full price and made it affordable.

When you find something you love, you’ll wear often, and it’s on sale, treat yourself.

Brooke Bigda is a Comment Columnist. Follow her on Twitter at @bbiggs900.