It’s official: the Aussie dollar is hovering around parity with the once mighty US buck. What this means is our humble golden-kangaroo coin now goes further when purchasing products from US-based stores online and elsewhere overseas. Known for its already slightly cheaper prices than Australia on many fashion and beauty products, American retail is now even more attractive. Even with postage costs included, the bargains up for grabs are enough to turn online-shopaphobics into add-to-cart addicts.

While we don’t want to encourage a mass exodus of local retail dollars (because that’s not helpful to our economy) — if you are interested in a little shopping offshore we’d like to point you in the right direction. Here are ten US online stores we'd recommend where you’re bound to find a bargain.

HOT TIP: US shoppers are crazy for coupons — so be sure to check online if there’s a coupon that could save you money on your overseas purchase.

www.bluefly.com  
Designer fashion and accessories for between 20 and 75 per cent off retail prices. Over 350 designers, from Miss Sixty to Jimmy Choo.
Shipping: Varies

www.shopbop.com  
Trawl the “Designer Index” for labels you love, or head straight to the SALE section for up to 70 per cent off RRP on clothing, shoes, accessories and bags. Our last browse showed up a pair of Diane von Furstenberg camouflage shorts down from $US245 to $US73.50.*
Shipping: Orders over $US100 are free; orders under $US100 cost $US10.

www.overstock.com  
Selling everything from clothing to jewellery, books, bedding and baby things — Overstock.com liquidates excess goodies from reputable brands for reduced prices.
Shipping: Varies

www.beautyticket.com  
“Department store brands at drugstore prices” is its slogan. BeautyTicket.com stocks skincare, cosmetics and bath products from major beauty brands sold at up to 85 per cent off RRP. Brands and stock change weekly.
Shipping costs: $US26.95 flat rate

www.bookdepository.com  
This international bookseller is actually based in the UK, but since it has FREE SHIPPING to anywhere in the world, we couldn’t resist putting it on our list. Books are insanely cheap, and there’s even a 10 per cent off, pre-Christmas special running at the moment. Visit the website for details.
Shipping: Free!

www.brandsboutique.com  
Handbags and apparel by luxe labels Armani, Burberry, Chanel, Chloe, Dolce & Gabbana, Juicy Couture, Miu Miu and more at up to 70 per cent off retail price.
Shipping: Flat rate of $US50, plus $US5 for each additional item purchased

www.dellamoda.com  
Authentic luxury handbags, shoes, sunglasses and accessories at discounted prices. Authenticity guaranteed. Grab a pair of Chanel frames of Prada shoes and rest assured they’re real.
Shipping: From $US45

www.ebay.com  
Need we explain? You can find anything cheap on eBay — but now you can cast your net wider than Australia and still save money.
Shipping: Varies

www.shopsafe.com  
If you’re nervous about sending your credit card details off into the online international ether, visit this website to check the store you’re purchasing from is safe and secure. Shopsafe also lists a huge range of stores in various categories to help with finding the products you’re after.

www.shopzilla.com  
Just because you can smell the US bargains from here as strongly as a Krispy Kreme doughnut doesn’t mean you’ll automatically find better prices overseas. And just as in Australia, prices over there vary greatly. Do a quick search of the product/brand you intend to purchase on US-based price comparison website Shopzilla before you buy to find the best deal. This is also a great place to find out about other US discount web stores.

* At the time of writing, the Australia dollar was approximately equivalent to the US dollar.

Have you gone on a US spending spree since the Aussie dollar struck gold? What bargains did you find and where? What are your favourite US or overseas web stores for the best bargains?

I love setting myself a challenge when it comes to bargain shopping. Whether it’s to buy a hot wedding outfit for under $100 or to only buy supermarket-brand groceries for one week — setting mini money-saving goals like this can really help to keep spending habits in check and cash in your wallet. So when I heard about Salvos Stores’ “Buy Nothing New Month” it seemed like the perfect way to turn the month of October from a frivolous springtime spending spree into a thoughtful, environmentally-friendly, cash-conscious couple of weeks — with the chance to win prizes!

The idea is that during the month of October you only buy recycled goods (except for food, bills and necessities) — no matter what. Whether you need a new fridge, a new dress or a new set of dinner plates to host that daylight-savings barbeque, this month — if you take Salvos Stores’ challenge — you have to buy, borrow, barter or swap for stuff that’s 100 per cent genuine second hand.

I've started off the month by borrowing a book from a friend, which I probably would have bought fresh from the bookshop (in fact, I would have bought the whole series...) had I not been on my "nothing new diet", which has easily saved me $100. 

Apart from all the moolah you’ll save, getting on board Buy Nothing New Month will also take a load off the environment — literally — by slowing down the amount waste that goes to land fill.

The charity organisation is also giving away some rather appealing prizes in the form of cold hard cash (1st prize is $5000!) and other goodies. All you have to do is write in 150 words how you’ve changed your behaviour and bought nothing new in October (you also have to buy something from Salvos Stores), and then upload your photo or video onto the competition website. So you could actually earn money from showing off your bargain-buying talents. Grab all the details from www.nothingnew.com.au.

Need some inspiration on where to shop for pre-loved fashion and homewares during Buy Nothing New Month? Browse Bargain Shopper's listings for Vintage & Recycled fashion in Sydney, Charity Outlets in Sydney and Vintage & Pre-loved Fashion in Melbourne; or locate your nearest Salvos Store here. 


We’d love to know about your pre-loved purchases during Buy Nothing New Month. Share them below or let us know on Facebook or Twitter. How has the Salvos Stores' initiative made you rethink your buyer behaviour?

Daily deals have momentarily taken over my world. Along with doubling my inbox’s waistline, they’ve added a host of new bargain-priced temptations to my wish list of “one-day-only!” specials from private online sales clubs, retail stores and shopping centres — all begging me to buy them, day in and day out. Not that that’s a bad thing ... I love bargains as much as the people you see camped out the front of department stores before Boxing Day. But are daily deals really all they’re cracked up to be?

The daily deal craze has swooped Australia this year, with around a dozen websites now offering experiences and goodies to their subscribers every day that — because of their ingenious group-buying concept or limited product availability — are much cheaper than the normal going rate. The concept, which started with the company Groupon in the US, works like this: local businesses make an offer on their product, pricing it at sometimes up to 70 per cent off recommended retail and, once a certain number of people agree to purchase the offer, the deal is “activated” and whoever wants to buy it can enjoy the deal.

Most daily deals websites focus on pampering, entertainment and active/leisure experiences — from discounted horse-riding adventures to salsa dancing lessons, facials and fancy dinners. While I’ve been tempted by these offers of cheap manicures, discount teeth-whitening treatments and accommodation packages, I’m yet to purchase a “deal of the day”. And, before I do, I’m curious to know whether some of these deals really deliver the on the promise of a full-retail-price experience for half (or lower than half) the original cost. Do you get what you don’t pay for?

Case in point: A friend of mine recently bought a hair treatment through a daily deals website, which amazingly included a hair cut, colour, foils, conditioning treatment and blow-dry at a reputable inner-city salon — all valued at $350 — for just $99. My friend (let’s call her Britney) thought she was in for the royal treatment at a third of the cost, but it didn’t turn out that way. During the session, Britney felt she wasn’t treated like a full-price-paying customer. She says she was rushed through the process without thorough consultation from the hair stylist and left feeling like her $99 — even though she had supposedly saved $250 — was a waste of money.

Of course, with some daily deals the offers are more clear-cut, such as half-price gelato or 60 per cent off the price of theatre tickets. But since many offers are hosted by small- to medium-sized local businesses that may not be used to such an influx of customers, the room for dropping the ball in terms of quality of service and the customer experience increases.

Buying a bargain shouldn’t mean you have to compromise on quality; and if the quality is diminished somehow, the consumer should be informed before they make the purchase.

The moral of the story? Before jumping on a deal or if you’re concerned about product standard, do your research. Check the supplier, read reviews, make use of the daily deals website’s social networking avenues to talk about the offers and the experiences they deliver. Alternatively, you can throw caution to the wind — which is how daily deals websites are meant to be enjoyed — and have a great night out for a fraction of the price. Just don’t sweat the small stuff. Ten-course degustation dinner for $35, anyone?

What have you bought from a daily deals website and was it a good experience? Did you feel you were treated differently from customers paying full price? If you buy a bargain deal, do customers have the right to complain if it doesn’t meet expectations?

Comment below, or email bargainguru@universalmagazines.com.au

Daily deals websites in Australia

www.dealsextra.com.au
www.jumponit.com
www.cudo.com.au 
www.ourdeal.com.au
www.allthedeals.com.au
www.scoopon.com.au
www.spreets.com.au
www.ouffer.com
www.catchoftheday.com.au
www.ourdeal.com.au
www.livingsocial.com (coming soon)

I am considering buying a pair of heavily discounted jeans online, and while I’m not baulking at the price (they're a steal — discounted from $180 to $75) the $10 postage fee has got me thinking: what if they don’t fit? What if the style doesn’t suit my shape? Of course, I can send them back, but is it worth it?

Is it a better “bargain” to take the risk of them not fitting and wear the postage fee (plus the extra postage cost and inconvenience of returning them) or to drive to a mall or jeans-laden shopping district and spend half a day trying on denim to find the perfectly-fitting pair, knowing that no money has gone to waste?

Considering I don’t particularly enjoy trying on jeans (it’s such a rigmarole to strip off your pants time after time and squeeze into those super-stiff-with-newness strides!) the answer is more or less staring me in the face. Paying for postage is paying for convenience of having the jeans ushered straight to your home for you to try on in front of your own private tell-it-like-it-is bedroom mirror.

I also figure that I probably wouldn’t be able to find as good a bargain in-store, and I’d end up spending that $10 anyway on parking and a food court lunch.

But what if the first pair doesn’t fit, and then the second and third pairs of jeans don’t fit either? Then I’m up to around $50 in debt with nothing to show for it. Maybe I should find a store that stocks this brand and style, try them on, then buy online. But by then the sale could be over!

It's all a matter of weighing up your priorities against convenience and cost. I think in this case I will "add to cart"... 

Do you always make sure you try on clothes in-store before buying them online? Or are you willing to take the pay-for-postage risk? Have you ever bought and sent back clothing items more than once, and was it worth it?

Comment below or email bargainguru@universalmagazines.com.au

We all know there’s a goldmine of online discount stores on the web, but there’s also a handful of website gems that can help you save even more money as you shop. Here is a bunch of my favourite online bargain shopping resources:

Coupon codes

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: never purchase something online without first searching online for a coupon code. There’s often a better deal out there that’s just a coupon code away. Simply enter the store name and the words “coupon code” into Google and see what comes up. Or conduct a search on Retail Me Not (www.retailmenot.com). The codes with the highest success rate are the most reliable. Another site that lists coupon codes as well as vouchers, deals and freebies is OzBargain (www.ozbargain.com.au). Follow them on Twitter and Facebook to hear about the latest deals.

Best price

There’s nothing better than knowing you got the best price on a great-quality product. The website Getprice (www.getprice.com.au) is a convenient way to compare costs of a range of products — from computers to clothing and kids’ toys, so you can find the lowest price. Shopbot (www.shopbot.com.au) does the same kind of thing. Then there are more specialised “best price” websites such as Zuji (www.zuji.com.au), which scans airline carriers, hotels and travel agencies for the best flights and accommodation prices. Trust me — these websites save you hours of phone calls and shop visits to find the best deal.

Cash back

Did you think that by buying online you were cutting out the “middle man” and all the costs that went with him? Well, that’s sometimes true, but there is still often extra cash passing hands in many online transactions that would be better off being in your wallet. Enter: MoneyBackCo (www.moneybackco.com.au) — a website that pays what’s known as “referral money” (the money earned by a website to “refer” shoppers onto purchasing from another website) back to you, the customer. There is an annual fee of $10, but this could quickly be redeemed, depending on how often you shop online. Our advice is to inspect MoneyBackCo’s lists of merchants, and if you think you would make a number of purchases from these web stores per year, it could be worth it. You’d just have to remember to make purchases through MoneyBackCo (ie log into their website first then buy your product via their website) to ensure you get the money back. We spotted some good merchants, including StrawberryNet, iSubscribe, Perfume Empire, Zodee and travel companies such as Qantas and Expedia.

Catalogues

I am lucky (or cursed?) that I live within close proximity to three major grocery stores, and three major shopping malls in Sydney. So how do I decide where I’m going to shop each week? If time is on my side, I’ll scan the catalogues on Lasoo (www.lasoo.com.au), which conveniently sources all the catalogue specials of the week from major retailers, from food to homewares and electrical goods. Just spotted a special on Lindt dark chocolate selling for $1.75 a block at Coles. Toodooloo!

Bulk buy — minus the bulk

I was very excited when I heard about the US website Get Grouby (www.getgrouby.com), which allows people to make bulk-buy savings without having to deal with the bulk. That is, you can nominate to purchase a product via Get Grouby, then wait for a group of people to do the same. Once there are enough people in your group to make the purchase, the product is yours at bulk-buy price, but split between the people in your group. Thankfully, there are websites in Australia that offer the same kind of service. Our Deal (www.ourdeal.com.au) gives you collective buying power on a range of things to eat, see and do in your city, with savings of up to 70 per cent. OfferMe (www.offerme.com.au) also has a Group Buy service, with categories ranging from technology to travel and some fashion and accessories. Both websites look impressive, and each service gives you the ability to tell all your friends about your prospective purchase using the integrated social networking tools — the aim being to get enough people on board your bulk-buy so you can all enjoy the discount!

What’s your favourite online resource that helps you save money when shopping? Comment below or email bargainguru@universalmagazines.com.au

I’ll show you mine if you show me yours...

Today, I have brought my beauty case into work. Not just so I can touch up before heading out to a ‘do’ tonight, but to share with you whatever secrets I have in there for saving money on beauty products while not scrimping on quality.

Sure, we’d all love to be able to afford a bottle of SK–II AirTouch Foundation (retailing at Myer for $198) or La Crème night moisturiser by Cle de Peau — (just a mere AU $677.50 on StrawberryNET.com) — but not all of us enjoy the income of Aussie screen goddess Cate Blanchett (SK-II’s global ambassador) or Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen, who reportedly uses said liquid-gold crème.

What we need are products that have the desired effect without costing us our weekly wage. We also don’t want to waste money on eye shadows that crack or foundations that look great in the shop but turn into packet-mix icing in natural light. That’s why I’m about to compile a few of my best tips — as well some recommendations from girls in the office — about products that work... on a budget.

Bargain Guru

What are your favourite budget beauty buys? Comment below or email bargainguru@universalmagazines.com.au


FOUNDATION

“I use L’Oreal True Match foundation which only costs $32.45 at Priceline. The liquid is so light that it doesn’t clog my pores or make me feel like I’m wearing a mask everyday. It glides on easily and a little goes a long way with full coverage. I find it a great match for my skin tone and can be worn day or night.” — Kim

“I love the Body Shop Moisture Foundation ($31.95). They have an oil-free version of it, which is perfect for me ‘cause my face gets a bit oily during the day. It’s the only foundation that doesn't make me break out and feels really light. It isn't super pricey either.” — Alex

“One of my make-up indulgences is Colour Ideal foundation by Lancôme ($80, Myer). It’s expensive, but I only ever buy it when there’s a Gift with Purchase, and I usually only use it at night or for special occasions. It’s silky smooth and gives great, soft coverage. For work, I find Max Factor Lasting Performance foundation (around $37) provides good coverage without looking cakey.” — Bargain Guru

“I'd recommend the Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Pre-Foundation Primer ($49.50*) — it's divine! Your skin feels really fresh right after you put it on. It's a small tube and a tiny bit pricey but you’re not meant to slather on primer, so it lasts 8 to 12 months.” — Alex

* Primers by Napoleon Set — NP’s less expensive brand available at NP concept stores, Target, and some pharmacies — cost $39.

EYES

“I have been through some eye shadows in my time, and the one that has lasted forever without cracking is a Natio compact in mocha (around $13). It also highlights well and stays in place all day through to night. It’s less than half the price of my Napoleon Perdis eye shadow colour discs ($25), which ironically both cracked.” — Bargain Guru

“When it comes to eyeliner, use pencils with built-in sharpeners. L’Oreal, Revlon and Max Factor are my favourite brands (around $25). There’s no use wasting cash on a pencil and a sharpener, especially when you end up with shavings and pencil gunk all through your kit.” — Bargain Guru

LIPS

“My friends and I all swear by Lucas' Pawpaw Ointment. We use it as lip gloss. It's great for dry/cracked lips during winter and you can mix it with a darker lip gloss/lipstick over the top. It's about $5 (sometimes less) from Priceline/pharmacies for a 25g tube but it lasts forever. You can also buy large tubs of it, which are really cheap.” — Eliza

“Face of Australia Lip Glaze: there's gorgeous range of colours and it gives you the perfect amount of gloss and shine without being too sticky (so you won’t have to worry about your hair getting stuck to your lips on a windy day!). Unlike more expensive lip glosses, this range comes in at under $10.” — Natasha

BODY

“Nivea Body Moisturiser: it’s creamy, not too thick or oily and leaves your skin feeling oh-so soft. It also only has a light fragrance and is very affordable at around $7 for a 400ml bottle.” — Natasha

“I like Palmer’s Moisturising Body Oil: it smells good and is quickly absorbed if you apply just after you get out of the shower... and only costs around $10.” — Alaana

FACE

“Johnson’s Facial Cleansing Wipes (around $7 for a pack of 25): They’re perfect for when you’re in a rush or can’t be bothered going through your whole beauty routine at the end of a long day. Takes off all of your make-up easily and leaves your face feeling clean and fresh, but not dry. You can also find value-packs of three at Woolworths, Big W and some pharmacies.” — Natasha

“QV Face Gentle Cleanser (around $13 from chemists). I find foaming cleansers clean the best, but usually leave your skin feeling tight and dry — even top brands like Clarins and Lancôme make my face feel like a stretched canvas! QV’s cleanser washes the dirt and make-up away (you don’t even have to use a toner) but is extremely gentle, and cheap! I also love the QV Exfoliating Polish ($11), which is light and non-irritating.” — Bargain Guru

“Sukin Natural Skincare — it’s a range of organic products you can get in chemists and health food stores. I use the Facial Moisturiser (around $10 for 125ml). It’s brilliant and it’s all natural. I have really dry skin so this is nourishing and quickly absorbed without being greasy.” — Alaana

NAILS

“I recommend Sportsgirl ‘Nail It’ nail polish. Of all the nail polishes I've tried, it lasts the longest by far — even when compared with your more expensive nail polishes like O.P.I., Sally Hansen, Revlon etc. There is a HUGE range of colours and they're only about $6 or $7 each. You can sometimes get them on sale for even cheaper.” — Eliza

Who do you think is happier — the bargain hunter who shops around for the absolute best deal, or the consumer who is content with finding a product that’s “good enough”? The answer may surprise...

At the 2010 Happiness and its Causes conference taking place in Sydney this week, author and professor of psychology Barry Schwartz is speaking about consumer happiness, and how the availability of so much choice in the market has led many of us to become anxious, indecisive, over-shoppers who are obsessed with finding the best deal, and who are more miserable for it.

Where we might have once been content to buy the local baker’s bread, the corner store’s milk and household goods from the closest shopping mall, we are now so spoilt for choice that we overanalyse every purchase and literally “shop til we drop”, which — a study by Schwartz has shown — increases the likelihood of being unhappy with our buys.

Whether it’s the kind of milk we’re buying at the supermarket or an internet package or a pair of jeans — the abundance of choice is bewildering. And the more time we spend ensuring we make the “right” choice, the more likely we are to be dissatisfied.

Your consumer personality

In his book The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less, Schwartz shows how everyone has a kind of consumer 'personality', which falls somewhere on a scale: at one end are “maximisers” — those who always try to make the best possible choice when shopping, and at the other end are “satisficers” — those who are content with “good enough” and who are not worried by the possibility that something might be better.

While maximisers spend time researching, looking online, checking labels, and reading consumer magazines — they were found to be less happy with their purchases than those who were satisfied with “good enough”. Maximisers are more susceptible to feelings of regret and failure if they find out — post-purchase — that they overlooked a better deal.

So — would you consider yourself a maximiser or a satisficer? As bargain shoppers, there’s probably a bit of maximiser in all of us; but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re unhappy shoppers. There are definitely ways to take the anxiety out of “maximisier” shopping, and to put the happiness back into the experience of finding the best deal.

How to be a happy shopper

Schwartz himself touched on the solution in an article published in The Sydney Morning Herald. The university professor said he has a vision of a community of friends where someone is the expert on consumer electronics, another on restaurants, another on computers and so on — so that you can effectively “outsource” the decision-making (and the anxiety that surrounds it) to friends when you need to find the best deal on a product you don’t know much about.

I think the reason I don’t get too up-tight about shopping for “the best” is because  I outsource a lot of the decision-making to the Bargain Shopper website (apologies for the blatant self-promo — but it's true!). Where shall I shop for jeans today? Or where will I find the best deals on underwear? Just type it into the search box and you can be pretty confident you’ll find a shop with excellent value for money.

But there definitely are times when I find myself shopping all day only to find absolutely zilch that is “good enough”, or I regret buying something because I find out my friend found a better deal elsewhere, which inevitably does make me a bit miserable.

The solution? Schwartz suggests practising a few “satisficer” habits, which might include limiting the number of shops you visit, giving yourself a time deadline to make a purchase, and changing your shopping criterion from “best” to “good enough”.

I’m thinking if I change my standards from “drop dead amazing” to “pretty darn good”, feelings of regret and failure will be a-goner, and I’ll be a happy shopper forever more!

Now that would be better than best.


Are you a maximiser or a satisficer? Are you always happy with your purchases? How do you take the anxiety out of finding the best deal?

And the lessons I learnt from them...

Sifting through my assortment of summer bargains strewn across the bed, my expression shifts from delight (I can’t WAIT to wear that) to confusion (what on earth was I thinking?!). Yes, readers — I, too, make bargain blunders. I make simple mistakes that result in wasted money, wardrobe clutter and a slightly damaged bargain-hunting reputation. So, this year, I am determined to see the errors of my ways and never make the same mistakes again.

Bargain mistake #1

After stumbling across an amazing weekend clearance sale in Alexandria (Sydney’s bargain Hot Spot) in a pop-up boutique, I thought I’d struck gold. A small semi-circle of racks was packed full of premium past season stock. Only problem was... nothing was in my size. After trying on a series of ill-fitting pieces, I finally found a super sexy racer back silk dress with my number on it. One look in the skinny, slanted mirror (which was half covered in reject try-ons and obscured by fellow self-gawking shoppers) told me it was perfect. I bagged the $60 dress (reduced from $250), only to arrive home and find that it, too, did not fit... AT ALL. I then had to go out and buy a new bra, some Hollywood tape, some new shoes and take to it with my sewing kit just to make it work. Bargain? I think not.

Bargain shopping lessons:

• Sizes differ between brands, so don’t assume your usual size will fit. Try before you buy.
• Take a long, hard look in the (preferably straight) change room mirror from a range of distances.
• Get a second opinion on the outfit.

Bargain mistake #2

I’m at the checkout of Witchery and I’m fishing through the bowl of massively reduced-price jewellery on the counter. I LOVE Witchery accessories, and so I pick out a pair of earrings. I thought the red sticker said $5 — it actually said $20 — but I buy them anyway. Still a bargain (they are Witchery after all). I wear them that night bar-hopping, and as I’m running to catch my train home I hear the dreaded tinkle of a broken earring falling onto bitumen. I inspect the surviving earring under the light and realise it was being held together by a wire coil as thin as a fine hair. Should have seen that coming.

Bargain shopping lessons:

• Never assume that a great brand equals great quality. Designer labels make mistakes too, which is sometimes why the product is reduced.
• Inspect the item closely! Look for design faults, marks or scratches and always notify the sales assistant of these before you make your purchase. You could even ask for a further discount. It’s not a bargain if it’s only going to last one night.

Bargain mistake #3

Desperate to spruce up my man’s wardrobe with a few unique tees, I hit Glebe markets on a stinking hot Saturday. It takes me 45 minutes to drive there in Saturday traffic and when I arrive, the Broadway parking lot is a war zone of cars tailing trolley-pushing pedestrians to their vehicles. The markets are a heaving mass of sweaty bodies, I haven’t had my coffee, and my vision is blurry from the heat. I spot a menswear stall and pick out two tees for $50. No, make it four for $80. I may as well, after coming all this way and enduring all this pain! Did I want a receipt? Nah don’t worry — I’m outta here. When I get home, I collapse on the lounge room floor and hold up my purchases.

“Who are they for?” he asks.
 
“You,” I reply sweetly.

“Well, thanks, honey but... well, I don’t think they’re me.”

I take a closer look. Hmm. You mean you don’t like loose fit, round-neck choker tees with skull-and-cross-bone graphics? Oh. My bad. In my rush to escape the sweltering markets I’d bagged whatever t-shirts were at arm’s length. I mean, I had to get something to make the trip “worth it”, right? Wrong.

Bargain shopping lessons:

• Shopping for someone else is always a risk, but if you do it — pay attention to their style, and always keep the receipt.
• Consider the weather conditions and how this will affect your shopping trip — sunshine and rain can both cause chaos with traffic, parking and crowds.
• Be prepared with an umbrella, coat, hat, sunscreen and water, depending on the weather. Being comfortable helps you to make better decisions when you’re shopping.

What bargain shopping mistakes have you made and what did you learn from them? Comment below or email bargainguru@universalmagainzes.com.au.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner — so how can you find the best value diamond ring to suit your budget?
 
WOW — I have discovered so much about how to find the best-value-for-money diamond ring since writing the latest article for Bargain Shoppers — 'How to buy the best value diamond ring' — that I’m tempted to go out now and buy one!

There are so many things to think about — the ‘four Cs’, the price points, and which areas you’re willing to compromise on to meet your budget. It’s just a matter of deciding what looks good on your ring finger (oh, and that minor detail of finding a fiancé!).
 
I also spoke with a handful of engaged and married friends to find out their tips on buying a beautiful engagement ring that didn't exceed their budget, and whilst they’re not jewellers — they certainly can speak from experience! Here are a few of their suggestions...

(PS: these tips assume you know a little bit about the ‘four Cs’. If you don’t, get up to speed by clicking the link above.)

Diamond ring shopping tips: 

• “Clarity is one of the ‘Cs’ that can make a relatively small diamond expensive, or a bigger diamond affordable.”
• “I would say a diamond’s cut needs to be either Excellent or Very Good — otherwise it won't reflect the sun and sparkle the way a diamond should.”
• “When it comes to colour, D E and F diamonds are considered colourless and are VERY expensive. G H I and J are, in my opinion the best compromise as they are ‘near colourless’ but not crazy-expensive. Any further down the scale and you will start to see the yellowish colour of a cheaper diamond.”
• “The diamonds in chain retail stores, while cheaper, are shocking compared with boutique jewellers.”
• “For me — a diamond with a carat between 0.7 and 0.8 was in my range depending on other criteria. Colour had to be G, H, or I (one step below colourless). I didn't want a yellowish diamond but the colourless ones are VERY expensive. Cut needed to be Very Good (I could afford excellent but the size would have to be reduced to 0.5 to 0.6, and I don't think Excellent is necessary in a relatively small diamond).
• “Don't bother with any retail name with a shop front. You are paying a premium to cover all their overheads.”
• “I did look online [Blue Nile in the US] but at the end of the day I wasn't comfortable parting with thousands over the internet to a faceless company who I knew nothing about. Ring shopping is very intense and personal — I needed the face-to-face relationship."

 
What questions or tips do you have on buying the best value diamond and engagement rings? Comment on this post or email bargainguru@universalmagazines.com.au.