5 Tips to Online Shopping & My FIRST YouTube Video!

Like (probably) most of you, I LOVE shopping online.  Well, I love shopping in general, but I also have this passionate love affair with shopping online.  As much as I looooove scouring sites and tapping away at my keyboard, entering my credit card info (tappity, tap, tap!), and waiting patiently for my package to arrive (it's all so magical) the whole process isn't as thoughtless as it seems.  I put a lot (and I do mean A LOT) of thought into an item before I purchase it online, even for items that are as cheap as $10.  Anyway, I want to share some online shopping tips with you guys!

Here are my 5 Golden Rules when it comes to online shopping:

1. LOVE what you love.  Like, really.  Love it to death.
2. Hunt it down!
3. Do Your Research: Read Reviews!
4. It's okay to be frugal: Contemplate your investment.
5. Get that baby in your shopping cart!

Loving what you LOOOOVE (in other words, that THING you want oh-so-badly...)

Why else would you be intending to make a purchase, right?  Anyway, I use the word LOVE because if you went ahead and bought everything that you thought seemed kinda "meh, okay" then I assure you, your closets and drawers would be overflowing with expired trends.  Try to stick to buying things that you absolutely LOVE.  More often than not, the things that I absolutely LOVE are higher-end luxury goods, or just (for some reason) so flopping expensive.  I usually end up saying to myself: "I can probably find this for cheaper online."  So...

Shop VJ Style

Hunt it Down!

Do a simple google search of "the specific item you want + look for less".  I assure you that this search will bring you a good handful of results to start from because listen darlings:  there is ALWAYS an alternative.  Always.  

Do Your Research: Read Reviews!

I mean, this goes without question.  READ REVIEWS.  Reviews are there for us to have a second opinion, and at times they even serve as a voice of reason.  I cannot tell you how many times I've thought I found an amazing online site, but then read reviews to find that some of them are scams or fraudulent!  Don't be fooled--always do your research before spending with an unfamiliar vendor!

Reviews also help with getting a better idea of things like colour, sizing and quality of an item.  There will always be good AND bad reviews.  You'll have to read as many as you think is enough, and be the ultimate judge of which side made the more convincing argument.  Hehe, I'm making online shopping sound so serious =P.

It's Okay to be Frugal: Contemplate your investments, no matter how small.

We all know money doesn't grow on trees--or fall out of the sky in bags with dollar signs (and if there is in fact a place where this is a normal thing, I need to move).  Making money is hard work!  Just think about that feeling you have when you have to drag your sorry butt out of bed every morning to go to work:  you HATE that feeling...-EYE HATE that feeling-...but you have to do it to make da monay honay!  (Now, I know some people are more privileged and have no idea what I'm talking about, but I'm just speaking from my own personal walk of life/shame here).

Shop Go Jane

Here is my philosophy:  If you feel that it is hard to make money, then it should also be hard for you to spend it.  If you feel that money comes easily to you, than you most likely spend it easily too (lucky!!!).

Consider the size of your purchase in comparison to the size of the price.  Would you spend $160 on a pair of shoes when you could get a very similar pair for a fraction of the cost that serves the same purpose?  Think about what else you could do with that $160.  Think functionality, and how much of that higher cost is going towards paying just for the brand name versus actual quality.  Running yourself into the ground broke is never cute!

(And for the record:  I am ALL FOR spending more for a better quality and more durable item, I will do another post about INVESTMENT shopping later).

Shop Go Jane they're on sale right now!!

Get that baby in your shopping cart!

Once you've made your executive decision, make your purchase!  Then sit on a comfy sofa and twiddle your thumbs until your thoughtfully chosen shipment arrives =).

Now here's how I styled a couple of my lovely online money-savers!

oversized scarf: Korea | denim button-up: American Apparel | body-con dress: H&M | wedges: Go Jane | bag: VJ Style

faux fur scarf: ZARA | cardigan: JOE Fresh | denim: American Apparel | body-con dress: H&M | wedges: Go Jane

Anyway

I actually talk about these items (and a couple other things) in MY FIRST YOUTUBE VIDEO! YAAAAY!!  Or not yay?  I'm not completely happy with how the video turned out as I just took it with my macbook and filmed it all in one go (aka: bad editing, horrible lighting, digusting video quality, and I sound weird...???).  But anyway, we all gotta start somewhere right?!  I hope you all subscribe to my channel because I have SO MANY fun video projects in the works thanks to my boyfraaaaaaand<3!  Enjoy!

Now, I have some questions for those of you reading this:

What do YOU guys think of these looks for less?  Worth it?  What are your opinions on a good bargain?  Would you rather save up to splurge on that higher-end item?  How do you justify or strategize your spending??  Do you even shop online?  Why?  Let me know what you think in the comments below!

<3