What do you call a shopping intervention?
A spendervention!
Not that I need one myself – I’m definitely a frugal shopper – but I know a few people that do. I’m not naming any names… you know who you are!
I tend to frequent off-price retailers like T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, where I know I can find designer fashion, home decor, gourmet gear, beauty products, and more, without sacrificing on quality or spending department store prices. Lucky me got a $25 gift card from Marshalls, to spend as I please, and that’s exactly what I did this past weekend.
So what did I buy, you ask? Shoes for my girls. I knew that’s what I wanted from the moment I stepped foot in the store. After browsing the kids’ shoes for a while, I found these cute OshKosh B’Gosh canvas slip-ons in pink, with the most adorable cupcake print!
The best part is that they’re available in both toddler and big girl sizes.
I didn’t plan on spending any more than that, but while in the clearance section of the shoe department, a shiny pair of Nine West sandals caught Marsy’s eye. She just had to try them on because “they have jewels, mommy! Pretty jewels!”, but after realizing they were a tad too big for her, she begrudgingly handed them to me so I could put them away… and they happened to be my size! What are the odds?! I took it as a sign that I had to buy them! 
As soon as I got home, I ran to the computer to look up the brand and item numbers to see if I could find something similar to what I bought. EUREKA! I found the exact same OshKosh Mary Janes on Shoes.com for $32. Per pair. I paid $25.98 for two pairs. Sure, Shoes.com kicks in free shipping, but that’s still a savings of 60%!
On the Nine West website I found the pair to the far right, which as you can see, look almost identical to the ones I purchased (on the left), except for the ankle strap. Which is one of the reasons I bought these in the first place! Without the strap, they’re just another pair of flip flops, you know? I’d take a picture of them ON my feet, but my un-pedicured toes would surely scare you away. Anyway, these sell for $59 on NineWest.com. I paid $20 for mine, a savings of 66%. Thanks, Marshalls!
Giveaway is closed. Winners are listed here.
I’ve got a $25 T.J. Maxx gift card so that one of my readers can stage a spendervention of their very own! To enter, please leave a comment below with a “spendervention” tip or story.
If you need ideas, download tips from the Spendervention Experts! A few of my favorites:
“My attitude — why spend more when you don’t have to. Just because I dress the hottest stars, doesn’t mean the sky is the limit when it comes to budget. I learned the hard way (after paying department store and designer full-prices one too many times) that by shopping off-price you can get double the merchandise for half the price. Now that’s sassy savings!” - Robert Verdi, E! correspondent and fashion expert
“I’m on planes just about every week and that puts a tough toll on my luggage… In the last 10 years I’ve only bought my suitcases at T.J. Maxx or Marshalls. Every suitcase I’ve bought is name brand, quality suitcase but since I’ve paid a fraction of the price I’d pay at a department store, I don’t fret about my bag getting marks or a bit dirty when they come off the airport carousel.” - Alison Deyette, stylist and lifestyle expert
“We are creatures of habit and tend to gravitate towards the same styles and looks when we go shopping. In fact sometimes we end up buying items similar to what’s already in our closet and that’s just a big old waste of money … Before I went shopping I would take a quick inventory of my closet. I’d keep in mind something that I knew I could wear multiple ways and I would visit my local T.J. Maxx or Marshalls and simply peruse the racks and accessories departments to see what I could find to make it feel like new.” - Farnoosh Torabi, author of You’re So Money and contributor for TheStreet.com
For extra entries:
- Blog about this giveaway, linking back to this post.
- Subscribe to my feed (or let me know if you already do).
- Follow me on Twitter (@OhMariana) and tweet about this giveaway: Need a spendervention, or know someone who does? A $25 TJ Maxx gift card could help. Enter to win one from @ohMariana! http://bit.ly/UXv7R
- Grab my button and link to me in your sidebar or blog roll.
- Stumble this page by clicking the button below, and leave your Stumble Upon name in the comment.
- Add my blog to your Technorati Favorites by clicking on the button below, and leave your username in the comment.
Please leave a separate comment for each entry and leave a valid email address or blog URL in your comment. US entries only. This contest ends at 11:59 pm EST on Sunday, June 7th, 2009. Winner will be chosen at random, and has 3 days to claim their prize.
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You are in my Technorati faves: coriwestphal
Cori Westphal’s last blog post..Win a Flame Disk for grilling ENDS 06/21/09
I purchase all my wedding and shower gifts at TJMaxx and Marshalls. My friends who are the recipients of the gifts I buy love it because they know they are going to get fine name brand gifts and lots more of them because I can stretch my dollars so much more by shopping at both stores. TJMaxx and Marshalls carries the same brands as the high end department stores where friends are registered and I can see what they want/need in their registry at the high end stores and try and “copy” what they have registered by purchasing a similar item at Marshalls and TJMaxx. I can sometimes get them 2-3 gifts at Marshalls or TJMaxx where as if I had purchased them at the high end department store they would only get one gift. Sweet! Thanks so much for the chance to enter.
I refuse to buy anything besides groceries at full price. For clothes I either go to this awesome thrift store by my house called spenders- my whole wardrobe is from there- or I go to places like TJ Maxx or Ross for the best deals on new clothes. I don’t know why people will go to a department store and spend twice as much on something that is the exact same quality as something that costs so much less.
Blogged about this giveaway
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I look for clearance sections – most stores have them, even at the Dollar tree!
I’m a pretty frugal shopper. One tip is to buy all your wrapping paper and present bags at a dollar store. Our local Dollar Tree has great bags, including the large ones, for only (duh) a dollar! Much much cheaper than buying wrapping at a drugstore, supermarket or department store.
The best deal we found at TJ Maxx was when we found a pair of boots that looked exactly like Frye boots but weren’t Frye boots and they were marked down on sale to $15. We couldn’t believe but snatched those babies up and to this day, they still look fabulous. We heart TJ Maxx.
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I follow you on twitter and tweeted:http://twitter.com/quelleheure4/status/2068706355
spendervention…I don’t need a spendervention, whaddaya mean?
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Ilove using coupons and it helps lower bills so much. I also will go to the salvation army. I have gotten never worn clothes for under three dollars.
I love our T.J. Maxx store. I take my girls there several times a year and it is amazing what they can get for their money. Their friends always say what cute clothes they have and they just smile and say “Thanks” knowing they didn’t have to spend a fortune to look stylish.
I already subscribe to your feed.
Always check out the clearance.. you’ll never know what you’ll find
Great store, great contest!
I bought a purse from TJ Max & love it!
I need a spendvention when it comes to buying bath & beauty products.
I subscribe!
With me, lately my problem has been with makeup. Especially makeup on sale. I stop myself from spending by trying to back off and look at what I have and see if I really need the item or items.
Always check the clearance isles first.
We only buy what we need now. It was amazing how many things we thought we needed before. Thank you for the opportunity to win.
I always check T J Maxx for special occasions before hitting the malls. They never let me down
One Spendervention tip is to make sure that you check online for coupon codes and compare prices on things that you are interested in buying. You can find some really good deals if you take a little time to research first.
My 16 year old loved to go to the malls and shop at the expensive trendy stores without ever looking at pricetags. Due to hard times, she has had to get a job and pay for all of her clothes. She was so happy to find TJ Maxx. Now she can get the trendy clothes and have extra money to use for other things.
I started up my workout routine weeks ago and needed some new workout clothes so I hit Marshalls last week and bought eight pairs of yoga pants for $10 each, they are Nike pants and retailed for $60 each. I saved $400!
I get all my cool fashion rings from TJMaxx. Every time my husband goes out to play golf (~$70 in fees, balls, gas, etc), I go to TJMaxx and get a fashion ring. That’s my spendervention.
Mama needs new shoes. That would be mine.
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It is not hard to find a deal at TJ MAX. What I think is hard….. Is leaving so many deals behind when I have to check out. I’m a purse fan, too. I love how easy it is to coordinate purses and shoes when shopping at TJ MAX.
Cynthia Shern’s last blog post..Pet Coupons and Deals