Shopping Maniac

Great products, Bargains and gift ideas


You are here: Home / Archives for Shopping

Hate Queues? Then Online Shopping Is The Way Forward For You!

by

It’s a common misconception that all women love shopping – but this is just wrong! Sure, some do, but for others the idea of heading into town, paying for parking, standing in queues and getting stressed out trying to find the needle in the haystack is enough to send them to the nearest pub instead! If you are the kind of women who would really rather not bother, then you need to do your shopping online. Here are just some of the things that are MUCH easier to buy online:

Presents for People

We’ve all trawled shops aimlessly looking for a gift for a loved one haven’t we? It seems the more you look, the fewer ideas you have. This is a really frustrating thing to do – and you’ll probably get nowhere. It’s time to look online. There are online sites dedicated to gifts and they’ll throw ideas at you that you never would have thought of otherwise. It’s all done in a fraction of the time too – flicking between web pages is much easier than dashing in and out of stores. Gift buying is far less stressful when you do it online, and you can get organised too – no more frantic last minute dashes into town for you. Just order the present plenty of time beforehand to take into account delivery time, and then you can wrap it at your leisure and present your present!

Clothes

Whether it’s glamorous party dresses you’re after or plain old t shirts, you’ll find it much easier to get what you’re after online. Many people are put off by the fact that they can’t try things on, but any online shop worth its salt has a flawless returns policy – so if you don’t like it, just send it back! Websites these days are great at telling you exactly what you’re getting – you can zoom in to see the material’s pattern and texture close up, and read the detailed description of what the item is made from. It takes all the stress out of clothes shopping as you can try things on in the comfort of your own home rather than a tiny dressing room with bad lighting!

Groceries

Online grocery shopping is one of modern life’s best bits! Shopping in the store is always a hassle – navigating trolleys around small aisles, avoiding screaming children, is something we could all do without. Simply put your order in online, pay a small delivery fee and you’ll save yourself loads of time and loads of stress. You will also save money as you are far less likely to make those impulse purchases that add a lot of money to the final bill.

Thanks to modern technology, shopping stress is a thing of the past. Why put yourself through all the hassle of shopping in town when you can sit down with a cup of tea at a time that suits you, and make your choices in peace? It’s a no-brainer – let those who love shopping wander around town and stand in queues, and take the easy route instead!

Attached Images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://pixabay.com/en/business-card-credit-debit-female-15721/
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Creative Commons image source

Today’s feature writer, Jenny Wadlow, is a freelance blogger and a fashion enthusiast. She likes to follow the latest fashion and prefers buying her dresses online at Pilgrim Clothing. She is a fun loving person and likes to be a part of many social gatherings. You can follow her on Twitter @JennyWadlow.

Credit Crunch Shopping – Why Op Shops Are The Way Forward!

by

In these times of austerity we could all do with finding ways to save money and tighten our purse strings. There is very little we can do about our utility bills, rent and mortgages. But what about everything else? We still need to buy things on a day to day basis and what we spend has a major effect on the bottom line of our bank balance every month. The future surely is in thrift shopping? Here are just a few of the many ways you can save money by spending a little more time in the charity shops:

Home Furnishings

You never know what you might stumble across in an op shop! That’s the beauty of it – you will come across many things that would look lovely in your home. Kitchen appliances, rugs, pictures, crockery, cutlery, lampshades…you name it, you’ll find it in the charity shops. Of course not everything will be to your style but that doesn’t matter – just keep looking. You’ll find one-off pieces that nobody else will have in their home, and you’ll find things so unique that you’d never have found in the high street shops. Op shops are the place to pick up quirky and original pieces that your friends will think you have paid a lot of money for!

Clothing

Cast off all of your preconceived ideas about buying clothes in charity shops. A lot of people wouldn’t even consider it, but they are missing out. You never know what you might find – from everyday basics to designer labels, it’s all there. You just have to rely a little on chance! The organised shops have their stock displayed in sizes so that it’s easy for you to flick through everything that might fit you. You’ll pay a fraction of the price you’d pay for new clothing, and you’ll more than likely find something that you’d never even find in the shops in the first place! If you think style and individuality is important then you’ll thrive in the thrift shops.

Children’s Toys

We all know how long the novelty factor of children’s toys lasts for – approximately three minutes! Where’s the sense in paying loads of money for brand new toys that will be cast aside in no time at all? Take your children to the local charity shop and get them to pick toys that they like. It’s a good lesson to them if you allow them each to pick one thing they really want. It’ll cost you next to nothing, they will be thrilled, and when they are done with them you can just take them back instead of them just causing more clutter around the house.

Charity shops are amazing places! Once you’re in the swing of thrift shopping you’ll love the suspense of walking into a shop not knowing what treasures you might find once you start digging in. Check out which charity shops are in your town and spend a day getting to know them all – you never know what you might come home with!

Attached Images:

Today’s guest author, Jenny Wadlow, is a freelance blogger. She is a humanitarian and a regular visitor and of various op shops in Melbourne to donate whatever she can.

Get Great Style At A Great Price – Top Tips For Buying Clothes On EBay

by

When you are looking for great fashion at bargain prices, online auction sites like eBay can be incredible places to find it. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can get something really special at an unbelievable price, whether you’re looking for cool niche clothing, unique vintage pieces, or the latest fashions for less than you’ll pay in stores.

However, there are plenty of things that can go wrong, from finding that the item you want isn’t all it seems, to buying things that don’t fit. You can also, as the auction drives the price up, sometimes end up spending more than you originally planned to. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of shopping on eBay.

Remember That Only the Seller Can Cancel Your Bid

It can be tempting, if you see several items you might like that are similar, to bid on all of them, assuming that you won’t win them all and this way you should at least get something. However, remember that you can’t cancel your bid, so if it ends up that you are the highest bidder in each auction you are committed to buying all of the items. This may not be what you actually meant to do if the items are all basically the same.

Say you really want a pair of designer sunglasses, and there are five pairs currently on sale which would be suitable. You probably don’t want all five of them, so you should start with the one that ends first. If you win it, you have your sunglasses and can stop bidding. If you don’t, you can start bidding on the others, in order of finishing time, as your maximum bid gets beaten. This way you should win one of the five pairs and aren’t risking having to buy them all.

Really Check Out the Description

Good sellers give very accurate descriptions as they don’t want buyers complaining if things aren’t exactly what they were expecting. Many people who sell clothes do it as a business and rely on that good feedback. You should therefore be able to see things like what the item is made of, its care instructions, and its exact measurements on the item description. This is important, particularly if you are buying a brand you have never tried on or a vintage item – sizes can vary hugely but measurements in inches are absolute. If the measurements are equivalent to a dress, pair of trousers or shirt you already own that fits, then your new purchase will probably fit too.

Factor in Shipping Costs

If you are buying something really cheap, like a bargain dress you have won for $5, remember that shipping could cause it to cost more than double. People tend to be conservative in their shipping pricing, so it’ll often be more than the actual cost of shipping. Other sellers offer free shipping. There are all kinds of variations, so look at the shipping price as well as how much the item is going for before you bid and make sure it still represents good value.

Attached Images:

Today’s guest author, Jenny Wadlow, is a freelance blogger. She is a fashion enthusiast and often gives out fashion tips in her articles. She often advises her readers to try rockabilly clothing and experience the vintage look.

Shop til we drop

by

A friend of mine called me the other day and we made plans to get together this weekend and go out shopping. She’s getting married this summer and she wants some help with her wedding plans. I’m certain she has just about everything planned already but she’s still tinkering with things.

I know one thing that she definitely wants my help with and that is picking out her diamond wedding band. You see I used to be a jeweler and I still have a lot of connections downtown in the jewelry trade. So … we’re going to see a few of my old jewelry contacts and get her a custom made diamond wedding band. I think she’d going to have a custom made band made for her fiance as well.

I have a feeling that we’re going to be so busy this Saturday that we’re going to Shop ’til we drop! Ah oh well, we’ll finish with a nice dinner and have some fun.

Leather Bags For Men

by






Purses  and leather bags are extremely convenient. They hold all the things a person might need. A modern-day survival kit, purses seem to contain the things we need when we need them. Does your kid have a runny nose? Not to worry, there are tissues stashed in the life-saving bag. Did you forget to deliver your project to the boss on time? Pull your laptop out of your bag and get to typing! Are you about to ruin a wedding with your bridesmaid’s dress, which somehow got covered in cat hair? Grab the lint roller from your purse and you’re in business again. Purses are a girl’s best friend. The day-saving potential of a purse is out of this world, so why should women get to have all the fun?

Why It’s a Must for Men

These days, designers are coming up with some handsome leather bags just for men. They’re sturdy, rugged, and masculine; they reflect everything a man wants to be and they’re becoming more socially acceptable to carry. From the Indiana Jones-inspired leather shoulder satchel to the studious and trendy messenger bag, there is a style for every guy. Leather bags for men are quite attractive; they give off a vibe that says, “I know how to be prepared at all times and look good doing it.”

But what would a guy stuff his leather bag with? Even the simplest of men can make use of a bag. The following list will show you just some of the items that you’ll be able to take along with you by using a man-purse:

-wallet
-keys
-snacks
-mp3 player
-cellular phone
-laptop
-emergency clothing (boxers, t-shirt)
-gum and mints
-cologne
-hair product
-moist towels for hands
-hand sanitizer
-lip balm

Online stores have featured various styles and cuts of leather bags for men. It’s no longer a surprise to see lots of designs and variations of laptop bags, satchels, messenger, wash bags, doctor’s bag and a lot more. With a few clicks, anyone can easily choose which among these displays suits him best.

When you check displays online, make sure you have that list on your mind. With so many choices displayed, you might find yourself overwhelmed. Since men are keen on buying what they need, there’s really no reason to go beyond. First, look for the type of bag that you really need. If it’s a working bag, then  the leather type is the most advisable thing to purchase. Functionality comes next. When you wish to carry a bag that isn’t too bulky, then medium sizes can be chosen. It is equally important to choose an authentic leather for more lasting use.

For men on the go, it is just fitting to choose a reliable and sturdy leather bag. As you can see, you can pretty much carry your life in a bag. Women have been doing it for years, so it’s high time that men wear them as well. They’re the most functional and classic accessory, so grab a leather bag today, boys. It’ll change your life.

The writer, Danielle Smith, loves to blog about leather bags, clothing and accessories. Read more about her interesting finds in sbuckinghams.com






Meta

Pages