Reverse Shopping

Mostly to amuse my friends, I sometimes engage in what I call “reverse shopping.”  What I mean is returning and/or exchanging previously purchased items that I have decided for at least one of several reasons that I no longer want.

People waste so much money by buying things, forgetting them at the back of their closets, and getting rid of them years later unworn.  I think we owe it to ourselves to be more conscious of how we spend our hard-earned paychecks!

Here are a few rules that I follow in order to make the most of my monthly shopping budget:

• Check store return policies before you buy!  Bloomingdale’s has an excellent return policy, as does Anthropologie.  Both stores will accept returns at basically any time, given that the item has not been worn and that receipts are provided.

• This brings us to the next step.  Keep your receipts!  Organize them!  I am fortunate that I oddly actually enjoy organizing things.  I use a receipt accordion from Container Store to organize my receipts by category, making them much easier to find.

• When you get home from your shopping trip, mark your calendar with the last date an item can be returned if you have even an inkling of uncertainty!  I usually give myself two or three warnings leading up to the last day so that I remember to make my return if I end up deciding against my purchase.

• In the interim, keep the item where you can see it so that you remember to try it out.  Don’t feel silly if you’ve bought something you loved only to realize at home that it doesn’t work out as you thought.  Sometimes, things don’t fit quite as well as I thought they did in the cramped/poorly lit dressing room.  Other times, things just don’t mesh with my wardrobe and I just can’t pair it well with anything else.

Shop sensibly and enjoy!