When I first became a student back in 2010, my parents told me I would need to learn how to prioritise: make-up, clothing and haircare would now have to sit behind toilet paper, pasta sauce and spaghetti hoops in my list of needs. I was terrified. How do people wear the same dress twice?!
Luckily over the last couple of years I’ve learnt a few tricks in how to combine saving money and looking good and from now on I’m going to share some of those tips with you weekly here on this blog, you can still find space in your budget for a few beauty and fashion treats as long as you look in the right place. Weekly, I’ll share my big tip for the week and also give you a few quick hot fixes on where to find good value fast. So, without further ado, lets proceed into the murky world of bargain beauty.
I love schuh, they have the latest trends, quality work shoes and beautiful bags but… terrible prices. With £60 being the average price for your standard pair, I definitely cannot afford to indulge. Ever. That is until I came across their Ebay Outlet: 99p auctions, Converse/Vans going for £10, had I died and gone to heaven?!
The answer is pretty much “yes”, their eBay store is wonderful and full of all sorts of gems: Men’s, Women’s and Children’s. But is it really all too good to be true? I have been using this store for a while now and I’ve learnt a few tricks to really getting the best value, so here’s a handy list:
- If you don’t think they’re truly worth the auction price, don’t bid! Don’t be drawn in by the thrill of the chase if your top bid is £10 and you get outbid by 50p don’t up that bid unless you’re a) sure you really want to spend the extra b) sure they’re worth that price anyway.
- Always check the actual Schuh online store before bidding. I have seen shoes that were £4.99 on the Schuh website sell at £10.99 on the Schuh eBay store: don’t presume it’s a bargain unless you’ve checked it out!
- Make sure you’re on eBay ten minutes before the item is due to end. Bidding ahead is a good idea but this store is a hotbed for those vultures who swoop in during the last 10 seconds and take your dream boots away for just 4p (I’m not bitter… I promise… sob). Keep an eye on your auction, maybe set a reminder on your phone. There’s nothing worse than getting an email 1 minute after the auction has ended telling you you’ve lost those boots forever… No really, it stings.
- Combine postage! I can’t stress how important this tip is. £4.99 can seem a little steep for delivery but it is next day and you can have as many as ten pairs of shoes delivered within 24 hours for that price so make the most of it! You have 4 days after purchase to win another auction and add another pair of shoes so it’s well worth combining.
With these tips it is possible to get some really, really, really brilliant deals with Schuh on eBay. Go forth young bargain hunter and win yourself some beauties!
Next time: Nail art on a budget! (and maybe even a mention of good value beauty Christmas presents… only 15 Saturday’s to go after all, gulp.)
