Smart Ways to Save on Your Next Pair of Shoes (or Your Children’s)

I always find shoe shopping a hard task. I know I need the right types of shoes for different occasions, but it is also tempting to buy shoes just because they are nice, or because I want them. Shoes are even trickier when you have genuine love for fashion, but you want to live frugally at the same time.
Based on experience – and from talking to fellow frugal living enthusiasts – there are actually smart and simple ways to get the shoes we need without breaking the bank. These next few tips we are about to discuss in this article are the tips you want to keep in mind if you want every pair of shoes to be a great (and affordable) investment.

Go for Quality

Yes, you can save money by buying cheaper shoes, but that’s not necessarily the route you want to choose every time you go out to buy a new pair. You may be able to save $50 by opting for a cheaper pair of shoes, but you will end up spending more in the long run if that cheaper pair breaks down after a couple of months.
Instead of focusing on the price (and only the price) you should also think about quality. Going for quality means paying a little bit extra for so much more. Shoes with stitched seams, good materials, and a strong tread or a durable sole could outlast any other pair of shoes you have in your arsenal. Why not spend a bit more for that extra lifecycle and a substantial long-term saving?

Shop Online

You’ll be surprised by how affordable shoes are when you start shopping online. Gucci sneakers, which are normally beyond my reach, are incredibly affordable on sites like SSENSE. The online fashion retailer offers great prices on Gucci sneakers and other fashion items from the brand. There are discounts and special deals too, so you know you can save a lot.
The same thing is true with the general ecommerce landscape. Since online stores don’t have to spend as much on overheads and other extra costs, they can sell shoes at a much lower rate. Thanks to market competition, they are also making more deals and discounts available to attract customers. Sounds like a great opportunity to save, don’t you think?

Don’t Forget the Coupons

Just because an online store already offers you 10% on the shoes you want, doesn’t mean you should go for the offer. It is always recommended to search for other offers and compare product prices before making any purchase decision. Doing it online just makes the whole process easier, since you can compare prices from multiple retailers with one quick search.
While you are at it, don’t forget to search for coupons. Like I said, the in-store 10% discount isn’t always the best. If you are lucky, you can find 25% or even 40% discount on shoes at top retailers, which means you can save even more money on your next pair. Coupons certainly make going for quality easier too.

Wait for Flash Sales

Thanks to the competitive online commerce landscape, retailers regularly host flash sales. If you are not familiar with the term, a flash sale is a special-event sale that has a limited time period. During the flash sale period, items – usually the ones marked for clearance – are offered at crazy low prices. I’m talking about 70% or more off the retail price.
Flash sales are easier to find these days, but you still have to be ready and make quick purchase decisions. Items being offered in flash sales are usually limited in stock; they are, after all, marked for clearance. With some popular items, 100 pairs sell in as little as 30 seconds. It’s a bit of a challenge, but the 70% or more in saving makes the challenge worth it.

Think About the ROI

If you are familiar with investments, you already know how the term Return on Investment, or ROI, is used to describe the return you get from an investment, compared to the investment itself. ROI is an indicator you can use to determine whether a pair of shoes is valuable enough to buy.
Will the pair last a long time? Can they be repaired should anything get broken? Can you wear the pair often and match it with your outfits? These are simple questions to ask, but they are helpful if you want to know how much value you can get out of a pair of shoes. A $300 pair can be incredibly valuable if you can wear them every day for more than a couple of years.
With these tips and tricks in mind, you can save on shoes without having to go for the cheapest pair every time. These are smart ways to save, particularly on shoes, because you will always end up with more value and a good, comfortable pair of shoes to wear.