Shopping 103!!!

Hello people! Its me again; your shopaholic... with great shopping tips, more applicable to Nigerians.

Today, I will be sharing with you tips on how and where to shop in the UK, when on vacation. Also, on stores that deliver to Nigeria.

Shopping as a Visitor in the UK

I have observed that Nigerians make the mistake of mostly visiting Primark when they come to shop in the UK, and I'm like "duh!, there are other reputable, cost effective and fashionable stores other than Primark". I mean, have you seen a Nigerian parent's face when you start wandering into any store that isn't Primark? Only this meme can perfectly describe it! That's because they assume it's the cheapest or most affordable store. 

You may find it interesting to note that you can actually visit the UK, purchase merchandise of your choice, and not even get to visit Primark at all, even on a low budget. YESS!!! it is possible. Don't get me wrong, there a few items you can purchase at Primark for less, but you must know that most of their items are of low quality.

Where do I go to shop then? you may ask. There are stores such as House of Fraser, Marks & Spencers, Dorothy Perkins, Deichmann, Mothercare, Matalan, TM Lewin, H&C, Zara and some more; who offer quality merchandise within the same price range as Primark. 

YES YOU CAN!!! as Obama told us lol. 

As I was saying, 'Low Price - High Quality' is possible. Just be strategic about your shopping period, during Summer and Winter holidays (more info in shopping 102!!!). 

My suggestion is this though...if the shop is scanty (very few merchandise on display) then there is a high probability that it is EXPENSIVE. Have you noticed how scanty those Gucci & Louis Vuitton stores are??? Alternatively for cheap designer items that are original and the last seasons collection, just take a road trip to Bicester Village.

P.S: Don't forget to claim back your VAT at the airport, just save all your receipts. You can get VAT refunds from all purchases made 6  months prior to your journey or less.

Shopping to Nigeria from the UK

Well... this still is very controversial, as a lot of stores claim to do international delivery. However, there are a few stores whose merchandise actually make it to Nigeria. Such stores are Asos, River Island and Ted baker. If you have been able to place an order from the UK, and it made it to Nigeria from others stores asides these ones, I'll appreciate your feedback in the comment section. 

The only advise I have for those shopping from UK to Nigeria is "buy with your friends to save delivery money". This way, there will be cost sharing to everyone's advantage.

Bargain of the week can be found at Dorothyperkins.com as they are currently having a 20% sale off new season clothing.

P.S. If you have any questions/contributions please leave them in the comment section below.

Shopping 102!!!

Hi Guys,

I hope my previous post was very informative and like the meme above you all are ready for more shopping tips.

This week I am going to be telling you the best time to shop.

LADIES (as the saying goes ladies first)

The number one tip for ladies is buying your winter clothes in summer and your summer in winter. Why? They are cheapest in these periods as a lot of stores are looking to dispose of unsold merchandise.

However, the ultimate shopping periods are in December & July as those are the major periods in which the summer and winter collection are sold at discounted prices. As most stores are always on sales for ladies, there are some stores I have found to give very exciting offers all year round which includes Dorothy Perkins, House of Fraser (for clothes) Deichmann, Shoeaholics (for shoes) and occasionally River Island for both.

As most ladies fall for the trap of not knowing when to stop shopping, save all your money till the ultimate sales period and go all out on your favorite items from your favorite stores without looking back.

Don't forget to search for those vouchers and student discounts if applicable. I will be putting an explanation below on how to find these vouchers/coupons.

CHILDREN

After shopping for children for several years (half of whom I haven't seen), I have concluded that there is no best time to buy clothes and shoes for children as they have random sales all year round. However, most stores still have major sales in December and June just as it applies to the ladies. Just jump on the wagon when you see a store having sales. Most times, women go all out as they think their children can never have too many clothes, however considering how fast they outgrow them they shouldn't have too many clothes. I have found out that there are a few places to get the best quality and cheapest clothes for children don't forget cute too, and they include Matalan, Asda, Deichmann and Mothercare.

These places are good for your pockets and you get to make your children smile or if you are expecting, well nothing says it better than the meme below.

MEN

Well, this is a little tough as men just have a set of outfits- bottoms, tops and shoes. So it's kind of difficult to find variety for them however, for high quality and low prices I just tend to go to TM Lewin, H&C, Top man, Charles Tyrwhitt or Zara for their clothes and shoes. Zara only does sale twice a year!!! (December and July) and to buy your favorite shoes and shirts etc. But beware you have to be on the website as soon as the sale begins. Because it disappears faster than Hommer Simpson in the meme below. 

However, I have found that items from the other four stores (TM, H&C & Topman) can be found on sale from time to time and they mostly have vouchers.

P.S: To find a voucher online: Google- (store name) Voucher code (month) 2016 e.g Dorothy Perkins voucher code September 2016. You would find vouchers, be sure to check the validity of these vouchers and really there is no harm in trying as much as possible. 

P.S: Some of the websites for Men's clothing applies to women as well.

The bargain of the week can be found at http://www.deichmann.com/GB/en/shop/welcome.html
they are currently doing a buy 1 get 1 half price offer which i think is amazing.

Happy New Month Shopaholics!!!

Happy New month Shopaholics- New post soon

Don't forget to share this page with your friends and leave your feedback in the comment section.

Shopping 101!!!

Shopping 101!!!

Hi y’all so this is my first post, and I’ll be telling you guys the best possible way to buy those shoes/tops you really love without breaking your piggy bank.

So after several years of shopping, I have learnt a few basic tips on how to shop, save and have fun, which I’ll be sharing below;

The first tip is NEVER BUY ANYTHING AT THE ORIGINAL PRICE. Why? There is an 80% chance that whatever you want to buy will go on sale in a few weeks tops, and trust me it hurts to see something you have bought for £80 go down to £20 a few days after. It is one of the worst feelings ever.

The only condition where you should buy an item for the original price is if you absolutely love the item or you urgently need it. Then go for it and never go back to the site again to avoid disappointments.

The second tip while shopping is, ALWAYS CONFIRM THAT THERE ISN’T A 10% OR MORE VOUCHER OUT THERE THAT YOU ARE MISSING OUT ON. You won’t believe how many discount vouchers are out there waiting to be used that a lot of people are  oblivious to; I mean that’s like getting your money back. who doesn’t like to get money back after shopping?

Also a lot of stores give student discounts, so you should always confirm if there is any available if you are a student as every penny saved counts.

The third tip of shopping is ALWAYS ENSURE THERE IS NO PLACE YOU CAN FIND THE ITEM AT A CHEAPER PRICE. I have found out that googling the description of an item can lead you to potential cheaper vendors, however be sure these vendors are legitimate and they have exactly what you are looking for. This tip will ensure that you don’t feel cheated when you and your friends compare notes on the price of that cute top you both have.

The Fourth tip is ENSURE YOU SORT BY PRICE, SPECIFICALLY LOW-HIGH, trust me they have a way of sucking you into the more expensive things by dangling them in your face on the first two pages and eventually you lose hope. By sorting by price you can ensure that when you get to your price limit you can stop, you won’t believe how many low-priced items you would not find if you don’t sort by price. You should try this yourself

Finally, ALWAYS SHOP ONLINE. Why? Because you find better things online especially because shopping in store can be a nightmare. Shopping online means you can easily sort according to your preference and give you a wider variety of choice. Furthermore, most vouchers you find online are not redeemable in store.

The bargain of the week can be found at shoeaholics.com. There’s no better place to get cheap, beautiful shoes for as low as reasonably possible.

P.S: Shop wisely!!!

THIS POST IS MAINLY BENEFICIAL TO PEOPLE THAT SHOP ONLINE IN THE UK (could also be applied in other countries)