I've always loved shopping, even if just window shopping, as a teenager there was nothing cooler than carrying around a crapload of shopping bags around in a Samantha & Carrie & Miranda & Charlotte kind of way, even if that meant carrying everyone else's bags along with mine. As I've gotten older going shopping as become more of a pain than a pleasure. Moving from store to store, people bumping elbows, clothes on the floor, white shirts with makeup all over them, sweating in the small fitting rooms as you try your twelfth pair of jeans... that's not for me anymore. And so, online shopping has become my thing, no waiting in lines required, no rumbled and dirty clothes, no stretched out shoes and, most importantly, good deals waiting to be found, more often than you might find them in any physical store.

As a university student with a rent, bills, food, transport and school supplies to pay for, I've had to find a few ways to save some money on something I love doing so much, as much as I love shopping I wouldn't risk going "bankrupt" just so I could buy something new every month. Keeping your priorities sorted is a must, and having a home to live in, food on the table, and anything else needed to live a comfortable life should be, in my opinion, way way before on your priority list than buying clothes.

Here are the top three ways I save money while shopping online!




Newsletters

I feel like this is a pretty basic one, but some people overlook it due to all the spam that may come with it, although most times you can choose how many emails you want to receive and how regularly. The good thing about newsletters is that most of them offer some sort of discount on your first purchase, usually starting at around 10% and going up to 50%, some brands may be more giving and caring and go above the 50% discount but I have not seen one yet. For instance, H&M gives you 25% discount and free shipping when you sign up to their newsletter, AH-MAZING! Along with that, you may also receive exclusive deals and early access to sales.

If along with subscribing to a store's newsletter you create an account with them the further benefits will follow, for instance, ASOS treats you with a 10% discount on your birthday, small but at least it's something, Forever 21 treats you with 6€ off your first purchase and 6€ everytime they feel as though it has been a while since you've shopped with them. Also, most stores allow you to create a wishlist and will warn you when something you want is on sale. There's literally nothing bad that comes with newsletters.
Shoptagr

Now, this is an amazing app I recently found out about. Basically, you just add the app button (available here) and browse your favourite online stores as you would normally do and when you find an item you love but aren't ready to buy just yet click the button and add the item (in the colour and size you want) to your shoptagr wishlist. As you do this you'll begin to receive updates and get notified when your item goes on sale, is low in stock or is back in stock. Simple and effective.

Shoptagr is amazing not only for its helpful notifications but also because it helps you prevent impulse buys and, therefore, save money. You can also send your wishlist to your friends and family that might be thinking of what to buy you for your birthday or Christmas.
Finally, the mighty Ebates! Some of you might be familiar with Ebates, but as I've only found about it about 9 months ago (ugh, would have been so helpful during the Christmas period) I thought maybe not everyone might know about it. Basically, what Ebates does is give you a percentage of your money back when you order from a store they have a partnership with. For instance, if your order something on Forever 21 they will give you 2% of your order's cash back, if you order from Asos you get 1% back, from Mango 3% and so on. If you visit their website you can find what other shops they work with, there are a loooot to choose from.

Much like Shoptagr you can also get a button (here) which will then immediately tell you if the store you're shopping at may earn you cashback and if there's any coupons, promo codes or special deals you may apply for, Ebates will automatically apply them at checkout, as long as you activate the button, this way you will always get the best deal possible. As you shop, the amount of money you'll get back will increase and, after a few months you will get your cashback through your chosen method, I choose to get mine through Paypal, but there are other options. If you want to earn some money shopping sign up to Ebates through my link and tell your friends about it, this way we all help each other and earn money shopping, the very best of both worlds.

So there we go, those are the main ways how I save my money and still get most things I want. If you have any tips on the matter share them in the comments below!
Hope you've enjoyed this post and found it helpful!