I am a self admitted ‘shopoholic’. I constantly hear, “Again, Basha?” from my loved ones around me, which always makes me think a little more about my purchases, but when I find a good deal, I have a hard time passing it up. It is important to me to not get myself into debt over this, so I thought I would share a few tips on how I indulge in my desire to spend, without breaking the bank and racking up the credit card bills.

Amazon Prime: Amazon has made themselves known to be the marketplace for whatever your heart desires, but seriously, the site really has just about everything on it at a price cheaper than you can get a most retail stores. Before I graduated from college, I decided to give Amazon Prime a try since they gave me a free six-month trial, and I haven’t turned back since. Aside from having access to their own Netflix type streaming service, what I appreciate the most is the free two-day shipping. Let me repeat that, FREE TWO-DAY SHIPPING! Though it does come at a price of $80 a year, or $40 for students, when you’re constantly losing or breaking your phone charger, needing a gift for a family member, or just treating yourself, this feature surely pays itself off.
Groupon and LivingSocial: Though I have heard horror stories about these deal sites, and how much they harm small businesses, I have recently bought into this whole Groupon and LivingSocial craze and have surprisingly been pleased. I have started out by purchasing a couple of corporate deals, one for the Body Shop, and the other for American Apparel. Products at both places don’t come cheap, so I knew I had to get them while they lasted, and ended up walking out of the Body Shop with over $50 worth of skincare products for $20 thanks to an additional inshore sale. Another great feature that I love about these sites is the ability to send gifts right there on your mobile app or on their website. Recently, one of my best friends bought a house in Florida, and with all of the holiday shipping going on, I knew I wanted to stay far away from the Post Office to make sure she had something to welcome her into her new home. Browsing through LivingSocial I stumbled upon a deal for a years magazine subscription for only $5! Not only would I avoid the crazy lines at the Post Office, but I could give a great gift that keeps on giving, well, at least until the end of 2014.
Email Alerts: While I will admit getting upwards of a hundred emails a week from various retail stores get a little obnoxious, I cant help but get excited when I open one of these emails and find a coupon hidden in there waiting for me. Who doesn’t appreciate a surprise 25% off of your purchase?

With the Holiday season in full force around us, I hope you all celebrate warm and with your families, and hopefully with money saving giving.

-Basha Gitnes