What happens when you've got expensive taste, a good fashion sense, but poco money? You either wind up with too much credit card debt or with nothing new.

While it would be nice to go on shopping sprees everyday, the reality is that most of us have bills, food, and rent to pay for. After putting away a little in saving for emergencies, it would be surprising to have very much left over for a little fun.

As a seasoned shopper, I am here to help! I know it's important to look good whether you're going on a first date or just to the bodega, but keep it bajo control.

If you can be a somewhat irresponsible shopper, it is important to make a general assessment before you go shopping. What do you have? What do you need? What do you want? Although I rarely go shopping with a preset list in mind, I do take a moment to think of possible things that I need/want. It helps to ground and focus the shopping trip. Also, it is important to be honest with yourself on how much money you have to spend. Shopping should only come after your necessities have been paid for.

I would recommend either shopping by yourself or with someone who budgets well and has about the same budget that you should. It is easy to want to buy more if the people you are with are buying more. But, you have to understand that others may have different financial situations and you cannot compare yourself to them.

It is also important to choose where you go shopping. As much as I want to frequent Dr. Jays, Anthropologie, and Chanel, I know that is not in my price range every time. If you have designer tastes then I would definitely recommend going to discount or off-price retailers such as Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, A.J. Wright, or Bob's Stores. There are also local stores that offer deep discounts, just look around and ask. For those living in the New York area, look for Century 21 and Loehman's. There are baragains on the internet too, checkout www.bluefly.com for designer digs for menos chavos. I have gotten $60 shirts for $10 and $200 jeans for $40. The trick with stores like these is to go frequently. The stock is always changing!   In many places, thrift shops and antique clothing stores are good sources for unique, high quality items, and good values.  Look for lightly used articles made of durable materials.  

Also check out the sale sections in stores and big annual or bi-annual sales. Most often the store is trying to get rid of the past season's merchandise and will mark down sharply just to get it sold. This is also a good technique for boutique shopping. Many people stay away from boutiques because of the high price tags, but the sales are great!

The biggest piece of advice I can give you: do not buy anything that you do not LOVE. If you aren't sure, don't buy it. You should only have clothing that you love and would wear all the time. Good luck and happy shopping!

Share your shopping tips and favorite stores en Tu Blog!