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I am all about sticking to a budget and only buying things that we need, but there are just some luxury items that we want to buy like, perfume and cologne. We don’t need them but they sure are nice to have. Especially, for a new mom; you have to cover the baby spit up smell somehow :). I do know of a few ways you can save money on perfume & cologne so that you can still stay on budget.
I love being able to save money on makeup and other beauty products.
Try Before you Buy
Stop by the counter of a department store and ask for some samples of the scent you are interested in. You do not want to have buyer’s remorse over an expensive bottle of perfume. The sales clerks are more than happy to give you a few samples to try out so don’t be shy. Wear the scent for a few days to see if you really like it and then buy it. That way you will have no regrets and didn’t just waste $50 on something you will never use.
Bigger is Better
If you have a favorite scent that you wear all the time, go ahead and spring for the big bottle. The bigger the bottle, the lower the cost per ounce. This is probably the easiest way you can save on perfume & cologne. Always go by the cost per ounce, not the cost per bottle.
Daily Deal Sites
You might be surprised at how many deals you can get on perfume and cologne just by browsing around on the daily deal sites. I have seen great deals on Groupon and Living Social. They might even have coupon codes that you can use to save even more. I have seen deals for 50-70% off retail prices for brands like Versace, Burberry, Adidas, Calvin Klein, etc. Just search under the Health & Beauty Section.
Amazon
If you can’t find your favorite scent on the deal sites, the next best place to check would be Amazon. They usually have really good deals and you can even find some discontinued fragrances as well.
After Holiday Clearance
The best time to stock up on perfume and cologne is right after Christmas or Valentine’s Day. They usually have gift sets and fragrances that are anywhere from 50-90% off! You can get enough to last you the whole year and grab some for gifts as well. Check out places like Target, Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens.
Discount Stores
If you don’t want to shop online but still want a discounted price, head to places like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Home Goods, Burlington Coat Factory, and Ross. They usually have some popular fragrances at a good discounted price. You can get 30-60% off retail prices just by shopping these stores!
These are the places I shop to save money on perfume & cologne. No matter if you are getting some for yourself or as a gift, you can’t go wrong by following these tips. Do you have any other suggestions I may have missed?
Terri Webster Schrandt says
Great advice, Ashley. My only point of concern would be to be careful about purchasing high end brands at discounted rates. I got some insider tips after working three seasons at a popular dept store’s fragrance counter. After a couple of years, many of those stores will sell their “old” product to discounters. Most fragrances have a shelf life because the oils become rancid and the alcohol dissipates. If you see your favorite fragrance discounted to 50% off it has likely been on the shelf for three plus years and may not smell the same. My favs I buy by the ounce!!
hewella1 says
Thanks for the inside info Terri. I do like the fact that the discount sites I have listed will always let you return an item if you aren’t happy with it. So if this is the case, you can always return it if it isn’t what you thought it would be. :).
Kimberly B Stone says
eBay may have some good deals.