Put Your Best Foot Forward: How to Save Money When Shopping for Women’s Shoes

Treat Yourself to the Latest Footwear with These Money-Saving Tips

Shoes, glorious shoes. We love them in any form, from beautiful ballet flats to waterproof wellies. And, there’s nothing as exciting as the quest for that elusive pair of perfect winter boots, or the thrill that comes from finding an adorable pair of stylish summer sandals.

Sadly, much like Cinderella at the ball, our dreams can be dashed when reality intrudes. In her case, it was the sound of the clock striking midnight, but in our case, it’s the noise our budget makes squealing for mercy. Fortunately, there are many creative ways to get fashionable shoes for less.

We’ve compiled six awesome tricks to help you shop for your favorite pair of shoes without hobbling your budget. Read on to learn the best ways to save money on women’s shoes.

1. Choose quality over quantity

We’ve all bought cheap, poorly made shoes in an effort to save money. That decision ended up costing more money, because we had to replace them after a few months. Now that we’re older and wiser, we know the importance of high-quality shoes. Not only do they last longer, but they also have a premium look and feel much better than those flimsy budget buys.

Here are a few things to look for when shopping for good-quality shoes:

• Material – Better material doesn’t just last longer than the cheap stuff, it’s also more comfortable and will prevent chafing and blisters.

• Interior lining – Shoes with thick lining cushion your feet with every step, unlike shoes with thin lining, which is uncomfortable and wears out quickly.

• Stitched seams – Inexpensive shoes have glued seams that tear apart easily, but quality shoes have stitched seams for greater durability.

• Good tread – With cheaper shoes, you’ll get a smooth shoe bottom or one with skimpy tread. If you want good traction, then look for shoes with thick, grooved tread.

Make sure you invest in a good-quality pair of shoes, especially when buying basics, like classic dress shoes or sturdy snow boots. One pair of quality shoes will last you years, while cheap shoes will wear out and put you back where you began.

2. Use coupons and promo codes

Looking for summery sandals to wear to the beach or need a new pair of dressy shoes to wear to the office? Thanks to the power of the internet, you have the ability to search hundreds of stores stocked with millions of shoes. And, if you’re a savvy shopper, you harness that power for even greater savings by searching for coupons and promo codes to use on all your purchases.

Using coupons is an excellent way to get the most bang for your buck. You can use them to help save a few dollars on your purchase, whether you prefer shopping from your comfy couch or browsing through the brick-and-mortar store.

Nearly every store also offers promo codes and discount codes, which feature percent off deals, dollar discounts and free shipping. For instance, the best promo codes for Journeys can give you a great discount and others like Cole Haan coupons offer free shipping, so be on the look-out for those special offers!

Often, online retailers have coupons you can use while shopping on their websites. If you want to find all the latest coupons and deals in one convenient place, check out this dedicated shoes coupon page to see how much you can save.

3. Buy out of season

You can save big on shoes by buying them at the right time. When is this magical time? When the shoes are out of season.

Clothing, shoes and accessories hit the stores according to seasons. Shoe companies wouldn’t introduce toasty winter boots in the middle of a steamy summer. Similarly, you won’t see a collection of kicky new flip-flops during winter. You will, however, find shoes from last season at dramatically discounted prices during off-season sales.

We understand: Waiting is hard. But, you can get the best deals during the end-of-season clearance sales, both online and in the store. You’ll find fantastic markdowns on every brand of shoe, from Vans to Dr. Martens. If you can hold out, you can save as much as 50% on the perfect pair.

However, if you don’t think patience is a virtue and simply can’t resist the temptation, we’ve got you covered. Check out these coupons for DSW to get up to 50% off every style of footwear.

4. Keep an eye out for flash sales

Scoring bargains at end-of-season sales is a great strategy, but it’s not helpful for those of us who want to flaunt our sandals immediately or need to buy a new pair of shoes for an important event.

Luckily, there are still ways to save on shoes for right now. Eagle-eyed shoppers take advantage of flash sales. A flash sale is a discount or promotion offered for a short period of time, like 24 hours or less.

For example, Rack Room Shoes has regular flash sales. The sales are usually announced a few days before going live, so it’s critical to keep an eye out for them. And, don't forget to keep an eye out on exclusive Rack Room Shoes coupons, because you might be able to combine them with other offers.

To make sure you stay up to date, subscribe to the company’s emails and follow them on social media to get the latest information about upcoming sales and access to exclusive discount codes. It’s a win-win situation.

5. Shop at factory outlets

Who doesn’t love the luxurious look of high-end brands? Unfortunately, getting your hands on these pricey brands may be out of reach. However, you can satisfy your desire for luxury brands by shopping at a factory outlet and discount retailers.

Outlet shopping has come a long way, and now, you can find high-end brands like Kate Spade, Coach and Jimmy Choo for less. Shoppers searching for great deals on luxury shoes can also check out discount luxury retailers, like Saks OFF 5th and Nordstrom Rack.

There’s a popular misconception that discount retailers and outlets stock defective items. While you might find some bad items, there are other reasons things are cheaper, including out-of-season stock, returned merchandise, labeling issues or design inconsistencies.

No matter how things end up there, you can always score a great deal. Most items are marked down by 50% or more. So, check out the outlets, because there ain’t no shame in the discount shopping game.

6. Use rewards

Are you a frequent online shopper? Do you use a credit card for shopping? We’ve got good news for you: You can get rewarded for joining loyalty programs and using your credit card to make online purchases.

Everyone loves a good loyalty program. It’s even better when you can use those rewards to get discounts on your purchases. Many shoe brands, like DSW and Rack Room Shoes, offer bonuses to customers who participate in their rewards programs.

Enrolling in a rewards program is easy. All you need to do is make an account on the website, and you’ll be eligible to take part in the rewards program. Once you collect a certain number of points, you’ll be able to use them toward a discount on your purchase. All rewards programs work differently, so make sure to learn about the benefits of the one you’re joining.

Many credit card companies also offer points and cash back on apparel and shoe purchases. Make sure you explore the rewards options available through your credit card company, too.

And that’s it. We hope this roundup of shopping tips will help keep you stylishly shod for a pretty price.