How to Shop for Shoes on a Student Budget

Shoes can be the sole accessory (no pun intended) needed to complete an outfit. For both men and women, shoes can also be a pricey investment piece that they can’t afford on a student budget. But if you follow these steps, you can look as good as celebrities walking the red carpet.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A list of local shoe stores

1. Know your shoe size before you go. Check the inside of your most comfortable pair of shoes and be prepared to go up and down a size from there. This will make shopping for shoes easier if you have a ballpark idea of where to start.

2. Ignore labels. Shoe designers have become household names, but if you’re on a budget, you literally can’t afford to be so picky.

3. Check out nationally-known discount shoe stores. Although there is a stereotype that the shoes here look cheap, they have really stepped up their lines in recent years and even carry guest designers.

4. Discount designer stores that carry everything also carry great deals on shoes, although finding your size can be difficult.

5. Look for flaws. Retailers discount flawed items, so you can usually get a deal if the soles of the shoes are visibly scuffed. You have to be certain of the shoes, because if you do get a discount, then you probably can’t return them.

6. Shop online. Every major retailer has a website, and it can be a lot more convenient than finding a mall during midterms.

7. Find designer discounts online. Really high-end brands are much more affordable when you buy them online rather than at a store.

Tips & Warnings

• Share shoes with friends and family members to make your shoe budget stretch further.
• Although it can be tempting, it can also be really unhygienic to buy shoes secondhand. Instead, try a consignment store where the shoes may not have been worn at all, but are still inexpensive.