Let’s face it if you’re petite shopping online is a necessity; especially since most brands only offer their “extended sizing” online. (I really hate brands calling it “extended sizing” because it’s not. Nearly half the population is under 5’ 4’’, which is the definition of being petite.) Over the years, I’ve picked up some tricks to save and earn money while I shop! 

1.) EARN CASH BACK FROM RAKUTEN

A former boss of mine actually was the one who introduced me to Rakuten and I’m so glad she did! Basically, Rakuten gives you cash back when you shop at their retail partners. They have a ton of brands on their site — I will say it’s mostly bigger brands like Macy’s, LOFT and Walmart, but I’m not complaining. I’ll give an example of how it works! Let’s say you make a $100 purchase on LOFT and Rakuten is offering 2% cash back, then you’ll earn $2 cash back for your order.

NOTE: Make sure you are logged in to your Rakuten account whenever you are shopping online because you have to initiate the online shopping trip through Rakuten in order to get cash back.

Ok so now you might be wondering how do I get my cash back? Rakuten pays you the cash back you earn every 3 months. Then you can either decide to have a physical check sent to you or have them pay you via Paypal. Personally, I use Paypal because it’s super easy and then I don’t have to worry about depositing a check! Here’s my referral link so you’ll get $10 once you start sign up and spend $25!

Petite-friendly retailers on Rakuten: Amazon, Ann Taylor, Anthropologie, ASOS, Athleta, Banana Republic, Boohoo, Brooks Brothers, Columbia, Dorothy Perkins, Eddie Bauer, Express, GAP, J. Crew, L.L. Bean, Lands’ End, LOFT,  Lord and Taylor, Macy’s, Missguided, New York & Company, Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, Old Navy, Pretty Little Thing and Topshop.

2.) GET SALE ALERTS FROM SHOPSTYLE

Wanna know how I always keep track of the sales I share with you guys on the blog and Instagram?! The answer is Shopstyle! In addition to their influencer/blogger platform, they also have a consumer platform. All you have to do to start tracking sales is create a profile and then you can search through their website to find styles. When you find a style you love you can favorite/save it by clicking the heart icon. So now when the item goes on sale you’ll get email alerts! 

3.) PLAN WHEN YOU BUY

In addition to keeping tracking of when brands go on sale using Shopstyle, it’s also important to know when items are the lowest price of the season. You guys know I blog about Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales a lot and the reason being it’s usually when brands offer the best discounts. Furthermore, it’s when brands that don’t typically go on sale finally discount their products (e.g. Outdoor Voices). So if there’s an item you can hold off on buying until then, it’s a great way to save money! When it comes to bathing suit shopping, Memorial Day Weekend and July 4th are great times to take advantage of the sales!

4. ) PAY BY INTEREST FREE INSTALLMENTS

Try using Afterpay, Klarna, or equivalent services provided by retailers to pay for your purchases over time. While I have not used either service extensively myself, I have been looking into them more. These services are generally available on purchases of $35 or more and they let you split the cost into 4 interest-free installments. If you’re considering buying an investment piece for your wardrobe, these services allow you to pay over time. While it’s important to live within your means, I also think this is awesome because it allows more people to invest in their wardrobe without having to pay interest or take on debt. We have payment plans for so many other things in our lives (phones, cars, etc.) so it’s nice to have the option now for clothing as well. 

Hope these tips will help you save money! Let me know in the comments if there’s anything I missed!