Looking beautiful isn’t easy and it’s certainly not getting any easier in this down economy. The good news is that if you’re careful and look out for department store trends you can still be a fashionista without breaking the bank.

Ever find the cutest outfit ever in life? The color is to die for and it makes you look 10 pounds lighter? But sigh it’s just too much and it’s the first of the month… bill paying time. Don’t fret, wait a few weeks and buy it on a Thursday evening.

Why? After an item lingers in stores a month or so, retailers start dropping its price to get it out the door. In fact, try doing all your clothes shopping on Thursday evenings. There’s always something on sale – or better yet clearance – from the month before. Hitting the mall on weekdays means you’ll get a better selection. You’ll only get picked-over stuff on the weekend because the stores don’t have time to restock. By Thursday, most of the weekend sales have begun, but everything available is out there for you to check out.