The Deal Hunter Diary: Quia Querisma

Lusts after …  The Nixon 42-20 chrono, Valentino bow pumps, and Topshop Union Jack leggings

I’ve been inspired! Between being interviewed by fellow bloggers and reading those super-fun Q&A’s in magazines like Harper’s Bazaar. I decided that I should play Q&A on my blog as well. So here it goes with my new series that I am calling ‘The Deal Hunter Diary’. In this series I am going to interview my favorite budget conscious babes to find out where they shop, the best deals they’ve found, shopping advice they can lend, and plenty more. Fun, right? Well it’s certainly fun for me anyway. I am kicking off the series with my web home girl, Quia.

Quia Querisma is a digital marketer by day, freelance writer by night, and a shopper by nature. Her work has appeared in a number of outlets including BlackAmericaWeb.com, SoulTrain.com, and Where Dallas magazine covering the topics of fashion, entertainment and travel. Quia is a spectacular deal hunter and I know this because I follow her deal hunting abilities on Facebook. So let’s see what she has to say …

Where do you go to hunt down deals?

Everywhere! Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx, Last Call, Shopittome.com sale mail, casual browsing, and even banner ads have drawn me into a deal.

What is the best deal you’ve scored?

A pair of Giuseppe Zanotti booties that were regularly $930 and I got them for $369 in the Barneys sale.

What is the most dramatic thing you’ve done for a deal?

Oh, this is bad! It was the day before payday, I was out of “play money”, but I didn’t want to miss out on this pair of suede colorblock B Brian Atwoods so I *intentionally* overdrew my recreational shopping account. I put the money back the next day but that was the day that I realized I probably had a shopping addiction.

Is there a deal that you found but didn’t buy and later regretted it (aka shopper’s remorse)?

Ugh, yes! I’ll never forget them…A pair of Charles David green strappy sandals. They were on clearance at Nordstrom and the girl I was friends with at the time said she was going to get them so I didn’t. I found out a few days later that she didn’t buy them, but of course they were gone by then and there were *so* many outfits I could have worn them with. I still think about those shoes.

Shopping style – solo or with a friend?

I tend to roll solo mainly because I’m an impulse shopper. Also, I shop with a sense of purpose and move quickly through stores and that’s frustrating for people who like to leisurely browse.

Are you a fashion hoarder or a fashion purger?

I’m a big time purger! Because I’m always shopping people assume that my closet must be overflowing but it’s not. I regularly rotate out things that don’t fit, show signs of age/excessive wear, or I’ve just lost interest in them. I have to do this with my kids’ clothes too since they constantly outgrow stuff. If things are in salable condition, eBay is your friend! If they’re better suited for donation itemize things on Itsdeductible.com and get a receipt from the donation site so you can get your tax credit.

Item you are currently sale stalking?

I’ve recently been obsessed with Nixon watches. I *need* a yellow gold watch so I’m keeping my eye on the Nixon 42-20 chronograph. The all-yellow gold tone one likely won’t go on sale, but the ones that are metal & acetate do.

Best shopping advice you’ve given or received?

Received: use sale alerts, they’ll change your life!

Given: invest in your accessories; even if your outfit is from a huge chain store like The Limited or H&M, high quality shoes and couture accessories instantly kick up the luxury factor and help make your look distinctive.