With the economy in its, uh, tenuous state, shopping smart has become more than just a fun game - it's become essential. With more and more of our formerly disposable income going for food and gas, bargain shopping may be the only way we can afford to treat ourselves to something special.

I have to admit, I love the thrill of a great bargain. I guess I get it from my family. When I was growing up, I was among a clan of stylish and very well-dressed women who took shopping seriously. We would delight in telling each other how much we paid for something, or rather, how little, when we were complimented. It went something like this:" Oh, Aunt Teena, I just love your blouse - it's gorgeous!" She would reply, "Anne Klein - $9.99 from Steinmart!" (or Century 21, TJ Maxx, etc) with the pride one would normally reserve for a worthy accomplishment. We made a game to see who could find the best bargain. In the end, I learned some great tips and how to elevate shopping to a sport!

I recently scored a great pair of Farylrobin shoes in a lovely salmon pink snakeskin with sage green suede heels ($169 retail) for $15.00. I had a $5 credit, so I ended up paying just $10.99 at Rugged Warehouse. I'll warn you, shoppers. While there can be some great bargains to be found at Rugged Warehouse, it takes some patience and perseverence to really find anything. It's not a glamorous store by any stretch of the imagination, but I have found some real gems here!

After finding these shoes, I was on a mission to find a green dress the color of those suede heels (turns out it's one of my best colors). After just one stop (while visualizing this green dress for several days), I came across a Max Studio dress that fit me well and was the exact color as the shoes! The dress retailed for $188, but I picked it up for $20 at Marshall's, and it matched perfectly! Beware when buying knits at discount stores, though. Somehow, many of them end up with a sensor stuck right in the middle of the back, causing an irrepairable hole that will get worse with wear (why don't they realize this??) My outfit was complete when I added the pefect necklace I had hanging on my hook at home.

I'll be honest - there's a lot to be said for building a wardrobe full of core pieces that you pay full price for to get the exact size, color and fit that you need. Yet adding in a few fun items that can make you sparkle at your next event, or give you a lift for everyday, is a great way to indulge in some good bargain shopping. You can find some great places to shop for bargains at Couponers to keep your budget in check.

You never know, you just may find a real gem yourself!

This post was written for Parent Bloggers Network.