If you’re fortunate to be of ample bust, you’ll know all too well the misfortune that accompanies such a blessing, and that’s the sad fact that large cup bras aren’t particularly cheap.  It’s frustrating to walk into all the trendy high street clothes shops and see a beautiful array of affordable lingerie only to find they stop short of the larger cup sizes.  It’s even more disheartening when you require a smaller back size because so few stores stock them.

If you’re a familiar reader here you’ll know how much of a bargainista I am.  I’m always looking for the best buys I can find to satisfy my bra needs.  If you’re needing bras for your newly refitted boobs or just looking to freshen your lingerie draw with some modern pretties, there are ways and means to avoid going in the red.  Here are my 6 top tips for intelligent bra buying.

1.  eBay
Whether you like it or not, ebay is the auction site everyone talks about and there’s reason for it.  It’s one of the best places to go to for low prices and choice because everyone wants to sell off their wares quickly.  Pre-worn is the requisite for second hand trading but many people sell brand new bras that didn’t fit them and weren’t returned, and there are many businesses selling too, listing current and past seasons.  You can find plenty bras in every size imaginable, including illusive 28 backs.  Items are usually listed in an auction format where you bid against other interested buyers but often a ‘buy it now’ option is available for immediate purchase.

I recently bought this past season Freya Jolie bra in a 28H on eBay for less than £13!

2.  Bratabase
This site is all about achieving the best fit from bras using a community built database where users are encouraged to measure and add their bras – the well fitting and not so – onto the site to provide usable feedback helpful for others looking for fit advice for a particular bra.  With the option to list any of your uploaded bras for sale, your unwanted bras can find a new home thanks to the worldwide site membership (which is free).  I have successfully sold some of my own bras using the Bratabase system and each time has been a personable and pleasant experience.

3.  Discount Online Shops
We can all think of web stores who sell at recommended retail price but did you know there are online shops where you can easily pay up to half price less?  Shops such as Lingerie Heaven, Brastop and My Curves and Me are all excellent sources for marked down prices on bras both popular and newly released.  They aren’t seconds, with all lingerie being the same top quality product you’d find in the next shop.  It’s just great prices!

4.  Promotions
With so many shops and online stores closing down every day, retail is cut throat; every shop has to fight for its customers.  When I’m looking to buy I always look online to find any discount codes that may be on offer.  A percentage off your total order, a monetary discount and free delivery are all common deals at various times of the retail calendar.  If you sign up to website newsletters you’ll be the first to know about offers such as free delivery, and often there’ll be up to a 20% off incentive for your first purchase.  Social websites such as Twitter and Facebook and also good ways of staying in touch with businesses where you’ll often be privy to exclusive competitions and offers.

5.  Sales
There are sales and then there are secret sales, both earn you the potential for huge savings but work differently.

General sales are offered by just about every shop, on the high street and online.  The big sales are at specific times of the year, such as the January sales, winter sales and summer sales, which are to make way for next season stock which actually hits the shelves before the current season is out.  Here you can pick up huge discounts particularly on ‘fashion’ lines, which are the colourways and styles season specific and not continually available throughout the year.

Secret sales are membership websites – Brand Alley is one of them – for which you sign up to, to gain access to tightly scheduled sales.  Sales are quick, often over within a matter of days, so you have to get in fast if you don’t want to miss out.

6.  Cashback
Even if you decide to buy from a regular store online, you can still easily make a saving.  Although not hugely significant, websites which provide cashback for following their lead link can earn you the equivalent of a percentage off your order total which accumulates on your account to mean real money back in your hand.  For example, using Topcashback you can achieve over 5% of your order at Brastop.  Every little helps!

So, this is how I shop.  Do you have a particular shopping style?  Are you a bargain hunter as I am, or someone who likes to be in and out as quick as possible when you shop?

If there’s any money saving tips for bra buying I’ve missed, I’d love to hear!

Becky x