Being a professional woman, especially these days, does NOT mean you have an income — or budget — befitting your hard work OR your position. Unfortunately, no one you work with cares how broke you are (darn it!) and expects you to show up looking, well, professional. And then there’s also the old adage, ‘dress for the job you want, not the job you have.’ Could there be any more pressure to look great? This, our budget fashionista friends, is why god created New York & Company. But, as with all retailers, there’s a right way to shop and a less-than-right way to shop. Some tips so your trip falls into the former category.

Mall or Online? One of the things that make New York & Company a go-to is the fact that whether you shop in-store or online you’ll find pretty amazing sales going on most of the time (like this Chiffon Sleeve Ruffle Top, buy one get one 75% off. Sigh.) Now, we all know ‘sales’ are only as good as the garments you purchase and while it’s not Neiman Marcus, NY&C garments will generally last if cared for, and since the prices at NY&C are pretty darn affordable to begin with, it’s win/win.

Speaking Of Buy One, Get One 75% Off … This is kind of New York & Company’s thing – and we can’t argue with 75% off. It’s always worth a quick look to see what items are in the rotation this week. BUT remember – if you only need one, don’t buy a second just for the sake of the sale. Another way to work it? Shop with a friend, get the deal on two items, and split the cost evenly – you both save!

Text Alerts. If you can’t be bothered with going online all the time to check out where the big savings are on a given day, offers text alerts. Text the word ‘WEB’ to NYSTYL (697895) to sign up, and get immediate sale alerts sent right to your phone. And don’t worry, they won’t be blowin’ up your phone night and day — they commit to a maximum of 4 texts per week.

Promo Code Grace Period! How many times have you shopped online and then realized after you processed your order that you forgot you had a promo code, or forgot to search for a promo code (retailmenot, anyone?). Well — NY&C has your best interests in mind. Or something. Whatever their reasoning (could customer service still be alive and kicking?) New York & Company gives you a full 48 hours after placing your order to utilize a promo code. Sure it’ll require a phone call, and undoubtedly some really annoying time on hold, but saving a few bucks? Priceless.

NY&C Rewards Credit Card. As you know, at TBF we don’t advocate getting new store credit cards (and therefore acquiring new debt) just for the heck of it, but if you are a very regular customer at New York & Company, there are some benefits. Birthday discounts, 5-10 percent money back, free shipping on order of $125 or more and more. There’s no monthly fee, so that’s a definite plus. BUT, only consider this if you would be spending the money anyway – it’s not a deal when you’re spending money you would be holding onto otherwise.