Exploring the underworld: Saving (lots!) by buying lingerie online

Note: most of the stores mentioned, while they also sell men's underwear, are geared primarily towards women. Depending on your place of work and your/their personal sense of propriety, many of the sites may also be considered NSFW. Just don't say I didn't tell you :-) .

Possibly one of the more expensive items of clothing many of us women wear at any given time is our bra. This is especially true if you're the well-endowed type, are pregnant or nursing, or have had a mastectomy. Such bras purchased locally can each cost several hundred Shekels.

Women who need shapewear have a similar problem. Good quality shapewear, which, in my humble opinion, is the only type worth wearing, can also run you several hundred Shekels bought locally. Or you could take your chances with an as-seen-on-TV bodyshaper via Groupon. 

Fortunately, there are other excellent options with reasonable, fast shipping from abroad, so you shouldn't feel you need to compromise on quality at the expense of a decently-priced item.

Buying clothing and shoes online for less, Part 1

 After food, housing and transportation, clothing and shoes is probably what eats up a good part of your monthly budget. You don't necessarily need to be a shopaholic for that to happen, either. What with clothes fading and wearing out even with the best of care, changing sizes (yours as well as the kids'), and indelible staining, sometimes you need to replace your clothes and shoes.

While I'm sure I don't need to introduce you to the concept of hand-me-downs or secondhand shops, they probably won't be sufficient for all your needs. Many of the local stores will give you just-OK quality for a rather high price; the price issue can be mitigated somewhat by using those vouchers you've received from work or by filling out online surveys, but since my husband and kids are rather rough on clothing, I'd rather pay a the same (or even less!!) for more durable clothing. So I've rounded up a small collection of stores I find are both reliable and provide good value for your money, though you may have to wait a few weeks to get your merchandise.

Where to buy books in English online for less

As a lifelong bookworm, I'm never happier than when I have a pile of new books to read and some precious time to read them. However, the books I prefer to read are, very often, not available in our local bookstores or libraries. The ones that are tend to be in stores that are very expensive, even during sales. So I often find myself ordering books in English from abroad. Over the years, I've found ways to order my books as cheaply as possible, and I'd like to share them with you.

Cheaper than your local drugstore: Buying cosmetics and toiletries online, Part 2

In Part 1 of this post, we discussed large American online retailers which have a large variety of quality cosmetics and toiletries, and offer reasonable shipping rates. Now we'll discuss a few more online retailers with great shipping rates - some even free!

While the promise of free or low shipping is often accompanied by a serious hike in the items' prices to compensate, this isn't the case in the stores I'll be mentioning, and their prices are generally better than what you can find in stores here. 

Saving Money Online for Shopaholics: Cashback Programs

I've already mentioned that I'm a bit of a shopaholic. Not too much, but there are always things I need (or want) and the vast opportunities for spending money online, both in local shops and internationally, are...well, vast. We'll be going into exactly where and how to shop so as to not empty your bank account in one fell swoop in a later post, but in the meantime, let me introduce you to a concept that will help you recoup some of your losses in the long run.