I, like many girls my age, like to stay fairly up to date on current fashion trends and try to look my best. The difficult part about looking trendy, however, is that it can get pretty expensive. Dropping 50 bucks on one shirt that will only be in style for three months is pretty ridiculous for someone to do when they can barely afford ramen noodles every week. So to stay somewhat in style, I shop smarter and seek out good deals. Here are four places/ways of shopping you should definitely take advantage of to save some money.

1. Discount Stores

Stores such as Tj Maxx, Marshalls, and Ross offer the latest trends in fashion at a super low price. They also can carry some high-end brands from time to time at a fraction of what they would cost anywhere else. These kinds of stores can get overwhelming because they have a variety and often times only a couple of a certain item in each size, but that's part of the fun. Instead of department stores where they have all of the same items on a rack in multitudes, these discount stores group everything by sizes so that when you're going through the clothes it's almost like a treasure hunt.

2. Used Clothing Stores

While the term "used" may sound unappealing when it comes to clothes, these stores only sell the best of the best. Two of my favorites are Uptown Cheapskate and Plato's Closet. When people sell their clothes to these stores, the employees throughly inspect each item of clothing for wear and make sure the clothes have been in stores in within the past year to year and a half. They accept trendy clothes and brand names, and then turn around and sell them for a fraction of the original price. The best part about it is when you get tired of your old clothes, you can sell them back and make money to buy more clothes.

3. Look for Sales

If you have a particular brand or store you like that has prices that are a bit above your budget, check them for sales. Sign up for email updates for them, follow them on social media, and regularly check out their websites so that you are always aware of when sales are. Surprise sales happen all the time so it is important to have some way of knowing when the sale will be so you don't miss out.

4. Discount Stores Online

There are a lot of websites out there that have great items for a discounted price. Two of my current favorites are Zulilly and Jane.com. Zulilly is great for brand name items as well as some basic essentials at a great price. Jane.com features items that are in style and would be seen in a boutique, at probably a third of the price. Both websites offer new items each day, so it is important to check every day to see what new deals you can get.