(This is a guest post by Rachael Miller from MoneySuperMarket.com, the shopping comparison site.)

We women like nothing more than to indulge a spot of retail therapy. There is something about buying a new pair of sparkly shoes or a gorgeous handbag that eases the stress of everyday life. We use shopping as a stress reliever, as a social activity and even as a hobby, but what happens when our money dries up and we can’t afford to indulge anymore? The recession has seen the amount of disposable income we have available plummet, meaning there is less money floating around our bank accounts to spend on the latest fashion must-haves. Here are a few ideas of how to save, shop smart, and look your very best.

1) Use money-off vouchers

Who doesn’t love a good bargain? Using a voucher is a sure-fire way of getting one. Before making a purchase, see if you can find printable vouchers or voucher codes for your favorite fashion retailers—you could bag yourself a discount, a 2-for-1 or free delivery for very little work. The best thing about vouchers is that they’re free. Print off the latest vouchers and keep them in your purse so you can stay spontaneous.

2) Customize your own clothes

You can buy plain T-shirts, jeans, bags, etc. for very little—remember you usually pay for the design. If you feel like unleashing some of your creative energy then why not experiment on clothing. Head down to your local craft shop and buy some ribbon, buttons, sequins—whatever takes your fancy, and decorate a plain vest, bag or anything else you can think of. The result will be a design that no one else in the world will have and it will be a whole lot cheaper than buying the manufactured equivalent.

3) Dress up outfits with stunning jewelry

Most girls have a dress that they would never be without—it fits perfectly, the color goes with your coloring and it makes you feel like a million dollars. You’ll no doubt want to wear it over and over again, but how do you keep it fresh? Team your dress up with some colorful tights, some skyscraper heels or some vintage jewelry to add a different dimension to your outfit. The vintage trend is red hot at the moment, so keep an eye out for some classic vintage pieces that will either spruce up an outfit you already have or could be used as feature piece.

4) Bargain bins

Many times they’re filled with little gems that will really set off an outfit. A bargain “bin” will most likely be a large basket filled with miscellaneous items such as tights, socks, umbrellas, purses among other things. These are usually end-of-line items that the store won’t be selling anymore so they’re likely to be heavily discounted.

5) Sign up for newsletters

All good retailers have an online presence, whether it’s their website or their Twitter or Facebook account. If they have a newsletter or subscriptions list, be sure to join it as you’ll be the first to hear about any new lines/competitions/discounts they may have on the horizon. It is also worth following or liking them on social networking sites as Twitter or Facebook as these are excellent portals for companies to launch competitions. Many offers will be exclusive to fans or subscribers.