Clothes can be super expensive, we all know that right? OF COURSE! And if you’re like me, then you love to have new clothes. However, I do try saving money when I buy clothes.
Also, with colder weather probably right around the corner for you (all of course depending on where you live), then you are probably thinking about buying new clothes as well. Coats, jackets, pants, sweaters, etc. all add up. Or maybe you are going somewhere warmer and you need more warm weather clothes.
Have you ever tallied up how much you spend on average each year on clothes? Most likely, the amount you spend will make you jump back (and possibly run away). Maybe you’re good with your clothing spending and hardly spend anything in a year, but maybe you spend a LOT!
Below are some tips so that you can spend less on the clothes that you buy:
Buy quality items if you can
Certain items such as professional clothes, jeans, and other things you know you will get use out of should be good, quality pieces if you can afford them. Also, try and calculate your cost per wear, to see if it’s truly worth it to you.
If the item is trendy, then try to save money in this area
If you know for a fact that you will only wear the item once or twice, then there is probably no need to spend a lot of money on a high quality item. Lots of stores at the mall serve for this purpose, such as Forever 21.
Look for coupons
Most stores give coupons in many, many ways. Sign up for their e-mail list, text messages, like their Facebook pages, follow them on Twitter, etc. in order to save in many different ways. Some of the time you can even use a coupon on top of a store wide discount, so I would definitely look into that as well.
Shop when there’s a good sale
Stores often have end of season sales, however, these items are not always out of season. T-shirts, tank tops, jeans, slacks can of course be worn at all times of the year. Also, check the clearance section and any store wide sales that they store may be having.
However, don’t buy items just because they are on sale. If you don’t think you will ever wear it, then it’s definitely money wasted.
Tailor your clothing items
If those pants that you love no longer fit, are too long for how you would like to wear them or something else, make your clothes last longer by getting them tailored. The cost usually isn’t too high and it’s usually definitely worth it.
Look at second hand stores
I always run into the second hand stores first, to see if I can find a great deal on anything that I’m looking for. There are a lot of boutiques where I live that sell new items or of the latest trends that I go into. It’s more expensive than going into your traditional thrift store, but the prices are still much better than in the stores at the mall.
What tips do you have on how to spend less on clothes and your wardrobe?
Michelle Schroeder is the founder of Making Sense of Cents and Diversified Finances, a personal finance and lifestyle blog about budgeting, traveling, life, and student loans. Read further on her story and life.