One of my fondest memories from when I was a kid is when my mom used to take us back to school shopping. Every year, she would take my siblings and I to stores like Kohls or Sears to pick out a few new pieces that we were, under no condition, allowed to wear until the school year began.
Well, my first few years into adulthood, this feeling of needing to shop for some new clothes each season stuck with me. But it felt a lot better back when I was shopping for clothes on mom and dad’s dime! I would see $300 vanish from my bank account in a single trip to the mall, and walk away with just two pairs of jeans and a few shirts. Don’t even get me started about the price of women’s shorts. 🤦♀️
But the truth of the matter is, I wasn’t growing anymore. And I didn’t really need new clothes at the start of every season. And overtime, I started to develop some smart shopping techniques that allowed me to save money on clothes, all while developing a sense of style that felt authentic to who I am.
How to Save Money on Clothes
The good news is that you don’t need to sacrifice looking good to save some serious cash on clothes. Acquiring a wardrobe you feel confident in and developing a sense of style on a budget can be easier than you think. With a little foresight and planning, you can get pieces that fit your lifestyle and budget without breaking the bank.
Try using these tips to save more money on clothes every year!
1. Only buy items that fill a gap in your wardrobe
Call me crazy, but I’ve never understood why many people feel the need to buy a new dress every time they attend a wedding or a special event. Some have told me that it’s because a lot of the same people in their circle are attending the same weddings. But I don’t think anyone will notice if you’re wearing the same dress or dress shirt. Or if they do, who cares!? 🤷♀️
Unless you really value clothing and fashion, make it a goal to only have a few items in your wardrobe at any given time that serve a specific purpose. For example, try limiting yourself to having 2-3 dresses that you can wear to special events. Or 1-2 pairs of dress shoes that go with anything. If you find that you’re lacking a certain wardrobe staple, like a button down, or dress pants, go right ahead and buy it, knowing that it will fill this gap in your wardrobe.
2. Follow the 1 in, 1 out rule
This tip will both save you money and help to keep your closet free from clutter. If you buy a new article of clothing, use it to replace something you already have. One item goes into your closet, and another is taken out. Then, you can sell or donate whatever piece of clothing you no longer want.
This will encourage you to think twice before grabbing something off the rack and checking out. And it’s also help you decide if you really do want that item. For example, if you want to buy a new jacket, ask yourself if you have one in your current wardrobe that you wouldn’t mind getting rid of.
3. Shop at thrift stores
One way to see instant savings without changing your shopping habits is to change where you shop. Opting to shop at thrift stores is a more sustainable habit, and you’ll save tons of money by purchasing secondhand clothing.
No cool thrift stores nearby? Try thrifting online on websites like Depop, Poshmark, and even Ebay. A pro tip is to take a look in your closet and see which brands you like the best. Then, search for items by the same brands on these websites! Goodwill has opened some regional online thrift stores, but honestly the prices can be hit and miss for name brands.
4. Buy quality over quantity
There are tons of reasons why fast fashion is probably not the best clothing choice you can make. But perhaps one of the biggest ones is that you’ll lose money in the long term by purchasing the cheapest items available.
Personally, I used to buy clothes from places like Forever 21 or Shein, only to have them completely fall apart the first time I washed them. Rinse and repeat a few times, and I could have bought a few higher quality items that would have lasted me much longer.
A good way to determine if an article of clothing is worth buying is to think about the price per use of the item. While a $10 pair of jeans might sound great on paper, if you only wear them three times, the price per wear is about $3.33. Compare that to a pair of jeans that costs you $40, that you’ll wear about 100 times. The price per use for the higher quality jeans is only 40 cents, making it a much better value.
5. Swap with friends, family or community
If you’re growing bored of your wardrobe but don’t want to shell out big bucks for some new clothes, see if any of your friends would want to have a clothing swap! It helps if you have friends or family members who wear the same size as you.
If you don’t have anyone in your immediate circle who you can swap clothes with, look online for clothing swap events in your community. A quick google search can pull up a few clothing swap events local to where you live. Another great place to look is Facebook Events!
6. Repair Your Clothes
Instead of tossing your shirt the minute it gets a tear, take an afternoon to learn how to make minor repairs to your clothing instead! By learning a few simple stitches, you can make sure your favorite articles of clothing stay in your closet for much longer.
You can also get creative with your repairs to turn your clothes into one of a kind items. If your hole is too big to mend without drawing too much attention to it, why not put a fun patch over it? Or watch some videos on upcycling your clothes!
If you can’t repair it yourself, consider taking it to a shoemaker or seamstress. Often, this is still cheaper than buying a new item and is totally worth it if it’s one of your favorites.
Lastly, it can be a good idea to carry a stain remover in your bag or car. That way, if you get a stain on the go, you can keep it from ruining your favorite clothing items.
7. Do Your Laundry Properly
Did you know that you could be damaging your favorite garments every time you put them through a wash cycle?
Believe it or not, there are changes you can make to your laundry routine that can help you save money on clothes. They’ll also keep your clothes looking newer for longer! We covered this extensively in “10 Ways to Save Money Doing Laundry,”. Here are a few basic principles you can follow to make sure you aren’t ruining your clothes with each wash:
- Wash your clothes less. At the risk of sounding stinky, some clothing items don’t need to be washed as often. For example, if you wear a sweater over a shirt, you can probably afford to wear it a few times before putting it in the laundry.
- Line dry your clothes. Not only will this bring your energy bill down, but it will also help to keep your favorite articles of clothing from shrinking and warping.
- Use less detergent- You really only need about 2 tablespoons. Adding too much detergent can leave your clothes feeling scratchy and crunchy.
Make sure you’re storing your clothes properly as well. To best preserve your clothes in seasons where you don’t use them, make sure to store them in a cool, dry place in containers or bins with lids.
8. Buy Off-Season
If you know yourself well enough to predict what you’ll want to wear a few seasons from now, you’ll be able to reel in some massive savings.
Off season clothes offer the best bang for your buck. You’ll often be able to snag high quality goods at a fraction of the price just by waiting until the end of the season. For example, start looking for summer clothes for next year in early September!
9. Don’t Worry About Trends
One of the best ways to actually save money on clothes without even trying is by taking the time to develop your own personal style. Once you figure out what kinds of clothes make you feel confident, you’ll be less influenced to buy whatever is trending this month.
Following trends that last for less than a year usually means that you’ll only wear your clothes a handful of times before they end up buried at the back of your closet. This leads to waste and also encourages unnecessary spending.
If a trend really does resonate with you, that’s great! See if you can get a deal on that item using a coupon, or can purchase it secondhand. We just want to make sure that you’re buying that trendy item for the right reasons. Not just because you’ve seen a bunch of instagram ads for it. Taking a few days to think about whether or not a trendy item will fit into your wardrobe long term and using a few mindful spending techniques can ensure that you won’t buy something you’ll forget about tomorrow.
10. Buy Overseas
Sometimes, you can get pretty good deals buying overseas, whether you’re traveling abroad or just by ordering online.
One of my personal favorite clothing hacks is to order clothing from Australia. If you’re U.S. based, we have opposite seasons from the Aussies! This means you can shop for the current season at home and almost always snag a wicked deal, since it’s off season for them.
And depending on where you’re traveling, you may be able to get some super cool clothes at stores and markets for a great deal. Especially if you’re immersed in a culture where negotiating is expected!
11. Rent One-off Items
Instead of always buying something new if you have a special occasion, consider renting an outfit! This is a great way to look extra fancy while you save money on clothes.
For things like suits and tuxedos, you can usually rent these easily at menswear stores. For women’s clothing for special events it can be a little more complicated. There are a number of online stores you can rent clothes from. But they are based on subscription models, so be sure to cancel it as soon as you return your clothes.
Even if you have to pay $150 to rent a fancy get-up, that’s better than buying one for $800 and only wearing it a couple times. Not to mention dry cleaning and storage.
12. Shop Re-sale Items from Brands Directly
Did you know… some of the most popular clothing brands (like Lululemon, Patagonia, American Eagle, etc) all sell second hand and used clothes at a discount? Many also offer trade-in programs for your old clothes!
For example, if you have a pair of lightly used Patagonia shorts that you never wear, you can send it back to Patagonia for a store credit. Then you can shop their resale store (called Patagonia Worn Ware) and use that money to buy other second hand items.
Many of the clothing items on resale sites are just store returns. And they are all high quality, some haven’t even been worn. It’s a great way to enjoy your favorite brands while also saving money on clothes.
Pro tip: Here is a list of the top 100 resale programs from the biggest clothing brands.
13. Shop Sales
If you know you’ll be needing some new clothes before the winter, don’t just go ahead and buy them the moment you realize you need them. Instead, wait for a sale.
Clothing retailers offer sales very often, and not waiting for a sale means you’re missing out on valuable savings. Sign up for emails with your favorite stores around the time you’d like to order clothes, and just wait! It’s probably only a matter of hours before you receive a discount to your inbox. Just make sure to unsubscribe after you place your order to avoid impulse shopping.
14. Get Hand-Me-Downs
If you have kids, back to school clothing shopping can wreak serious havoc on your budget. All that for clothes that probably won’t fit your kids in a few months anyway!
Instead of buying everything new, see if you have any friends or family members with older kids who wouldn’t mind giving you any hand-me-downs once their own kids grow out of their clothes. They’ll probably be happy to give the clothing a second life. They’ll also be happy to have someone to take it out of their space!
15. Ask for Discounts at Stores
If you’re shopping in person, you don’t need to just accept the amount on the price tag. When you go up to the register, it can’t hurt to ask the cashier if they have any coupons they can offer you. Sure, it may not work every time, but every once in a while someone might hook you up with a sick coupon, or even an employee discount.
You can also use a browser extension. We like Honey, which searches the web for discount codes every time you shop online.
16. Splurge Occasionally
While this isn’t necessarily a tip for saving money, it feels worth mentioning that if fashion and clothing is important to you, it’s okay to occasionally splurge on a fancier item.
Money is a tool. And when used properly, it can help us enjoy our lives. So it’s important to spend it on things that we value. As long as it doesn’t become too much of a habit, you can budget a certain amount of money each year to splurge on your favorite fashion items!
The Bottom Line:
Even if you’re a total fashionista, saving a few dollars on clothes is always a welcome thing. Using these tips to save money on clothes overall can keep you looking sharp, while helping you to save for your biggest personal finance goals.
Be sure to check out these related posts to watch your savings skyrocket even higher!
Related Posts:
