Use these penny pinching tips to save money on your clothing budget.
- Shop discount stores. Target is a great bet as are T. J. Maxx and Mens Warehouse.
- Shop on line discount sites. Overstock.com is well-known. For designer deals see Bluefkly.com. An interesting site is at Dentalplans.com. (I know, it sounds weird.) This site has a savings portal that lists many savings on clothing.
- You can also shop wholesale on line. A neat site is Apparelus.com. There are junior and plus sizes on this site along with accessories. You do have to buy case lots that vary from 3 to 6 in number, but there is a lot to choose from.
- Buy used. There are yard sales, thrift stores, and eBay. Shop for brands and sizes you know and like, and enjoy your savings.
- Place your own clothes in consignment shops and earn money toward new items in your wardrobe while making room for them.
- Buy classic styles and avoid trends. Trends are short-lived.
- In fact, shop your own wardrobe, checking it thoroughly, even on the back shelves. You’ll be surprised what you might discover. Forgotten items seem like new.
- Budget and plan BEFORE you go shopping. A good thing to do is visit web sites of clothing chains. Here you can get a sense of what is available and can compare prices site to site. Then make a list of what you NEED, not WANT, and plan a budget. Only NOW are you ready to step into a store to buy.
- Buy only with cash. Using a credit card promises debt and helps you impulse buy.
- Shop off-season, even in used clothing stores. Summer clothing is best bought in August and September, and winter clothes should be bought in December and January.
- Wait. Shop when you see sales. Who can beat after-Christmas sales? Which suggests another savings tactic. Give gift certificates to your children at Christmas, and they can buy what they want at after-Christmas bargain prices.
- Don’t buy expensive maternity clothes or baby clothes. Duh! They are not for keeps so why spend money on them! Hand-me-downs might be the best penny-pinching strategy for these clothes.
- Try things on and check them out carefully. No sense paying money for things that need to be repaired or don’t fit or have to be dry-cleaned at yet another cost.