I just recently wrote about simplifying your wardrobe and mentioned some ways you can take back control of your closet. Today I have a few ways that I save money on my clothes shopping. (Just a warning, I am writing this from a guy’s perspective, if some of it doesn’t apply to women’s clothes, I apologize.)
Batch your clothes shopping. There are certain times of the year that you can save huge amounts of money on clothes. Do all (or most) of your shopping during those times. After Christmas sales are often one of the best times to buy; so I save money all year long as part of my budget for my after Christmas shopping spree.
Don’t buy clothes that will only work as one outfit. Look for clothes that you will be able to wear with many other things, creating multiple outfits. Instead of buying that green and purple striped coat that will only go with one or two outfits, you could get a solid color gray that will work most of what you wear.
Spend less money on the trendy items. If you must buy trendy clothes, don’t spend a lot on it. You have to figure you only have a year or maybe (if you want to be risky) two years before you start becoming the topic of conversation at your kid’s lunch table. So, buy cheap, because it doesn’t matter if it lasts. There are quite a few fashionable designer stores (probably most) that don’t make high quality clothes intended to last decades. Trends seem to last a shorter and shorter amount of time so you might as well not spend a ton of money on them.
Spend more on quality items. What spend more? I thought you were talking about saving money? Spending more money on the items that you may last you decades, is a much better investment than buying cheap stuff every couple years. For example, you can buy a nice pair of men’s dress shoes for $100-$300 that could last you most of your life if you take care of them and replace the soles when needed. The alternative is buying a cheap pair for $50 that may give you a few years at best. Even a non-math whiz can figure out that you will save a lot of money in the long run by spending a little bit more up front.
Save money with eBay. eBay is a great place to find designer clothes at a nice discount. Find out what brand and size fits you perfect, then do a search for it on eBay. Many people still think that eBay is nothing more than a virtual garage sale featuring everyone’s junk. There are many used items, but there are probably a lot more NEW items for you to buy. As with most online searches, the more specific you can be, the better luck and more time you will save.
Make money with eBay. Sell the clothes that doesn’t fit or that you no longer want. If they are designer brands, chances are good you will be able to find a buyer on eBay. You can then take this money to spend on more clothes!!
Technorati Tags: save money, clothes, eBay
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Remember, even expensive shoes need replacing. My husband spends more than $100 for his shoes but needs to have a second pair to alternate with in order for them to last the year. Take care of your feet and they will serve you well!
Something I love to do is pick up high-quality items at the thrift store or local women’s consignment shop–usually when the store is having a sale on top of the regular discounts. I can sometimes pick up clothes for about 3% or so of retail.
@Jan
Wow – he must be quite the walker! I should have a clarified, but I was referring to leather dress shoes with leather soles – if they are good shoes and taken care of they will last decades (again, having the soles replaced) – athletic shoes on the other hand, even the best ones when used frequently will not last too long…
@Centsible
You are quite the shopper!!
I think shopping for batches and making sure they all match are two great points and ones that belong together. That way you know a bunch of your possible combinations before leaving the store.
I think I need to buy a couple new shirts and perhaps a new pair of slacks. I’m moving from a formal workplace to some more casual ones.