I have written a few times on how to save money with baby clothes and kids clothes. But if you are like me, then you want to know a bit about saving money in your own wardrobe too. Financial experts say that individuals should spend about five percent of their take home pay on clothing. That translate to $150 for clothing each month if your take home pay is $3000. Do you really need to spend that much to look good? I think not. Here are a few places where you can cut down the costs.
Skip Factory Outlet Stores
I know a lot of people who go crazy at factory outlet stores. They think they are getting an amazing deal, when in reality, they are just buying cheaper made clothing for what appears to be a lower price. Every time I shopped at a factory outlet store, I would have been better off buying clothes from a cheap store, such as Forever 21. Most big brands factory lines are poor quality and poor fitting, which means you might not even wear it often.
Ask Your Friend
If you are the same size as your friend, then why not ask if they have any clothes they don’t want? Of course, you want to do this for close friends, as not to appear too tacky. The best friends to ask are men who regularly get new suits or someone who switched from a high-power career to a stay-at-home position or a more casually dressed position. When I decided to become a stay-at-home mom, I was eager to give my slacks and button down blouses away in favor of jeans.
Choose High Quality Basics
I used to avoid spending $100 on jeans or $150 on a trench coat or boots. However, it is more affordable to spend $100 on a high quality piece that you wear 200 times than to buy a cheap quality $20 shirt that is only worn five times. You are going to wear a high quality item all of the time if you spend more money to get one that fits you perfectly and flatters your appearance, and you are going to feel better about yourself and more confident in your career. The best place to find these investment pieces for less is eBay. Just make sure you are buying reputable items and not cheap knock-offs.
Skip the Sales and Shopping Sprees
Committing a day to shopping and coming home with bags full of heavily discounted clothes won’t actually help your wallet or wardrobe. Pieces should be selected thoughtfully to get the most mileage. It is wiser to have 20-30 clothing items that you love and wear regularly then an over packed closet with 200 items that don’t fit the best or that you aren’t too crazy about. Having a simplified closet will save you a lot of stress and time, as well.
How do you save money on your clothing expenses?
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I buy expensive clothes on cosignment sites.
I have been buying clothes at a couple of consignments shops and thrift stores in my town for years. Some of the national chains such as Salvation Army or Goodwill often pick clothes first for their indigent clients, so it is harder to find a quality bargain there. None the less, gems are to be had for the searcher. Consignment shops are priced higher, but have much better quality selections, so it is all relative. My friends and family have been amazed at some of my purchases, and even a couple of the snobs I know have finally followed my path, to their amazement and satisfaction,
I use to buy the cloth at the factory outlet because it is cheaper though the poor quality. I have no choice because only factory outlet that provide big size
I know a way to cut clothing costs for traveling. As everybody knows in some Countries winter finishes on January or at least demand for warm clothing falls as the new year arrives. That´s a good opportunity to get half dozen of warm clothing to use while walking in cold streets (countries), because all stores, big and small launch good deals to get rid of them… they hate inventory. This simple activity saves money easily. I do it every single year. Enjoy saving!
That’s so interesting! Thanks for sharing your tip
Some great tips here. I have found that going on big shopping sprees definitely isn’t worth it! Getting a few high quality outfits that will last you is a lot better than having a closet full of cheap clothes.
So true! I hate shopping sprees even more when you get home and wonder why in the world you bought something in the first place.