According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American spends between $2,000 and $3,000 a year on clothing and accessories. But with a focus on saving money to build a future and financial stability on the rise, saving money on clothing can have a tremendous positive impact. Here are nine ways you can save money on your wardrobe and still look amazing.
Sell What You Don’t Wear
Though it is nice to have choices in your closet, purging your wardrobe and selling it can be a money-maker. If you take care of your clothing, resale shops and boutiques will pay you top dollar for your gently used clothing. There are also apps and websites where you can post and sell your clothing and add money to your savings. To determine what you should purge, put clothing wrong side out on the hanger, and decide on a timeframe from one month to a year. At the end of the designated time, remove any clothing that is the wrong side out (meaning you never wore it.)
Shop at Second-Hand Stores
Those same boutiques and resale shops can have excellent designer clothing at incredibly discounted prices. The same can be said for thrift stores and online resale sites. Before you go shopping at a retail store, take some time and peruse second-hand stores’ racks. They often have great accessories as well.
Find Coupons Online
Clipping coupons is an age-old process that every savvy shopper has used to save money; some people have even managed to make couponing a business. Besides publications, the Internet is another place you can find amazing coupons and discounts. Many retailers will have coupons or deals online that you can use to shop on their site or in the store. Make sure you read all the details on expiration and usage as some restrictions may apply.
Shop at Discount Stores
Similar to the second-hand or thrift store, discount stores can mean a killer wardrobe for little money. These stores specialize in not only offering name brands at deeply discounted prices, but they often have their own labels that look good. If you can’t find what you’re looking for at a thrift or second-hand store, make a discount store your next stop to shop.
Buy out of season
Buying out of season is a great way to save money when you shop for clothes. If you can wait a few months for anyone to see your fantastic outfit, buying out of season can get you crazy discounts. Get a sweater or coat in July and buy next summer’s bathing suit in January (that will buy you some time to look great in it.) Out of season clothing is found in the clearance section, so make your way there first when shopping.
Shop Sales
Sales can sometimes be outstanding, and you can get a lot more bang for your buck. Hitting up department store sales allows you to get higher-end name-brand clothes while keeping more money in your wallet.
Fix or Repurpose
If you can sew or watch a how-to video, fixing or repurposing old clothes can be a huge money saver. In the case of repurposing, you can create a new look and not only show off your outfit but also your talent!
No Impulse Buys
When you go shopping for specific items, resist the temptation to impulse buy clothing you don’t need. Shopping online can help with this, although it does increase the chance of you ordering one of every color.
Buy Generic
Every name brand designer has knock offs of their ready-to-wear looks. Unless someone flips your collar back and looks at the label, no one will be the wiser that you paid far less for your generic version of the designer outfit. If you shop this way, you can compete in “who wore it better” and “who wore it cheaper” and win every time!
Everyone wants to look and feel good in what they are wearing, but not everyone has high limit credit cards or substantial bank accounts with which to shop. Saving money on what you wear doesn’t mean you can’t look good!
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