Shopping for clothes can be a lot of fun – until the point where you have to pay for them, that is! Whether you need a new outfit for work, a special occasion like a wedding, or to expand your weekend wardrobe, the amount you’re spending can quickly add up. This is even more true if you also need to buy shoes or accessories. Luckily there are a few tips and tricks you can employ to either bring that cost down or enable you to get more for your money. Here are a few of our favorites.
Look out for sales
The first tip is to avoid paying full price for anything if you can help it. A good trick is to do most of your clothes shopping during the sales. This could mean buying items that are reduced because they are out of season (like getting a winter coat during the summer) or shopping at specific stores when they have their big annual sales (like Black Friday). Signing up to the mailing lists of your favorite shops can help ensure that you never miss a bargain. You can almost always find fantastic items on the sale rack all year, so be sure to take your time and rummage around for those gems!
Use coupons and discount codes
Even when there are no sales, you can still enjoy a lower price by making use of discount codes and coupons. For instance, many online stores will give you a 10% discount on your first order or when you sign up to their mailing list. With a little digging, you can often find other codes online for the stores you want to shop at – just try searching for ‘Macys coupon’ or a similar key phrase and see what comes up. Some intermediary websites make it easy for you by collating all this information in one place to help you save money.
Buy secondhand
A great way to find bargains on clothes is by shopping in thrift stores or on websites such as eBay. You might have to spend a bit more time searching in order to find the sort of item you want in the right size, but when you do, the savings can be huge. Just be careful of counterfeit goods when shopping this way – always read reviews for the website or individual seller, and check what the returns policy is before purchasing anything. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
Opt for quality
It might sound counterintuitive, but one way to save money on clothes in the long term is by spending more in the short term. Instead of opting for cheap, fast fashion items that fall apart after a few months, choose to spend a bit more on well-made pieces that you will be able to wear for years to come. Similarly, you can extend the life of all your clothes by taking good care of them (for instance, by following the washing instructions carefully) and mending them when they rip instead of immediately throwing them away and buying something new.
