Tips to Help You Save Money on Clothes and Still Look Great

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American spends upwards of $2000 per year on clothing. That’s more than $160 a month. Any way you look at it, that’s a sizable amount of anyone’s income. Still, as Mark Twain once said “Naked people have little or no influence on society”, and we can’t walk around without any clothes.

So the question becomes, “How do we buy the clothes we want and need, without breaking the bank”? Well, it’s easier than you may think. Payday loans could offer the finances you need to replace those worn items and bulk up your wardrobe. All it takes is some creative shopping, and a commitment to keep the clothing budget under control. Here are a few simple tips to help you save money on clothes, and look great while you count your money.

Treat Your Old Clothes With Care

The first step to saving money on clothes, is to take care of the clothes you have. Most people do the majority of their clothes shopping when they need to replace old or worn out clothing. Washing your clothes on the gentle cycle, and hanging them to dry on a line, will reduce the wear and tear and make them last longer. Delicate items should be washed by hand to reduce wear and possible shrinkage. Simply taking care of the clothes you have will reduce the need to buy more.

Shop Seasonal Clearance Sales

Clearance sales, both online and in the real world, offer great money saving opportunities for the watchful shopper. Of course, you have to learn to plan your clothes shopping accordingly. For instance, when department stores put out their spring fashions, they typically slash the prices on their winter stock. This is the time to stock up on the winter clothes you need. While they may sit in the closet until next year, you will be able to get all of your winter fashions at a significant discount.

Buy Generic Brands

Most department stores have at least one or two house labels that they offer as money saving alternatives to the national designer brands. These are usually significantly less expensive than the name brands, and typically of comparable quality. While you may not want to shop generic for all of your clothing needs, you should consider the house labels when buying common items like t-shirts, tank tops, sweat pants and pajamas.

Hit the Thrift Stores

People are often surprised by what they can find in thrift stores. Gently used clothing can be found at ridiculous savings, and most thrift stores have items to suit the whole family. You may not find the trendiest vintage items at thrift stores anymore (those days are sadly long gone), but you can still find perfectly good designer clothes at prices that will keep your wallet and closet happy.

Don’t Buy What You Don’t Need

This tip is obvious but it bears repeating, especially since most of us are not tracking personal finances meticulously. Just because something is on sale, that doesn’t mean it is a great deal. If it is a coat that you never end up wearing, you have just wasted a lot of money. If you are looking at a pair of designer jeans as a reward for when you finish your diet, don’t buy them. By the time you can fit into them you may well have changed your mind, or simply hate they way they look. If you want a new dress for a party or special occasion, but you are likely to only wear it once, don’t buy it. Find something suitable that you can borrow from a friend, or re-purpose an old dress that has been languishing in your closet.

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