Strolling through your local shopping mall, it may seem that staying on-trend can cost a pretty penny. While freshening up your wardrobe can be both a necessity and a treat, it doesn’t have to break the bank. Curious? Read on to see four of our favorite ways to save on apparel.
Thrifting: 21st Century Style
One of the most obvious answers to saving money on clothes is thrifting. But once you’ve scoured all the racks at your local secondhand store and the garage sales have packed up for the season, where can you turn? Luckily, with an abundance of online resources, you still have options.
Sites like eBay, thredUP, Twice and many others are goldmines for gently worn, high-quality clothing. You can filter by brand, size, style, color, price range – anything! You could even search for the exact shirt you passed up at the store last week. It’s a great way to find nice clothing at a fraction of the cost.
Sales + Coupons = More Savings
Sales are tricky things – designed to make us buy under the guise that we’re getting a good deal. This means we have to be careful when we’re scouting for savings to ensure we’re truly getting a fair price. One of the best ways to secure the best value on an item is to employ a grocery savings tip – combining sales with coupons.
Whether you’re shopping online or in-store, there’s almost always a coupon out there for a certain percentage off your order. When you use this in conjunction with a sale, you’ve got the perfect recipe for savings. When buying online, RetailMeNot is an excellent source of coupon codes, so always be sure to check before you skip the promo code box at checkout. Some brands even put codes on their social media pages or partner websites, so it’s helpful to click around a few different places before finalizing your order.
So, you’ve found something you’d like to buy, but you don’t want to keep checking for a sale on the reg – what should you do? Some retailers have built-in price tracking tools, but sites like Rack it Up will also do the grunt work for you. They’ll shoot you an email when your item is on sale, so it’s easier than ever to save on your wish list.
Spend More
When you’re trying to save money on clothes, spending more may sound like quite the contradiction. But, when you pay a little more initially for a high quality item, you’ll spend less in long-term replacements and repairs. Certain pieces, like jeans, tees and outerwear, are timeless basics that will always have a place in your wardrobe. A small price tag may make it tempting to purchase from a low-end retailer, but spending a little extra for a well-crafted item will truly pay off over time.
Capsule Wardrobe
Ever heard of a capsule wardrobe? It’s essentially a mix-and-match set of clothing that’s interchangeable to create a wide variety of outfits and looks. Capsule wardrobes are focused around a few main coordinating colors, which are often predominately neutral.
Building a capsule wardrobe can be an effective way to trim clothing expenses and reduce impulse buys. While it can have expensive startup costs, depending on what’s already in your closet, it’s another venture that may just pay for itself as you move forward. Get inspiration for your own capsule wardrobe here.
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