How to Never Pay Full Price For Fashion | 10 Tips to Save Money on Clothes
Let me start with the bad news: Clothing stores know every trick in the book to swindle you out of money you don’t intend to spend.
>> They bombard you with Facebook ads displaying items you just browsed (to entice you to go back and buy).
>> Those “Suggestions For you” are really a gentle (or not so gentle) nudge to fill your cart with more stuff you don’t need.
>> Sales, Discounts, Bogo—these are a tricks. Retailers love to reel you in with one cheap item and have you leaving with 3 bags of everything you looked cute in.
We have a conundrum…
How can you enjoy that shopping high from those brand new OOTDs without getting robbed blind??
You beat them at their own game.
These 10 Tips on How to Save Money on Clothes are the secret to never paying full price for fashion…
AGAIN.
How to Save Money On Clothes – 10 Tips
#1. Don’t Turn Your Nose Up to Thrift Shops
Thrift shops get a bad rap.
They’re too often known for their super outdated, moth-ball scented clothing that you would only dare touch with a 4 ft. pole.
I get it. Some thrift stores are exactly as described.
But don’t fret. There are MUCH better options out there if you just do a little digging.
Search for thrift shops, consignment stores, and second-hand shops in your area (through yelp or google).
Head to their website and see if they have any rules and/or a selection process for people selling their clothes.
THESE are the stores you want to do your shopping at.
One of my local consignment stores requires me to wash my clothes before bringing them in to be sold, or they won’t sell them.
1 point for thrift shops.
They are also very selective: only accepting clothes they think will sell (paying special attention to brand, quality, wear, etc.)
So when I go in, I KNOW I’m only going to be looking at quality!
P.S. If you’re looking to increase your clothing budget, go through your closet and find items to sell! Some thrift shops will pay up to 50% of the price the piece is sold for!
#2. Take the Quick Stroll To Your Computer And Try Online Thrifting!
Now that you don’t hate thrift shops… I hope..
ONLINE/MOBILE thrift shops is where it’s really at!
Sure, lazily browsing around searching for that hidden gem in a regular thrift shop is great and all….
….but what if you could simply search for the exact fashion piece you’re looking for.
And be presented with HUNDREDS of choices!
Poshmark and Depop are an amazing place to find deals of a lifetime on every fashion/clothing piece you can think of!
Simply search by the brand or item type and be presented with countless options each with multiple pictures demonstrating their condition!
Pro-tip: Message the seller before buying. You can ask for more pictures and info on the product OR you can try and haggle the price 😉 The worst they can say is no.
And don’t worry, every seller has ratings and reviews so you can always be confident with your purchase.
Plus, both Poshmark and Depop have their own form of “protective assurance” to ensure you get what you pay for.
Personally, I like Poshmark a little more out of the two because there seems to be a bigger selection of “like-new” and “brand new” clothes.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to sell items, I would definitely recommend Depop as they take less of a “fee” for selling through them.
#3. Follow Fashion Bloggers On Their Instagram Stories!
Fashion bloggers are doing us a favor.
They go through our favorite online retailers daily to check for sales and discounted items!
Then, they share this with the world through their Instagram stories!
Some of my favorite bloggers to follow on Instagram are:
- @ashleeknichols
- @courtney_shields
- @laurenkaysims
- @thesisterstudioig
- @lipstickheelsandababy
#4. Check The Tag Before You Buy
Have you ever gotten home, ripped off the tags of your brand new T shirt only to find out that its dry clean only?
Yeah…. That’s never a happy experience.
Save yourself some money on dry cleaning expenses and check the tag before ringing up!
#5. Buy Your Clothes Out Of Season
While this save money on clothes tip isn’t always the most fun, it’s a big time money saver!
Who wants to buy a winter coat just as its starting to warm up?
No one.
That’s why retailers mark everything “winter related” down as soon as it the temperature starts to rise.
Take advantage and start buying your Winter clothes in the Summer and your Summer clothes in the Winter. (and get ready to save a ton)
#6. Don’t Overlook the Clearance Rack
When you first walk into a retail store, everything is laid out perfectly.
Every item of clothing is practically screaming your name to come over and try it on.
But then as you make your way to the deep, dark, back corner of the store you’ll find a few lone racks.
You know, those racks where there’s so much stuff on it you can barely shimmy your hand in to see what the clothes even looks like.
Well, my save-money-on-clothes tip is to…
Start shopping there!
Yes, I know, the clearance racks aren’t as pretty to look at, but don’t let that stop you!
Stores are constantly having to make room for new shipments which means tons of the clothes that were just out on display now live in the sales rack!
Next time you’re out shopping, make that journey to the back of the store and start saving money on your clothes!
#7. Abandon Your Cart
If you’re looking for surefire ways on how to save money on clothes, I wouldn’t necessarily start here…
But it doesn’t hurt to try!
Some online retailers, if they have your email, will give you a discount when you fill up your cart and then leave the site altogether.
They send you pretty pictures of your abandoned items pleading you to come back with the incentive of a 10-15% off.
I hope you enjoyed all these easy ways on how to save money on clothes!
Do you have any money saving tips when shopping for fashion items? Tell us about them in the comments below!
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About the author Evan Sutherland
Evan Sutherland, the CoFounder of BudgetingCouple.com, presents practical advice to overcoming the familiar stresses surrounding money and responsibilities. His aim is to offer people tools to cultivate more ease in life with simple habits, hacks, and truths.
Wow! I love this article. It is well written & has good tips. For sure going to hit up Ebay!!! I just started my blog with the goal to help people save money in practical easy to implement ways. I am so glad I came across your page!!!
Ebay is awesome! Definitely some hidden gems in there! Good luck with your blog! 🙂