12 Tips For Saving Money On Clothes

If  it’s not food or gas, us college students probably can’t afford it. So what do you do if you love buying clothes but don’t have the budget?

1. Check out your local thrift stores. There are Salvation Army stores and Goodwill stores nearly everywhere – but also check out small local shops. I’ve found some of the best deals at the small shops that benefit shelters (for people or animals), churches, and hospitals. They usually have lower prices and a wider variety of product than the big stores.
2. Consignment shops are a great place to look for in-style clothes (rather than basics, vintage, and fun stuff). Check out national chains (like Plato’s Closet) and local versions. If you like designer or name-brand style, you’ll find consistent deals here. I found brand-new (with the tags) Hollister jeans for $5 at a consignment shop.
3. Browse your local Craigslist. There is a section just for clothes! It will take time to find your sizes and styles, but the stuff is cheap.
4. Join Freecycle in your city. Search on Yahoo Groups or Google Groups for your city + freecycle. People are always giving away clothes, customer jewelry, shoes, and non-clothing items!
5. Check out the sales and clearance racks at your favorite stores. Sure, the stuff is a few months old, but it’s a deal! (Warning: if you can’t resist deals even if you don’t like the clothes, don’t shop sales racks!)
6. Think about you need for different seasons. Shop ahead — shop for your next winter coat in April, for example, and get your next swimsuit in September. What you’ll lose in selection, you’ll make up in money saved.
7. Don’t buy new (or new-to-you) clothes at all. Instead, buy new accessories and continue to use your basic wardrobe. Spending a few bucks on earrings and headbands gets you a lot more new items than spending the same amount at the mall!
8. Go to outlet stores for designer clothes.
9. Swap your threads at SwapStyle.
10. Organize a swap in your dorm or with friends.
11. Patron garage and yard sales.
12. Go to junk sales like church rummage sales and flea markets. Don’t be afraid to haggle and watch out for designer knockoffs!

I hope these tips help you out! If you have any that I missed, post a comment!