8 Money Saving Clothes Shopping Hacks

When it comes to clothes shopping, not wasting money is just as important as finding that special bargain.

Too often we purchase things we don’t need, never wear or are expensive to maintain.

Smart clothes shopping starts with a plan for your wardrobe as a whole and also takes into consideration the cost of owning each item.

Clothes shopping hacks

Need some quick tips for making the most of your clothes shopping dollars? Read on and I promise you, these tips will ensure every dollar is well spent.

  1. Cost of ownership
  2. Buying multiples too soon
  3. Shop the edges of the store
  4. Rule of three
  5. Make your wardrobe foundation items boring
  6. Spend some time and money on maintenance
  7. Make a plan before making purchases
  8. Don’t buy for your fantasy life.

Cost of Ownership

Ever bought a beautiful silk blouse that was an absolute bargain only to end up spending many times the purchase price getting it dry cleaned? Yep. Me, too.

And, it’s not just dry cleaning costs.

Consider the time it takes to hand wash delicate fabrics or fiddling around with items that need to be dried flat. Your time is a cost, too.

So, before heading to the counter with your potential new item of clothing, check the washing instructions tag. Look for the tag on an inside side seam.

Clothes - Washing Instruction Symbols Explained

From Visually.

Buying multiples too soon

I’m a firm believer in buying multiples of clothes (or shoes) you love and fit perfectly.

The thing is though, you really can’t know if the clothing item fits those criteria until you’ve worn it a few times.

Don’t be tempted to buy multiples because you love the item while it’s on the hanger. Wait. Wear it first. Wash it. And only after you’re sure it’s a winner, go back and buy it in every color.

Otherwise, you could end up with a bunch of clothing you never wear and are too embarrassed to take back to the store.

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Shop the edges of the store

Clothing stores can be a lot like grocery stores; the expensive stuff is in the middle.

When you go into a clothing store make sure you skirt the edges first to see where the markdowns (and potential treasures) are hiding.

Then, check out the full priced, latest arrivals that are deliberately put front and center in the store.

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Rule of three

What’s the rule of three? If you’re tempted to buy an item of clothing ask yourself if it goes with anything else currently in your wardrobe.

If you can think of three separate items you can wear it with, you’re probably going to get good value from the purchase.

This is where the next idea really comes in handy.

Make your wardrobe foundation items boring

It’s easy to believe that clothing in basic black, navy or neutral colors are boring.

Meaning, you’ll become bored with your wardrobe options and tempted to make ill-thought-out, spur of the moment purchases just to inject a little excitement into your clothing choices.

But, the truth is, you can build a solid color foundation wardrobe that goes with anything and everything.

This solid foundation makes the ‘Rule of Three’ a snap to apply, too.

And, you can add real personality to your outfit using key pieces like colorful scarves, blazers, shoes and knitwear.

Spend some time and money on maintenance

Make sure your money is well spent by making sure you maintain your purchases.

If you’re buying an expensive pair of leather shoes, and they are comfortable and look good, make sure they stay that way by keeping them polished and getting them re-soled and re-heeled as necessary.

A well-made pair of shoes that are well-maintained can last many years.

The same goes for the simple things like replacing a missing button or stitching a split seam.

If you leave these tasks until some other time, the money you spent from your clothes budget will end up shoved in a corner or at the bottom of the drawer.

Make a plan before making purchases

Choosing to buy multiples of an awesome t-shirt is different to buying multiples of similar looking t-shirts – accidentally.

If you’re going clothes shopping, make sure you go with a plan:

  • What do you need?
  • Does it need to match a specific outfit?
  • What colors are appropriate?
  • How much do you have to spend?

Clothes shopping can be both time consuming and expensive. Make sure you’re getting the best value for your time and money.

Don’t buy for your fantasy life

Believe me, buying that smaller pair of jeans will not work as motivation to lose weight. It’ll just create feelings of guilt where they might not have already existed.

The same goes for buying that incredibly sophisticated (and expensive) suit you’ll wear when you finally get that promotion to the corner office.

If you have to invent places or circumstances where you can wear those clothes you’re itching to buy, chances are you’re wasting your money.

Other posts you might enjoy:

Being frugal and saving your money doesn’t mean you need to deprive yourself of the things that make life enjoyable. You can still have an attractive wardrobe without spending a fortune.

Plan ahead and buy wisely and you’ll always look (and feel) amazing!

What are your tips for saving money on clothes?


Build a Life you Love

The absolute driving force behind my online endeavours is to establish and maintain a life I love. A life that allows me to spend my days the way I want to spend them.

After a short stint back in the corporate world, I’m more committed than ever to spend my days doing things that bring me joy and add real value to others’ lives.

Blogging – Learn how to start your own blog or business web site. Once you get started, there’s almost no limit to what you can achieve for yourself. But, the first step is establishing your foundation and that has to be a self-hosted site. If you’re just testing the waters, I recommend Bluehost as a cost-effective way to get started.

Online Store / eCommerce – Along with this and some of my other blogs, I have another business that includes an Etsy store and a Shopify store. Whether you’re selling stock you’ve purchased, dropshipping or selling your own handmade products, eCommerce is a great way to start an online business in your spare time. Shopify is a great platform to use as it’s intuitive and has lots of help available if you get stuck, and they have a ton of plugins to make it easy to get all of the features you want.

Managing your Money – The framework for everything in life and business is good money management. Keep coming back to our site for more helpful tips, but if you are doing some shopping and want cash back, check out Rakuten (formerly eBates).


Last Updated: May 2019

Image: Unsplash

Disclosure: The post contains affiliate links.