Did you know that U.S. adults spend over $200 monthly on clothing alone?
While clothes are a basic human need, you don’t have to break the bank to dress stylishly and decently. Often, people are victims of impulse buying. Without caution, you may find yourself spending excessively on new outfits.
In this article, we shall discuss some methods of doing clothes shopping on a budget. Let’s get into it!
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Go Shopping without Your Credit Cards
Credit cards are a huge contributing factor to impulse buying. This is because they offer easy and immediate access to large amounts of money. You can buy yourself those wading boots you were always looking for! However, you need to be absolutely certain that you truly need them and plan on using them in the near future, otherwise it is a waste.
Credit card spending comes with some level of monetary detachment. It’s no wonder that 90 percent of Americans are impulse buyers. Many businesses leverage this dissociation of credit card spending with money to influence shopping habits.
You can talk about casinos and carnivals using chips and tokens so that people won’t feel the pinch of the amount they’re spending.
After you make your shopping list, ensure that you only carry enough cash for those items. Shopping with a little amount of money at hand is the easiest way to prevent impulse buying.
Try Shopping in a Thrift Store
It always seems hard to balance the desire to reduce your spending on clothes and the insatiable need to look good. But have you ever tried shopping for clothes in thrift stores?
If not, you’re missing out big time.
Thrift stores are increasingly becoming popular among millennials as one can find quality second-hand clothes at low prices.
Also, items at thrift stores don’t come in pairs. If you’re the kind of person that dreads meeting someone in a sweater similar to yours, thrift stores are the perfect place to shop.
Thrifting is also good for the environment. Production of synthetic fibers requires a lot of energy and produces toxic gases and harmful chemicals.
As more people embrace thrift stores, fewer new clothes will need to be produced thus protecting our environment.
Thrift stores aren’t only for clothes; you can find quality and comfortable shoes as well.
Make the 75% Rule Your Shopping Mantra for Clothes Shopping on a Budget
Adopting the 75 percent rule means you’ll only be buying clothes marked down to at least 75 percent. By doing so, you will narrow down your selection and automatically make buying clothes harder, which is the objective.
This strategy will train you to avoid certain sections of the store, which might have expensive pieces that might pique your interest.
To get even more savings, use a coupon for the purchase. This rule also applies when shopping online.
Stay Clear of Flash Sales
Getting 50 percent off on an outfit you have eyed for weeks is excellent. However, flash sales trigger impulse buying, which is the most significant cause of overspending. There are always sales on boxing shoes for example, however some of them are really bad quality and will not last more than a few fights before they rip wide open!
Once you go for that outfit, you might also see a shoe, hat, or scarf that would also look good with it. Instead of just buying that outfit, you’ll end up buying a whole collection.
Businesses organize flash sales because they shift the consumers focus from spending to saving. Though all the items will be at 50 percent off, the total amount you spend will exceed what you were comfortable spending initially.
Embrace the Two Outfit Rule
Most shopping decisions for clothes are not pre-meditated. Therefore, they’re often illogical. A good number of people will choose a piece of attire only because it looks good rather than it being complementary to their wardrobe.
This is where the two outfit rule comes in. Before you make the purchase, make sure that the garment you have selected will go well with two outfits in your closet.
If not, leave it. This will help you save on purchases that you will end up not wearing.
Alternatively, you can also get rid of items in your closet before buying new ones. Many people often complain of not having anything to wear while their closets are full.
By going back to create space, you’ll be able to assess your options and monitor your buying habits.
Buy Timeless Pieces and Avoid Trends
As you buy clothes, try to pick out timeless pieces like these.
Before making a purchase, ask yourself how long into the future can you wear that piece and still feel stylish and confident. Only add those that you can wear for days to come to your cart.
By creating such a clothes selection, you’ll never require an overhaul of your closet to remain fashionable.
Related: Best Indoor Soccer Shoes
While you are at it, steer clear of trendy clothes. Such attire will quickly fall out of taste and will soon need to be replaced. Keeping up with trends requires regular purchases of items you will not wear for too long.
Don’t Take the Free Shipping Bait
To increase the volume of sales, companies are now using the free shipping bait. Genuine free shipping for all sorts of purchases is excellent.
However, there is free shipping meant to bait you. This is when free delivery only applies to products that reach a certain minimum amount.
Such deals are very appealing and may seem like a great way of getting more at a lower cost. The problem is that they tend to drive you towards making unplanned purchases so that you can reach the threshold.
Only use such deals when the items you had planned to buy will reach that required minimum.
Say No to Impulse Buying
It’s not a crime to want to look good, but you have to take control of your purchasing decisions.
The first step towards succeeding at clothes shopping on a budget is to stop making impulsive purchases. It’s also important to select pieces that will complement your existing wardrobe.
Just because you’re trying to cut costs, it doesn’t mean you have to compromise on style and quality. Check out our post for tips on where to shop for great shoes on a budget!