Shopping and updating your wardrobe can be so fun, but also stressful if you’re on a budget. So, we’re here to give you a few really simple tips to help you bring your wardrobe to life without spending a fortune. No matter your budget for this, we will help you find some of your new favourite pieces whilst saving some money! From the “30 Wears” rule to shopping second hand and selling your clothes, we’ve got everything covered.
Pay In Cash
The first thing you should do if you struggle to control your spending when you’re out shopping is to only take cash. Say you have £100 to spend on your new clothes and nothing more, it can be so easy when you’re paying by card to just think about the consequences of your purchase later. However, paying in cash is a great solution, as you won’t spend more than what you have and you will consider each purchase much more. If you have good will power then this won’t be necessary, but it’s a simple hack that can really help you to save money on your shopping trips if you need it.
Use The “30 Wears” Rule
Another thing you can do when shopping is to use the “30 Wears” rule. This involves asking yourself whether or not you will wear something at least 30 times, and if the answer is no, then you shouldn’t be making the purchase. This will help you to make sure you are spending your money on things that you absolutely need, as opposed to falling for current trends that certainly won’t help you to utilise your budget long term. Things like good quality blazers, simple white dresses, good quality seamless leggings, nice cosy tracksuits and classic tees all make great wardrobe staples that you know you will wear over and over. So, this is all about shopping for staple items that you know you will wear and love for years to come, and not only will this help you to cut down on your spending short term, but it will also mean that you can wear and love your clothes for so much longer.
Buy Second Hand
Our next tip that will help you to get so much more for your money is to buy second hand. When you either buy on second websites or you go to actual thrift stores, then you will be able to get so much more for your money. You can buy great quality pieces, like really nice denim or silk, for a fraction of the price that you would buying new. Or, you can find really cheap essentials and get so much more for your money than you would get on the highstreet, as well as being able to buy better quality. This also means that your clothes will last longer, which will save you money in the long run. Before buying new, make sure that you give charity shops, thrift shops or second hand apps like Vinted or Depop a chance, as you’d be surprised at how much you can get!
Look For Discount Codes
Something so simple that you should always do before making a purchase is to look for discount codes. Before you purchase, simply search online for the brand name followed by “Discount Codes” or “Coupons”, and you’d often be surprised at what might come up. Even if it’s free delivery or a percentage discount, it’s absolutely worth checking beforehand. You should also have a look through their social media accounts to see if there are any influencers working with them who have any discount codes to share. There are also quite a few different schemes around where you can donate a bag of clothing then get a voucher from a clothing company. Some big brands are now doing this initiative, so it’s always worth having a look before you commit to buying something full price. Often it will involve free shipping to a charity as well, so it won’t cost anything and it will be helping someone!
There are also apps that you can download to your browser that automatically search hundreds or thousands of coupon and discount websites, find the best one and apply it to your basket! This is a great hack that requires no effort on your part and can make a big difference when it comes to how much your shopping will cost, so make sure to give it a try and it will become a new habit of yours in no time!
Sell Existing Clothes
Last but not least, one way to make your shopping partly or completely free is to sell your existing clothes! We don’t mean all of them of course, but if there are any pieces of clothing that don’t fit you properly anymore, don’t make you feel amazing, don’t give you confidence or those that you don’t wear often, then you can put them up for sale on second hand websites like Depop or Vinted. Even if you’ve got an old piece of clothing you don’t think anyone would buy, you’d be so surprised, so put everything on there and see how you get on. Have a quick search to find out how much other similar items are selling for to make sure that you remain competitive in terms of pricing and you’ll be good to go! This will give you much more disposable income that you can then use to reinvest back into your wardrobe.
Have A Clothes Swap With Friends
If you’re thinking that you want to find a way to update your wardrobe whilst saving money, some of your friends probably are too! So, you should all put together a bag of the clothes you want to get rid of, then arrange a day when you get together at one of your houses, each lay out the clothes you’ve got and then go round and have a look at what the others have bought to find some new pieces! Your clothes get passed on to someone you know will look after them, and you can get some new items for completely free. If your friends and you are slightly different sizes, it could still work to swap one size fits all clothes or oversized fits. You could also bring accessories too, to add something unique to the occasion! Get some drinks and snacks together, then have a good time trying on some of your new pieces. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure afterall, so you never know which pieces your friends might fall in love with that you don’t enjoy wearing anymore.