21 ideas to save money on clothes and fashion –
Introduction 👋
When it comes to your hard-won money, saving every penny counts! 💰
Here are our top 21 ideas for saving money on clothes and fashion.💃
Disclaimer: This website provides information for guidance and educational purposes only. The Grown-Up School does not provide regulated financial advice. You can seek independent financial advice from a suitably qualified and regulated professional advisor. Check out our disclaimer policy for more information.
1. Learn what “laundry labels” mean 👕
Have you ever noticed weird symbols on the tags for your clothes?
These are the instructions for washing and caring for your clothes! 👖
Learning what the care labels on clothes mean, can help you to:
- wash the clothes properly 🧽
- make the clothes last longer!⌛
2. Learn how to remove stains from your clothes 🍷
Learning how to remove stains from clothes can help you to avoid throwing clothes away, and can help to make them last longer! 🧼
3. Sell your old clothes🤳
With so many apps out there, it has never been easier to sell your clothes.
Before you buy new clothes, sell your old ones, to help earn money to pay for the new ones!
4. Look for quality clothes 🤌
Buying clothes that are good quality means that they won’t get ruined as easily, and hopefully last longer!
Look out for clothes that are:
- durable – clothes that won’t tear or break easily 💪
- keep their shape once you’ve washed them 👗
- have colours that won’t fade 🎨
- are comfortable to wear even after using them a lot 🧦
5. Only buy clothes that will fit easily into an outfit 🧩
Buying clothes that don’t match your existing clothes can make you end up having to buy more clothes that you don’t need, so that they can match! 💸
On top of this, if you buy clothes that are difficult to match, you could end up wasting money on clothes you hardly use! 🤷♀️
Buy clothes that fit into different outfits easily, to make the most of your money.
6. If you have children, consider buying bigger clothes 👶
If you’re a parent, consider buying larger clothes that your child can “grow into”, to help the clothes last longer! ⌛
7. Repair your clothes 🧵
Learning how to alter and repair your own clothes can be a really valuable skill that could save you a lot of money!
Next time your clothes rip or break, instead of buying new ones, why not have a go at fixing them? 🩹
8. Consider shopping in a different department 🏬
Did you know?
Men’s clothing can often be cheaper than women’s clothing, for the same item!
For example, t shirts are often cheaper in the “men’s section”. 🧔♂️
Check out other departments, to see if you can get a better deal on similar pieces of clothing! 👀
9. Upcycle your old clothes into different outfits 🪡
Want to refresh your wardrobe?
Why not upcycle your old clothes? ♻️
You could:
- Add embroidery e.g. sew flowers onto clothes 🧵
- Turn leftover fabric into scrunchies and hair accessories ✨
- Cut and sew clothes back to change their shape ✂️
- Paint designs onto your clothes 🧑🎨
- Turn one item of clothing into another e.g. dress into a t shirt, tshirt into a scarf 🔁
10. Clothes swap 🔁
Swapping clothes can be a cheap and easy way to refresh your wardrobe.
You could swap your clothes with:
- Friends 🧑🤝🧑
- Family 👪
- Local clothes swapping events 📆
- Clothes swapping apps 📱
11. Shop at cheaper clothes shops/off-brand shops 🏷️
You don’t have to buy super expensive designer clothes to get good quality. ✨
In fact there are plenty of much cheaper, off-brand shops that you can buy great clothes from.
It’s all about finding clothes that are:
- great quality
- not too expensive!
Whilst it’s great to find cheaper clothes, it can also be tempting to buy clothes just because they’re cheap. 🏷️
However, don’t get caught in the trap of buying low-quality cheap clothes! 🪤
If you buy low-quality clothes (that don’t last), you might end up spending more money in the long run. 🏃♀️
For example, imagine if you spent £25 on a cheap coat, but it was such low quality that you had to replace it with a new one every 6 months. 🧥
Over 5 years, you’d spend £250 on coats.
Imagine if you bought a high-quality coat for a bit more – say £70, and it lasted you for 5 years.
By spending a bit more to buy something high-quality, you’ve actually saved yourself £180 in the long run!
When shopping for clothes, it’s important to consider:
- Will the clothes I’m buying last – or am I going to be back here in 6 months buying this item again?
- Am I getting good quality for the price I’m paying (designer labels don’t guarantee good quality!)
Some clothes shops that are known for being a bit cheaper include:
- Supermarkets
- Primark (UK)
- Matalan (UK)
- Peacocks(UK)
12. Buy clothes from charity shops ♻️
Want to help charity, and get a great bargain at the same time? 🏷️
Charity shops are the place to go! 🛍️
Pro tip – charity shopping in “posh” areas might lead you to some great deals.
13. Learn how to iron clothes based on their fabric types ♨️
Learning how to iron clothes based on their fabric type can help you to:
- avoid burning them 🔥
- make your clothes last longer! ⏳
14. Buy cheaper, second-hand clothes 📱
There are tons of second-hand clothes apps/websites that you can use to buy preloved clothes more cheaply from someone else. ✌️
You can buy clothes second-hand from places like:
15. Avoid buying clothing “trends” 😎
Clothing trends can encourage you to spend a lot of money on different styles, which will be quickly out of style! 🪞
Try and buy clothes that you can wear comfortably, no matter what the trends are!
16. Shop out of season ☀️
Clothes tend to be on sale and cheaper if you buy them “off-season” e.g. buy winter clothes in the summer. ⛄
Plan ahead and buy your clothes out of season, ready for the next season! 🍂
17. Buy clothes that fit you 📏
It’s a good idea to make sure that your clothes will definitely fit you when you buy them. 👕
Even if you’re planning to lose or gain weight, buying clothes the wrong size means that you’re less likely to wear them!
18. Borrow or rent clothes that you only need to wear once🤵♀️
If you’ve got an exciting big event coming up, it can be tempting to splash out on a fancy new outfit. 🕺💃
BUT
Buying a whole new outfit could be a waste of money if you’re not going to use it for anything else!
Consider renting or borrowing outfits for occasions to save money! 💰
19. If you’re going to use an outfit a lot – it might be cheaper to buy an outfit instead of renting one 💰
On the other hand, if you’re going to use an outfit a lot, it might end up being more expensive to constantly rent outfits. 🔁
If you’re going to use an outfit a lot, you can weigh up the cost of buying one vs renting one! ⚖️
20. Only buy clothes that you need! 💸
Businesses will always try and tempt you with new clothes and fashion, even when you might not particularly need them. 🤷♀️
Decide how many outfits you need, and try and keep it at that number!
It’s very easy to waste money on impulse buys.
21. Save on haircuts ✂️
Consider saving trips to the barber/salon by:
- cutting your own hair 🪞
- letting trainee hairdressers cut your hair at a reduced cost 💇♀️
The money you could save adds up! 📈
Conclusion 👍
So that’s it!
Hopefully these 21 ideas have helped you on your way to saving money.
If you know any friends or family members who might benefit from these ideas, share this post with them!
Finally, don’t forget to check out our similar articles below!
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