How To Shop For Clothes And Save Money

Clothing costs can be a huge part of a household budget. And if you have multiple people in your household including growing kids it can be even more expensive.

So what can you do to cut down on your clothing costs other than not buying clothes? Here are 9 tips that can help.


(I am not a financial expert. All information is based on my own personal experience and research. This information is not meant to be financial advice and is just for educational purposes. This post includes some affiliate links. Should you click an affiliate link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. )

1. Take advantage of clearance sales

Depending on the store and the sale discount you may not save as much as you would another way.

For me, shopping clearance sales are really more of a convenience factor for me because I’m not really a fan of clothes shopping and I can shop online and stock up. I like to shop Kohl’s clearance sales and since I’m a card and rewards member I sometimes get an additional discount on the sales price.

2. Shop at discount stores

One of my favorite places to get good-looking tops, dresses, and purses at bank account-friendly prices is Ross. Probably half of the tops and dresses in my closet came from Ross. I’ve gotten Calvin Klein dresses for $20.

Other discount clothing stores that have good prices on clothing include Marshalls and TJ Maxx.

3. Shop the closets of family and friends

I don’t do this much anymore since pretty much none of my family and friends are my height or size but I did do it when I was younger. Sometimes my mother or aunt would have clothes that no longer fit them but fit me or clothes they realized were too young for them and they would give them to me.

4. Shop second hand

Places like Goodwill, Salvation Army, or consignment shops can be great places to find more expensive clothing items at greatly discounted prices. You just have to search for them. I know several people who have found high-end brand clothes and accessories at the Salvation Army for less than a fraction of the original price. A bonus is that these stores sometimes have their own sales like 50% off certain items.

Yard sales can be hit or miss depending on the neighborhood. I’ve found the best clothes can be found at yard sales in more upscale neighborhoods. You can find yard sales by searching on sites like Next Door or yardsales.com.

You can also find good second-hand clothing at discounted prices on sites like eBay.