How to save money on clothing

Many of us are trying to cut back on our spending at the moment. Covid-19 had a huge impact on our finances and for some people, the last twelve months of lockdown and restrictions have meant a big cut in our income. But we still need to find the money to pay for essentials such as food, heating, a roof over our heads and clothing.

OK, so many of us adults will just put up with what we’ve got whilst money is tight, but children grow so quickly that they regularly need new clothes. And even the most savvy and careful of us grown ups will need to buy new clothes at some point – things just aren’t built to last in the same way they once were.

So, if money is particularly tight at the moment, what can you do to cut back on the costs of clothing?

Shop the sales

If you can plan in advance, then you can find some great bargains in the sales. Often, clothes shops will hold sales at the end of the season so that they can clear their rails ready for the new season’s stock. It’s always a good idea to buy a size up at this time for the children so that they will have new clothes when the season comes round again.

Many shops also hold sales in order to clear old stock ready for new ranges – this is particularly true for items such as women’s underwear where new lines are constantly coming in.

Shop secondhand

Not only will you save money by shopping secondhand, but you will also be helping out the planet too.

There are lots of ways you can find great deals on secondhand clothes that are still in really good condition.

eBay

One of my favourite ways to buy secondhand clothes is by shopping on eBay. I love to use eBay to buy secondhand designer items that I could never justify buying at full price.

With eBay, you can clearly see the quality of the item, and if you do have any problems once your goods arrive, then it’s really easy to get the problem cleared up through eBay dispute system.

Charity shops

Charity shops are great places for finding all kinds of secondhand items, but I find them particularly good for finding clothes for the kids. The great thing with charity shops is that you can often find some really great quality items priced at incredibly low prices. And, you also have the benefit of knowing that you’re helping out a charity too.

Hand me downs

If you have older children, then it’s always a good idea to store away clothes as they outgrow them so that your younger children can get some use out of them too. I have done this with my eldest son who is now 14 and my 5 year old son is now getting some use out of his older brother’s clothes. Some things won’t be worth saving, I’ve found that both my boys always go through the knees in their trousers, but I’ve got plenty of fleeces, coats and even some shoes and boots that I’ve managed to keep hold of.

So, there are a few things you can do to cut back to costs when buying clothes for those times when things are really so badly worn that you can’t get away with making do and mending.