How to Fill Your Closet For Less

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Did you know that the average American family spends $1700 on clothing each year!! (source) That’s roughly $425 spend on each person’s wardrobe a year!! That’s insane!! And the worst part is: we don’t realize it!!

How can we justify spending this much money on clothing that is going to be ripped, torn, stained, grown out of and thrown out? Honestly, we can’t.

With all the expenses that we have in our lives in this day and age, we cannot afford to be spending our money frivolously. With each top costing close to $20, and each pair of pants selling for even more, how can we keep buying and hoarding clothing?

Understand that you do not need 30 outfits, (the average amount of outfits that the American woman owns.) Having a flexible wardrobe that allows you to mix and match frequently is the best kind of wardrobe to have. It helps you keep a simple lifestyle while still being able to be a fashionable woman.

But with all the advertising in the world, it’s hard to avoid the temptation to buy clothing, and sometimes we just need it whether we want to buy it or not. So here are some tips on saving money when buying clothing for yourself and your family.

1 | Do Not Use a Credit Card

The number one tip I can give you when shopping for clothing, or things we desire is to not use a credit card! You’re probably wondering well, how come? Here’s why: Credit cards, although they break up large payments into smaller payments, they also encourage you to spend more (as there is usually a high spending limit), add interest to your payments, and trap you in a contract that could wreck you financially.

By using cash or a debit card you are able to keep yourself accountable for what you spend. (I highly recommend using cash even over a debit card because it is a physical form that you can watch diminish while a debit card gives you a credit card mindset.

2 | Think Before You Buy

Make sure that you can wear this piece of clothing with lots of tops or bottoms. It’s much better to have a few items that mix and match really well than have a ton of items that don’t go with anything.

One good tip if you can’t decide on what to buy is fill your cart with all the items you like, then try them all on. For those that don’t fit right or are immodest, put them back on the rack; there’s no need to waste your money on those. For the things that do fit, look at them in the mirror and ask yourself:

• Does it look good on me?
• Does it have any holes, rips, or stains? (When thrift shopping.)
• Is this something that will go with the clothing that I already have?
• Is this clothing made of material fit to meet its purpose? (i.e. will the sweater keep me warm, etc.)
• Is this something I can wear on more than one occasion, or on a weekly basis?
• Can I mix and match this with my wardrobe?
• Is this within my budget?

If you’re mainly answering yes to these questions than I would definitely get it. Having a good solid wardrobe is something that isn’t to be taken lightly.

3 | Be Thrifty

The best way to save on clothing is to shop at thrift stores; Goodwill, Salvation Army and local thrift stores are the best places to find good quality and budget friendly clothing. Garage sales are also a great place to get clothes and household items for a steal!

Sometimes buying used clothing can feel gross, but I feel that that is a mindset that has been created by society and sets us up for failure. By buying used clothing we’re not only saving money but we’re recycling clothes that would have otherwise ended up in a land-fill when they are still perfectly good. The best way to get through the mindset of used clothing being gross is to just wash your clothes again and again. Most of the clothes are already pre-shrunk so you don’t have to worry about them shrinking again. Wash them in hot water once or twice before wearing them and then there’s really no difference between new clothing and new-to-you clothing.

When buying clothing used you can cut your clothing costs in half. Being a thrifty wife is an extremely important characteristic to have.

Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. -Proverbs 11-12

Be sure to save your money where you can and be smart when spending. Clothing does not have to cost us thousands of dollars a year, we can beat the commercialism society with thrifty spending and saving.

What are your tips and tricks to saving when it comes to buying clothing? Leave a comment below.