Since spring is just around the corner and with it come shopping trips for warm weather clothes, I thought now would be a good time to answer the following question. Brittany asks:
"I'd be interested in a post on how to stay in style on a budget. With 2 kids and one on the way, a lot of times I think of how I need to spend money on the kids and not me, etc."I'm glad I'm not the only one with a teeny clothing budget and a desire (guilt complex?) to spend any clothing money that comes my way on adorable duds for my little ones. So let's get real -- how DO you buy the clothes you love on a budget? Here are a few of my favorite tips (for more, go back to this post).
Work with & negotiate your budget: If there's a particular garment that you need or would love to have, figure out if there are budget categories you can cut back on for a month or so (for example, your grocery budget: plan cheap meals for a month, if it's cool with your husband/roommates) and then use the leftover money for that piece you want.
Stalk the stores you love and the pieces you love: Sign up for your favorite stores' sales emails, get familiar with their sale rhythms (i.e. Old Navy is bound to have some kind of online discount code on every. single. obscure. holiday.), and do online and in-store research before you purchase. I pin things that I'm interested in onto my style board on Pinterest -- it reminds me to go back and check in a few weeks to see if a certain piece went on sale or into clearance.
Use discount codes: As mentioned in my Christmas shopping post, always search for a possible discount code or coupon before you buy online or go to a store. It's as simple as going to Google and typing in "*store name* discount code" or "*store name* coupon." My favorite online coupon code sites are RetailMeNot, Dealigg, and DealsPlus. All three of these typically offer reliable coupon codes for many popular retailers. A quick search like this can save you $5-$10, or even shipping costs. You can also follow blogs that post coupon codes or deals, and liking the Facebook pages of your favorite stores can help ensure you're up to date on any promotions they're running.
Use ShopStyle / Google search: ShopStyle is amazing because it allows you to search online retailers across the board for a specific item, while specifying color & price range. If you're not brand-loyal, this is a great option. In addition, sometimes a basic Google search (using their shopping tab) can be really helpful. The vendors that pop up can be a little obscure, but they oftentimes will carry something similar to a more expensive piece for a lot less.
Shop at cheap chic / thrift / discount stores: Whether you score on things for you or your kids at these types of places, the money you save can then be spent on one or the other of you somewhere else. That's why I'm always talking about shopping places like Forever 21, H&M, and Old Navy -- for trendier items and basics, you can't beat their prices (of course, if you're going for quality and longevity, that's a whole other ball game). Goodwill can also be a treasure trove, depending on what you're looking for, or you can always try places like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, or Ross. (See this series of posts from last fall on shopping at thrift stores for more tips & tricks.) Just resist the urge to buy things just because they're cheap -- stick to what you're really looking for!
Organize a clothing swap with friends: Last year, a small group of friends and I were all working on cleaning out our closets for one reason or another, so we all pooled our cast offs and traded! I scored some cute blazers (thanks to my office-working friends), a silk tank, a J.Crew tee I'd wanted for forever, and some fun jewelry, all for the low, low cost of cleaning out my closet and hanging out with my buddies. I highly recommend doing this, especially with friends who are as enthusiastic about it as you are and won't just throw in their high-school cast offs to trade (haha).
Make a list of things you'd like to find, and send it to me! I'd love to help you search for those elusive pieces.
Here's the thing: I also have a lot of amazing, penny-pinching, money-saving, coupon-clipping, discount diva friends who, I'm sure, have some awesome tips for staying fashionable while still having to pay for kids. So, you lovely friends! Can you let us in on your secrets in the comments section?
I'm not the best bargain-hunter I know, but I do have a rule that I will never pay full price for anything. Here are a few of my tips:
ReplyDelete1. Sign up for a Gap credit card. You can use it at Gap/Old Navy/Banana Repulic/Piperlime AND cardholders often get a better discount during a sale. Additionally you get rewards certificates that are basically gift certificates you can spend in the store. I pay mine off at the end of every month to avoid interest charges.
2. Make a list of your top wants/needs each new season. It's your list so you can always change/add to it, but I find the list keeps me from wasting my money on things I'll regret later.
3. Buy seasonal items toward the end of the season. This takes a lot of patience BUT pays off. You can get really high quality clothing for the price you would have paid for a knock-off at the beginning of the season.
4. Know what days your favorite stores mark down their merchandise. Also know when they tend to have a really big seasonal sale. I read online that the two biggest mark-down times of the year are after Christmas and at the end of June. But you can also get great deals over Thanksgiving and Memorial Day. I tend to delay purchases until one of those big sale times arrives if at all possible.
5. Here's one I don't take advantage of enough: if you're ordering online, use Ebates. (Sign up at ebates.com.) If you have an account with them and purchase through one of their affiliate links, you get cashback at the rate of 2-8% depending on the store. They will actually mail you a check that you can deposit in your bank account!
6. Don't buy anything you don't love. Also, don't buy anything that doesn't fit well unless you know you can alter it or have it tailored for a reasonable price.
Thanks for sharing all of this, Michelle! I love these tips!
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