It’s important to start tracking your expenses to figure out 1) where your money is going and 2) a rough idea of what you’ve spent in months and years past. This is the first step to figuring out how much to spend in any category of your budget. A budget should always be your first step in finding out how much “play money” you have to shop.
Almost always, start your clothes shopping at thrift stores, consignment shops, yard sales, and the like. There’s a simple reason for that – people with more money than sense tend to basically give away much of their stuff unused or barely used. When the kids get older, the rules change a bit. In fact, if you have multiple children, it is worth it to get well-made clothes for the oldest child because those items can easily be handed down from child to child.
Treat clothes shopping like grocery shopping. You don’t go to the grocery store without a list, but you’ll blindly walk into the mall, credit card in hand, swiping away. That is the wrong way to go about it. If you are going shopping for sneakers for example, search kohls promo codes online and be sure to shop with discounts to save money and stick to your budget. The next time you shop for clothes, make a list of what you need and stick to it.
Supply and demand affects prices, and that includes the cost of clothing, too. The best times to buy clothing are when they’re out of season so demand is low. People shop for winter coats when the temperatures begin to plunge. Smart shoppers wait until the worst of winter is over then scoop up outerwear at a substantial markdown. Come summer, stores will display colorful t-shirts at full price. Wait two or three months, though, and you can snap up three for the price of one.
Try renting clothes! If you’ve reached that period in your life where every one of your friends is getting married, and you’re stuck attending numerous formal events, your clothing budget can quickly be thrown out of whack. Renting clothes allows subscribers to rent out both formal and casual clothes based on a flat monthly fee.
There’s no point in setting a budget if you don’t stick to it. Be diligent about tracking what you spend on clothing and accessories. If you go over, try to pay yourself back by spending less in another area. This can mean that every day one week you do not stop to buy coffee because you bought the jeans you really didn’t need.
