Clothing Money Saving Tips, Ideas and Advice on How to Reduce Your Clothes Budget

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CLOTHING, JEWELRY & TOYS

CLOTHING, JEWELRY & TOYS MONEY SAVING & BUDGETING TIPS

Buying Only What You Need

When To Shop

Where To Shop

Getting The Best Price

Buying Only What You Need

When it comes to clothing, jewelry and toys, most people often buy way more than they need. Just look in your closets to see how much you have purchased that you really did not need or want after all. Your annual budget can be helped considerably by making every effort to only buy what is really necessary, and forego most all of the other purchases that add up to be real budget busters.

1. Establish a budget for clothing, jewelry and toys and stick to it. Actually, since most people do restrict spending on these items somewhat, they have already established a budget. It just is not very defined or constrained.

a. The trick is to sit down, decide how much money is enough for these items during the course of a year, pace yourself during the year and make sure to follow one rule: “”Do not go over budget.”

b. Make sure your kids, when old enough, also have a budget they need to follow. When they understand that those $150 athletic shoes will prevent them from having something else, often the $30 shoes will do just fine. And when they figure out that those jeans that they just ruined will not get replaced until next year they might just be a bit more careful.

c. Just make a commitment to do with less. Most of us do not use, do not need or really do not want much of the “stuff” we have.

2. Do not impulse buy. Given the nature of clothes, jewelry and toys, resisting a particular purchase is a difficult thing to do. But make sure you do it.

a. Resist buying the latest trend or fad. Trends and fads are just that: “Short-lived ideas that will not get long-term use.” Most trends will be out-of-fashion well before you get your money’s worth out of your purchase. This is also true of many toys, as well as some jewelry. If your purchase is unlikely to get used over the long-term, it is probably something your budget cannot afford.

b. For the most part, buy only for replacement. This is actually an easy rule to follow, with a little commitment. If your new purchase is not replacing an item that will never be used again (because it is worn or no longer wanted) then do not make the new purchase. If you are not willing to discard (or give away or sell) an old item of equivalent use, and expect to continue to use the old item, you most likely do not need the new purchase. It may be nice to have, but it is not necessary. How many pairs of shoes do you really need?

3. Get the most value out of your purchases as possible. Buy smart and use smart to save.

a. When it comes to clothes, jewelry and even toys, buying items that you can mix and match and that are dual-purpose will stretch your budget further. For instance, instead of buying four total outfits, try buying eight separate pieces that can all be mixed and matched. Stay with neutral colors and add additional color with accessories. Instead of four different outfits you will have well in excess of ten.

b. Buy dual-purpose clothing and jewelry. If it can be worn at both the office and at different types of social occasions, the purchase will be much more practical than a suit or dress that is single use.

c. Buy wash and wear clothing, rather than clothes that require dry cleaning. You may have a little more wash and ironing to do, but the excessive cost of dry cleaning will be mostly eliminated, not to mention the wear and tear many dry cleaners cause to your clothing.

d. Prolong the life of your clothing and even toys by careful use. Try not to abuse your belongings since the only alternative is either to do without or break your budget. Neither alternative is desirable.

e. New clothing is nice, but try wear it only when it makes sense, in order to make it last longer. If you are going out to a nice function, dress nicely. If you are sitting around the house, or going someplace or participating in an activity where your clothes may get worn or soiled, make sure you wear some older clothes that have a shorter life left. Let your child wear the new outfit to school, but make sure they change when they get home. Try to slow down the natural “aging” and “life cycle” process that most clothing goes through.

f. Try not to buy a lot of clothing, toys and jewelry that will receive only limited use. When your kids are in their growth stages, try to restrict clothing purchases. Have them make do with a few outfits. You will probably be buying all new outfits in no more than a few months. Same goes for many toys and jewelry. How many expensive toys or pieces of jewelry do you have that rarely get used. Not only do kids quickly tire of toys, they quickly outgrow many of them. Same for adults and jewelry. So, limit your purchases. Specialty clothes, like maternity outfits, are another area where a little temporary sacrifice can save on clothes that may only be worn over a short period of time.