Frugal Living

5 Money-Saving Tips on Clothes for the Whole Family

Maintaining a wardrobe can be pricey, especially when kids are involved. Between work attire, school clothes and apparel for everyday wear, these items can demand a big part of the household budget. That doesn’t even take into account clothes for special occasions, which can often be pricey.

Fortunately, you don’t have to dress in drab clothes with no style to save money. The following five strategies are designed to keep everyone in the family looking good, without blowing the entire budget on clothes.

1. Create a Capsule Wardrobe for Work

One way to cut expenses for new work clothing is to build what’s known as a capsule wardrobe, or a set of basic pieces that form a foundation for an entire wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe for men can include one black suit, one navy blue suit, two pairs of shoes, four dress shirts and three ties. For women, a capsule work wardrobe can consist of one black or dark blue suit, a white or cream blouse, black or navy blue pumps and a structured bag that doubles as a briefcase.

2. Go Closet Shopping to Save Money

The least expensive clothes are the ones already hanging in your closet. Thus, spending an afternoon closet shopping can lead to rediscovering little-worn pieces that still look great and fit well. At the same time, ill-fitting items or clothing in bad shape can get weeded out, leaving more room for new purchases. For instance, a pair of black slacks or jeans can be dressed up with a crisp blouse, or go casual with a plaid flannel shirt.

3. Shop Smarter through Technology

Back in the day, catching the best sales on clothing involved scouring newspapers for store advertisements. These days, however, websites like ShopItToMe.com scour the web for sales on clothing and apparel you’ve requested and then sends customized emails to you featuring some of the best deals. Some retailers also provide a way for shoppers to sign up for email or smartphone alerts on upcoming sales.

4. Uncover Smart Strategies for Kids’ Clothes

Shopping for kids’ clothing can be especially challenging, as young children seem to outgrow their clothes and shoes seemingly every week. At the same time, prices for children’s clothing — designer label clothing for kids is especially pricey — is often no less expensive than clothing for adults.

Of course, it doesn’t make sense to splurge on designer clothing that a child will only wear for a short time. But it’s also unnecessary to force kids to wear worn out hand-me-downs or ill-fitting shoes to save money. Check out retail sales, especially at the end of a season, to score bargains on in-style clothes. Buying some items, such as T-shirts one size larger, also allows for a little extra wear.

5. Splurge on Classics and a Few Trends

While it’s smart to save money by not buying pricey clothing, there are some items that are worth splurging on. For instance, a dependable winter coat may be expensive, but know that it will last for several seasons. It’s also worth the investment to purchase top quality shoes for work. Investing in one or two on-trend pieces each season will also keep wardrobes looking fresh.

Look Good without Breaking the Bank

Buying new work attire and school clothes for kids can put a real dent in any family’s budget. But creating a capsule work wardrobe, coordinating new pieces with existing items, and setting email and in-app alerts for upcoming sales makes it possible for the entire family to look good — even fast-growing kids — without breaking the bank.

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