Are you tight on cash? Looking to scrimp and save to pay off those loans?
Maybe looking to save up some extra money for a trip?
Here are 17 amazing ways that you can save money on clothes and home goods for the whole family.
A company that analyses credit card payments estimated that an average American spent more than $1500 on clothes annually.
Note that it doesn’t take into account people who use cash. That number is enormous!
If you take a minute to reflect on the amount of money you spend on impulsive shopping and branded clothes, you’ll realize that such a large amount of money could be used in several other ways. Nowadays it’s even easier with 1-click purchasing on Amazon and other sites that you could be buying more than what you really need.
When it comes to online shopping sometimes I’ll add an item to the cart and leave it there for a couple days. If it’s something useful and necessary, I’ll usually think about it a couple times and realize that yes it is something I need.
Otherwise if it doesn’t even come up and you completely forget about adding it in your cart, just go back and delete it or maybe save it for later.
In this blog post, we’ll explore 17 different ways you and your family can save money on clothing and home goods.
As Black Friday, Christmas, and Boxing Day is just around the corner, now is the time to be frugal and save as much money to overcome your debt traps. Make efficient investments rather than spending on unnecessary items.
Direct your creativity in a way that helps you and your family to save money while doing something that gives you joy.
So, without further ado, let’s look at some of the ways through which you can save on clothes and home accessories.
Saving Money On Clothes
1. Sell What You Don’t Wear
Whether it be just plain hoarding or a piece of clothing that has sentimental value. It’s a common problem among the masses. We like keeping stuff simply because we are afraid to let them go. If you open your wardrobe, you would find a dozen things that you probably have not worn in ages.
Yet, you let them stay in your closet, catching dust and taking space.
Use the 365-day rule. Sell anything that you haven’t worn for a year. Check out a consignment shop which gives you a good portion of the profit, and sell off things that you don’t wear. Do this with your kids clothes too.
2. Be Thrifty
Thrift stores offer a great deal to buy valuable items for much lower than their original price. These are sometimes used clothes or even clothes with minor stitching errors that are put up on display for a lower price.
Even shoes or heels that you may only wear a few times, you’re definitely going to find a deal.
Sometimes these prices even go down by 50% off, so you are bound to find something useful.
Thrift stores, mom-to-mom sales, Craigslist, and Kijiji are all amazing options to be buying clothes at.
Especially kids clothes! I personally cannot justify the cost of buying brand new clothes for my kids when they’re going to grow out of them in a couple months and I can usually buy them in almost new condition at a quarter of the price.
Yes for birthdays and special occasions they’ll usually get new clothing but otherwise almost all of their clothes are second hand and amazing.
Take for example if one of your girlfriends is done having kids and has a bunch of extra baby / kid clothes lying around. Don’t be shy about asking to borrow them or buy them off of her.
3. Clip Those Coupons
There are tons of sites and apps that, for a very reasonable price, give you coupons. You can use these coupons to get amazing deals like buy 1 get 1 free and other sale options.
You can even look at voucher codes that might offer some sort of discount on loyalty cards or a debit card of a certain bank.
4. Sale-what!?
Use the out of season sales to your advantage. These are the sales retailers put on items that are out of season. For example, leather jackets might be priced considerably lower in the summers because there is no demand for warm clothes in the hot weather.
The retailers usually put such stock on clearance, offering affordable prices so that they can sell their left-over stocks.
One thing not to buy with out of season is winter boots for kids. You never know what their size will be by the time winter comes rolling around.
5. Redesign Your Old Clothes
If you are confident with scissors, a thread, and a needle, you can turn your old pieces of clothing into different new products. You can cut the legs off your old jeans and turn them into denim shorts or even a skirt.
Play around with your old t-shirts and turn them into tank tops. This way, you can broaden the options of your wardrobe if you are bored of wearing the same old clothes.
6. Buying Basics
One mistake a lot of women do when shopping for themselves and their children is; they spend way too much on getting t-shirts and shirts or tanks that are worn under another garment.
If you are wearing a jacket over your Zara T-shirt, no one is going to know that you are wearing a Zara t-shirt.
Therefore, invest in t-shirts from generic brands that are not that expensive. And if you find a good deal get multiple colour options.
7. Avoid Buying Hyped Up Fitness Attire
Whether you go to the gym in a $50 pair of Nike shorts or a $10 pair from Old Navy, your workout is going to be the same.
Do not make the mistake of buying expensive clothing and gear.You will be spending significantly more on something that has the same life span as a piece of cloth from a less elite brand. As long as they’re comfortable for you, go for the money saver!
8. Be Wary
Most of us are aware of the “amazing deals” offered by outlet malls and think that we are getting good stuff at a very reasonable price.
Open your eyes! These are marketing gimmicks from very smart sales professionals.
Most of the time, the clothes at these outlet malls are of a significantly lower quality than their actual products and the discounts they are offering are on prices which are even higher than the retails prices. This goes to show that we are being fooled by the price tags rather than benefits.
9. Shop Other Sections
It is no surprise that women’s clothing is costlier than men’s and children’s. Paying a hefty amount for basic tees is harsh on the wallet. One tip is to check out the men’s and children’s clothing section. Grab the relatively smaller sizes from the other sections and save up on the bucks.
For example, if you’re looking for a boyfriend style shirt, go to the men’s section and get it from there. It’s much cheaper than the same boyfriend shirt that’s being marketed in the women’s section.
Additionally, if you’re petite, don’t be shy to be 40 years old and shopping the kids clothing section.
The clothing is usually half the price and they’re just as stylish these days. Be frugal with you money and buy what fits you and your body type.
Now that we are done with the clothing aspect of saving money.
It is time to move on to home goods and how you can put your creativity to use.
Saving Money On Home Goods:
1. Save On Pillows And Rugs
These 2 accessories can bring about a huge difference to your living room. Use lively colors as covers for the pillows which complement the sofas and the curtains in your living room.
Add a complementing rug, which you can get from a thrift store, to further create a welcoming feel to your living room.
2. Garage Sales
Garage sales are one of the best places you can visit to get amazing products at very reasonable prices.
People who are arranging garage sales are usually ones who are moving out of their place and are just looking to sell off items. They might not even be looking for huge profit margins. Hence, get your negotiation face on and go make those bargains.
You can even get some cool ideas of decor when visiting these garage sales.
I remember buying a living room center table for university for $5 and that travelled with me apartment to apartment 9 years before I sold it off for more than I bought it.
Garage sales are amazing. What might be someone else’s used goods can be a treasure in your home.
And don’t forget, there is always paint. If you buy something that you don’t like the colour or you can easily paint it and make it even more beautiful.
3. Fruity Centerpieces
Next time you visit a supermarket, do not forget to visit the fresh produce section.
Here, you can get a few pieces of fruit that can go well with a vase and a center table in your lounge. A couple of limes, lemons, and oranges for a refreshing and colorful addition to your home.
4. Homemade Wall Decor
If you are making investments in other parts of the house, chances are that you will not be able to afford paintings or costly wall memorabilia for the wall in your living room. No need to worry, there is still a way that you can add in aesthetics to your living room.
Drill a hole in the wall, put in a screw and hang a couple colourful plates from your kitchen.
You could even have your kids do some artwork on old plates to create timeless memories and beautiful sights. You can also some sort of patterns. Geometric, flowery, or anything that speaks to you.
Another great option for wall decor is the Dollar Store.
They have so many amazing DIY options that are super cheap and you can reuse them seasonally with a quick coat of paint and a little work.
5. Mirror Mirror On The Wall
Never underestimate the power a mirror has when decorating your home. An advantage of employing mirrors in your home décor is that you can get these for a very cheap price.
Take advantage of thrift stores and garage sales to scope out the size and shape of the mirrors that you want.
If you cannot find the size of the mirror you require, no need to worry. You can get the sides cut and get the exact dimensions that you want.
6. Family Albums
Put up pictures from your family picnics and vacations for a cute addition to any room. You can put up framed pictures and create a kind of a picture gallery in the middle of your home.
7. Clear The Clutter
By using furniture with removable tops like moveable sofas and ottomans, you can hide the clutter of your living room.
Books, CDs, toys, and anything that’s just there in your lounge which doesn’t add to the aesthetics of the room. All of it can be put inside these sofas when guests are coming to visit.
8. Bookshelves
One of the most eye-catching decorations in any home is the bookshelf. The thing which makes this décor eye-catching is how creatively you can manage to put the books on the shelf.
It is not necessary to buy expensive books and get a carpenter to make you an exotic shelf.
Just go to the local book stores and get second hand versions of the books. Libraries also have book sales every so often at very reasonable prices. They cost quite little and have the same colorful covers. You can even use these books as a table for a flower vase.
I hope you’ve enjoyed these tips and tricks. The possibilities are endless when it comes to saving on clothes and home accessories.
You do not need to spend a lot of money to get your living room to look nice. All you need to do is; get your creative juices working.
The case is similar when it comes to clothing. You can save a lot of money if you put your mind to work.
And avoid buying expensive stuff that you can either get for a very low price from somewhere else or even make from your bare hands.
I hope these money-saving hacks will help you and your family to save more money.
xo, Zarine
