Guide to Buying Clothing
When my brother was in kindergarten he wore the same grey corduroy for 25 consecutive days. On the 25th day, his teacher called my parents and asked if everything was okay at home. But my brother just liked these pants, which had an awesome loop on the leg to hold a hammer or other handtools, and refused to wear anything else. My brother taught me that when you buy nice clothes that you like, there is no need to change them every day, or even every month. And when you are on a budget, you need clothes that will last and you need them cheap.
Here are a few tips when clothes shopping:
-Before you start shopping, start by taking inventory of what you already have. You really don’t need three pairs of shorts with embroidered sea critters on them. Okay, some of us do, but you should at least know what you already have so you don’t waste money on duplicates. One of the main goals, after all, is to create the illusion of having a more expansive wardrobe than you really do.
-Stay away from trendy clothes that will be out of style in 3 months (cigarette legged jeans for men, anyone?). Go for classic clothes that can last you a few years, like a good pair of khacki pants, golf shirts, and sweaters. And remember, no capri pants. Ever.
-Most stores offer end of season discounts on certain colors and fabrics. This is the time to make your move on those items you’ve been waiting for but couldn’t afford. Sign-up to receive emails from your favorite stores and you will know when these sales are going on.
-Before making a purchase online, do a search for coupons that can be used for that store. This will pull up any coupons that could be applied to your order, such as a free shipping offer.
- Try shopping at discount stores, such as TJ Maxx, Ross Dress for Less, Marshalls, and H&M, for some great hit-or-miss deals on designer clothing. For some of the older kids just right out of college, some of these stores usually offer a senior citizen discount once a week.
-If you are trying to use a coupon that you think probably doesn’t apply to your purchase, don’t fret. Find the cashier that looks like he couldn’t care less about his/her job. This is the teenager chatting on his cell phone and/or shouting across the aisle to another cashier about how drunk he/she was three nights ago at Randy, the assistant manager’s, Beer-B-Q. This employee is your friend. Chances are he will barely look at your coupon and scan it on through. (I’m not condoning this).
-Places like Target and Walmart are great for basic clothing needs, like socks, underwear and undershirts. Plus, they usually have great food courts. I recommend the Caesar Salad.
-If you are really indie, love Death Cab for Cutie, and dress like Seth Cohen, thrift shops are good places to pick up some cool, hard to find items. But avoid the trendy thrift stores in nice areas; often times they overcharge and you will soon find yourself paying $70 for that ironic Peter Gabriel T-shirt. Stick to the out of the way stores off the beaten path. Yelp.com is a good place to find reviews on all types of stores. Yard Sales and eBay are also good places for this type of stuff.
Well, that should be enough to get you started on your road to bargains…