How To Shop For Clothes On A Budget

Do you ever feel like you’re paying over the odds for the clothes you want? … I do! Clothing is a perpetual drain on my bank account, yet I always seem to have nothing to wear (and hardly anything to show for my purchases)! That’s why I made this list – to show you the best ways to shop for clothes on a budget.

Saving money doesn’t necessarily mean you have to stop buying clothes entirely, it just means you have to be a bit wiser about how you do choose to spend.

Here’s some things you can do to save a few pennies (or pounds) …

1. Buy ex-display items

Usually ex-display products will get chucked out if there is even the slightest sign of wear. Not only is this a massive waste, but it’s also terrible for the environment – think about how many perfectly good items of clothing are going straight to landfill!

If buying clothes with a couple of imperfections doesn’t really bother you, then this is the perfect way to save the planet AND save money.

Not all brands will sell off their ex-display items, but the ones that do normally offer them at a discount. My top two are Offcuts by Office and Schuh Imperfects. They’re great because they show you pictures of the products and describe the defects so you can decide whether or not you still want to buy them. A lot of the time the item is listed for half the RRP. And Schuh even offers student discount on top of this, so the savings are immense!

2. Use a coupon plugin

I’ve talked about this before on my Smart Ways To Save Money Without Sacrificing What You Love post, but it’s so good I have to mention it again. If you do most of your clothes shopping online, a coupon plugin is an absolute must!

Instead of having to search manually for discount codes, you can find savings at (literally) the click of a button. A browser extension, like Honey, does all the hard work for you so when you get to the checkout any available coupons will be automatically applied.

Seriously, this will save you so much money (and time)!

3. Compare prices

It sounds like a simple tip, but sometimes we make rash purchasing decisions before checking if we can get the item cheaper somewhere else.

I’m definitely guilty of this from time to time. I’ll fall in love with something, buy it, then find out it’s half the price on another website. Honestly, it’s a different kind of pain when you see the reduced amount.

That’s why it pays to search around a bit before you commit to buying. It gives you time to find the best deal.

For branded products, Pricerunner is really handy. It’ll show you where you can buy the item and how much it costs in each store. Fashiola is pretty useful too, although the website layout makes it a bit more difficult to navigate.

4. Shop in the kids’ section

Ok, I’m not talking about buying sparkly unicorn tops or sequinned jumpers – although if that is your thing, go for it! By shopping in the kids’ section I mean getting the kids equivalent of women’s clothes i.e. the same clothes you would normally buy, just in smaller sizes.

Admittedly this might not work for everyone, but kids’ sizes do go up pretty high so there’s a good chance you’ll find something that fits you. Shoes and jackets are usually your best bet. A pair of Adidas Stan Smith Originals, for example, is £75 in the women’s section. In the juniors’ section (UK 3 – UK 5.5), it’s £50. You’re saving a third of the price, and it’s literally the same pair of shoes!

5. Shop in the men’s section

If the kids’ section doesn’t work out, it’s always worth checking the men’s section for some budget buys. Men’s clothing is not only cheaper than women’s clothing, but it’s usually waaaay more comfortable too.

This is a great place to stock up on some basics like sweatshirts, joggers and oversized t-shirts. The fit is a little different, but it’s not massively noticeable. And tbh I’d sacrifice a little tailoring for money off, it’s really not worth spending a fortune on loungewear!

6. Sign up to mailing lists

Hear me out … I don’t recommend signing up to the email list of every clothing website you visit. But definitely make sure you’re getting regular emails from your favourite brands.

If you sign up for too many newsletters, the ones you actually care about will end up getting lost. I’d recommend being super selective and just picking a handful.

Mailing lists are the main way businesses get in touch with their customers, so this is where they’re going to share their discounts or sales first. Truthfully, this is what I count on to tell me when ASOS has its random flash sales.

Don’t underestimate the power of a mail-out!

7. Follow your fave brands on social media

If you prefer to keep your inbox organised or you don’t check your email that often, social media is the next place you’ll want to look. Brands will often have a discount code in their Insta stories or will send out a tweet when their sales are about to start.

It’s a really easy way to keep notified of special offers. Especially if you’re scrolling through these apps everyday anyway!

8. Thrift or buy secondhand

Thrifting is the very definition of shopping for clothes on a budget. By visiting your local charity shop, or using sites like Vinted or Depop, you can find some really great deals.

Just make sure that these are things that you actually need. Sometimes it’s easy to get carried away when the clothes are so cheap!

9. Shop off-season or end-of-season

Have you ever noticed that bikinis seem to double in price just as summer comes along? Or that coats become crazily expensive when the cold weather sets in? That’s because demand drives the prices up.

It’s best to shop for these items when people are no longer buying them or when shops are trying to clear out their seasonal stock.

You’ll find that clothes become considerably cheaper at the end of the season – this is normally when all the sales are too!

10. Sign up for an account or loyalty scheme

Some brands, like H&M and Urban Outfitters, offer special deals for members.

Simply sign up for an account, start collecting points and you can earn vouchers to go towards your next purchase.

H&M sometimes give out random money-off coupons too (with no purchase needed), so make sure to regularly check your account page on the app. It’s great when you have a look on the off chance and you end up with a £5 discount.

11. Buy from eBay outlets

Loads of high-street brands will list old stock or end-of-line products on eBay. If you follow the official outlets you might be able to snap up some amazing bargains.

Unfortunately, the discount can vary and sometimes you might find that the asking price is basically the same as the RRP, so it’s definitely worth keeping a note of the brands that have the best outlets.

12. Leave your basket – and come back later

The other day I was online shopping (nothing new) and decided I didn’t really want the items in my basket anymore. I closed the webpage and that was that … or was it …

The next day I got an email from the brand with a discount code for 10% off! I was tempted to go back and buy the products, but since I was trying to save my money, I ignored it.

24 hours later and I received ANOTHER email with a voucher for 20% off!! This time I was sold.

This obviously won’t happen with all brands, but you’ll never know unless you give it a try!

And that’s it – 10 ways you can shop for clothes on a budget! Do you have any shopping hacks that help you save money? Let me know in the comments.