I love to buy clothes. Whether it is shopping for me, my family, or gifts for my friends, I straight out enjoy buying. But like most people, I also have a budget so that calls for creative and innovative ways to purchase high quality designer clothes at discount and sale prices. I remember in 4th grade my mom took me back-to-school shopping. While in a particular store, she held up a full price shirt that I thought was beautiful. My mom then took me to the sale area and showed me how I could get two outfits from the sale section for the price of that single shirt. A light bulb went on and a discount budget-savvy shopper was born. I have learned a lot since that 4th grade shopping trip and I want to share how I stopped paying full price for clothes with you.
Tip #1: Get the App
Store apps are a great way to help save money when clothes shopping. I have numerous apps on my phone that notifiy me when there are sales, new products, and app-exclusive deals or discounts. In the app, I can make wish lists, get alerts when a full priced item I want is marked on sale, and add items to my cart to be purchased at a future time. There are also a number of discount designer clothes shopping apps available (Poshmark is amazing!!) that sell brand new clothing at rock bottom prices. Read more about my favorite shopping apps here.
Tip #2: Facebook Groups
Besides being an awesome place to connect with friends, Facebook is a great forum for discount shopping. Facebook Marketplace is like a virtual garage sale offering anything and everything. There is a lot of junk being sold (like a garage sale) but with careful sifting, searching, and a little bit of luck, you can find beautiful clothes and accessories at low prices. I also recommended joining a local re-sell group (select the “Group” tab in your Facebook profile to start searching). I have had amazing success buying discount designer clothes in my neighborhood’s mom-to-mom sales group. There is a special language online sellers use when describing their items. I always look for these abbreviations before I make any purchases.
- NWT – new with tags
- NWOT – new without tags
- BNNW – brand new, never worn
- EU – excellent used condition
- OBO – or best offer
- PPU – porch pick up
- SF/PF – smoke-free, pet-free,
- XP – cross posted
Tip #3; Head to the Back
When I enter a clothing store, I shop from back to front. The sales rack and clearance items are always kept in the back and that is the area I shop first. I know that seems obvious but it is easy to get distracted by the beautifully displayed full-price items in the front of the stores. Trust me, and check out the back first. Your budget and wallet will thank you.
Tip #4: Join the Club
If there is a store you love or frequent often, join their free rewards program. Stores crave dedicated shoppers and the perks, discounts, and coupons that come with being part of a rewards program is a great way to save money. And most programs keep record of your purchases so making returns, or re-purchasing a favorite item, is easy to do.
My Most Recent Discount Purchases
Designer brands and fashion can be affordable if you shop smart. These 4 tips have helped me to stop paying full price for clothes and I hope they can help you too. How do you save money while you shop?
