Real talk: It can be hard to maintain the perfect look, head to toe, day after day. And it’s even harder if you’re on a budget. But even realer talk: It doesn’t have to be! We’ve compiled a list of tips to help you live within your means without sacrificing your style.
Sis, Go to the Thrift Store
If you love being unique, we recommend shopping where there is only one of everything: your local thrift store. Thrift stores are great places to scour for name brands and funky vintage items at a fraction of the cost. As a bonus, many thrift stores are nonprofits, meaning the money you spend goes to a charity.
Claim Those Rewards
Take advantage of stores that offer reward programs featuring deals and promotions. Just be sure to steer clear of any programs that require you to open a charge card account. Some of our favorites include The Nordy Club from Nordstrom, Sephora’s Beauty Insider Rewards, and Anthropologie’s AnthroPerks.
Shop Opposite Seasons
If you haven’t been doing this, you’re missing out on some amazing deals. Shopping for sweaters during the summer may be difficult when it’s so hot out, but you will be able to score some at a discount. Likewise, you can get shorts, tees, and tanks on sale during the winter months. This isn’t the best way to shop super-trendy pieces, but you can stock up on staples for upcoming seasons.
Organize a Clothing Swap
Wine, snacks, and trading clothes with your besties… What could possibly be better? Gather your best pals, pick a date and time, and plan to swap clothes while you enjoy each other’s company. This is a great way for everyone to switch up their style and maybe give some new (to you) bold pieces a shot.
Get Online
Sites like Facebook Marketplace, ThreadUp, and Poshmark all offer clothes at discounted prices. Facebook and other social media clothing swaps are awesome because most are local. ThreadUp is an online thrift store, so if you feel like you’ve hit a dry spell at your local places, you’ll want to check it out; you can even filter by color, brand name, and type of garment. Poshmark items are typically marked at slightly higher price points, but this is the place to go if you are interested in secondhand designer clothes.
Wait It Out
If you spot a piece at full price that you think you can’t live without, give it a few weeks to see if you can find it on sale. If that’s not the case, refer to our earlier tip about claiming those rewards!