Saving money on clothes shopping?

Jenwales_2

I'm not sure if this is in the right place.
I have the problem this time every year where I will need to buy clothes but I won't be getting any overtime! (I'm also now saving into a Help to Buy Isa but I already have the savings for that but will need to cut back probably) so I want to try and keep costs to a minimum on luxuries.

I thought about getting a credit account with Next or similar but find I don't like the clothes or that one top is double what I'd pay on the high street.

So I'm after some tips on how I can get a new wardrobe or new items for my holiday mainly?

I only shop in cheap stores but I don't have a Primark near me.
I don't buy brands or expensive clothes and don't impulse buy.
I could shop in charity shops but I'm concerned about the quality and I'm between sizes so I always have to try stuff on
I am 27, size 10-12.(14 in jeans! Hope to lose weight) I don't like bands and prefer edgy/alternative clothes to fashion. I don't have a style.

I am so fussy that I only really have a few nice tops and a few pairs of jeans so I can't really rewear what I have. I don't mind investing in a pair of expensive shoes so they last longer (my Sketchers didn't last long).

Thanks for any advice, I'm hopeless at bargain hunting and am not sure about buying second hand

fairy_lights

Have you tried Ebay for clothes? You can get some really good quality stuff either second or new, a lot cheaper than you'd pay elsewhere. Amazon is quite good too.
How much stuff do you need to buy, just a few bits for summer or does your whole wardrobe need replacing?

Dill

Another vote for EBay. In fact if it weren't for EBay I don't think I'd have any clothes :eek::rotfl: I just haven't got the money to spend on clothes in the shops.

Jeans are obviously a bit trickier than skirts, as you need to try them on, but once you know a certain make/style that will fit you, you can just look out for that particular one on EBay.

For shoes I look for bargains in the sales. I got a pair of winter boots for just £40 back in January :money:

Jenwales_2

I just need bits and pieces for summer, mainly tops and dresses (one or two dresses)

missbiggles1

If you need to try on first, charity shops might be a better bet than Ebay - you're likely to see the whole range of quality in them, just a question of keeping your eye out for the right thing.

june89

Nothing wrong with second hand, either charity shops or eBay but you do have to spend the time sorting the good from the tat. But eBay is getting harder for clothes due to the postage costs, you may pick up a top for 99p but then have to pay about £3 for the postage. You can pick up a top in the supermarkets (which I find great quality for their price) for around that new. So I tend to only buy bundle deals now, the postage is still expensive but you can sometimes get lucky and be the only bidder on a bundle and get a bargain.

Have to ask why you can't rewear what you already have though? I'm losing weight and just went down a size so currently only have a handful of tops that fit nicely. But even when I'm not changing size, I don't have a very large wardrobe. I don't care if people see me in the same top week in, week out. But they are paying much less attention than you think, I know I couldn't even tell you what my DH was wearing yesterday - let alone someone I might pass in the street/office. :rotfl:

Waffle_On

Sainsburys is my top tip for this situation. Their clothes are really nice and good value anyway, but there is also talk of them having a 25% discount on everything within the next couple of weeks.

DUKE

Try this - http://bemorewithless.com/how-to-build-a-capsule-wardrobe/

You can sometimes buy better quality stuff if you look at the sales in the more expensive shops. This can work out cheaper than the cheap shops too! I've had £50 dresses for a tenner from Wallis. Check out online first & if you fancy anything it'll cut down on all the dragging around the many shops.

I usually buy some of my stuff from the M&S Outlet as there's always loads of offers. I've had some lovely summer dresses .... from there. Asda tends to do the cheapest shorts at around £8 for denims. Try Tesco too. Sainsbury have the cheapest vests at £3.

ElusiveLucy

I would suggest trying TK Maxx - you can get some good labels at cheap prices. If you go instore you need to be in the right frame of mind and sort through things and try lots on. If you order online you can return FOC. They are getting summer stuff in now, I just bought a bikini


As other posters have suggested, the supermarkets have good ranges of clothes. I've had quite a few things from Sainsburys in the past and been aske where I bought them from

justme111

Sorry I do not see how come if you buying things every year at this time of the year you have very few items. Do clothes that you buy last you only one season ?

ibizafan_2

Another vote for Sainsburys. I buy quite a lot of stuff from them and think they are good quality at a reasonable price. Wait for the 25% week which seems to come around fairly frequently. They have only had one of these since New Year, so my thinking is that another will be due soon.