You’re itching to go clothes shopping and add more outfits to your closet, but you’re worried about how it will affect your bank account. Well, if you’re worried about overspending, then you shouldn’t go to the nearest mall and go on a shopping spree. Instead, you should try these strategies to improve your wardrobe without spending a fortune.
Shop Your Closet
There are probably lots of great items sitting in the back of your closet that you’ve completely forgotten about. So, before you go on any shopping sprees, empty out your closet and look at what you already have. You might be surprised to find absolute gems that have gone neglected for months (maybe even years)!
This is also a good opportunity to get rid of clothes that don’t fit you anymore, whether that means fit your body or your sense of style. You can sell used clothes online for a profit, and then use that profit to fund your shopping for new clothes in the future.
Host a Clothes Swap
If your friends are in the same position as you, ask them whether they’d be open to a clothing swap. In a clothes swap, every guest collects items and accessories that they don’t want anymore and are willing to “trade.” This is an easy way to refresh your wardrobe without having to spend a single cent.
Go Thrift Shopping
Second-hand clothing is often priced cheaper than the brand-new clothing you’ll find in stores. So, skip the mall and head to the nearest thrift store to see what clothes they have hanging on the racks. If you don’t want to go thrift shopping in person, try browsing online consignment stores instead.
Rent for Special Occasions
Do you need to get an outfit for a special occasion? Maybe you have an important work function that you need to dress up for. Maybe you’re attending a lot of weddings in the upcoming year. Whatever the reason, you need to get yourself some new clothes that are on the pricier side.
Instead of buying these expensive outfits, rent them. Renting them will save you money, and it will stop you from filling up your closet with items that are only going to be worn once. There are plenty of online rental services that you can browse through to find the outfits that you need.
Set Spending Limits
Take a look at your personal budget to see how much you can afford to spend on clothes shopping in the next month. This is your spending limit. Do your best to stick to it — or better yet, challenge yourself to spend less.
Why is a spending limit important? Without a set limit, you can easily get caught up in a shopping frenzy and spend more than you can afford to. You might rack up a steep credit card balance or drain your savings to purchase a new wardrobe. Doing this can cause serious problems, like not being able to cover an emergency expense before your next payday.
If you’re ever in this difficult position, don’t panic. You could try to apply for a loan online as a payment solution. With an approved online loan, you could use temporary funds to handle your emergency expense, even when you don’t have room on your credit card or savings in your savings account. You should find out what are some key features of online personal loans now, just in case you ever feel the urge to apply. The information could come in handy.
Online loans will always come with a repayment process. If you’ve overspent because of a shopping spree, try to return the items that you’ve bought for cash (do not get store credit). Those refunds could help you make your repayments.
Getting new clothes doesn’t have to hurt your bank account. You can follow these tips to upgrade your wardrobe without any financial regrets!