One question I have seen a lot is How do I save money on clothing as a college student? So, I figured why not share some tips?

 

As a college student, you’re generally broke and busting your butt working and trying to save while learning to live your life of independence. So, trying to look great can be difficult. However, being on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t look good!

 

Brand names are not a must-have. Sure, you might like certain brands, but branding generally means you are spending more money. You are paying for the name, not necessarily quality. While I do agree that some labels have better quality than others, I have also noticed that over the years, even the top brands have cheapened their material quality and make it where they are not even worth paying the price they want.

 

If you insist that you must have brand names, I suggest going to stores such as Ross, Marshalls, or other brand outlet stores. Also, check at thrift stores for name brands!

 

You don’t need the newest and trendiest clothes. Shop the clearance section! When I really need new clothes or someone in my family does, I like to browse the clearance section. I don’t sort anything out, just browse. The only sorting option I may do is the price from lowest to highest. I find that by sorting the search results, a lot gets filtered out, even if it is relevant to me. So just to be safe, I just browse.

 

This sort of goes hand in hand with shopping the clearance sections. However, shop during the winter for summer clothes and shop during the summer for winter clothes. Generally, you can find some great prices because those items are out of season.

 

I know not everyone has access to an amazing thrift store, but I have one in my area that I absolutely love. I find the big-name brand thrift store in my area, such as Good Will, are rather pricy for used items. However, I have a local shop that has LOW prices, and they have sales for certain colored tickets. Depending on the day, depends on the sale. I literally walk out with a HUGE trash bag of clothes for under $100! I’ve found tons of name-brand clothing with tags on SUPER cheap!

 

One website that is great for online thrifting is ThredUp!

 

This is basically the same as thrift shopping - except garage sales! You can find some AMAZINGLY low prices at garage sales because people are just trying to get rid of their stuff while making a few extra dollars. Some people even give the stuff away if it is the end of the day on the last day of their sale. Things that are not sold usually either make it to the curb for garbage or are sent off for donations. Take advantage of the last day and try to get some great bargains from the sellers.

 

If you’re not opposed to waiting a month or longer, shop online from websites in China. I find this can be a hit or miss on quality, however, the price is cheap if you do not have a local option and they’re brand new.

 

Some websites I recommend for this are SHEIN, ROMWE, and Wish.com.

 

If you are shopping in stores locally, use Fetch Rewards to earn gift cards. While you are not initially getting a discount on your clothes, you are able to upload receipts from ALL your shopping trips. You earn points for these receipts which you can then redeem for gift cards! So use this whenever you go grocery shopping, clothes shopping – anywhere you get a receipt!

 

Before you buy something, ask yourself if you’ll wear it as many times as it’s worth in dollars. So for example, if it costs, let’s say $40, ask yourself if you’ll wear that thing at least 40 times. If the answer is no, it might not be worth buying - especially if you are on a budget!

 

Whenever possible, use coupons. While most printable coupons are for household and food items, you sometimes can find things for clothes. Additionally, some stores have their own apps where they offer exclusive coupons for their app users. So be sure to check your app store for your favorite stores and see what they offer!

 

 

BONUS TIP: Keep track of your bank account so you do not go over your limit. Get my instant download income and expense excel spreadsheet to help you keep track of everything! I use it for myself and it's so much nicer than having to write everything by hand!