Shopping for clothes doesn’t have to cost a lot of money if you know the right way to go about it. Planning in advance and budgeting your money is essential, but there are other ways you can save money without compromising your style. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of what to buy, and when and where to shop.

What to buy

• Buy classic clothes – You can buy a simple black dress that you can always wear on special occasions. Wear different accessories and shoes with it and style your hair differently every time and people won’t even notice. For men, buy a classic suit you can wear for all formal occasions, just by changing your tie and shirt.
• Buy quality pieces – You can find quality clothes at thrift stores, like winter coats and leather jackets, which usually cost a lot new and last forever.
• Buy what you need – Buy winter clothes if winter is around the corner and buy summer clothes when the weather gets warmer. Buying clothes that are not in-season and just because you spot them or they’re trendy will not help you save money.
• Build a smart wardrobe – Buy basic separates which you can mix and match for countless variations of outfits and different purposes.
• Buy items that work with your existing clothes – Buy items that can be used together with clothes that you already have, such as those with matching colours and styles. This way, you can change your look without having to buy extra items for each outfit.
• Buy accessories – You can make your plain or repeated outfits stylish and feel like new by accessorising them. Change it up with different jewellery, hats, ties, scarves and belts, which are much cheaper than buying whole new outfits.

When to shop

• Sales – There’s nothing worse than splashing out on clothing only to see it reduced by 50% the following week. Keep in mind when your favourite retail stores have regular sale events, such as at Christmas and New Year time and end of financial year. These can be great times to stock up. Also keep your eyes open for:

o  Garage sales and markets: Before going to a garage sale, write down what you need to buy, including measurements and sizes. Then bring this list and a measuring tape so you only buy what’s necessary and what actually fits. If you’re buying a lot of clothes, ask for a bulk discount.

o  Consignment sales: These last for 1-3 days. Prices are usually higher than other sources, but you can get hard-to-find items. You can also find more clothes here than at a yard sale.

o  Sidewalk and sample sales: In a big city, you can find a lot of cheap designer clothes during sample sales. In a small city or town, there are sidewalk sales offered by shops, boutiques and sometimes malls.

• Wait 6-8 weeks – Retail stores wait 6-8 weeks before reducing the prices of new clothes. This is done to get rid of old clothes and make way for new clothes (see ‘Clearances’ below). After 6-8 weeks, clothes that still haven’t been bought will be moved to the clearance section, which is usually situated at the back of the store, and where you can find other items for sale. Waiting can also help you figure out if you really need that item, or just got sucked in by the pretty display in the store.
• Clearances – Clothes that aren’t selling are put on clearance so people can buy them and to make way for new clothes. When buying clothes from clearance racks, wait for the second round of discounts if you can. All stores will reduce their prices twice before they hit the lowest price point.
• End of season – You can get the most bang for your buck if you buy clothes at the end of a season. Remember that retail stores are a few months ahead of a season, so you’ll find cheap summer clothes if you shop in September, and you can get cheap winter clothes in March – still in time to wear the clothes for the season. Generally, prices will be 75-90% off the recommended retail price (RRP).
• Thursdays – Since most people go to the shops on the weekend, many retailers start weekend sales on Thursdays, where old clothes are marked down and new clothes are shipped into the store. So if you want to buy something specific and on the cheap, beat the rush and shop on a Thursday.
• Special days – The prices of clothes are also significantly reduced during special days of the year, such as New Year’s Day, Boxing Day, Good Friday, and Easter.

Where to shop

• Online sites – You can buy even cheaper clothes online and get free coupon codes or discount promo codes to redeem for your next purchase. Here’s a list of online sites where you can buy cheap good clothes:

o   Daily deal sites (e.g. Groupon)

o   Online discount or outlet stores

o   Online consignment stores

o   Personal shopping sites

o   Online resell sites

o   Flash sale sites

o   Online retail stores

o   Online marketplaces (e.g. Etsy and eBay).

• Brick-and-mortar stores – You can also find affordable, quality clothes from physical stores like the following:

o   Charity stores and op shops

o   Consignment stores

o   Discount department stores

o   Outlet malls

o   Factory stores

As you can see, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to look great. With these tips in hand, you can buy stylish clothes for cheap the next time you go shopping for clothes. If you’re careful, you’ll be able to save hundreds of dollars each year on your clothing needs.