How to Save Money on Clothes Shopping

Nick Saving Money 3 Comments

Today I have a post for you on how to save money on clothing.

Like it or not, we all have to spend money on clothes. And over a year those costs mount up.

Any of my friends will tell you that clothing isn’t my specialist subject, so I asked my fellow UK money bloggers for their advice on this subject. I’m pleased (and grateful) to say that they came up trumps 🙂

So here, without further ado, are the UK money bloggers’ top tips on how to save money on clothes shopping…

1. Kirsty Holden from The Money Saving Mum says, ‘Go to outlets! My new fave shop is a local Next outlet. I’ve always been a Primark girl but honestly the quality is getting worse and I only ever buy from there now if it has a red tag on it 🤣 I would never normally go into Next and pay their prices but the outlets are fab!’

2. Fiona Elizabeth Hawkes from Savvy in Somerset writes, ‘Buying second-hand from charity shops can save you a fortune and means you could afford brands you might not otherwise be able to, meaning better quality clothing for less money. Also they often have lots of brand new clothes that have never been worn with the tags still attached.’

3. Emma Jackson from Bee Money Savvy says, ‘If you’re a student, make sure to check to see if the retailer offers student discount either through the UNiDAYS app or the TOTUM/NUS card. Student discounts can save you anything between 5% and 20% at most major retailers.’

4. Laura Dempster from Thrifty Londoner writes, ‘If I’m looking for something specific I always check eBay first! I’ve got brand new jeans for £15 instead of £30 just by looking on eBay. I’ve also found that brand new books are often cheaper on eBay than Amazon.’

5. Stephanie Addison from Debt Free Family advises, ‘Buy winter clothes at the end of winter. Likewise, buy summer clothes at the end of summer. They are so much cheaper then, when the shops need to clear out.’

6. Emma Bradley from Emma’s Savvy Savings says, ‘Voucher codes – shopping online gives you extra discounts via voucher codes (quick Google search) and/or Top Cashback and Quidco. You can also try on the clothes in the comfort of your own home and not feel pressured or rushed into buying.’

7. Lisa Garwood-Cross of Living Thrifty says, ‘Take a look at websites like Everything 5 Pounds. They are often selling end-of-line high street items brand new for a fraction of the price. There may be limited sizes but the website often has loads to choose from. You won’t know which brands they are until they arrive, but you’d be amazed at what you can get for a fiver!’

8. Emma Bradley from Emma’s Savvy Savings adds, ‘Another one is not so obvious but use a personal shopper. They really are brilliant at finding and putting together outfits that suit your body shape. This saves money as you don’t buy things that you later regret and store in your wardrobe with the tags still on!’

9. Francesca Henry of From Pennies to Pounds says, ‘If it’s for a special occasion, ask your friends and family if they have anything that you can borrow first. You can return the favour – it works particularly well if you have a lot of weddings to go to!’

10. Faith Archer from Much More With Less says, ‘Pick up clothes with your food shopping. I’ve nabbed great basic T-shirts and workout gear from supermarket ranges like Tu at Sainsbury’s and George at ASDA, and they tend to offer a wide range of sizes. Great for bargain school uniform too, especially in the Tu 25% off sales.‘

11. Nikki Ramskill, who blogs as The Female Money Doctor, says, ‘I save small amounts of money every month and then when the sales are on, buy what I need then. Knowing WHAT I need really helps before I go. Do I really need another pair of jeans, when actually it’s work dresses I am lacking, for example. Saving money to have a few big shops a year to search for key pieces and creating a capsule wardrobe saves me so much money.’

12. Hayley Muncey of Miss Manypennies writes, ‘Try looking on Facebook buy/sell groups in your area. People will often have a clear-out and offer a huge bundle for free or very cheap. Then you can look through, pick out anything you like, and pass the rest on again.’

13. Claire Roach from Daily Deals UK says, ‘I clothes swap with friends – we both get to refresh our wardrobes that way for nothing. I have asked on Facebook as well once and got a great response. I got three new dresses and got rid of three that I hadn’t worn for years.’

14. Lynn James, who blogs as Mrs Mummypenny, recommends, ‘Create a capsule wardrobe! My friend Claire came shopping with me and created a wonderful capsule wardrobe for me. Everything goes with everything. And from maybe 10 items of clothing I have 20+ outfits, all timeless styles and colours. I still wear all the clothes now, bought three years ago.’

15. Emma Maslin from The Money Whisperer says, ‘I hate clothes shopping and do most of it online. I am on the email lists for my favourite brands so whenever they have a sale or promotion, I get notified and I buy then.’

16. Jennifer Graudenz of Monethalia comments, ‘I like going to fashion outlet stores and buy from their clearance sections. There isn’t as much choice, but getting as much as 90% off the normal retail price is possible.’

17. Clair Louise of Thrifty Clair says, ‘Sites like Everything 5 Pounds [also mentioned by Lisa of Living Thrifty, above] and Single Price sell ex-high street stock for a fiver an item. If you’ve got a good eye you can get some amazing items for a fraction of the original cost.’

18. Katie Schulten of Student Skint says, ‘If you’re planning on buying something brand new that’s not an immediate buy, try it on in store so you know your size then search online – eBay, Depop, Facebook marketplace, etc. – for someone selling the same one brand new with tags for much cheaper…you know it’ll fit! Just check the description for the reason they could be selling.’

19. Andrew Young from Capital Matters writes, ‘Don’t buy too cheap and don’t buy too expensive. To use an example from my own life, I used to buy £20 shoes. They rarely lasted more than six months. I switched to £45 (on-sale) Ralph Laurens. They’ve lasted years and they’re still going strong, effectively saving me money. But anything priced above that? Likely just a waste.’

20. Katie Watkins from Katie Saves says, ‘Ask for vouchers for birthdays and Christmas. I know some people don’t like giving/receiving vouchers but as I never buy for myself I look forward to having vouchers specifically to buy anything new I need.’

22. Scott Dixon of Thegrumpygit.com writes, ‘I have just been to the Sainsburys Tu sale and bought a pair of jeans on the half price rack that still qualified for the 25% off (£16 down to £5.50 less £3 on a £20 spend with a Nectar card coupon = £2.50). I also got another pair of jeans £16 & trainers £14 with 25% off. Wait for the annual Tu sales at this time of year, go with a coupon and search through the 50% off rail is my tip!’

23. Jim Gall of Money Blog Scotland writes, ‘I shop in GAP a lot and they ALWAYS have discounts on. Their high street stores almost always have 40% off, and the online store always has discounts on. Plus if you install the app, you get a voucher code which means you get a further 5% off on top of your original discount. I have NEVER paid the listed price for anything in GAP. And it’s all good quality stuff which lasts for ages.’

24. Finally, Sian Melonie, who blogs as Little Miss Frugal, is another fan of cashback websites. She says, ‘If there is something that l have my eye on from a particular store, I always check Top Cashback and Quidco to see what cashback offers are available from the store I’m wishing to purchase from. It’s then essentially free money back!’

Thank you so much to all my fellow UK money bloggers for sharing their top tips. I hope you will agree there are some great money-saving ideas and resources listed here.

I guess I should offer a tip as well, so mine is to sign up with the loyalty scheme of any clothes store you shop at regularly. Being a gentleman of a certain age, two stores where I often shop for clothes are Marks and Spencer and Debenhams.

I have a Sparks card from M&S, which gets me special offers and discounts from the store and the occasional freebie. And I have a Debenhams credit card, which (among other benefits) earns me points every time I shop there. These are then converted to Debenhams vouchers every three months. Note that I don’t advocate borrowing on a credit card as the interest quickly mounts up, but as long as you pay off your balance in full every month there won’t be anything more to pay.

Finally, please do check out the money blogs listed above – they are all linked from the blog names – and sign up to follow any you enjoy.

As always, if you have any comments or questions on this post, please add them below. I would also love to hear any other tips you may have for saving money on clothes shopping.