How to Save Money on Clothes

It is amazing how much money we can save if we make ordinary things last longer. Here are my favorite tips on how to save money by making your clothing live longer.:-)

First of all, don't wash your clothes too often. Yes, you still need to wash your underwear and socks everyday, but washing jeans, sweaters or pants is not necessary. By doing this you are not only destroying your clothes, but wasting water and energy, which also costs you money.

Many people put their clothes to dirty laundry just because they are too lazy to rehang them. If you are serious about saving money, don't be one of these people. Rehang your clothing or put it on a chair. I don't have a chair in my room, so I just put them on a corner of my bed.

When you are washing your clothes, always use cold water and try to use short cycle. Heat costs money and it also destroys clothing. Washing stuff in cold water will clean your clothes perfectly (Unless, of course, you like to play in mud).

Don't use dryer too often, because again - your clothes will last you longer and your energy bill will be lower. Line dry your clothes.

Remember to hang clothes which need to be hung and fold clothes which need to be folded. If you hang a sweater which is not meant to be hung, it will stretch and loose its shape.

When you are washing jeans and hoodies, zip them up, because otherwise they may chew up the rest of your clothing. Before washing jeans, turn them inside out - it will protect their fabric and color. If you air-dry your jeans, they may be a little stiff, so I recommend air-drying them until they are slightly damp and then putting them in a dryer for 15-20 minutes or so.

Try washing bras and underwear by hand. If you don't have time or desire for this, use laundry bags and gentle laundry detergents (such as Woolite). You can get a laundry bag in Wal-Mart or Target for less than 5 bucks.

Try to remove stains from your clothing instead of throwing them away.

Pen marks can be removed with any cheap hairspray. I constantly mess my clothing with pens, so this tip saves me tons of money.

Greasy spots come off if you put some dish detergent on them and leave it on for a little bit.

First of all, don't underestimate the power of coupons. You can save so much money on anything, not only clothing, just by using coupons.

Most of my friends, who are not rich at all, don't use coupons and I just can't understand why. It is really not difficult to cut a few of them out of the newspaper; or search Google before going shopping. Do you homework before going shopping and you will thank yourself later.

When shopping online, always use cash back sites. This is the other thing my friends are stubbornly not taking advantage of. When I ask them why, they can't give me a good reason, other than that they "forget" or "were not spending much anyway". I guess they are just not as determined to save some money or as frugal as I am.

Don't buy cheap low-quality clothing to save money- you will end up loosing money, because they will not last you as long (even if you read my previous post on how to save money by making your clothes last longer:-). I am not saying to go for designer brands, but buying well-made brand name stuff is usually the best choice. Just make sure you buy them on sale, or use good coupons (or do both, which is always the best):-)

- Don't buy what you don't need just because it is on sale. Even if it is a REALLY good sale:-)

- Try to pay cash for everything. If you see how much money you are actually spending, you may think twice before purchasing something. Credit cards are dangerous. Use them only for emergencies and major purchases;

- Buy clothing with is classy. Torn jeans may be really hip this year, but are you sure you will be able to pull them off next year?

- When buying clothes for your kids, try to always get them in larger sizes. Kids grow up SOOO quickly. Plus, it is very easy to roll up sleeves;

- Try to be practical. You can still be fashionable and classy while being practical. If you can't decide whether to buy a yellow with white polka dots purse or a dark brown one, think which one is more versatile;

- Don't buy low quality clothing, shoes or purses. Quality stuff will last you longer.

- Never ever pay full price. Hunt for coupons, sale and clearance.