How to Save Money on Your Summer Wardrobe

With each season comes a new expense, especially if you have children. The idea of having to spend more money on a whole new summer wardrobe can be over-whelming, especially if you are trying to stick with a budget. Here are some tips for saving money on summer wardrobes.

How to Save Money on a Summer Wardrobe

Only buy complete outfits. This may seem like it is more expensive, but many times, a person will buy a cute top or shorts that they like and get home to find out nothing they have matches it, so it doesn’t get worn. This is wasted money. Instead, buy complete outfits together so you know you have something to with it.

Work with what you already have. If you have items from last year that still fit, find a matching top or bottom to go with them. To remind yourself what the color is that you are looking for, take pictures with your phone of the pieces you need parts to so you can be assured they will work.

Be careful when buying trendy pieces. Often times, the pieces are hard to coordinate with existing clothes you have at home and since they are so trendy, they may fall out of style fast. If you really want to take advantage of some new looks, do it with things that could work for years to come, even when the style has gone out of peak fashion.

Buy plain tops and bottoms that can go with anything. This way, you won’t have to buy as much and they can be mixed and matched together to create many outfits from only a couple pieces.

Buy second hand. Just like full price retailers, second hand stores start putting out their summer gear when the season hits. You may be able to get some items that are still trendy and if you are lucky, you will find some new with tags still. Buying second hand is a great option, especially for children, because they grow out of things so fast.

If you sew, you can alter what you already own. Long sleeve or long dresses can be turned into sun dresses, pants can be turned into shorts or capris. Get creative with what you already own.

Make “money” on last year’s stuff and “buy” for free. If you have some good pieces from last year, especially if they are name brand, consider taking them into a consignment store and getting store credit for them to buy your wardrobe with.

If you are craving some of the new styles of flip flops with gems and flowers attached, why not save some money and make them yourself? You can get flip flops for a couple dollars (Old Navy usually runs a great sale on their flip flops early summer/late spring) and hit the craft store for cute add-ons. This will cost you far less than what you will pay for them in store.

Plan ahead for next summer by getting your clothing for next year at end-of-season sales. Just buy a size or two too big for your kids for next year. They will most likely fit in them by then. (And while you are out shopping for summer clothes now, get clothes for next winter at the end of season sales that are happening with winter clothing.)