Shopping for clothing in college is an art form. Most College Students don’t have hundreds of dollars to spend on wardrobe. Let’s face it buying a shirt from Zara or H&M every three weeks can add up in your bank account. Your bank account is probably giving you a side eye but never worry. I have some incredible tips to give you after two years of shopping intelligently. We all learn the hard way but my mistake shouldn’t be your mistake. Here are seven practical and amazing ways you can shop intelligently.
Do a closet cleanse
This step is not compulsory but it helps the process a lot.
Look in your closet. Pick out stuff you haven’t worn in 3-4 months. Chances are you will never wear them. Carefully select clothing items that are very sentimental to you i.e. a shirt your grandma gave you. You don’t have to give it away if you don’t want to. Give out the remaining stuff from your closet cleanse to a local charity.
Define what you want and need
Make a note of where you see your style going and what clothing items absolutely matter to you right now. It helps to keep your brain in check and trains you to make compromises. So, you don’t go haywire at clothing stores.
Invest
There is a theory called cost per wear. Basically, if a t-shirt cost $5 but you only wear it 8 times before it becomes completely useless.
After throwing it in the trash, you keep repurchasing it every 2 months. That is a negative cost per wear because in total you are spending a lot of money buying low-quality clothing’s that only lasts for a few wears.
This is where positive cost per wear comes in. If a T-shirt cost $58 but you replace it every 2-4 years. You end up saving a lot of money in the long run.
Try and invest in excellent quality clothing especially when buying basics such as a t-shirt because, in the long run, it will save you a lot of money. It doesn’t have to cost you a fortune either. Brands like Everlane or Bonobos have great options.
Thrift
Thrift shopping is fun and a wonderful way to save money on clothing. Check out your local Salvation Army or Goodwill.
You will be amazed at how much incredible clothing you can find at mouthwatering prices.
Check out the sales section or scour the internet
Before diving in head first in a clothing store or online, check out the sales section. You never know, the jacket you saw and loved two weeks ago just got marked down by 50 percent.
The internet can be a weird place sometimes but it is also a place to find great clothing at affordable prices. Now, by scouring the internet I don’t mean check Zara.com. Lookup clothing on sites like E-bay or thredUP.
Pay with cash
When you pay in cash, you can see the money leaving your hand. So, it will sting a little. Swap paying with your debit/credit card with cash. It makes you more aware of how much you just spent because it is not stocked away in your bank app.
