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Spending Less Money on Clothes

Last Updated: BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 71 Comments

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My closet last year.

Hey everyone! Today’s post is all about spending less money on clothes.

And there’s a giveaway too. I’m glad to be a part of another giveaway. I really am enjoying taking part in these, and I hope you guys still love winning stuff! If you’re anything like me, then you probably enter tons of giveaways every week.

I made a post early last year titled A peak into my insanity (AKA my closet). At that time, I talked about how I had TONS of clothes. My closet is actually the old laundry room (we have the washer, dryer, etc. in the basement), so this is a decent sized closet that I have. And it’s COMPLETELY packed. You can hardly walk into it now.

I don’t wear a ton of it because a lot of my daily outfits are business clothes for my job. I had over 50 dresses, over 20 skirts, over 70 shirts, and so on. And this is with me selling my clothes every month. If I never sold clothes or got rid of them every month, I can’t even imagine what my closet would look like.

While I would love to save that my shopping problem is under control, it most likely is not. Yes, I’m not spending as much money as I used to, but I really need to start selling things in my closet in order to make things more efficient. Spending an hour each time I’m looking for a specific clothing item is just a little excessive.

Jordann, on my blog, recently talked about Maintaining a Minimalist Wardrobe. This is something that I definitely want to work on.

My plan

Now, I don’t plan on just not buying anything ever again. I do love clothes and dressing nice. Instead, my plan will be to focus more on quality and not just quantity. Yes, I will buy the occasional “trendy” dress from Forever 21 or Express, but for the most part I want to be saving my money and spending it on better quality items that will last longer. I will also be following a lot of the tips that are listed on J’s site How to Save Money on Clothes. I love her website and how she’s able to come up with so many different ideas.

I also plan on not buying items until I clear out items out of my closet. For every 1 item that I buy, I want to put TWO items from my closet into a bag that will be either sent to be donated or sold.

How much do I want to spend?

I do want to start spending less on clothes as well of course. I want to spend the least amount of money out of my own pocket on clothes that I can. My goal is to spend less than $100 out of my own pocket on clothes per month. So this does not include whatever I spend on gift cards or the money I get from selling clothes.

This is not exactly a “no spend” year, but it is a start. I know many people who spend much more than this amount every week on clothes.

This doesn’t seem like too hard of a task for me to complete, but it’s also about me cleaning out my closet. I have a couple hundred in clothing gift cards already, and will make a couple hundred more from credit card rewards. Also, I already have a ton of clothes in my closet that will work for the next year and still look great, so it’s not like I’ll be going naked everywhere.

I have a decent amount of clothing gift cards that I have received lately. Some I received for Christmas from my sister, and some I have won from giveaways. I plan on trying to use gift cards to fund my clothing spending. This won’t be super difficult, as I also plan on using the gift cards and cash that I earn from my credit card rewards towards this as well.

I also plan on selling a lot of my clothes that are currently in my closet and using this money towards buying new clothes as well. Wish me luck! At the end of 2013 I will make an update post on how much I spent on clothes throughout the year, and how much I spent out of my own pocket on clothes.

Are you trying to spend less on clothes?

What do you do to save money on clothes?

Last question, how much do you spend on clothes in a month and in a year?

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About Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Michelle is the founder of Making Sense of Cents, a blog about personal finance and traveling. She discusses how her business has evolved in her side income series. She paid off $40,000 in student loans by the age of 24 mainly due to her freelancing side hustles. Click here to learn more about starting a blog!

Comments

  1. LORI says

    That's a great goal. I would love to spend $100 ea mo on anything for myself. I would estimate I spend maybe $200 each season on additions to my basics.

    Reply

  3. Brian says

    I am lucky enough that I can wear Khakis/Polos everyday to work except Friday when I can wear pretyt much anything. As a result I don't have too many different work clothes. So my clothes budget for the year will probably be under $200. Of course I usually get a polo ro two from my parents when they go on vacation as a payment for watching their house. Other than that I may replace a t-shirt or two, a pair of jeans and worn out socks.

    My wife calls my look "Hobo Chic" since I pretty much don't mind looking homeless unless I need to impress someone.

    Reply

  4. Tabitha says

    I just gave my sister a bunch of clothes while she was here. I literally went through every drawer and gave her stuff I didn’t wear. Then last night I just bought 5 tops from the Express sale, I mean $14 dollar sweaters I had too. But after that I will not buy clothes for a while. Hopefully ha.

    Reply

  5. @TMKohrman says

    I usually don't spend that much money on clothing. I do, however, spend way too much money on things I don't really need but want. This would help me save money by not spending it foolishly and only spending on what I truly need.

    Reply

  6. plantingourpennies says

    I think I lucked out that shopping is not a relaxing activity for me. There are only a few people that I actually enjoy shopping with, so for the most part it's a chore. That certainly cuts down on spending!

    Reply

  7. John S @ Frugal Rules says

    Working from home most days this is thankfully something that has decreased within our budget. I only really need business clothes for when I am out networking or a client meeting. I have enough stuff from my previous job that I really don't expect to spend much money on clothes this year.

    Reply

  8. Rebekah says

    I tracked my clothing spending last year for the first time and I spent a little over $600 for clothes, new raincoat, shoes, new purse, underclothes etc… I buy a lot at Ross and Kohls because they are close. I work full time for 4 months of the year and part time the rest of the year. I spent over $800 on my teenage daughter.Her closet is a disaster! Hopefully I entered your giveaway properly since I'm a newbie:).

    Reply

  9. Renee S says

    If I did a no spend challenge it would really help me evaluate what I already have and maybe dig out old things that I forgot that I own. I have done really well in the past year with not buying new clothes. I would like to add an extra pair of pants to the wardrobe, but other than that, I think I am all set!

    Reply

  13. TMKohrman says

    I usually don't spend that much money on clothing. I do, however, spend way too much money on things I don't really need but want. This would help me save money by not spending it foolishly and only spending on what I truly need.

    Reply

  15. Holly@ClubThrifty says

    lol, this cracks me up. I couldn't spend $100 a month on clothes if I tried. I hate shopping! I am wearing pajama pants right now that I have probably had for 15 years!~

    But still, it's nice for you to have a goal in mind. You are younger and probably more in style than me so there's nothing wrong with buying some nice clothes!
    My recent post Winning Means Being Unafraid to Lose

    Reply

  16. C.S. says

    One thing I’ve found that helps is to make a list of the items you really want and the things that would help to complete your wardrobe. I have a pinterest board I use to track what I want to buy. That way, I’m not tempted to buy another black pencil skirt if I see one on sale. I already have one that I love, and I don’t need another. But I do have a wrap dress on my pinterest board because I don’t have one, and I know it would be a great staple to add to my closet. I don’t have the extra money to buy anything at the moment, but when I do, I’ll have a focused list of items to look for.

    Reply

  18. Erin says

    I only try to buy clothes when I really need them. My big thing is if I stay out of the stores, then I won’t buy clothes haha. It sounds simple but it has realllly worked for me. If I find myself in a store with a shirt or something I like to get, I end up justifying and rationalizing the purchase and ultimately spend the money lol. I definitely do not shop monthly but I would say every couple months I may spend $50 on clothes?

    Reply

  19. Angella says

    I barely spend any money on clothes, I hate clothes shopping and just live in jeans and t-shirts anyway. I think I have about 5 jeans, 8 t-shirts, 3 hoodies. Simple! My husband on the other hand could fill up many, many closets. I haven’t taken part in a no spend challenge, but I need to! I think it would help us increase the buffer in our checking account.

    Reply

  20. Budget and the Beach says

    I spend hardly anything on clothes. It helps that I work from home and don’t really need a work wardrobe, but I’m really lacking some cute, trendy tops in my wardrobe. I just can’t justify spending money on that right now when my focus is making sure I have enough money for rent and saving! 🙂

    Reply

  21. Jules says

    OMG your closet is crazy!! I wish I loved to shop like that, but my closet is maybe 1/10 of yours and I feel like it has too much in it!!

    Reply

  22. Ashlee says

    I’m trying to “shop my own closet” right now {besides what I bought with my birthday money this month}! I’m wearing outfits that I never thought I’d put on… which some days that’s a good thing, but mostly a bad thing lol!

    Reply

  23. Frugalista Married says

    Hmmm…a no spend challenge. I just don't know if it's for me. I had gotten out of hand with shopping towards the end of last year but I'm putting a lid on it. I'm done!! I also like to get rid of something if possible when I get something new. I am also trying to consider each item I buy more carefully.
    My recent post Luxury Cinema Date Night

    Reply

  24. Chels says

    I'm 5.5 years out of college and work at a professional job among well-dressed colleagues. Looking sloppy is not an option, but I don't feel that I have to overspend on clothing – I just have to spend smart.

    My monthly clothes budget (clothing, shoes, accessories, bags, coats… anything you wear) is $125. You can definitely survive on $100. My best shopping tips are resale shops, Marshalls/TJ Maxx, and sometimes ebay (if you're looking for something very specific). Sometimes you'll have to save up over a couple of months, if you're looking to invest in some well-made leather boots or a winter coat, but you'll definitely make it!

    Reply

  25. Sam says

    I already don’t shop a ton, and I love to thrift… However, I am starting to learn that investing in quality pieces of clothing is important. So Im going to start saving all of the small amounts I spend on a whim on cheap things and put it together towards something nice that will last me years.

    Reply

  29. Leslie says

    You buy new clothes every month? Why? Do you go shopping because you're bored or because you truly believe that you need another dress?

    I don't spend any regular money on clothes monthly and am curious the motivation behind it.

    Reply

  31. Kyle @ Rather-Be-Shopping.com says

    Hi Michelle. I like your goal because its obtainable. I see a lot of 'no-spend' goals that would require you to live under a bridge or in a shed in the mountains to conquer. You like to buy clothes, so you are setting a goal that would reduce your spending, that is what this is all about. best of luck to you!
    My recent post Tips To NOT Overspend in 2013 + a $100 Cash Giveaway

    Reply

  32. Anne - Unique Gifter says

    Hahaha – I call the money I get from selling my clothes on consignment as my "cheese money." The cheese shop is right by the consignment shop… so I usually pick up cash (which I consider windfall money, as normally I'd just donate my clothes to the thrift shop), and then go get some delicious food to eat.
    I end up with tonnes of clothes too, but often because I'm a hobo and my friends with clothes habits give me theirs. Plus I have several different job selections – office jobs, labour jobs, etc. For quite awhile I hadn't settled into a position, so while I wasn't wearing office clothes, I knew I would need them in the future.

    Reply

  33. BKat says

    I am a few *ahem* many years older than you. And I make no claims of being a fashion expert but I do think dressing well is worth the effort. There is a blog that I found: http://theviviennefiles.blogspot.com/ now granted it is a *mature* wardrobe but I love that a purpose and a plan is had for every item bought. The cost per wear is important to me too. I got some great gift cards for Christmas. That will be all I buy for many months.

    Reply

  34. frugalhabits says

    I'm not a big cloths person, but I generally save $ on cloths by buying less, but having more quality outfits. Only downside is that I have to do laundry more often 🙁
    My recent post 5 Ways to enjoy a Cheap New York City Vacation

    Reply

  35. Hannah says

    I have tried a no-spend goal for about 6 months and while it was hard, it was kind of fun to work towards a challenge! I ended up spending a lot of time going through my closet and taking them to resale stores so I could exchange them for something new. I ended up with some of my favorite pieces that way! Good luck!

    Reply

  38. Lena says

    I don't like to shop for clothes much, first, because I work from home, and second , because I put on a few extra pounds, and it's a bit depressing. But I just discovered last week 24/7 local Facebook yard sales. They are awesome! Within two days I had two sales. Maybe, it will be easier to sell for you on Facebook (plus, cuts on shipping). Just put in your city and then "24/7 yard sale" and see if it's available in your area. Just FYI 🙂

    Reply

  39. nicoleandmaggie says

    I can't even imagine your situation. I hate clothes shopping. 100/month sounds awful to me. I spend $300-$600 every 3 years or so in one fell swoop during a semi-annual sale time (not counting shoes, which I purchase every other year). My wardrobe is mostly Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Loft, and Brooks Brothers.

    What would happen if you tried to limit yourself to just the gift cards? Or went cold turkey for a little while? Would it be that horrible?

    Reply

  40. Stephanie says

    I hardly spend money on clothes!! Usually it's less than $500/year. Less in 2012, since I got pregnant in May and managed to borrow my entire maternity wardrobe and barely bought any regular clothing! Ideally, I'd like to pare down my wardrobe and then focus on buying only a handful of high-quality pieces each year, but I know that the deal-seeker in me will inevitably spend on some less expensive, trendy pieces from fast fashion type places as well. 😉
    My recent post Behind on Belly Pictures

    Reply

  41. @FashionistaDET says

    I've definitely done the $100/month challenge out of necessity when I lost my job a few years ago. Thankfully I'm working again. But it was extremely hard to live on so little, especially when girlfriends and family would make lavish purchases and talk about it, it felt like a little pang to my heart. Currently I'm doing my own $100 a month or less on clothes challenge, because I'm trying to save to repair my car. I love clothes shopping, so it's extremely difficult to do, but I look back on those awful months when I, "HAD TO", and it doesn't seem like a big sacrifice anymore.
    Thanks so much for your post, and making me feel good, like I'm not alone in this challenge. 🙂

    Reply

  42. Barb says

    Rather than buying new clothes, I am trying to wear all of my old ones first. I flipped all of the hangers in my closet and so all the clothes going back in after washing get to go the right way and the wrong way are still hanging in there. It gives me a great idea of what I haven't worn. I did this for my summer clothes and now it is time for winter clothes. Anything that ends up unflipped at the end of the season goes to good will or consignment.

    Reply

  43. Aimee C says

    My life is a “no spend” challenge, no joke. I never buy anything and when I do it is strictly sale items or free…its a problem 🙂

    Reply

  44. @dragonfee64 says

    I'm pretty good with finances. Me and my friends get together once a month and have a swap meet where we swap clothes with each other. The clothes that no one chooses we donate to our local Salvation Army. We end up with new outfits and save money at the same time. Plus it's fun =D

    Reply

  45. sandy says

    Now that I am retired I need to get rid of my work clothes. I have found a nonprofit organization for woman going back to work. I feel good about my donation and get a tax deduction. I am finding "new" clothes in the back of my closest, it will be a long time before I need to go shopping.

    Reply

  46. Lydia says

    I am kind of forcing myself to save because I'm trying to lose weight, so I don't want to buy too much that fits me right now, since it will hopefully be too big! I look forward to saving and getting new stuff that is smaller 🙂

    Reply

  47. JJ Caraway says

    I shop at a thrift store to save money which allows me to save money to put toward that special something I wanted but didn't want to spend my whole budget on.

    Reply

  48. Pam says

    I am trying to spend less on clothes because I have a closet full, well, honestly, I have two closets full. Not to mention the drawers. I bought a couple of sweaters just before Christmas and now I truly plan on not buying any clothes at least through the winter. And, I am getting some clothing together for a local consignment shop (they want summer items next month) and I'm going to list some online. My goal is to minimize how much I have and like you, start focusing more on quality than quantity. i don't know how much I spent last year on clothing, but I tend to buy several items at one time and then nothing for awhile. I will be tracking how much I spend this year plus the number of clothing items that come into the house and how many go "out". Hoping we are both successful….

    Reply

  49. Juana Rose says

    If I tried a no-spend challenge, I would surely save money and invest it for a rainy day. But I would have to start little-by-little.. like a no-spend challenge on clothes first, so that I can learn from the experience and transfer that knowledge to other areas in my life.

    Reply

  50. Nancy Black says

    A no spend challenge is very difficult to do. I have learned there are many ways to get your needed items without spending a dime. I picked up a used sofa from the furnture store. No cost either. They have a back storage lot where old furniture is stored . When they sell the family new furniture part of the store policy is picking up the old. It's free to anyone. Dining room tables, andything you want or need is there.

    Clothing is the same. I watch for clothing giveaways and then get some really great litle used dresses and blouses.

    On Electric bills I save by unpluging everything that isn't being used at the moment and that ges for the TV too. It totally inhales the electricity, even when off.

    Reply

  51. Tammi Bivans says

    It is very difficult to not spend any money on clothing for even a month. I've done it, but not by choice. One thing, it makes you appreciate what you have more when you have less. It's also better to have money in the bank than clothes in the closet. I spend way too much on clothing. I want to change that this upcoming year. I hope that you received all of my entries. I've had some computer problems, so if I did not enter something, please let me know. Also, the one RSS Feed, I was not able to subscribe to. Thank you.

    Reply

  52. Ann says

    As it turns out, I'm on my own 'No Spend Challenge' right now. I have far too many clothes and shoes, so I am making a bit of extra money by taking a lot of them to a local consignment shop. I don't need to buy clothes on a monthly basis, so I can save there too. I have also entered many giveaways in hopes of snagging some giftcards. I should be able to go without buying clothes for several months. Fingers crossed!

    Reply

  53. meegan whitford says

    I did a no spend challenge about 10 yrs ago the year after my divorce and managed to pay off 10k in debts i had so i know i can do it when i need to or want to.

    Reply

  54. Alma says

    If I do a no spend challenge I would probably be forced to create new outfits from the clothes I already own so I would have to get out of my comfort zone and try new things which could be kinda fun. It would be like being your own stylist. Plus since I'm not shopping so much I would have more time for other things. 🙂

    Reply

  55. T shirts online says

    As a conscious person, I am also looking forward affordable cloths. After reading out this post, I have got enough ideas on it. Immediately, I'll visit your shop for more purchasing cloths. thanks for good head up 😆

    Reply

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