You Don't Have To Spend A Million Bucks To Look Great

You don't have to skimp on clothing just because you're on a budget. Find out ways to save money and still look fashionable.

Buying clothes can be expensive, especially if you have a family with growing children. Think about the ideas below to save money on clothing:

• Check your closets before going shopping
• Have you ever bought new clothes only to find similar items hanging in your closet? Take a look at what you have before you go out so you don't buy something twice. This is also a good way to build on an existing wardrobe. Adding a new item can increase your mix-and-match possibilities.
• Buy clothing off-season
• Off-season clothing is marked down to make room for the new styles. For example, fall and winter clothes are often in stores before the summer is over, so summer clothing will be on sale while you still have time to wear it.
• Never buy anything that isn't on sale
• Stores always have specials running that make it cheaper for you to buy certain items. Buy one - get one free or buy one - get one for � price are great ways to stock up as long as you're buying items you need.
• Don't buy dry-clean only clothes
• Besides being time consuming and inconvenient, taking your clothes to the dry cleaner can cost you a lot of money. If you have dry-clean only clothes in your wardrobe now, consider using at-home dry clean products.
• Shop in consignment or secondhand shops
• If you're comfortable with buying used clothing, you can find some really interesting items for an extremely low price. If you'd rather not buy used clothing, you might consider selling the clothes you no longer need at the consignment shop. See the blog article Frugality in Practice: Shopping for Second-Hand Clothes for more tips.
• Make your own clothes
• Buying fabric by the yard is much less expensive than buying ready-made clothes. Making your own clothes can also be a fun way to express yourself. When someone compliments you on what you're wearing, think how proud you'll be to say you made it yourself.
• Accept hand-me-downs
• You could trade clothes among friends. Clothes can even be passed down from one child to another. Your kids may like wearing clothes considered to be family heirlooms that have been in your family for generations.

For more suggestions on bargain clothing shopping, see the SFGate.com article Dress For Less: Tips on bargain hunting when purse strings are tight.

There are many other ways to save money. Finding others that suit your situation will help you gain control.

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• Shopping Online

  If you like the convenience of shopping by mail or phone, buying goods and services over the Internet may seem appealing. However, just like shopping in the traditional retail market, you must be wary of where you shop and take steps to prevent potential problems.

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