How to get your spring wardrobe for less
After you鈥檝e shaken off the winter blues and before you鈥檝e reached summer break, there鈥檚 spring to think about 鈥� including picking a fresh spring wardrobe. These tricks will help you rock the season鈥檚 hottest threads without sacrificing too much cash.
Shop sales
It sounds simple, but sales are still one of the best ways to save money while shopping. And now that spring styles have been on the shelves for a while, the discounts are starting to roll in.
For example, the Spring Cleaning Sale happening now at features price cuts of up to 60% off. Over at , there鈥檚 an online 鈥渟ale on sale鈥� offering an additional 50% off select markdowns.
by delaying your purchases as long as possible, while still allowing yourself ample time to wear them. We鈥檙e expecting plenty of apparel sales during Memorial Day weekend, when retailers such as J.C. Penney dropped prices last year. The department store discounted swimwear by 30% to 50% off.
Reward yourself
It can pay to sign up for rewards memberships at stores you patronize frequently. Look for loyalty programs that are completely free, no strings attached.
Once you鈥檝e signed up, you鈥檒l earn points for your purchases and redeem them for discounts on future orders. We like the at American Eagle, where $1 spent equals 1 point, and 100 points earns a 15% discount.
Get thrifty
Specialty and department store purchases can add up. It might be worth paying a premium for items you鈥檒l wear frequently 鈥� but consider buying accessories you鈥檒l use less often second hand. You鈥檒l find drastically lower prices, and vintage is totally in.
At , members can sell clothing and buy new-to-them items at up to 90% off original prices. If you鈥檇 rather shop in person, sells gently used brand-name clothing. Use the store locator tool on the retailer鈥檚 website to find one near you.
Consign your closet
Combine spring鈥檚 two biggest trends: and spring fashion. While you鈥檙e adding wardrobe pieces, consider consigning items you no longer need for some extra cash.
You can sell your rarely used clothing, accessories, shoes and more on websites and smartphone apps such as .
Buy only the basics
If you don鈥檛 wear most of your clothing purchases all that often, try a different approach. Buy the basics 鈥� we鈥檙e talking little black dresses, jeans and white t-shirts 鈥� and borrow jewelry and accessories from friends as needed. It doesn鈥檛 make sense to purchase a trendy, floppy spring hat that only matches one of your outfits.
Try a subscription service
Don鈥檛 want to borrow from friends? You might want to sign up for a subscription service. The premise is simple: You pay a company to send you clothes. After you鈥檝e worn them for awhile, you鈥檒l send them back in exchange for a new shipment.
For instance, subscribers can get unlimited monthly deliveries of three garments and two accessories for just $59 per month.
Skip brand names
In the interest of saving a few dollars, go for generic labels in lieu of designer brands.
This has a hefty price tag of $325. We found a similar-looking white from Forever 21 at a fraction of the price 鈥� just $24.90.
Sign up for emails
As long as you don鈥檛 mind your inbox being flooded 鈥� and have the self-control not to shop every sale 鈥� you might get a coupon simply by signing up for different retailers鈥� email lists.
Signing up for sale alerts saves you 15% on your next online or in-store purchase. At , you鈥檒l get a 25% discount on your next order of $50 or more when you sign up. And over at , you鈥檒l receive 20% off one item plus free shipping.
Use these tips to maximize your spring style at a minimal cost.
Courtney Jespersen is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: courtney@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: . This article first appeared at .
