Frugalista Series: Avoid paying full retail price for clothing

We would like to introduce our FRUGALISTA SERIES in which we share some tips for shopping on a budget. Who is a FRUGALISTA? A frugalista is a person who is fashionable while being thrifty. Dressing well should not mean living in debt. In other words, "doh hang yo hat way yo hand car reach". Continue reading to learn more!

ENTRY ONE : AVOID PAYING FULL RETAIL PRICE FOR CLOTHING

Here are some tips for buying clothing at discount prices:

1. Do your homework!

Browse physical or online retail stores for items you might be interested in. At times, different stores offer the same items but at different price points. In others cases, you might find an item in a slightly altered style and at a lower price. What's more, online shoppers can search for sites that offer free shipping. 

2. Throw it in the cart! 

This is closely related to the tip above and one of our absolute favourites. Fill your online shopping cart(s) with items you like. Then, you can check the prices periodically. Be patient! We have found that we delete the items we 'liked' or 'wanted', and instead purchased the ones we 'loved' or 'needed'. Plus, we save heaps! 

3. Stay in the loop!

Many clothing retailers encourage customers to sign up for email updates. These updates include notifications of regular and exclusive sales, member reward points, and discount codes. Clothing retailers like ASOS  offer student discounts. 

4. Pay attention to sales cycles!

Sale offers are cyclical and mostly predictable. These include Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Labour Day (U.S.A. context). Of course, if you are living outside of the U.K., U.S.A., or Canada you can take advantage of online sales.

5. Dress fabulously and still pay the bills!

Buying high end items? Try websites like Bluefly, or your local outlet stores. What about previously worn designer items? Check out the U.S. site Second Chance designer resale boutique, and New Zealand's Recycle boutique. What about vintage pieces or general thrift clothing? Try websites like Attic clothes  and Goodwill  . Also, don't overlook local stores' clearance and closing down sales. 

Tell us, how do you avoid paying full retail price for clothing? We would love to read your tips!