Savvy Savings on Clothing

Clothing is one of those expenses that a lot of people don't build into their budget, yet it can really eat away at the paycheck. In fact, many people rack up large amounts of credit card debt because they are slaves to fashion. They must have the "latest" looks, the hottest jeans, the best shoes.

I often get complimented on the clothes I wear, and I don't spend much money on clothes at all. In fact, at my company Christmas party last year I got rave reviews on my suit. I paid $30 for it on eBay. You can find similar bargains.

1. eBay. I do buy a lot of clothes here. Bargains can be had on almost any clothing item, but I especially like it for suits and jeans. I have purchased jeans on eBay for as little as a dollar, and they looked new.

2. Consignment shops. You can find some clothing bargains at consignment shops, but I still find that most of the consignments in my area are way overpriced. In fact, they charge almost as much as some retail shops selling new items.

3. Garage sales. I buy kids clothes at garage sales. It's not because I'm too good for clothes from garage sales. I rarely find anything at garage sales that are my size, but I find a LOT of kids' clothing at garage sales.

4. Online. There is no shortage of web sites which sell clothing online. They are either regular retail stores with an online presence, or they are web sites which sell exclusively online. One site I have purchased clothing from in the past is Haband.com. A lot of their stuff just isn't my style, but I did get a great coat from them on clearance, and I paid only $16.

5. Coupon codes. If you are shopping online, don't forget to do a Google search for "coupon codes". These are codes that online retailers offer to their loyal customers to give them "sale prices" on clothing, but there are many web sites which will give you this info.

6. Retail outlets. When I do shop a physical retail store, I check TJ Maxx and Stein Mart first. These are stores which buy the overstock merchandise from other retail outlets. You can get a lot of great name brand items for as much as 70 percent off the retail price. When I do shop a regular retail store, I always check the clearance rack first. I have purchased many great items from the clearance racks of retail stores and paid $3-$5 for things which cost 10 to 20 times that amount just two weeks earlier.

Remember, full retail price is for suckers.