If you’re tired of wasting money on clothes you never wear, chances are, these 10 wardrobe money mistakes are to blame!
Money Mistake #1: Not taking good care of the clothes you have
Clothes today aren’t as durable as they used to be. I’m not saying you have to dry clean, or hand-wash your entire wardrobe, but washing in cold, turning down the dryer heat, and pretreating stains will save you money by extending the life of your clothes. Remember, if you treat your clothes like they’re disposable, they will be!
Money Mistake #2: Buying multiples
One of our lovely Instagram followers said it best: “I always struggle with the temptation to buy multiples when I find something I like…but then I find they don’t get as much use!”
Having more clothes than you can wear is wasteful, so resist the urge to buy the same top in every color. There are exceptions to the rule, though. Listen to the full episode to find out when I think you should buy multiples.
Money Mistake #3: Recreational shopping
Remember, recreational shopping is anytime you don’t intend to buy clothes, but whaddya know…you bought clothes. It happens at Target, when you’re on your phone at night, or when you stop into a boutique for no reason.
Recreational shopping wastes money because recreational purchases don’t add up to a cohesive, wearable wardrobe. Often, you need to spend more money to fill in the wardrobe gaps created by mindless purchases.
Money Mistake #4: Shopping the clearance section first
Next time you head to that back corner of a store, remember this:
The clearance section won’t solve your wardrobe problems.
In fact, it will make them worse. So many clearance items are purchased because of the price, and then never worn. That’s wasteful. And waste, no matter how small, adds up.
Money Mistake #5: Not having a well-organized closet
Bad organization wastes money in a couple of ways. First, when you have to rebuy clothes you “lost” in in the dark corners and piles, but also when you organize your clothes by activity (like work vs weekend).
When you separate your clothes that way, you buy more than you need to, because you don’t utilize the things that could be worn in different settings.
Money Mistake #6: Not tailoring clothes that need it
I get that it’s not fun to spend more money on having your clothes altered, but, if you can’t wear things as-is, tailoring is the only way to recoup the money you’ve already spent.
Clothes that are perfect off the rack aren’t always easy to find, so factor in the cost of alterations, and commit to making your clothes perfect for you! It’s money you’ll never regret spending.
Money Mistake 7#: Being on too many store email lists
Chances are, you’re staying on those store lists because you’re afraid of missing a sale or a “good deal”.
But, those emails are helping you waste money by helping you buy clothes you didn’t plan on. The reality is, in the current retail environment, everything is on sale all the time, and there will always be deals to be had.
Practice the “out of sight, out of mind” philosophy and unsubscribe from stores that email you daily. I promise there will be a sale when you need to shop.
Money Mistake 8#: Not trying things on in stores
Have you ever brought something home that wasn’t quite right, but you figured “eh, good enough” because you didn’t want the hassle of going back to the store to return it? That’s where you wasted money. Here’s why: In a lot of cases “good enough” isn’t good enough, and you’re going to find yourself shopping for the exact same thing in a short amount of time.
Don’t believe the lie that you don’t have time to try things on. Admit you just don’t want to, and then do it anyway. It will save you a lot of money in the long run.
Money Mistake 9#: Not returning things quickly
You have to really watch return windows these days so you don’t find yourself stuck with clothes you won’t wear, and can’t return. Obviously, that’s a big money-waster.
But buying, and keeping, things you intend to wear, but never do wastes money, too. When you’re excited about a new purchase, you wear it right away. When you’re not, it lingers in the closet, or bag, for ages.
If you haven’t worn a new purchase within 14 days, the chances you ever will are very low. Return it, and put the money toward something that lights you up.
Money Mistake 10#: Not knowing your personal characteristics
This is the biggest money waster of them all. When you don’t know what looks good on you, or how you want to look, or how you really spend your time, you end up wasting a lot of money on clothes that you don’t love and don’t wear.
When you understand the styles and colors that look best on your body, and how to apply your signature style to all aspects of your life, you’re much more likely to only buy clothes you’ll actually wear.
If one or two of these wardrobe money wasters resonated with you, take steps to change them. If they all resonated with you, pick one or two that are the biggest money wasters, and start there!
Listen to the full episode below to hear more about how we waste money in our wardrobes.
Additional Links & Resources from the Episode:
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