Did you know that women in the UK wear on average only twenty per cent of their entire wardrobe?  Twenty per cent! That means we have eighty per cent of our clothes just hanging there, what a gigantic waste of time and money!

Here are a few ways that you can save money or even make money by shopping a little more carefully.

Try things on:

I can’t stress this enough, you would not believe the amount of women that do not try things on when they are shopping, and they then take their items home and discover that they don’t actually fit! The chances of it being returned (especially within the 30 day period) are very slim, particularly if you have to travel. Holding things up against you doesn’t count, it’s not an accurate measurement, even if it looks like it will fit you in the waist, it may be too small in the leg, or too long, just quickly try it on.

Charity shops:

Charity shops are a vastly untapped resource for cut price clothes, you can find a wide variety of styles, some things are from the high street, some are from different countries, you are bound to find something to take your fancy.

Although there still seems to be a lot of stigma attached to charity shops, they are clean, they only accept good quality clean clothes.

It’s also a great place to find accessories like necklaces, handbags, belts, all at a fraction of the high street price.

Nagging Doubts:

A friend once said to me, “if you have doubts about it now, don’t buy it, you’ll doubt it even more once your hand over your money”.

If you think there is something not quite right about the item, there’s probably a good reason or else you wouldn’t be thinking it!

If you are not 100% sure about it, don’t buy it!

Fabrics and Workmanship :

With the manufacture of “disposable clothes” the temptation to buy cheap clothes made in cheap fabrics is great. Don’t do it! There is a reason these fabrics and clothes are cheap, it is because they are inferior quality. The fabric is thin and weak and the workmanship on the clothes is sub standard.

Whilst getting a top for £2 may seem like a real bargain, that top is only likely to last for a couple of washes. But despite this, people always end up buying more as they believe they are getting a bargain when it is really a false economy.

Swapping:

If you and your friends are about the same size, try swapping clothes; permanently or just temporarily, you’ll get a new wardrobe for no money!

You can even swap online with places like www.bigwardrobe.com you can swap or sell your old stuff.

Fix it.

If a seam has split, sew it up! So many people say “I can’t sew” but you don’t need to be able to do anything fancy, just a simple straight stitch, up and down that’s it.

Sell you old stuff:

Craigslist, ebay and other places are a great place to sell your old clothes and accessories, even if you only make a small amount, you’re not going to wear it any more so you might as well make something!