Need vs. want. Before making any clothing purchase, ask yourself if you really need the item, how often will you wear it, and if you really must have it, can you wait to purchase the item until it goes on sale.

New vs. gently worn. Consignment shops, second-hand stores and Good Will or Salvation Army outlets often offer high-quality, low-cost clothing at a fraction of their original purchase price.

Brand name outlets. Many brand name designers have opened up their own outlets to sell clothing at up to
75 – 90 percent off original pricing.

Buy out of season for big savings. In order for retailers to make room for new merchandise, they greatly reduce clothing at the end of a buying season. To take advantage of these reductions, look for spring sportswear in May and June; ski attire in August; summer clothing and swimsuits in August, etc. 

Create a clothing co-op with friends and neighbors. Swapping children’s clothes between neighbors and friends who have children older or younger than yours can really save you money. And it can be fun too.

Brake for garage sales. Shop for gently-used clothing at garage sales and flea markets to find bargains at pennies on the dollar. And to raise some extra clothing dollars on your own, host a garage sale to sell your own family’s gently-used clothing items.   

Wash and wear. Look for clothing items that can be washed rather than dry-clean only. Dry cleaning costs quickly add up and a $30 shirt can wind up costing you much more over the course of its lifespan if you can’t wash it.

Impulse purchases … bad. If the clothing item is not necessary, or you're not willing to discard an older item in its place, forego the spend. You’ll be happier later.

Prolong its life. Treat your clothing with care; replace broken zippers and buttons; shine your shoes, deodorize those sneakers, iron (yes, iron) when necessary to maintain the life of the item.

Establish a clothing budget … and live with it. Compute how much your overall budget you will allow for clothing items over the course of a year and then stick to it. Most of us will probably admit that we have too much stuff to begin with, so adding unnecessary items really is a splurge we can do without.