I love clothes. That’s probably no secret if you know me. Here’s the thing, I’m in college, so I’m broke, and I am also pretty darn cheap. Most people my age are in the same boat, but they spend way more on clothes than I do. I’m not buying brand name stuff or anything, but I see and hear my friends buying stuff at full price or for 30% off…. I don’t really look at clothing unless it’s 45% off or more. I usually don’t spend more than $10 on each item of clothing. However, sometimes you need that really nice dress for an event, or for an interview. That’s different, I’m talking every day clothes. I got a skirt in JC Penny (it’s actually cute, don’t worry) for $1.45, a blouse at Loft for $5 when it was $60, and a Ralph Lauren dress for $20. People are always shocked when I tell them this, but here’s my mentality when I shop:

1.Only look at sales and clearance racks.

As soon as I walk into a store, I go straight to the clearance racks. I know perfectly well that I am unable to buy anything else, so why waste time on stuff that’s too expensive?

2. Do your research

I don’t spend copious amounts of time doing this, but I do keep up with what my favorite stores are selling.Every few months or so, I’ll browse Old Navy’s website to see if there’s anything I want to keep my eye on...if I really like a dress, I make a mental note of how much it is and wait for it to go on sale, or better yet, clearance.

3. Don’t worry about having the right trend

Trends are always changing… by going for a more timeless or classic look you can still look really good, but not necessarily 100% in vogue. You don’t really need the latest and greatest. All the extra cash you’ll save can go to textbooks, or eating with friends, or that mysterious, seemingly unattainable land, savings…

4. Poshmark

This is a great app. It’s like Ebay, but specifically for women. You can buy and sell on here. They have a lot of great deals on here, and you get to bid down on stuff… it’s so cool! Also, if you are selling stuff, you can share your posts on Facebook and Pinterest.

5. Be dedicated

Getting a good deal isn’t always easy. My friends can attest that when I go into a store, I look at every clearance rack. You never know what you could find. I also have four younger sisters that I sometimes shop for, and between the five of us and my mom, we cover most of the regular sizes. You also have to be OK with not finding anything every time.

6. Walmart isn’t that bad…

Since I was a little kid, Walmart has seemed to really up their game. I can often get basics for insanely good clearance deals. I especially like them for athletic wear. Most of my workout gear cost me $3. So it’s not Nike or Adidas, but why would I spend $$$ on something I am just going to sweat in??

7. Make it work

Sometimes, products end up in clearance because they didn’t work for most people. However, see if you can add a belt, or a denim jacket, or maybe some leggings. I’m 5’10, so sometimes pants are too short for me. Good thing ankle pants are in! My favorite thing to do right now is to roll up and fold up my jeans twice and then wear them with heels.

8. Don’t buy it if it doesn’t work for you

There’s a lot of crap out there that you could buy at a very inexpensive price, but you have to make sure it looks good on you, otherwise it’s a waste of $3. That’s two crunchy tacos at Taco Bell!

9. Know the value of the brand you’re working with…

I consider paying $5 at a higher end store a great deal whereas I would consider spending $5 at Walmart too much money. Walmart is great, but the quality isn't as great as Loft, for instance.

10. Don’t be afraid to come back

There was this shirt I loved, but it was marked at $40. Instead of buying it right then and there, every time I was in the area, I’d check on it. It went down to $30 and finally down to $10.

11. Bring a calculator.

Hopefully you find some great stuff out there! I really don't spend that much time shopping, but when I do, it's all about spending as little money as possible.