5 ways mums can be stylish on a budget

Most of us mamas feel the need to make our cash stretch as far as it will go and even with a little extra in the bank we can feel guilty about treating ourselves rather than the little ones. But if you are on a tight budget, you can still be stylish by using these tips and tricks to make the most out of your wardrobe budget. I’ve put together a few tactics and strategies to help you shop smart – in style – without breaking the bank.

1. Shop At Factory Outlets

Most of the largest retail chains will have a factory outlet and outlet villages can be found across the country. I used to love visiting our local factory outlets as a young teen and no doubt my mum did too as I was spending less of her money than on the High Street! Shopping villages like Bicester have brand name apparel and accessories for the lowest price. Many factory outlets will discount the previous season’s stock so that it will sell quickly. In some cases, the stock may have irregularities or some sort of small flaw which they are willing to deeply discount to get rid of the merchandise so check the tags for information and inspect closely before deciding if it’s something you can fix yourself at home.

Big savings on high end brands at Bicester Village

2. Join A Subscription Service

Subscription services are the latest trend in online shopping. The great thing about online subscription services is that they handpicked styles to match your taste but they also price their items affordably. You try items that you may not have thought to choose for yourself, thus expanding your sartorial repertoire and also save time growing the rails in store. After all, time is money, ladies!

3. Shop At Online Sites That Offer Discounts

By shopping on websites that offer voucher codes and discount codes such as TK Maxx you can save money on great brands. These online stores have a great selection of products and discounts to choose from. If you’re looking for ways of saving money when you need a wardrobe update this is a great way to do it.

I’m a big fan of TK Maxx for great brands with big discounts

4. Try pre-loved

If you love vintage styling or want pre-loved designer pieces try second hand shops (it may sound obvious but those in affluent areas will always have higher end labels) for  great deals on clothing that would otherwise be very expensive. If the amount of clothes I have personally dropped off at charity shops and those of my wardrobe clients – who’ve more than a few items with tags still attached that didn’t make the edit! – is anything to go by, there are an awful lot of brand new items waiting to be discovered in charity shops. I mentioned in a previous post about selling your own pre-loved branded clothing through sites like Vestiare collective so if you’re selling yours, there will of course be others selling theirs for you to peruse!

5. Sale rails

We seem to live in the age of never ending sales in clothing stores and most tend to have a permanent rail or two dedicated to clearance items. If you check the clearance racks you may scoop up some great deals but avoid items which are too season-specific and too trend-led as there’s a reason these have been left behind by others! Look for less obvious prints and shapes that will be associated with that particular brand and season as these items will only end up being worn once or twice.

Saving money on clothing can be easy if you know where to look and what to do to find great deals. If you use some of these ideas you may be able to find clothing with big reductions to update and add to your wardrobe. With a little bit of creativity and some quick thinking you will be able to dress your best with minimal spend. Use these 5 tips and my general style tips for dressing your shape to ensure you get bargains which you actually need and you’ll genuinely wear.

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