Where to Shop on a Budget

As college students, we know what living on a budget is like. But what do you do when you need clothes for an interview or would just like to vamp up your wardrobe without breaking the bank? These are our top ten places to shop for clothes on a budget and the best deals we’ve gotten.* A lot of these best deals were bought on clearance, and a few are featured in our no-stress outfits piece linked here.

1. Kohl’s: They have the BEST clearance. Buying in off seasons (like buying sweaters in the summer and tank tops in the winter) gives you the best deals. Quality tends to be high, and they have a fantastic selection. Plus, spend enough and they’ll give you Kohl’s Cash to go get more!

Best deals we’ve gotten: fashion tank tops for $3, jeans for $10, two-pack of bras for $10, sweater for $4

2. Macy’s: Yeah, yeah. This is an expensive department store. But would you believe that they also have great clearance deals? Plus, their clothes are usually fantastic quality, so they last FOREVER. Sometimes they have really good sales as well. But if you need something soon and can’t scope them out, clearance is always there!

Best deals we’ve gotten: black flowy shirt (featured in the no-stress outfits piece) for $7, sweater for $7, blazer for $20

3. TJ Maxx: This is a place where you have to really inspect clothes and try them on because clothes are being sold here at a discount for a reason. Some styles are kinda funky and some sizes run way too big or way too small. But, if you can sort through the bad eggs, you can find some really cute stuff – and all for a great price!

Best deals we’ve gotten: tie dye t-shirts for $8, one-piece bathing suit for $12, professional blouses for $12

4. Walmart: Before you diss the extremely low prices at Walmart, take a look in their clothing department. They have seriously upped their game in fashion! Their quality is not always the best, as we’ve had leggings rip in the butt and shirts that fell apart in the wash, but for need-it-now interview or date clothes, Walmart can save you! They also have clearance racks.

Best deals we’ve gotten: Christmas leggings for $5, fashionable t-shirts for $3, pajama set for $12

5. Target: We’ve all gone to Target to shop for bathing suits. Target has some other great products though. They have a lot of licensed products like Disney and Harry Potter, and their prices are generally low. Some items may have higher prices than what you’d like to spend, but Target has a lot of sales. They also tend to have some pretty great clearance deals.

Best deals we’ve gotten: Leggings for $12, swim suit bottoms for $2, romper for $12

6. Forever21: Forever21’s name stems from their tendency to have ‘hip’ clothes, but they always have great deals and great sales! They also have an exceptional amount of clothes appropriate for professional environments. Blazers and blouses are very affordable. One

thing to watch out for is fabrics, as many of them may shrink in the wash, but if taken care of correctly, you can have some great stuff!

Best deals we’ve gotten: Blazer for $3, pencil skirt for $8, sweatshirt for $5

7. Goodwill and other thrift stores: There seems to be some sort of stigma about buying clothes at thrift stores, but you can truly get some amazing deals on brand name stuff! At Goodwill in particular, clothes are almost all priced based on what the item is, not what name is on it. If you just take everything home and wash it, there is no reason to be against buying clothes secondhand.

Best deals we’ve gotten: Mossimo (Target brand flannel) for $4 (featured in the no-stress outfits piece), casual dress for $5, American Eagle sweater for $4

8. Plato’s Closet: It’s another secondhand shop, but they only buy clothes in good condition and certain brands. If you can’t tell by now, we love our clearance sales, and Plato’s Closet is no different. Sign up for emails with FiveStar, and they’ll notify you of their best clearance sales as well as send you coupons for even better deals.

Best deals we’ve gotten: two casual dresses for $2 (SUPER clearance), Rue21 jeggings for $8, Pink brand t-shirt for $5

9. Poshmark: This is a clothing app where anyone can sell anything in their closet. You can find great deals on name brands and bundle multiple items from the same seller to get an even better offer! The one down side to shopping like this is not knowing if something is going to fit how you want it, so make sure you know your size well. Plus, if you want to revamp your wardrobe, sell some of your stuff, too!

Best deals we’ve gotten: like new black booties (featured in the no-stress outfits piece) for $15, LuluLemon leggings for $40, Lularoe leggings for $10, American Eagle jeggings for $8

10. Amazon: With the thousands of products Amazon offers, it’s no surprise that they have lots of clothing choices. With anything online, it’s important to know your sizes well, but Amazon is fantastic with returns. They also have sizing charts, so use them! Side note: students can get Amazon Prime FREE for 6 months.

Best deals we’ve gotten: miniskirt for $5, print skater dress for $14, fashion tops for $12

Did we miss any majorly great places to shop? Let us know in the comments along with your best deals!

*Prices are approximate because we buy a LOT of clothes so it’s impossible to remember exactly what we paid.