How do you spend money for clothes wisely when your family is having money trouble?

• i have recently gotten into fashion and got interested in buying really cute clothes. i used to be a tom boy girl but i want to look different when i go back to school. but my mom is employed by the state of michigan and they cut back her hours and my dad if off on injury so income is just getting us by so we dont have the money to get alot of school clothes. i could get a job but my dad is really protective and my sister Macy was killed when a robbery happened at her work so he doesnt want me to get a job any time soon. so how do i get nice clothes, enough for school, and at a affordible price for my parents. i got rid of alot of my clothes before all this happened to make room for new stuff so i barely have anything. Any Ideas?

• Answer:

  Sure! I'm a college student, and have pretty much stopped asking my parents for money since i turned 18, as they have much more important things to worry about then how to pay for my spending habits. Ironically, that's also around the time i started to change my wardrobe. Therefore, I've never had much money to spend on clothes. The secret, is sales. I know it sounds pretty simple, right. Anyway, i would start off looking at stores like "Marshalls, TJ Max or Filenes basement" which have a bunch of name brand and really cute/in clothes, but for sometimes as low as 1/3 of the normal price. I got one of my favorite jackets from Marshalls, for only like 10 dollars. When shopping in stores, try not to buy clothes when they first come out. I tend to window shop ALOT. when i see a shirt or skirt i really like, i remember it, and look for it every time i come across that store again. Sooner or later, I normally find a store, that has it on discount, or clearance, and i save a good 20 dollars. And, i rarely wait long either, maybe a couple of months, before the new stuff start to go down. Also, always look in stores with clearance, and sales in the windows. Sometimes even if stores boasts things like "SALE $19.95 Shirts", if you go inside, they may have shirts for 10.00 or 5.00 dollars too. Also, Unless it's a really good deal, I normally don't buy things the first time i see them. I usually just wait until after i finish shopping the mall, and then i come back for it at the end. Mainly just because, sometimes you find a cute outfit for cheap somewhere, and then a few stores later, you find a cuter outfit for even cheaper. And it makes things simpler, and keeps you from over buying. Don't try to replace your wardrobe in one visit, set a certain amount of money your willing to spend before you go out shopping, and what you hope to buy, and then try to stick to that. Have you tried vintage stores? Depending on where you live, you might be able to find really nice stuff, for very little. And lastly, don't worry too much about it. Ask your parents how much they believe they can spend on clothes for you, and work within that. Now that you're interested in shopping and clothes, you'll be constantly seeing a shirt here you want, and a pair of jeans there, and you'll fill up your wardrobe before you notice. Hope I helped a little