Guest post from Laura of Life as a Loewen
Finding adorable clothes on a shoestring budget can be challenging, but I’m here to tell you that it’s not impossible.
Enter eBay clothes shopping!
It should take you less than 5 minutes to set up an eBay account (if you don’t have one already). Then you can link your PayPal account for easy payments, or pay using a debit or credit card.
Here are a few tips for getting the most bang for your buck on eBay:
1. Know your sizes from a specific brand.
eBay has a number of different search features so you can narrow down exactly what you need (i.e. petite, tall, color of item, etc.)
Have you been eyeing a specific brand of clothing, say jeans, but don’t know what size you are in them? Go to a store that has them, try on a few sizes, write them down or enter into your phone and then you’ll be armed for your next eBay purchase!
You can also look on some store websites to see if they have sizing charts which would eliminate the need for a trip to the store!
2. Buy used.
You can search for items that are new, used, or unspecified. I’d suggest buying second-hand items to get an even lower prices on your clothes. Nearly all items I’ve gotten used from eBay come to me looking either new or nearly new!
3. Take advantage of bidding and offers.
Many items can be purchased through bidding (auction-style) on an item. Another way I’ve gotten steals on trendy clothes is by making an offer on items that indicate “or highest offer”. You never know until you try!
Offer less than the “buy it now” price, but what you feel is reasonable (and still a good deal) for the item.
4. Don’t write off high-end brands.
I personally adore the style of Anthropologie. But spending $100 on one top at the store? I couldn’t possibly.
What I do is keep a search saved of Anthropologie items in my size, and the types of clothes I’m looking for — such as short-sleeved blouses and cardigans.
eBay then saves that search and I get to look for the best possible deals, getting higher-end clothes that are actually in my price range.
5. Sell your own items.
Selling gently used (or new) items is a great way to boost that clothing budget. Having 3 little kids on one income means there’s not a lot of wiggle room for the clothing budget, and especially not for this Mama to get new threads.
By selling some of my clothes on eBay, I’ve earned a little money to use toward future purchases by letting the balance sit in my PayPal account until something really strikes my fancy. You can also deposit the money from PayPal into your checking out to use it for general purposes, as well.
I’ve gotten lots of cute, trendy items using eBay, and I hope this helps you have another budget-friendly way to spruce up your wardrobe!
Laura is a mama of three littles {and in the adoption process}, delighting in the Gospel of grace. Attempting to be genuine and raw, Laura seeks to find the humor in everyday life. She shares her journey through faith, motherhood and marriage at LIFE AS A LOEWEN blog. Passionate about issues of social justice, and always up for a Motown dance party, Laura seeks to live with spirited intentionality.
Stevi says
Great tips. The only thing I dont like about bidding is when other people set it to automatically bid after someone else bids. I just feel like people get jipped out on bidding fairly, might sound kinda silly lol
Laura says
That part can be frustrating, I completely agree. Thankfully there are always new items being listed. 🙂
Sam says
Nice tip! I’m 3 months postpartum and don’t have any shorts that fit. I can’t stand the thought of paying full price for clothes that (I hope) won’t fit very long. I just checked ebay and picked up 3 pairs in a brand that I know that fits well for 30 bucks! That’s an acceptable price for a few minutes work, I don’t have the time to scour thrift shops! Thanks!
Laura says
Yay! That’s so awesome, Sam. I know how hard it is to not have clothes that fit right after having babies. I love thrift stores, but find eBay to be much easier as they will often time have what I’m looking for. 🙂
Allison says
I found ebay to be a great place to get maternity clothes. I didn’t want to spend the hundreds of dollars it would’ve cost to buy a maternity wardrobe at retail prices. But I also didn’t have a ton of luck at thrift stores- especially because I needed to find things relatively quickly before all of my regular clothes stopped fitting.
Laura says
That’s a great tip, Allison. Maternity clothes are SO expensive, and I personally hate spending any money on them, so eBay is a great way to go!
Teresa says
Exactly! Want some American Eagle jeans (for example)? Hit the store and try on a few styles and take notes on fit and sizes. Once you know what fits, look on ebay. You’ll find AE jeans for less than $15 often! But the same can be said for anything you are buying! Love ebay!
Laura says
So true, Teresa! Once you know the specific styles and sizes, it makes eBay shopping SO much easier. I also love that you can ask the seller questions to know you’re getting exactly what you need. 🙂
Jennifer says
Great tips! I use Ebay to buy both used and second-hand clothes and new shoes. One suggestion: if you see something new brandname in the store or online that you like I always check Ebay first.Often I am able to find the exact item/size for a fraction of the price.
Lauren @ ThePlaceForBusyMoms says
Jennifer, I LOVE THAT IDEA of checking ebay before buying something that you see in the store. I’m gonna have to try that.
I buy my a lot of my kids clothes off of eBay and then turn around and sell some of their stuff but I never think to look for me.
Laura says
Thanks, Jennifer. 🙂 Totally agree about checking eBay first for something new in the store that you love!