The amount that you spend on clothing. Do you know how much that is? One hundred, two hundred, maybe even three hundred a month?

Is it really necessary to spend that much money on clothes? Maybe not!

By simply adjusting your spending habits and learning to shop a bit more conservatively, you can save yourself hundreds, even thousands of dollars a year.

Start At The Source
So where should you start in your quest to save money off clothes? With your closet of course!

Take a moment to inventory the contents of your closet. If possible, organize ALL your clothes so you know what you have and don't have. You will then be able to look and say "I only have two nice sweaters, and winter is coming up!!" or "Only four good t-shirts! I'd better buy a few more."

When organizing your clothes, don't forget to look in the nooks and corners of your room/house. Many times we forget that we packed away our winter apparel, or stored a box of shirts up in the attic. This may save you from purchasing an excess of unnecessary clothing.

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Buying Clothes
If you want to save money off the cost of clothing, stop buying what you don't need. This can be your number one money saver, especially if you find yourself often saying, "Why did I buy this?"

Why spend $200 on something that you aren't going to wear much? This is a complete waste of money. If you really want to save money off your clothing bills, do not buy clothes that you aren't going to wear regularly.

A conservative wardrobe is basic. Warm, durable, simple, and neutral in color to provide many matching combinations. When you are buying clothes, try and purchase durable products, even if they are a little more expensive than others. Well made clothes have heavy seams and added reinforcement at stress points to insure the product survives daily wear and tear conditions.

When To Buy
Timing is a critical factor when purchasing clothes from retail and department stores. You can find unbelievable bargains on practically every type of clothing, if you shop at the right times. End-of-season, out-of-fashion and post-holiday sales give you more than an adequate chance to save money.

Every retail and department store MUST keep up with the ever-changing fashion world. Merchandise is constantly coming and going. These stores must provide shoppers with a variety of styles, colors and brands.

What is a hot seller this week, may be taken off the shelves the following month. This is especially true for seasonal and holiday type clothing. Retailers can't afford to have this merchandise taking up space in their store during the off months.

Think about it. Do you go into a department store in the winter time, when it is thirty degrees outside, looking to buy a bathing suit? Not many people do.

You can score great deals when you purchase your clothing at the appropriate times. Buy your winter clothes at the end of winter/beginning of spring. Buy summer clothing at the end of summer/beginning of fall.

Other Places To Look
If you like a particular brand of clothing (Nike, Guess, Ralph Lauren, etc...), you can save up to 50% by shopping at factory outlet stores. Contact the particular vendor for the location nearest you.

Another resource for clothes are yard sales, flea markets and swap meets. Browse a few of these bargain outlets one Saturday or Sunday afternoon. You might be surprised at what deals you can find.

Here are a few online resources to get you on your way:

* Nationwide Database: yardsalesearch.com

* Flea Markets: fleamarketguide.com & fleamarkets.com

Clothing For Children
Childrens' clothing can be the most frustrating to buy. Why? Because they seem to grow out of everything before you can blink your eyes.

Check with bargain clothing leaders like Ross and Walmart for low priced clothing. You can often find classified ads within your newspaper or local "pennysaver" magazine for yard/garage clothing sales.

If possible, once your children outgrow their clothes, pack them away in storage bins. You can then choose to either use them when your younger children grow into them, or sell them at a garage/yard sale.

You can also try these online sites:

webclothes.com and hugestore.com

Another idea is to exchange clothes with cousins and nephews in your family that are a little older than your children. Ask family members to save the clothes that their children grow out of, or do not want anymore. You can then go through the clothes and see what you want to keep.

Proper Care Insures A Long Life
Beware of what the washer and dryer can do to your clothing. Improper cleaning can result in damaged or unwearable clothes. That's one expensive mistake to make.

Not only will you have to spend money to replace the ruined clothing, but it will take time to go out to the mall and shop.

When washing, READ THE LABELS! Be aware of what speeds and cycles your apparel can endure. Also be careful when selecting water temperature and dryer settings. Nothing's worse than pulling your favorite t-shirt out of the dryer, only to find it three sizes smaller.

You will extend the life of all your clothes by learning how to properly wash and care for them.

Conclusion
Hopefully you are able to take a few of these ideas and apply them to your clothing budget.

It's best to start at the source. Organize your wardrobe so you know EXACTLY what you have. You will then have a good idea of what you will need to buy. This will also help prevent you from buying more than is necessary.

In a nutshell: Organize, set your spending limit, explore alternative sources, and minimize or eliminate unnecessary purchases. Do all of this, and you are well on your way to accumulating some "extra" spending money!

About the Author
Copyright © 2005 -- Get immediate access to over 500+ pages of effective money-saving articles, newsletters, and downloadable ebooks directly at SavingSecrets.com.

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Recommended Reading: By following the shopping list, and using my coupons and club cards I saved over $102.00 on my grocery bill! The fact that everything is made in advance means no more last minute trips to the store for one or two things and walking out having spent valuable time in line and an extra $75.00. Now I just run to the dairy for fresh milk and eggs once or twice a week and that's it. The first time I tried the recipes my daughters helped out in the kitchen and it turned into a fun learning experience and quality family time. The recipes are easy to follow and well thought out. I didn't have to add anything at all to spice up the flavor. Most importantly, the kids are hooked to, since they are responsible for kitchen cleanup. There are fewer nightly dishes. No more fighting over who has to scrub the pans. Fantastic book! (courtesy Amazon)