Buy Jeans at Full Price? Never!

Jeans are as American as apple pie. Finding a good pair of jeans at a good price, however, seems kind of like hitting the lottery. There is no reason to pay full price for jeans, and unless you are a starlet, there is little reason to buy top-of-the-line, name brand pants.



Get What Fits But Only on Sale

A pair of jeans, no matter how cool, isn’t worth anything if they don’t fit well. Paying more for a pair of pants just because they have a specific label on them is a waste. Once you find a brand that fits your shape, keep your eyes open for sales.

Jeans are one of those items that change regularly. Different stitch patterns, small changes in color, and so forth cause jeans to go on sale regularly. If you are in your favorite jeans store and the pants you want are still offered at full price, ask the sales people if they know of an upcoming sale, and then make sure to turn up first thing on the day of the sale.

Look at Thrift Shops and Goodwill

A pair of name brand jeans at a thrift store or Goodwill will set you back about $6 if you are looking at adult clothes and about $3 for kid’s pants. I don’t care how good a sale you find, but you can’t beat these prices. Since kids outgrow their clothes faster then they wear through them, under most circumstances, getting kid’s jeans anywhere else is just plain foolish.

Many of the items that arrive at the thrift store are barely worn; some even have original tags. If it seems odd to wear something that was worn by someone else, let the savings soothe your worries. Drop those cheap, new jeans in the wash and enjoy.

Garage Sales

Clothes are one of the most common items at garage sales, and you can take advantage of someone else’s change in size. Jeans go for as little as $0.25 a piece. Chances are if you found one pair of jeans, there will be a whole set you can get for a couple of dollars.

For Kid’s Jeans Arrange Swaps

As I said before, kids grow fast, and since jeans are likely to outlast the kid, arrange clothing swaps a couple of times a year at your school. Set the rules; everything must be washed, in decent condition, and not smell of smoke, or whatever is important to you. On the day of the event, separate clothes by style – shirts on one table, pants on another, etc. You can even set aside specific subsections based upon sizes.

Anyone who brings items can take others home. At the end of the day, take anything left to Goodwill. You get clothes for nothing and you do a good deed too.

Auction Site Lots

Another good way to get a set of similar jeans for a great price is to check out the online auction sites, but only look for “lots” rather than single items. Lots are groups of clothes – usually the same size – and often the same manufacturer that someone is selling off. You save on shipping because it is a single lot, and you get clothes you want without running all over town checking different stores.

This is another piece from the How to Save Money on Everything ebook. Check out what you can get for free by signing up for the free frugal email newsletter.