Budgeting: How to save money on clothes without a wardrobe you hate
The best way to save money on clothes is a yearly clothing budget, split by season, plus a list of what you need before you shop. US households spent $2,010 on clothing and related services in 2025, about $168 a month, by BLS data; your own last year is the better starting number.
By Wealtie Team · 3 min read
Key takeaways
- US households spent an average of $2,010 on clothing and related services in 2025, about $168 a month, according to the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- People living alone spent $969 a year; four-person households spent $2,816.
- A yearly clothing budget, split into seasons, works better than a monthly limit, because clothes are bought in bursts.
- A list of what you need, made before you shop, cuts the purchases that sit unworn with the labels on.
- Cost per wear, the price divided by how often you'll wear it, is a better test of value than the price tag.
How much do people spend on clothes?
US households spent an average of $2,010 on clothing and related services in 2025, about $168 a month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Survey.
| Household | Clothing and services, per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| One person | $969 | $81 |
| All households (average) | $2,010 | $168 |
| Four people | $2,816 | $235 |
Across all households, $748 went on women's and girls' clothing, $481 on men's and boys', $470 on footwear and $76 on clothes for children under two. "Services" includes things like dry cleaning, alterations and repairs.
Averages hide a lot: a year with a new coat and a wedding outfit looks nothing like a year of socks and T-shirts. Your own last twelve months is the more useful number.
How do you make a clothing budget?
Set a yearly total, split it by season, and shop from a list.
Clothes are bought in bursts: a coat in autumn, sandals in spring, school uniforms in late summer. A monthly limit fights that pattern and usually loses. A yearly total, with a share for each season, matches how you actually buy.
Here's a worked example in round numbers, the same in any currency. A yearly clothing budget of 1,200:
| Season | Budget | Typical buys |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn | 400 | Coat, boots, warm layers |
| Winter | 200 | Replacements, occasion wear |
| Spring | 400 | Lighter layers, shoes |
| Summer | 200 | Summer basics |
| Year | 1,200 |
Put 100 a month into a separate pot, and spend from it when the season comes. That's a sinking fund for clothes: the money's there when you need the coat, and the coat doesn't wreck October.
How do you save money on clothes?
Buy less, buy what you'll wear, and look after what you have.
- Make a list before each season. Go through what you own, note what's worn out or missing, and buy from the list. Most regret purchases weren't on one.
- Wait 24 hours before buying anything that isn't on the list. If you still want it tomorrow, it's probably worth having. How to stop overspending explains why the waiting rule works so well.
- Unsubscribe from shop emails and remove saved cards from shopping sites. Fewer prompts, fewer purchases.
- Buy out of season for things you know you'll need, like a winter coat in late winter sales.
- Repair before replacing. A cobbler, a tailor or a needle and thread costs far less than new.
- Try second-hand for coats, jeans, children's clothes and occasion wear. Check condition and fit carefully.
What is cost per wear?
The price divided by how many times you'll wear it. It's a better test of value than the price tag.
A 120 coat you wear 100 times over two winters costs 1.20 a wear. A 30 top you wear three times costs 10 a wear. The cheaper item was the expensive one. Before buying, ask how often you'll realistically wear it, and divide.
This isn't an argument for buying the most expensive version of everything. Quality matters most for things you wear often and that take wear: shoes, coats, jeans, a work bag. For things you'll wear a handful of times, cheaper is usually fine.
What should you do with clothes you don't wear?
Sell, swap or donate them, and learn from them before you buy again.
Clothes you haven't worn in a year are information. Look at what they have in common: a size you hoped to fit, a colour you never pair, an occasion that didn't come. That's the purchase to avoid next season. Good-condition items can be sold online or at a second-hand shop, and the money can go straight back into the clothing pot. A swap with friends gets you something new for nothing.
How do you budget for children's clothes?
Plan for growth spurts and the start of the school year, and lean on hand-me-downs and second-hand for the fastest-growing ages.
Four-person households spent $2,816 a year on clothing in 2025, by the BLS figures, about $235 a month. Children's clothes are the line that changes fastest. Keep a separate amount for them inside the yearly budget, and check sizes before each season rather than buying when something suddenly doesn't fit. How to make a family budget covers children's costs more broadly.
How do you track what you spend on clothes?
Give clothes their own category and log every purchase, including second-hand and cash.
In Wealtie, add a clothing expense category to your monthly budget, and log each purchase in a few taps. Budget Health warns you mid-month if your spending pace will take you over. On Pro, the receipt scanner reads each line of a receipt, so a mixed supermarket shop can be split into groceries and the T-shirt that went in the trolley. After a year, the category total is your real clothing number, and next year's budget can start from it.
Questions people ask
US households spent about $168 a month on clothing and related services in 2025, by BLS figures, and people living alone about $81. Set your own amount from last year's spending, then trim it if it felt like too much.
Add up last year's clothing spending, decide the yearly total you're comfortable with, and split it into seasons. Make a list of what you need before each season and buy from the list.
The price of an item divided by how many times you'll wear it. A 120 coat worn 100 times costs 1.20 a wear; a 30 top worn three times costs 10 a wear.
Shop from a list, wait 24 hours before buying anything that isn't on it, unsubscribe from shop emails, and remove saved cards from shopping sites.
For many items, yes: coats, jeans, children's clothes and occasion wear are often good second-hand. Check condition and fit carefully, and count it in the same clothing budget.
Sources
- Consumer Expenditures in 2025, table 1400: Size of consumer unit · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked 6 November 2026
This article is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Your situation is your own; check the numbers that apply to you before you act on them.
