As I enter my fifth month of pregnancy with my second baby, the inevitable is happening. Fewer clothes are fitting and, for me, expensive new maternity clothes aren’t an option.

It’s hard to pay $30-40 for a dress I’ll only wear for five or six months. Of course, you could wear it longer — but most moms, like myself, want to get out of maternity clothes as soon as possible.

A lot of women suggest just buying bigger or plus-size clothing, which may work for some of you — but I think these tend to make you look bigger. Also, if you buy your clothes used at Goodwill, maternity items are around the same price.

Here are a few tips for saving money on maternity clothes, which I’ll be implementing in the next few months:

1. Shop Consignment Sales

Most areas have a bi-annual kids consignment sale. These sales usually have one day where the majority of items can be purchased half-off. When I volunteered to help tear down my local consignment sale, I was amazed at how many maternity clothes were left. Most of it was name brand, and on half-off day, the prices were as low as the thrift store. You can bet that will be the first rack I visit at my local consignment sale this October.

2. Buy Cheap Basics & Extenders

Buying several large tank tops and pairs of leggings will help your pre-baby wardrobe stretch a little further. Don’t bother buying these basics from a maternity store, or even in the maternity section; just buy the next size up and rock them during and after pregnancy. Two other affordable essentials are belly bands and bra extenders.

3. Look for Clothing Lots

For most things, I like to buy in lots and sell anything I can’t use. Generally, lots of clothing or books tend to be cheaper than buying just one item at a time. For example, I’m asking a person on Craigslist for her 26-piece maternity clothing lot for $80. This makes the lot $3 a piece (a steal compared to what Goodwill charges). Even if I only end up liking half of the clothing, I can try to sell the other pieces for around the same cost. Speaking of…

4. Resell Your Items

I hung on to a few maternity items from last pregnancy, but my hips are bigger this time around, making many items too snug. If you have the time and energy, it’s better to sell your maternity clothes soon after your baby is born. Just a heads up: cute maternity dresses have been the best sellers for me on Ebay. Depending on how sales go, you may make a small profit, or at least break even.

Your turn to share, mamas. How did you save money on your maternity wardrobe?

Tagged as: Frugality, Kids and Money, Shopping Smart

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