As An Intern With Not Much Money, Here’s How I Shop For Cheap Chinese New Year Clothes
Guide to buying cheap Chinese New Year clothes
Every year, my mother emphasises the significance of buying new clothes for Chinese New Year. A new year means new hopes and a fresh start. Back when my sisters and I were kids, we were each given a $100 budget to buy our threads. Now that we’re older and making money, we’re expected to get our own clothes ourselves. As an intern with almost no cash to spare, here’s how I find cheap Chinese New Year clothes.
Take advantage of online sales
To get more affordable clothes, I always take advantage of 12/12 and the year-end sale. Because of the upcoming holiday season, many online retailers always have aggressive promotions during this time period.
Take, for example, Shein, which offers 30-70% off selected clothing as well as multiple coupons to make your cart cheaper. They even have CNY specials like “buy two and get one for 88% off”, “two for $20”, and “three for $28”. I usually buy in bulk with my sisters to get better discounts and also so that we can wash them when they arrive and store them in our closet before wearing them during Chinese New Year.
Build a capsule collection
I was never a fan of wearing traditional Chinese clothes like cheongsam during CNY. This is because they are rarely worn on a regular basis, even if my parents think they’re classy and traditional.
Those clothes will be sitting in my closet, taking up space and collecting dust.
Besides, they are usually pretty expensive for a ‘one-time use’ piece of clothing.
Therefore, I would usually invest my money in something affordable that I could see myself wearing multiple times to get my money’s worth.
Thrifting for new clothes
Some people, like my mom, might say thrifted clothes aren’t new clothes. However, to me, they’re new because it’s my first time wearing them. I love thrifting because I can find clothes that are more vintage-looking. By thrifting, I can save money, find unique pieces and reduce my carbon footprint. I will usually get a mix of thrifted clothes too. I will also make sure I don’t buy more than what I need.
Save your budget by buying cheap Chinese New Year clothes
It’s easy to overspend on things like new clothing without realising it until it’s too late. Consider creating a budget for yourself. You can set expectations and consider ways to save ahead of time by comparing what you want and need with what you can comfortably pay for.
Tell us below how you’re saving money this Chinese New Year!
