How to Buy Maternity Clothes on a Budget

Having a problem forking out loads of money for maternity clothes?

Well, I have a few tips on getting the clothes that you need, at reasonable prices. If you are concerned with designer labels, you may not want to read this.

Let me explain the common sense with being thrifty when it comes to buying comfortable but appropriate maternity clothing:

Even if you plan on having more children, you will not be wearing these clothes for probably more than 6 months consecutively. So why pay an equal amount or even higher amount on maternity clothes than you would on regular clothes? I was shocked to go to the mall as a newcomer and find that the maternity store's prices were what I considered astronomical in comparison to what I wear on a daily basis. I'm not even really cheap about my wardrobe, I'm just not a wild shopper and usually make thriftier decisions when it comes to attire. I was severely disappointed at the register when I heard my total, glancing down at the meager amount of clothes I had selected. There had to be a better way to buy in maternity without spending this much money.

So if you are having the same problems, and are limiting yourself to the few items that you have felt comfortable purchasing without feeling guilty, read on.

First, swallow your pride. Head on over to Wal-Mart, KMart, Ross, Mervins, etc, even if you don't shop at any of these stores for clothes. Their selection may not be amazing, but it is worth a try to check it out. I was thrilled going to Ross lately. I found several shirts that I can wear around the house, but also somewhere nice (work, job interview, business etc) for less than $10 each! I also found a cute pair of pants that were cheap, and matched several of the shirts.

Look for discount clothing stores in the phone book. Call and ask if they have maternity clothes. Even if they do not have a huge department, chances are you can pick something up, a tank top, some pajama pants, some cute capris. I have worn clothes from these stores before and had girl gasp and ask where I got them. They didn't believe me, or at least, didn't want to.

There's nothing better than having a little extra to wear without paying a monstrous price for it. Ladies, we all know that being pregnant, you do not feel elegant or attractive. Feeling like you are wearing the same thing everyday makes it worse.

Second, check out local thrift shops. Yes, thrift stores. Sadly, some people will never step foot in one. But seriously, many people donate perfectly good clothes (maternity included) because they don't fit, don't want them anymore, etc. Thrift stores also check for stains, holes etc, and clean clothes before shelving them. Not only will you have a good chance of finding something that fits and looks good, you will pay a lot less than you would anywhere else. It's worth a try to check out a few of the thrift stores in your area.

Nothing is going to scream out to anyone that you have purchased clothes from a discount store or a second hand shop. What brand of clothing you are wearing is going to be one of the last things on everyone's mind when you see them. They are mainly paying attention to your cute belly!

Third, ask friends! I know that when I am not pregnant, I am going to ask all my friends if they know anyone else pregnant. I would gladly hand over some free clothes to an acquaintance. If I don't find anyone, I'll donate them to my local thrift stores. Chances are there is someone you know who has a friend, who has a friend, that is wondering what she is going to do with her maternity clothes.

When you are planning for a child, there are a million things you have to plan into a budget. Clothes that will be needed temporarily should not take up a huge chunk of them. Hopefully, these tips will help you as much as they've helped me in finding an impressive wardrobe of cute, affordable, comfortable maternity clothes.