How to Buy and Wear Maternity Clothes on a Budget

The exciting thing about pregnancy is that you never know what to expect. Are you having a boy or a girl? Will she have your eyes and your husband's chin? Will she be born before or after your due date? The one constant about any pregnancy is change, especially changes to your body. In many cases, the changes brought about by pregnancy mean that a woman will need to shop for a whole new maternity wardrobe. What complicates the purchase of maternity clothes for many women is that maternity clothes can be very expensive. Here are a few tips for buying and wearing maternity clothes on a budget.

How to Buy and Wear Maternity Clothes on a Budget: Stick with the Basics

Keep in mind that you are buying a wardrobe that will only need to last you a few months. Sit down and make a list of things that you absolutely need to get through a week. For me, that meant five pairs of dress slacks, five dressy tops, a pair of jeans, and some tee shirts. Once you have a list put together, select maternity clothes that will withstand constant washings and that will grow with you throughout the pregnancy. Skip the "transitional" clothing if you can and opt instead to buy pants with adjustable waistbands that will grow with you and tops that you can wear both in early and late pregnancy. Remember that your belly (and other parts of your body) will expand dramatically, so if you are not comfortable showing it off skip the super-stretchy materials containing spandex.

How to Buy and Wear Maternity Clothes on a Budget: Rent it

That's right ladies, you can rent maternity clothes. Stores like The Maternity Closet offer outfits for rent. At The Maternity Closet, you can rent from 1 to 15 outfits at $35.00 each, and 16 or more outfits for $25.00 each. If you need a suit for a few months or are craving a pricey designer outfit to wear to a wedding or special occasion, rent one instead of spending hundreds of dollars on one. Swap your outfits monthly and avoid getting tired of wearing the same thing over and over.

How to Buy and Wear Maternity Clothes on a Budget: Shop on Ebay

One way to find great maternity clothes on a budget is to look on ebay. You are likely to find clothes in a variety of conditions, including new with tags (NWT), new without tags, or used. The great thing about maternity clothes is that very often they are only worn a few times, so even buying used maternity clothing can be a good deal. For instance, I purchased three pairs of jeans, three pairs of dress slacks, a track suit, three dressy tops, five long-sleeved tee shirts and a bathing suit for less than a hundred dollars, including shipping. The clothes were gently worn, but they were clean and in good condition.

How to Buy and Wear Maternity Clothes on a Budget: Shop Sales

The great thing about pregnancy (at least for the purpose of buying maternity clothes) is that it lasts nine months, which puts you right in the range for great sale shopping. Suppose you find out that you are pregnant in January. You probably will not need to purchase any fall or winter maternity clothes, and you might even make it through spring if you are lucky. However, if you start shopping right away on the sale racks you are likely to find some great deals on summer clothes from last season. Stock up early in your pregnancy on sale or clearance items that you can use later on.