The 40 Dollar T-Shirt

I bought a plain t-shirt for forty dollars once, full price, because I needed it that weekend. Two weeks later the same shirt was on clearance for twelve. I have never forgotten that number. Retail runs on a rhythm, and full price is for people who do not know the rhythm.

The Clearance Calendar

Stores discount by season, and the pattern is predictable. Winter clothes hit clearance in late January, summer clothes in late July. If you buy a season ahead, you pay a fraction of the price. I buy my summer shorts in August for the following year, and my winter coat in February for the next winter.

The deepest discounts land at the end of the clearance cycle, when stores want the racks empty. That is when you see the sixty and seventy percent off signs.

Price Track Before You Buy

Use a price tracking tool or extension before any online purchase. Many stores quietly drop prices after you look at an item, and trackers show you the history. If an item has been cheaper before, it will be again. Patience is the whole game.

The Cart Trick

Add items to your online cart and leave them there for a few days. Stores send abandoned cart coupons surprisingly often, sometimes within 24 hours. I have gotten ten to fifteen percent off just by being slow to check out.

Sign Up, Then Ignore

Create a new email for store newsletters and sign up for every brand you like. The welcome discount is usually the best one they offer, and you can use it when something you actually want goes on sale. Ignore the daily spam, wait for the real discount.

• Buy a season ahead during clearance
• Track prices and wait for the dip
• Leave the cart and let the coupon come to you
• Use welcome discounts for planned purchases

I have not paid full price for clothing in over a year. The twelve dollar t-shirt taught me to wait, and waiting has saved me a small fortune.