Before your have little ones, your money is your own to spend however you like, but once you become a mother that changes. Your money isn’t just there for you, it’s also there for raising and supporting your kids, which means that you no longer have as much money to spend on yourself and your needs as you most probably once did. Therefore, when it comes to staying on trend, you most probably need to be more mindful of what you are spending.

Before you panic and think that now you’re a parent you are not going to be able to stay looking stylish, rest assured that is not the case. It’s actually just about being more careful in terms of what you are spending and how you are spending your money. Wondering what it takes to do this? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with lots of helpful hacks below.

Repair and update

When it comes to your wardrobe, instead of feeling like you have to throw away everything that is broken, adopt the mindset of repairing and updating. By choosing to repair and update items you can ensure that you remain on trend but without breaking the bank.

Say you treat yourself a beautiful pair or Ray Ban sunglasses (or glasses from whoever your designer of choice is) and then the lenses get broken, you could choose to buy Ray Ban replacement lenses instead of replacing the glasses altogether.

Or, imagine you have a pair of old black skinny jeans that fit well but have started to look a little worse for wear and are in need of replacement. Instead of throwing them away, why not turn them into grunge-look ripped jeans? Not a fan of ripped jeans – how about denim shorts instead? That way you give yourself an extra pair of jeans to wear and are able to stay up to date with current fashion.

Preloved is best

There’s a reason that websites like eBay and Shpock are so popular, and that’s because buying preloved items is becoming increasingly popular. Not only can preloved items be far cheaper than buying brand new items, but they can also be highly fashionable. Often, they even look as good as new, so no one ever needs to know that they are actually second-hand items.

The key to success with second-hand buying is purchasing items from brands that you wear regularly, as that way you are clued up when it comes to the sizing side of things. Well-known brands are best as that way you are aware of the level of quality that comes with their clothing.

Accessorize

When you can’t afford to purchase a whole new outfit, the best thing to do is to invest in accessories. Accsessories are far cheaper than new outfits to buy, therefore they are a good fit for anyone who is on a budget as they don’t cost a lot to buy.

Accessories can be picked up cheaply, which is what makes them such a great way to update an outfit. If you’ve got an outfit from last season that’s looking a little outdated, you might find that updating it with a few well thought out accessories could make a big difference to the look of it. You would be amazed at how a new bag, pair of boots or an on-trend hat can make a huge difference to how up to date an outfit can look.

Staying up to date with fashion can be a costly affair, which is why it’s important to be smart about it and find simple ways to make fashion more affordable.