How to shop second-hand on a budget: habits that make money go further

Make a list first

Browsing without a plan is how a budget disappears on things you did not need. Look at your wardrobe, write down the gaps, and put them in order: the winter coat before the third pair of jeans. Our guide to building a capsule wardrobe is a good way to work out what is missing.

Set a figure for the month or the season, and keep a note of what you spend against it.

Know your measurements

A bargain that does not fit is not a bargain. Measure a few pieces you own that fit well, laid flat, and save the numbers on your phone: chest, waist, hip, inside leg, length and insole for shoes. Then compare every listing's measurements with yours before you buy. Our guide to measuring clothes for buying online shows how, and our Will it fit? checker does the comparison for you.

If a listing has no measurements, ask the seller. It takes a minute and saves a lot of disappointment.

Filter hard

On Rewear, the filters let you narrow a search by category, type, brand, size, condition, colour and price, and sort by price from low to high. Use them.

• Set your size so you only see what could fit.
• Set a maximum price. The price filter is the item price, before buyer protection and postage.
• Choose the conditions you are happy with. "Good" can be excellent value if you read the description.
• Search for specific words: "wool coat", "leather boots", "straight leg jeans".

Work out the real total

The item price is not the whole cost. On Rewear the buyer pays the item price, plus delivery, plus a buyer protection fee of 30p + 3% on the item price. All three are shown before you pay. Choose the delivery option that suits you, and compare totals, not just prices.

Save pieces and wait

If something is a little over budget, save it rather than buying it straight away. On Rewear, people who have saved a piece can be told when its price drops. Sellers often lower prices on pieces that have been listed for a while, especially at the change of season.

Make fair offers

You can make an offer on most listings by tapping Offer and entering an amount below the asking price.

• Be reasonable. An offer that is a fair discount is much more likely to be accepted than one that is half the price.
• Say something friendly. A short message makes a good impression.
• Pay promptly when it is accepted. On Rewear an accepted offer lasts 48 hours, and the piece stays on sale to everyone else until somebody buys it.

Bundle from one seller

If a seller has several things you like, buy them together. On Rewear a bundle from one seller travels as one parcel, so you pay delivery once, and if the seller offers a bundle discount it comes off automatically. Tap Bundle on the seller's profile to pick the pieces.

Buy out of season

The best prices are often on pieces nobody is looking for yet. Coats and boots in spring, linen and sandals in autumn. If you can wait a few months to wear something, you can usually pay less for it.

Think in cost per wear

A £30 wool coat you wear every day for three winters costs far less per wear than a £10 top you wear twice. When you are deciding between two pieces, choose the one you will wear more often, and the one made to last.

Avoid the common traps

• Buying because it is cheap, not because you need it.
• Ignoring the fit because the price is good.
• Not reading the whole description, where flaws are often mentioned.
• Paying outside the app. It removes the buyer protection, and if anything goes wrong there is no help. On Rewear your payment is held until you confirm the piece arrived as described, and you have 14 days from delivery to report a problem. Our guide to buying second-hand safely explains what is covered.

Sell to fund it

The easiest way to stretch a budget is to sell what you no longer wear. On Rewear listing is free and there is no selling fee, so the price you agree is the price you are paid.

The short version

Make a list, know your measurements and filter by size, condition and price. Compare totals with postage, save pieces and wait for price drops, make fair offers and bundle from one seller. Buy out of season, think in cost per wear, and keep everything in the app.