After my last pregnancy, I wasn’t expecting to be pregnant again. At the end of a rough pregnancy, we went home empty handed and planning a funeral rather than looking forward to future milestones. I wanted to avoiding going through that particular experience again at all cost.

This pregnancy has left me a bit stunned and even though I’ll be 22 weeks on Monday, I’m still at least partially convinced that I’m probably faking it. The only thing convincing me otherwise is the fact that i still have 24 hour a day morning sickness and my jeans no longer fit, which is problematic considering I seem to have gotten rid of most of my maternity clothes.

The moral of the story . . . don’t get rid of any maternity clothes until you are well past menopause (and even then think twice about it). Life doesn’t generally go according to plan and nothing will guarantee another pregnancy like getting rid of maternity clothes.

So that leaves me with a dilemma. I have no interest in spending loads of money on maternity clothes that don’t have as long of a shelf life on my 5th pregnancy as they did for my first.

So how do you save money on maternity clothes?

Say Yes to Hand-Me-Downs

Good quality hand-me-downs are nothing to turn your nose up at. Maternity clothes, especially if they’ve only been through a single pregnancy and clothes bought towards the end of a pregnancy get put into storage before they get much wear. If you have any friends who are firmly done having kids, send out some feelers to see if they’d be willing to give away or sell you any of their old maternity clothes.

A word of advice — unless it’s a really close friend or family member, I’d avoid borrowing maternity clothes. A pregnant belly is a magnet for spilled food and the last thing you want to worry about during your pregnancy is whether or not your friend is going to be offended when you go to return her clothes.

Shop Local Consignment Shops

Local consignment shops and thrifts stores can be great for some frugal finds. Keep an eye out for higher end baby consignment shops because many of them have a maternity section and they typically screen the clothes they sell for quality. When buying second hand, look for well known brands because they tend to hold up better over the long run.

Shop Ebay

Ebay can be a great source for finding some great deals on maternity clothing. You have to be careful to pay attention to shipping costs though because on individual items you can end up paying more than you would for brand new clothes if you aren’t careful. I’ve found the best deals by shopping for “lots” of clothes. Be sure to look carefully at photos and sizes to make sure you are getting something you can use.

Online Clearance

Many larger stores like Target , Gap and Old Navy offer maternity clothes, however the selection in the stores can be a bit sparse. I’ve had great luck shopping in the online clearance section of some of my favorite stores, especially at the end of the season. You can often find offers for free shipping or in store pick up to save even more money. Before you check out, do a quick search for any coupon codes that you can use on your order.

Discount Retailers

There are some great places to get high quality clothes at a discount if you keep your eyes out. One of my favorites is Baby Steals. They generally feature baby items but from time to time they have some great maternity offerings. Totsy is another great site, that again, generally offers baby items but if you keep your eyes open you can find some great deals on maternity wear.

What tips do you have for saving money on maternity clothes?

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