Saturday, January 11, 2014

For the Love of Clothing...

Clothes are something that we all need (well, most would subscribe to this idea), and yet most people go overboard so that their closets are stuffed to the brim. Most people don't even budget, they see something they like, and poof, the credit card comes out!

This past year, I noticed that my budget for clothes was maintained, however, I really didn't buy any 'fun clothes'. Which is okay by me because I have enough clothes at the moment. However, my mom was nice enough that when I went home, took me shopping and bought me lots of great new items that are high quality and should last me quite some time. They are also of the big kid variety, and make me look more like an adult and less like a 20 - something away from campus. She also bought me a few more clothes for my job.

With that, one thing I realized I need to do this year is set aside a budget for work clothes and everyday items. At my current job, I have to wear a uniform with clothes that I would probably never wear in real life. And with how often they are worn and need to get washed, they wear out a lot quicker and need to be replaced every few months. And even better, all these clothes are tax deductible, which makes it even more important that I keep everything up to date and all receipts right in place!

The interesting thing about clothes I find is that because they are a necessity, you need a line for it in your budget. However, clothes are so cheap at some places, and stores for them are all over the place, they can easily become a want. It's great to be able to show off your figure, but it's also great to have some money in the bank.

As much as people hate it, having a budget reminds you where your priorities are. If you have the money to dress like a celebrity, go ahead. But if you don't, check to see the status of your current clothes and how far they can get you. If you don't have great quality clothes, perhaps replacing your favorites with higher quality ones as they wear out can be your next goal.

One of my favorite tricks is if you notice that some of your day wear is becoming a bit more worn, why not make it into sleeping wear? Only you and your family are probably going to see the worn patches and you'll probably be sleeping in them most of the time anyway.

Any other great tips on how to save money on clothing?

No comments:

Post a Comment