I don’t know… can I?
Oy!
I was cleaning today and realized that my jackets & coats alone take up ALL of my closet. In my defense, my closet is seriously tiny. But maybe it’s not such a bad thing to hold off on buying clothes for a while.
At the very least, it’d be great for my budget. If I don’t buy any clothes for six months, I can probably save at least $300 or $400 (assuming that I don’t spend that money on something else). $300 is not a make-or-break amount of money, but it’s big enough that it’ll make a difference in my down payment.
Would I rather have a new dress or a house?
Must ask self that question several more times. Especially with all the after-Christmas sales going on.
Would I rather have a pair of herringbone pants or a house?
Would I rather have a satin A-line skirt or a house?
Would I rather have some round-toed pumps or a house?
Hmmm…
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Funny enough, I want to include clothes in my budget and try to spend more money on that.
Honest to god, I don’t have enough clothes. I have roughly five pairs of bottoms (cords, jeans and mini-skirt), five nice tops and about ten tank tops. I have a hard time spending money on clothes.
oy, this is my downfall. i’m trying to do something similar. good luck!
If you do this, I mean, really pull it off, you are so my frugal hero. I’ve gone a month or two without new clothes, but after then, I start itching for… something. Even if it’s just a $10 shirt or something.
Creat a shopping account! I dump all my gift money throughout the year in an ING account label, “gifts.” I shop twice a year, usually May/June and September/October for what I need.
I did the same thing for myself when I was trying to save up money for my down payment. Do I want this shirt, or do I want a house? And you know what? It actually worked! But I got really bummed out about 2 or 3 months into it, not buying anything for myself … so that’s when I started putting $25/pay cheque aside for myself to spend on clothing, or whatever else I wanted. That way, I didn’t feel like I was depriving myself, and I was still able to save at the rate I had set for myself.
I was thinking of something similar only because I’m saving for the China trip in August. If you can do it, I’m motivated enough to do the same and ask myself the same questions before I buy clothes so I can travel in the summer.
OMG! I was totally considering a New Year’s Resolution to not buy ANY new clothes for all of 2008! Due to some really excessive shopping in late 2007, I really can’t justify anymore clothing purchases. My wardrobe is pretty much complete by any standard (especially once I lose my holiday weight and feel/look better in more things).
Can I do it?? Hmmm…I’m tempted to try. What a challenge that would be!
Wow! 6 months is a long time! If you choose to do it, good luck! I’m not buying any clothing in the month of January and I think that’s hard!
I’d rather buy a house; besides, I have no use for a new dress., except on those occasional nights I’d like to go out in drag.
In October I went to Walgreens to buy their annual 3/$12 pants, so I’m all set with pantsa for the next year.
I’m going to do something similar as well…. I have got TOO many clothes, and am going to pare down and stop buying clothes/toiletries (except for essentials), period.
You can do it!
It gets easier after a month or two and it is really satisfying to take on a longer challenge . I am 7 months into 12 months of not buying clothes and shoes and it’s made me think differently about things . Plus it’s more money off my mortgage. Good luck!
And how are you doing so far? My husband and I are serious shopaholics, and we also promised each other not to buy anything until April 1, 2008 (6 months seemed toooo long). We’re only on day 12 and it’s so hard. Words like “Banana Republic”, “J Crew”, “Armani Exchange” and “Club Monaco” are banned from our household.
Keep us updated on how you’re doing!
I’m trying to do the same thing this year! So far I haven’t had much time to shop, so meeting my goal has not been a huge challenge – at least not yet. Would you mind if I posted a link on my blog (http://second-handthreads.blogspot.com/) to your page? I’m trying to find out how many others are blogging about shopping fasts, so to speak.
I hope you can do it! It would be really hard. So far for January, I have returned a couple of things and have a credit in the clothes spending category. My birthday is in February, so I am hoping to get clothes then and not have to buy any for myself for quite awhile.
I am with you! Well, give me a couple weeks, and I’m with you.
We can do this!
I am not going cold turkey but I am limiting it to $20 a month this year. So far I’m up to a whole $8 for the year.
It’s amazing what you can accumulate. And what you can trade with your friends. Things you both are sick of become brand new again with a simple swap.
Wow! 6 months is a long time! I’m not sure I could do it. I should though. Maybe after my birthday in a couple of weeks (going shopping with my sisters!).
I wish you luck!
I love this idea! How is it going? I just posted my own challenge to myself and my readers to go 1 year without buying new clothes. Check it ou!
I want to stop shopping for clothes and shoes, but it’s so hard. I started with my new budget in October. I normally have been spending $100 – $250/month in clothes and shoes. I love going to the mall and look for bargains. My favorite stores are Talbots, Banana Republic, JCrew and Ann Taylor. Before October I was spending 2-5 hours/week shopping for clothes. In October I spent $33 which was hard to do. Unfortunately I started my trips to the mall in November and I have gone wild: $569! I haven’t worn any of these items so I plan to go back to the stores and return them. My husband and I have good jobs and we own a house and a condo. There is the possibility of him lossing his job next year if the economy worsens. I really want to stop shopping. I think this is like a drug, if you have a little of it you can go wild with it. I have a closet full of clothes. The only item I really need is a pair of brown dressy pants for work since my only pair is too tight on me now.
I am going thru a similar thing, there are so many great buys out there and fashions that I love, it is often the colour or design of the item that gets me. today I bought at least 5 shirts, and I have so many. but I love the colours. same with shoes, bags, fragrance, make up and beauty treatments. I have made a rule I must at least save $100 a week for 10 weeks to save for deposit of a course I want to do. but my only treat is the very needed massages for sciatica, and back pain. I have been told this is all linked. I desperately want to do heaps of courses…I wish colleges would let students pay off course fees per month or fortnight or banks give smaller loans to students. Confessions of a shopaholic, yep thats me! please bring out all the ugly fashions so I can save, god.
my big problem is I have failed heaps of courses cuz colleges have gone bust or I dropped out cuz the work just got too much or cuz I had to for jobs centerlink forced me to do, my job network promised me financial help with clothes and training, but have not delivered. anyway, I know waht all you are going thru…god send someone to help me or help me wiin the lotto.
actually I realise it is about power, I have no power in my life my boss, centrelink, job networks and teachers have controlled my life… I shop cuz its the only way I have control over something, but now its got more control over me? ;(
Oh boy….that’s tough….why when you’re just trying to do that, you always walk by a sale, a great bargain, or omg this is the only one i”ll get, just this once! and of course you’re too weak not to make that exception, and there you are, right where you started!