Finances: Clothing Part 3

As I said previously, I have been taught how to buy clothes inexpensively.  My paternal grandmother (now passed on) was a superb clothes purchaser. We always headed straight for the sales racks.  She would keep track of sales and enjoyed "sidewalk days" in various towns when many retailers would have items on sale out on the sidewalk.

My mother and mother-in-law both enjoy going to thrift stores. I realized that when I said we'll spend $1500 or less this year on clothes, it is true both my mom and MIL buy some clothes for our children.  I would say they spend less than $200/year on our children but those gifts are a factor.  Also, my amazing mother makes dresses for our girls and shirts for our boys twice a year.  The picture at the top of my blog has the children in their Easter finery from my mother.

So, I know that the way to buy really nice clothes inexpensively is to either wait for major sales on new items, or carefully search the racks in thrift stores.

Neither works amazingly well for me.  As I said, I dislike clothes shopping. I am really really busy with my family.  I realize that I just am not a candidate for spending a lot of time shopping.  It drives me too crazy and my brain always comes up with a good excuse for avoiding the whole experience entirely.

So what do I do?

First of all, I use "hand me downs".  I have received hundreds of garments from other people whose children have outgrown their clothes. And yes, I've given away hundreds  of garments.  We none of us need all new clothes for our children.  I am blessed to have friends who are generous, and I try to be generous in return.

Just today, a sweet friend gave me a bunch of baby boy clothing.  Our 2nd son is 8 years old.  He was followed by 3 sisters and 4 miscarriages.  I thought we would never have another son, and felt God's direction to give my baby boy clothing to friends who needed it.  So I did, and had very little on hand when the 20 week ultrasound showed Daniel is indeed a boy!

And friends came through, as usual.  We've had to buy a few items for him, but relatively little.

I'm also a BIG fan of Once Upon a Child.  It is indeed a thrift store, but the store purchases clothes from people and they are picky. So their clothing is almost all in good shape.  I go in, I sweep through rapidly, I buy a bunch of stuff, and I'm gone.  In 20 minutes or less. That's my idea of shopping. 

I don't worry very much about fashion.  Ok, I don't worry at ALL about fashion.  Yes, it is nice to look nice but I'm not going to be concerned if I or my husband or my children don't conform to the latest styles.  The whole "style" thing seems like a not too subtle way the fashion industry encourages us to buy clothing every year when we already have plenty.

Now, don't get me wrong.  There is nothing evil about enjoying shopping and buying fashionable clothes.  However, I don't think it is valid to break the budget on clothing.  There is a passage in the New Testament that talks about the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's eyes.  The same passage says that our beauty should not come from braided hair or fine clothing.  Again, it is nice to look nice.  But to obsess isn't good.

Last but not least, we find it easy to dress "unfashionably" because our kids aren't in a peer school situation. I've read that wearing designer clothing is a big deal in the public school system. It was when I was in high school.  Our children can wear pajamas all day if they feel like it.  No one is going to give them a hard time.

So there you have it.  I feel like we do it all wrong in some ways in keeping our clothing prices down since I rarely shop sales.  BUT, we do something even better...we rarely go clothes shopping  at all :-). That's the very best way to not spend much.