Don’t want to buy your clothing at the thrift store because the idea of wearing used clothing makes you ill? What if I told you that not only can you find new clothing at your local thrift store, but you can find new designer clothing, and can even turn your thrift store shopping into a business. The biggest source of new clothing with tags at the thrift store are local and chain stores that donate substantial collections of new clothing in order to make room for the next season or style. For instance, Target generally makes large clothing donations to … Continue reading →

Spring is a good time to go through all of your clothing, getting rid of what doesn’t fit and doesn’t work or you. The problem with getting rid of clothing, though, is that you might find your wardrobe looking a little anemic. Still, there is no sense having a closet full of clothes that don’t look right on you. It is better to get rid of that clothing clutter and get new clothes that you can feel good about. Of course, you don’t want to spend a lot of money on clothing right now, especially gas and food prices going … Continue reading →

Here is a disturbing statistic for the frugal folk. A survey by Proctor and Gamble found that women spend an average of $1,500 a year on dry cleaning. The survey also found that about 65 percent of those items that are sent to the dry cleaner are actually washable at home. Imagine how much of a savings that you could have if you skip the dry cleaner? Plus, avoiding those dry cleaning chemicals may be healthier for yourself and your family. Here are some tips that can help. First of all, there is a difference between dry cleaning recommended and … Continue reading →

There are two times of the year when my family tends to get new (or new to us) clothing. The first is during the late spring to early summer, when yard sales and outgrown clothing sales are plentiful. The second is right now, during the holiday season. Here is why. Right now, the holiday sales are almost too good to be true. They will get even better after Christmas, but the selection will dwindle. To determine whether you should shop now or later, consider how desperate you are for certain types of clothing. Can you get by if you don’t … Continue reading →

Personal shoppers are only for the rich, right? Not true. You can afford a professional personal shopping who comes with the price tag of free. Now that is a deal that you can use. A personal shopper can be a great idea for you any of the following are true: You aren’t sure what your own personal style is You don’t know what shapes, lengths and colors look good on you You recently have had a weight change, either up or down You recently have had a lifestyle change You have a special occasion to attend and you aren’t sure … Continue reading →

Extend the life of your clothing and you’ll save money. How? Because your replacements costs of clothing will go down. Your clothes will look better and last longer. Some of these tips are easy to do, while others can take just a little more time. I suggest the following if you don’t want to commit to treating all of your clothing with gentle care. You can always just used the more simple tips and save any tips that take extra time just for your very favorite or most expensive pieces. Don’t Dump How do you treat your dirty clothes? Do … Continue reading →

When it comes to saving money on clothing, one big factor is the fabric that the clothing is made out of. There are some types of fibers that will stand the test of time. One sweater may still be around 10 years from now, while the other could be ruined in just a few washes. Price isn’t always a factor in which clothing lasts, as we have seen in my previous post. When you invest (or even get it used or on sale and don’t invest much money at all) in good quality clothing, you will save money. As long … Continue reading →

While yard sales and clothing exchanges might work well for your babies and young children, it is hard to score free or cheap stuff for the older kids. Often, clothes wear out before they can get passed down to you or the trends change and your teen wouldn’t be caught dead wearing something from five years ago. Still, you can’t afford (or don’t want to afford) spending hundred and hundreds of dollars a year on clothes for your teens and tweens. Saving money just takes a little knowledge and information. Here are some ideas on how you can save money … Continue reading →

We just came back from a weekend away in which the main event was the wedding of a very dear friend. Everything went wonderfully, the bride was beautiful, the groom couldn’t take his eyes off of the bride, and my husband and I had an amazing time. Now that I am on the other end of the much-planned event, I thought I would share with you some ideas that you can apply whether you have your own wedding to attend, a child who will be going to a prom or just any event that calls for fancier clothes. Most frugal … Continue reading →

Sometimes it is the little things that can help you save money, sometimes without you really realizing it. Taking care of items can help them to last longer, of course, but did you know that folding certain items of clothing can actually keep them looking good and extend their life? So throw those hangers away, or at least save them for certain items while you fold others. There are two ways that folding clothing can extend its life. The first is that it puts less pressure on the clothing fibers than does hanging. You can easily stretch out a top … Continue reading →