As I’ve mentioned before, I have been keeping a shopping log of every clothing/accessory I buy in 2014. So far I’ve kept up with it & its amazing to see where your money is going . The other day I was updating the log & went through previous months, marking which items I only wore once. I was interested to see which pieces got a lot of use, and which shouldn’t have been purchased.
Heres what I found:
– Items that I bought on super sale or clearance, just because they were cheap, either got worn once or not at all. Its hard to pass up jeans that are $10, but wouldn’t that $10 be better if it goes toward a $40 sweater you wear once a week?
– Items that I bought impulsively tended to not get as much wear as others
Since instating my $125 a month budget, I have been way more discriminating when it comes to purchasing clothes. Because I am limiting myself, I want to make sure each piece I buy fulfills my need. For example, I have been hunting for a white summer skirt for about 2 months now. I have tried about 10 on and still haven’t found exactly what I want. Because of the budget, I am waiting until I find the perfect skirt for me, so I don’t waste money I could be spending on something else!
My advice to you – before buying, ask yourself a few questions:
– Why am I buying this (because its on sale or because I want it?)
– Have I looked around for similar items?
-Can I make at least 3 different outfits with this piece and what I already own?
-Is this an impulse buy?
This way you can make sure you are going to get your money’s worth out of the item & not waste money on clothes you don’t really like!
Happy Monday, hope you all had a great weekend!
-M
PS. DON’T FORGET TO ENTER FRIDAY’S AWESOME GIVEAWAY – click here 🙂
PPS. these $3.80 sunglasses are surprisingly durable & you should snag a pair!
ROMPER: (old) J.Crew – super similar here & here //// SANDALS: Target //// PURSE: Kate Spade – similar //// SUNNIES: Forever 21 (ONLY $3.80!) //// WATCH: Guess Mens //// EARRINGS: Groop Dealz
I'm a life + success coach for humans like you who want the support to gain the clarity, confidence, and competence to become the most confident and successful version of yourself.
This is amazing advice! I have been really trying to limit what I am spending on clothes, and selling a lot of unused stuff on ebay (which is giving me extra cash – so win/win)!
Hi! I just want to say what a gray job you are doing with this blog and the info/advice on here. I can’t wait to catch up soon! Also, I bought those sandals after seeing them I your blog – I haven’t work them yet, but plan to this week at a convention I’m attending, and I’ve thought of at least 2 other outfits is wear them with 😉 great job, Mads, keep it up!
Great tips! I try to leave whatever it is that I am wanting, and if I am still really thinking about it and wanting it a day or two later, then I pull the trigger. I love that you are keeping a log of your purchases. That is a great idea!
Nikki
thefashionablewife.com
These are fabulous tips! I know all of these things, but for some reason, I still find myself buying things I don’t need and regretting it later. I find that I go a bit nuts at the beginning of the season, but then I settle down a bit, once I get that out of my system. It’s definitely something to work on.
xo Jackie
Something About That
That is great advice! I am definitely guilty of buying items that were super cheap on sale just because they were a good buy. And then it seems like I never end up wearing them!
[…] how to avoid buying clothes you don’t like […]
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