The Completely Crazy 2013 Clothes Challenge

Jonesy88

Please can i join? :wave:

I've just sat and read the whole thread whilst OH is watching the footie :rotfl:

I agree on the whole North Face thing - i help out with the scouts and am such a brand snob when it comes to things like this. I think i am justified though as i bought a 3 in 1 North Face coat years ago and have had plenty of use from the waterproof coat and the showerproof "puffa" jacket thing which is SO warm. So warm i've yet to wear both items together even in winter.

My clothes problems come in the form of Next and Asos. In Next i just hand over my directory card without much thought for the cost :eek: (if i used my debit card, i know i wouldn't buy half the stuff). Asos 'sales' are my online weakness, especially as i struggle to return online purchases.

This year i am determined to only use my debit card and will unsubscribe from all clothes emails i receive. I challenge myself to a spend of only £10 a month all in, so £120 in total. To date i have purchased a £15 smart work jumper. Please can i have a number?

Jonesy88 £15/£120:T

lotti379

KT2802 wrote: »

Afraid I am not doing very well

Her-hum!!

Did you learn nothing from my words to trishx?!

(I am also determindly wearing slightly-too-tight jeans, I will get back into them, I WILL! :rotfl:Also, I have in the past found Pr!mark jeans do stretch, so I'm sure they will fit!)

lotti379

:hello: Jonesy88!! Welcome!

Great to have you, CK will give you a number and add you to the front page when her head appears above water on the work front..!

lotti379

AAAAAAARGH

Was posting an eloquent rant about a prat who annoyed me...

Have just lost the lot!

Now my own stupidity with a keyboard has annoyed me even more!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!

trishx

lotti379 wrote: »

Right, less of this "not doing very well" chitter chatter!

You are already doing a fantastic job by tackling this area of spending, it does start out as bl**dy difficult, but it will get easier! :T

Also, all the spends you've listed sound very sensible to me, it doesn't sound like you're frittering! :money:

Thanks Lotti - that really made me smile

thrifty-hayley wrote: »

Seriously what is it with this group and boots???

Hope you've managed to fix your boots Hayley.

My saga continues... I sent the other boots back yesterday and ordered a different pair today from La Redoute - had a bit of a dilemma though, as I could either apply a code that gave me free delivery or a code that gave me 50% off. If the boots fit; the 50% off is a much better deal, but if they don't (which is extremely likely) then I won't be refunded the £3.99 postage. I did consider ordering first with the free delivery to check they fit, returning and ordering with the 50% off but it seemed like a bit of a risky game / a lot of phaff so I just went for the 50% off. Fingers crossed these ones are "the ones" otherwise I'm going to have to list "postage" as a spend.

On a slightly related note I discovered this http://charityshopchic.net/ blog last night and read most of it. Some of the things she's restyled are incredible. I'm so jealous that I have neither the skill nor the imagination but I'm feeling very inspired now

KT2802

Jonesy88 wrote: »

My clothes problems come in the form of Next and Asos. In Next i just hand over my directory card without much thought for the cost :eek: (if i used my debit card, i know i wouldn't buy half the stuff). Asos 'sales' are my online weakness, especially as i struggle to return online purchases.

Welcome Jonesy88 - I can completely relate to the ASOS addiction! I too struggle to return online purchases. I often find that when the items arrive they are not what I was expecting/don't fit properly and if I had tried them on in a shop I wouldn't have bought them. Always seems an effort to return though so I never do

lotti379 wrote: »

Her-hum!!
Did you learn nothing from my words to trishx?!
(I am also determindly wearing slightly-too-tight jeans, I will get back into them, I WILL! :rotfl:Also, I have in the past found Pr!mark jeans do stretch, so I'm sure they will fit!)

Good to hear someone else is also doing this :rotfl: we will def get back into them!! Excellent to hear that Primark jeans stretch (just incase I don't lose that little bit of weight!) Will have to do lunges in them around the house to get them stretched haha hope they don't rip :eek:

lotti379

Oh, trishx, I wish you hadn't posted that link! What she does is remarkable! I am deeply envious of her talent... I always botch things if I try and alter, I try and do it in too much of a rush I suppose.

Might have spent quite a long time on there last night, when I was supposed to be doing more sensible, work-related tasks!

miss_empty_piggy

lotti379 wrote: »

Right, less of this "not doing very well" chitter chatter!

You are already doing a fantastic job by tackling this area of spending, it does start out as bl**dy difficult, but it will get easier! :T

Also, all the spends you've listed sound very sensible to me, it doesn't sound like you're frittering! :money:

I totally agree - if you'd set a budget of £0 and had gone over then that could possibly be considered "not doing very well", but everyone has set a budget - and as far as I am aware no-one has exceeded their budgets yet. That's why we set them - they are realistic goals to work within.

:TWithin budget = Doing Great!:T

Jonesy88

Thank you everyone for the lovely welcome!

This weekend i am determined to have a clothes sort out and sell anything i dont need/like. Hopefully i'll be able to raise some funds for my other debt challenge.

My other (non-money) aim for this year is to lose weight. I have so many lovely unworn smaller clothes and only need to drop 1/2 dress sizes to be able to wear them. If i achieve this then hopefully it will help this challenge as i'll feel like i have 'new' clothes even if i'm not buying anything. I just need more self-discipline!

immie

trishx wrote: »

Thanks for the number Lotti - I've updated my signature

I'm not doing very well at all though. I've ALREADY got more spends to 'fess up:

£3 - Marks and Spencer top from charity shop (lovely and perfect for work)
£3.50 - Checked shirt from charity shop (hmm, I probably shouldn't bought this - not sure how much I'll wear it)
£21.99 - Barefoot running shoes (including postage - RRP £75). I tried to do the NHS couch 2 5k challenge last year and got shin splints in week two - hopefully these will avoid that (online order not arrived yet).
£13 - Walking trousers. I'm going to the Lake District for a week in March and my walking trousers no longer fit (online order not arrived yet).
So I'm already up to £175.24 / £500

On the other hand, there is some good(ish) news:

The boots don't fit My legs are too stumpy so I can't bend the knees properly, I've got them ready to get posted back tomorrow so that'll be £90 back (I'm not deducting that from my total until I've been refunded though) but the search for the perfect boots continues.

I spent Friday evening sewing. I made a skirt out of a pair of emerald jeans that were really too over the top but I love the skirt (trouble is I really want some navy tights to wear with it - ho hum). I took up a pair of work trousers I bought months ago but haven't worn because they were too long. I sewed up the pockets of two other pairs of work trousers so I can wear them again (for some reason the pocket lining in both pairs had disintegrated so when I sat down you could see my thigh - not appropriate!)

So, that's it for now - shamefacedly scooting off :whistle:....

Don't feel too bad, there's always someone worse than you:p, ie, me lol I think I've spent half of my year's target already (pending delivery of some items before I declare them)