Completely Crazy Clothes Challenge 2017

Kim_13

For those who haven't popped by this year's Crazy Clothes Challenge thread in the past few days, or perhaps are yet to join us; I've agreed to take over the running of the challenge from somerandom, who may not be able to visit MSE as much in the coming year. I'll be taking over from January, but thought that I would start the thread now as a number of other challenge threads for 2017 are already up. That and I may not be too clever on New Year's Day!

With the price of clothes now rising at the highest rate since 2010, there's never been a better time to join us and reign in the spending. How you do this is entirely up to you. Here are some ideas that members have used in the past:

- No clothes spend weeks/months
- Charity shop spends only
- Essentials only
- Spending only money made from selling on eBay etc
- Spending contingent on weight loss
- Simple monthly or annual budget
- A combination of two or more of the above

Your budget can be as little or as much as you want; last year, our budgets ranged from zero to £600. If you don't know where to start, then estimating how much you've spent on clothes in 2016 and aiming to shave 10% (or another percentage of your choosing) off of it may be useful. Anything you can save is a plus.

It's never too late in the year to join; you can work out what you would like to spend in a year and pro rata it for the months/weeks remaining of 2017.

Many of us found that even if we didn't spend as little as we wanted, we were putting more thought into our purchases - hopefully no more looking back and thinking, 'I don't know why I bought that top/pair of trousers/shoes' or whatever it may be.

If you would like to join us, simply post below and I will allocate you a number. If you have a preference, let me know and I will give you that number if it is available. I will try my best to add everyone as quickly as possible, but should I manage to miss anyone (say if you haven't had your number within 3 or 4 days) please pop me a PM and I will get you added.

Happy saving

If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply! [purplesignup][/purplesignup]

Kim_13

Challengers

1. Kim_13, Budget: £120 + £20 per stone lost
2. Rowan_moon, Budget: £300
3. cybertortoise, Budget: £200 + £20 per stone lost and all funds from the sale of unworn clothes.
4. Vintagegal, Budget: £10 per 1lb lost.
5. Sayschezza, Budget: £5 per week charity shop spends. All purchases must be in a smaller size than current wardrobe.
6. GilmoreGirl, Budget: £600 + clothes to attend a wedding
7. Kanoona, Budget: £300 (Also to include childrens' clothes.)
8. e4rly, Budget: £500 + a suit and dress for a wedding.
9. Miss D Meanour, Budget: £150
10. wit40iwtwan, Budget: £300 + £10 per 5kg lost and funds from clothes sold
11. Eltee12, Budget: £300
12. *Jellie*, Budget: £200 + money made from the sale of unworn clothes. Must buy from charity shops or make clothes to meet a specific need.
13. Massa1982, Budget: £200
14. Bumblebear, Budget: £250 for maternity clothes (if needed)
15. PurpleJay, Budget: £300 + funds from sales. No spends until 1 stone lost.
16. FatVonD, Budget: £33 (See breakdown in post.)
17. FrugalinShropshire, Budget: £50
18. mavvymoo, Budget: £300 + 5 no spend months
19. Florence J, Budget: £360 (See post for conditions/restrictions)
20. Watty1, Budget: £150 (Excluding 2 fleeces and 1 pair of wellingtons)
21. black cat, Budget: £300 + £2 per lb lost. (Clothes bought with birthday money do not count.
22. try harder, Budget: £5 per week (No spends until 1 stone lost; all spends must be in charity shops and must be funded via sales.)
23. somerandom, Budget: £365
24. 32b3in2013, Budget: £300
25. LJS90, Budget: £50 per month (Excludes any clothes needed for weddings.)
26. Nannygladys, Budget: £300
27. cw18, Restrictions (see post)
28. TudorRose, Budget: £250
29. Jazee, Budget: £365
30. Poppy3008, Budget: £200. Charity shop purchases only.
31. LilySue, Budget: £150 + eBay money
32. determined new ms, Budget: £250
33. leslieknope, Budget: £240 + £50 per stone lost
34. pixtotts, Restrictions (see post) + money from eBay sales
35. Jo Blogs, Budget: £200
36. trickster76, Budget: £50 per month + money from eBay sales
37. 498louise, Budget: £90
38. Angela84, Budget: £100
39. FrugalWeirdo83

Rowan_moon

I'm in again. Last year I had a budget of £350 but this year I am going for £300 and will only buy things that spark joy.

::j:j:j

cybertortoise

Hi Kim, I'd like to join you please. I don't have a huge amount of clothes that I actually wear, and am in need of a whole new wardrobe. These are my plans for 2017:
1. Buy clothes to build a minimalist capsule wardrobe - I reckon I can manage on 20 items plus a few I have already. Maximum spend on this is £200 - charity sops and reduced items are a must!
2. Sell the items I won't be wearing again - this money can be added to clothing budget
3. Have an extra £20 in the pot per stone of weight lost - Thanks for the idea Kim!

Hopefully this isn't too far off what you were looking for. Thanks.

Kim_13

Rowan_moon wrote: »

I'm in again. Last year I had a budget of £350 but this year I am going for £300 and will only buy things that spark joy.

::j:j:j

Welcome back Rowan moon, you are No. 2. Well done for decreasing the budget year on year

Kim_13

cybertortoise wrote: »

Hi Kim, I'd like to join you please. I don't have a huge amount of clothes that I actually wear, and am in need of a whole new wardrobe. These are my plans for 2017:
1. Buy clothes to build a minimalist capsule wardrobe - I reckon I can manage on 20 items plus a few I have already. Maximum spend on this is £200 - charity sops and reduced items are a must!
2. Sell the items I won't be wearing again - this money can be added to clothing budget
3. Have an extra £20 in the pot per stone of weight lost - Thanks for the idea Kim!

Hopefully this isn't too far off what you were looking for. Thanks.

Hi cybertortoise, welcome to the challenge. I've given you number 3. You can work to whatever budget/conditions suit you; I just wanted to provide new members with some ideas of how to go about the challenge and to perhaps give some new inspiration and/or motivation to returning members.

Good luck

vintagegal

Hello
Thanks Kim_13 for running the challenge.
I'd like to join again this year please, I don't mind what number I am.
I have been having a little think about what the budget should be and decided I am kidding myself. So I am thinking NO BUDGET but for every lb of weight I lose, I can add £10 to the kitty.
I will weigh myself on Boxing Day and start from there.
Does that sound silly? Too much?
Vintagegal

Kim_13

vintagegal wrote: »

Hello
Thanks Kim_13 for running the challenge.
I'd like to join again this year please, I don't mind what number I am.
I have been having a little think about what the budget should be and decided I am kidding myself. So I am thinking NO BUDGET but for every lb of weight I lose, I can add £10 to the kitty.
I will weigh myself on Boxing Day and start from there.
Does that sound silly? Too much?
Vintagegal

Hi Vintagegal, you are number 4.

Boxing Day weigh in sounds like a plan so that the weight can hopefully start coming off right at the start of the year; might do the same myself (though with a January birthday and the inevitable Christmas chocolates that may be optimistic of me.)

Quite a cut from your previous budget as is mine, but my thinking is that I have a lot and would struggle to find somewhere to put much more. If your wardrobe is sufficient for your needs, then I don't see why it can't work (all about reigning in your wants.)

Good luck

Sayschezza

May I join please. Don't know what budget to set so I will go with buying nothing unless it's in a smaller size than I am currently wearing plus a maximum of £5 per week in the cs to see me over the weight loss I am aiming for.Does that make any sense?

Kim_13

Sayschezza wrote: »

May I join please. Don't know what budget to set so I will go with buying nothing unless it's in a smaller size than I am currently wearing plus a maximum of £5 per week in the cs to see me over the weight loss I am aiming for.Does that make any sense?

Of course; you are number 5. Think I have an accurate summary down.

vintagegal

In all honesty I don't NEED anything really. It's wanting and seeing something pretty that is my downfall. If I can lose some weight I have loads of things with the tickets still on that I can wear. I'm fed up of shopping to try and figure fix and try and feel ok about myself. The reality is that I'm not happy with how anything looks. The weight needs to come off!
Need to concentrate on eating better first until ankle is strong enough to exercise.