How much do you spend on clothes for yourself and your family per year?

Kim_kim · 27 October 2018 at 9:55AM

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I could contemplate not colouring my hair - its such a faff! - but make-up is a must for me: I've been fascinated by it since I was a child and to me its as much as a part of my daily routine as showering every morning. As I grey, my lipstick colour is going to get bolder, bring on the fuschia! No way am I gonna fade into the background

I can't see my clothes / style changing unless my weight fluctuates dramatically. What I've got is quality, I just need to get round to using it all.

I’m the same with makeup.
It’s as much a part of getting ready in the morning as getting showered & dresssed.
I don’t feel finished without it.

Old_Meanie · 27 October 2018 at 10:53AM

Grey Queen

People should do more watching the world go by! It costs nothing and is fabulous entertainment. Usually passers by are fixated on a screen of some kind and real life is just a shadow to them. My husband has nearly run over several texting whilst crossing the road its ironic because we would be considered the dangerous "older drivers". Lovely post thank you.

[Deleted User] · 27 October 2018 at 3:13PM

This thread really struck a cord with me. I use a spending app and when I looked at how much I spent in my clothes category thus far this year it amounted to £2800!! No more! I retired towards the end of last year and have been spending a lot more on-line. I also shop a lot in TKMax as there is one across the way from the supermarket I shop in and have managed to pick up some really good bargains. That said, in all honesty, the only thing I really needed was a new winter coat, and I managed to pick up a lovely black Karen Millen wool coat for £150. All other spending was completely unnecessary - wants rather than needs.

I have made a pledge not to spend any more on clothes for a year. I can honestly say that there is absolutely nothing I need. A lot of my purchases were on casual type clothes to fit in my new retirement lifestyle i.e. I bought several pairs of jeans/casual jackets and gilets etc. I now have more than ENOUGH. When I retired, I gave loads of my work clothes to charity, keeping a few good dresses and jackets/tailored trousers/tops etc. so I am well prepared for every occasion. I guess I was trying to find my retirement “style” hence the big spend on casual clothes, after 44 years in an office environment, where the dress code was to dress very smartly.

Anyway, as I said above, no more. I am actually a little ashamed as to the amount I have spent this year and hence the pledge to spend nothing at all on clothes for a year. I see other people on here who have achieved this I am going to do it too. Life is too short to spend online shopping, I’m going to get out and about a lot more with OH on long winter walks, DO things rather than SPEND money on things I don’t need. Ironically, quite a high proportion of my spend was on winter jackets/boots etc!!!! So I have no excuse! Wish me luck . . .

P.S. First step - trip to M&S on Monday to take back the sparkly top I bought last week - I have two in the wardrobe that fit the bill just well! I DO NOT need another one. Next step - stop shopping as a recreation and block emails from retailers!

[Deleted User] · 27 October 2018 at 3:16PM

PS - is there a thread/challenge on here that I could follow to help me on my journey?

monnagran · 27 October 2018 at 5:39PM

Retired lady, try Fashion on the Ration. You will get coupons as an encouragement to shop only for necessities. It mirrors the coupons women got during the war and the things they got up to to eke them out and use them wisely.
It is a salutary lesson and a bit of fun as well.

[Deleted User] · 28 October 2018 at 1:10PM

Thanks monnagran. I’ll certainly have a look. Sounds interesting and just up my street. I mentioned it to OH who is 15 years older than me (77) and was a child during the War. He said he remembered playing with his mother’s old ration books. He has always been a lot more frugal than me, possibly because as a child he didn’t have much. Yes, I agree, a salutary lesson. x

GreyQueen · 28 October 2018 at 1:32PM

Retired Lady, there are a number of bloggers who have very good things to say about dressing stylishly with a (relatively) small wardrobe. You may find googling Project 333 of some value.

I have been consciously whittling down my wardrobe by focussing wear on certain items and wearing them up before getting them out for recycling. I think it would be many years before I would need to contemplate buying another work-appropriate blouse or some pyjamas, for instance. the present inventory (all fits on a 3 ft hanging rail and in one not overlarge COD) is plentiful and is 98% charity-shopped. I have linen, silk, wool, lots of lovely things. Feeling fortunate.

I was thrilled to bits (as was he) to get my brother a warm winter coat. A brand I didn't know (German) so I reasearched it on their website and found this retails at 400 euro (!) I paid £4.99. That's him sorted out for the next several years of winters.

I do have one need which I want to satisfy in the next few weeks; a pair of warm, waterproof gloves suitable for winter cycling as my existing gloves are woollen and can slip rather dangerously on the handlebars. The hands cop the full force of the weather when cycling and it's misery-making to have them cold, wet and cutting through the air.

lessonlearned · 28 October 2018 at 1:48PM

Interesting thread. Retired lady......don't worry about what you have spent, its done. Just enjoy what you have and then decide to have a break from shopping.

I have wardrobes full of clothes and I love them all. Oddly enough I don't really spend much. I do buy from charity shops, nearly new shops, eBay etc. I try to buy good makes and In fairly classic styles. I look after my clothes, getting changed into my scruffs when I'm at home and they last for years. I probably don't need anything now for several years but I'm always happy to pick up a chazzer bargain.

I did stock up on thermal undies and tights recently - new. Lol.

The beauty of buying for pennies from charity shops is that if you find you are not wearing something enough you don't feel guilty at parting with it. I just take them back to the charity shop for them to sell again.

Make up.....well I do like a bit of slap......stops me looking like a corpse. :rotfl:

Anoneemoose · 28 October 2018 at 2:07PM

We probably spend around £2000..we put aside £100 each month and then usually in the summer for holiday clothes and uniforms that gets added to. There’s 4 of us. I’ve just spent £80 on 2 coats (one each) for DD and DS. Then there was the £96 in Clarks in September. As well as a new pair of trainers for them in the summer. DD is a size 6’now so I’m hoping she’ll stop there, although I’m a 7 so she might continue!

I spend quite a bit because I find the quality of plus size (size 20/22) shocking so end up replacing things. I live in Sainsbury’s £3 vest tops in the spring and summer though..I find them better than the £7 ones I used to get from another place.

Does anyone who is ‘plus size’ shop in charity shops and have found anything decent?

LameWolf · 28 October 2018 at 2:31PM

Retired_lady wrote: »

Next step - stop shopping as a recreation and block emails from retailers!

I reckon I have it reasonably easy from that point of view, as I loathe and detest clothes shopping, to the extent that I'd sooner scrub the loo than go into town to look for a new outfit.

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How much do you spend on clothes for yourself and your family per year?

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