Confessions from a (reformed) shopaholic #SavingMadeSimple #PGmom

I’ll admit it. I’m a shopaholic. Well,  I use to be a shopaholic. So now I consider myself a reformed shopaholic. I’m so much better now since I’ve had kids. Pre-kids I frequented New York City to shop, eat and see theatre. I could spend hours, upon hours shopping, and spending money.  It was like a great workout of both my wallet and my feet! Those days are long gone and I no longer feel the need to have lots of clothes. Sadly, I  often find myself reverting back to wearing yoga pants. As much as I love to spend time getting dressed nicely I find myself spending loads of time on the floor. Crawling, sitting, lying down, rolling around, having two kids piled onto of me. You get the idea. So my wardrobe these days isn’t so much of a priority.

This is the last week of the Family Financial Challenge and it is focused on clothes. What we have, what we need and what we can do to keep what we have in great shape.

I have transferred some of my clothing obsession to my children. I love putting together cute outfits for them and make sure they are always stylish to boot. They are very lucky and have lots of family members who love to shop for them as well as generous friends and family who have passed down awesome clothes to us. It’s  the beginning of March and already both kids  have the majority of their summer wardrobes ready to go.

Having a great look doesn’t mean that you have a pay a lot. I use to be a full price shopper and would never go out of my way to look for sales. If I wanted the item, I would buy it. Now, I prefer to buy items on sale because as I’ve learned EVERYTHING eventually goes on sale (you just have to have patience and wait for it). Also, thanks to email I have signed up for my favourite store emails so that I’m alerted of their sales.

Having little ones who grow so fast I feel like I’m constantly keeping up with what they have in their closets. Do you know what your kids or even you have in your clothes and drawers? The best way to save money is to have an inventory of what you have so you don’t over buy. There is nothing worse than having a drawer full of similar type shirts because you didn’t know what you already had. An inventory also allows you to use what you have and only buy missing pieces.

Using an effective and efficient laundry detergent helps keep costs low in a couple of ways. When using a detergent that works, you avoid having to pre-treat and or rewash to remove stains and odours. I learned this the hard way when I had Princess Peach. I would spend an insane amount of time scrubbing out stains. Now I just throw all of my clothes into the wash all together! Not all detergents perform the same in cold water. By washing in cold water with quality and hard working benefits of any Tide product, it will save you on your energy bill each month while ensuring the stains get out the first time.

My Tide Pod in my washing machine.

My Tide Pod in my washing machine.

Do not buy new hangers! You can only replace the item on the hanger once you’ve sold it or donated it. The Hubster and I implemented our own rule a few years ago. For every 1 new item bought, we donate 2 items. This ensures that our closets are only filled with clothes that we are wearing!

Fix your stuff. Are you not wearing those heels because they need a good buff or perhaps a new heel? With regular maintenance, your clothes and accessories will last longer with a little attention.

Although you may see me frequenting the mall chances are that I’m not shopping. I’m probably meeting a friend to “walk” with our little ones as the winter as forced us to stay indoors.

How do you save money on clothes?

Comments

  1. Thanks for all the great tips to save time and money.I have recently tried the tide pods and I loved how they left my clothes smelling and looking clean.No more worries about sorting out laundry by color.

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