Budgeted style
By Bridgette Raes
Okay, you opened your wallet this week and moths flew out of it. Then your credit card bills all came in at once. Suddenly the reality hit you – you need to tighten your belt a bit. Living on a budget can be a painful experience. There is nothing worse than wanting to buy something new and knowing that you do not have the money immediately available to plunk down.
Believe me, I know what it is like to live on a budget. With my business only in its second year, I consistently pour all of my disposable income to the growth and success of the business. This leaves little else for extra purchasing. I have quickly learned to go without if the money isn’t available to me, but I have also learned how to get creative with the money I do have. It is extremely difficult for me to have to cut back on clothing, because the way I dress is extremely important. If I don’t look good, how can anyone trust that I can make them look good? So, learning how to look good with limited resources has become something I have learned how to do quickly, as well as effectively.
The first thing to recognize is that living on a budget usually a temporary thing. At some point in our lives, we have all had to pull back on the spending reins to gain some control of the situation. Try not to get over emotional about it, there is a pendulum swing to every situation in life and if you trust that if you merely ride the hump of a slow cash-flow and be smart about it, it won’t be long before you are purchasing those must-have shoes you have been dying for.
Here are some tips for creating a great style on a budget:
Pool your resources
Think about your immediate community of friends. I have recently lost a considerable amount of weight. This leaves me in a sticky predicament. While I don’t have the extra money right now to go out and buy a new wardrobe for my thinner body, I also can’t walk around in clothing that is too big for me.
My solution to this was contacting a very stylish friend of mine who also went through a tremendous weight loss. My friend is now a few sizes smaller than I am and through her weight loss transition she purchased some very nice clothing, some of which became too big for her very quickly. Unfortunately she now had a lot of beautiful things that got very little wear. With hopes that she hung on to some of her wardrobe in a larger size, I contacted her to see if she would be willing to part with some of her stuff. There would be a far better benefit to these slightly worn pieces that are collecting dust in her closet if they could be worn by someone else who could actually fit into them.
What if you aren’t in my exact situation? What if you don’t have a stylish friend whose weight loss you can benefit from? Call your community of girlfriends and organize a switch party. Everyone has to bring a bag of clothing or things they do not wear anymore to the party. The requirement is that anything brought to this party needs to be of good quality, not overly worn, dated, or ghastly looking.
Remember – what’s one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. What may not be workable for you anymore, for whatever reason, may be the perfect thing that your friend needs in her wardrobe. Your style may have simply changed, or maybe you don’t fit into some of the pieces in your wardrobe. By organizing a switch party, everyone can take and leave what which they need and what they don’t. The more people you invite to this party the better, as the trading opportunities are far greater with more people contributing to the pot.
In the end of your party, you can all gather the items that didn’t get traded and donate them to any of your local charities.
Off times, off price
Now is the time to stock up on fall clothes. Resort/spring has hit the selling floors. Everything from fall is at a deep discount. What is wonderful about this is that we are still heavily into the winter months. Even if you plan on putting some of this fall stuff away for next year, you can get some instant wearability from things that you buy on sale now. But you need to move, it won’t be long before fall merchandise is a distant memory.
E-bay
I know people who find goldmines on E-bay. The wonderful thing about this site is that you can tailor your search to specifics. Also, E-bay isn’t just for people pulling old garbage out from the back of their closet. Online retailers are also using E-bay as a way to sell new merchandise.
In addition, you can start making money with your own clothing using E-bay. Think about all the stuff you have in your closet that you don’t wear. If the average woman only wears 10% of her closet, that is a lot of money-making potential hanging right in front of your face. I sold a pair of shoes on E-bay and I was amazed by how simple it was. I made $100 on a pair of shoes and the setup of selling my product online was extremely simple.
Sample Sales
If you are a fan of rummaging, here’s a great way to get amazing stuff at a deep discount. Sample sales are more than just an opportunity for designers to sell their size 8 samples. This is an opportunity for designers to move leftover stock. Don’t think that just because you aren’t considered a sample size, there is nothing for you at one of these sales.
There are great ways to get in the know about Sample Sales. Dailycandy.com frequently promotes sample sales. But I also recommend lazarshopping.com which is online entity of Elysa Lazar and Lazar Media Group, Inc. Elysa began publishing "The S&B (Sales & Bargains) Report" in 1986 to inform bargain hunters of unadvertised designer sales. The publication was the first of its kind and its monthly arrival is still anticipated by loyal subscribers.
There is a very affordable yearly subscriber fee to receive the S&B report but this site also has other free fashion tools available at your finger tips.
Learn to Cut Corners
Being on a budget I always think about ways to get what I want or need at the best price. I was at a bookstore recently and saw a book that I wanted to buy. Before I threw down the $24.00 for it, I decided to check out Amazon.com’s used book option to see if I could get it cheaper. I know, cutting corners is always a pain, but there is definite benefit. Being someone who has never cut a coupon in their life, who doesn’t lose sleep over a 50 cent difference for a gallon of milk, this is a new thinking for even me.
Think about ways you can cut corners with your wardrobe. Maybe you can use those at-home dry cleaning kits for freshening up your dry-clean-only-clothes, which will bring down the expense of your dry cleaning bill for a while.
Another suggestion is to temporarily find cheaper alternatives to basics like basic T-shirts etc. Remember this is temporary, but look for areas where you can get the most value for your dollar. But let me stress this solution is for basics only. Don’t think that you can buy a cheap suit that will last. I am suggesting this for your basics only, things that you frequently recycle out, things that you don’t consider to be investment pieces. Also, when you are on a budget, you will see why it is important, even if you are on a budget, to spend on good investment pieces. Sometimes there are stretches of time where you have to go without buying anything new and knowing that the expensive suit or pair of pants you did invest in when you had the money can stand the test of time for moments where you don’t have the resources to put towards anything new.
Accessorize
The cheapest way to update your outfit on a budget is through accessorizing. By simply having an affordable collection of accessories, you can change the look of an outfit for next to nothing. If you find that you have limited dollars to throw toward your wardrobe, take amount of money and invest in some great jewelry that will punch up your basic wardrobe. Talk about an affordable refresher! My favorite site for accessory shopping is www.lailarowe.com. Also, if you are in New York City, there are stores you can visit.
The best way to be on a budget is to be lighthearted about it and don’t get down on yourself. Not having available money is no reflection on you as a person. And like I said, budgeting is always temporary and we have all had to do it at some point in our lives. Like all past challenges you have faced, these are the character builders that we laugh about years from now.
When you are rolling in the dough, you can laugh with your friends about some of the desperate measures you went through just to keep your head above water. One of the funniest stories I read about surviving a budget crunch, was about two women who started a company together and while the business grew and they found themselves on an EXTREME budget, one of their solutions was to share one wardrobe. Thank God they were the same size. In time, the business took off and I am sure that now they no longer argue about whose turn it is to get to wear the one black turtleneck.
(c) 2005 Bridgette Raes Style Group
Okay, you opened your wallet this week and moths flew out of it. Then your credit card bills all came in at once. Suddenly the reality hit you – you need to tighten your belt a bit. Living on a budget can be a painful experience. There is nothing worse than wanting to buy something new and knowing that you do not have the money immediately available to plunk down.
Believe me, I know what it is like to live on a budget. With my business only in its second year, I consistently pour all of my disposable income to the growth and success of the business. This leaves little else for extra purchasing. I have quickly learned to go without if the money isn’t available to me, but I have also learned how to get creative with the money I do have. It is extremely difficult for me to have to cut back on clothing, because the way I dress is extremely important. If I don’t look good, how can anyone trust that I can make them look good? So, learning how to look good with limited resources has become something I have learned how to do quickly, as well as effectively.
The first thing to recognize is that living on a budget usually a temporary thing. At some point in our lives, we have all had to pull back on the spending reins to gain some control of the situation. Try not to get over emotional about it, there is a pendulum swing to every situation in life and if you trust that if you merely ride the hump of a slow cash-flow and be smart about it, it won’t be long before you are purchasing those must-have shoes you have been dying for.
Here are some tips for creating a great style on a budget:
Pool your resources
Think about your immediate community of friends. I have recently lost a considerable amount of weight. This leaves me in a sticky predicament. While I don’t have the extra money right now to go out and buy a new wardrobe for my thinner body, I also can’t walk around in clothing that is too big for me.
My solution to this was contacting a very stylish friend of mine who also went through a tremendous weight loss. My friend is now a few sizes smaller than I am and through her weight loss transition she purchased some very nice clothing, some of which became too big for her very quickly. Unfortunately she now had a lot of beautiful things that got very little wear. With hopes that she hung on to some of her wardrobe in a larger size, I contacted her to see if she would be willing to part with some of her stuff. There would be a far better benefit to these slightly worn pieces that are collecting dust in her closet if they could be worn by someone else who could actually fit into them.
What if you aren’t in my exact situation? What if you don’t have a stylish friend whose weight loss you can benefit from? Call your community of girlfriends and organize a switch party. Everyone has to bring a bag of clothing or things they do not wear anymore to the party. The requirement is that anything brought to this party needs to be of good quality, not overly worn, dated, or ghastly looking.
Remember – what’s one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. What may not be workable for you anymore, for whatever reason, may be the perfect thing that your friend needs in her wardrobe. Your style may have simply changed, or maybe you don’t fit into some of the pieces in your wardrobe. By organizing a switch party, everyone can take and leave what which they need and what they don’t. The more people you invite to this party the better, as the trading opportunities are far greater with more people contributing to the pot.
In the end of your party, you can all gather the items that didn’t get traded and donate them to any of your local charities.
Off times, off price
Now is the time to stock up on fall clothes. Resort/spring has hit the selling floors. Everything from fall is at a deep discount. What is wonderful about this is that we are still heavily into the winter months. Even if you plan on putting some of this fall stuff away for next year, you can get some instant wearability from things that you buy on sale now. But you need to move, it won’t be long before fall merchandise is a distant memory.
E-bay
I know people who find goldmines on E-bay. The wonderful thing about this site is that you can tailor your search to specifics. Also, E-bay isn’t just for people pulling old garbage out from the back of their closet. Online retailers are also using E-bay as a way to sell new merchandise.
In addition, you can start making money with your own clothing using E-bay. Think about all the stuff you have in your closet that you don’t wear. If the average woman only wears 10% of her closet, that is a lot of money-making potential hanging right in front of your face. I sold a pair of shoes on E-bay and I was amazed by how simple it was. I made $100 on a pair of shoes and the setup of selling my product online was extremely simple.
Sample Sales
If you are a fan of rummaging, here’s a great way to get amazing stuff at a deep discount. Sample sales are more than just an opportunity for designers to sell their size 8 samples. This is an opportunity for designers to move leftover stock. Don’t think that just because you aren’t considered a sample size, there is nothing for you at one of these sales.
There are great ways to get in the know about Sample Sales. Dailycandy.com frequently promotes sample sales. But I also recommend lazarshopping.com which is online entity of Elysa Lazar and Lazar Media Group, Inc. Elysa began publishing "The S&B (Sales & Bargains) Report" in 1986 to inform bargain hunters of unadvertised designer sales. The publication was the first of its kind and its monthly arrival is still anticipated by loyal subscribers.
There is a very affordable yearly subscriber fee to receive the S&B report but this site also has other free fashion tools available at your finger tips.
Learn to Cut Corners
Being on a budget I always think about ways to get what I want or need at the best price. I was at a bookstore recently and saw a book that I wanted to buy. Before I threw down the $24.00 for it, I decided to check out Amazon.com’s used book option to see if I could get it cheaper. I know, cutting corners is always a pain, but there is definite benefit. Being someone who has never cut a coupon in their life, who doesn’t lose sleep over a 50 cent difference for a gallon of milk, this is a new thinking for even me.
Think about ways you can cut corners with your wardrobe. Maybe you can use those at-home dry cleaning kits for freshening up your dry-clean-only-clothes, which will bring down the expense of your dry cleaning bill for a while.
Another suggestion is to temporarily find cheaper alternatives to basics like basic T-shirts etc. Remember this is temporary, but look for areas where you can get the most value for your dollar. But let me stress this solution is for basics only. Don’t think that you can buy a cheap suit that will last. I am suggesting this for your basics only, things that you frequently recycle out, things that you don’t consider to be investment pieces. Also, when you are on a budget, you will see why it is important, even if you are on a budget, to spend on good investment pieces. Sometimes there are stretches of time where you have to go without buying anything new and knowing that the expensive suit or pair of pants you did invest in when you had the money can stand the test of time for moments where you don’t have the resources to put towards anything new.
Accessorize
The cheapest way to update your outfit on a budget is through accessorizing. By simply having an affordable collection of accessories, you can change the look of an outfit for next to nothing. If you find that you have limited dollars to throw toward your wardrobe, take amount of money and invest in some great jewelry that will punch up your basic wardrobe. Talk about an affordable refresher! My favorite site for accessory shopping is www.lailarowe.com. Also, if you are in New York City, there are stores you can visit.
The best way to be on a budget is to be lighthearted about it and don’t get down on yourself. Not having available money is no reflection on you as a person. And like I said, budgeting is always temporary and we have all had to do it at some point in our lives. Like all past challenges you have faced, these are the character builders that we laugh about years from now.
When you are rolling in the dough, you can laugh with your friends about some of the desperate measures you went through just to keep your head above water. One of the funniest stories I read about surviving a budget crunch, was about two women who started a company together and while the business grew and they found themselves on an EXTREME budget, one of their solutions was to share one wardrobe. Thank God they were the same size. In time, the business took off and I am sure that now they no longer argue about whose turn it is to get to wear the one black turtleneck.
(c) 2005 Bridgette Raes Style Group
posted by Unknown @ 5:02 PM
