For some girls it is shoes, for others it is purses or maybe it is make up or jewelry. You could say I am a bit of a clothes junkie. Clothes is my love language if that is possible. I speak fluently in, with and around clothes. It has always been this way. My parents had to put me on a clothes budget in the fourth grade. And I believe it was $20 a month! As a little girl, I used to dream about outfits (and still do today on occasion). That is all I ever wanted for birthdays or Christmas. In fact, my Dad used to sometimes take me shopping on our Daughter/Daddy dates and I thought he was the best Dad in the world. Way to go Dad!
My mom says I come alive when I shop! There is nothing that gets my blood pumping more than shopping for new clothes. But my mom is the queen of bargain shopping. She is always bragging on how much she didn’t pay for an item whenever she gets a compliment on it. “Oh, you like this? I got it for only $8.99!” She remembers every single price she has ever paid.
I think I have mastered ‘shopping in advance’ for my daughter. I wait until the very end of the season which in Florida, there is really only 2 seasons but I shop for all four seasons even it is a short sleeve shirt with a pumpkin on it for the fall time and then I get her the next year’s size at a rock bottom price.
I struck gold again this past January at the end of the month. I just love getting an adorable, good quality item from a retailer like Gymboree that is on mark down plus I use my 25%, 30% or sometimes even 50% off coupons on top of the sale. My rule of thumb is it has to be around $10 per item and there is nothing that makes my heart want to leap out of my body for joy more than when I get it for under $5 apiece. Especially considering they all used to be $30-$40 a pop or sometimes more which is just insanity! I think I have Melissa completely stocked for next “winter”.
My poor son. I will walk in a store with the whole goal of finding him clothes that he actually needs and walk out of the store with clothes that my daughter does not need but will look ridiculously cute in. Plus, I don’t know exactly what size he will be in next year due to his current growth rate. But I am confident I will get it down in time.
Now, if I could do so great for myself on the ‘shopping in advance’ part although, hopefully it’s not the ‘buying in the next size up’ part. The problem with being a mom is I buy most of my clothes at Target when I am there anyways and I buy on a need to need basis or a want to want basis depending on what point of view you are looking at it with. I have somewhere to go, therefore I buy something to wear for it. Need or want? My husband says I have a problem discerning the difference. You decide for yourself and judge me accordingly. Please do it with grace I hope.
Occasionally, I will venture to the mall without kids and accidentally hit the end of season sale and I walk out with my head held high like I have accomplished greatness. Since having babies, I tell myself I just don’t have the time right now to frequent places like Ross, TJ Maxx, Marshalls and the consignment shop to rummage through everything. But now that my new year’s resolution is to be a better steward and live on a smaller budget, I just started going there again and I am so glad I did. To get a name brand dress and shoes for $20 each is worth the trip and extra energy expended to find that bargain.
To justify myself before the jury of moms out there reading this, I do give away my clothes 2-3 times a year. I love to get rid of the old to make some more room for the new. When I was younger, I gave them to my little cousins. Now, I give them to my sister –in- law’s and another cousin. Don’t you wish you were related to me?
Patience, time and organization. That’s what it takes to find a great wardrobe at a fraction of the price. At this point in my life, I don’t always have those at my luxury but I do always love a great deal. Unfortunately, my husband does not share my same enthusiasm in this department. When I show him my awesome purchases, he says “But did you need that great deal”? or better yet, “You know all of those great deals add up”!
They say the first step is admitting you have a problem. Hi, my name is Misty and I am a clothes addict.
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