I've mentioned that last month's bonus from work was pretty sweet. Not like, thousands of dollars sweet - much more modest than that. Still a great contribution to our budget and still enough that Bunny and I can do some significant shopping with it. Given that it's a gift card bonus it's designed for some spending. When we're buying our own groceries and furnishing a house there will be some serious spending we can do with it, but right now we use bonuses for more splurgy spending.
This month we're planning on getting the bonus on mall gift certificates and spending the money on some much needed new clothes. I've bought some sweaters this year but they've ended up being pretty poor quality (needless to say I'm pretty unhappy with them) and almost all my older sweaters have started to seriously wear out. I'm running out of decent clothes in good condition for winter weather and need new pants. Bunny has a few pieces of clothing he needs to update as well, so we're trying to be somewhat proactive with how we plan the money.
Having the gift card gives us a simple and set budget: we spend my bonus and no more. I'm a fan of getting the most bang for my buck, though, and I'm determined not to fall into the same shoddy quality trap as my last purchase though and so we're going in with a list. I'm still fuming over the fact that not one but two sweaters busted elbow holes in the first two wears, and I'm finding that other recent purchases from that store are falling apart way too quickly for my liking. At this point I know it's not just the design but rather overall quality issues so I've given up on even taking things back but I won't be purchasing there again.
Bunny's pretty easy on what he wants to find and isn't too fussy on where he purchases things. I've been browsing websites for stores that I know and trust (stores whose clothes have lasted me years in the past, and whose most recent purchases I'm still happy with) and trying to come up with a hit list. I'm also being conscious of looking for sales, using coupons and gift certificates and finding every possible way to get the most bang for our buck.
How do you clothes shop? Do you go in with a plan, or leave room for whatever strikes your fancy? Are you a sale shopper, or do you just buy as you need?
Hmmm, I kind of give it a lot of thought when I get clothes. I think deep down I am an impulse-buyer, or I would be perfectly capable of it, but that's not what I do. Instead I wear clothes until they pretty much rip, and many times it's my husband who lets me know I need new jeans or shoes.
ReplyDeleteGoing with a list (I need sweaters or I need jeans helps a lot). Otherwise I will inevitably find blouses or dresses that I can't even wear because it's cold.
What keeps me from impulse buying is also that lately I focus not only on the color or form of the clothes but on the quality. And good quality items tend to be expensive... so I often buy stuff on sale. Or when it's really really needed.
Seasonally appropriate clothes sometimes suck. :( I need warm clothes for about two thirds to three quarters of the year and yet I have a closet overflowing with fun summertime dresses and a small handful of cold weather clothes. It's hard to find cute things that I want to wear for the winter, which is definitely why I'm doing the list or I'll fall into the exact same trap.
DeleteI need to know where not to buy sweaters. I'm waiting until I finish weaning the baby until buying my back to work wardrobe, but that will, I'm sure, be soon. So tell me where not to buy stuff! :)
ReplyDeleteI browse, in the rare times I'm in the mood for it, in sales racks. Except for pants. I hate buying pants. I will spent all the money on a nice pair of well fitting, flattering, not-dry clean-only pants. And then I'll buy 3 pairs, because that only happens like every 3 years.
I'd avoid R&W. It's not like it's a super high end store to begin with ... but I've been pretty disappointed with everything I've purchased from them recently. Things start falling apart as soon as I get them home.
DeleteGood point about the pants. I'd never really thought about it, but I don't ever look for pants on the sale rack.