Clothing budget for family

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is ridiculous! On the real estate threads everyone is talking about very expensive homes and here the amounts spent on clothing are unbelievably low. Are you all house poor, are you totally different posters, or are the above numbers just bogus? (My guess is the last.)

+1. I totally agree. I see people out all day long with new J.Crew pants and blazers on, Banana Republic this and that, and don't get me started on Coach shoes.

We don't spend extravagantly. We are a dual income household both in corporate settings- but don't require suits. However, I am currently pregnant and needed nice maternity pants and tops, underwear and bras, for work- all from GAP at 40% off but I've still spent about $450. Doesn't include shoes. I will need those for winter but making what I have work for now.
DH... I get him his undershirts, boxers, socks... and seriously men should replace at least the undershirts every year. Those things get gross fast. Not to mention shoes (he walks a lot from metro- so they wear out fast), and then he also plays rec sports so stuff for that too... I'd guess about the same at $450 for the year so far.
Child... he's gone through two sizes this year- new socks, shoes, underwear, pants, shirts. I try to buy ahead a little (ie. he already has sweaters and pants for winter) but still... it's only August and I'd bet I've spent the most for DC- around $600. I shop a variety - ThredUP, Gap, outlets, Gymboree, etc. I find Circo (Target brand) and Children's Place wear out way too fast. So I avoid those places. I look for sales and coupons.

SO that makes us, family of 3 at $1500. Nothing crazy, but we haven't started shopping for winter for the two adults yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is ridiculous! On the real estate threads everyone is talking about very expensive homes and here the amounts spent on clothing are unbelievably low. Are you all house poor, are you totally different posters, or are the above numbers just bogus? (My guess is the last.)

+1. I totally agree. I see people out all day long with new J.Crew pants and blazers on, Banana Republic this and that, and don't get me started on Coach shoes.

We don't spend extravagantly. We are a dual income household both in corporate settings- but don't require suits. However, I am currently pregnant and needed nice maternity pants and tops, underwear and bras, for work- all from GAP at 40% off but I've still spent about $450. Doesn't include shoes. I will need those for winter but making what I have work for now.
DH... I get him his undershirts, boxers, socks... and seriously men should replace at least the undershirts every year. Those things get gross fast. Not to mention shoes (he walks a lot from metro- so they wear out fast), and then he also plays rec sports so stuff for that too... I'd guess about the same at $450 for the year so far.
Child... he's gone through two sizes this year- new socks, shoes, underwear, pants, shirts. I try to buy ahead a little (ie. he already has sweaters and pants for winter) but still... it's only August and I'd bet I've spent the most for DC- around $600. I shop a variety - ThredUP, Gap, outlets, Gymboree, etc. I find Circo (Target brand) and Children's Place wear out way too fast. So I avoid those places. I look for sales and coupons.

SO that makes us, family of 3 at $1500. Nothing crazy, but we haven't started shopping for winter for the two adults yet.

How does an undershirt get gross? Wash it. If that's not enough, try hot water, bleach, or vinegar. What could your husband possibly do to an undershirt that makes it unwearable after one year?

[Anonymous]

Idk like sweat stains. Over time no amount of detergent or bleach gets that out.

[Anonymous]

Rather than thinking about a monthly budget, how about thinking instead of building a wardrobe with items that have multiple uses and only replacing needed items? And be willing to buy second hand.

For example: for kids determine how many kinds of shoes you really need. Do you need rainboots AND snowboots, or might a hybrid of the two work well in all kinds of cool and wet weather? Do you really need hoodies AND cardigans- or might one of each do? I try to buy stuff for my 8 year old daughter that are multi-use. So, a durable cardigan sweater with buttons in a nice pattern might work with almost all DD's one colored pants and shirts.

For an adult wardrobe it should be easier because you need basics and accessories. As a woman, depending on what you do, you might need X # of suits, but what amount and what interchangability could significantly alter how much you end up spending. Things can mix and match. Purses can be whittled down to one black and one bright. Its about choices and really being investigative on what the minimum might be that you can live with.

I saw an article about a woman who wanted to see just how little she could get away with in terms of work clothes. She interchanged the most minimal of items for several months and noone seemed to notice. Let me see if I can find that article.

[Anonymous]

Just some observations to add:

1. We have found a way to sell some of our clothes. So many items can be sold for 25 to 100% what we paid for it. Some of our purchases are from thrift shops. This allows you to replace items regularly and not get bored of the same items without spending too much.

2. How you maintain and wash your clothes are important. I take good care of my things so they last very long (or can be sold at a reasonable price). I know that some people are not using the optimal washer settings or are using too much starch on dress shirts, etc. Certain cleaning techniques will ruin your clothes quickly.

[Anonymous]

I just checked Quicken and we spent $1262.20 last year on clothing (shoes, clothing and accessories). Probably missed some stuff we bought at Costco. That is a family of 4, 2 adults, Girls 7 and 12, DH works in business casual and replaces his clothing if it is in pieces (not literally but it is sort of annoying), I buy stuff only on sale at Macy's or Talbots, plus I work from home and unfortunately my wardrobe has become sort of pitiful, kids clothes mostly come from H&M and Target. I think it is too little, and plan on upgrading us a bit this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just some observations to add:

1. We have found a way to sell some of our clothes. So many items can be sold for 25 to 100% what we paid for it. Some of our purchases are from thrift shops. This allows you to replace items regularly and not get bored of the same items without spending too much.

2. How you maintain and wash your clothes are important. I take good care of my things so they last very long (or can be sold at a reasonable price). I know that some people are not using the optimal washer settings or are using too much starch on dress shirts, etc. Certain cleaning techniques will ruin your clothes quickly.

seems you put in too much effort for little return. I am not going to spend time worrying about how I wash clothes so they last longer. By then, I will want new clothes anyway.
Wow, you ARE CHEAP!

[Anonymous]

Being mindful of how you wash your clothes makes you cheap? Wow this thread is ridiculous ....

I maybe buy a dress here and there and maybe an outfit a month so probably between 300 and 500 a year which averages about $25 to $45 a month on shopping. That number will of course fluctuate if I have to buy a pair of shoes (which can be pricy because quality) but I would definitely not consider myself a shopper.

DH rarely shops (he is in the military so he has a uniform he wears to work) and when he does he buys sturdy pieces he can wear multiple times in multiple ways.

[Anonymous]

This thread makes me think I spend WAY too much on clothing, shoes, purses, accessories.

I'm going to start selling some of it on eBay.

[Anonymous]

I have to say I am in awe of these numbers. We are finally working toward a budget and i just reviewed and we spent closer to 18K last year on clothes, shoes, coats, backpacks, swim suits, athletic wear for a family of 5. Granted more of it goes to me and i bought a few good suits this year but I am amazed at how little everyone else on this thread is spending (and how much we are spending). Worrisome though when reviewing the budget because this seems to be our largest single expense.

[Anonymous]

We don't buy clothes monthly. DH re-does his work wordrobe every two years - that's around 1k for two suits, new shoes, a few work shirts, slacks that aren't part of a suit set, etc. I get a new set of work clothes every 2-3 years as well, and spend 300-500 each time but I also buy around $100 worth of blouses and shoes twice a year.

For our children, most clothes come as gifts and the youngest still wears what we got for the oldest, so we just buy shoes, socks, a winter coat ($30ish) and uniforms for the kids. If I see a cute outfit for the kids at Target, I might pick it up but I've only done that for half a dozen outfits over the course of years.

[Anonymous]

I spent 4800 for two adults and two teens boys, 15 and 13.

I try to buy on sale and am not extravagant at all. Seems I am overspending,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just some observations to add:

1. We have found a way to sell some of our clothes. So many items can be sold for 25 to 100% what we paid for it. Some of our purchases are from thrift shops. This allows you to replace items regularly and not get bored of the same items without spending too much.

2. How you maintain and wash your clothes are important. I take good care of my things so they last very long (or can be sold at a reasonable price). I know that some people are not using the optimal washer settings or are using too much starch on dress shirts, etc. Certain cleaning techniques will ruin your clothes quickly.

seems you put in too much effort for little return. I am not going to spend time worrying about how I wash clothes so they last longer. By then, I will want new clothes anyway.
Wow, you ARE CHEAP!

AGREE with this