Extremes Don't Work Longterm

Like most ladies my age, I love having new clothes! However, as I have been intending to downsize, literally, meaning change my body size from a 12 back to 10, I delayed buying clothes for a long time. Too long, far too long! Unfortunately, after about three years or so I really started to feel the pain of it and decided to go visit the charity shops which I didn't usually do. I guess the advice I would give to anyone considering frugality to extremes is not to be too extreme, especially in the long term. A few months may be fun but when it turns to years there has to be a real point to it in order to keep going.

My lovely Husband took me on the first trip last Winter to what is known as a 'posh area'. I couldn't believe what we walked away with for a fraction of the cost of new items and they were high quality too! Our best buy on that trip was a black 'real leather' jacket for just £15!! (My other light real leather jacket at home had cost me nearly £100 new and that was several years ago!). I now had key items like a M&S little black skirt that I could team any top with to wear with my long black boots.

This trip was a real success and a huge eye opener to me. I have since decided to never be so tight with clothes again and have found such freedom with it. Such as the freedom to purchase, because it is cheap I can have more clothes for a lot less money than before. I have new outfits more often and have even thrown them items away when they broke badly instead of trying to mend them. If I don't wear something or change my mind I can usually still get my money back if I return it inside the date or just donate it back to the shop (I have taken items back for refunds but haven't changed my mind about anything yet).

Also it feels good to be donating my money to good causes instead of the high street. The only clothing I wouldn't consider buying at charity shops are underwear, and also woolies as they tend to be rather bitty second hand unless they are still new with tags. I have had a couple of bargains this way though and am happy to pay a bit more for a brand new and quality product.

I have since found favourite shops which I know specialise in specific items, from clothes to kitchen ware, shoes to furniture. We all need to know our own areas for when needs arise, being prepared is being armed!