My Frugal Miser - Spending on Clothing

I will spend less than $50 on clothing this year.

I work in an office environment and my position requires visiting clients, so my day-to-day outfits range from business casual to slightly dressy. My 2010 clothing budget is limited to plain white t-shirts and possibly some underwear.

How do I do it? Well, first of all, I do cheat just a little. I only use credit cards with loyalty points for purchases, and I put everything on a credit card. Then I redeem the points for gift cards, usually for restaurants, gas or clothing stores. So I may spend as much as $100 this year on clothing if I get a gift card.

Second, I buy quality. It doesn’t cost much more; you just have to know where to look. I stumbled upon Land’s End because I have short legs and they sell pants in my inseam size. They don’t charge for alterations, which I like! What I have found is their pants really hold up. I have some that I bought five years ago that I still wear every week. Sure, the colors have faded a little. But there are no holes or tears or bad seams.

Third, I take care of my clothes. I don’t overuse laundry detergent, which is a major cause of excessive wear and something most folks don’t realize (just use half the recommended amount and you’ll be fine). I used to take all my dress shirts to the cleaners, but now I iron them myself, and rarely use starch.

Finally, I keep my outfits simple. I buy classics that won’t go out of style. I buy versatile clothes so that I can mix and match outfits.