Clothing Budget!

[yigara]

Please tell me what your clothing budget is-- either as a percentage of your take-home pay, or in monthly expenses. I strive to keep mine in check, and I'm usually very good with money, but I'm pretty sure that my monthly spending in this area is waaaay out of my league. . .
Thanks!!

 

[NHdisneylover]

I probably spend about 50-150 dollars a month on clothes for myself averaging out to about 1500 in a year probably (inlcuding accessories, etc.). I buy things I really like that aren't trendy and wear many of the same thigns from year to year so I never have to buy an entire season's worth all at once. I buy a few new things for each season, pick up jeans and Ts when I see something I like for a good price, replace shoes and coats as needed (new summer sandals every year--I am rough on sandals), and nearly always end up with a couple of new swimsuits each year as well.

 

[dzneelvr]

I've cut WAY down because when I think of things I really NEED vs want, there's not much I can justifyBy shopping clearance and off-season at the good department stores and frequenting resale shops for jewelry and accessories, I would say I'm down to $30 a month. Chico's, Coldwater Creek, and Von Maur have very well made clothes and by purchasing at clearance or off-season, I make a killing ie. $79 white detailed jeans for $6.99. DS 21 and DD 19 have picked up my habits so that's a good thing.
I think today's fashion is so much more flexible than it was when I was growing up. Let's face it, almost anything is "in", just make sure it fits your body type AND your wallet. Happy Hunting

 

[denimar]

I usually budget 200/month. If I don't use it for the month, it just stays in the clothing envelope.

 

[KristinU]

$60 a month for three of us on a regular basis (some months we spend it, some months it sits there until the next month or so). We do bump it up when we have a larger replacement need like coats, running shoes, etc. It's less than 1% of takehome income for us.

 

[Mommyariel]

I'd never really thought about this on a monthly basis, but we probbaly spend about $150/month for a family of 4. Of course, we buy little for ourselves, and tons for the kids!

 

[scrapquilter]

I probably spend about $500 per child each year because they are always outgrowing everything. For my husband and myself, maybe $300 each per year. This doesn't include shoes.

 

[DawnM]

I have a very low budget. When I hit a thrift store, huge sale, or garage sale with clothing in their size or up to 2 sizes above, I BUY in bulk!

For DH.....he can wear polo shirts and khakis. Last year Sears had a deal....spend $100 on Dockers and get $75 in gas cards. I got $200/worth (7 pairs) and we got $150 in gas cards. He is set for a while. We also have a fantastic thrift store that has huge racks of polo shirts and he stocks up for $4 each when he needs them.

I think I spend around $200-$300/year for each child and that includes shoes. That is at the most.

I have a harder time finding shoes, so I often have to buy them new.

Dawn

 

[disneymom2one]

Not more than $200 a month. Probably about $50 each on my husband and I and about $100 on our 13 year old daughter. She wears uniforms and that helps a lot. I shop sales. You can't walk into JC Penney's or Kohl's without finding something on sale. That budget includes all clothes - including shoes.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I save about $10 out of every check (biweekly) for a "clothing allowance". I hardly ever go shopping though. I need more clothes, shoes, purses, and accessories like I need a hole in my head. I really only buy nice, designer things so that I don't have a closet full of junk that I either hardly ever wear, loses shape, or falls apart (as this happened with all of my clothes I used to buy cheaply). But with only saving $20 a month it takes awhile for me to buy something.

 

[extremesoccermom]

I put $100.00 a month in to the clothing envelope for the 3 of us. Once DS graduated High School last year I quit buying him any clothing. We don't buy to much through the year so right before school starts or if there is a good sale at the season change we will use the money saved up for new shoes and one or two outfits.

 

[mward73]

I spend about $250/year on clothing for our family of 3 (soon to be 4). My mom buys most of DS's clothes - she doesn't have to and I keep telling her to stop, but he's the only grandchild and she's still so excited (he's 2 1/2) so she keeps buying. She does get great clothes and great prices though.

The only things I usually buy are DH's socks, underwear, etc. I get myself something here and there - usually at Kohls for 80% off so it doesn't add up fast.

We're pretty low maintenance on clothing. We can both wear jeans to work, so we just get a nice shirt once in a while.

 

[Jennifer in MI]

This year my family has decided to live on as little money as possible (we're working hard to pay down our mortgage!). So our budget this year is VERY low. Dh and I are not buying anything new this year. We've decided to really wear out what we have. But, dh did need a new pair of dressy shoes and I'll need a pair of running shoes.

I already bought most of my kids' clothing for the year when the thrift store had a 50% off day. We got two HUGE carts full!

We have a woman who gives us all her dd's clothes for our youngest dd. So, she doesn't really need anything!

Our totals for the year:
Dh shoes: $7 at a thrift store (new!)
My running shoes: $85
Clothes for kids: $22
New underwear and socks: $15
One child needed new baseball shoes (couldn't find a pair used): $20

I think we still need one more winter jacket and boots for next fall. I hope to find them used for under $10.

Total for this year: $159!! Even if we need a few more things, I don't think we'll be over $200! (Now, watch one of them have a HUGE growth spurt or something!)

 

[Goofy'slady]

Wow, I guess I've never really put a dollar amount as to how much we spend on clothes during the month, but if I had to I guess it would be about 150/200a month. I really just know that when a new season is coming 'round then it's time to go thru the girls clothes from the previous year to see if they can still fit things and the things they've outgrown we replace. Now, I don't include the holidays and what not. For instance we're about to leave on our vacation in 10 days and while most of our money went to buying the girls new items of clothing, bathing suits and shoes however, both me and my husband bought new things as well. Each of our girls were able to still fit some things from last summer so that was a help. What we bought for vacation will also be worn throughout the summer. Right now only one of our daughters is of school age and she wears a uniform so that certainly helps but come fall our youngest will start Pre-K and Pre-K doesn't wear uniforms so we'll have to buy her school clothes, play clothes and Sunday service clothes.

We shop sales all the time but sometimes there are things that need to be bought right away so I have to pay regular price but those times aren't the norm. I certainly buy more clothes than my husband but there are certain times of the year when I think my husband can out shop me and he manages to always find designer items at rock bottom prices.

T.

 

[branv]

We're very lucky -- I don't need work clothes, and the most dressed up DH ever gets for work is khakis and a golf shirt. Our budget used to be $100/mos for the both of us, but after DH's company-wide paycut, we lowered it to $60/mos. DH almost never spends any of his, where I tend to drift over my half, which then gets taken out of my allowance. Our biggest problem is that we both lost about 20 lbs each and, for instance, all my pants keep trying to inch doooooown (and with that stupid 1% of elastic they put in everything, they already did that even when they were the right size!). But I'm still not of a size that can find clothes easily at thrift stores. So the budget has taken a little bit of a hit in the clothing dept, but not too much.

Though I have to brag that my best score this year was on a pair of sandals at Kohls -- took them to the front, the UPC code wasn't recognized, she called the manager who found out that those were the last remaining pair from last year's stock. So I got them for $1.50! The little lady next to me in line said, "Did I hear that right?! Did she just get those shoes for $1.50?!" Isn't the best deal the one you weren't even expecting?

 

[TRICKY_TINK]

Hmm. I spent 120.00 on Sons clothes for school next year (his first year). Baby wears all his big brothers clothes. I haven't bought anything for my self in years. Maybe a thirft store shirt here and there but thats it. Same for dh no new clothes unless they get holes in them. Shoes get replaced when outgrown or holes appear. I would say I spend maybe 200.00 a year on clothes for all of us. Pretty low from what I've seen.

 

[Crystal824]

We have $60.00 in our budget per month for DH and me. Sometimes we by nothing and sometimes we go over. We don't really spend alot of clothes because we are currently building a home. Prior to that, we were saving for our down payment. We shop mostly sales and clearances to keep that amount in check. We usually each get clothing for birthdays, Christmas, etc. which is far in excess of the monthly amount.

 

[PinkRhombus]

My husband put $150 in our monthly budget to go towards clothing/shoes purchases. Not that I use it all every month, but I am close most of the time This also goes towards household linens (bath and kitchen towels, sheets, etc)

We don't shop higher, for my husband and I, than Penney's and Kohl's. His jeans come from Target, and mine...recently...were ones that I found at Sam's for $16 each.

The kids...I'm all over the place with them. But I spent $60 for a big chunk of my oldest's summer wardrobe on a massive clearance at Children's Place (50% more off of the marked down!) I got a lot for under $5 each piece.

 

[delmar411]

we put anywhere from $60-$200/mth into the clothing budget. It all depends on what's going to be needed when. Since I do the budget at the beginning of the year I add extra to that line for spring and back to school time.

This year I felt like I spent a lot for clothes for the kids but it was just on stuff they really needed likes shoes and shorts. I won't buy used shoes though. That's my personal line in the sand. (ok and no used under clothes either! LOL)

ETA~ on the far end we spend $1200/yr on clothes. But that's for a family of 6.

 

[disney1990]

Please tell me what your clothing budget is-- either as a percentage of your take-home pay, or in monthly expenses. I strive to keep mine in check, and I'm usually very good with money, but I'm pretty sure that my monthly spending in this area is waaaay out of my league. . .
Thanks!!

No monthly clothing budget. Only clothes that are needed are bought.