Saving money on fashion (Part 4)
November 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment
When saving money on fashion, there are lots of small tricks that can make significant savings but still leave you looking a million dollars.
Use luxury fabrics to create a top dollar look
Using those luxury fabrics like chiffon, satin, silk, cashmere etc can make an outfit look as if it was expensive. Buy these items from discount stores and you will save a fortune whilst looking great.
Find those unusual items cheaply abroad
Whilst on holiday you can pick up some amazing bargains in markets that have a unique style that you won’t find anyone else wearing where you live. Use these to emphasise your individual style. Fabrics and silks, leather shoes, bags and belts etc can all provide stunning and unique outfits to wear back home and remind you of your travels.
Ebay…the home of the great fashion bargain
Ebay is a great resource for those of us who do not travel much….fashions and accessories from all around the world are up for grabs from the comfort of your own computer. There are serious bargains to be had…including designer items. If ordering from abroad, be aware that some items may need duty paying on them …so check that out with the seller first.
Supermarkets have some great fashion items too
Mix and match your wardrobe with items picked up at the supermarket whilst doing your food shopping. There are some amazing up to the minute items that will save money of fashion too.
Yard sales / Car Boot Sales / Charity Shops
If you want to pick up bargain designer items, car boot sales, yard sales and charity shops in the more affluent parts of town can be a real goldmine. Even if they are not quite the look you were after, consider whether they could be re-modelled into a new item of clothing.
Saving money on fashion (Part 2)
November 12, 2008 | Leave a Comment
In addition to keeping the neutral essentials of your wardrobe (smart jacket, cardigan, jeans, tailored trousers, little black dress etc) in neutral colours, there are ways to save money on fashion whilst getting an up to the minute individual look.
Discounted catwalk looks at the mall.
All the main shops at the mall take their styles and derive them from that season’s best catwalk looks. High fashion items, therefore, do not always need to be with a high price designer price tag. Look around at the mall for high quality seasonal looks to bring your wardrobe up to the minute at budget prices.
Charity shops can save money on fashion
Whilst charity shops generally deal in second hand clothes, many also bring in discount labelled stock that are sold much more cheaply than at the mall. Add to that vintage looks or items that can be adapted (with your sewing machine) and you will soon create a unique statement of the current fashions and the confidence that you will never be in the same clothes as anyone else at an event.
Where possible use cash instead of credit cards to save on fashion
Credit card payments cost huge amounts of money by the time you have paid them off. Also, in times of impending recession, the last thing anyone needs is to increase their debts when job security is uncertain. Many banks are also suddenly reducing peoples’ credit limits….so make sure you can deal with that my not racking up debt.
Payment by cash is a great way to really appreciate what you are spending on an item and to reflect on whether it really is the bargain you thought it was.
Set a monthly clothes budget
That fashion item to cheer us up on an off day (and, lets face it, with the credit crunch and recession a lot of us are having bad days!) can make a real hole in the month’s budget. Despite this, clothes do wear out or get shabby so its not realistic to cut right back on the family clothes budget.
When people enter an Independant Voluntary Financial Arrangement with creditors or, worse still, go bankrupt, the type of budget that is ofetn set for all clothes and shoes is $50 per month per adult and £25 dollars per child. It is possible to be clothed and shod on that budget from discount stores…but not easy. This will help to focus the mind if you feel that your debt levels are too high and you are considering spending a lot of money on a clothing item. Better to save money on fashion now by setting a clothes budget than to face these restrictions if made bankrupt.
Saving Money on Fashion (Part 1)
November 10, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Out with the old and in with the new..saving money on fashion exchanges
Many of us have items in the wardrobe that we never wear yet fancy some item from this year’s trends instead. If you can’t afford to spend money on fashion, dig out those unwanted items and, with the better quality items, log on to either www.ebay.com or www.whatsmineisyours.com. By either selling your unwanted items of exchanging them you can save money on fashion and clear out unwanted clutter.
Get creative to save money on fashion
Making your own clothes is not as hard as it might seem. Sewing machines start at around $40 for a very basic but adequate model. This will give you the chance to accessorise your existing clothes so as to bring them up to date, re-work them into new garments (or clothes for the kids) or even make new items from scratch. It’s worth a try as many sewing pattern cmpanies provide patterns with detailed instructions for complete beginners. It’s a new skill for you repertoire and a very satisfying way to save money on fashion too!
Designer clothes on a budget
Visiting designer outlets can be a great way to save a lot of money if you really must have designer brands. Often you need to set aside a good chunk of time to hunt through the clothes so that you can pick up the best bargains that will suit you….but it could be worth it for a 50% plus saving on fashion.
Avoid hidden costs like dry cleaning
Dry cleaning can really bump up the cost of maintaining a fashion item. make sure you check the labels and avoid items that will be costly to clean so that you save money on your fashion items…..particularly if it is for kids as they will need their clothes cleaning more often than adults might.
Discount vouchers can save a lot of money on fashion
Discount vouchers can help you to make significant savings on fashion (provided you don’t allow your self to buy extra unwanted clothes that will stay at the back of the wardrobe unused. You need to be really hard headed to save money on fashion as those tempting sales offers and discount vouchers encourage spending against our better judgement. Be 100% sure the items suit you and you will wear them before parting with your hard earned cash.
Low cost beauty tips
October 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment
As recession and job insecurity start to hit many households, paying lots of money for beauty products becomes lower priority as many households struggle to pay core bills.
However, help is at hand. Compromising on price of products does not mean that we nolonger look after ourselves and our bodies….her are a few tips to save money on some beauty treatments clearing the funds for those indispensible beauty products.
Water….the cheap way of achieving glowing skin
Dehydration leads to dry and flaky skin. We’ve all heard how we should aim to drink 8 glasses of water per day….not only does it help our concentration but it will also give you a glowing complexion.
Milk….good enough for Cleopatra…great for our skin too
If you have too much milk left in the fridge and you want a treat before it goes sour, add a cup full of milk to you bath for a natural moisturising treat.
Give natural moisture back to your hair
Hot water strips your hair of moisture. Not for the feint hearted in the winter months, but great for shiny locks…..use luke warm water to wash your hair then finish with a cold rinse to seal the hair’s cuticles and keep in the hair’s natural moisture.
Lemon aid for stained nails and fingers
If you have used a lemon for cooking, take the skin and rub it over your finger nails and finger tips. It will remove any unsightly stains and leave your nails and fingers cleaner and brighter.
Blasting hot and cold?
Taking the time to do blasts of alternating hot and cold water in the shower doeas wonders to boost blood and lymph circulation and is even claimed to ward off cellulite. It doesn’t matter whether you start or finish on a hot or cold blast…its the alternating that dilates blood and lymph vessels and get everything moving.
Stretch your Clothes Budget with Smart Styling
September 9, 2008 | Leave a Comment
“Tempted to new clothing on a tight budget?”
Despite tightening budgets with the credit crunch it’s still so tempting isn’t it? As the new autumn and winter fashion trends start to appear in store we get tempted to have the latest look and last season’s clothes get pushed to the back of the wardrobe.
“So how can my clothes budget be stretched to include this season’s fashions?”
However, it is possible to enjoy the new fashions without wasting other perfectly usable items in the wardrobe…..the trick is to have certain classics that are neutrally coloured in black, brown, navy or beige and then add in just a couple of this season’s trends of clothing and/or accessories to bring your core wardrobe bang up to date and save money too. In this way it is quite possible to enjoy this season’s look without breaking the bank!