Can I survive a year without buying clothes?

[MaccaPaccaismyNemesis]

I like shopping, especially pretty day dresses, and I have spent much of 2013 building up a decent amount of clothes after bring pregnant and eating cake changed my shape though I have lost my preg weight now. (Only 2 years later!) .

I was having a look through the other day, and I think I could save a fortune if I made myself not shop for clothes or shoes in 2014. It could help financially to pay back the overdraft etc, and maybe just maybe I could save some money. I can definitely dress well for the year, but will people notice that I'm sporting the same clothes?

Would anyone like to join me in my quest to not shop in 2014?

I'm getting good at this. Had a day of hanging around in town this week with DDs. Too hot to be outside so were in a shopping mall most of the day, for the air con. Had a browse but decided against using even a gift card I have languishing in my bag.

hi
I'm still doing ok and not buying.
just looking forward to the more spring like weather - I'm getting a little bored of my winter clothes now - not so much boots and jackets, but jumpers and jeans/leggings.

when I'm not on mumsnet I am trawling holiday sites not clothes ones. done all the little jobs around the house except 1 bit of painting (next week)

discussions of the day has "shopping addiction" :0
might just have a peek!

Phew!!! Nearly at the end of Feb so month 1 and 2 with no clothes being bought (no going out until Saturday so shouldn't buy anything by the end of the week) Only need another month and we're almost a 1/4 of the way through. Tbh I didn't think if make it 2 months lol.

I'm doing well! Avoided the Boden clearance, despite the huge thread I kept seeing popping up, didn't look at all.
I might need some sunglasses and glasses. But I don't think they count really.
I do miss parcels arriving, and trying stuff on. But not enough to make it worth spending money on things I don't NEED.
:)

i think I NEED this stuff. Im currently having a cooling off period. I feel I'm about to burst and throw hundreds in relief at online shopping.

I think I need to rethink this whole thing. While Im enjoying the self discipline in one way I find myself wrestling with it in another way.

I wondering whether if I would be more suited to managing on a small scale with say one purchase per month, not costing more than £75. But I can remember someone up thread near start, once you buy one thing it is a slippery slope.

In the wider context of our budget I have sacrificed nearly all my allowance but DH has not (I know this seem very unfair but there are reasons and it is my choice). This going cold turkey is worse than some diets Ive been on. I feel I need to have a little something to chivvy me along. To be honest I Im very much in the midst of drudge as a SAHM a lot of time, so I miss having a little something....Im torn I thinking about the budget and savings to move house. grrrr

I dont like this anymore I really dont. Sorry, every one else seems to be doing so well. I'll try to find some 'new' clohes in the wardrobe.

Oh, thinking :(. Only you can decide what's best for you. It's so hard- I miss the thrill and the chase of a bargain. I will keep trying for as long as possible, though had to sew a jumper back up and my decent leggings have torn!

yay, nearly the end of Feb and still no clothes bought!! Can't believe it!

The next 4 weeks should be easy as I am madly busy at work... then it's the Easter holidays and I will have to be SO strict with myself not to spend

thinking I find it is so much easier if I just don't look... I haven't been into a clothes shop since I decided to do this and have been staying off all websites. I am reading Apartment Therapy (USA based home/lifestyle blog) and lots of debt free blogs instead.

Thanks for support I havn't caved, I just keep comming so close.

My bedroom is a mess. Im going to have a laundry day inc handwashing stuff and have a sort through and see what I can put together.

I have a few pairs of flats that will be able to be worn soon....

Im also getting a bit anxious about what Im going to wear once I cant hide under my plethora of winter coats - hence the spring trends ogling.

thinking I find that I am spending a bit of money in other ways to replace the clothes - like buying cheap supermarket flowers for the house to cheer me up and some music I enjoy. Maybe instead of spending £75 a month on one clothes purchase you could allocate a smaller amount for non-clothes 'treats' to look forward to instead?

You are absoluetly right orchidella...so I need to:

Avoid online sites and actual shops.
Get my self occupied
Allow other treats
Go through wardrobe to find 'new' clothes.
Other feel nice things - nails, hair, make-up pampery things - make time
Anti consumerism - mindful of consequences of excess

I would add, look at spreadsheet re motivational budget.

I am going to put a 'Big Pebble' wish list on Pinterest to look at.

Naice sunglasses.
A posh watch.

Interesting all this big pebbles talk - I need to spend time sitting down and thinking about what I would like to spend my money on. Clothes are easy purchases and I have not spent anything on clothes for nearly 2 months. I have managed to put a small sum of cash away for mini breaks during school holidays - which is great. But I do miss the thrill of mooching around the shops and buying something on spec cos it is cheap! Definitely more to this not clothes buying than you think.

I still have two items that I have not worn for three months in my wardrobe, so I spent time at the weekend moving my clothes around as I still tend to pick the first four or 5 tops out. I will pick out five tops this weekend for next week and wear them. I will also sort out my underwear drawer for the same reason as I tend to wear the first 3 or 4 things - washed and shoved back on drawer and then back on 2 days later.

Need to channel my energies to something else, like getting the house in order. Will do it a room a week, starting with the bathroom (as it is the smallest) and then work my way around the rooms until they are all done and de-cluttered.

Weather is getting brighter and spring is around the corner - need to work out what I need to wear for these springy days, before the warmer weather breaks out - some of my tops are dull sludgy colours and need to go!

How is everyone else getting on??

I have been doing overtime at work so too busy to be spending. I do miss mooching around the shops though.

I have made a real effort to dig out things to wear rather than wearing the same favourites or buying something new although I have bought 2 jumpers and a top so fell off the wagon earlier in the month.

Two months in! How are we doing?

im still in, one blue dress only.

Only two pairs of discount slippers . I still look at clothes websites , though not as much, and seem to got out of the adrenaline/dopamine/whatever loop I was on of continuous buying in the autumn. Whenever I see anything I vaguely like, I talk myself down by trying to find all its disadvantages and similarities to what I already own. Savings are gradually building up again. With my 'allowed spending budget' last month I could afford to buy 6 months Tesco delivery saver which will save me money in long term. I do tend to count the days till my next 'allowed spending' kicks in though!

i got the tesco delivery saver..i likes my club card days out vouchers too!

I have been in a clothes shop today anf forced ,myelf to walk on past to childrens section, so pleased with myself.

Today for the first time ever I have created budgeting sheets using an excel spreadsheet swot alert, and it looks like in 2 months my overdraft should be gone! £200 better off this month and paid off extra on catalogues- only 50 squid but it all helps, right? If I could get away with not buying petrol or lunch then it would be quicker but I must be realistic!

Anyone else been looking at their budget?

Yey - can I join in ? I decided before Christmas that 2014 would be a year of no clothes buying, and two months in and actually enjoying it !!
I've never spent very much on clothes (i.e. on single items) but I love a bargain, and buy stuff from supermarkets/in sales/charity shops without even really thinking about it. My drawers are stuffed ! that is going to change.

So far am finding it okay - but perhaps anticipate that when the season changes it might be a little trickier again….

So chuffed to have found this thread !

Hi Ruffling, of course and a big welcome! This thread has been hugely influential for me. If I feel tempted I think 'but what would everyone think of me?' ! What are your shopping weaknesses?

I'm genuinely amazed at all the women who can go all year without buying anything new whatsoever!!! Surely though all that will happen is come next year your going to need a whole new wardrobe? Is it not an itch that's going to get stronger & stronger until you blow in a humongous style?! I can't believe that any woman can ignore all the lovely new spring/summer clothes that are coming out soon, or holiday clothes, and not buy a SINGLE thing? I'd love to say i'd join in, but i'd be lying lol...good luck to you all!!

Nah, Emma16 - for me I think I just wanted to get out of the habit of buying things just for the sake of it, or because they were cheap. I'd walk past something and think 'ooh, I like that' and then realise that I've got one almost identical already at home.
I think the thing I'm learning is that there are somethings that will actually wear out or get ruined- for example my only long sleeved white t-shirt got some acrylic paint on it at the weekend - and I look forward to 2015 to replace that sort of thing - but most stuff is actually underused. I don't need a whole new wardrobe every year !

Tell me, though - are people including jewellery in their shopping fast ? I quite fancy asking for a new necklace for my birthday but not sure if that's allowed !!

Well another month has passed and I have not bought clothes - only two scarves. One woolly one for football and a more dressy one to jazz up a plain coat.

It has been fairly easy as I do not seem to have the time to browse the shops at the moment, but I passed up on a night out this weekend as I didn't have the energy to trawl through my cupboard to find something to wear. They all go and have hair and makeup done and I always feel under dressed, so I am googling U tube to find videos of how to do good eye makeup, as this will make me feel better about going out with them (school mums). I am definitely stuck in a rut make up wise, so may brave the dept stores and see if I can get a new look!

As Emma16 said, I do worry about spring with all the new clothes. But when I look in my drawers and under my bed, I have loads of summer stuff to wear, so I just need to be strong!

I don't tend to have a spring wardrobe but we are lead to believe that we should do.

judging by the weather I will stick to wintet woolies.