#Thrive Thursday: Today we begin the third month under Taming the Coin, and September is all about being the societal rebel. This month we will discuss why you as a single mom need to be a societal rebel in order to look after your house and home in ways that manage your finances well, keep everyone fed, clothed and healthy, etc. This week is all about clothing.
It is a common occurrence as kids go back to school, that they feel they MUST show up in the latest brands and looks or they’ll be shunned, made fun of, scorned, etc. at school. Ideally, the idea of looking the way everyone else does has not been a problem for yourself, because if it has, this will have shaped your kids’ opinions of how others will see them when they go to school that first day. If you worry about others’ opinions of what you yourself wear, then this lesson isn’t just for your kids, but for you as well.
[bctt tweet=”It is more important to be adequately clothed for each season of the year than to spend money on clothing that doesn’t meet your needs because it appeals to the crowds outside.” username=”songdovemd”] If you struggle with your finances, you want to ensure that you and your kids have a minimum of 3 pairs of jeans, a couple pairs of sweats, several t-shirts long and short-sleeved, several sweaters, a couple good coats for each season, socks, underwear, seasonal sleepwear, multi-purpose footwear for each season (some footwear can be used in two to three seasons and others can be used all year depending on your weather where you live), and a few items for church and special occasions. This is a decent dresser-full and a decent closet space. If you only do laundry once a week, changing clothes only when you shower and only showering maximum every other day or two to three times per week, you have enough clothing.
The showering bit: You harm your hair and your skin by showering every single day and you feed the industry that has sprung up to deal with solving that harm. Save yourself money on personal hygeine products by reducing your need for them and get healthier hair and skin in the long run for both you and your kids. Doing laundry once a week reduces your electrical bill, and helps your clothing last longer because they aren’t being beat up by the agitator and dryer quite as often.
Because your clothes will last longer, there is no need to replace them every single season. Only replace them when they wear out and are no longer mendable. If you aren’t familiar with how to mend clothing, do google searches for mending jeans, socks, torn seams, patching methods, etc and how to tell when cloth is too far gone. When you do need to replace an item of clothing, hit up the thrift stores first. You would be amazed at the quality of clothing people give away! Thrift stores are definitely one way to get designer brands without the pricetag typically associated with them. Thrifts stores are not just for cosplaying or halloween costumes. My kids and I have saved thousands of dollars by shopping at Thrift stores rather than buying brand new. When gift cards show up at Christmas or birthdays, perhaps an item might be bought brand new then, and if none of the thrift stores have a given clothing item when we need it, we might be forced to buy brand new then as well. Shoes, socks and underwear we always buy brand new! Food disease is a thing, and you don’t know how well any bacteria etc has been effectively killed and washed out of underwear either, so always brand new for these items.
Growing children often do need last year’s fall clothing replaced because they grew all year. But after they stop growing, this need for a fall overhaul isn’t necessary anymore. Don’t let societal expectations put you into credit card debt, or make you feel less-than because you can’t buy your kids designer brands of the latest styles. Be a rebel, and encourage your kids to be rebels in wearing what they have, what they like and if it is a point of pride, no one in the home need mention they got their clothes from the thrift store. If a younger child of the same gender as the older child really liked something the older child wore and those clothes haven’t worn out, by all means pass them down to the younger child. This saves money as well.
Remember, saved money in one area of the household budget allows another area to struggle less and may even add up to money you can put into a savings account for emergencies, vacations or that birthday coming up. Become a fashion rebel to get a handle on your household’s clothing needs.
