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Shoestring Spending

Here’s One Way We Cut Costs (What About You?)

Posted October 23, 2009

Whiner-in-Chief recently went shopping for a new pair of cold-weather boots.

While this wasn’t exactly high on her list of fun ways to spend either her spare change or her spare time, it was a complete necessity, since Offspring #2 absconded with the old pair. (Life as a high school senior apparently doesn’t leave much time for shoe-shopping, unless you happen to live life on a reality television show.)

Fortunately — as has been mentioned and mentioned and mentioned — W-i-C is one of the shortest adults who ever lived. (Good to know that Fellow Whiner Geri is too; we may not see eye-to-eye when it comes to politics, but clearly we’re at eye level when it comes to everything else.)

Result: Whiner-in-Chief just bought her boots in a kids’ store packed with 6 to 10 year olds. True, the noise level left something to be desired. (So did that kid who kept attempting to walk off with her handbag.)

But the price for one very trendy new pair of extremely warm and cozy UGG boots was about one-third what W-i-C would have paid in a store that took care of adults. And they even came with a lollipop.

The Whiner wants to know: What tricks do you keep up your sleeve when it comes to ways to save money, especially on clothing? Are there some items you just won’t buy at today’s prices? Or, really good deals that you’re stocking up on?

Reader Comments

  1. Hope

    WIC, that is one big advantage of being short. I have a friend who always buys shoes at the best sales, because her feet are tiny and she generally gets the floor model size (5?). Good for you!

    I’m finding it unnecessary to pay full price for anything anymore. Every store I usually shop at has sales and sales and more sales. It’s good for me, but I doubt it’s good for the long term survival of retail. And of course, I’ve cut way back on what I consider essential. Luckily, my boots are in good shape this year. And your feet will be warm and toasty in new UGGs. Yum. Nothin’ better. Got the Ugg slippers for Christmas a few years back and they’re still going strong.

  2. Geri R

    Big love for the shout out! What a great surprise on a cloudy Friday in NJ! (It’ll be raining soon!) Always ask LL Bean to make their Maine boots in size 5!! (To no avail!) Along the same lines, Hanna Anderssen has beautiful wood-base clogs and guess what??!! A kid’s size 36 (i.e., size 5) fits perfectly for about $10 cheaper!! I’ve become “known” for my hot pink clogs. Have a great cost-saving filled weekend!

  3. Noelle

    Now is the time to buy the summer clothes that are about 70% off. I went to Macy’s and headed straight to the sale rack. I tried on a sleeveless embroidered blouse, originally for sale for $40. With all the discounts, it was only $6!
    Where I live there will still be a few warm days left, so I can wear the summer clothes still.

  4. jerla

    Ever the cheapskate, I love to shop in the men’s section of the thrift shoppe where the more well-heeled ladies drop off their husband’s very pretty sweaters. I don’t know what they do with their own very pretty sweaters, but they don’t seem to end up on the racks at the thrift shoppe. Shoes, however, are problematic. Either size 10 or size 11 with swelling problems … my favorite shoes are faux Crocs, and in the winter, I put socks on with my faux Crocs. I have a good pair of black shoes for job interviews and funerals, and cheap tennies for when the faux crocs are just too, too croc-y. I also have a very large collection of slippers and cushy socks for wear around the house. Love them cushy socks.

  5. Crayon

    I’m America’s average size. For decades I have competed unsuccessfully with others over clothes on the rack in my size, wistfully looked at the bare sale racks…… thinking maybe this time,….. except once again everything in my size is taken except the bizarrely unflattering leftovers in the worst colors in the world. Same story with overstocks from catalogs like LandsEnd, nothing available I’d be caught dead in for my average size. Basic tops in basic colors, gone, gone, gone. I’ve talked with salesclerks in stores and explained my plight and they say, hon, you have to be right here when the clothes arrive……yes, we know that size goes out first, blah, blah, blah, maybe you can get this model online. I HATE SHOPPING, so it’s ridiculous to think of myself lurking, circling and prowling the shopping malls, waiting for new shipments every season just to get first pick at my size. Catalogs have been my salvation.

    The only way I’m saving money on clothes right now is not to buy any.

  6. Jasmine2

    I’m saving money by not buying too! We got tired of replacing our coffeemaker: Every year or so ours would die and have to go into landfill. And they didn’t even make the coffee nice and hot. So I found an old Melitta cone in the back of the cupboard and voila! hot coffee from a device that will never break and it didn’t cost us a dime. Ditto when our microwave broke we didn’t replace that either. I have lots more counter space now, and using the toaster oven or a pot on the range is no trouble. As for clothing, I’m using what I have, and it is good enough. I feel like we Americans really got had: Enticed to go into debt for junk and then preyed upon by our lenders. I’ve had enough of it!

  7. amy

    I’ve been eyeballing UGGs for 17 years and still haven’t bought — too much for warm boots you can’t wear in the snow or hike in. About ten years ago I bought a pair of Bean’s Cresta Hikers, and they’re wonderful. Well-made, the fit’s delish, they’ll last forever, they’re awesome hiking boots, and you can wax them. Nice & warm to 30 below with a couple pairs of thick wool sox. Only problem is they’re too short to make good snow boots, which isn’t normally a problem since we get lots of cold around here, but not much snow. One of these years I’ll get some snow gaiters to go with them.

    Other things I won’t buy: A new dishwasher. This is the first dishwasher I’ve had, and while it’s nice, I actually like washing dishes. I look at those Keurig machines, too, but again, too much money, and the pods cost too much in several ways. Um…cheap furniture. No more cheap furniture for me. I find good solid stuff at discount and buy rarely. No fancy cable packages when what I mostly watch is C-SPAN anyway (hey, did you catch Elizabeth Warren tearing into the TARP guy yesterday? She’s having quite the career these days).

    I’m still in the market for a good wood floor. One of these days.

  8. carol

    Several years ago I started buying clothing on eBay. You can go for “NWT” – new with tags – “NWOT” – new without tags, if you want new. I can choose the designer or brand and the size I want, and see what pops up. I can bid low, and if sells for more, so what? I’ll just wait for the next deal. I’ve done this VERY successfully. I have a wardrobe that fits my job for far, far less than retail, and with a much bigger selection than I’d find in a local thrift shop.

  9. abo gato

    Like Carol, I’ve had some luck with eBay. I had been eying those MBT shoes. Really curious about them. Tried them on at a local store and loved them, but did not love the price. I’ve had some problems with plantar fasciitis and had been on a quest for good shoes with great support in them. I’ve bought them on eBay and have two pairs now. They make walking enjoyable again! Wow, the roll it gives you when you walk is just plain fun.

    Anyway with eBay I just put in my size and what I was looking for and had a lot to choose from in all kinds of styles and ranging from new in box to slightly used. The ones I got are new and were about half the cost of new ones. I am on the look out for one more pair of them, in a more tennis shoe style now for my early morning walks.

    I’ve also gotten some good Dansko shoes on eBay, they are very comfortable, but not like the MBT’s.

  10. amy

    GAH. I’ll tell you what, I’ve had it with this whole making money thing. Yes, I can do it, I got offered another nice contract last week, but frankly, it stinks. I have a new plan:

    1. Finish up contracts already running and collect the money.
    2. Live off this for the next 1.5 years. Write book.
    3. Either as soon as the kid is out of elementary school, or sooner if the school boundaries change, swap rentals: rent the house, go live in the paid-off apartment. Total income required after rents, child support, investment income: $600/mo. Do very select contract work, do low-level labwork, or stand behind a counter. Write more books.
    4. Fin till kid turns 18.