This is the year

[Mo]

That 'Brown Dress' link, and the commoents on Mr Spuds coat both show how orientated on fashion and 'what will people think' we all are.
Still if you need a coat, better to get a good one, false economy not to.

Wendy, the petrol is for getting to the dances! I do shop on the way home though. The boiler is a long horror story, but it's finally done. (the bill hasn't come in yet )

[Jane in London]

Oh, I've just looked at Mercymee's link to the 'little brown dress project'. I clicked on the new project that this woman in doing, and find that I am doing it too! So, it seems I am not just making do with the clothes I have already got - I am actually 'performing a Recycled Intentional Wardrobe'. Who Knew!!

Jane

[spudley]

Things are wearing out!.. Its not like dont have loads of clothes but i have favorate clothes. Normally when I buy something new i put it in the wearing cycle of favorate things. NOw i know that I have only been not buying since January, but looking at my clothes i know that it was well before christmas that i last got myself a new top or skirt. I have not put anyting in to the cycle. Now the stuff that i like wearing has been worn more and is wearing out!
I know that this sounds odd, but it is. My flip flop shoe things are loosing thier soles. I would have by now got myself a cheap pair to slop around in, but have been waeirng the nove ones that i have. Super glue is coming out this afternoon as i am tripping over the soles
I have had to sew two blouses and one has had to be lobbed in to the rag bin. they cant be coping with the extra wear and wash. The thing is i waer summer tops in winter so dont really have that many tops soley for the summer. God knows how they will cope. I will probably be topless by August!!!!
I need to loose weight so that i can get into my thin clothes. Have already got them out too see how they are around the boosm area!!!!

Another thing that I am worried about is my knicker elastic!!!!!! During the winter tights must have kept them up. NOw i have to select very carefully. The other day i spent ages pulling them back up getting across the road with my shopping trolly and keeping the knickers up became a reall challenge!!! At one point in the day (and this is not a fib) i had to walk without the use of my uppper legs and keep my knees together or i would have been walking out of them!!!!!!!!!!! till i got behind a hedge to sort them out. I think that new undies will soon become a nesessity as i think the last time i bought them was this time last year. when running about with the dogs in the field I am holding some of the pants up with one hand!!

[Steve the Gas]

[Stig]

Spudley, following this thread with interest - inspiring stuff keep up the good work! Looking forward to August, and as for knickers - are they really a necessity or a luxury??

My own frugal efforts are shockingly poor in comparison. We've agreed in our household that we drink too much, we were spending about £40 a week on alcoholic drink, mainly wine. We cut back to 1 bottle a week, for a Friday evening treat & were doing really well. But last week my car was diagnosed with a huge list of stuff, most of which has to be sorted before the MOT in May. Looking at £700+ repair bill, so on the way home from the garage I bought 6 bottles of wine & some beer as consolation. We drank the lot in 3 nights... Now in need of more consoling.

[madmum]

Spudley I know just what you mean I am wearing knickers that i would hesitate to clean the silver with and every summer i augment my meagre wardrobe with a couple of new things to give them a new look.Not possible this summer and in fact when my mother in law saw my pjs on the line she took pity on me and bought me two new pairs which i am delighted to say do not fall round my ankles halfway up,or down the stairs.Once upon a time you used to be able to replace the elastic on things(maybe not knickers!!) but you cant even do that now

[Meanqueen]

Oh dear, knickers around the knees, not something I have to put up with. I gave up with womens undies may years ago when I discovered teenage boys pants. You can get them in packs of five for a couple of quid, and they don't fall apart or go baggy. I have had some of mine for ten years, and not a stretch mark in sight.

If these do not fit you, try men's y fronts. Don't know why but male undies are much better made than womens.

Ilona

[Mo]

I replace the lastic in mine.
Mind you I am due to buy a card of it so mine are in 3 categories
DON'T wear till mended
Wear with trousers
Ok.

[Jane in London]

Oh, Spudley, perhaps you could make an exception for a pack of M&S knicks? I get their Bridget Jones type 'big pants' and find they go one for years - much better value than cheaper ones. Sadly, I doubt boys' pants would accomodate my derriere, Ilona!

To be honest, if an article of clothing has genuinely worn out and is no longer fit to be seen in, then I don't think there is any shame in putting it into the duster box and buying a replacement. You would obviously shop carefully - I go a lot to a charity shop in an expensive part of London and I have had success finding very good quality tops for a few quid, which obviously give you a lot more wear than something you get cheapo in the market.

Jane

[kate egg]

oh the images conjured up reading this! (I wear Sloggis, they aren't cheap but last for ever and ever so certainly worth paying for!)

[spudley]

after a dodgy start to this month (went to an auction) buying garden ornaments, they were not that cheap but much cheaper than having to buy them new. I could have lived without them but i had been hankering after some for ages the opportunity was too good to miss, the rest of the month has gone well. I check my account and thought ohh i can save more this month. THEN the car insurance arrived. Damn i thought. However i can this year pay it all off in one go. this will save me administration fees so will be cheaper in the long run. I have decided to pay it off using the money that i have, this is a long term thing so I think that it would be the right thing to do.

Plus in the garden front we have a retaining wall, its just block, we had a quote to get it rendered (ridiculous price) we also cant afford to get the yard floored propery. Anyway Mr Spud comes trotting out with all manner of tubs on Thursday and announces that he is doing the wall himself. I came out half an hour later to find him doing a mosaic of waves on rocks. Its really artistic and i am so impressed. Its using all the old stuff that we had kicking around and the difference that it is making is amazing. he has dug me out some old masonary paint that i can paint the sky with, and he has found some tile on tile grout that will do (is doing) as a render!!! free- saving £1200 (see itold you we coulnt afford it)

[Mo]

Not only saving you money but giving you a unique piece of artwork.

[spudley]

well the wall is coning along in leaps and bounds and is looking great.

made the mistake of getting dressed in a rush wednesday and work those pants!
had to borrow a safety pin and pin them to my skirt!

Job is looking a bit didgy at the minute so every penny really counts, oh and the small wood burner has finnally given up the ghost in the livingroom, this will need to be replaced before winter. Why is it whe one thing breaks every thing else starts to follw. Mr spud had to do emergency repairs to the washing machine too.

I have realsied thought hat i have not paid full price for any washing powder this year. I have been getting buying BOGOFS every week since christmas, then when they went of offer i had ebough powder to keep me going till they were on offer again so i have started stocking up.

[katie]

So how's it going now, Spudley? You are now past the half-way mark!

[HensAloud]

I'm not sure if you consider it cheating ,but car boot season is in full swing and good quality clothes can be picked up for as little as 50p ( don't fancy second hand knickers though! ) And I use the pound shops washing powder ,it smells nice and seems to wash Ok . Good luck with the project ,it's very inspiring stuff .