what's your monthly clothing budget?

I hate to admit, but we don't budget. And obviously we should, looking at this month's visa bill! I added things up & realized I spent about $75 last month on clothing & misc toys for the kids. That seems super high to me & I'm sure dh will freak when he sees that......so I'm curious about what everyone else spends on that type of thing?

 

We don't have a budget either. Our income varies month to month so we just get extra things (like clothes and toys) when we can afford them.

 

We don't have a budget even though DH has been trying to get one going for a very long time. I just have a difficult time w/ that.

I can go without buying them anything one month and the next month I'll end up spending about $100.00 on them. But keep in mind that if I find a good sale and I know they don't need any clothes at this time, then I'll just buy the clothes in bigger sizes. For example right now, I'm buying clothes for the Fall IF I find it on sale.

$100 sounds like a lot but it's not when you think about that I'm buying for 2 kids.

 

I don't have a budget either as I don't go clothes shopping that often. I usually just browse the clearance sections and if I see something cheap I buy it. I would say that I spend around $300 for the whole year. I usually buy at the end of summer for the next year and at the end of winter for the next year.

 

We also don't have a budget. But I would guess I spend $50-$100 a month on average (woth some months being more and some less) with regards to kids clothes and misc. toys, shoes, hair accessories, etc...

 

We do have a pretty strict budget which designates $60 p month for clothes. So far, we have been given all of the twin's clothes for Christmas, birthdays, and hand-me-downs so I am able to use the money for only my clothes. When that runs out, I'll have to spend some of it on the girls.

 

I don't have a specific budget, but I understand how $75 can be easily spent, especially when you don't have any older kids in your family to provide hand me downs. Evan and James are the first kids in both of our families so we're starting from scratch. Some months, especially entering a new season or after a big growth spurt, I spend a lot!

 

We don't have a budget either. My spending tends to depend on sales. So one month I might spend $200 and then nothing for 6 weeks or so. I know in late May/early June I spent alot b/c Gymboree had a big sale and I could earn gymbucks. Now I won't step foot in there again until it's time to redeem them. I buy ahead for next year too, so I guess that wouldn't count towards this year's budget right? Too confusing!!!

 

I don't have a specific budget for clothes each month(usually spend $0 to $50). I do browse the clearance sections and buy mainly off season. If they need something specific, I'll try to plan ahead so I can find it online, cheaper. I also plan for the big consignment sales that are in the spring and fall and know that I spend around $75-$100 at those.

But...watch out, as soon as I double check that this little one is a girl tomorrow, I'll be hitting the stores/online to buy "girlie" stuff.

 

We don't have a monthly budget, I'm a sale hunter, so my spending waxes and wanes depending on the sale offerings. I tend to buy a TON of stuff at the January inventory clearance sales. We live in Seattle, so pants, long sleeves, and sweatshirts are usable for 3 seasons out of the year. I also will buy next summer's stuff at the end-of-summer sales, but not nearly as much as I stock up on in January, as we only wear summer stuff for 3-4 months a year. I'll buy shoes in the next size up any time I see a great deal.

I spent about $350 (for about $900 worth of stuff :good in late January so they now have a full wardrobe for next fall/winter/spring as well as winter coats, snow boots, snow pants (still need rain boots), & the next two sizes in tennis shoes. Since then I've spent probably another $100 on summer PJs and a few shorts.

I don't really put toys into that category. DH is the guilty one for over buying in that department.

 

We don't really budget, but I don't like to shop so I usually go twice a year to shop for clothes for me and the girls. I just like to get it over with.

 

On of the things I am learning through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace program is that items like clothing should be budgeted each month, even though you never spend the same amount each month. For example, if you budget $20 per month for clothes and the first month you don't spend anything, you carry that $20 over to the next month. So, when you add $20 next month, you then have $40 in your clothing budget. This way, when the kids have a growth spurt, you have a larger sum set aside specifically for clothes. This allows you to spread out the money so you don't suddenly need to take $100 from something else and spend it all on clothes.

We are currently working on our very first month's budget. Right now, I don't have anything in the clothing category for two reasons: 1) it is all going toward other more pressing things right now and 2) we have been extremely blessed with pretty much never having to buy clothes because of hand-me-downs from friends and my mom's love of shopping sales. As soon as we figure things out better and have some wiggle room, I am going to start putting a little in there each month, though.

 

We have a $75 clothing/misc toy etc in our budget. Some months we spend $0. Others $100. Usually it's all for the girls as we dont' get any hand me downs! My niece though who is a year younger then the girls is going to make out like a bandit!

 

Monthly for clothes?? More like seasonal.

Most of my babies clotes are hand me downs form the older kids and friends. The big kids, mostly get all their clothes from sales. Christmas is a big time for them to get lost of clothes for the whole year that I got on sale.

 

I dont budget for clothes .. I'm a clothes freak and buy constantly. I think I need a shoppers anonymous program.

 

We have a yearly/monthly budget. But DH understands that you can't predict when they'll have a growth spurt.

My rule is that we save on clothing wherever possible (especially carters outlet, my personal fav). And we splurge on quality shoes (for us and the kids), because footwear is impt. My kids fall less when their shoes fit properly!

 

I won't say how much. . . but it's too much, LOL! It's my weakness to be honest.

 

Stacy A - I was actually just looking at the Dave Ramsey website! I've never done a budget.....usually when dh mentions it I just cringe (bad childhood memories), but I think we're to the point where we just have to. How do you like it so far??

 

I don't budget but I do watch what I spend very carefully. I have a 10 Dollar Rule that I stick to. I never spend more than $10 per outfit per girl. I will go to Gymboree to look around but I only BUY from the sale rack and only if it fits in the 10 Dollar Rule. I always check sale racks, but I don't always buy.

I have stopped buying toys unless it's a special occasion....or if I get a super great deal at a garage sale. Everything they have now is plenty to hold them over until Christmas!!

 

QUOTE(naomi02 @ Jul 3 2008, 07:52 AM) [snapback]858126[/snapback]
Stacy A - I was actually just looking at the Dave Ramsey website! I've never done a budget.....usually when dh mentions it I just cringe (bad childhood memories), but I think we're to the point where we just have to. How do you like it so far??


DH and I are totally committed to this! I am loving the freedom it is giving me from worry and stress. I know that we are getting things under control and that there is hope of one day being completely debt free! The budget is just part of the equation. You really need to check out the baby steps to see how the whole program works. But, budgeting is really important to making it all work.

I can't tell you what a difference this has made in our lives and in our marriage in just the few short weeks since we read Total Money Makeover. It seems silly, but DH and I hug more, laugh more, and there are so many less "fights" because the stress has just disappeared now that we have a plan. I understand cringing at the idea of a budget because it seems like it is so restricting, but really, it gives you freedom!

I feel like I am going to become Dave Ramsey's biggest advertisers just because it is making such a difference in our lives!

 

We have a strict budget and I buy wholesale clothes online and buy clothes at discount stores about 2 times per year. And at that we only spend about $50 per child. My husband has uniforms so he only has weekend clothes that get thrown out when worn out. I buy clothes for myself the same time as our kids clothes and spend about $100 on good jeans and dress clothes for church. Anything else we get is given to us.

We can't shop for clothes every month and we only buy what we need when we need it. Most of our money goes to bills at this point.
Meshell