Meet, Kristen, AKA The Frugal Girl. She’s a homeschooling mom of 4 and loves all things frugal–espeically in the kitchen. It’s impossible not to like her :).
I first met Kristen when I wrote her asking to review my new clothing ebook, and she readily agreed, replying that she also just wrote a clothing ebook and offered a giveaway to my readers.
I was so excited to read her book, and love her great photography and new ideas. I was also very pleased that our books are TOTALLy different. There’s not much overlap at all and you need BOTH, for real.
Kristen’s book is an idea starter with step by step directions for taking used clothing and making it useful again. The book includes 2o illustrated projects that are sure to inspire you on to your own ideas and projects. Some ideas require sewing–but several do not. You’re going to love it.
This giveaway starts TODAY, October 11th and will run through Thursday, October 20th at 8pm. I’ll announce the winner in my newsletter and here on the blog.
It is super easy to enter this contest–simply leave a comment here or on facebook (on this post–and my facebook plug-in will grab it and attach it here.) I would love it if your comment had your own frugal clothing tip, but if you can’t think of one–you can write a mushy complimentary comment instead, bwa ha ha ha.
P.S. As a special limited time offer, use the coupon code halfoff for a $5 discount when ordering Centsable Style.
Would love this book! I’m always looking for new ideas!
I love to re-purpose my husbands shorts into skirts. I totally amazed him when I did it!
I have Centsable Style, and would love to see what tips she shares in this book.
I love your tips. Have never really repurposed but I’m loving the ideas and look forward to learning more and I’m getting great ideas to get started. My first thing to do is purchase a sewing machine ASAP.
Hmmmm… frugal clothing advice. I would have to say that my best strategy is saving the “still-useable” clothing for the younger children to grow into. I am in the process of going through the sizes and widdling them so I don’t have sooo much in storage. THAT is a hassle. As far as clothing frugality for us moms…..I don’t know. I’m in a rut of the same “homeschooling of many LOOK” that I’ve had for years. I want OUT of this “style” (if that’s what you can call my look). O-well.
love your website…..I need all the help I can get when it comes to saving money. i would love to get your book…
Ohhhh!!! I need this book!! You see I am not very clothes thrifty and I find my wardrobe not too appealing and needing help but I hate to spend money. My mom and I sew and I know we could do a lot of things just lack motivation!
I use a little shaver to remove all the pills from sweaters it makes them like new!!!
My best frugal clothing tip… Borrow accessories from my daughters. They purchase trendy and I reap the benefit
I use rit dye and get my teenaged daughter involved. We find all the old white tank tops, tshirts and such that are getting stained or worn out looking and mix a bunch of rit dye and do a dye session. She loves being able to tell her friends her new cool shirt was something she designed!
It’s also fun to mix and match colors to create your own unique one.
I am new to trying to live more frugally and cut down our family expenses, but one of the things I’m trying to do with my clothing is to buy in color families that I actually wear. There’s no sense in me buying orange items if it won’t coordinate with anything else in my closet!
Ooh, sounds like I would love this book!
I think we should all reuse, recycle, and repurpose everything we can.
My best frugal clothing tip is to buy classics in neutrals (whatever those may be for your “colors” as someone already mentioned), not trendy stuff so that you feel comfortable wearing clothing year after year and not have to have something that was “in style” one year sit unworn or get donated. Save the trendy stuff (especially if it’s a “must have” IN color sort of thing) for inexpensive accessories like a scarf. The corrollary of this is to not be afraid to develop your own style and wear clothes that are NOT particularly “in fashion” by learning what really suits you versus what some designers in distant cities say is becoming. Learn what suits you and go with it.
The other one is learn to sew so that you can mend, replace buttons, patch, hem, and applique over stains or tears that are mended but “show”.
I could use this book
@SAM:
What kind of cleaner do you use? I have a terrible time with oil stains (oily food seems to find my son’s neckline every time).
I really need to refresh my closet — I’ve gotten rid of most of the maternity and fourth trimester-style clothing now that my daughter is 2.5 months old, but all my pre-pregnancy are too small and outdated.
I appreciate all the great information on your site, Angela, and wish you all the best!
My frugal clothing tip is I guess to keep it and use it for sewing material if it doesn’t fit anymore…Or fix it so it does fit.
I am so looking forward to reading this book. Thanks!
OOooh I would love to read them! Thanks!
Used clothes shopping would be my best frugal tip! Don’t buy anything full price! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity
I shop bargains and use things until they just can’t be worn any longer. With 4 kids, I am never afraid to pass things to friends and politely ask if they have anything to send our way, that we would be forever grateful. And I typically buy items of classic pattern and few designs, because they don’t go out of style from one child to the next or one season to the next.
I am saving the jeans that my kids have gotten a lot of use out of and making jean quilts for all of them.
I love the concept of being frugal but struggle to do so. We are expecting our 2nd daughter in 5 weeks and I do plan on reusing many of the items I used for daughter number 1. I shop consignment but even that I think I do in excess.
I haven’t done it yet, but recently I have been thinking about trying to make *cute* jean skirts out of some jeans that the bottoms are too long and raggedy on the ends 🙂
Make sure the clothing is comfortable. No matter how much you paid for it or how pretty the piece of clothing is; if it’ s not comfortable it will sit in your closet. Just think of the shoes sitting on the shoe rack for the same reason!
For my kiddos I have been blessed to be able to hand down clothes to the next boy. I also buy/sell clothing on a local garage sale website and sometimes just give stuff away on the freecycle website as well. I have also turned my oldest sons jeans in to shorts because the knees had huge holes in them!!
When you’re going to make more pricier clothing purchases do a little research. About 8 years ago I found a pair of brown knee high Antonio Melani leather boots. They were on the clearance and I paid probably about $50 because I had a gift card. Without the gift card they were probably $90. $90 is a lot of money for me, but looking back I know it was a good investment. I’ve worn them every fall/winter. They still look dressy and are still in really good condition. There are some brands the investment is worth….if you’re feet aren’t growing anymore. 🙂
I tend to patch or ‘darn’ holes and worn spots in my jeans.
I have also turned my husband’s grody old t-shirts into pre-fold diapers for our baby.
Would love to read them!!!!!!!
I try to re-purpose our clothing. I’m not a steller sewer either. My 11 year old daughter had a favorite short sleeved shirt with a hood on the back. It was too short.
I decided to crop the shirt making it sort of like a bolero. I cut the shirt up the center, added ruffles ato finish the edging. She has been able to wear it to make creative outfits.
My frugal clothing tip would probably be: buy a few outfits that are probably more on the expensive side but that you love and it really suits you. Less laundry, no replacing of clothes, easier to pick what to wear…
Hope to win this book and get some great ideas!
Would love some new ideas to perk up my girls clothes. By the time our 3rd daughter gets them they are pretty sad 🙁
I can sure use some tips on being clothes frugal. Well that and how to purge my closet.
My clothing tip is to always accept bags of hand-me-downs from other people. Always! Of course, I have seven girls, so it is absolutely true that someone will wear it eventually 😉
Wool sweaters make wonderful warm mittens. First wash in hot water to felt them – felting makes the mittens warmer and more waterproof.
My most frugal clothing tip has been to buy the basics that can easily be transfered from one season to the next and for many years. Then you accesorize with the trendy items rather then having a full wardrobe that only fits the current style for 6-12 months. Would love to learn more repurposing ideas with this book! 🙂
Would love to win! We have a group of women at my church that pass on kids clothes. I usually never have to buy our 2 girls any clothes and once they outgrow them, I pass them on again.
I keep my clothings costs low by buying only what I need, my closet is not very full, but I wear everything in it. I repeat outfits a lot, but they fit great and are flattering. Its better to have only a few items that are of great quality and fit then a whole closet full of cheap items that have shrunk, twisted in the seams, or are not very flattering. For my two school age boys they have enough school clothes for five days and one pair of good jeans with three good shirts to pick from for church. The rest of their clothes are hand-me-downs or items that I purchased second hand. When I see a really, really good sale on kids clothes (like when I found brand new jeans at $3 a pair) I buy in several sizes to stock up for next year. I’m always trying to find new and interesting ways to save money on clothes, and look forward to reading both of these frugal clothing books!
When I love an article of clothing, I try to make it last as long as possible. Use trims to cover worn spots or update for a new look. I have a beautiful black wool winter dress coat that has a rabbit fur trimmed hood that sits on my shoulders and makes it look I am wearing a formal black cape. I have repaired the pockets, even replaced the lining and most recently noticed the cuffs were getting frayed. I got some gorgeous black-on-black patterned velvet and made larger cuffs to cover the worn ones. I’ve now had the coat for over ten years and still get compliments on it. When the coat finally dies, I am already planning to reuse the rabbit trim for a sweater…
Don’t be afraid to shop consignment, thrift, and resale shops! They’ll save you a bundle.
I would love to win this e-book! I recently had a baby and I am trying to find ways to become more frugal out of necessity!
Yes, I need all the practical motivitation and frugal tips possible. Thank you for making these books available.
One Christmas I took 2 ribbed turtlenecks that were shrunken and too short on me and I cut the arms off both. I sewed the raw end straight across and slipped a wine bottle in each and tied closed with a grosgrain ribbon.
Angela, you are so inspiring! I’ve loved following your blog over the years, and your sling pattern from Blessed Designs has been used over and over and over! I would love to win anything from your site – keep up the good work!
I would love to learn how to turn my old clothes into something new! I buy my friend’s clothing for my kids, but would love some ideas for my clothes. Thanks for your great newsletter!
My favorite frugal idea is if your kids jeans get holey knees make your own patches using a cookie cutter cut out a cute shape from either another old pair of jeans or any other fabric ( think of old shirts ). Either sew them or use a iron on adhesive fabric like Wonder Under!
Angela,
Love your site. .Love your money saving tips. And would love a copy of the e books:)
Angela…… I love reading your newsletter and blog. Thank you for everything that you share!!
We use the internet and a good book handy on how to remove stains. Just this morning I had my dd look up how to get a butter stain out of her brand new favorite sweatshirt! I was surprized it recommended using “Goo Gone.” Sure enough the product label said it was also for use a a laundry pretreater!
Those that say we wear 80% of clothes 20% of the time has not seen my closet. I just about run out of clothes every Friday. Now grant I do have some dry cleaning skirts (now don’t hate me yet) :o) they go into a pile and they are worn two or three times. My favorite tops have been from a Goodwill from Fredricksburg, Tx and others from our local Goodwill store. Our pj’s came from there too. The kids usually pick printed tops (shirts) and or bottoms so they know which is which. (don’t forget to check the men’s section for older girls as I found my daughter a coke cola pj bottoms.. they are her fav!
I totally agree with Robin above about classic designs. I LOVE them! Maybe an update or spin on them is nice. Usually my kids wear one colored shirt or pant/skirt except when the skirt has lots of my favorite colors then well, I have many tops to go with it.
Usually what helps us too is I have favorite colors that I wear only at certain times. Sky blue, navy blue some green and pink and white t-shirt and white button down for spring and summer. Turquoise, brown and red a little black, kelly green for winter. Sticking with that color scheme has helped reduce our wardrobe and matching is not hard. Add in some scarves for spring and summer. Pashimina and cashmere (on sale/clearance) scarves for fall and winter and you got it! Don’t we love it if someone say they love a scarf we purchased on sale! …I don’t know about you ladies but my husband grins when I tell him these things…especially when he knows I waited for about 3 seasons for it to FINALLY go on sale! LOL …and above all else. Pray before going to look….it is amazing what I come across asking for the Father to please help us fill the need. :o)
Don’t believe me? WE asked for a frig… and received one for free! YEAH! Freecycle! …oh! and don’t forget if you can donate other things you find on freecycle to other causes like a pregnancy center, church food bank or woman’s shelter!!