Budgets

[zaika]

Ladies, I'm spending A LOT already on clothes and such. I want to start budgeting, and am curious how (or if) you budget for your vintage lifestyle. I'm hoping that I can refrain from just buying a bunch of stuff, and instead actually shopping and comparing prices...and making my own. It's just so hard to see so many wonderful things and not pick them up for myself.

Just curious how you swing this financially.

Thanks.

 

[Lady Day]

By budget is simple; Whatever is left over from rent and bills I can spend on food and fun

Most ladies set a limit to the ammount they will spend on an item, $20 for a dress, $10 for shooz, etc.

Me, I do it with fabric. Wool, not over $12 per yard, cotton, $4.
I also wont spend more than $12 on a pattern.

But on occasion I will splurge. I also buy lots (as in a lot of X number of items in one sale) of items (buttons, stockings, etc) from eBay or online sellers. That way, if I brake down the cost, its generally less than if I were to buy then individually.

But you must leave some aside for cocktail money

LD

 

[LizzieMaine]

Part of it's just a matter of buying smart -- rather than just grabbing a cute pair of shoes on impulse, think about how much use you'd get out of them. Are they soemthing you could wear with a lot of different outfits, or are they so specialized you might only wear them once or twice a year? If the latter, can you really afford that luxury? Remember, self-denial for a greater good is a true vintage virtue!

I find that making my own clothes from vintage patterns saves me a *lot* of money in the long run. I'll often make multiple outfits from the same pattern, and I'll keep an eye out for bargains on fabric. I can generally make two or three dresses for what it might cost to buy one vintage garment -- if I can find one that fits -- and the ones I make stand up much better to everyday wear. I make a point of using washable fabrics wherever possible which saves a lot of money on cleaning bills.

Another thing about the full-time-vintage look is that you're not at the mercy of changing fashions -- you never have to abandon "last year's look" because the style trends demand it, and you don't end up filling your closet with things that don't look good on you just because everyone else is wearing them.

I learned all this from necessity a long time ago -- but I find that it's a very practical way to live, so much so that if I hit the lottery tomorrow I don't think I'd change my routine one bit!

 

[Paisley]

I look at it this way. Cheap, faddish clothes are a false economy: they'll soon go out of style or fall apart. But timeless, well-made clothes are a good buy, even if they're rather expensive.

Another false economy is buying someting just because it's on sale, regardless of whether it fits well, will go with anything else in your wardrobe, you don't have anyplace to wear it, or isn't flattering on you. Even if it's free, you should leave it alone.

I'm not buying anymore clothes now because my closet and drawers are filled to capacity. I don't need more clothes.

 

[Lady Day]

Another false economy is buying someting just because it's on sale, regardless of whether it fits well, will go with anything else in your wardrobe, you don't have anyplace to wear it, or isn't flattering on you. Even if it's free, you should leave it alone.

Amen, sister!

I am altering most of my things now, instead of going out and buying new ones. THe make due and mend thread is still ringing in my head.

LD

 

[olive bleu]

patience..patience

 

[zaika]

Lady Day-I like that rule. Simple and easy to remember!

LizzieMaine – You know…as I was writing my question, the thought ran through my head of ‘How did my grandmother keep herself together?’ I mean…they weren’t well off by any means, yet they were able to live well and look good on a small income. I think that you’re quite right that self-denial is a very vintage virtue. It’s definitely one I’ve been trying to work on for many years.

Paisley – Y’know, as I clean out my closet and bureau, a lot of my clothes that I bought cheaply not even a year ago are already worn and shabby looking. I totally agree with you about those false economies.

Olive Bleu – LOL. Patience…I keep telling myself that. I don’t have to have everything right now…LOL.

 

[PA Dancer]

Budget for me is not always on track. I'll go on a shopping binge once a year to refresh my modern wardrobe for work and play, but my over all budget is fairly easy.

40 percent of my annual income is rent/mortgage, loans, bills, etc. (necessities)
10 percent or more for retirement
building the 6 month "just incase" account
The rest is for fun money.

or an easier way to look at it is
one week paycheck for car
one week paycheck for house
one week paycheck for savings
one week paycheck for everything else

It doesn't always work out this way for me all the time, just when I am getting way ahead, my car needs tires or some other unexpected something happens.

 

[leaette]

i just don't go to estate sales/yard sales/flea markets/thrift stores/etc. if you don't go, you can't spend.
but....about once a month, i will take about $40-60 out of the account and go shopping.

it takes serious will power. i would love to go every weekend but i just can't. no money!

 

[imoldfashioned]

I've gone through many phases of collecting since high school (postcards, music sheets, books, etc.). I'll sell collectibles I no longer want and use the money for vintage clothes or jewelry. I also use some of my disposable income. I do my damnedest not to use credit cards.

I find my spending definitely goes through phases--I'll find nothing for months and then suddenly there's loads of stuff in my size.

 

[RetroModelSari]

I stopped buying vintage clothes (unless I find a super-bargain) and started to buy vintage patterns instead. I regulary check my local fabric store where I can get amazing fabrics starting at 1.30 $. So 5 $ dresses are no rare thing in my wardrobe. Even with patterns I started to become more carefull and have started to think "Do I really need this one?". Sometimes I wait a day before deciding and it helps a lot. I get easily tempted and than have patterns that I´ll never make. I collect pattern books where you enlarge patterns to fit your meassures and copy them for me. Than I sell them on ebay again to get money for the next one. Like that I have tons of patterns to choose from in my size.

When I wanna buy books on Vintage fahion (my other pet peeve) or pin ups I always put them on my wishlist on amazon and wait till they are available used but in good shape for a reduced price.

 

[pigeon toe]

I don't have a strict budget, but I basically allow myself only one vintage thing a month if it's expensive or from a vintage shop. If I go to a great estate sale or find a bunch of great items at a thrift store I let myself go crazy since those things are so rare!

I also don't allow myself to go on Ebay anymore. It's hard, but I can't let myself even browse or else I start pining away for stuff! I'm teaching myself how to sew so I can at least make some of my basic wardrobe myself and save my dough for the real treasures.

 

[olive bleu]

i have been finding lately that i have learned to spend less because I have become more discrininating in what i buy.Now that I am 40, i simply can,t just go in and pull armloads of things off racks because not everything suits me the way it used to.Now it's more about investing in pieces that I will be able to wear for a long time.

Sewing also has to be the #1 way for me to save.I just found some terrific cotton for a dress that was actually EXACTLY what I was looking for for ..4 metres@1.99m!This will be 10 dollar dress! I get such a high from these thingslol

 

[gluegungeisha]

I'm on an extremely strict budget, as an underage student in an independent living situation.

Necessities are always first, obviously.

Groceries -- I am very conscious about what I put into my body, as it is my temple. All of the food in my fridge is all-natural, and mostly organic. How can I afford that? Simple! Farmer's markets. I get my bum out of bed early on saturday mornings and walk about ten blocks to a park in my area with a picnic basket. I get delicious local produce, homemade organic pasta, breads from a French baker, etc. I'm currently unsure of my options in the winter, but I know that there are a few ethical greenhouse farmers in my area. I get everything I can't get there at the local co-op and Whole Foods, but those stores tend to be beyond my budget.

Rent and utilities. Luckily (depending on which way you look at it...), I live in the poorest state, so rent tends to be cheap here.

Then there's school supplies, cleaning supplies, toiletries, etc. I'm the same way about cleaning supplies, toiletries and cosmetics as I am about food. Cleaning supplies are cheap and easy -- baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, boric acid. Toiletries can be a splurge, but I use my products sparingly and can usually get a good deal, since I've got "connections."

After that's all good and paid for, I put most of what is left in my savings account, and I'll treat myself to clothes or decorations occasionally. I have a very extensive (and expensive-looking) wardrobe, but you'd be surprised about how much I actually pay for everything. I pretty much never pay more than twenty dollars for an article of clothing. I'm currently working on striking up a deal with a new family-owned vintage store -- clothes for modeling! I hope that works out.

 

[kamikat]

I am on a tight budget also, being a stay-at-home mom with little extra spending money. If you don't sew, I would say, try to stick with separates that all go together. If you have a black skirt and a grey skirt, and a white blouse and a black and white print blouse, you have 4 outfits. The key is to make sure you love every item, so nothing is gathering dust in your closest, and to make sure every item is practical for you. If you never go out at night, don't buy an evening gown. If you know you hate wearing high heels, don't buy them. On a budget, every item must carry it's own weight.

 

[Mojito]

I envy those of you with a talent for sewing!

I have my budget fairly strictly broken down - my priority is saving for an apartment. However, I also include an amount out of every paycheck for frivolities/collecting, and stick to that amount. If I don't spend it, I roll it over into the next month's "frivolity" budget. If I want a larger purchase, I save the money over several paychecks.

My emphasis is perhaps a bit different from those who get daily practical wear out of their attire, as much of the emphasis on my collection is on 1920s vintage which is not day-to-day wearable. I have a "collections development strategy", and try to follow it with regards to acquisitions. If something falls outside the planned acquisitions, it has to be truly exceptional to justify the purchase.