Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Givnig clothes a 2nd Chance

It’s been a long time since I posted but with school ending and then starting again so soon, I’ve been a bit overwhelmed.

The topic is hand-me-downs or second hand clothes.

Fortunately, I come from a good size family with lots of healthy fast growing kids running around so clothes and shoes are being dropped off, stored or shipped out to family. Unfortunately, the reality is that we don’t live in the 70’s 80’s or 90’s and the kids going on some major mall shopping spree is out of the question. Three reasons

Reason 1: New clothes, old clothes, second hand clothes do not make the man, woman or child. Ones worth comes from within…truly. Sure new clothes have that new clothes smell for one wash but then it’s over. At this point if you’ve got no stains, no holes and the clothes look like they’ve been through the wash once or twice you are in good shape: comfortable presentable and if you’ve got a sense of style…cute too. I’ve read about people who only shop at thrift, consignment and second hand stores. Those stores are usually non-profit and donate money to charities. I have a friend who buys all her families clothing at second hand shops and she looks great and feels great because not only are her closets and refrigerator full, she has no debt and her savings is constantly growing.

Reason 2: Recycling clothing keeps them from ending up in landfills...if that's your thing.

Reason 3: Look around you…on the one hand people are losing their homes, jobs and benefits left right and center. Prices of food among other things are going up. We all know (and I know as close as 3 degrees of separation) that some CEO’s take in over 20 million dollars…tactfully under-taxed. So why on Gods Green Earth would you put money (unnecessarily) in another CEO’s pocket if you don’t have to? We are getting to a point when it is going to come down to “Jordans” or Juice, “Marc Jacobs” or Milk, “Leggings” or Lights and Heat and Gas for the car.

Think about it. Check your closets; check with your family see what they need and what they have to pass down. Google yelp consignment stores in your area, (there are nice ones out there)and put the money you saved aside for a “Rainy Day”.