Creatively Frugal Winter Apparel
How do you save
money on warm winter clothing?
"I buy all of my warm winter clothing from Eddie Bauer. I wait
until it goes on sale and I also check the website www.currentcodes.com
for a list of current discount codes for many different companies before I
actually buy anything. These clothes/socks/outerwear/footwear last forever
and are very good quality so I don't have to replenish them every year.
This saves us money in the long run. Eddie Bauer also has an ‘unconditional
lifetime guarantee’ on everything they sell. If you don't think
something is holding up well, you can return it for a full refund. Check
out www.eddiebauer.com." ~
SCH
"I purchase all of my
clothing at secondhand shops or on the eBay website. Ebay is a great
source for clothing. You can buy any brand and size there for very
reasonable prices and it is very easy on the budget." ~ Brenda
"My children are grown now but when they were home we depended a
lot on hand-me-downs and garage sales. At the time we lived within
driving distance of the Clear Lake City/NASA area in Texas and people
there had yard sales where they wanted to get rid of their stuff not
make a killing!!. I was always able to dress my children very well for
very little. Plus I sew. And, I had a large circle of friends with
children about the same ages so we traded back and forth.
My husband and I try to take good care of our clothing and buy
quality items when we do buy so that they will last. This year I bought
a fleece jacket, the first winter jacket I've bought in 10 years. And
I'm still wearing the 10-year-old car coat bought on sale at J.C. Penney
after the season was over. We are still wearing the same snow boots we
bought 23 years ago when we moved to northern Arkansas…The secret to
staying warm for us is layering. And thermal underwear and insulated
bibs are a necessity for working outdoors and they last. I just mend
small tears and replace elastic in the waists. Yard sales around here
are a waste of time. People want what they paid new for their old worn
out stuff."
"I use plastic bags (or plastic wrap) to retain
body heat on my feet. I put that on then add my socks. I use two pairs if I am going outdoors
for a while for things like shoveling the side walk. When I was a kid I always wore two pair of socks plus stuffed the boot with newspaper
when they were a bit big for my feet. The paper helped insulate as
well. When I took them off we put newspaper in them and replaced it with a dry sheet about every hour for the first 3 or 4 hours to absorb
moisture. We reused sheets of paper until they were shredded. I wear gloves with mittens on top when possible. If not I wear a thin pair (an
old white dress pair) and a thick pair of gloves.
I wore tights and nylons to keep my legs warm when I was a cheerleader with regular socks on my feet. Under my sweater I wore several layers
of clothes. I constantly moved or stayed under a blanket between cheers. I never felt the cold." ~ CSinbad
"This is not a tip for clothing but definitely an
idea for keeping warm in the winter on a budget.
I was recently at a fabric store and found some warm and snuggly chamois
cloth, similar to a flannel only heavier, on sale for $2 yard. I
purchased two yards and made pillowcases for my sons. They are warm, snuggly, and
cheap. It helps to keep them warmer at night and much more comfortable. The boys love them!" ~ Cyndi
"When my boys were young, I bought long johns
instead of PJs. They could be worn at night, or during the day under
clothes.
I like to put a hot water bottle under my feet when watching TV.
I also like fleece. I cut a piece of fleece as wide as my bedroom windows,
and a third as much as long. I draped it over a spring rod at the top of
the window. Keeps in the heat, but the sun doesn't come in. I can pull on
it to adjust it and let the sun in if I want. Fleece doesn't ravel, so no
sewing!
I keep assorted afghans and blankets available for curling up in
throughout the house.
I find that once my basement warms up, I can turn down my thermostat.
I also close and cover heat runs that are in areas that I know I don't
need that much heat. One heat run is shared with an upstairs bedroom, and
by covering it, the bedroom is warmer at night." ~ Terri
I found that by using my lightweight summer tee shirts under sweaters
helped keep me warmer. I always wear socks and shoes inside. I think that
layering makes sense. I found several summer tees at consignment and
thrift shops. Some aren't too great to look at, but as undershirt type
clothing, they fit the bill."~ Maggie
"I have started shopping at consignment stores for great clothes
at a great price. Consignment stores are filled with quality
merchandise, not only clothing but small appliances, blankets, quilts
etc. If you get a chance try the ones in your area and see what you can
find." ~ Carol
"My husband's jacket of 15 years, which was his
favorite, was really ready for the dump. He insisted that it was his
favorite and pleaded that I reline it for him. Ugh! So, to please him
and save the cost of purchasing a new jacket that he would not be as
happy with, I purchased a yard of
fleece (on sale) and relined the front and back of the jacket. The
sleeve linings were still in good condition, and with fleece, I didn't
want him to become too warm.
I took the bottom of a pair of jeans that were worn through at the
pockets, and down to the knees, and made new sleevebands to replace the
desperately worn out sleevebands. A few hours of my time, and less than
$10, my husband now has a favorite jacket that has been given new life.
In addition, the extra fleece was used to make a fleece head band, to be
worn out in the cold, which covers his ears, as well as match the lining
of his jacket." ~ Laura
"Invest in quality winter outerwear like winter coats and boots
from Lands End or LL Bean. Kids will likely outgrow them in one season,
and can be passed on to the next child. In order for this to work best,
buy in basic colors like black, blue and light blue that can be worn by
either gender. They will go through several children and you aren't buying
new items for each child each season,
maybe just one for the oldest child." ~ Kristi
"I have 5 children and live in Iowa where it can
get very cold. We also live on a small farm where the kids have outside
chores. What I do first of all during the year is to keep an eye out for
gloves, hats, scarves, etc., at yard sales and thrift stores. I don't
care if they are out of style; they are meant to keep warm and dry. I
also have the kids’ dress in layers with long johns and sweat pants.
They also drink hot chocolate before and after they are done." ~
Shawn
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