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.
I am intrigued by this idea. I shop at Goodwill and other thrift stores, but have no idea how to update clothes…A fashionista I am not!
Dina
Hi,
I don’t how frugal this is, but I like to buy my children’s clothes at Gymboree. I only shop the clearance rack and use the 20-30% off coupons they send in the mail. I typically get clothing for $3-6 and jeans for between $9-12. My kids are fairly easy on their clothes. I then resell them on E-Bay if they’re in good condition. I can’t share clothes because I have one boy and one girl.
I am a stay at home mom and I am learning more everyday about how I can become more frugal, even though my children are 12, 3, and 4 months. My frugal clothing tip is to hand clothes down, from adults to children (now that my daughter is my size clothing, or at least, when I was thinner!) and from children to children. I keep all my kids old clothes in bins, labeled, according to size and go through the bin each time my kids go into a bigger size. This helps me to reuse what I have and see what I don’t have or need.
I guess my most recent frugal clothing tip is that I had pair of capris I could no longer wear because of a stain right at the knee. I was about to throw them but realized if I cut them off just above the knee and sewed a hem I would have a pair of “new shorts”. That’s exactly what I did. It worked beautifully!!
I have no frugal clothing tips…that’s why I need to win this ebook 🙂
Old (obviously clean!) cloth diapers make awesome cleaning rags!
T-shirt quilts are my favorite!
I have lost alot of weight and need help with redoing my wardrobe. I have been shopping thrift stores for clothes that fit. There are just some clothes that I don’t want to give away. I try to alter them in a new style. I like to add different trims to give them a new look.
Thanks for the giveaway!
My mom had a beautiful sweater with a tiny bleach spot on the front … I made it into a sweater dress for my toddler!
I used all of our old, but clean looking socks that were missing its partner for a sock Advent Calendar last year. I try to reuse everything as much as possible and would love to get my husband on board with the idea too.
Well I usually always turn pants into shorts, and use tops that aren’t threat bear for their material!
This is perfect timing! I’m busy trying to come up with inexpensive fall wardrobes.
Remaking clothes into doll clothes or smaller children’s clothes is my tip. My granddaughters love having matching clothes for them, and for their dolls.
Another favorite idea from when my kids were little is buying all their clothes in the same color families- for years everything I bought was red, white or blue. then everything was mix and match!
My husband likes for me to turn his old cargo pants (that get too worn in the knees or around the leg openings after a couple of years) into cargo shorts….two articles of clothing in one purchase! Both ebooks sound great, by the way!
Thank you, Angela, for taking the time you take to help us and others. Some frugal clothing ideas we’ve done in our family (we have nine children):
old t-shirts I cut up for auto rags for my husband, and when I was breastfeeding, I would cut many layers of circles from them and sew together for nursing pads.
My oldest daughter has become proficient at taking old clothes that are too worn to pass down or recycle, and sewing all sorts of interesting doll clothes for her sisters.
We almost never buy retail and try only to shop our local Salvation Army when they have sale days.
We have had quite a bit of clothes given to us, which has been a blessing.
I use freecyle to recycle my old clothes and get new ones. Its handy and I am glad that someone else can use what I cant.
What fun this would be to get my hands on!
Well, I think my best and longest lasting reuse has been my son’s cloth diapers! Yep…after THEY abused and used them, then I shared a few with others, but have used mine to wash the car and dust…my favorite is dusting with them. My sons are now almost 25 and 30!
I am only about a year into living frugal and am CONSTANTLY amazed at how many opportunities I’ve passed up my entire life on reusing things!! Now it always excites me to find a new way to reuse something!
I’ve been taking the boys’ shirts that are short sleeve but have that long sleeve underneath that’s fake and cutting out the fake long sleeve part so it really is a short sleeve shirt (ha- does that make sense??!)
Sounds great not real good at figuring out how to save on clothes although I’m great at thriftstore shopping and love hand me downs I’m not good with sewing but am interested in the ideas
looks like a great book …im always on the look out for cool ways to reuse our old clothes
I forgot to share something last time I picked up a pair of jeans at the thrift store for my daughter they had a paint stain on the leg so we just got more painted and added splashes of color and we also sea buttons or patches from old clothes on holes in shirts or pants
Take inventory before shopping (at Goodwill, consignment stores, discounts stores, clearance sales, etc.). Take pics before you go of what you have that needs something to go with it. Keep the pics in a small, cheap album (with sizes for you and each family member) in your purse or car. Refer to it so you have a visual reminder of what you DO have. As a visual person I would so often come home with stuff but not have the needed skirt or pants or top with which to wear it. Having the pics on hand helps me “remember” plus gives me inspiration and focus so I can have outfits as opposed to stuff in my closet.
Buy multipurpose separates that can be mixed and matched and accessorized. A basic, black skirt that is well made and FITS well can go a long way and for many years.
My tip I am sure someone as already posted. I use my childrens old clothes and turn them into memory quilts.
I would love to have some good ideas like this. I have a 7-year-old boy, so we run through clothes quickly.
My kids and I would love to check out this book! We’d love some new ideas. we currently take old jeans and make reusable tote bags from them, pocket purses from old jean pockets, mittens from sweaters and are currenly going to try to make skirts from old T-shirts!
Great idea for ebooks! I have a stack of jeans that still have a lot of life in them…just not as jeans. I can do a few things with women’s clothing and would love to see some ideas for boys!
With 7 people in our home and now my husband making less then half the money he was making a year ago, I need ALL the frugal ideas I can find about ANYTHING! I’ve always tried to repurpose, reuse, & recycle things…maybe it comes from my grandma talking about growing up during the Great Depression. I cut up stained up, completely unusable clothing into “rags” that go into my good old fashion ‘rag box’ under my kitchen sink to be used for oily spills, pet accidents, cleaning around the toilets etc. Other clothing that is worn but perhaps still usable I cut up and reuse…cut denim into squares for a quickie quilt, I’ve seen very cute “organizers” made from jeans pockets being sewn onto a piece of denim or other sturdy fabric, and attached to a wall. I cut pockets from old jeans and pin them to my cork boards (one by my desk, one on the inside of my kitchen cabinet.) I cut used paper from the printer into squares and tuck them into the pockets along with an ink pen for quick notes, to jot down a quick store list etc. You can also use them to corral small notes or bits of paper on your board. Comes in super handy. And you can decorate them up if you want with fabric paint, iron on transfers, trims, buttons etc. Reuse denim or other sturdy fabrics to recover pot holders that are worn, ugly or to cover a design or color you don’t like.
Thrift store bed sheets make excellent curtains and table cloths. I also buy 2 twin flat sheets and sew them together on 3 sides to make an instant bottom sheet for my girls’ beds, instead of a fitted sheet that always seems to come off. Also, when one side gets a little grungy….just flip it over and use the other side before washing it. Cheap bedspreads often have scratchy backing on them….get a sheet or even a light weight blanket the same size (full, twin, queen etc) and sew it to the back of the bed spread. I’ve done this with many of the bed spreads we have for the kids’ beds.
If your daughter has a pull over shirt that is to short…..gather a piece of fabric and sew it to the bottom to make a dress. Add ruffle to a skirt to lengthen it. Cut a sweatshirt up the front and hem the edges to make a jacket. Cut the sleeves out of an old sweater…use them as leg warmers for yourself or your girls. Cut the cuffs off the sleeves of old sweatshirts…keep them in the drawer by your sink. When you wash dishes, slide them over your sleeves and push your sleeves up…the cuffs will keep your sleeves from sliding back down.
OK…I’m writing my own book here…LOL!!! Hope some of this might help someone. And please toss my name in the hat for the giveaway!!!! Thanks for all the good stuff here on your site. From one Angela to another. 🙂
Try to stick with the solid neutral bottoms and mix and match tops. Shop thrift stores and garage sales first and then sales.
My frugal clothing tip is: reuse old sweaters, shirts, and pants to make blankets and/or Christmas stockings!
I’m loving all of these great tips and am so thankful for your blog. Thanks for the opportunity to enter this contest!
Can’t say I know how to re-purpose clothes my family is finished with, other than donating, but almost all of our clothes are thrift – so we are re-using, if not quite re-purposing! Can’t wait to see this info – keep up the great work!!
I would love to read both books. I am always looking for new frugal tips to stretch the buck. The biggest tip I have is swap clothes. If you can find a group of friends or if your family is large enough (my case) just swap clothes around to the ones they fit at the time. My daughter has wore several outfits that were mine what I was an infant. Thanks mom. 😉 I don’t know that my mom intended to save them that long, but thanks to Mom’s saving and all my nieces and nephews my brother, sisters and I have had to by only a few items here and there. Yard sales and thrift stores aren’t very good where I am, but the clearance can be great.
I take an oversized shirt, hang it on a hanger cut a large slit in the front of it and sew the rough edges…sew the bottom closed and hang it on the back of bathroom and bedroom door and viola hanging hampers…
I use a clothes shaver to keep my sweaters looking their best and I’ve used dye to make old clothes look new again!
My main tip is to shop at thift stores and good will. It is amazing what you can find at these places. Some time you find nothing – other times you hit the jack-pot. ! I so appreciate ALL of the frugality tips!!! I am learning a lot. Thank you SO much!
Susan
I’m always interested in finding new ways to reuse things. I would love to get either one of these e-books. I like to use old clothing or sweaters to make pillows or just let the kids have the fabric to projects with. The less worn clothes go to families at church or goodwill.
With 3 small boys and an unemployed husband I am ALWAYS looking for ways to feel beautiful in my clothes without spending a fortune… Bring on the ideas!! 🙂
Best of luck with your new show… Enjoy your website/newletter!
My daughter is REALLY skinny. When she hits a growth spurt and her shirts get too short, I add fabric to the bottoms and turn them into dresses. And when her dresses get too short, I put pants on her and call them shirts. IT WORKS. I cut sleeves off shirts to make them summer-ready.Then, I save the sleeves from the old shirts to add to anything that needs them in the winter. Instant layering! And major wardrobe extension.
I love your site and would love more ideas to make clothes new again. You have taught me so much about cooking and shopping. I look forward to learning more. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I would love to learn more! Not sure how frugal this is, but I love shopping at Express, and I wear pretty much only their jeans. I use the store card, and I get awesome coupons. Of course I pay off the balance right away! Also, I sometimes ask the cashier if they have any coupons I could use. Usually they have a stack of them by the register.
Oh yeah, and when the t-shirt stack gets low or too grubby, I donate blood or run a 5k- I usually get a free t-shirt from those events.
Wow, it sounds like a great topic for a book! I’d love to read it!
What a great resource! Can’t wait to learn more!
I have so many different sizes of clothing for before and after baby that I desperately need to be able to repurpose some of it.
At 74 yrs. old I am recyling clothing, towels by making potholders. old sheets have been used to make braided rugs, not to forget into quilts. Now I am teaching my grand daughter the value of recyling. This helps her to stay at home with the little ones as of now. The book would be a great value to her. Hope I win!!
Sounds like you are doing great things! Would love both these books.
These books both sound like awesome ideas. In this economy, we need any help we can get in preserving clothes and saving money!
Wow! Filming in your house!! Blessings to you and your family regarding the show. I have four boys and shop Goodwill and consignment sales quite often. I can’t wait to browse the info in this new book.
Thanks for all you do for us-
kb
My favorite clothing tip is to remake large thrift store T-shirts into cute fitted shirts or tank tops by taking in the side seams and adding some interesting detail work.