Can't say anything about buying new clothes, but as the budget's tightened in my household I've been leaning how to mend my clothes. The ones I normally would've thrown away due to armpit/toe/crotch holes can be fixed somewhat easily.
One catch is that I use a sewing machine my MIL gave me - so there was some cost somewhere. But I see machines on craigslist going for sub 60 fairly often. The second catch is that I was lucky enough to develop an interest (and spend my free time) learning about how to mend clothes. If people lack free time/interest to learn how to do it, then they end up paying the new-clothes tax.
My wife does the sewing machine work here. I'm inept. But I'm okay with a needle and thread, so I've done plenty of my own (ugly) repairs. Some stuff it doesn't matter on anyway, like fixing the toe in a sock. Easy to do and saves money on socks.
Can't say anything about buying new clothes, but as the budget's tightened in my household I've been leaning how to mend my clothes. The ones I normally would've thrown away due to armpit/toe/crotch holes can be fixed somewhat easily.
One catch is that I use a sewing machine my MIL gave me - so there was some cost somewhere. But I see machines on craigslist going for sub 60 fairly often. The second catch is that I was lucky enough to develop an interest (and spend my free time) learning about how to mend clothes. If people lack free time/interest to learn how to do it, then they end up paying the new-clothes tax.
My wife does the sewing machine work here. I'm inept. But I'm okay with a needle and thread, so I've done plenty of my own (ugly) repairs. Some stuff it doesn't matter on anyway, like fixing the toe in a sock. Easy to do and saves money on socks.
I've got a hole in my sock! Darn it!