From BrentKids Clothing Needed - Adoption Savings
In our ongoing effort to live as frugally as possible and save up money for the new adoption, we find ourselves needing to purchase some hand-me-down clothing for the kids.
Many folks have asked how they can participate with the adoption effort in a non-monetary way (a fancy way of saying "donate cash"). Any way that we personally can save money becomes a donation to the adoption fund. We are learning new tricks every day about how to cut two of the biggest expenses: clothes and food.
We know that clothing is something America as a whole has an abundance of. Been to any garage sales lately? Clothing is usually the main ingredient. The girls (Sami and Abby) have just a couple of sets of winter clothes. Most of Landis's clothes from last winter still fit good enough.
For our family, we are more than willing to fore-go name brands* and the current fashions to save money in general, and more specifically to save money to adopt (*you can get just about ANY name brand at garage sales!). In case you're wondering, we haven't been able to go to garage sales locally for a few months because the swine flu and chicken pox have been on the rampage in our area. We couldn't risk taking Abby out or bringing it home to her.
If you have hand-me-downs or garage sales items that you want to donate or sell to us at garage sale prices, we are going to use those savings as a way to continue to save for the adoption.
Of course donations of clothes would help us save more money for the adoption, but we aren't freeloaders and don't expect folks to give away their stuff for free if they would be selling them instead. If you have clothing you want to "garage sale" instead of donate, let us know what you are asking for the items. My email is brent@brentriggs.com if you want to respond.
When we think about asking questions like this on our blog, we filter it through one criteria: WOULD WE WANT SOMEONE ELSE TO ASK US THE SAME THING? And if the answer is "yes", we figure that lots of like-minded people will be glad we asked.
Sizes (these or bigger):
Abby - size 4 - 5, shoe size is 12
Sami - kid's size 16, shoe size women's 9
Landis - size 3-4 T, shoe size 8 1/2
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As a side note, talking about "personal financial advice", buying your clothes from garage sales, eBay or thrift stores is just smart. We have such an over-abundance of clothing in America, driven by lifestyle and fashion, that there is really no sense in going to stores and paying tens times more for new clothes.
While no one wants to look ridiculously "out of style", you can find pretty much anything at garage sales that will still keep you "in style" (unless you sit around and watch style shows and shopping channels on the one-eyed devil all day). Let me ask you a question that has haunted me for years:
Why do the people who make clothes, sell clothes, advertise clothes and design clothes get to be the very same people who announce perenially that perfectly good clothing is now "out of style" and you look like a loser-fool-unsuccessful buffoon if you are caught walking around in stuff that is "so last year"? Poor grammar, but you get the point. Don't you? Don't you?
Am I the only person that sees a self serving interest here that drives people to spend money replacing perfectly good and functional clothing just to keep up with an artificial status that someone else determines (and that just happens to keep them rich)?
Or am I just an old, out of touch fart who dresses "so yesterday"?
Yes, I can hear the masses calling out now... "YOU'RE JUST AN OLD FART!!!!"
15 comments:
Please go ahead and give us Landis's sizes as well and an address to send our donations to. I have several things to send!:)
Blessings,
Tonya
Can't help you on the girls clothes :) But once we make it home and I sort through boys clothes I'll probably have some that will fit your little man. What size does he need?
Britt
How do I get clothes to you?
An answer to my prayers,
a solution to my limited space,
a motivation to my procrastination!
Oh my... how better can that be?
Thank You God!
Not sure if you guys have one around there but I recently learned of Once Upon A Child - basically the Good Will for kids stuff! AWESOME store!! All name brand stuff for like 75% off retail price! Just thought I'd share!
kristi.guillory
lafayette, louisiana
I'm with you. I think the fashion industry is one of the biggest hoaxes on the American people. If we all just kept our clothes a few years longer they'd be out of business. I love garage sales (aka "tag sales" in CT) and children's used clothing stores. I have a 5 and 8 year old who are always growing out of things so let me know where you'd like the clothing sent.
Nora
CT
I might have some things that Sami can grow in to if you have the space to hold on to them for a bit.
Also, if you don't mind, give me Landis' size and I might have some things for him to grow into also. Again, if you have room to store them.
Thanks!
Stacey
stacey.thornton@gmail.com
I'm sure this is going to sound like a broken record, but could you provide Landis' sizes as well? We may be able to help out with some things for him. Thanks!
If you are an "old fart" then I guess I am one too. I never buy clothes at regular price, but will wait for 50-75% off sales. When I could go to yard sales I would buy a lot of clothes there too. I would look at "where" I was buy them, bring them home and wash them and then wear them forever ! When my clothes get stained or picked, I then put them in a cabinet for my "wear around the house clothes." When I do go out I dress nice and neat, but will take these off as soon as I get home. I have shoes and clothes that I have been wearing for at least 10 years. (all styles come back in style sooner or later).
When both my daughters-in-law were expecting (one w/ her 3rd child and the other with triplets) I lucked up on a great yard sale and bought everything the woman had for a steal. (4 huge trash bags full plus boxes of hardly used shoes). I then got both DIL's and as I took stuff out of the bags they would take turns picking what they wanted. I kept them in clothes for a 3-4 year span for $100 !!
We are a wasteful nation and what we throw away could go a long ways to help others.
My Mom called what we wore "leftovers" rather than hand-me-downs and my being the youngest of 5.... I had plenty of leftovers.
Thankfully my grands are raised to not be taken in by the peer pressure of having to dress just right, but dressing respectfully and clean.
Keep up the good work you "old fart."
Ann Stegall
Wake Forest, NC
Well we are not local AT all and it's too bad cause Halle and Sami/Hannah and Josiah and Landis could just SHARE clothes!
Same sizes!
I just know God is going to supply. He is faithful and knows the desires of your hearts!
I buy my kids clothes at the end of season for the next season. I also check the walmart/target clearance racks and hit consignment sale sales. I refuse to pay full price and also refuse to buy high end name brands just for the sake of the name. I think it's being responsible with the funds God gives you, not being an old fart. I don't think kids are born wanting the latest styles. (whatever latest styles mean). I think it's something we place in their heads. I also try to buy more 'classic' styles that don't look 'aged' so that I can hand them down. I'm lucky to have 3 boys (stairsteps) that don't mind wearing their brother's clothes. In fact, they feel like 'big boys' when they get to wear big brother's clothes.
Jan
Meant to say too, I get my daughter some cute dresses on ebay. I just bid a dollar or two and that combined with shipping, I never pay more than $5 or $6 for CUTE dresses. Just got to be willing to NOT get in a bidding war. You win some and lose some.
Jan
My two youngest (boy and girl) are both in size 6-7. I will definitely go through their size 4-5s and find some cute stuff to send your way.
We have lived on hand-me-downs for the past 25 years of parenting. Our kids think it's like Christmas when they get a box or bag of new clothes.
Hugs!
Laurel :)
Just this afternoon, I dropped off 3 large bags of clothes at our thrift store. I wish I had seen this post first. I am still doing the change of season sorting for our 4 kids. I will contact you by email if I come up with more things to see if you can use them, and if so, I will gladly mail them to you free of charge. My boys are too big, but my youngest daughter is just growing out of size 6 and 7. My husband is out of work and things are super tight, but I always try to pass things along to others who can use them. I still do need to get to the coats/hats/scarves. Can you use any of those things?
This is great. We are penny-pinching for another adoption and the two main things ARE food and clothing. It can be done. We have 8 kids 16 and under. I think it's a fun challenge to try to feed a hungry crew on not so much money. I get so tickled when my child is wearing a 50 cent pair of pants or a pretty $2 dress. Have you read the Tightwad Gazette books?
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