My oldest girl (6 yo) is taking a gymnastics class. They have to wear a uniform to class -- the girls wear a leotard. She took dance last year and always wore underwear under her leotard -- yes, it stuck out a little bit, but who cares? She's a little kid. Plus, she usually wore a dance skirt.
This year, it's really obvious because of the cut of the leotard. You just can't tuck in the underwear. It doesn't work. I still didn't really care. Neither did she. But for two weeks in a row, the other girls in the class made fun of her. (Devil children!)
So, I tried to convince her to wear the leotard without underwear. She didn't want to. She said it felt funny. I understood. Honestly, going sans panties seems a little mature for a 6 yo, but what do I know? My gymnast friend explained to N that it is just like wearing a swimsuit, but N wasn't buying it.
She was really upset. She didn't want the other girls to make fun of her, but didn't want to have her panties showing.
I tried to find a high cut pair. No dice.
So, I found a great solution!
We took a pair of her underwear, cut the sides, and created a sort of tanga cut. She gets nice coverage and the feeling of underwear (no thong action, thank goodness) and no grief at class.
Money spent = zero
Solution = awesome (granted, it's a weird problem)
Showing posts with label clothes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label clothes. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
How many pairs of shoes do you need?
More specifically, how many pairs of shoes does an 8 year old boy need?
I thought 2. He has a pair of sneakers and a pair of sandals. In case of emergency, he can wear the other. It might not always be ideal, but we live in Texas, and you can pretty much wear sandals all year round.
Then he got the sneakers COVERED in mud and filth. Monday morning came -- and they were still foul. I told him to wear the sandals. He told me they had poop on them. He showed me a VERY small stain -- could be poop -- but they're not stinky and we had to leave.
He refused to put them on. Stubborn child. He walked up the hill to school in his socks. There, my husband met us (he works at school and was meeting me to pick something up, thank goodness). Problem solved.
But I went home guilty, thinking, "am I an evil mom? Am I stingy with my kids because they only have 2 pairs of shoes? What's the norm?"
I tried to google an answer. I discovered that adults have WAAAAY too many shoes. But I couldn't find a solid answer for kids. So I asked a mom that I respect. She told me that her kids have 2 pairs. I don't feel so guilty anymore.
I think that all of us have become used to having way more clothes than we need, tons of extra shoes, socks, etc. And it leads us to not really take care of the things that we have. If I had really been thinking, J's shoes would have been washed as soon as we got back. But I was tired. If he had had an extra pair of sneakers, chances are the muddy ones would still be at the front door. But we don't really have a choice. We have to take care of them.
Some years ago, I traveled around South America with a small backpack. I'm a wimp, so I couldn't carry. Here's what I had for clothes:
Hiking boots
Sandals
3 pairs of socks (washed the socks at the hostal each night)
underwear -- probably 5 pair -- can't remember
3 t-shirts
1 pair jeans
1 pair shorts
1 pair PJ pants
fleece
long underwear
I traveled for months. I washed my clothes by hand and hung them to dry, or paid someone to do the same. I had to be careful. If I dripped something on my shirt, I had to quickly clean it up. I had to think about what I wanted to wear and where. If I knew that I would be visiting a cathedral, I couldn't be left with only shorts. Sometimes I wore multiple layers to keep warm. (South America can get very cold, especially in the mountains.) But it was a great feeling -- I could easily carry everything that I needed. I never had to pay a porter. I could carry my backpack onto the bus or airplane -- no checking necessary. In the whole time, there were only 2 problems:
1. On a camping trip in Ecuador, someone stole my boots from outside my tent. Luckily, I had my sandals, but I was not able to get new boots until I got back to a major city a few days later.
2. My brother and I went on a jungle tour and came back enlightened but disgusting. We stayed at a hostal to rest and wash EVERYTHING. Unfortunately, it started to rain. And didn't stop raining.... we had to pack our wet clothes back into our backpacks and travel to Quito in pajama pants and t-shirts... not exactly appropriate attire. So I guess the lesson is -- if you have a limited supply of clothing, you don't want it all wet (or muddy and/or poopy) at the same time.
P.S. How many pairs of shoes do YOU think is reasonable?
I thought 2. He has a pair of sneakers and a pair of sandals. In case of emergency, he can wear the other. It might not always be ideal, but we live in Texas, and you can pretty much wear sandals all year round.
Then he got the sneakers COVERED in mud and filth. Monday morning came -- and they were still foul. I told him to wear the sandals. He told me they had poop on them. He showed me a VERY small stain -- could be poop -- but they're not stinky and we had to leave.
He refused to put them on. Stubborn child. He walked up the hill to school in his socks. There, my husband met us (he works at school and was meeting me to pick something up, thank goodness). Problem solved.
But I went home guilty, thinking, "am I an evil mom? Am I stingy with my kids because they only have 2 pairs of shoes? What's the norm?"
I tried to google an answer. I discovered that adults have WAAAAY too many shoes. But I couldn't find a solid answer for kids. So I asked a mom that I respect. She told me that her kids have 2 pairs. I don't feel so guilty anymore.
I think that all of us have become used to having way more clothes than we need, tons of extra shoes, socks, etc. And it leads us to not really take care of the things that we have. If I had really been thinking, J's shoes would have been washed as soon as we got back. But I was tired. If he had had an extra pair of sneakers, chances are the muddy ones would still be at the front door. But we don't really have a choice. We have to take care of them.
Some years ago, I traveled around South America with a small backpack. I'm a wimp, so I couldn't carry. Here's what I had for clothes:
Hiking boots
Sandals
3 pairs of socks (washed the socks at the hostal each night)
underwear -- probably 5 pair -- can't remember
3 t-shirts
1 pair jeans
1 pair shorts
1 pair PJ pants
fleece
long underwear
I traveled for months. I washed my clothes by hand and hung them to dry, or paid someone to do the same. I had to be careful. If I dripped something on my shirt, I had to quickly clean it up. I had to think about what I wanted to wear and where. If I knew that I would be visiting a cathedral, I couldn't be left with only shorts. Sometimes I wore multiple layers to keep warm. (South America can get very cold, especially in the mountains.) But it was a great feeling -- I could easily carry everything that I needed. I never had to pay a porter. I could carry my backpack onto the bus or airplane -- no checking necessary. In the whole time, there were only 2 problems:
1. On a camping trip in Ecuador, someone stole my boots from outside my tent. Luckily, I had my sandals, but I was not able to get new boots until I got back to a major city a few days later.
2. My brother and I went on a jungle tour and came back enlightened but disgusting. We stayed at a hostal to rest and wash EVERYTHING. Unfortunately, it started to rain. And didn't stop raining.... we had to pack our wet clothes back into our backpacks and travel to Quito in pajama pants and t-shirts... not exactly appropriate attire. So I guess the lesson is -- if you have a limited supply of clothing, you don't want it all wet (or muddy and/or poopy) at the same time.
P.S. How many pairs of shoes do YOU think is reasonable?
Monday, September 1, 2008
You get what you pay for
Usually. Except for the case of used clothes, in which case you get pre-worn-in clothing at a great price.
But, if you're going to buy new, it's worthwhile to buy something that is well-made. I am a big fan of places that have good return policies. For example, the first year that my son needed a backpack, I bought a cheapie at Walmart (back when I went there from time to time...). It blew out before the year was over. I have vowed never to buy a non-LLBean backpack again.
Why is LL Bean so awesome?
They have a lifetime guarantee. So, if 20 years down the line, the zipper on your backpack stops working, LL Bean will replace it, without giving you any grief. You don't even have to save the receipt. I love it.
If you buy hiking boots and 7 years later, the soles dry out and fall off (hypothetically), send 'em back, and get new boots.
They have great customer service and great quality.
If you decide to sell your used clothes, they also have great resale value on e-bay. (Google LL Bean raincoat and see what happens)
Land's End and REI have similar policies, and given that all 3 of these companies sell outerwear and outdoor gear that could get rough use, it's a good idea that IF you're going to buy something new, you might as well buy ONE thing new instead of four or five over the years.
A friend also informed me that Sears has a program called Kidvantage, in which they will replace worn-out kids' clothes. Good to know.
But, if you're going to buy new, it's worthwhile to buy something that is well-made. I am a big fan of places that have good return policies. For example, the first year that my son needed a backpack, I bought a cheapie at Walmart (back when I went there from time to time...). It blew out before the year was over. I have vowed never to buy a non-LLBean backpack again.
Why is LL Bean so awesome?
They have a lifetime guarantee. So, if 20 years down the line, the zipper on your backpack stops working, LL Bean will replace it, without giving you any grief. You don't even have to save the receipt. I love it.
If you buy hiking boots and 7 years later, the soles dry out and fall off (hypothetically), send 'em back, and get new boots.
They have great customer service and great quality.
If you decide to sell your used clothes, they also have great resale value on e-bay. (Google LL Bean raincoat and see what happens)
Land's End and REI have similar policies, and given that all 3 of these companies sell outerwear and outdoor gear that could get rough use, it's a good idea that IF you're going to buy something new, you might as well buy ONE thing new instead of four or five over the years.
A friend also informed me that Sears has a program called Kidvantage, in which they will replace worn-out kids' clothes. Good to know.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
What Happens at Goodwill?
Today I dropped off 2 huge bags of stuff at Goodwill. The donation area was totally flooded with stuff -- piles and piles, almost reaching out into the street. The donation attendant said that he was overwhelmed and had never seen anything like it. I think that a lot of it is probably because at the end of May, a lot of students are graduating and moving out. This Goodwill is the closest one to the student housing. Maybe there is more to it, but I think it's pretty much graduation.
So, what happens to the things we donate at Goodwill? When I was younger, I thought that only poor people shopped at Goodwill -- that we were donating so that they would have something to wear, that they got the things for free or maybe at a really reduced price. I was wrong, but I'm still not totally sure how Goodwill works, so I decided to do a little research.
Where does the money go?
Do I always send my stuff to Goodwill? No. If I know someone who can use what I have (for example, toddler pajamas), I give them to that person directly. They'll probably eventually end up at Goodwill anyway :)
Do I donate to other thrift stores? No. But that is only because Goodwill is the closest store to me. I also love the Salvation Army, and they will come to your house and pick up stuff. They are also willing to accept used mattresses.
Right now, one of the dumpsters in my apartment complex is completely SURROUNDED by furniture. If someone doesn't pick it up, it will be thrown in the trash by management. It would be far more responsible to list stuff like that on freecycle or Craig's List, or if it's decent, to donate it to a thrift store.
So there it is. Goodwill -- not so mysterious -- and pretty green.
Speaking of green....
I saw a woman wearing a shirt that said "This white t-shirt is green" Hmmm... I assume that the shirt is organic or that funds were donated to some green cause. But the greenest fashion is used fashion. Check out Arduous' awesome green fashion tips.
The June Food Challenge starts tomorrow. Are you ready? Stop spending so much money on random food. Go as organic as possible (or at least think why you are not doing it), plan meals, and track expenses. I can't wait :)
So, what happens to the things we donate at Goodwill? When I was younger, I thought that only poor people shopped at Goodwill -- that we were donating so that they would have something to wear, that they got the things for free or maybe at a really reduced price. I was wrong, but I'm still not totally sure how Goodwill works, so I decided to do a little research.
Where does the money go?
- The money that Goodwill earns from selling donated stuff is used to fund education/work programs. According to Wikipedia, 84% of revenue is used to fund these programs. Goodwill is based on the philosophy of "a hand up, not a hand out".
- According to the Goodwill web site, 1.1 million people benefited from Goodwill programs last year. Goodwill provides job training (from actually learning skills to learning how to write a resume, etc.) and employs people at the stores or in temporary jobs while they are being trained, so that they can begin receiving a regular paycheck. They also provide follow-up support. In addition, they offer on-line classes that can help people learn to use computer programs.
- Things that can not be sold at a regular Goodwill are sent to a Goodwill outlet.
- C volunteered a few hours at a Goodwill and found out that things that have been at the store for more than 2 weeks or so (apparently this information is on the tag) are sent to the outlet.
- Some outlets sell stuff by the pound (wow). The outlet in Austin sells stuff at a fixed price. They rope off part of the store, trucks arrive and fill huge bins, and then they allow people in to attack the bins. It is a real frenzy (C has gone and says that I would freak out -- I don't like crowds). Many of the reviews on Yelp said that you should wear gloves to prevent exposure to germs/mystery fluids, but that it's fun and the prices are worth it.
- Some things are sold at auction. Our Goodwill has an auction every Saturday at 1:00 pm. There is an auction book to bid on something if you can't be there live, but the only way that you'll win is if nobody at the auction wants to pay even $1 more than the last bid -- usually this is unlikely. The auction is really fun and low-stress.
- Unsold clothes are "salvaged". They are baled and sold to recyclers, who turn them into carpet fibers, rags, etc. They may be exported to other countries.
- Goodwill does accept returns. Leave the tag on and keep the receipt. I have returned a couple of items that I bought for the kids that did not fit. They were really nice about it.
- Do not donate broken electronics to Goodwill. They test them. They can't sell broken stuff. Don't waste their time.
Do I always send my stuff to Goodwill? No. If I know someone who can use what I have (for example, toddler pajamas), I give them to that person directly. They'll probably eventually end up at Goodwill anyway :)
Do I donate to other thrift stores? No. But that is only because Goodwill is the closest store to me. I also love the Salvation Army, and they will come to your house and pick up stuff. They are also willing to accept used mattresses.
Right now, one of the dumpsters in my apartment complex is completely SURROUNDED by furniture. If someone doesn't pick it up, it will be thrown in the trash by management. It would be far more responsible to list stuff like that on freecycle or Craig's List, or if it's decent, to donate it to a thrift store.
So there it is. Goodwill -- not so mysterious -- and pretty green.
Speaking of green....
I saw a woman wearing a shirt that said "This white t-shirt is green" Hmmm... I assume that the shirt is organic or that funds were donated to some green cause. But the greenest fashion is used fashion. Check out Arduous' awesome green fashion tips.
The June Food Challenge starts tomorrow. Are you ready? Stop spending so much money on random food. Go as organic as possible (or at least think why you are not doing it), plan meals, and track expenses. I can't wait :)
Sunday, May 11, 2008
How Expensive are Children -- Part II
I love it when the green choice and the frugal choice are the same. One example of this is in clothing. Judging from the marketing, it seems like the green choice is clothing made out of bamboo or organic cotton, died with soy-based inks, definitely not bleached, etc.... Nope -- the greenest choice is to buy used clothing. No new resources are used, we are keeping the clothes out of the landfill, and any leftover money can be used to do green things that might cost a little extra.
When the clothes are a little destroyed (shirts with a minor stain, but still really comfy, pants with a tear), they can live a new life as play clothes (or gardening clothes), pajamas, rags, quilts, stuffing.... the possibilities go on and on. Just a few days ago, I taught my son to sew. He made a little pillow, and since we didn't have any stuffing, we cut up a piece of an old t-shirt to use as stuffing. The project cost nothing, and he now has a pillow for his bear.
We gave up paper towels a long time ago, and now we use rags for wiping the floor and for groddy spills. If it's something really gross, I sometimes throw the rag away because I just can't face washing it, but there's really not a shortage of rags. I Goodwill or pass on any useful clothes, but if the clothes are destroyed, I just pop them straight in the rag basket. I have a separate basket for dirty rags so that they don't contaminate our regular clothes.
When the clothes are a little destroyed (shirts with a minor stain, but still really comfy, pants with a tear), they can live a new life as play clothes (or gardening clothes), pajamas, rags, quilts, stuffing.... the possibilities go on and on. Just a few days ago, I taught my son to sew. He made a little pillow, and since we didn't have any stuffing, we cut up a piece of an old t-shirt to use as stuffing. The project cost nothing, and he now has a pillow for his bear.
We gave up paper towels a long time ago, and now we use rags for wiping the floor and for groddy spills. If it's something really gross, I sometimes throw the rag away because I just can't face washing it, but there's really not a shortage of rags. I Goodwill or pass on any useful clothes, but if the clothes are destroyed, I just pop them straight in the rag basket. I have a separate basket for dirty rags so that they don't contaminate our regular clothes.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
How Expensive are Children?
Before I had kids, I didn't really believe that they could cost a lot of money. After I had my son, I still didn't really believe it. After all, our grocery bill barely changed (because he was nursing). I used diapers, but I didn't buy the expensive ones, so that was the only major expense we had -- maybe 40 dollars a month. We were given just about everything else that we needed (or didn't need) at baby showers (yes... we had more than one... people were very excited).
Now that I have three children, and they are a little older, I see that they actually DO cost a lot of money. How much money, though, depends a lot on decisions that you make. For babies, you really don't need to buy anything. People give you just about everything you need (for clothes) at baby showers. If no one gives you a baby shower, baby clothes are dirt cheap at garage sales and there is an awesome selection at Goodwill. Babies will poop on or spit up on whatever they wear, so there's no need to spend money on new clothes. If you have a bassinet, it's handy, but otherwise just spring for a crib. The baby will only sleep in the bassinet for a few months.
Most importantly, nurse the baby. Formula is insanely expensive. The first month or so of nursing can be hard, but then it gets easy. It has the added benefit of helping the mom lose weight. (I think it's interesting that no one told me how hard nursing was before I had a baby. It was a total mystery to me. I had a baby, they handed it to me, and somehow I was supposed to figure out what to do. I understood the theory -- nipple goes in baby's mouth -- but putting that into practice took a little figuring out.)
Once kids get to school age, they get more expensive. They eat a lot more and they tend to be a little pickier about what they eat. My son won't touch stuff that he loved as a baby. I have pictures of him covered with lasagna, but now it freaks him out and he has to re-realize that he likes it every time I serve it. He used to scarf down beans and baby peas. Now? Ha!
Clothes are also a problem. The pickings are slim at Goodwill, and there are no 6-year old showers. Kids get toys for their birthdays and Christmas, which is the absolute last thing they need. School age clothes also are more expensive than baby clothes and tend to get really worn out (that's why I think there's not as much selection at thrift stores, particularly with boy's clothes.)
So.... what to do about the clothes? I almost never buy my kids new clothes. Not because I'm mean, but because I do this:
Now that I have three children, and they are a little older, I see that they actually DO cost a lot of money. How much money, though, depends a lot on decisions that you make. For babies, you really don't need to buy anything. People give you just about everything you need (for clothes) at baby showers. If no one gives you a baby shower, baby clothes are dirt cheap at garage sales and there is an awesome selection at Goodwill. Babies will poop on or spit up on whatever they wear, so there's no need to spend money on new clothes. If you have a bassinet, it's handy, but otherwise just spring for a crib. The baby will only sleep in the bassinet for a few months.
Most importantly, nurse the baby. Formula is insanely expensive. The first month or so of nursing can be hard, but then it gets easy. It has the added benefit of helping the mom lose weight. (I think it's interesting that no one told me how hard nursing was before I had a baby. It was a total mystery to me. I had a baby, they handed it to me, and somehow I was supposed to figure out what to do. I understood the theory -- nipple goes in baby's mouth -- but putting that into practice took a little figuring out.)
Once kids get to school age, they get more expensive. They eat a lot more and they tend to be a little pickier about what they eat. My son won't touch stuff that he loved as a baby. I have pictures of him covered with lasagna, but now it freaks him out and he has to re-realize that he likes it every time I serve it. He used to scarf down beans and baby peas. Now? Ha!
Clothes are also a problem. The pickings are slim at Goodwill, and there are no 6-year old showers. Kids get toys for their birthdays and Christmas, which is the absolute last thing they need. School age clothes also are more expensive than baby clothes and tend to get really worn out (that's why I think there's not as much selection at thrift stores, particularly with boy's clothes.)
So.... what to do about the clothes? I almost never buy my kids new clothes. Not because I'm mean, but because I do this:
- Let people know you're open to used clothes. Then they will pass on their stuff to you.
- Pass on your old stuff to other people. Used clothes karma really pays off.
- If I see jeans in my son's size at Goodwill, I buy them. I have trouble finding jeans that fit (he's slim, so he needs slim jeans... try finding these that don't look like throwbacks from the 80s and have no holes.)
- Keep an eye out at garage sales and other thrift stores -- I won't go to a garage sale looking for kid clothes (because it's usually the wrong size), but if I pass by, I'll always take a look.
- I'm willing to buy used shoes. They have to look nice and they can't be too used. Kids DESTROY shoes, so I feel like this is alright. We went to a wedding and my son needed dress shoes, so I bought a pair for $3. They had probably been worn one other time.
I could make everything work even better if I made the kids change clothes when they come home from school. That way they would not need as many outfits, because the clothes really get destroyed from playing outside. I've been trying to do this, but need to work on it.
I think the main key is to be open to used clothes. There are a lot of kids' clothes getting passed around -- if you build up karma and are happy to receive, it's not too hard to clothe the kids economically.
Food, on the other hand..... can be a serious problem. These little people just KEEP eating! :)
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