No New Clothes for a Year Challenge

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As someone facing retirement in the not too far future, I am saddened and dismayed by some of the blogs I read.





One senior blogger tells of how many food banks and senior food services near her are closed, moved, or redistributed. She depends on a bus service to get her to the food banks and now it is a long walk for her to get any food at all.  

She received grocery gift cards for Christmas but is too afraid to use because she might need later since food prices in her area are going up and up.

This made me very sad for her and fearful for me and mine.








This is a country where people are spending $300,000 on a car and this woman’s grocery budget is $30. Ouch.



Don't get me wrong, I AM NOT ADVOCATING SOCIALISM.

But I cannot help but feel we have the least prepared group of people fixin' to retire. I don't want to be one of ill-prepared people.

What am I going to do about it? 

Pull in the reins. 

I have always been a frugal-ish kinda person but now I think I need to concentrate more on saving more. So, I think I will take up this challenge:




























As I have stated before, my closet is so full when I open the door, it burps.

Can I do it?

Not sure.

  • I love fashion blogs, but they may have to go temporarily.
  • I love the feeling something new gives you, but I may need to create new out of what I have.
  • I always seem to have some special social event that REQUIRES a new outfit, but I may have to rethink that. 


I found several good websites for inspiration:

https://www.mintnotion.com/frugal-living/went-whole-year-without-buying-new-clothes/
Mint Notion has some thoughts about how to get started. I was a little put off with her commercial site -- ads full of clothes and jewelry kept popping up all over. But ignore them and read her posts.

http://www.mamalina.co/could-you-buy-no-new-clothes-for-a-year/
This woman talks about the way fast fashion is truly wasteful. A sentiment I feel as well.
Actually, yesterday, I wore this top that I also wore in 2014 at Christmas. Made me feel good.























I found this article from Huff Post to be inspirational.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/what-i-learnt-from-a-year-of-not-shopping_us_5a369298e4b0e1b4472ae748

"Excessive spending and the need to constantly buy new things is modern life, its hard wired into us. New is better, we need, we deserve, we want, we get."

 I think that statement is so very true in this day and age.

 So, as I begin this new endeavor, I will keep track here with my thoughts, my frustrations, and my failures.



Pat

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