Baby Steps: Being Frugally Fashionable

One of the requests for our Baby Steps series was discussing ways that you can still be a fashionable mommy without spending a lot of money. I admit that I wish I was more fashionable, but I do the best I can with time constraints and a tight budget. I love to stay on top of the trends though and do indulge in a little shopping at "real stores" on occasion. I have to limit most of my shopping though to the thrift stores, but it is nice to get a couple of cute pieces to keep up with the trends and keep myself a little fashionable.


Here are a few stores that I have found to be reasonable for fashionable steals:

Old Navy- This store is great for everyday basics. T-shirts for layering, yoga pants, even their jeans are an excellent deal. I think of all the discount merchandise out there, Old Navy is probably the best for workmanship. I have only had a couple of things that have shown any issues (stitching coming undone in the shirts). Check this store for getting a nice basic wardrobe and some trendier pieces for the season.


(Navy Flutter Sleeve Wrap Top for $17.50, Old Navy)

Bitten- This line is carried over at Steve & Barry's, designed by the very stylish Sarah Jessica Parker. This past summer I got some really cute things from there. The prices can't be beat (for example, only $15 for jeans), but watch this line for workmanship and check what the materials are made from. My cute jean purchase turned out to be 100% cotton jeans so I should have went with a size higher. I do have to be more careful with these clothes when laundering them, but this is a great place to visit to stay up on the trends, without forking over an arm and a leg. Check this store for fashionable accessories (purses, shoes, hair accessories, & jewelry) and excellent deals on jackets and coats.

(Twill Trench Coat in Desert Sand for $8.98, Bitten)

Forever 21- This store seems geared towards a younger crowd, but they do offer some really great wardrobe pieces for a lot less than other stores. I recently purchased my spring coat there and love it, however, I did discover that their return policy is a little lacking. You will want to make sure to check these clothes very carefully before buying them. Check your buttons, check interior linings on jackets, and check the stitching on the legs and the insides of the shirts. Make sure to always try things on, otherwise, you are stuck with the merchandise if the tags have been removed. This is a great spot though to get a few trendy pieces without blowing your budget. Also, don't overlook this store if you have a cocktail party or a function to go to for your spouse. They have some cute party dresses for $20-30 that would be perfect for those types of occasions. I love this little black dress and think it would be a wonderful addition to any girl's wardrobe!


(Crossover Capsleeve Dress in Black for $19.50, Forever 21)

Target- I used to snub my nose at their clothing because they did not offer very much, but times have changed. Target even offers great lines from designers that rival items you would get at those more expensive stores. Check this store for wardrobe basics, swimsuits, coats, handbags, and shoes. Visit their clearance racks often because they discount merchandise frequently. Take a pointer from Wisebread, and be sure to shop for your clothing based on their markdown schedules (women's clothing is marked down on Tuesdays). Freshly marked down clearance will offer the best selection at the best price!

(Short-Sleeve Stand-Up Collar Swing Jacket in Yellow for $24.99, Xhilaration)


Payless Shoes- I visit this store, just about every season, to keep up with the latest shoe trends. Payless carries American Eagle shoes that are super cheap, while keeping you looking like a trendy mom. I try to only shop when they run their BOGO sales and sometimes you can find a coupon lurking on the internet.

(Ava Mary Jane in Red for $17.99, Payless Shoes)

Other Stores- I did want to say a few words about more expensive stores and how they can still be a viable option, even when funds are more limited.

Although you might be on a budget, it never hurts to drop into a store and check their clearance racks. More than once, I have become pleasantly surprised by a store that I thought was out of my budget, but had more than a few items tucked in the back of their store. It always is such a happy surprise when you find they have plenty of great items on clearance that are right within my budget's sweet spot.

White House Black Market offers great items on their clearance rack and it has become one of my first stops when shopping for a special occasion dress. They deeply clearance their items and I have been able to walk out of their store with dresses that were 65% off of their original price and $80 shoes for only $19!

( Whisp Chiffon Chemise in Black for $29.99 marked down from $78, White House Black Market)


Department stores can be a great place to find some really great deals. Watch your local paper for coupons and pair the coupons with the sales that they are running. Zoom over to the clearance racks and try on items from those racks first. The departments stores are trying to compete in the fashion world for their own spot so now you will find lines from Vera Wang (offered at Kohl's), a new line called American Living at JC Penney (which rivals the Ralph Lauren line of clothing), and Sears offers the Lands End line!

(Bisou Bisou Pant in White $29.99 marked down from $44, JC Penney)

Don't overlook those great discount stores like TJ Maxx & Marshalls for your clothes. You will want to check your items carefully as many of these items are "irregular" or may have some minor issue in the material. Try your items on and make sure they fit you well... and enjoy some extremely fashionable clothing for half or more off!

Finally, as I discussed last week, shopping through a rewards program, like Ebates, can save you even more money. Many stores are signed up with the program so you can get 2% or more cash back on your purchases and then apply your cash rewards to more pieces for your wardrobe. Consider it to be like the CVS rebates program, but the money gets put towards a prescription for your wardrobe needs!

Here are some hot spots to check for great fashion advice & deals:

The Budget Fashionista
The Space Between My Peers
Pennies In My Pocket
The Fashionable Housewife

Sound Off: Share what you would like to talk about next week (any topic on saving money is fair game for discussion!) What are some stores that you frequent for great deals on clothing and shoes?

Baby Steps Series: Storing Your Stockpile

Awhile ago we had a fun discussion on what you consider to be a small space and it was a great glimpse into what everyone's space challenges were and how much space each of us were taking up. I love to see how big people's homes are in relation to their family size and also the satisfaction that they have with the space they already have.

Just to make the story a little more fun, I had mentioned that I thought our home was 1,800 square feet because that is what my husband kept telling me. When we would flip through the home catalogs everything was in comparison of what we had ("Oh, that house is only 2,000 square feet? Well, that is only 200 square feet bigger than what we already have").

As we were working on our office organization though, we came across some paperwork from buying our house. My husband had a shocked look on his face as he flipped through the paperwork. "Our house isn't 1,800 square feet....it is only 1,500 square feet." Suddenly the walls were closing in on us and we huddled together in our teeny tiny office space in our teeny tiny shack of a house and shuddered in disbelief that all this time we only had this amount of space.

Of course, that is all melodramatic and I continued to pat ourselves on the back for making this amount of space work for us. No, we have no plans for moving into a bigger space, but I just wanted to use this point to illustrate that our house is not large, nor is it small. In this area of town, our house is considered on the small end. When we lived in Massachusetts, we would have felt VERY blessed to have a home of this size. Space is all relative!

Regardless of size, I have true storage dilemmas with my home, in general, due to the tri-level floor plan of this house. The house is broken into three levels and we also have a basement (in some parts of the country it is referred to as a quad). A broken floor plan like this leaves me with zero storage space and small rooms so stockpiling can be difficult in my space. I do have a basement and a garage though so feel that I am at an advantage compared to someone who might be renting a space or live in a home without these two luxuries. And yes, I do consider having my basement and garage to be a luxury as we have lived in spaces without either of these blessings.

I am going to share some ideas for ways to store your stockpile and am opening the floor up to you to share what your storage dilemmas have been and ways you have (if you have) overcome those dilemmas in a creative way. It should be a fun discussion and I am looking forward to sharing with you!

Today we are talking about how to store your stockpiled groceries. In future discussions, I would love to share about what to do with other stockpiles you might be storing in your house (children's clothing, toiletries, etc...), but today we will focus on the grocery aspect.

Here are some ideas for ways to store your stockpile:

- First, begin by organizing your pantry and getting rid of the items you are not using. Too often, there is space for stockpiled items, but they are being used by items that are wasting your valuable space. I have found that grouping items in totes makes it easier for me to pull out what I need when I need it, keeping the like items together and preventing items from getting lost in the shuffle. Organize the space you have to create space for all that you want to stockpile.

- One of the first places to look is at the closets that you already have in your home. While not all of us are blessed with a closet in the kitchen, some closets that are not being used can be repurposed into a more usable space. Walk around in your house and really take a look at the closets that you have and see if they are being used to the best of their ability. Try and see if there is another place for the stuff in your closet (or get rid of items that you do not use) and measure the inside of it to see how many shelves you could fit into that space. If you head over to your local hardware store, you should be able to find wired shelving that can be cut to match the size of your closet. Durable wire shelving inserted into a rarely used closet can equal an affordable solution for storing your stockpile.

- Look at the doors to your closet as a place to also store items. Hardware stores offer units that can be mounted on the door for storing your canned goods. This space is rarely used, but is an excellent place for you to store items that you are stockpiling. Likewise, the dollar stores offer over-the-door storage with plastic pocketed units that can be great for storing spices, spice packets, trail mixes, nuts, etc...

- Basements and garages are ideal spaces for stockpile storage, particularly for families who are lacking space in their kitchen itself. Try to pick a space that is easy to get to so that you can make the most of your stockpile. In a basement, for example, putting your stockpile at the bottom of the stairs so items can be grabbed easily rather than a far off or less lit corner in your basement. For a garage, storing items closest to the kitchen instead of having to walk the length of the garage would be more ideal. You can use wired shelving in these spaces, bookshelves, mount 2x4's- whatever is cheapest and easiest for you to use.

- Under your beds can be a great storage spot for stockpiles. Although it certainly isn't ideal, it is a more creative way to use space that is rarely used. If your bed is too low, you can purchase bed risers to raise the bed to give you more space underneath. You can purchase under-the-bed storage containers and fill these with canned goods or other items that you like to stockpile or tuck items in your rarely used suitcases or bags for a free storage solution.

- A freezer is a wise investment for anyone who is looking to stockpile their groceries. In some cases, such as rental space, a freezer might not be an option, but if it is, I have found it to be a very smart investment. If you do not think you have the space for a full-size chest freezer, Sears carries a model that is half the standard size and perfect for smaller spaces or for small families that would not need such a large freezer. We purchased this freezer for our small townhouse and we love it. Less seems to get lost in the bottom depths, but we are also able to keep it filled with stockpiled items that I have gotten from the grocery store. Consider buying one of these to help save your family money.

- In smaller spaces, it might be necessary to split your stockpiled items up in various areas around the house. A shelf in the basement, a little space in the garage, a corner in a closet, stuff under the bed...it can spell a recipe for disaster if you don't have tight tabs on what you have stockpiled. Try keeping a list of all of the items that you have and tacking it on your refrigerator. Periodically, do an inventory of the items you have so you don't end up repeatedly buying diced tomatoes, for example, when you already are storing forty cans. An inventory list can help decrease some of the confusion and be a great way to help you decide exactly what you will be eating in the coming weeks.

Sound Off: Where do you store your stockpiled groceries? What else would you like to see covered in our "Baby Steps" series? Help us keep this going!

WSBT-TV: The Art of Stockpiling

Today on my Frugal Mom segment on WSBT, I wanted to chat a bit about my Baby Steps series and our first topic that we tackled... the art of stockpiling. I wanted to illustrate some of the ways that people can begin making progressive steps towards saving their family money in their weekly grocery budget. If you missed this first post in our series, you can read it here!

Continuing our written series here, tomorrow we will be discussing how and where you can store your stockpiled groceries. Be sure to check back for another riveting piece on groceries.

And if you aren't tired enough of the grocery topic, we will also be watching a mom who hates to cut coupons, cutting coupons and attempting a fun four week trial of the grocery game.

Who needs television when you can have all that entertainment? And I also wonder out loud...does the topic of saving on groceries ever get old? I hope not!

Baby Steps Series: The Art of Stockpiling

I decided that I would begin a series on our site sharing baby steps that you can take towards learning how to save money and I am answering your questions. If you have something that you would like to see featured on here, please drop me an email at amy@momadvice.com or mention it by leaving a comment. This series will run as long as I have questions from all of you and I hope to provide lots of valuable information for ways to begin to save.

Money Saving Mom is offering a similar series, but focusing on creating and sticking to a budget. Read Crystal's first post here and share with her your budgeting challenges.

As requested by our readers, I wanted to begin our series by tackling the topic of stockpiling. I hope that you will find this post helpful and I thank each of you for giving me an opportunity to share in this way. We will be adding these posts to our Money section of our site for future reference!

The Art of Stockpiling

There are many ways to begin tackling the grocery budget and one of the most popular ways is the art of stockpiling items when doing your grocery trips. This method, also known as the “pantry principle” by loyal Tightwad Gazette readers, is a method of shopping that is meant to give you the best bang for your buck.

Let’s begin by discussing the methods that are commonly used when people are trying to save money on their grocery shopping and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

The Planner- I feel that this is the first place to start when you begin learning how to save money on your groceries. This is for shoppers who are going from shopping whenever and for whatever they want, to accomplishing a more disciplined form of shopping for only what you need and shopping with a plan. This shopper sits down and menu plans for the amount of meals that they will need and makes a list of the ingredients needed to accomplish their task. The amount of meals planned depends on the amount of times they shop per month and they buy only what they need to accomplish their menu plan goals for the week. This is an excellent place to start and a great way to learn how to buy only what you need and to avoid impulse shopping. Being a planner myself, this method fit our lifestyle for a long time and served its purpose in helping our family save money. Unfortunately, planners focus more on the plan than the sale so this can sometimes be the most expensive option next to shopping without a plan at all. While this shopper has great meal ideas, they buy the ingredients possibly at premium prices and pay more to accomplish their plans then other types of shoppers.

The Flier Shopper- This method of shopping is the next step up and is another great way to save money. This shopper is excited when their weekly fliers and coupons arrive because this determines exactly what they will be eating for the week. Let’s say that chicken is at a bargain-basement price of $1.19 per pound. This shopper will plan a meal around everything they can make with that chicken and out of other ingredients that are featured in the flier. Their meals will consist of items made mostly from sale ingredients and they keep their grocery budget low by planning meals that fit with the sales advertisements and the items that they can get with their coupons. This shopper is still a planner, but their menu plans are created solely around sale ingredients.

The Stockpile Shopper- This way of shopping requires less initial planning and more planning after your food has already been bought. This shopper focuses on stockpiling their pantry with food purchased at the lowest possible price. Grocery shopping then becomes all about keeping your pantry stocked and not about a menu plan really at all. Let’s say that diced tomatoes are marked down to $.29 a can. This shopper would run out and buy twenty cans of diced tomatoes because they know that this is the lowest possible price based on their price book. This shopper has carefully tracked prices and they know that this deal only comes around every three months so they stock up until the next sale, calculated to happen three months later. This shopper looks at all the items that they have bought and figures that they can have a delicious spaghetti sauce, a pizza with a homemade red sauce, and the family’s favorite casserole…that all just happen to use diced tomatoes in their recipe.

Do you want to be a stockpile shopper? Here are some steps for beginning this process:

1. Sit down and make a list of the foods that you eat regularly. If you were formerly a planner, you should have some menu plans that you can take a look at. Write down these ingredients into a notebook and the prices that you normally pay for these items.

2. Cut coupons to go along with your items to gain even more savings to your stockpile. Utilize a free service like CouponMom.com to learn when to use your coupons and to help you find the best deals to apply your coupons towards.

3. Next, begin tracking the ingredients in your sales fliers and begin stockpiling the items when they go on sale. Continue writing and tracking the prices as you go along and when you see a large dip in the pricing, stock up, and up, and up. Stockpile only as much as you can afford in the grocery budget to spend and what you really can eat. The first few weeks will be difficult and you may need to allocate some money to set aside for beginning your stockpile. Understand though that each week will get easier and allow for more breathing room in the budget. As the weeks progress, you will have built up the beginnings of a pantry and will need less and less ingredients, allowing for more room in the budget to stock up on future good deals.

4. Only stockpile what you truly can eat. Even if tuna is marked to a quarter a can, if you spend ten dollars on tuna and no one really likes tuna, you are wasting money and you are wasting space in your pantry. If you find you overbought on items, consider donating them to a food pantry or a shelter so the food is not wasted.

5. If you end up miscalculating how much of an ingredient you will need, you will have to plan your dinner around that missing ingredient. A Stockpile Shopper will refuse to buy spaghetti sauce, for example, unless their store runs that item on a buy-one-get-one free sale. If the shopper runs out of that ingredient, her family won’t eat spaghetti until the next sale or they will find a way to make sauce from other ingredients that have been stockpiled.

6. Some items just can’t be stockpiled like fresh fruits and vegetables. This is where I rely on my Flier Shopper instinct. If bananas are $.19 a pound, I would scoop up ten pounds for my family. I would eat them fresh until they got ripe and then mash the ripe ones for banana breads and muffins. Applying my good shopping instinct, I would pick the sale items and also pick fruits and vegetables that offer longevity over produce that only lasts a few days or could not be used past their duration (like in the bananas example). This is why I tend to gravitate towards carrots, celery, potatoes, bananas, and apples to fill the majority of our fresh fruit and vegetable quota. Once these run out, I would rely on my stockpile of dried fruits, canned fruits, and frozen vegetables to make up the difference until my next trip.

As you can see, stockpiling can really extend your grocery dollars and can be a fun way to approach grocery shopping.

Next week we will be discussing creative ways to store your stockpile! Many of us live in smaller spaces so we have to be more creative with storage.

Sound Off: Which type of shopper do you identify with? Do you stockpile?