Nathan Martin » budget http://nathanmartinblog.com Thoughts on financial independence, personal development, and small business Wed, 21 Sep 2011 02:31:09 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 10 Ways to Dress like GQ on a JCPenney budget http://nathanmartinblog.com/2009/07/31/10-ways-to-dress-like-gq-on-a-jcpenney-budget/ http://nathanmartinblog.com/2009/07/31/10-ways-to-dress-like-gq-on-a-jcpenney-budget/#comments Sat, 01 Aug 2009 01:04:43 +0000 Nathan Martin http://nathanmartinblog.com/?p=155 GQ As long as I can remember, I have been interested in clothing styles.  As one of nine kids, I didn’t get a fat allowance to spend on clothes.  I learned early some creative ways to dress sharp on an almost non-existent budget.  In no particular order, here are some of my tricks:

1.  Thrift shops–Selection for guys isn’t always so good, but I’ve found some great sport coats, ties, workout pants, etc.

2.  Yard sales–My wife is the yard sale queen.  Our kids wear name brand clothes that Becky picks up for 25 and 50 cents.  She also finds some clothes for herself and me.

3.  Discount stores–TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, SteinMart, etc. are excellent…especially toward the end of season when they discount their merchandise.

4.  Outlet stores–I’m lucky enough to have a Prime Outlets Mall 30 minutes from home.  When they have sales, you can pick up a great pair of Rockports or J. Crew sweater for cheaper than JC Penney brands.

5.  Mall stores–JC Penney and Macy’s.  It’s just that you have to be more selective if you want to be at all stylish.  Deals can be had though…I’ve been wearing Levi’s and buck shoes (both from JCP) that keep me updated yet cost me a combined $50 or half what a pair of cheap designer jeans would cost.

6.  Online outlets–Many people like Yoox.com or Bluefly.com.  They’re not quite cheap enough for me though.

7.  Ebay–I love this one.  Especially for vintage clothes.  I picked up a pair of brown wingtips a couple years ago that were made 40-50 years ago and still look great.

8.  Amazon.com–This week I bought a pair of Levi’s on Amazon(thanks for the gift certificate Mom & Dad!).  Amazon is about more than books now!

9.  Launder your own clothes–If you’re one of the fortune ones for whom the starched shirt, buttoned down dress code is not required, you can save a lot of money by buying clothes that can be laundered at home.

10.  Tailor your clothes–Growing up, I did this myself on mom’s sewing machine.  You can turn a pair of bell bottoms into a tapered leg pant if you use some imagination with your clothes.

Bonus:  Resell your clothes when you’re finished.  Consignment shops, ebay, yard sales can put a few dollars in your pocket for your next shopping trip.

Please share your shopping tips. I’d love to try some new ways to get deals!

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