Trimming your clothing budget.

1. Buy your clothes at Goodwill on the first Sat of every month. Everything is 1/2 off.
2. If you have a teenager shop online first. You save gas, eating out, stress of roaming around looking and it encourages your teenager to make wise money choices. Like shopping for the best price, free shipping, no tax. Also, my daughter enjoys the independence of looking with her certain amt of money to spend and using it wisely.
3. Buy clothing twice a year for your teenagers. Summer and winter. It encourages smart shopping and less spontaneous poor choices from random shopping trips.
4. Organize your closets. Seeing your clothing in an organized manner allows you to know what you have and increase your options for outfits. Also, clean out what you don't wear and give it to someone who could use it.
5. If you have a problem spending too much money each month on clothing...look at what is going on. Why are you doing this? Is a new outfit trying to cover up something? Find the answer and start finding bargains.

So it's not enough.

You sat down to pay your bills this month and guess what? There wasn't enough!!! Why? Really the answer doesn't matter right now. It is what it is. For starters, know exactly how much money you are going to have each month. If you had just lost your job, experienced a financial nightmare or just whatever...sharpen your pencil, stop fretting and get down to the bare facts about your situation. Money problems are just like an alcoholic...admit you have a problem and you need help. First, look honestly at what you have. Don't avoid it. Write it down. Accept what it is. Second, know how much money you are spending a day just to live. Like the total amount of money required a day in order to pay your bills, eat, you get the picture. Now, accept that. See it for what it is. Third, what areas can you trim right now? Clothing, entertainment, food. You already know in your gut where you spend too much, so look hard and sacrifice. Fourth, set a goal of spending less money in one or two areas and turn this into money towards a bill. Four simple steps. Get started. Stop avoiding. Money problems are usually a symptom of something more important in your life that has gone wrong. Last night, my 19 year old son was talking about his job and how much money he was making during this summer. He said, "money's not everything, but having it is." Wow!! Money isn't bad, but expecting it to take the place of a real need like love, acceptance, forgiveness, and understanding.....well there will never be enough money for that. So it's not enough. Get your pencil out. Get your facts. Start handling your money so money won't handle you.