I love hand me downs!

**imagine** · 04-07-2010, 11:13 AM

Call me nuts but I love hand me downs.

Before hand me downs we had a very limited wardrobe (3 to 4 outfits) and just those cost us a big amount of money for us.

Now we have more to choose from. End up with things we would of never been able to have before. It always amazes me how our needs and few desires/wants are always in the bags. We get to pick what they want/need/fits and then get the privilege of passing on stuff to others. All at a "price" that is great for our budget.

Buddy received a bunch yesterday from a friend. There were several things he needed and a few things that were not dire needs but awesome fun things (like a cool design t shirt)

Little Miss also received a pair of Hanna Montana shoes. You know the kind that can be casual or dressy depending on what you are wearing with them. A few days before that she received a few outfits from another friend.

A few days before I received as hand me downs two summer shirts. Just what I needed.

Hand me downs are so much fun! It is much like Christmas every time a friend shares. Passing on to other is like Christmas too.
Definitely feel blessed through the hand me downs.

**McD** · 04-07-2010, 12:42 PM

I love hand-me-downs. I have spent very little on Maggie's clothes and she has enough clothes in all sizes up to 2 years to keep her covered due to the graciousness of friends.

My husband used to be horrible about throwing his clothes away when he didn't want them anymore. The last time he went thru his cloest, I made him give me the clothes and I passed them on to my younger brother. What my younger brother couldn't wear or didn't like he gave to his friend.

**ImEmile** · 04-07-2010, 12:48 PM

Hand me downs are terrific! Thanks to our friends' daughter and some girl cousins my daughter has a closet full of clothes. Unfortunately both DS1 and our friends' son and the boy cousins are older enough than DS2 that he doesn't get much, or has to wait a long time for them to fit him. But at least I don't have to buy for DD. DS1 is in q8 with his dad who wanted to buy him some clothes while there. Plus DS2 has more summer stuff to wear than he did winter stuff so I should be good for him except for buying him a pair of jeans. But he's got tons of shorts waiting for him. So DS1 should be the only one I buy for, depending upon what DH got for him.

**YankeeMom** · 04-07-2010, 01:07 PM

I love hand me downs too!! I was the oldest of six sibling and the oldest of a bajillion cousins so I never got hand me downs as a kid. Maybe that's why I like them so much as an adult?

One of dd's friends gets bags & bags of clothes for her two girls and she always passes the majority of it on to us. I've gotten some nice, brand name clothes that way.

**shoiji** · 04-07-2010, 01:29 PM

Hand me downs are always fun!

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 04-07-2010, 02:30 PM

I got lots of hand me downs as a kid... Don't seem to get them as an adult, but do pass things on to friends.

**SillyLily :-)** · 04-07-2010, 06:01 PM

my dh's grandmother & mother always give us bags and boxes full of things when they visit. none of the clothes are ever anything we would wear, but we save then for garage sales and then use THAT money to GO TO garage sales to buy clothes!! so yeah, i think it works out!! :-)
my kids are 10 and they think it's NUTS to buy things new. they are terrific little savers!! they know that once you wear something once it then becomes USED!! they love garage sale hunting with me!! :-)

**Darlene** · 04-07-2010, 07:06 PM

Me too! New to me is well... new to me, lol. Enjoy! How sad to be someone who doesn't feel joy in previous loved things. Come on, precious antiques are hand me down pre-owned loveys.

**mamamia** · 04-07-2010, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by SillyLily :-)

my dh's grandmother & mother always give us bags and boxes full of things when they visit. none of the clothes are ever anything we would wear, but we save then for garage sales and then use THAT money to GO TO garage sales to buy clothes!! so yeah, i think it works out!! :-)
my kids are 10 and they think it's NUTS to buy things new. they are terrific little savers!! they know that once you wear something once it then becomes USED!! they love garage sale hunting with me!! :-)

Sounds like you taught them well Lily! You just gotta admire the "wisdom" of 10 year olds sometimes.

I love hand me downs too! It really does feel like presents. I always envy those ones who live where they do "clothing swaps". That's just gotta be one of the greatest and most frugal ideas ever thought of! I know I'd be there with "bells on my toes"

Theresa

Imagine...I am so happy that you're having so much fun and getting things that you need at the same time! The Hanna Montana shoes must be adorable, and I bet your Little Miss feels like the luckiest girl in the world with them on. Aww! How cute is that?!

**Palooka** · 04-07-2010, 08:31 PM

I love hand me downs too! My daughter gets bags full from her family and friends. Crazy, one of her friends brought her over a big bag of nice clothes because she was tired of them.

Works for us!

**zakity** · 04-07-2010, 10:11 PM

Hand me downs are the best!! That is pretty much how I clothe my boys. We do handmedowns, thrift store, and then buying new as a last resort.

**frugalfranny** · 04-08-2010, 12:34 AM

I love hand me downs too.

Seldom get them.........and very seldom got them while growing up but thank god my mom sewed. Doesn't mean I don't like them.

One friend that will offer them to me is so short that I can't wear any of the pants. She had two brand new pair last fall.....(wasteful)....but she wasn't going to wear them cause they had pockets (her error when she bought them)........you bet I tried them on....

they were 'highwaters'...........just couldn't do it.

**Palooka** · 04-08-2010, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by frugalfranny

I love hand me downs too.

Seldom get them.........and very seldom got them while growing up but thank god my mom sewed. Doesn't mean I don't like them.

One friend that will offer them to me is so short that I can't wear any of the pants. She had two brand new pair last fall.....(wasteful)....but she wasn't going to wear them cause they had pockets (her error when she bought them)........you bet I tried them on....

they were 'highwaters'...........just couldn't do it.

Since you can sew, you should turn those highwaters into capris.

Don't know much about sewing, but I'm sure that would be doable?

**frugalfranny** · 04-08-2010, 01:12 AM

Originally Posted by Palooka

Since you can sew, you should turn those highwaters into capris.

Don't know much about sewing, but I'm sure that would be doable?

I would have except they were sweat pants! Makes it a little hot in the garden.......

**Palooka** · 04-08-2010, 01:30 AM

Originally Posted by frugalfranny

I would have except they were sweat pants! Makes it a little hot in the garden.......

Well, that makes it even better! Don't you know the style? We wear our sweat pants, rather elastic at the bottom or not, rolled up just under our knees. lol. Thank goodness I have a teen that keeps me in style.