How ratty does it have to be before you will replace it?

**nuisance26** · 02-10-2011, 11:38 AM

~So I've been putting off replacing some things from my wardrobe and personal care items.
My 6 year old cotton knit pj's are so broken in and comfy but have about 6 tiny holes throughout them. The waistband is getting holey too. My 4 year old sweatpants are coming apart at the seams. My hair combs are missing half their teeth.
I have a hard time parting with stuff that still has some use left in.
But my hubby is starting to raise his eyebrows at me and telling me to buy new ones. Of course he fought like a bear to keep his favorite holey t-shirts!
Am I being frugal or cheap? I think I know the answer to this question already.

What are your guidelines when replacing items?~

**monkeywrangler71** · 02-10-2011, 11:43 AM

Pyjamas & lounging clothes get thrown out when they have big gaping holes in them or worn out waistbands that no longer stay up. Everything else gets replaced when it's either lost or completely unusable.

**porembam** · 02-10-2011, 12:35 PM

I love comfortable clothing - it's not being cheap
it took alot of years to wear them in
Gaping holes is a time to start breaking in the new pants

**Samigirl** · 02-10-2011, 12:37 PM

I keep the bulk of my wardrobe for years; but when items get stubborn stains or holes, I'll usually ditch them. It's important to me to balance frugality with feeling as if I look attractive. I am in no way a diva, but I want to look nice. I only shop the clearance racks (maybe twice a year) to get a few quality things to add to what I already have.

**Ramona** · 02-10-2011, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by nuisance26

~So I've been putting off replacing some things from my wardrobe and personal care items.
My 6 year old cotton knit pj's are so broken in and comfy but have about 6 tiny holes throughout them. The waistband is getting holey too. My 4 year old sweatpants are coming apart at the seams. My hair combs are missing half their teeth.
I have a hard time parting with stuff that still has some use left in.
But my hubby is starting to raise his eyebrows at me and telling me to buy new ones. Of course he fought like a bear to keep his favorite holey t-shirts!
Am I being frugal or cheap? I think I know the answer to this question already.

What are your guidelines when replacing items?~

Tiny holes are acceptable

It's covered the the pj top

I'd stitch them up

They should be replaced, broken teeth are not good for your hair.

**krbshappy71** · 02-10-2011, 05:04 PM

My clothes have stages:

Brand new or super new looking: work only, take off when get home
Not new but nice: work, take off when get home. holiday celebrations
nice, average, no holes or visible wear, well maybe faded a bit: work and home
don't fit just right but no holes, faded: home and out & about
holes & stains: gardening, hiking, around the house if no company, until indecent threads.

One pair of my current shoes are technically WAY past the "work" stage but they are so comfortable that I can wear them all day, all evening, every day. I just can't bear to replace them yet, I'm on my feet a lot at work some days up and down the stairs several times. It just isn't easy to find such a comfortable pair of shoes that can keep up.

**Pemberleyan** · 02-10-2011, 08:00 PM

If my pajamas were that worn, I might let them go. My sweats tend to get holes worn in them, which I patch. (These aren't worn in public

).

My "tennis" shoes have stages, best, better and ratty; the latter for working in the yard, etc. I might even glue the yard ones before eventually discarding. When I see a great sale on sneakers, I might buy more than one pair and save them for later.

**auntie2many** · 02-10-2011, 08:18 PM

I recently wore a old but comfy pair of jeans out and the pants tore at the top on down the leg when getting in a friends high profile vehicle. I was so embarrassed. My new rules are to replace the old when there are funds available for new and when found on sale if it can wait that long.

**krbshappy71** · 02-10-2011, 09:12 PM

I should probably add that I live alone except for my daughter. My bf is long-distance. When he's here I still don't wear my work clothes but I do tend to avoid the rattier clothes. I might feel differently about my wardrobe if I had a significant other around as you do.

I just really don't care, but I guess if my bf cared maybe I'd pitch some of it. *shrug* (snicker, that's why I kinda like my current arrangement, there's a lot I do when he's not around)

**frugalwarrior2** · 02-10-2011, 11:31 PM

I won't wear clothes w/ holes and combs are cheap. February is an excellent time to get clothes. Certain retailers mark clearance clothes to incredibly low prices to get rid of them. New seaon is coming in and they don't want to store merchandise as they pay taxes on it. Just recently bought 10 flannel shirts 80% off and got 15% for reopening my charge. Also $10. gift certificate for every $50. spent. just in case you feel like replacing. So some shirts were $5.00-15%=44.25 and tx.

**joyofsix** · 02-11-2011, 06:50 AM

I tend to keep things until they literally fall off or apart. I never like new as much as the old.

**2ndGenGranola** · 02-11-2011, 07:23 AM

Sweats and T's I will keep a little longer than other items because I downgrade them to yard/paint clothes. Other than that they would go.

**piney** · 02-11-2011, 11:06 AM

I have some jeans that is getting thin and faded also some t-shirt that i just wear around home that i plan on discarding when warm weather get here if i am going out i never wear them or if i know some one is coming over i put on better clothes but i have got caught with them on.

**madhen** · 02-11-2011, 10:38 PM

My around-the-house clothes would probably scare off most people if I wore them outside my gates. It has to be pretty bad before I'll throw out a pair of sweatpants. I have several that have holes and paint spatter on them, but I wear them because they are just so darned comfy.

Work clothes, if they get a tear, stain, or tattered cuffs, lapel, etc, they get tossed. I am pretty particular about what I wear as business clothes.

Shoes, pretty much the same. I buy new running shoes every six months, so the old shoes become "knock around" shoes for wearing on weekends. The dirt up here is red clay, so anything cloth gets stained very quickly, and my shoes are no different. Work shoes are mostly boots and pumps, and they get replaced when the scuffs can't be buffed out or if the heels get damaged from me being too lazy to take the shoe off when I drive.

**frugalfranny** · 02-12-2011, 02:52 AM

I will FINALLY toss something when a friend threatens to come over and take it out of my closet and toss it for me!!

EXCEPT...........I have a pair of leather, lace up, sheepskin lined slippers with an indoor/outdoor sole that have past their last leg (and been washed more times than I can count ---no tread on the bottom of them!)................and "said friend" is getting them all wrapped up pretty for XMAS next year!!

(I can't wait!) I DO wear them places and she is mortified!!