Talk about not planning ahead - This surprised me

**imagine** · 09-14-2011, 10:52 AM

We have a chill in the air this morning.

My children go to their drawers and picked out a hoodie or a jacket.

After school drop off, I head to walmart.

There were a bunch of people there, way more than normal at this time of day. They weren't buying the ordinarily "this is for my lunch" things either. But jackets and pants.
Like one jacket or one pair of pants. Like their children needed it before going to school or jacket for them before they headed into work today.

This surprised me. I guess there are some people that truly live from need to need. As in yesterday pants or a jacket were not a need but today it is, although jacket wear almost always hits right about now.

Do you think there are lots of people that do not plan ahead? Is that the norm?

**shoiji** · 09-14-2011, 10:56 AM

It really does seem like that. For the past 3 years I have been trying to get a friend to set aside $20 to go to the end of season clearances. All through out the year she talks about people telling her to do this and wanting to but she never does.

**HappyMama** · 09-14-2011, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by shoiji

It really does seem like that. For the past 3 years I have been trying to get a friend to set aside $20 to go to the end of season clearances. All through out the year she talks about people telling her to do this and wanting to but she never does.

I agree it does seem that way, from what I have observed the last few years as well.

I have a couple of friends that think I am silly for doing end of yr. clearances . They say they might , never do then run around at the last minute to find things.

I think some are stretched more financially and maybe don't have the means so things get pushed off. The others just don't like planning ahead I guess. I have always had to and tried to plan ahead for the seasons clothing and things it helps my budget and time immensely.

Imagine I so can relate to you, and love that you posted this as I observed and thought the same, but didn't know if it was just me.

**krbshappy71** · 09-14-2011, 11:11 AM

If everyone planned ahead, stores would shut down except for the major seasons of Summer and Winter don'tcha think?

Maybe for some of them their kids put on their pants from last year, stored for the season, only to find out they grew 2 inches. I could not keep my kids in pants from school year to school year, it was crazy how they grew like weeds.

Maybe for some of them their car broke down, they didn't have an emergency fund, so their clothing budget for the new school year went to the car repair so they were making do and then then weather turned on them before they could scrape up school clothes money.

I really do think its around us all the time (impulse shoppers) but some days we notice things more than others. Before you were on a frugal way of life you may have been in line with the pants yourself.

**imagine** · 09-14-2011, 11:16 AM

I do suppose that if money were really tight one might keep putting it off hoping that they receive a free one, ie hand me down or a gift.

That might make one keep putting it off until it was a can't wait any longer need.

Personally that would make me nervous.

Buddy has a coat that fits right now but a huge growth spurt would make it hard to wear in cold layering weather of mid to late winter. So I'm on the search of a next sized up on for him just in case. This is as close as I like to cut it and I'm feeling a bit behind already.

**imagine** · 09-14-2011, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by krbshappy71

If everyone planned ahead, stores would shut down except for the major seasons of Summer and Winter don'tcha think?

Maybe for some of them their kids put on their pants from last year, stored for the season, only to find out they grew 2 inches. I could not keep my kids in pants from school year to school year, it was crazy how they grew like weeds.

Maybe for some of them their car broke down, they didn't have an emergency fund, so their clothing budget for the new school year went to the car repair so they were making do and then then weather turned on them before they could scrape up school clothes money.

I really do think its around us all the time (impulse shoppers) but some days we notice things more than others. Before you were on a frugal way of life you may have been in line with the pants yourself.

Oh I don't think the jacket buying or pant buying people were impulse shoppers. They clearly had come into the store in a hurry just to get the jacket or pants. no impulse buying there.

Thanks for some ideas on why they would have been shopping in a hurry for a jacket or pants.

I'm such a planner always have been that it still boggles my mind.

**Sophia** · 09-14-2011, 11:26 AM

When the boys were younger I could buy a year in advance for them. Now that they are 13 and 19 (20 next mth) there is no way I can do that. The 13 year old growed several inches in the last 6mths. I usually buy him 2 to 3 pair of jeans at a time he out grows so fast. I bought him 2 pair of new jeans in March( he didn't have any to wear) and by June 1 pair was to little for him. I went and bought him another pair. ( I home school him so he doesn't have to have to have a ton of jeans) I'd bought him a new coat last year at christmas and he will get this year out of it then it will be 2 little. I cleaned his closet about a 1 1/2 mths ago and he only had 2 shirts for winter left. So I found him some at yard sale's and bought him 2 or 3 new ones for winter. I have know people who really and truly didn't have money to buy and got what they could when they could. Sorry so long. TC

**Josephhgoins** · 09-14-2011, 11:28 AM

Sure ain't the norm for the folks in this forum, that's for sure!

Is it possible that their winter clothes were in a storage container and they just didn't have time to go there?

I would hate to think that anyone is that unorganized.

**imagine** · 09-14-2011, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by Sophia

When the boys were younger I could buy a year in advance for them. Now that they are 13 and 19 (20 next mth) there is no way I can do that. The 13 year old growed several inches in the last 6mths. I usually buy him 2 to 3 pair of jeans at a time he out grows so fast. I bought him 2 pair of new jeans in March( he didn't have any to wear) and by June 1 pair was to little for him. I went and bought him another pair. ( I home school him so he doesn't have to have to have a ton of jeans) I'd bought him a new coat last year at christmas and he will get this year out of it then it will be 2 little. I cleaned his closet about a 1 1/2 mths ago and he only had 2 shirts for winter left. So I found him some at yard sale's and bought him 2 or 3 new ones for winter. I have know people who really and truly didn't have money to buy and got what they could when they could. Sorry so long. TC

My son out grew all his clothes to this year. He is 14 teen. So all his clothes are new to him his year( except one hoodie we bought on super clearance at the end of summer and bought super big)

My son goes to public school and 3 pairs of jeans is what he gets too (he does have four right now as my mom bought him and two pair) He also has three hoodies.

**McD** · 09-14-2011, 11:43 AM

I know here our weather gradually shifts from summer to fall. More time to prep. Monday it was 90 degrees and sunny. Today is 63 and rainy.

An abrupt change like that could have caught a bunch of people unaware.

**MamaTreadler** · 09-14-2011, 11:50 AM

I think they do it with everything from clothes to food. I try to keep all of my family's needs as stockpiled as I can. Running around like a chicken with it's head cut off at the last minute just doesn't appeal to me.

**imagine** · 09-14-2011, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by McD

I know here our weather gradually shifts from summer to fall. More time to prep. Monday it was 90 degrees and sunny. Today is 63 and rainy.

An abrupt change like that could have caught a bunch of people unaware.

very good point. That would explain why there were so many people doing the jacket or pants thing. The weather was fooling them into thinking they had more time or not reminding them they needed to see what they had and what still fit.

Also with an abrupt change in weather one or two shoppers might have been because it was dad's week and mom hadn't packed a jacket not thinking they would need one so dad picked one up.

**valerian** · 09-15-2011, 09:16 AM

I couldn't live with the "spur-of-the-moment" thing...would drive me nuts! I try to be two steps ahead.

**Dancing Lotus** · 09-15-2011, 10:15 AM

I do not buy pants ahead of time because they NEVER fit when the kids finally get to them. When we school shop I buy one pair of jeans so they are there when we wake up to a cold morning. When those pants get used that's when I start looking for deals on more. Jackets I do buy.

**shoiji** · 09-15-2011, 10:50 AM

Defiantly understand when something comes up and takes away any extra cash. For me shopping end of clearance sales is really the only time I can purchase at a retail store. Have been doing this for years since I never made a lot of money when working.