Cost-Per-Wear and More Money-Saving Concepts

Cost Per Wear and More Money Saving Concepts

It’s true that fashion is fun. Buying the latest trends and seasonal looks taken straight from the runways of Paris are what everyone dreams of. Splurging on haute couture and luxury brands can take some planning. So you can get the most bang for your buck!

We encourage shopping mindfully – knowing how much use you’ll get out of an item, how/when/where you’ll wear it and what with, how long the item will be in your closet or its durability. Below you’ll find our tips just that – making sure you get your money’s worth out of the item you do choose to spend your hard-earned dollars on.

Wardrobe Staples

When considering your wardrobe, there are 4 categories that we all need.

Outerwear – coats for the winter, raincoats or waterproof jackets, etc.

Innerwear – everyday clothing, including what you wear to school/work and home

Underwear – Ladies, you know the life-changing effect of a great bra

Footwear – shoes, boots (winter and rain), sports, etc.

And depending on the composition of your family, your needs will vary. For instance, adults can invest in a piece of clothing that will last several years, however babies, toddlers and even teenagers are growing and need new items regularly.

Cost-Per-Wear

There’s a quick and dirty calculation you can do to see just how much each item will actually cost you each time you wear it. It’s as simple as this:

Cost of item
——————-
# of times you’ll wear it

For example: buying a new top from your favourite store will cost you $100 and you estimate you’ll wear it four times while it’s in your closet ($100/4 = $25/wear). Then each wear will cost you $25. This may or may not be a worthwhile price for you.

To take it a step further, you can compare the calculated cost per wear total to your average hourly or daily income. For example, if you make $20 an hour, is it worth working five hours to pay for the aforementioned single-use blouse? This really puts things into perspective!

Ways to Save

We’ve established that sometimes spending more on long-term items can actually have a positive impact on your wallet. Other ways you can save include:

  1. Shopping around. Doing your homework ahead of time is important when you want to invest in big-ticket items.
  2. Signing up for store newsletters and following on social media. You’ll be alerted early if there are any discounts or promotions.
  3. Buying at the end of the season for the following year. You can get great deals when you think long-term. So that winter coat example from before? Start shopping in February or March for the 2020-21 winter and you’ll definitely find some great deals.
  4. Shopping through Rakuten.ca to get Cash Back on luxury purchases.

More Than Just Money

Of course, there’s another reason beyond money to invest in quality pieces that have a longer shelf-life (or closet-life as it were). The environment. If you keep your clothes for several years instead of getting a new wardrobe every season, then you’re helping the environment by shopping responsibly.

Even donating clothes can lead to waste.

Consider Mother Nature the next time you decide you want that super trendy, of-the-moment item you saw on a European runway.

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