Section One: Assets and Debt
Retirement Balances: Traditional IRA $72k, Pre-Tax 403b $34k, total of $106k
Equity: Approximately $25k based on comp sales in my area, but I haven’t had my condo appraised since I purchased it a few years ago. Planning on looking into this to try to remove PMI later this year.
Savings account balance: $3800
Investment account balance: $6300
Checking account balance: $600 (most extra funds go into debt repayment or savings)
Vehicle Value: $15k
Credit card debt (and how you accumulated it): I’m no longer carrying any credit card debt, I pay any balances off each month
Student loan debt: $99k for undergrad + masters, I work for a non-profit employer and I am planning on Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). I’m 11 months away from forgiveness based on my work history.
Mortgage Balance: $102k
Car note: $14300 for a 2017 Honda HR-V (purchased used in 2020)
Debt Consolidation Loan: $16500 at 8.49%. I’ve been carrying this debt for way too long…finally decided to stop messing around with credit cards except for a rewards card. This is a 36 month note but I will pay it off much faster (see expenses section).
Consumer Debt: I have a $2100 Care Credit balance for surgery for my dog, which has 0% financing that ends in July 2021.
Net Worth: around $25k
Notes/Goals: In about 2-3 years I plan on renting out my condo and upgrading to a home with a garage and some outdoor space. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to get a few hundred dollars of income per month from renting out my unit, which I plan on putting into savings. I’ve never been a landlord, but I will probably hire a management company to deal with vetting renters and collecting rent/doing repairs. I’d also like to move somewhere warm…I hate winter. Not sure if I can do that with my current employer, we’re 100% remote now but that’s not permanent. I’m going to advocate for that option though, otherwise I’ll have to look for a 100% remote job in my field after my student loans get forgiven.
My aim is to have all unsecured debt completely paid off by early 2022. I could probably pay it off faster at the expense of saving any money or reducing my lifestyle, but I think I will have better success with moderation. After that’s all paid off, I plan on saving what I was using for debt to fund a down payment for a new home.
Section Two: Income
Income Progression:
Honestly, my career was a bit chaotic in my late 20s/early 30s. I work in the IT field - I started out in IT support after getting my masters degree, and have progressed into more programming/engineering work. From 2014-2015 I tried out some other career paths that didn’t work out and just went back to IT because it pays well and I’m good at it. I am finally working for an organization that I like and have a role that I mostly enjoy.
2009-2014: $52k-$60k, IT support with a government agency. My role never changed, but I did get increases due to pay schedules.
2016-2018: $50k-62k, various IT positions at a tech startup, starting with desktop support
2018-present: $80k-$100k, IT work at a non-profit, most recent promotion was in November 2020
Monthly take home
$5200, paid once per month. I put 10% of my income pre-tax into my 403b since my employer matches that 10%. Unfortunately the match was put on hold due to COVID, but will start again with my January paycheck. It’s going to be nice seeing $20k going into my retirement this year.
I contribute $216/month into my HSA, since I have a HDHP. I get a match of up to $1000/year in my HSA from my employer, so I get the max pre-tax contribution of $3600. I pay approximately $110/month in premiums for health, dental, and vision combined.
I pay a long-term disability insurance premium post-tax of $10.25/month to increase my benefit amount to 70% of my salary until I hit retirement age, should I become disabled. I feel like this is really important as a single person, to make sure I have funds to cover my care.
Side Jobs/Other Income I will occasionally sell items on eBay or Poshmark. I run all online shopping/curbside pickup through Rakuten and usually get about $150/year in rebates for that. Credit card cash back is usually about $30/month. I get about $200/year in interest from my credit union. My dad gives me ~$500 for Christmas every year.
Section Three
Monthly Expenses
Mortgage + Taxes/Insurance + HOA: $1075, this includes parking, heat, water, trash, and cooking gas
Retirement contribution: I only do pre-tax contributions which are accounted for above
Healthcare: I pay all expenses with my pre-tax HSA funds. I’ve never had to pay more than what I have saved in my HSA, which is a blessing.
Savings contribution: I don’t save a set amount, right now I’m prioritizing debt payoff
Utilities: $71 electric, $66 internet
Cellphone: $156, this is for my phone + plan and another family member’s plan (their phone is paid off).
Subscriptions: $11 Spotify, $10 Kindle Unlimited, $15 Netflix, $13 Hulu, $8 for AppleCare and $3 for iCloud storage. AppleCare came in handy when I cracked my phone screen last year.
Credit Card Yearly fees: $95 annually. I have the Chase Sapphire Preferred for the cash back and travel benefits
Debt Consolidation Loan: $521, I pay $1021 (extra $500/mo) to get it paid off faster.
Student Loans: $0 due to the CARES Act. I estimate this will be $400/month when the forbearance period is over.
Car Payment: $240
Car Insurance: $96
Gas/Ubers/City Street Parking/Tolls: $75, I’m WFH so I’m only driving for errands or the occasional socially distanced get-together with friends. Not sure I even spend this much, but I occasionally have to reload my tollway iPass or my Chicago parking meter app, which both reload in $20 increments.
Groceries & Household Needs: $350 for food and household/cleaning supplies, includes tip/fees for grocery delivery
Dog Expenses: $400/mo because of the CareCredit balance for recent surgeries & related care. Normally I pay around $50/month for grooming and food/treats (she’s a small dog).
Personal Care: $260-ish (monthly average) for hair color, haircuts, skincare and makeup. I get haircuts every 12 weeks, hair color every 6 weeks, and Dysport injections every 4 months or so.
Gym/Fitness: $15 for Peloton app - I own a spin bike that I use 5x/week, plus I have some strength equipment at home.
Paid Hobbies: $50 - budget for new Switch games, iPad apps, books that aren’t available on Kindle Unlimited, etc. Not sure I actually spend this each month but it’s built into my budget.
Yearly Expenses
Amazon Prime: $119
Vehicle City Sticker: $82
Vehicle Registration: $151
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
I got an allowance but there was no discussion of savings or smart spending. My dad was very stingy with money, my mom liked to spend it.
Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Yes, I was always expected to go to college. My parents divorced when I was 16 and they didn’t save any money for my tuition.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
I worked at a local restaurant as a server, so that I had money to spend for gas for my car and for fun with my friends. I stopped getting an allowance when I got this job.
Did you worry about money growing up?
A little bit, because when my parents divorced I sensed that my mom’s financial stability was not very stable, even though my dad was paying child support for my sister and I.
Do you worry about money now?
I’d say I’m somewhat vigilant about my money now. I lived paycheck to paycheck until my early 30s, because I never prioritized having savings and I spent more than I should have. I have more breathing room now, despite the debt that I carry. I’ll feel a lot better when it’s gone.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I was basically on my own when I went to college at 18. I did work-study and took out student loans to pay for school, room, and board.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
No
Other notes: I wear a mask in public places. Fair warning that this was a tough week for me personally. 2021 is already roughing me up!
Section Four: Diary
Day 1
7:30a - today is a holiday so I don’t have to work - but I forgot to turn off my alarm. I stay in bed until 8am before my dog starts bugging me to feed her. Since she just had dental surgery, I have to grind up her kibble and mix it with water, and give her meds wrapped in some turkey since that’s the only way she’ll take them. After she eats, we go outside for a walk. I decide I want to go get some iced coffee - I check my Dunkin Donuts app and see that I have a free coffee coupon to use. I put the dog in the car and while it warms up, I scrape all the ice off my windshield (gotta love Chicago winters). We drive to Dunkin and go through the drive-thru. I also get some egg wraps and a donut ($3.53).
9:15a - I do my weekly check of my bank accounts against my banking spreadsheet. I’m very paranoid about fraud (I had my identity stolen when I was in college), so I like to make sure everything looks good. I also have a rewards checking account that gives me 3.09% on my checking account balance when I hit a certain amount of spending on my Visa, and 12 debit card transactions per month. I’m about $250 short on the Visa, and 2 transactions short, but there’s a few weeks left. I remember that I was going to switch some of my autopay bills over to that Visa card just so I can hit the rewards tier, so I do that. I spent a bit checking my personal email, reading Reddit, and texting my sister, who is also off work today.
10:00a - I start my projects for the day - cleaning out my fridge/freezer, and taking out all the storage bins from under my bed and cleaning out what I don’t need to keep. I got a Roomba for Christmas and I really want to use it to clean under my bed, but the bins are preventing that. I will take what I keep down to my storage unit in the basement.
11:00a - A guy comes to pickup an old wingback chair that I put up for free on Craigslist. It was a hand-me-down, so I wouldn’t feel right charging for it. I was going to donate it but I live on the third floor and no one is doing furniture pickups right now. He leaves with it and I go back to cleaning & organizing.
12:00p - Decide I want some more bins/organizers for what’s left after purging what I don’t need. I go to Container Store online and after putting what I want into my cart and decide that instead of curbside pickup which will take a few days, I’m going to just go to the store and get what I need. Change into what I’ll end up wearing to workout later, and put a sweater on over it. Wash my face, put on SPF (I’m pale and it’s sunny out), tinted moisturizer, concealer, mascara, and eyebrow tint. Grab my wallet and a mask and head out.
12:15p - While driving, phone call with my ex. We have been attempting to repair our relationship after we broke up in the fall. He’s been acting distant lately, so I called him to find out wtf was going on. An hour and 10 minutes later, it feels like it’s over - again. I told him that I couldn’t wait for him to figure out what he wants, and said good-bye. I cry in the parking lot of The Container Store for about 10 minutes, then get myself together and go into the store. Unfortunately they don’t have the boot boxes I wanted, but I got everything else ($99.48). I notice that Trader Joe’s is next door so I get in line and buy a few items - butter chicken, mac n cheese, 3 bags of dried mango, soyaki sauce, bell peppers, spinach, and flowers for myself because I deserve it ($40.18). I eat an entire bag of dried mango while crying on the drive home. When I get home, I pull out all the stuff I got at the Container Store and do some organizing. Folding all my leggings Konmari-style is satisfying. I feel a little bit better.
4p - All of a sudden it’s 4pm. I feed the dog and take her outside for a quick walk. I don’t have a lot of energy so I sit on the couch to get some dog cuddles and scroll through social media a bit. Decide to be productive to distract myself - spend the next 2 hours doing random stuff: unboxing an Amazon delivery, moving stuff to storage, taking recycling out to the bin.
6p - Answer a bunch of Instagram DMs I’ve been ignoring. Go back and forth with a friend about her new job and commiserate over having imposter syndrome. Write in my journal. Debate buying another organizer on Amazon, this time for nail polish. Resist, and close the window. I decide to eat a protein bar, I’m not hungry but I need to eat something that isn’t carbs. My ex responds to my IG story. I ignore it.
7p - Convince myself to get on my spin bike and do a workout. I choose a 45 minute pop ride that I bookmarked to take at some point. It’s like God knew what I needed, the playlist was so fun. I definitely sing along to Destiny’s Child “Survivor” - and I feel much better. After the ride, I eat a bowl of Cheerios with skim milk, plus a greek yogurt cup. Take a shower, change into comfy clothes, and use a lot of dry shampoo as I just washed my hair yesterday and don’t want to deal with it again. I coax my dog into taking her second dose of meds with turkey.
9p - I look at my phone and my ex sent me two more messages on IG in response to my story. Men, ugh. I get cozy on the couch with the book I’m reading - We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. I finish it and add it to the list of books I’ve read in 2021. This is #5.
10:15p - Take my dog on her final trip outside. We get into bed and I scroll through TikTok until I start feeling sleepy, then lights out.
Daily Total:
Restaurants: $3.53
Groceries: $40.18
Household: $99.48
Day 2
7:45a - I had my alarm set for 8 but I’m up early. Cuddle with my dog for 10 minutes then get up. Make the bed, this is a newer habit of mine but it makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something first thing in the morning. Give the dog her meds and while she’s eating, I put on some leggings and a sweater. I walk her around the block and after I come back inside, I wash my face, moisturize, and put on some makeup. I am trying out some new concealer and eye shadow, plus I finally got an eyelash curler (lol). I’m trying to make more of an effort to feel like a human in the mornings so it’s easier to transition back to the office when I have to go back. I straighten parts of my hair that look weird, and add some more dry shampoo. Make some coffee and add collagen protein powder and some cream. Sit down at my desk with a Greek yogurt cup and start reading through work emails and addressing my calendar.
9a - Video call with IT security team and the VP of my department
10a - Scroll through IG while making another cup of coffee. Find out that the shampoo I recently bought is part of a class action lawsuit for hair loss…great. Good thing it’s not open, and I can return it to Ulta and get something else. Go back to my desk and check ticket status and review some project documentation.
11a - Make some food - spinach, egg + egg whites, bagel with cream cheese - then back to work things. I get a new project that I was recommended for by the head of IT, so that’s cool.
11:30a - Quick video call to discuss a project, but it could have been an email. Go back to regular work things.
1230p - Take a break from work to do a live 30 minute Peloton class. Fun and feels good to move! Quick shower and clothing change, microwave the mac n cheese I bought on Monday, and go back to work.
2p - Call with my team, I leave my video off for this one. Review/work some assigned tickets and more emails. Work is kind of light right now. I should look ahead for the week but instead I get on YouTube and watch some videos. I can tell my anxiety is high because I get really unfocused.
4p - I have an application software upgrade I need to monitor - luckily this is kicked off by the vendor and I just need to make sure nothing breaks on our side. I join a conference call just so I’m connected to their technical team, but there isn’t much for me to do. I give the dog her evening meal and then take her outside. Come back in and spend some time surfing the internet while the software upgrades. Watch the COVID memorial service on the National Mall and can’t believe it’s taken this long to do one.
5p - Open a bag of dried mango, eat while checking upgrade status. Discuss some issues with the vendor technical contact, spend the next 2 hours fixing issues and completing upgrades. I email stakeholders to confirm that the upgrades are completed.
7p - Turn off work computer for the night. I setup my Roomba and put it on the dock to charge. I’ve named her Harriet. I decide I should eat something other than dried mango for dinner and put some chicken nuggets in the air fryer. I take some chicken out of the freezer and put in the fridge to thaw for tomorrow’s dinner. I should at least try to eat healthy…
730p - Harriet says she’s charged enough so I run the first cleaning job. She’s noisy but I am very excited about this. I hate cleaning so much. Before now I didn’t realize how many cords I had on the floor. She finishes running after an hour and there’s so much dirt and dust in the trap. Best gift ever.
830p - Give dog her meds. Scroll through IG, get bored, decide to watch a movie. I pick A Star Is Born because I need a good cry before I go to bed, right?
10:30p - Walk the dog, do my nighttime routine, and get in bed. Try to fall asleep but I’m struggling due to anxiety. Decide to scroll through TikTok for a while as that usually makes me sleepy. My plan works and I fall asleep around 11.
Daily total: $0
Day 3
730a - Alarm goes off but I’m already awake. Didn’t sleep well due to being woken up at 2:30am by a snow blower outside my window? That couldn’t have waited a few hours? I snuggle with my dog for 20 minutes and then get up and make the bed. Give pup her food, walk her quickly since it is colder than normal today. I make some coffee and I also take care of all the dirty dishes in my sink and put them in the dishwasher. Change clothes and fix my hair. I leave my glasses on today but still put one some eyebrow tint and concealer. Glasses can only hide so much.
8:30a - Check the news because it’s Inauguration Day and find out that the federal student loan pause will be extended until September 30th! I immediately open up my financial spreadsheet and make some updates to plan ahead. This is going to save me approximately $3000 in loan payments since these months still count towards my PSLF forgiveness. This also means I should defer filing my federal taxes until the October deadline because my income-based repayment certification date gets pushed back several months, and I don’t need my last 4 payments to be higher than they have to.
8:45a - Check work email, review the ticket queue I need to work on today, start tackling those.
1030a - Grab a Greek yogurt cup, spill some on my living room rug, my dog cleans it up. Whoops. I use a bit of carpet cleaner but there’s no stain, phew.
11a - Get a little bit emotional about the Inauguration. Kind of a relief overall.
12p - Start of 4 back-to-back calls that will end at 4pm. I grab a bagel & cream cheese to eat during the noon call, since it’s a lunch & learn. They also give us a $30 UberEats voucher that expires at midnight tonight, so I guess I’m ordering dinner tonight!
4p - Finish up my last meeting, my boss still wants to chat so I need to stay online a bit longer. I feed the dog and take her outside real quick while my boss is in another call. I order a poke bowl and a Fiji water from Uber Eats with my voucher, all I need to pay for is the tip for the driver ($5). Read the emails that piled up while I was in meetings, also check my personal email as well.
445p - Food gets delivered - it’s a really good bowl. My boss calls me and we end up discussing a variety of things for 2 hours. I’m really excited about my career right now.
7p - I write in my journal for a bit. Text back and forth with my sister, we both are feeling pretty emotionally exhausted. I wish she didn’t live so far away. Spend way too long trying to find something to watch on Netflix. I end up watching stand-up comedy - Daniel Sloss “Jigsaw” which I’ve seen before but it hits different tonight.
930p - I give the pup her meds. Do my nighttime routine and crawl into bed because I’m feeling emotionally exhausted. Scroll through social media in bed for a bit. Do a sleep meditation for 10 minutes, then lights out.
Daily total:
Restaurants: $5
Day 4
7a - Alarm goes off, change into workout clothes and walk the dog. I do two 15 minute Peloton workouts back to back. I feed the dog and give her meds, and jump in the shower. I do hair and makeup today because I have a presentation to do. Make some coffee and a bagel with cream cheese.
9:30a - Starting my morning of meetings/presentations. Already looking forward to noon when I can disconnect from video calls.
12p - Make some veggie pasta and chicken nuggets for lunch. Catch up on emails and review my to-do list - it feels like I have way too much to do, trying not to stress. I decide that I want to get outside this weekend and go hiking in Wisconsin. I text my mom and ask if she can stop by my place on Saturday to walk the dog mid-day and she says yes. I order some fleece-lined leggings, wool socks, and a puffer jacket from Target for the hiking trip - the only cold weather stuff I have is not hiking-friendly ($96.19).
1p - Two back-to-back meetings, but these aren’t video calls, thankfully. Work on some tickets and write out my ever-expanding to-do list.
4p - Feed the dog and take her outside. I get in my car to go do curbside pickup for the clothes I ordered earlier. Drive home and decide I should find all my gear for the trip because I’m not entirely sure where I put my hiking shoes.
6p - Make dinner - chicken teriyaki over ramen noodles. I have leftovers, so I will eat that for lunch tomorrow.
630p - Half-heartedly watch a few episodes of House while also scrolling through social media. I kinda fall asleep on the couch at some point.
10p - Walk the dog very quickly, it’s freezing out. Go to bed and crash, I think my emotional exhaustion is catching up with me.
Daily total:
Clothing: $96.19
Day 5
7:30a - Alarm goes off. I lay in bed for 30 minutes because I’m still tired. Change into work-appropriate clothing. Feed the dog, walk. It is FREEZING. I make some coffee and grab a Greek yogurt. Sit down and start reading through emails and chatting with co-workers via Teams.
10a - Two calls back to back
1130a - Lunch - bagel and cream cheese, two eggs
12p - Charging through my to-do list
3p - Last call of the day, ends up being a full hour…gross. Turn my computer off at 4p. Feed and walk the dog. I eat my leftover stir fry from last night for dinner.
530p - A friend calls and we chat for about an hour. We make tentative plans to go skiing as a day trip sometime next month. I’m stoked because I’ve never been skiing and some of the cold weather clothes I bought for this hike would be useful for that too.
630p - Watch Ever After while making sure I’m ready for my impromptu hiking trip for tomorrow. Find out I need to have a park pass for my car to use the state parks in Wisconsin. Buy an annual pass for 2021 ($38) because that’s the only thing you can buy online and it looks like all the park stations are closed due to COVID so I can’t buy a day pass. I’m going to use this as an excuse to go hiking more often.
9p - I’m leaving early tomorrow, so I feed/walk the dog and do my nighttime routine, head to bed.
Daily Totals:
Hobbies: $38
Day 6
6a - alarm goes off - it’s hiking day! I feed/walk the dog, and then get fully dressed. I grab my hiking shoes, a water bottle, a small backpack, and a Nutri-grain bar, and head out.
730a - I get off the interstate in Wisconsin and go through a Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru. I get a small coffee and a bagel & egg sandwich ($5.89). Eat while driving the rest of the way to the state park.
845a - find a place to park by the trailhead and make sure my park pass receipt is showing on my dashboard. I discover there’s more snow than I thought there was on the trails, so I decide to just hike in my Ugg snow boots instead of the hiking shoes, since the snow boots go higher on my leg and are pretty comfortable. Grab my pack and start the hike! It’s really pretty with the snow, and the cold isn’t too bad. I’m glad I have my boots on. I do a 7 mile trail loop and it takes me about 3 hours.
12p - Drive home. I stop at a gas station to use the restroom and fill up my gas tank, since gas is much cheaper in Wisconsin than it is in Illinois ($23.44).
230p - Make it home. I take a long shower and then just sorta lay on the couch for a while with my dog - I’m tired from the hike and the driving. I take an accidental nap.
5p - Wake up because I heard my dog whining for food. Feed and walk her, then decide to make dinner. I have no motivation so I just throw a frozen pizza in the oven. It’s a medium size, so I eat the whole thing.
6p - Scroll through social media since I haven’t been on it at all today. Get cozy on the couch with a new book - How Will You Measure Your Life by Clayton Christensen.
9p - Walk the dog and decide I’m tired enough to just go to bed.
Daily Total:
Restaurants: $5.89
Gas: $23.44
Day 7
10a - Holy cow I slept late. Feels good to do that once in a while. Feed and walk the dog, then I make myself some coffee. Today I just add some milk to it. Check personal emails. I think about working out and decide that I’m better off just doing a stretch class from the Peloton app. I pick a 20 minute one and it was the right decision.
11a - Make breakfast - toast with peanut butter, scrambled egg with egg whites. Shower and start the multiple loads of laundry I need to do. Clean the kitchen and the bathroom - not a deep clean but all the surfaces. I straighten up the other rooms in my apartment as well.
1p - FaceTime with my sister. Today is the only day we both don’t work, so it’s ideal to catch up on Sundays.
3p - I’m hungry again but not enough for a meal. I eat an apple with sliced cheddar cheese. Continue with laundry and play fetch with my dog. I’m glad to see she has some energy back after her surgery.
4p - My ex calls me. Asks if we can meet up and talk. He invites me over for dinner, I say ok. We agree on 6pm. I freshen up my hair and do some makeup. Change clothes into leggings and a long sweater. Feed and walk the dog.
530p - Drive to my ex’s apartment. I listen to my upbeat Taylor Swift playlist on the way there. Spend the evening at his place, he orders dinner for us and I don’t offer to pay, LOL.
930p - I drive home. I text my ex that I made it home safely, since he asked me to. Walk the dog, and do my nighttime routine. Check my work calendar for tomorrow, realize that I have a previously scheduled eye doctor appointment in the morning that I forgot about. Good thing I checked! I go to bed since I want to workout in the morning before the appointment.
Daily Total: $0
Weekly Totals
Restaurants: $14.42
Groceries: $40.18
Household: $99.48
Clothing: $96.19
Gas: $23.44
Hobbies: $38
Reflections: This isn’t a normal week due to the impromptu hiking trip, but my spending wasn’t terrible. I’m really happy that I won’t be paying student loans for the next 9 months. This diary showed me that I may spend too much time on social media and that I should be eating more vegetables. I just really love carbs…haha. I will need to make good use of that state park pass, especially in the spring and fall when the weather is mild!

NYC Frugal Tips

Manhattan NYC is very expensive. Although I make a fairly substantially large income from varying businesses, I am still VERY very frugal. It is a game to me. I can't help it, I enjoy it. Here's what I do, you are welcome to take my tips or even give me suggestions. I'm not counting in any business expenses.
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RENT- This one I cannot avoid. I was "convinced and hoodwinked" by my previous girlfriend into getting a really nice apartment, only to break up a few months later and be stuck with this fat ass rent. I refuse to move out because I love this place so much. Solution? I eventually got a new girlfriend, we split the rent and a lot of the home expenses.
Coffee - Although I love coffee so much, I really just need the caffeine content. I'll either buy my own coffee grounds from amazon, or I'll take a caffeine/theanine capsule occasionally. If I really need the energy and productivity I'll take 100mg (a half) of Modafinil prescribed by my doctor for free. OCCASIONALLY, I'll get a $1 iced coffee from taco bell, they're the only ones that seem to have it this cheap haha. You wont EVER catch me at starbucks or Dunkin, F that what am I rich! haha. My bank Capital one usually has a coffee shop inside, where if you use your capital one debit card you get 50% off. I'll usually flash them my capital one debit for the 50% off, but use my chase sapphire reserve for the 3x points on it, double win.
Clothes - I love clothes as a guy. However I cannot get myself to spend on clothes because I already have clothes. They need to be really torn and tattered or holy for me to replace them. I'm embarrassed to say this, but I'll find great clothes of brands I like on ebay or poshmark, second hand. RARELY will I buy new or in person. I HATE paying retail for anything. My parents always insist on gifting me something for bday or xmas, I'll always suggest shoes and underwear. The other day I walked by a Levis store, my GF makes fun of me for always having a hole in the crotches of my pants, I don't know why but this happens to all my pants; anyway checked out some sales, they had 70% off PLUS an extra 20% off for signing up to their rewards card. Too good of a deal at 90% off, I bought some new good quality jeans and pants thatll last me for years.
Alcohol - I've been abstaining from alcohol here and there. Dry January has been extremely productive to me that it makes me never want to go back. I truly don't really miss it. Living in Manhattan, I live near hoboken NJ where there's a beer distributor. Once a month, Id buy a few 30 packs just to keep stocked at home at cheap prices. When I used to throw "parties", I used to buy cheap liquor and pour them into expensive bottles. I began doing this when I realized so many ungrateful people would come to my place, and drink my stuff dry. Well now ya get the cheap stuff ya freeloaders.
Going Out - Prepandemic. I LOVED going out. In manhattan, you have the best of the best in terms of bars clubs and restaurants. Expensive though. Solution? Be friends with bartenders and club promoters and club owners and managers. Pre-covid, Id hang out at this bar called Hidden Lane. My best friend was the head bartender, and my friends worked there as well. Id drink for free all night and so would whoever my date was, Id just tip the staff. Then, I'd go out to one of the clubs with my promoter friends. For those that don't understand this "promoter" term: Nightlife Clubs will literally pay a fat salary to these promoters to bring out beautiful girls and keep them at the "table" and the club would provide free bottles of vodka, tequila, beers, champagne, and even food sometimes. My promoter buddies would text me "hey man come out and help me tonight, so many girls at my table I can't entertain alone". As a single guy, this would be a no brainer, drink for free all night w/ my friends AND get to be around beautiful single women. Being in the city, Id citibike (bike share) to the club or bar, and uber or lyft back.
Food - I don't believe in going cheap when it comes to groceries because the food you eat is your HEALTH. With that said, Trader Joes is insanely cheap. There are only a few things I'll buy organic and buy lean meats, but everything else is for the most part cheap. I'll spend $50 a week, $100 a week for the 2 of us.
CAR - The beauty of living SMACK dab in the middle of Manhattan is not needing a car. I wont even take the subway. I literally citibike everywhere, my annual $160 a year membership is free because I participate in a program called Bike Angels, by inadvertently rebalancing bike stations, Id earn perks rewards and free membership. At the start of the pandemic, I bought myself a 15 year old little mini cooper so I can go on road trips and trips to the beach since things were closed. I paid $2200 for the car, another $1700 on maintenance and preventative maintenance, and $30 a month on insurance, and very little on gas since it's a 4-banger, I hardly use it, but Its there when I need a car as we love to escape the city.
Weed - I like to be very productive and weed doesn't allow that for me. However I occasionally hit my bowl or weed pen, just once or twice before a movie on a friday night. A gram will last me literally MONTHS.
Credit cards- My favorite topic! Credit cards can be a double edged sword. Use them wrecklessly and the 16-24% interest will murder you. Use them correctly, and they are your best friends.
I use the chase 'trifecta'-
Chase biz ink preferred for wifi bills, cell phone bill, shipping, social media ads and get back 3x points per $1.
Chase Sapphire Reserve (the main card)- for 3x on food , dining, transportation, drinks, parking, tolls, etc. I also get 10x on lyft, 15% off lyft, $60 a year on doordash, airport lounge access, and a bunch of other features, $300 travel credit a year, etc . It's a $450 a year card, but after crunching numbers not only does it come out to free, but the benefits greatly outweigh the costs.
Chase Freedom unlimited- on everything else not mentioned above at 1.5x per $1.
Chase Biz ink unlimited - on everything else business related.
Chase allows me to combine all these points together and if I use them through Sapphire Reserve's portal, they are worth 50% more! If you are even slicker you can transfer them to airline transfer partners and find even cheaper flights and better deals. This has allowed me to never have paid for a flight for me or my girlfriend in years, in probably like 6-7 years.
VERY IMPORTANT- I keep it on autopay, ALWAYS pay your balances off in full. NEVER ever pay interest. i always say id rather lose a finger than ever pay interest. I have autopay on a safety measure, I actually pay the balances off once a week usually on fridays and mondays , so I can watch my weekend damage, but also to keep my balance always at zero to keep any balance from being reported to credit bureau's. This keeps my credit score at 800+ which in turn allows me to get very cheap lending for business purposes.
​
TAXES - Another important topic. Without going into too much detail. I'm able to create LLCs and SCorps for my businesses and holdings, allowing myself to pretty much expense a good portion of my expenses. I even file as a loss in some cases for some businesses, according to my accountant's strategy. When I "trade up" properties , I avoid paying Capital Gains taxes by deffering into the new investment property , I also max out my IRA for a free tax savings. Taxes are a place where people spend the majority of their income. I have friends that make 300k a year, but really they make 150k a year due to their restrictions to play with tax loopholes as wage earners. Taxes suck.
​
Buy ONLY TO REPLACE- This is a little out of place after taxes but I am human and prone to sin and purchases, but I've taught myself to buy things ONLY to replace the current one I have. I want the new iphone (biz expense), ONLY if I trade in my current one. I want the new mac mini m1, again only if I sell my current one on ebay or marketplace, I want the new v11 vacuum but only if i sell my current v8, etc you get the point. This way the trade in value of the "older model item" goes towards paying of the new model item. I also get to live very minimal and own only what I need and no clutter.
Monthly Streaming Apps- Netflix is now $18 a month! F that, we use my girlfriends fathers account. HBOMax and Hulu I group share buy and pay $3 a month. Amazon Prime is the only one I buy annually at retail, I actually do use prime shopping and video though. Youtube is my most prized app. I learn so much from youtube that I need and deserve the ad-free premium. I refuse to pay $15 a month for youtube, so I'll use my sisters college email for a college discount of 50% off. I don't ever listen to music, but we use my girlfriends spotify app on all our echo devices.
Unrelated tip- your internet provider charges you for renting you your routemodem. It's usually $15-20 a month! Buy a compatible used routemodem on ebay for like $20, BAM $240 annual savings.
LIQUIDS- by this I mean shampoo, conditioner ,hand soap, body wash, dish soap, all purpose cleaner, windex, etc. I buy all these by the gallon on amazon. If you do the math it comes out to pennies per FL OZ. I keep them in nice dispensers instead of buying and replacing one time use store bought dispensers. Same for TP and paper towels. I buy in bulk- I try to get TP down to 33 cents a roll, and PT down to 82 cents a roll.
​
It's possible to live frugally and still enjoy life. I think one of the most important things is what you do with your free time. You can either sit around and waste time playing video games or whatever your vice is or you can teach yourself new skills constantly that can be useful and worth money in the real world. Money left over from savings goes into stock portfolio, ROTH IRA, index funds, investment properties, or reinvest in my businesses. Skills pay the Bills!

Lately there seem to be a lot of posts asking how to price things, so I thought I might try and help out! There are definitely more resources out there than just what I know, though, so I highly recommend doing your own research!
HANDMADE ITEMS:
Pricing handmade or upcycled items can be tricky, but here's some points to keep in mind!

• How much did the materials cost? (This applies to fabric/thread/paint/etc just as it applies to a thrifted garment you alter. How much did you pay to make the item - charge AT LEAST that amount!)
  
• What's the quality of the materials? (A cheaper fabric painted with fabric paint is not going to cost the same as an upcycled pair of patchwork pants that uses vintage fabrics and high quality denim, for example.)
  
• How long did it take you? (This part is definitely up to you - you can charge minimum wage for yourself, you can charge more, or you can charge less. Either way, I find it helps to set a dollar amount (say 12 dollars) for each hour - if it takes 3 hours to make at 12 dollars an hour, your item should be at least 36 dollars).
  
• How much will shipping cost (optional)? (If you have the buyer pay for shipping, no problem. But if you're like me and offer free shipping, you should always put the cost of shipping into your listed price. If you have a 32 dollar item that costs around 8 dollars to ship, your final listing price should be about 40 dollars. You should also factor in the cost of shipping materials and the type of shipping you're going to buy - obviously Priority Mail costs more than First Class, and if you buy your own mailers, make sure you earn that money back. Also, always send tracked packages - it protects you and the buyer.)
  

NAME BRAND ITEMS
There's a ton of resources to help you out when you get your hands on a name brand item, including figuring out how rare or sought after your item is!

• Check the site first! (If you're selling a Tripp NYC skirt, check the Tripp NYC website for a couple reasons. One, this will tell you if your product is still being produced or not. If it's not, then you have to look elsewhere, but if it is, now you know the market price for it. Whether or not you price at, above, or below the retail price is up to you.)
  
• Check Ebay's "Completed Listings" feature. (When you search something on Ebay, you have the option to refine your search using the "Filter" button. When you do so, you have to hit "Show More" to get all the categories to filter by. You'll then see the option to turn on "Completed Listings" - hit that and you'll be able to see all the items that have either sold or the bid period has ended. This helps you figure out what prices people are willing to pay for your item or brand, and what prices were simply too high or what items just weren't selling.)
  
• Check other reselling sites. (Poshmark, Mercari, and other sites might have the same product you're selling. Check them out to see the average prices people are selling them for, and at least on Mercari you can hit the "Sold" button to see what prices items have actually sold for. This gives you an idea of competing prices and a better understanding of what people are really willing to pay.)
  
• Use Google! (Seriously, this seems obvious, but I found it really helpful. I had a skirt I was trying to identify from a brand - I searched up something along the lines of "red plaid skirt [brand]" and looked through Google Images. I managed to find a picture of the skirt I had and clicked on the link, which gave me more information about the product. If your item is NWT, that's even better! Look up the item or model number if there is one. I also managed to find an old Livejournal community from a couple years ago that was about this brand, and that actually really helped because they happened to catalog the items they had. That also gave me a good idea of the time period the item was from - I managed to get it down to a sales period from 2007-2010!)
  
• Sometimes, even Pinterest helps! (It depends on the brand and the item, but there are boards by people who are dedicated to cataloging items from a certain brand. If you're lucky, you'll even manage to find a categorized board where you can narrow down your search.)
  

Some other tips I have for people trying to resell name brand items:

• Don't call it vintage unless it's over 20 years old! Ed Hardy isn't vintage yet - the brand started in 2002. However, some Lip Service pieces may be, since the brand started in 1985.
  
• You should still factor in the price you bought the item for unless you really just want it gone, as well as shipping costs if needed.
  
• Don't mislabel your items just to get clicks - Morbid Threads and Lip Service are NOT the same as Tripp NYC. You'll just frustrate buyers that are looking for specific things, and you want your item to sell!
  

EVERYTHING ELSE
This category is for stuff that may be from a defunct/obscure brand, or something that doesn't have a tag.

• Check the materials, if it's listed. (Again, a high quality denim piece is not the same as a polyester fast fashion piece. You can charge more for a well-made piece that'll last a long time!)
  
• Market it to a specific audience if you can. (Know your market, but do your research. If a piece looks like it fits in a certain fashion category like emo, try marketing it there! Just don't be that person that calls every random black piece of clothing they have listed "goth.")
  
• Go with your heart. (That sounds kind of lame, but really. Think about what you would pay for the item - is it a staple clothing piece like a standard t shirt, or is it an interesting cardigan with details like beads or embroidery? Factor in shipping and you're done.)
  

I hope this helps people! Seriously, if you're lucky enough to have a name brand item, doing research by yourself will not only give you a better idea of what to sell your item for, but you'll gain resources that can help you the next time you come across a similar item! And handmade items deserve to be priced appropriately - don't undersell yourself! Thanks for reading :)

“I wonder if I’ll be able to afford groceries the entire month,” you say as your direct deposit hits your account. If your 9-5 paycheck is feeling a little underwhelming, and you’re wondering, how to make money online, then you’ve come to the right place!
We’re rounding up the 50 best ways to make money online—from tutoring to transcribing to way more.

1. Sell Old Clothes, Shoes, and Other Fashion Items You Never Use Anymore

Do you have old clothes and such hanging in your closet that you never wear? Apps like Poshmark and Tradesy make it easy to sell your stuff online. No, you won’t get them for the price you paid, but you’ll make more from them than if they were sitting in your closet doing nothing.

1. Become a Consultant

If you know how to do something other people don’t, you might very well be able to work as a consultant on your own time and your own terms. Think things like bookkeeping, social media, copywriting, or doing taxes.
Related: Side Hustle Books

1. Become a Transcriptionist

If you type at the speed of light, you might be able to pull in a decent side income as a transcriptionist. Do your due diligence and find a reputable site you can look for gigs on, but TranscribeMe! is one possible place to start.

1. Buy and Resell Stuff Online

Picture it: You find a popular toy discounted at your local Target, that’s going for twice as much on Amazon. You sell it on Amazon and make some easy money. Voila—a side hustle. Oh, and BTW, this is called “retail arbitrage.” And when you find something online for super cheap that you then resell, it’s called “online arbitrage.” Google it. Learn it.

1. Tutor

People hire tutors for everything, from math and English to singing and drawing. You can even do it on Skype! No need to meet in person. Depending on what you’re teaching and how much experience you have, you can set a pretty decent hourly rate.

1. Invest Even With the Smallest Amount of Money

It’s not technically a side hustle, but it will make you money with minimal effort on your part! Apps like Stash and Acorns let you invest with hardly any cash at all.
Related: Oh My Posh! Haley Gibbs Has Made Over $65,000 Selling Thrift Store Clothes on Poshmark—Here’s Her Top Tips

1. Start a Dropshipping Business

If you want to start an online side hustle, dropshipping is an excellent idea because it requires little money to get going. In fact, you don’t purchase any inventory until a customer buys the product from you.

1. Create a Private Label Product

“Private label” means that you purchase a blank, unbranded product and slap your own logo on it. Much of what you see on Amazon is private label products. Note that you’ll need decent cash ready on hand to get a private label product up and running, and it can be pretty risky. But if you play your cards right, the payoff can be huge.

1. Sell Apparel on Merch by Amazon

In its quest to take over the world, the marketplace giant created Merch by Amazon, which allows you to design things like T-shirts and sell them on Amazon as a print-on-demand service. Low-cost and low-maintenance, it’s a pretty straightforward online side hustle.

1. Join Amazon Mechanical Turk

Another one of the marketplace’s many gifts to us is Amazon Mechanical Turk. On MTurk, you can get hired for “micro-tasks” by companies outsourcing some of their work to people just like you.

1. Get Paid to Watch Ads

Look, the internet is going to force you to watch them anyway. You might as well get paid for it.

1. Write an eBook

If you’re good with words and think you have something relevant to teach people, an eBook can be a simple way to share your thoughts and make money while you do so. And these days, it’s easier than ever to publish your work on platforms like Amazon.
Related: How A Side Hustle Can Add Passion—And a Big Payoff—To Your Career

1. Start a YouTube Channel

Let’s be honest: You look amazing on camera. Put it to good use and grow a YouTube channel where you can eventually monetize ad space and sell stuff. Win!
“Share your expertise,” says international speaker Adnan Kukic. “We’re all good at something. Share your knowledge online through your own blog, YouTube, or another platform. Then, take your existing content, expand on it, and finetune it into an eBook or course and sell that. This way, you’ll already have an audience to sell to as well as authority on the subject.”

1. Answer Questions

Are you an expert in a field like law, medicine, or tech? You could easily make extra money by answering people’s questions on a website like Just Answer.

1. Run an Affiliate Website

Did you know that Amazon will give you a cut of every product of theirs that you sell?! Create an online shop where everything you sell is actually available for purchase on Amazon, and make money whenever someone buys from Amazon, through your site.

1. Share Your Opinions on Products

Nothing is more fun than sharing your opinions, and User Interviews will actually pay you to do it. Side hustles don’t have to be hard.

1. Offer Your Services on Fiverr

The cool thing about Fiverr is that you can do quick, short-term projects to make money sooner rather than later. Think of writing a blog or creating a logo.

1. Use Your Phone’s Lock screen for Ads

Extra cash may be hiding in the lock screen of your phone. Using Slidejoy, you’ll watch ads every time you unlock your phone—and get paid for it.

1. Sell Your Spam and Junk Mail

Nothing is more satisfying than deleting the ever-growing number of junk mail in your email inbox—but hold up. Instead, sell it to the SBKC for market research, and they’ll thank you with a Visa debit card.

1. Start a Blog

I’m not going to pretend this is easy, but it can work especially if the topic you focus on is something really specific. Don’t forget to throw in some affiliate links and ads for good measure.

1. Become an Influencer

Again, is this necessarily easy? Naw. But if you love taking gorgeous pictures surrounding something other people also love—like travel, fashion, or beauty—you might see serious dollar signs (and you get to have fun doing it).

1. Take Online Surveys

It’s not going to make you rich, but it’s a way to get extra cash without ever having to leave the house. Save the Student! has a list that you can check out.

1. Sell Handmade Goods on Etsy

If you’re into arts and crafts, you might find a new home—and a side income—on Etsy.

1. Join an Online Focus Group

Get paid to share your opinions, test out new products, watch new TV shows, and more.

1. Teach English Online

You already know how to speak it, so what’s the big deal?

1. Take on Work as a Virtual Assistant

You don’t have to leave your home, you don’t have to put a bra on, and you make money at your computer. Boom. I call that a win. People hire virtual assistants to do everything from managing their email inbox to posting on their social media pages.

1. Become a Podcast Host

You’ve got important things to say! Like a blog and YouTube channel, once you have a decent following, you can monetize a podcast.

1. Sell Old Stuff Online From Your Childhood

You might actually be sitting on a goldmine and not even know it. Go through old items from your childhood, collectibles, and other things gathering dust around your house, and see what they’re going for online. eBay is a good place for stuff like this.

1. Be a Mystery Shopper

Yes, you can actually do this online! Test out websites’ user experience, security, and other factors, and make cash while doing it.

1. Create an Online Course

History and math aren’t the only courses people pay for. Make no mistake about it: You can indeed create and charge for courses on arts and crafts, playing the clarinet, woodworking, improving your golf swing, and just about anything else.
Related: Another Poshmark Success Story! Seller Nick Waskosky Shares His Thrift Store Hacks for Turning $10 into $400

1. Play Games on Your Phone

Imagine making money while you’re playing games on the toilet. What a world!

1. Flip Domain Names

Note: This takes training and education, and you shouldn’t assume you’ll make money overnight (although you can). That being said, flipping domains can be insanely lucrative.

1. Create (or Buy) and Sell Websites

Some people create and build out websites with the sole goal of selling them for a profit as soon as they can. You can also do this with pre-existing websites.

1. Test Out New Websites

This is similar to mystery shopping, although the objective might be slightly different. Companies will sometimes hire people to dig through their websites and purposely look for things that don’t work.

1. Be an Online Customer Service Chat Agent

If you don’t mind getting berated (kidding! maybe…), plenty of companies are on the hunt for customer service agents to assist people via chat.
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1. Become a Wholesale Online Seller

“Selling online can be a side income or it can replace your regular job,” says Aymeric Monello of The Wholesale Formula. “It can be whatever you want it to be.” Monello moved to this country from France less than 10 years ago not even knowing the language. In 2019, he sold his Amazon wholesale business for over $400k.
Do you have to grow your biz that big? Certainly not. Can you? Yes! Online side hustles, for the win.

1. Offer Social Media Services

Social media agencies are popping up left and right, and for a good reason: You can make so much money, it’ll keep you up at night. Or, you can simply do light social media for a few brands here and there and just earn a little money on the side. Your call!

1. Get Paid to Watch Videos

You can easily win points for watching videos online or on your phone, and then redeem those points for cash or other “prizes.”

1. Review Software

Websites like Capterra will pay you to leave reviews of software, websites, and tools you’ve used. Seriously, could online side hustles get any easier? They’ve sent me so many $10 Amazon gift cards, it’s ridiculous (ridiculously awesome).

1. Listen to Music

Yup, it’s true. Some websites will pay participants (in cash, Amazon gift cards, etc.) to rate and review music. Sometimes, this data is used by radio stations and such to better understand what people want to hear. Pretty sweet, yeah?

1. Take on Freelance Writing Jobs

This writer has been at it for 10 years and still can’t believe she gets paid to do something so fun. But here we are. Learn how to be a freelance writer and you might find yourself with a really decent online side hustle on your hands.

1. Earn Cash Back and Rewards for Shopping Online

Fine, yes, I included another not-really-an-online-side-hustle. Rakuten (formerly Ebates) gives you cash and rewards when you shop. You guys! It’s free money!

1. Do a Google Search

I didn’t think this could be real, but yes, you can make money simply by looking for things in search engines, like Google and Bing. Check out Qmee for more.

1. Sell Your Pictures

All kinds of people are searching for all kinds of photos, and they might just pay to use yours. Upload your pics to platforms like Adobe Stock or Getty Images (iStock) and see if you get any bites.

1. Share Your Notes With Students

Man, I took the best notes in college. Opportunity: Missed. Yes, you can sell your notes to other students. Sounds shady, but it’s legit. Stuvia and Nexus Notes are worth a look.

1. Try Peer-to-Peer Lending

This is exactly what it sounds like: people lending other people money, as opposed to those latter people needing to go to a bank. You still charge interest, obvi. Lending Club is a popular choice for this.

1. Read

It can’t be. It’s just… too good to be true. Using a site like Online Book Club, you can read books online (or it looks like they’re sometimes mailed to you), and then you get paid to leave an honest review. You can bet your behind I just signed up.

1. Manage Emails

Yes, this might be one of your tasks as a virtual assistant. However, it’s also a job in and of itself. Companies will hire people solely to manage their inboxes, respond to emails, and set up appointments via email.

1. Start a Facebook Subscription Group

Charge people to join your Facebook group and give them exclusive access to the content they’re dying for.

1. Go to Jury Duty

Jury duty sucks… unless you can do it without leaving the house. eJury will pay you to participate in mock juries or focus groups to help attorneys prepare for court. It won’t make you reach, but it is an effortless online side hustle.
Ready to get started? Here are 155 hustle quotes to help you stay motivated.

I'm not sure this will be interesting for everyone but I just wanted to share my experience 6 months into a fashion identity crisis. I also realize in typing this, that it has turned into a wall of text so best of luck trudging through!
Why I first became interested in fashion:
6 Months ago, I lost a huge amount of my wardrobe to theft. Unfortunately, I did not have insurance to cover the loss, so I knew I would have to spend a great deal of money to replace everything. In searching for /frugalmalefashion , I also stumbled across this sub, along with many other fashion blogs/forums.
I realized two things:

1. My wardrobe consisting of entirely athletic wear and jeans was not my personal style.
   
2. In replacing my clothing, I had a chance to reinvent my style alongside my wardrobe.
   

The first step was essentials, basics, a base to build upon. I settled upon a purposely simple combo of Prep/Americana/New England ivy. The "basic bastard" but with a little more workwear and color. As I dove through the "Your favorite ___ for $___" series and built a list of companies to look for, I quickly realized quality comes at a price.
So how do you replace an entire wardrobe on $20 a week?
Extremely slowly.
Organization:
The most important step for me was organizing my inspirations into a easy to follow list, so I built a spreadsheet that serves as a shopping list as well as an inspiration "album". Here's a section of it
As I browse inspiration albums, watch TV shows, watch fashion shows/lookbooks, I add pieces that I really want to my list. I then spend some time searching Lyst, google, and brands I love for similar pieces. I add those, sorted by price, next to the item. This step not only helps me find versions at each price bracket, but also allows me to find slightly different styles that might interest me more. I also add price trackers such as Shoptagr to follow the items I'm interested in.
Also, an item is only added to my list if I can think of five outfits I can wear it in.
Buying only what I'm interested in:
I buy my clothing exclusively through thrifting, second hand websites (Grailed, Ebay, Poshmark), or on deep sales. I simply don't have the income to buy full price, and I'm in no rush so it works out well for me.
Essentially, if the item is on my list and I find a great deal? I'll buy it. If it's not on the list? Absolutely not.
That may seem simple enough, I'm sure everyone reading this is wondering how stupid I am for even suggesting it, but when it comes to thrifting and secondhand buying, the sheer volume of "great deals" can be overwhelming. I could fill my closet with cheap clothing that I would never wear. I sometimes go to 5 thrift stores and leave with nothing.
Buying only of steep discounts:
6 months in, I have maintained a steady 85% off MSRP throughout everything I've purchased. When I do buy online or in store I look for a bare minimum of 50% off (unless the brand simply never goes on sale) often only buying JCrew or other similar brands when they hit 80% off. For secondhand and thrift, I shoot for no more than 75% off MSRP. I recently splurged and bought my most expensive item yet: a barely used pair of common projects all black for $110.
Thrifting for profit:
To anyone who wants to thrift for clothing I will always suggest having a good understanding of designer brands with high resale value. Over half my wardrobe was funded by items I found in thrift stores that I was able to sell for much higher on Grailed and Ebay. I'll be the first to admit that I was incredibly lucky, stumbling into a Loro Piana Suede jacket, but even outside of that item, I have been able to cover the costs of everything I've thrifted from resale profits.
Continuing to upgrade my closet:
I've also started to monitor the items that I now own in my closet. In this part of the spreadsheet I have color coded by quality. Extremely light green might be poly blends that I'm trying to move away from, damaged clothing, or not quite the style I want. Most of these are the remnants from my original closet. I use the same system to find better quality alternates and I follow the rule of replacing light green if I find those on sale, replacing darker green only on AMAZING sales, and only replacing the darkest shade if the clothing falls apart.
Essentially, upgrading my current pieces is my last priority and I don't expect to really start spending on that until I have bought all my "want" pieces first.
On developing style:
Style is, unfortunately, expensive. I have a ton of grail items sitting at the bottom of my spreadsheet that I won't be able to purchase until I have replaced all my essentials. But that has actually helped in one aspect. When I first started looking, my grail list was full of "basic bastard" grails: white achilles lows, SLP Wyatt boots, Perfecto double riders...etc. I'll be the first to admit that it was entirely based on what people told me was good, not what I wanted.
Continuously allowing myself to be influenced by inspiration albums, lookbooks, and the people around me has helped me slowly reshape that list: I'd hardly consider it avant garde, but it is now full of flowing waterfall cardigans, puffy women's sweaters, chunky shoes, DIY projects, "comfy" textures, and a MFA classic: WIDE FITS
I'm only 6 months into my stylistic journey, I'm still finding my exact style, but I just wanted to share.
TL:DR broke dude loses clothing, cries, thrifts, cries more, makes crazy detailed spreadsheets, spends money , still doesn't know what style is

So I started my eBay store in 2012, I’ve got nearly 600 feedback at 100% so I’ve already a solid foundation for selling, which is why my default is always just throw it up on eBay.
I’ve sold some clothes on eBay, and they do typically sit for quite a while before making a sale (if they don’t sell after 16-24 months I typically take down and yard sale or donate). I sell from my own closet (mid 20s female) as well as sourcing from yardsales (typically $1/item, nicer brands or NWT I’m willing to pay a bit more if I’m sure they will sell).
I recently have been wondering if I would have better luck selling on Depop or Poshmark, at least for clothing. I’ve done okay with name brands on eBay but I feel like Depop and/or Poshmark go more for the overall look and style rather than just name brands. And I recently got some nice vintage items from my grandmother that haven’t had many views on eBay.
I’ve read about Poshmark, and it sounds like a hell of a lot of extra effort outside of just listing the item and waiting for it to sell, so I’m really not digging that. Flipping is a side gig and I’ve got a full time job already. I wasn’t sure if Depop required the same extra effort that Poshmark does?
Any tips or stories that anyone has about online clothing sales (in particular, young/college age female clothes) would be super helpful, thanks!

These are some of my favorite tips and hacks I've learned from a variety of sources, from here on Reddit, YouTube, and my own experience.
1) Targeted sharing. Find a sold listing of an item you also have for sale. Follow all the people that liked it. Share the item you have for sale so it's at the top of your closet. Then if they click into your closet, an item you know they're already interested in is sitting right there for them to see.
2) Find a big closet with a lot of followers and activity. Follow all the people that have recently left a love note for that person. You know they're active shoppers since they recently bought something. I find this better than following random new closets who maybe have zero intention of ever buying something.
3) Using a hair straightener for smaller wrinkles on clothing. This had saved me hours not having to pull my iron out for minor wrinkles. Just make sure its clean and free of any hair product that may have gotten on it.
4) I share a specific way to parties to maximize exposure. For the relevant items I "Share to party, share to followers, share to party, share to followers, share to party, share to party" all at once one after the other. Doing this instead of just once to the party has made my notifications triple while doing it. I went from maybe 35 notifications during the jeans party, to 99+. I firmly think sharing an item more than once to a party does bump it to the top again, even if others think it doesn't, and by sharing this way it pops it to the top 4 times in a row, likely being shown to 4 different groups of people that have clicked into the party at different times.
5) Anything that likely won't sell for over $10 at the max I no longer even put on Poshmark. Only ebay and mercari where I can list and forget. Its cut my sharing time in half to not have to keep sharing the same low price stuff over and over.
6) Use closet clear out like you would OTL. As soon as someone likes something on a closet clear out day, drop the price immediately so they get the notification right after liking, rather than waiting to drop all prices at a set time.
7) My favorite money saving polymailers for off Posh sales that can't use Priority packaging. Great quality, great price, and I almost always get them about 2 or 3 days after ordering. https://rover.ebay.com/rove0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F302630347417
8) I include in a lot of my thank yous I include in packages that they can mention they've shopped with me in the future and get 20% off their next purchase. This has gotten me multiple repeat buyers.
9) Most importantly, trust yourself. Don't base your business solely on the experience or advice of others. What works for them might not work for you. What sells for them may sit for you. Find where you succeed and build from there, and never compare your success to how other's achieved theirs. Who cares if someone sold $500 in one day. If you sold 2 things and got a little extra money, be happy about it!

Ok, so this might be a little bit of a long read, but hear me out.
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So when I was in Middle School/Freshman year in high school, I had this Invader Zim shirt that was my absolute favorite shirt in the universe. The feelings of incomprehensible joy that this article of clothing brought me made me feel like I was, for a lack of a better term, big pimpin'. I wore this shirt like 3 or 4 times a week for about a year before it started to get small holes in it (which is reasonable considering how much use I got out of it). After this, I lessened the use of it to probably 2 times a week for the next year or so (I was a freshman by now I think). Even after it became raggedy, faded, and stained, all I did was cut the sleeves off and wore it at home. I mean, this was my go-to shirt during the beginning of my awkward teenage years; we've all had that one article of clothing that we loved during our formative years that we can still remember to this day, right? Even after its demotion to a house/chore shirt, it still saw a fair amount of use. One day though, I guess it just got lost in the laundry and I never saw it again.
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BUT, one day around the end of my senior year of high school, I was going through some boxes at home after my mom wanted some help to sort through a big pile of old clothes that she was going to sell at a garage sale and lo-and-behold, my old friend was sitting there in a pile of miscellaneous shirts, rags, and other clothes that were stored up in the attic. I took it out of the pile faster than a cheetah on a drag and a half of speed. I couldn't believe it, I thought I had lost it. For that moment, that stained, sweat-encrusted, wrinkly t-shirt might as well have been the holy grail. It was like a found a part of me that I didn't know was missing. I was ecstatic, to say the least.
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I've gone on for this long and I still haven't described the shirt yet, huh? I'll post an image link on there to show you all at the end, but just to describe it really quick: it was a light blue shirt with a picture of Gir in his doggy suit in the front. He had his arms open and the lettering was this weird "late 2000s MySpace-Hot Topic" emo font that said "YAY WE'RE DOOMED" surrounded by thin streaks of multicolored lightning.
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Anyways, back to the story. So immediately after finding the shirt, I decided to give it a wash. The washer was full because my mom was using it, so I decided to put my shirt to the side for a few hours so that she has a chance to finish and I could give my clothes a was. Now, this is where I dun goofed; I put the shirt in what I THOUGHT was a pile of house clothes that were needing to be washed. I didn't think much of it and ended up going to hang out with my friends for a little bit. Well, when I got back home I noticed that the pile I put my shirt in was gone. I thought to myself "hmm, maybe mom washed it for me since it was just laying there with the other stuff"; I had never been more wrong in my life. As it so tragically turned out, that wasn't the pile for dirty house clothes. It was the pile of old gross shirts that she was going to cut up and wash to use as rags for cleaning. And there my shirt laid, cut up and mixed in with the carnage of tens of cut up shirts. I was heartbroken. Destroyed. My old friend was gone. After all it had done for me in the form of giving me confidence in that awkward stage of my teenage year, I had let it be ripped to shreds in a filthy pile of sub-par clothing. I was at a loss for words.
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I couldn't blame my mom, she didn't know. And I guess I couldn't really blame myself either because I didn't know either. But it didn't matter, it was gone. Expired before I could give it a chance at a proper resurrection. On that day forward, I promised myself that I wouldn't rest until I found another copy of that shirt and had it in my possession once again. The tireless and tedious search lasted about a week. There was absolutely nothing on any online market place. I checked all the places online that sold secondhand clothes. Hell, I even went through about a hundred pages worth of Invader Zim stuff on Ebay and still found nothing. I was devastated. Not had I not found anything for sale, but it seemed as if there weren't even pictures of it online at all.
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This search continued sporadically throughout the years. Searching every now and again when the thought of my old friend popped up in my mind and the need to find that same design was as overpowering as an itch that desperately needed to be scratched. And to be quite honest, I had almost entirely given up. When Poshmark had started gaining popularity I had continued my search there, but with no luck.
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Fast forward to now:
It's been a pretty boring quarantine and I've found myself with a little more time on my hands to do stuff. And today, my old friend popped up in my head so I decided to spend a couple of minutes looking for it (it came up in conversation with my girlfriend while we were on the phone for whatever reason). After a few minutes of searching, I found something that I honestly couldn't believe: a picture of the shirt that I had lost so long ago. After YEARS, I finally found a picture of the shirt that bears the image of my old friend. I'm so excited that when I read this back tomorrow I'll notice a lot of spelling and sentence structure errors in my writing but I don't care at this point.
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So now, here's where it becomes relevant.
I'm looking to buy this shirt.
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It would mean the world to me if anyone could point me in the direction of someone selling this shirt. I don't care what size it is (although a MED or LRG is preferred). I still can't find one online. I've checked Poshmark, eBay, and numerous other second-hand clothing shops and still can't find it.
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I NEED YOUR HELP.
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Am I overreacting and do I know that at the end of the day, it's just a shirt? Yes, absolutely. But I'm human, I'm allowed to feel stupid things sometimes. Again, if anyone could point me in the direction of anyone or any website that might have this shirt, then I would appreciate it more than anything.
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Heres a link to the image of the shirt: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcRDCzgI7Sb8P6EvR7vaBMMdceDwziUOSMm6UdLAH2s8V5UR-RIu&usqp=CAU
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So please, help a homie out?
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TLDR; I got bored as a bag of bricks during quarentine and decided to bitch about an article of clothing I had when I was a teenager. Help me find it pls.

Hi ladies! So I've had some good luck with grey market buys from TB recently, so have gone searching TB for some of my favourite Australian brands.
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My theory is that these are grey market judging from pictures, information and I just don't consider it likely that most of these brands are repped. Am I being too hopeful?
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I have added a little description for the brands (just my perceptions/opinions) to help non-Aussies understand what we're on about.
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Cue
An Australian brand that is super popular for fashionable corporate attire. Also does non-corporate attire. Some edgy designs. Heavily features fit and flare and zip front dresses. Usually great quality and fabrics but can be so expensive for what it is. Mostly Australian made I believe except some specific lines. Cue in the City is made in China.
Long striped denim skirt
This is the only item I have found unfortunately ... but this means they are out there? Here is an explanation of The Letter Q line.
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Forever New
A popular Australian chain store with feminine styles. Lots of pretty florals, lace and soft colours. Popular for bridesmaids dresses or generally wedding guest attire. Quality is good for the price point I think, significantly better than H & M and such. They last well for me. Some dresses are silk. I think Forever New is in Asia too, maybe under a different name? I have seen it selling Lipsy London too.
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FN Factory Store: [Prices aren't especially low, probably a little under sale rack prices? There is literally a whole store of this stuff, mostly limited sizes. Mix of older and newer stuff I think.]
Adeline Day Dress Auth
Floral skirt (only size AU 10)
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Brocade store [More in the store. Seems cheaper. States they cut the tags. Limited sizing.]:
Tropical jumpsuit
Black & white jumpsuit
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Some more stores which seem to be the same deal but I haven't yet scoured through:
DW exclusive
Belly foreign trade original
d[s1368821
Reed brand discount
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Country Road
A long running Australian chain store that sells clothes and homewares. Aesthetic is modern, grown up, lots of neutrals.
This store has a section of Country Road. It has a whole lot of other brands too, grey or rep?
This jewellery store (at the bottom of this post) has a Country Road section.
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Mimco
Mimco is an Australian brand that sells bags, jewellery, shoes and other accessories. I have found the quality to be average, but the pieces are trendy and pretty.
Proceed with caution! The bags and pouches are definitely repped, they feature prominently in Balinese markets! I have looked for things that I recognise as Mimco but are less common, so less chance of being reps I think.
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Rings - rose gold and gold. I have the auth of the bracelet version of the rose gold ring. It looks the same. High quality scientific comparison.
This store sells all sorts of branded mass produced jewellery (Kenneth Cole, Liz Claiborne, Lucky brand, Monet, Betsey Johnson, Forever 21), I would speculate they are all grey market from the same factory? The listing says: 'the store goods all foreign trade special jewelry , those entangled in the end is not the original, there is no flaw, there is no color difference girl, please counter, jewelry is a consumable, more expensive and finally throw, so...' No idea what to actually conclude from that.
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Bracelet Mimco has definitely had a heap of styles just like these, here's a similar style. This shop has a section of Mimco stuff.
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Bonus jewellery
That last Mimco store actually has a whole list of brands - again, grey market mass produced jewellery from the one factory?:

• Agatha 925
• Alexis Bittar
• Ann Taylor
• Baublebar
• Carolee
• Chico's + WHBM
• Chloe+isabel
• COS+other stories
• Country road
• DYRBERG/KERN
• Fossil
• Givenchy
• Henri Bendel
• J.crew
• Juicy Couture
• Kate Spade
• Les Néréides
• Lucky Brand
• Madewell
• Marc jacobs
• British Marchesa
• Michael Kors
• Mimco, Australia
• MMA Metropolitan Museum
• Monet
• Ralph Lauren
• Rebecca Minkoff
• Sence Copenhagen
• Stella Dot
• Talbots
• Tory Burch
• Zara

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Bonus thinks I looked up auths for:
J Crew starfish earrings TB auth
Baublebar Esper drop earrings TB auth
Kate Spade Shore Thing clam necklace TB auth
[Yes, I do want to go on a tropical holiday, thank you for asking]
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Another store of a similar nature (found by another replady recently, along with the above store)
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Okay, I should now stop this research and do actual research for an assignment I need to start on. For science I am willing to GP some things to test my grey market theories.
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Thanks for reading - please do contribute, discuss and critique!

A while back, I asked what people would think of a review of the Reformation, and a lot of folks expressed interest. Over the past five years, I’ve purchased about thirty pieces from the Reformation. Of those thirty, I returned or sold ten of them, so I’d say my experience with the brand has not been uniformly positive, but positive enough for me to keep going back to the well. For reviews of specific items, you can check out New Inspired, a blogger who includes detailed reviews of pieces from a number of different brands. Keep in mind that this review is based on the completely subjective perspective of a non-expert, and I welcome other perspectives, but having bought a range of pieces from the Reformation, here are some of my general impressions:
Sizing/fit: One thing I like about Ref’s clothes is that I know how they fit—I find their sizing consistent, their product measurements reliable, and the clothing true-to-size. For reference, I am 5’ 8” with 34b-25-38 measurements and I wear a size 4/S in most Ref items. I take a size 6 or 28 in pants and jeans. I wear similar sizes in clothes from Topshop and H&M. I find their mini dresses to be ungodly short—I’ve been complimented on my “shirt” when wearing Reformation mini dresses more than once—so taller shoppers may want to stick to midis and maxis. The Reformation seems to be made with women with smaller busts in mind, so larger busted women may want to proceed with caution. They do label which items are bra-friendly, but those pieces seem to be in the minority.
Quality: Quality is more of a mixed bag. With the caveat that I am hardly an expert on clothing construction, I’ve been happy with the construction of the pieces I’ve bought from the Reformation—many items are lined, zippers lay flat, and the seams are solidly stitched together. I find the quality of construction to be similar to other brands in their price range (I’m thinking Realisation and Ganni, in particular). However, I’m not crazy about a lot of the fabrics they use. I actually avoid their viscose fabrics because I find that they wrinkle if you look at them the wrong way and they hold onto odors. Also, viscose isn’t a fabric that holds up well over time, and for the price, I’d prefer something that lasts. That being said, I do have a couple of their viscose pieces, just because I love the design/print so much, but again, I generally avoid those fabrics. Their deadstock fabrics can be iffy, too—I have a t-shirt dress from the Reformation that is badly pilling, although in their defense, I’ve worn it to death. I’ve learned to avoid items with plaids and stripes because the patterns don’t often line up well. I do like their linen, denim, and Tencel items quite a bit, and these are the pieces I gravitate towards. I have a few Tencel turtlenecks from the Reformation that I wear pretty much constantly in the fall, and they’ve held up very nicely over the past couple of years. I have one pair of jeans from their Ref Jeans line, and I love them, but I’ve only worn them a couple times, so I can’t speak to how well they last over time.
Care: Care instructions for Ref pieces are a pain in the ass—most of them specify dry clean only (which kind of negates the environmental cred their trying to build) or hand wash only. I am lazy, so I usually put hand washables in a delicates bag and throw them in my washing machine on the hand wash cycle, and then lay them to dry on my drying rack. I usually use Dryel for the dry clean only items, and take them to the dry cleaner after a few wears. So far, most of my Reformation pieces have held up well, with the exception of the aforementioned t-shirt dress, so my slothfulness has been rewarded.
Ethics: Yeah, I know, I know—no ethical consumption under capitalism. But a bourgeois pig-dog has to look her best, and from the research I’ve done, the Reformation does seem to have some pretty decent business practices. However, as mentioned before, when a company produces mostly dry clean only clothes, you have to wonder a little about their commitment to the environment. You can read more from Good on You.
Style: I get a cubic assload of compliments when I wear stuff from the Reformation. It’s cute stuff. One issue I have with some of their stock is that they tend to include annoying cut outs or other random design elements that make the piece less wearable, but they have so many designs, I still find it pretty easy to find stuff to put on my wishlist.
So, is the Reformation worth it? That all depends on your budget and lifestyle, of course, but overall, I would say yes, with some caveats. I would probably avoid their viscose pieces unless you’re head over heels for the style or you can find them second-hand or on sale. Fortunately, the Reformation has good customer service, and shipping and returns are free in the US, so the risk level is low. The Reformation pieces can frequently be found second hand on Ebay, Poshmark, Depop, and the Real Real, and with more online shops carrying them (like Nordstrom, Shopbop, and Net-a-Porter), you’re more likely to find Ref pieces on sale. The Reformation also has a high resale value, and if you’re someone who likes to refresh your wardrobe fairly regularly, that is a definite plus. I’ve purchased items final sale on the Reformation website that I didn’t like, and was able to recoup my full cost by selling them on Depop. Their linen, Tencel, cotton, and denim are a better bet, especially because you can find many items made out of those fabrics in their lower-cost Ref Jeans line.

Your dollars matter. Here's where you can spend them to shape the fashion industry to what we wish it would be:
*Text credits: More Magazine, Harper's Bazaar, Sustainably chic.com, organic spa magazine article
Kenneth Cole
In 1987, Kenneth Cole joined the Board of Trustees of amfAR (The American Foundation for AIDS Research). Today, he is Chairman of the Board, and he matches donations to amfAR dollar for dollar, up to $100,000. Cole, who has publicly supported AIDS research since 1985, is known for the controversial advertising of his brand, such as its “We All Have AIDS” campaign. The amfAR Web site quotes Cole as saying, “It is great to be known for your shoes. It is even better to be recognized for your soul.” In addition to his work with amfAR, Cole also sits on the board of HELP USA, the largest provider of jobs, homes, and services for the homeless. Many in the fashion industry consider him one of the strongest, most important voices for positive change.
Donna Karan
Fashion powerhouse Donna Karan created the Urban Zen Foundation in New York City’s West Village to promote creating, connecting, and collaborating on awareness for well-being, empowering children, and preserving cultures. Karan, whose husband died of lung cancer in 2001, devotes much of her philanthropic endeavors to the research of holistic medicine and cancer treatment. Through her Urban Zen Foundation, Karan has partnered with the chairman of the Department of Integrative Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center, Dr. Woodson Merrell, and with Beth Israel Medical Center’s Continuum Center for Health and Healing to establish “a major multi-component initiative that includes physical changes to the environment of the oncology unit, the introduction of skilled yoga therapy, staff retraining to encourage optimal healing, and a rigorous research program.” In April 2009, USA Today reported that Karan donated $850,000 to the Beth Israel Medical Center to “bring yoga therapy and a new kind of caregiving to the cancer wing.”
EDUN
Bono started this ultra-eco-conscious brand in 2006 with his wife, Ali Hewson. The pair set out to create a for-profit fashion line that focuses on raising awareness of the possibilities in Africa by ultimately encouraging the fashion community to do business there. The label actively engages in sourcing organic and sustainable materials whenever it’s possible. The brand promotes the idea that organic cotton provides healthier working conditions and is a valuable market opportunity for farmers in Africa.
Fashion Project
Founded by Anna Palmer and Christine Rizk in hopes of using fashion as a force for good, Fashion Project is an e-commerce site based out of Boston where members can donate their designer clothing or accessories and donate to a charity of choice. Fashion Project will then photograph the pieces and re-sell them on the site with 55% of proceeds going to a good cause.
The selling of one dress alone buys 300 meals for families in need through the Greater Boston Food Bank while a pair of shoes provides 2 microfinance loans for female entrepreneurs based in Uganda. So even if you don't currently have any clothing to donate, you can still shop for a good cause.
Satya Jewelry
Symbolizing 'truth', Satya Jewelry, uses handcrafted jewelry made with semi-precious stones and meaningful symbols to empower women and give back to children in need across the globe. Through the Satya Foundation, the jewelry has already donated $1 million to children's charities ranging from The Manjushree Orphanage to Charity Water.
Same Sky Jewelry
Same Sky taps women from Rwanda to New York City to create beautiful hand-crafted jewelry in order to provide job opportunities and self-sufficiency. The empowering brand trains women and provides them with the tools needed to create jewelry which is then sold by Same Sky across the world. After starting in Rwanda in order to aide women left distraught by the genocide, Same Sky has also furthered their mission to New York where they provide jobs for women after incarceration.
Lemlem
Founded by model Liya Kebede, Lemlem—which means to bloom or flourish—preserves and sells the art of Ethiopian weaving through scarves, apparel and accessories. Through e-commerce, Lemlem is able to bring the beauty of Ethiopia's bold and bright weaving across the world while providing jobs and preserving the nation's handcrafted art.
Sevenly
Sevenly is an e-commerce site that teams up with a different charity each week to create a line of t-shirts or accessories raising awareness for the cause. $7 from every purchase will go towards that charity of the week in the ultimate do-gooder flash sale, which typically frequents limited edition pieces. To date, the sales of their collaborations have raised over $4 million in total to help benefit the charities spotlighted and also feature some pretty statement-making t-shirts.
the tote project 20% of profits are donated to Two Wings
If there is one brand that radiates hope & compassion in the most practical way {because many of us could tote-ally use a tote!}, it's this one. Based on friendship & a shared dream, Fay Grant and Michelle Chavez started the The Tote Project to support the recovery for victims of modern day slavery. With hope, they strive to empower survivors of human trafficking by providing them opportunities and helping show their worth & potential. Each tote is sewn in India by women who have left the sex trade, and with every purchase made 20% of profits are donated to Two Wings, a US non-profit dedicated to helping survivors pursue their dreams.
palabra
A book is donated to a low-income child with each purchase.
Eco-tees that inspire and give back, Palabra's statement t-shirts are sure to make you think. These aren’t your average tees. They are soft with a great drape, AND they tread lightly on the planet. Made with a blend of organic cotton and recycled polyester, you’ll look good and feel good when wearing them!
olori
One month of tuition fees for an underprivileged girl
Olori is the word for Queen in the Yoruba language {spoken in West Africa}, which symbolizes the inherent worth & power within every girl. All of Olori’s handbags are made by artisans and women-owned businesses in Nigeria, AND each bag pays one month of tuition fees for an underprivileged girl in Africa. It truly doesn’t get more women-focused than this!!
all the wild roses
Each Purchase Helps Fund a Woman in Need to Start Her Own Business
A brand about living your own adventure and following your heart, All the Wild Roses take on slow fashion is romantic, inspiring and incredibly beautiful. Plus, they have partnered up with a wonderful organization called Opportunity International Australia through their program “Dare to Dream”. This project was created to bring opportunity to women in underprivileged countries who are struggling to provide even the most basic essentials for their family.
little by little jewellery Action Against Hunger
For every purchase you make, Little by Little donates the funding to pay for three day's supply of therapeutic food to nurse an acutely malnourished child back to health through the program Action Against Hunger. I love how their mission to help others ties into the aesthetic of the designs.
Vaute Couture (haute couture with a V for vegan)
founder Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart says she’s an activist first and foremost—as well as a fashion visionary. “I’ve been running campaigns for the animals since I was eight years old and later created recycling programs at my high school and food drives in college,” says the Brooklyn, NY-based designer who launched her company in 2008. “Business is an incredible way to create change, too.” Organic Production The Vaute Couture collection is completely vegan, made from recyclable and recycled fibers, and it is produced locally. “Vegan clothes aren’t just for vegans,” she says. “I’ve dedicated my life to creating fashion that takes animals out of the equation. I create innovative textiles and clothing and our collection is cut and sewn mostly in New York City. There’s no better impact we can make than to create positive change.” Giving Back Matters The company designs two benefit tees a month to support and raise awareness for nonprofits focused on animal safety. “We do adoption events with animal rescues, awareness-raising events and campaigns raising awareness specifically on how animals suffer and are killed for fashion,” she says. “It’s a cause that’s very close to my heart.”
Nau
The most rigorous of sustainable design criteria are in place whenever a Nau collection is brought to market at this Portland, OR-based apparel brand. Organic Production Launched in 2007, Nau-designed pieces use only natural, renewable or recycled fibers produced in a sustainable manner. The company also has a robust RSL (restricted substances list) to reduce the use of toxic chemicals that are often used in textile production. “Our sustainable design criteria ensure that each product has the lowest environmental impact possible and that it will be a long-lasting, high-quality product,” says Mark Galbraith, Nau’s general manager. Giving Back Matters For Galbraith, a critical part of sustainability is being a responsible member of both a local and global community. To that end, the company has a Partners for Change program, in which two percent of every product sold goes to one of six nonprofit partner organizations. “Our partners are doing important work to improve the environmental, social and economic conditions on our planet, both locally and globally,” Galbraith says. “Plus, every customer can actually choose which of our six partners she wants her two percent go to.” nau.com
Industry of all nations
Using organic cotton and indigo dyes, the three brothers who run the Culver City, CA-based Industry of All Nations, are intensely focused on eco-production and work directly with local craftspeople to bring their pieces to a global market. “It’s just in our hearts,” says Juan Gerscovich, who co-founded the company in 2010. “When we started out, our goal was to bring clothing production back to where the raw materials are and work with local communities to produce garments sustainably.” Organic Production The company, which launched with an original Argentine espadrille, is dedicated to promoting social, environmental and cultural awareness. Since then, through their Clean Clothes Project, they’ve built a dye house in the south of India where they get their organic cotton, cut-and-sew work and where they produce all-natural dyes. Giving Back Matters Out of a long list of charitable partnerships, Gerscovich says a favorite is The Alpaca Project, through which they support a local co-op in Bolivia, where the women knitters are now able to work from home, alleviating long commutes, all the while keeping alive a cultural art form that has been passed down from mother to daughter. industryofallnations.com
Jungmaven
At Jungmaven, a Seattle-based T-shirt company, founder Robert Jungmann began advocating for the use of hemp in clothing in 1993 and, in 2010, launched Hemp T-Shirt by 2020 campaign, with the idea of getting everyone to wear hemp Ts by 2020. Organic Production To create the collection’s made in the USA Ts, Jungmann uses natural dyes such as coffee, black tea, indigo, walnut, pomegranate, onion peel, red wine and creosote and hemp—which cleans oxygen and water, nourishes the land, uses little to no pesticides, and needs a fraction of the water that cotton takes to grow. Giving Back Matters Since the early ‘90s, Jungmann has been a leader in the hemp movement and, to date, has sold or given away approximately 1.5 million hemp T-shirts, furthering the company’s mission to raise hemp awareness. “We try to put those light bulbs on,” he says. “We’re passionate about getting our Ts out there so that people start realizing that hemp is such a better fiber than cotton when it comes to clean fashion manufacturing.” jungmaven.com
Edited: thanks to an alert reader! Sadly this site (zady.com) is no more.
amour vert
With a name that means “green love” in French and a motto that “with every tee, plant a tree,” Amour Vert’s founders (and husband-and-wife) Linda Balti and Christoph Frehsee are committed to eco-friendly fashion. “We were inspired to create the company when we learned that fashion is the second most polluting industry next to oil,” says Frehsee. “We challenged ourselves to create accessibly priced contemporary fashion that was also sustainable.” Organic Production Amour Vert’s collection of dresses, T-shirts and skirts feature American manufacturing, non-toxic dyes, sustainable fibers, innovative fabrics and a zero-waste design philosophy. Giving Back Matters The company partnered with American Forests and, by the end of 2015, will have planted 100,000 trees across the country. In fact, this past April, the company vowed to plant a tree for each person who Instagrammed their favorite photo of a tree in honor of Earth Day.
“We were first inspired to create the company when we learned the disturbing reality that fashion is the second most polluting industry next to oil.” Kristen Bell, Jordana Brewster and others took to Instagram to encourage people to help the company plant trees. “Since we use fibers derived from tree pulp in our T-shirts, the Plant a T(r)ee program is our 360 degree approach to fashion and our way of giving back to the environment.” amourvert.com
and of course, my beloved... Eileen Fisher
-really too much to list here, she has about 10 pages dedicated to her sustainability efforts, but in short: VISION2020 Our vision is for an industry where human rights and sustainability are not the effect of a particular initiative, but the cause of a business well run. Where social and environmental injustices are not unfortunate outcomes, but reasons to do things differently.
here is a list of 19 more ethical, slow clothing, fair trade, and sustainable (not necessarily all but at least one of the above) fashion and clothing companies.
...and this merely scratches the surface of the hundreds of companies and initiatives being created and sustained throughout fashion and clothing. Millennials are demanding better, more transparent clothing, better wages, better working conditions, more sizing options, more gender neutral clothing, more functional clothing, more options at every price point, and are radically shifting the industry over time.
We hear a LOT about the pollution, slavery, and waste in fashion. What can we realistically DO as consumers? Please chime in with your own options, links, and projects or recommendations!
Other options:
Making your own clothes:
Ravelry: learn how to knit and crochet
indiesew: learn how to sew online
Secondhand online shopping:
$
Thred up
[eBay](https:ebay.com)
Poshmark
$$ etsy for vintage
$$$
the real real
vestaire collective
Wear what you have, minimalism, and small closet communities
Project 333
The minimalist wardrobe
unfancy
frugal
minimalism
frugalfashion
and of course, buying from local boutiques, vintage clothing stores, and vendor fairs, flea markets, estate sales and garage sales helps too.
Love, A Fashion Lover.