Today is a lazy Saturday and I am far from dressed up, but I rarely am anyway:
Shoes (Skechers, bought on sale): $25
Socks (from a multipack): $1
Panties (Fruit of the Loom, multipack): $1
Bra: $45
T-shirt (Clearance, Old Navy): $2
Jeans (Fashion Bug 40% off sale): $20
Jewelry (three silver rings): $45
Hair barrettes: $5
Total for clothes and accessories: $144
Glasses: $200
Purse (from Target, but super cute): $15
Contents of purse (makeup, cell phone, lotion, little bottle of hairspray, Excedrin, Hello Kitty band-aids, Hello Kitty checkbook cover): Around $255
$614 all together. I am a bargain shopper. If I didn’t have big hooters and a vision problem my total would have been much less.
Barring this (contents of my purse) the thing I’d be most upset about is all the gold jewelry. Every piece was a gift and I can tell you who gave me each one (which family member) and when and how old I was and under what circumstances.
Glasses: $400
Wedding Ring: $150
Watch: $10
Bra: $50
Shirt: $10
Overshirt (no coats for me): $30
Underwear: $10
Jeans: $25
Socks: $5
Shoes: $40
Wallet: $10 (not counting the irreplaceable stuff, like the paper my now husband wrote his number on when we exchanged before our first date)
Gift Certificates kept in wallet: $100 (it’s right after Christmas)
The glasses would be the most difficult thing for me. I couldn’t begin to try and gather the rest of the items to be replaced. I could barely get out of the room I’m in. Luckily they can’t take tattoos.
Grand Total: $840 with the Gift Cards. Not too bad.
Jeans: $30
Shoes: an atypical $110 (just bought with gift card from work; most of mine are more in the $60 range)
Custom prescription orthotics: $350
Underwear: oh, maybe $4
Socks: $2
T-shirt: $10
Bra: $30
Earrings: maybe $15
Ring: $10 (jewelry cost varies; I’ve got a couple of nice antique rings from my grandparents, but I don’t wear them much)
Watch: I don’t remember, maybe $50?
Glasses: $300
Prescription sunglasses: maybe $200
Purse: I don’t remember, maybe $50?
Wallet: $30; maybe $30 cash in the wallet at the moment
Train pass: $5 replacement cost (all value on card would be restored)
Palm: bought ages ago, replacement cost about $200
Cell phone: just got new one with plan - was $30 with contract, but would be maybe $200 to replace
Inhaler: $10 copay
Lipstick: maybe $15
Hairbrush: $4
$1455 total, $590 total without the medical items, $190 without the medical items or electronics. So without the minor geekiness and physical infirmities, I’d be pretty cheap. (Bump the totals up on workdays by about $250 form my iPod; public transmit commuting is much saner with it.)
Boots - £50
Jeans - £20
Shirt - £20
Belt - £10
Boxers - £10
Socks - £1
Jacket - £50
'Phone - £50
PDA - This model’s not made anymore, but can be picked up secondhand for about £70.
Headphones - £5
SD card - £30
Metal PDA case - £20
I’m a fairly big girl. Department stores carry a very limited range of bras in my size, so I often have to go to a specialist store to get something that fits. They are typically dearer, but also of better quality so they last longer and offer better support and more comfort. A $5 bra is less likely to be available in my size, and probably isn’t going to offer the support I need. It’s similar to the differences between a $5 pair of shoes and a $50 pair of shoes - the dearer pair typically are made of better materials, are more comfortable, last longer and give your feet better support.
In my case, I’ve found a $5 dollar bra just won’t last as long. I usually buy $20 bras…when they’re on sale. So I’ll buy 3. The cheap ones wear out and tear.
Where the heck do you buy a $5 bra? Seriously - I think about $15 is the cheapest I’ve ever seen a bra. Is there some special bra discounter that I need to be made aware of, and do they carry La Perla?
I buy bras that fit well, are comfortable (I have a 14-18 hour long day), wear well (I’m very active and as such I am hard on my things), and look good, preferably in a variety of ensembles. A cheap bra will simply not do these things. Less busty women can probably get away with a cheaper bra, but I insist after several wardrobe emergencies that I will not buy crap bras again.
Boxers: $3
Undershirt: $1
Socks: $1
Khakis: $15
Plain T-shirt: $5
Hoodie/Fleece: $20 but most of my hoodies are free from sports I have played
Sneakers: $25
Hat: $10
Glasses: $200
Cell: free
ID holder/Wallet: free (I rarely carry cash)
Pack of Dentyne: $1.50
CD Player: $50
Headphones: $10
Athletic bag: $15
Sketchbook: $8 (but its really irreplaceable)
