Related:
Charlie Sheen’s cheap wedding suit — is frugal a faux pas?
How Much Should You Spend on Clothes?

By Chelsea P. Gladden

Co-workers Christian and Bobbi first bonded over their mutual tragedies. Bobbi had lost her father unexpectedly and Christian had survived a car crash that left his wife and 7-month-old daughter dead and his three-year-old son with brain damage. Having one another during their grief proved invaluable.

Eventually, the two fell in love and were married. Bobbi started working part time from home to help care for her stepson Austin who, in addition to brain damage, had autism. The Snows soon wanted to add to their family and were given the gift of their son Josh. It wasn’t long after his birth that they were then pregnant with Blake.

During this second pregnancy in 2006, the family was told that Josh had autism. While the news is devastating for any parent, they were ready to do all that it takes to get Josh the treatment he would need.

While tending to sessions for both sons, their third was eventually also diagnosed. Their strength of character kept them strong as they moved forward with the cards they were dealt.

Working closely with ABA, a form of therapy that has helped children overcome Autism, the future looked bright and the two younger boys were looking likely to enroll in kindergarten and live Autistic free lives.

However, in March, the Regional Center, which funds children with disabilities, inexplicably stopped covering treatment for Josh. Bobbi and Christian have been faced with an $11,000 a month bill in order to continue the treatment– which stands a much better chance the earlier age its received — that has shown vast promise for curing Josh.

Clearly, saving for the unknown is always a good idea but no family could ever anticipate a sudden $11,000 a month bill that could change the course of their son’s life. I chose to write about it because I had just received a moving email from Christian describing their plight. Bobbi and Christian are one of the nicest couples I have ever met and Bobbi is my amazing sister-in-law’s sister.

Their courageousness in the face of adversity has reminded me that there’s more to saving up for a new car, house or paying off the credit card debt, but instead to set aside in my Geezeo budget a fund to contribute to people in need of services you can’t put a price on.

Want to join the discussion on savings? Visit It’s It’s Time to Budget and Couples & Money. To learn more about the Snow family, visit: http://www.fightagainstautism.com
And get creative with your money making. Visit The Top Ten Most Searched Stocks on TheStreet.com.

It’s wedding season. Did Charlie Sheen ruin his big wedding day by wearing a cheap suit? Here’s what our friends at MainStreet.com had to say on the matter.

Wedding Week: Did Charlie Sheen’s ‘Cheap Suit’ Ruin His Big Day?
by Juliana Bunim

When Charlie Sheen proposed to wife Brooke Mueller with a $500,000 engagement ring last June, he may not have left enough money in his piggy bank. Why else would he don a discount suit to their May 30 wedding?

“I got tired of $3,000 suits falling apart in the middle of certain events,” Sheen told OK! Instead, the Two and a Half Men (CBS) star (who reportedly takes in more than $350,000 an episode) opted for a suit from the Men’s Wearhouse (MW), where the most expensive ensemble runs for $599.99. “I like their commercials a lot,” he explained.

Is going budget on your big day a faux-pas? MainStreet asked four fashion experts to weigh in on whether Sheen’s deal warrants a crime of fashion.

Click here to read more about Charlie’s frugal fashion choice.

Related:
How much should you spend on clothes?
Geezeo Group: Shopaholics
Geezeo Goal: Buy professional clothes

With the warm weather beginning to come around, I feel as though I am spending more than I am actually saving! Warm weather really seems to be able to do this to you…the sun comes out and all of a sudden you feel a need to spend, spend, spend!

Here are a few things I have noticed lately:

1. Dunkin’ Donuts – I am always craving iced coffee’s from Dunkin’ Donuts. Why is this? Because when it is sunny outside, I just want a refreshing coffee to keep me going for the day. But these get expensive every morning. It is just not going to work with me buying a coffee every morning…I will be broke in no time! The lady working at Dunkin’ Donuts the other day even told me the other day that she can always tell when the weather is getting warm because they are constantly serving iced coffees.

2. Skipping Class – This is a problem for me to begin with…being a senior at Boston University with a major case of senioritis I find it hard to go to class on rainy days. But when the sun is out, I feel like I should be enjoying my time in the city…not stuck in class!

3. Buying Drinks – Another thing I’ve noticed…I tend to crave margaritas and frozen fruit alcoholic beverages when the weather starts to turn nice! It makes me want to go to a restaurant and spend money on drinks in the middle of the afternoon which obviously is not completely necessary! Beer too — sales must really increase with these. When weather turns, people all want to BBQ as soon as possible and beer tends to complete this package!

4. Red Sox Season – For those of you who aren’t from Boston, you may not understand…but the Red Sox home opener day this year was beautiful. The weather was just perfect! But it always seems to be the case that when the weather starts to get warm people are wearing their Red Sox clothing more and more.

5. Shopping – This seems to come with the changing of any season, but warm weather especially! People always feel the need (me especially) to go out and spend money on new clothes! Warm weather is especially fun to shop for…shorts, t-shirts, tanks, and all the fun and bright new colors that just make you feel…well, HAPPY! I sure some people can discuss more of these problems here!

So…these are just probably the top five reasons that my spending has increased since the weather here in Boston decided to get a little bit warmer. Its not even that it is really THAT warm yet, but just the thought of the sun actually being out and the blue sky is enough to make me want to spend!

I am currently a senior at Boston University and I feel like my money just keeps walking out the door! Not only am I in a little bit of a “senior slump” so to speak (finding it hard to do any type of school work), but I am also spending more money than I have in previous years!

With Spring Break just around 2 weeks away here at BU, I’m finding it necessary to buy a new wardrobe. Now, I’m telling you that if you saw my closet as it currently is…you would agree with everyone else in my life that I don’t need any new clothes! But, I believe in “seasonal depression” and when I walk into all the stores that have all the bright colored spring clothing lines in and with the snow still falling outside…I can’t help but spend my money! I mean everyone needs a little pick me up right?

So, with a new closet and still being in my little “senior slump” I am also finding it hard to say “NO!”…and instead everytime I might even think about saying “No” a “Yes” comes out of my mouth instead. So when my friends are going out and I really don’t feel like spending the money, I go against my gut and go out anyways! I mean nobody wants to be left out…especially not their senior year of college! Don’t get me wrong…I love going out — but at the same time all my money lately has gone towards take-out, going to restaurants, drinks at bars, and cab rides! That being said, my weekends are filled with a lot of great memories to take with me!

Even as I complain about spending this money, I realize now that I just can’t stop (ok, so thats an exaggeration…I could stop if I REALLY tried, but I’m not sure I want to). I mean this is what I saved some of my money for right? The Spring Break trips, the going out on the weekends. And I am one out of two of all of my group of friends that has a job!…and I’m special because I hold two jobs! So, although I may be spending just as much as everyone else, I am also bringing in some money which is keeping my bank account from disappearing completely.

Don’t go around and say that this “Hannah girl” said it was okay to spend all my money! Because thats not what I’m saying at all. Just don’t let money control your life. I think that I have come to the realization that this is probably one of the last times that I will get to spend my money like this…and have so much free time to do so. So before I reach the real world and get a full-time job, I want to say that I remember having a lot of fun (although I’m hoping that some of this fun will continue on…)!

Also, I am open to any advice that anyone might have for me (from either those that are currently in their own “senior slump”…or those who have been there before…or those that just have any old opinion whatsoever!) :o)

“I have a formula I use on how much an item cost and how much it will cost per wear and see if it is worth the price or not”.

How does clothing fit into your budget? Do shoes and shirts take up more of your budget than you’d like? Or do you hardly spend anything on clothes? Do clothes even matter?

Monica Diaz, personal style consultant and owner of StyleMatters, would emphatically say YES! Your clothes do matter…starting from first impressions to on-going self-marketing. So, great… how much should we be spending on them, then? Find out what she says on the matter.

Monica, please tell us a little about what you do — why is it important to “invest” in one’s style? Some might say that fashion in general is shallow, or that it isn’t important what others think about what you wear. Certainly you disagree!

I’m a Personal Style Consultant, I help individuals and corporations develop and define their true style, their personal brand.

An investment is something you buy to get a profitable return and when you invest in developing your “Style” the return is not only monetary in terms of career advancement but it is also empowering, a gain in confidence.

There are few people that truly understand the importance of style development. I think today we are starting to understand it more with shows like Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style and How Do I Look? We are starting to see how we hide behind our clothes and get stuck in a look because it feels safe. My job is see beyond that and bring out the true you the one that is hiding behind the facade. The individuals that call me are truly ready for a change and understand they need to take that step forward in life. When a corporation decides to hire me to give their employees a seminar on company image it tells me this company know that their company image goes beyond the company letterhead and that their employees play a major part in corporate branding.

I most certainly disagree with the statement that fashion is either shallow or unimportant. I think most of us know that we are judged within the first 30 seconds that we meet someone. In those 30 seconds without saying a word someone has already determined your age, social status, education, marital status and economic standing all based on what you look like. This judgment, by the way, is made by all individuals. The shallow and non shallow…it is just human nature. So if all you have is 30 seconds to tell others who you are, you want that message to be clear and positive and be true to who you are.

You often say that style is not driven by finances — that anyone can create a signature style on a limited budget. Why do you say this?

I truly believe that when it comes to style it does not matter how much money you spend how old you are or what is your dress size. Style is your essence what you are inside that is reflected on the outside. How many of us have seen very wealthy people that have absolutely no style. I grew up in a family with a very limited budget so my mom made a lot of our clothes and what made them stylish was that they fit our bodies and our personalities perfectly. Today we have many options for those on a budget stores like by giving the consumer stylish clothing at a budget price point. But I would like to say buyers beware because you need to know that quality always beats quantity.

In your opinion, what’s a good percentage of take home pay to spend on your wardrobe, and why?

You know, part of your essential needs is clothing so I think the amount you could allow yourself is greater than you think. If you go through your clothing receipts you will be surprised how much money you are misspending. I have a formula I use on how much an item cost and how much it will cost per wear and see if it is worth the price or not. The exact amount or percentage is dependent on an individuals lifestyle and available disposable income. I would say try to make it at least 1% of your disposable income this will give you a good start.

[Editor's note: You can think of a purchase in terms of cost-per-wearing. Divide the amount you will pay for an item by how many times you believe you'll use it. Using this formula, I have jeans that should be paying me, ha!]

I think you initial investment is a greater one than your upkeep amount. You will most likely spend twice as much initially because you are building a core wardrobe that you will then add to in future seasons. Buy investment items that will last about seven years for men and about five for women. These are classic pieces that you can wear no matter what is “in” fashion.

For young adults starting out, what key wardrobe items or strategies would you recommend for the job search or climbing the corporate ladder?

I always say dress for the position you want, not the one you are in now. You need to consider your corporate environment and your personality. I really do not like it when someone dresses like someone else because that is just a copy, not any original. Much like artwork you can have similar styles but it’s your details that make it your own. You want to be the original.

What are some tips for someone on a very limited budget? Where are some good places to shop?

Nowadays we are all on very limited budgets. Again I prefer quality over quantity. In every industry you need to invest in a good suit and a great pair of shoes. This is true for males and female shoppers. Don’t buy something unless you love it and it fits and looks great. Buy items you truly need, if you have three pair of jeans but only one pair of trousers, guess what?, you don’t need another pair of jeans.

Stores I prefer for men I like Men’s Wearhouse because you can get a great fitting suit at any price point and you can purchase your shoes there as well. For women I like Ann Taylor Loft for a lower price point or regular Ann Taylor. Again, you can get great fitting and nicely tailored clothes and terrific accessories.

There other more fashion trendy stores like Target, H&M and Limited I like, but for disposable clothing items. You need to beware because fit could be an issue these items have a European or junior cut and therefore are slimmer fitting. I would also beware of quality you need to know how to pick out the pieces that look more expensive and will not be a waste of your hard earned money.

What are some mistakes you see when people try to buy on a tight budget?

There are so many mistakes that everyone makes when shopping sales. The first is getting it just because it is on sale even though they do not need it or particularly love it. Second, they settle. The consumer usually compromises fit or color choice. You know what I mean. The item is usually a little too small or too big or the color is not the best color for them and they still get it. Third is quality: they settle for seconds. The quality is not there but hey, it’s cheap so I will get it… and better yet, get two or three of them.

We all love a bargain and there are many great bargains out there you just need to know how to shop for them.

What are some style tips people often overlook? The details that “make or break” a sense of style?

Not being open to change, not knowing your true style, and thinking you have to look perfect to be stylish.

You need to be willing to change and to trust your style consultant and yourself. We are so stuck in our ways that we do not allow ourselves to morph into the stylish individuals we truly are.

Know yourself before all else, know what looks good on you, colors, silhouettes, and accessories.

Do not think that you have to be that perfect weight before you allow yourself to be stylish, that is one of the biggest mistakes women make. They actually think a dress size will make them more stylish. You need to feel good about yourself during the process of getting in shape. If you are exercising and eating well why not look good doing it.

If someone has $200 to spend on new clothes, what would be top on your list of “must haves”?

A great pair of shoes. Few people give accessories such as shoes handbags, ties, watches, wallets the importance they deserve. I try to never skimp on accessories because they can make or break an outfit. You can have an inexpensive suit with a good fit and pair it with beautiful quality accessories and you will look like a million dollars.

Final words?

Being stylish is not about spending a lot of money or wearing trendy clothes. Being stylish is about bringing out the best of who you and owning it.

Monica, thanks for the excuse to go shopping! You can find out more about Monica at her website, StyleMattersOnline.com. She is based in New York but can do consultations by phone and email, too.

How much do you spend on clothes each month? Nothing? Too much? Geezeo users have a wide range of things to say on this matter. Join the discussions in groups such as Shopaholics and Thrift Store Treasures.