Cheap? No -- Smart!

I've been lamenting the state of my wardrobe so much that a friend has been advising that I just go for it and go shopping. Buy myself some new stuff that will make me happy.

I've tried. I really have. But because I've been so conscientious about spending the last couple years (OK, I'll admit it: I've been cheap), I have grown picky, picky, picky! It used to be that I would buy stuff without really thinking about it. Not now. Now I think about it. Does it fit properly? If it doesn't, is it something worth spending the money to have altered? And is it perfect -- that is, are there any stains? Rips? Loose threads? Just because something is new doesn't mean it's in perfect condition. (You'd be surprised.) Finally, is it exactly what I want?

Lately, since I've been having a hard time buying new stuff, I've decided to take care of what I already have. For example, I have a pair of black boots that I bought probably 20 years ago. They're still in good shape, and the woven-leather style is fashionable again. But the heels were a little too flat, which made them look dated. So I took them to the cobbler and he's going to add a quarter-inch to the heels. The boots I've been salivating over cost $300. The cost to update my old ones? 30 bucks. With the face lift -- ahem, heel lift -- the old boots will be pretty spiffy. (Mind you, the other boots are amazing, but paying $300 would be ridiculous. If they ever go on sale, though, I cannot be held responsible for my actions.)

The cobbler is also going to freshen up a black handbag that I bought several years ago. It's one of those great basic shapes that stays in style. I'd been looking for a nice black handbag when it dawned on me: Why not fix up the one I already have? For $30 he's going to clean and condition it, and he's even going to freshen up the color on the edges where the leather has worn. $30 certainly beats the $100-$500 for a new bag.

Next up are the alterations for a skirt and a pair of dress pants.

Working so hard to pay down thousands of dollars of debt incurred for things I didn't love -- things I don't even still have! -- has finally taught me the importance of being thoughtful about what I spend my money on. If it's not worth the cash, it's not worth the credit.