Frugal February #26: How Many Pairs of Shoes Do You Need?

Ladies, this one is mostly for you.  Although I do know of a few guys who love shoes.  But mostly, it's women who like to have shoes for every occasion, real or imaginary.

I have more footwear now than I ever have in my life.  A whopping 17 pair. Mostly because my feet have been the same size for over 14 years, since DD2 was born, and some of my dress shoes are that old.  Partially it's because I need work boots that I didn't need years ago--mud/waterproof ones for spring, sturdy hiking type for summer and fall, warm ones for hunting and winter farm chores.  Some of it is because I'm not afraid of lightly used hand-me-down or second hand shoes. Some is because as sandals or tennis shoes get too worn out to be seen in public, they become chore/barn wear for around this little place here, not getting thrown out until they are totally disintegrated.  And, once in a while,as I've come across really great deals, I've expanded my shoe collection to include brown loafers that make even jeans look dressy and some fun zip-up boots that go with skirts or leggings.  I wear many hats: farmer/homesteader, dressage rider, mom, church-goer, wife, deer hunter, and occasionally high school and middle school (substitute) secretary.  Many hats require many different types of footwear.  Can you imagine showing up to church or school in my mud and manure bathed shit kickers?!?

But for many, many years I had just the essentials: a pair of tennis shoes, a pair of black dress shoes, a pair of white dress shoes, a pair of sandals for summer, and a pair of warm winter boots.  Those covered pretty much every occasion I needed footwear for at the time, and so money went for more important things than slingbacks, pumps, or "fun" shoes.

My kids have always had the same selection: a pair of dress shoes (aka 'church shoes'), tennis shoes for school, boots for winter, sandals for summer.  DH, again, had just as small an assortment.

When we needed specialized footwear we didn't all ready own, such as soccer cleats when the kids played on the school soccer team, track spikes for the school track team, riding boots for horseback riding, or waterproof tall boots for slogging around the homestead in the spring, we looked for bargains and purchased them.  But frivolous footwear, those shoes we didn't have a need for, just a want, were not in the cards.  Too many other more important things in need of our money.

So, if money is tight, take a look in your closet before you go shoe shopping next time.  Do you all ready own something that will work?  Do you really need a fourth pair of black heels just because these new ones are 3 inches instead of 2.5?  Or because the new ones have a slimmer heel than the ones you bought 5 years ago and have rarely worn?  Black shoes and white shoes will carry a woman through the entire year of dress occasions--professional attire for the office, footwear for weddings or other special events, shoes to wear to church.  Navy, brown, taupe, and other colors are all nice to have, but not essential.  Those are extras, not needs.

Take an inventory of your shoes, boots, and sandals.  Do you really need to purchase any this year?  Or could you take that 'shoe money' and put it toward something else?