Speaking of jackets, I have a little secret that I’ll let you in on:
My ski jacket is as waterproof and as clean as the day I bought it. That’s a pretty bold statement considering I live in rainy, outdoorsy Seattle, and the jacket is 10 years old.
The secret is a product called Nikwax
A kit costs $20 and is good for about 5 jackets. I figure for that price (plus the negligible cost of running the washing machine twice and the dryer once) I’ve extended the life of our family’s jackets by at least 10 years. (The kids get cheapo thrift store ski jackets that they lose or grow out of in a year anyway.)
Frugality doesn’t mean not buying nice things. But it does mean taking care of the things you have so you can get the most use out of them.
Foundry in the Forest 