The hardest part about being frugal is not caring what other people think.
I bought a coat at Value Village for $5. I assume it was priced low because it had a rip in the back, since it’s an otherwise amazing jacket that packs down small. I’m not good with sewing but I’m really good at duct taping things. So I taped the hole closed with waterproof duct tape. That was 2 years ago and it’s still going strong.
Since the hole is in the back, I usually forget about it anyway. I probably saved myself $50 – $75 compared to buying a comprable coat new.
Foundry in the Forest 
Yeah – That’s what I tell everyone who asks us about how to live a life like we do. “#1: Forget about being respected by the people around you.” In order to live more in line with your values, you’re going to have to step out of line with the values of mainstream culture, and people are going to think you’re making a big mistake. In other words, your coat is a symbol for all the other things we do that aren’t conventional.
Mike, you’re the spokesmodel for having nobody around respect you! But seriously, I think there’s a difference between “respect” and what I’m talking about. I think some people would look at my jacket and say “I respect how little he cares about appearances, even though I think he looks like a hobo”, so there is an element of respect even though it’s couched in a judgement.
I’ll bet it’s less different than you think. For the first howevermany years we got a lot of “it’s great you do that before real life starts,” etc. We definitely haven’t not been compared to hobos, I’m sure.
But then maybe those are my own past insecurities coming out.