Budget Doesn't Mean Cheap

Sometimes I wish I had all the money in the world to do whatever I want to and buy anything my heart desires. Even though I fantasize about having an expendable income to buy all my favorite designers all the time at full price without blinking, I have to stop and think; would it lessen its value to me? Would I look at my Chanel the same way I look at my coach bags? Would I treat my Louboutin heels like my Steve Maddens? I’d like to think not. However I think the glamour, need to save up, or only choose one item from a designer’s collection that season, adds to its allure. We tend to covet what we cannot have. While I drool over Chanel, Chloe, Louboutin, and Burberry, and think long and hard about what I will save up for, in the mean time I find tons of stuff way more affordable and practical for my life. So can you!

So while I love my designers, I also love my bargain hunting finds. It all started with my mom. She could never turn down a good deal.  Around high school was when my mom and I would head to the mall on the weekends and shop. While I always wanted the things that were nicely organized and sized from smallest to largest and by color that were NOT marked down, my mom headed straight for the clearance section. You’d be amazed at the stuff she would grab and claw her way to. Most of my cocktail dresses I used to perform in were bought for less than $60. As my mom picked through the clearance racks I would try to secretly throw in a few regular priced items and hope she wouldn’t notice the price, she always did.

Looking back on it now, I realize this is where I get it. I’m on a budget right now and I’m committed to not using plastic for the next few months, so I usually only have at most $100 in my wallet, but I can find a lot for under $100.  Without knowing, my mom has passed down her knowledge of bargain hunting and I’ve added to it. So this is what I prefer to do. Avoid discount stores in the beginning. If your like me you’d get overwhelmed and annoyed and probably arrested for starting a fight with the guy who just rammed his cart into you because he’s a rude, oblivious, ass hole. Instead, head to large department stores like Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom’s, and even Barny’s. They always have a sale section and when the seasons start to change the prices get slashed. I buy James Perse T's for at least 30%- 50% off and they are good all season in So Cal. One of my favorite brands is Free People, but they are a bit over priced in my opinion, luckily they are always on sale at Macy’s and Bloomingdales. The down fall is if you really fall in love with a dress that is at full price you risk finding it on clearance, but not in your size. I always panic over that. The piece that got away. However in also dealing with a budget, like I mention in my past posts, I’m focusing on buying quality over quantity. I’ve never actually died without a certain dress, and while I long after it, it just wasn’t meant to be. I’m learning to let it go. Another one of my favorites lately is DSW. I love scoping out the clearance section and I actually scored a few times. I found these nude flats on clearance, which were the exact ones on the floor for their normal price. Same shoe, I took the cheaper one after much inspection. Checking online for coupons and frequent buyer deals is also a must. Most stores offer some sort of incentive these days, just be careful that your not buying just to buy, a habit that runs in my family. 

Just last week I stopped into lulu lemon to pick up my yoga pants that were being hemmed (on the house) and was thinking about how I needed a yoga matt bag and a yoga towel for class. I was scanning the bags when I found a hot pink one for $19! Originally it was for almost $60! I freaked out, I didn’t love the pink one, but I thought okay I could rock this since the black isn’t on sale, but then I found a purple one at the bottom with the tag missing. I took it to the register and it was also on sale for $19! SOLD! I had that in my wallet in cash! Then I went to look at the towels, which were normally priced at around $38 and that too, was on sale! I got my towel for $20! I was tempted to buy out the rest of them, but I only had so much cash on me plus I’m trying to avoid the urge to hoard.

So while I am on a budget, I don’t have to dress or look like I am, hell I don’t even have to practice yoga like I am. No one should. There is always a way. In a way bargain hunting is a little thrilling. Also I feel kind of empowered for my finds. I still long to visit my friends Chanel, Louboutin, Chloe, and Burberry, but it’s just a relationship that will have to be nurtured from a distance for now. 

New Year. New Vow.

          I’m in trouble. I have a problem. I need to do something about it. I am a shopaholic. I love shopping. I do it unconsciously. I find way too much pleasure in it. I need to stop. So after reflecting and seeing some major damage that was done over the Christmas madness, I’m putting my plastic away. As I write this I’m freaking out a little. I have vowed to only carry cash with me for the next 2 months; of course I’ll have my debit card on me for any emergencies, but really doesn’t needing that new pair of shoes count? Well in the past, yes. Do I really need to stock up on soap and make up? What would happen if I allowed for my products to run out before purchasing a new container of it? Would the world really end? Well I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

            If you know me personally, not only do I love shopping for clothes and shoes, I have a need to stock up on supplies. There’s this feeling of panic and loss when I run out of toothpaste, lotion, shampoo, soap, anything. I’m not even exaggerating, my fiancé can attest to this. I go to Costco to buy toothbrush head refills that will last me 2 years. I buy toothpaste and floss from Costco as well, because that too will last me for months if not a full year. I don’t like to run out of things that I use. This little phobia of mine also comes into play with shoes and clothes. While I love to dress up and feel good about what I’m wearing, I have a tendency to feel like I’m running out of things. I feel like that I couldn’t live with only one pair of skinny jeans in dark denim; I have to have at least 2 even if I only wear the 1. Usually I have multiples of everything to the point that I never even cut the tags off of clothes before they are no longer in style or I’ve lost interest in them. This is bad. This is a problem. I know this. I tell people this. I help people clean out their closets. I’ve worked on it in therapy, but I think I’m going to actually try and do something about it, starting now.

            So the real question everyone says I should ask when buying things is “do I need it or want it?” Well here’s my argument. How often do we actually need anything? I need food, but do I need to get the food I actually buy? I could live off of bare minimum. Also do I really need to even cut my hair and do my nails then? No. I do these things because it makes me feel good about myself and I buy food that I enjoy eating and are healthy, other wise what’s the point of living? I think for me I go to the extreme and that question people tell me to ask myself before buying is ridicules in my mind and never works because I will argue my way out of it and justify my “need” for it. So, a new tactic is needed for me. I’ve decided to try and pay for everything I want or need in cash. This way if I really like something or want it, I’ll either have it on me or I’ll have to go home and think about it and get the cash to come back and get it.  The point of this I think will be to make me have to think about what I’m spending money on.  When I use plastic, it’s too easy. It’s become thoughtless and I can always justify that I’m saving up my points for miles.

            I love bargains and discounts. I use it to justify spending. Now sometimes it is great to get a discount on a pair of shoes you’ve been eyeing, but I’ll buy things because it’s a bargain not even because I really wanted it to begin with. It’s almost a sport for me this bargain hunting. This I’ve been slowly weaning out of my life since I’ve decided I’ve much rather have quality over quantity no matter the price, but I find that old habits really do die hard. So this is still a constant thing I’m working on. Of course if I’m out to get something I will search high and low for the best price. I hate new years resolutions, I think they are dumb and no one actually remembers them past February, if that. So my vow to my future and myself is to only buy with cash until March 1st. That’s 2 full month of cash and hoping I can survive with out a credit card (excluding my auto bill pay of course).  

Holiday Frenzy

As the holidays quickly approach us and we are driven into a frenzy of shopping, work, colds, and extreme weather conditions, we may loose site of what really matters and what the season really is all about. For me it’s family and friends. Though I cannot be surrounded with my close friends as much as I’d like to this year with the mass amount of last minute work, events, and chores, I do think of them often. I’m not even sure how I’ll deliver everyone’s Christmas presents on time this year. It seems the older I get the more spread out and hectic everyone’s lives become. Some of this makes me sad, but as I realize I’m engaged now and have responsibilities of my own that take away from being able to attend every holiday party and shop till to my hearts desire and eating fast food or God forbid even skip a meal to keep on shopping, I’m accepting that It’s okay to grow up a bit and have to say no. I still love everyone dearly and wouldn’t be the person I am with out them in my life (even though it’s been at a distance lately). I have amazing friends and family who support me and encourage me to keep going.

            It’s been such a crazy past week that I’m even behind on my weekly blog, that I promised myself I would commit to doing, but after freaking out and feeling guilty and like an utter failure, I relaxed, realized I’ll set aside some time today and take a few minutes before I start making dinner and write for myself.  

         

Since this is a blog about fashion and shopping and life, I'm dedicating it to gift giving. Now if you find that you hate shopping for gifts, or that you just hate shopping, or if your addicted to it like myself, I’m dedicating this blog to a list of my favorite on line shops. No more parking, waiting, driving, and germs from other shoppers! You can literally do everything on line these days and it has really saved my life this year for gift giving.

           

 Now of course you all know about amazon and ebay, but I’ve recently discovered  piperlime and I am in love! They have free shipping AND RETURN SHIPPING! That’s enough reason to shop here, but my favorite is that they have guest editors and Rachel Bilson (my fashion icon of the present) has her favorite picks of everything and you can click and buy, so easy! Best part is they always have sales and discount offers on some of my favorite designers. They even have gift cards!

            My other favorite go to designer on line shop would have to be bluefly This is for the higher end taste buds, but sometimes you can find some really great deals.

Remember if the gift is from the heart, the reciever will definatly appriciate it. I love to give gifts, I enjoy the process of looking for something that the special someone might really like and enjoy. I picture them using the gift in their lives. It makes me happy when I get to watch them open it. So try to enjoy this process that comes around only once a year and think of it as a way to honor those you care about. Don’t stress too much. Even if you can’t get anything too crazy or money is tight right now, I know I love it when I get baked goods. Be creative, knit a scarf, make some healthy new cookie recipies and wrap them up all pretty. It really is the thought that counts.

            Please feel free to ask me questions if you’re stuck on what to get someone this season! I love shopping and I would love to help you out!