Okay, so the woman on the cover of this blog does not look like she had a bad buy day, she looks extremely satisfied. But she probably spent too much money. I fall into that trap every once in a while, and especially now that it's hitting holiday season with tons of sales and stores advertising different goodies, it can be hard to watch what you spend. Below are a few tips to never feeling regret about your purchases and making sure your financial statements stay nice and pretty, and positive.
Think Before You Buy - Duh
Hopefully you already do this, so if you don't, think about it! I have gotten into the habit of always checking what is in my hands or in my cart before I buy. Usually, I end up leaving a few things behind, thank goodness. When I look at the things I'm buying, it makes me ask myself whether I truly need it and whether I truly want it. Sure, I sometimes still buy the ugly holiday sweater that my cat has only worn once...for two minutes...but I don't make those kinds of purchases often. Thinking before I buy is necessary especially when I buy clothes. Rarely do I need a certain garment so that has helped me curb my enthusiasm. Also, buy what's good. If you like to buy cheaper clothes because they're less money, you do you. Been there, done that. Sometimes it's all you can afford! But I advocate for buying quality. Buy the things that will last, that are quality pieces and won't fall apart or shrink after one wash (also been there, done that). Investments are worth the extra cash, because they pay off.
Budget...For Everything
You should be budgeting regardless if you have a big income or not. But don't just budget for clothes, budget for your life. If you want to only spend $100 on clothes for the month, make sure $100 is actually realistic. The things I buy consist of rent, phone, gas, my credit card, groceries, eating out, etc... the list is truly endless, and I have to realize that my income is only so large. My money likes to be designated to certain things, so maybe I only budget $50 in shopping because I value eating out more. That sorting is up to you, but you should never spend more than you have (especially if you have a credit card!). On that I am very adamant.
Make it Visual if You Need to
I love budgeting apps. Right now, I religiously use Daily Budget. I am able to enter my income, fixed expenses, and desired savings. After that, the app shows me how much money I can spend that day. If I don't spend that money (you enter purchases yourself; it's easy!), it's added to the next day's budget. The app keeps me on my toes when it comes to how much money I am spending and how well I am saving. Some people also really enjoy Mint. That app is much closer to an actual budget-creator and connects to your credit card, categorizing your desired and actual spending. There are countless others out there, just do some research and pick out what you like! Apps keep your spending within arm's reach.
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