Thursday, January 28, 2016

january budget

Nordstrom cashmere poncho: originally $200, on sale for $100
Ann Taylor scarf: originally $70, on sale for $35

January total: $135

Quarterly budget: $35 in November + $202 in December + $135 in January = $125 to carry over

I have found the trick to not buying a lot of clothes - find a job where you have to wear a uniform! I'm only have joking...but this whole scrubs thing really has cut down a ton on buying clothes.

Over the last few years, I really have worked on "quality over quantity" when it comes to my clothing budget. When I first started my budget, I really tried to stretch it as much as I could - I was buying like 15 things every month! Guess how many of those things I still own/wear? Very few. While the items I bought this month are pricey, I bought only two things I really like, and still came in way under budget. The poncho/turtleneck sweater is so darn soft, and while it may not be considered the most versatile of all garments, I love it so much. The "blanket" scarf (I would say it's more oversized scarf than blanket scarf) is so darn soft - I wear it every single day and just can't get enough (more about it next week!). 

If you follow along on instagram, you will also see that I bought myself a pair of pearl earrings this month. Back when I was working, I used to take a percentage of my tax refund to buy myself that wasn't included in my monthly budgets - that's how I bought my Hunter boots and my DvF wrap dress. Since I'm now considered "self-employed" for the earnings I make from blogging, I pay into my taxes rather than get something back. I do put about 95% of what I make from blogging into savings/taxes, but my mom recently convinced me that I should reward myself a little bit (although she was hinting more at the Chanel bag I've been saving up for for three+ years). I went with a bit more of a conservative route, and bought myself a pair of pearl earrings from Tiffany's. I'm obsessed with them, and I know they will be something I will wear for the rest of my life. 

This upcoming month, I'd really like to find a pair of distressed black jeans. Something like this affordable pair from Volcom would be preferred! I'd also really like to try on this cute peplum top from Anthropologie - it's a bit outside of my normal style, but I think it could be really flattering on. Lastly, it's time to get a second pair of my black ankle work pants - I just wear mine all the time, and a second pair would be really handy to have around (especially when I'm on away rotations next fall, and won't always be able to do laundry whenever I want).


So that's me - your turn! Did you start a clothing budget this year and want to share? Long time budgetter? I can't wait to see what you guys got - please add your link below, and link back to this post so all of your readers can discover new budgeting bloggers :)