STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

tri_sarah_tops · Marc Jacobs

Shopping ban, anyone?

bex · Chanel

My BF and I are both on a ban for Jan. and Feb. We gave each other little incentives to get through each month. Mine is a manicure and his is a dvd.

I have 5 big buys planned this year (trying to get away from wasting my money on throw-away stuff) and I am planning on using tax refund money and bonus money to purchase those. I need to concentrate on saving a down payment for a house this year.

kisa · Dooney & Bourke

I'll try to ban, because I just bought this bag

NCshopper · Hermes

I'm terrible at full out bans. It's just not realistic for me. But, I do need to get my cc paid off, so I'm probably going to put myself on a strict budget of $100 per month for non-essentials until March. It won't be fun, but it'll make me be creative.

How long are you all banning yourselves?

tri_sarah_tops · Marc Jacobs

Kisa, that's a great bag!

NCShopper, I already have about $300 saved so if I don't spend between now and the beginning to middle of Feb I should be able to swing one of the bags. Then I'll probably have to save for another 1.5 to 2 months for the other one so I guess I'll be done with the ban sometime in April.

Bex, I really like the incentive idea. I may have to try that. I'm trying to talk the DH into joining the ban but I haven't been successful yet.

Ally S · Kate Spade

I'm in on the ban too. There are several trips we are planning on taking in the next year and they are all going to cost some serious money. I also want to pay off the rest of my cc's.

I plan on my first ban lasting through the end of February then picking up a few incidentals in March then back on till May.

lsubatgirl · Gucci

I am banning myself through audit "busy season" which runs Jan- Apr 1 (different from tax busy season). I gave myself 5 months of "free" spending after starting my new job but now I'm running close to a deficit each month and I need to save money for a new car in Dec '06 , pay off my bed and sofa which is due in July , and just learn how to live on a budget and be responsible. I also am trying to lose a little bit of weight so I figure by April I should be 10 pounds lighter and then I'll treat myself to either jeans or a juicy lounge suit for running errands.

That said I am going to try and use up all the junk I've bought already (ie soap, shampoo, gel, etc) before I buy any more, eat the groceries I've already bought before buying more junk, and try not to buy any new shoes or clothes that I don't really need or can't wear to work.

Maybe we can restart the weekend non-shopping posts next week in the general chat section. It helped me a lot last time sticking to the ban.

Metric · Gucci

I don't know if I can ban, per se, but I am going to cut off needless spending. I don't really need anymore clothes or shoes or makeup. I'm going to try really hard and use the extra money for snowboard gear.

lynnie · Chanel

i know that a full out ban is unrealistic for me, but i'm going to limit myself even more to things that really move me and that i'll realistically wear. Right now is kind of "down time" for fashion- i know i personally don't really care again til late February. So its good to start saving for spring! plus in nyc you can't really see what people wear (just coats and bags and boots) so its kind of a bummer- can't wait til spring!

rocky · Coach

I just bought my investment bag. So I am definitely on a strict budget (I can't completely stop either). I am selling items on ebay and I can only spend money that I make from selling.

Marc Jacobs Adina

Alikat · Kate Spade

I'm on a clothing/shoes ban until March... I can still get other things, but I don't splurge as much on those so I should be able to save a lot of money.

I want to pay off my credit cards, go on some trips, and buy some furniture.

nicoley · Coach

Im on a shopping ban until March or April.... Right now is sort of in between seasons for retail stores, and I dont really have any free time during school to shop, as bad as that sounds, but it is just really hectic, so it shouldn't be too hard for me not to spend, except for my internet purchases

member · Hermes

I, like NCShopper and Lynnie, know that I can't go on a full out ban,because I'll never stick to it, but I am going to definitely limit what I buy. I spend way too much carelessly on clothing. I like LSU's idea of doing the weekend non-shopping threads again because that helps. I have got to pay off my credit cards this year and the BF and I want to try to move to California by Fall, so I've got to save as well.

honey · Gucci

i'm in. i'm not going for a full out ban, but i'm really trying to limit my spending in the next few months. i want to be able to quit working in june, and i need to have a cushion so i don't worry about rent, etc. over the summer. in theory i'm not going to spend more than a $100 a month on clothes, which i'm hoping will give me enough wiggle room to work with. my goal is to save my jan budget and combine it with feb in time for the intermix sale. plus i have an insane amount of clothing...i was trying to put all my stuff away and i have no closet space. that's crazy.

i'm doing well so far i didn't buy anything for myself over the holidays. and with the cash i got for christmas, i broke even on what i spent on gifts for others. (that sounds kind of sad, but i did more than enough shopping in december to make up for it). hopefully i can save $3000 by the summer. wish me luck.

eta: i just realized that i will hopefully be breaking my "ban" in march/april. fingers crossed that i get into school i'm buying a gucci, but i'm thinking i might be able to get my family to finance that purchase. i've already started putting out feelers, and took my mom with me to visit my bag (twice) over the holidays. i think she's in my corner, and will persuade my dad that a gucci is a necessary purchase.

-- Edited by honey at 21:05, 2006-01-02

Hedvig · Coach

I feel like I've spent too much lately and I really want to cut back, especially since I don't really need anything. All I'm going to buy is a white sweater and that's it.

Besides, we're planning on buying an expensive sofa sometime during the spring and I'm the one who insisted on getting it so I really want to limit my personal spending to be able to justify the splurge.

So count me in!

Prissy · Dooney & Bourke

I'm in until my bday mid-March. I've purchased so much stuff lately that I should not buy anything this entire year. I'm going to try to bring my lunch to work and only buy the groceries and beauty products that I run out of. I typically stock up on that kind of stuff so I should be ok through the ban. I must say that my lease on my car is up in Feb. so I will be getting a new car around that time and this does not count since it is already a planned purchase. The only other things I will be spending my cash on is my hair and pedi which I get done every 5 weeks.

lsubatgirl · Gucci

Hey Prissy,

Where are you working now? Did your old job move back to NOLA? I remember you saying that they had closed/left and you weren't working. I'm glad to hear things are starting to get back to normal for you.

ViViDogWear · Kate Spade

I'm in! I've never been on a full out shopping ban beofre! Between my sister and I - we are horrible - we get together every weekend to shop together and individual little buys throughout the week.

But I've asked the (ex?)BF (it's complicated) to move out - so my rent will be double and I will have to pay it all myself. That said - I am also going to try to cut out eating out (fast food and takeout) so much and cook cheaper meals at home I can also bring to work for lunch. I think a weekly budget will be good too, but I also have to pay off cc's and pay for car maintenance (need new tires and brake job).

Maybe a weekly support thread for shopping banners will be helpful?

Prissy · Dooney & Bourke

lsubatgirl wrote:

Hey Prissy, Where are you working now? Did your old job move back to NOLA? I remember you saying that they had closed/left and you weren't working. I'm glad to hear things are starting to get back to normal for you.

I moved back to NOLA early October. The law firm I was working for currently has moved back to NOLA but some of the NOLA employees are still working out of the BR office. I worked for a large firm that has quite a few offices around the US. I however am no longer with the firm and have joined my husband in working for our telecommunications company. I am the office manager and director of marketing. I really love what I am doing now. Hardly any stress and a great group of people. I was nervous about leaving the firm and giving up my Paralegal career but it was a good decision. I am much happier. Oh and guess what - my commuite is under 10 minutes. How unheard of is that.

Life is very much back to normal for me and my husband. Thanks for checking in on me during this time. Your very sweet.

-- Edited by Prissy at 21:52, 2006-01-02

lsubatgirl · Gucci

good for you prissy. I'm glad you found another job that you like and everything is going well. My firm just reopened our office in early dec and my friend's firm moved back in november and she's had to go down there a few times to kenner and downtown for work. she said the commute over the twin spans is the worst. I think she said it takes her an hour to get across it when she leaves at night and has since started taking 55 to 12 to 10 to get to her house in Mississippi. She finally decided where she wants to live (in BR) but doesn't have time to search for an apartment or move!