STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Kel · Coach

Shopping Budget

Aurora · Marc Jacobs

The way I'm trying now is to make a planned purchase list in Word with Pictures of the item, website, size, regular price, and then either pick a month to make that purchase or wait for it to go on sale/shop around for the best price. I've tried other ways such as keep the cc bill under a certain amount but that doesn't really work for me because I'll overspend on so-so clothes or justify going over my preset limit by claiming its for work.

I'll let you know how the planned purchase list works out. But bills suck

TheLovelyLady71 · Hermes

Man, I sooo need to put myself back on a shopping budget, the last shopping ban I was on only made things worse for me, when I came off it, and just went CRAZY in buying any and everything! LOL This month, according to my shopping Excel spreadsheet, and I got a BONUS on my June paycheck, I've already spent almost $700.00, I've shopped EVERYday this month!!! It's got to stop, so I may figure something out when I get home tonight......

-- Edited by TheLovelyLady71 at 10:48, 2006-06-14

Kitty · Hermes

TheLovelyLady71 wrote:

Man, I sooo need to put myself back on a shopping budget, the last shopping ban I was on only made things worse for me, when I came off it, and just went CRAZY in buying any and everything! LOL This month, according to my shopping Excel spreadsheet, and I got a BONUS on my June paycheck, I've already spent almost $700.00, I've shopped EVERYday this month!!! It's got to stop, so I may figure something out when I get home tonight...... -- Edited by TheLovelyLady71 at 10:48, 2006-06-14

This is why shopping ban's don't work for me. I went on one for about 2-3 months and actually managed to save quite a bit, but then when I got off I seriously went CRAZY and probably spent everything I would have if I hadn't have gone on the ban.

I think I might try taking a certain amount out of my paychecks each month and putting it into a separate account..and then when that money's gone I have to just wait until the next month.

nicoley · Coach

How does a girl who is still in school and has no job set a shopping budget

Id like to set a budget but don't see how its possible

Aurora · Marc Jacobs

nicoley013 wrote:

How does a girl who is still in school and has no job set a shopping budget Id like to set a budget but don't see how its possible

Well I guess it depends on how you are paying for your shopping and such. If you have an unlimited cc funded by a parent then you don't have too much of a problem. If you are running up a cc and not paying on it then there is a problem and you might want to limit it to $100-$200 a month max so you aren't incurring too much debt/interest on clothing.

Maat · Kenneth Cole

This is my newest budget: Every two months, I budget $500 to spend on clothing. On shopping month, I will pay only the minimum on my credit cards/student loans (I usually overpay) and save no money. Instead, I direct that money toward clothing/accessories/shoes. I allow myself to buy stuff at other times, but then that money has to come out of my entertainment/daily expenses funds (rarely is there enough there) or out of some extra money I got from doing freelance projects or as a gift or bonus.

Two things I've tried that didn't work well:

1. I tried to spend about $250 every month, but found that once I got to the mall, my purchases always exceeded that amount. It is kind of hard to stay under $250 when shopping. So then, I tried...

2. Allowing myself to spend $2000 in one or a couple trips at the beginning of each season and afterward, just picking up pieces here and there as needed. This didn't work because I quickly get sick of things and within 2 months felt like I needed a BUNCH of new things, not a few things here and there as planned.

My current plan works well because it allows for a decent spending amount and allows me to continuously update my wardrobe as I get sick of things.

I also try to write down voids I notice in my wardrobe so I buy the right things. Like, recently, I kept wishing I had a casual cotton dress and more work shirts that go with pants I already have, so I focused on those things in my most recent trip. Writing them down not only helps me to remember, but also calms my nerves when I'm freaking out over having nothing to wear. At least then I feel like I have a plan.

Aurora · Marc Jacobs

Maat wrote:

I also try to write down voids I notice in my wardrobe so I buy the right things. Like, recently, I kept wishing I had a casual cotton dress and more work shirts that go with pants I already have, so I focused on those things in my most recent trip. Writing them down not only helps me to remember, but also calms my nerves when I'm freaking out over having nothing to wear. At least then I feel like I have a plan.

This is what I have been putting on the planned purchase list (with pictures so I have an idea of what I like). Things I know I need to add to my wardrobe and things I keep saying I wish I had in my wardrobe. I'm going to see how it all works out.

Kel · Coach

nicoley013 wrote:

How does a girl who is still in school and has no job set a shopping budget Id like to set a budget but don't see how its possible

Right now I don't have a budget either because I am still in school and am supported by my parents. Which is hard because you know if you want something you can get it. The last 6 months or so, I realized that I am going to financially independent come August, so I have been trying to regulate myself. I put myself on a pretend budget, that way I don't go crazy, and to try to start becoming financially responsbile.

lynnie · Chanel

For this year, I've given myself a budget of $5000- $2000 spring/summer, and $3000 fall/winter- around $400 a month. HOWEVER, i think its mainly because I hate almost all my clothes, and they are no longer really appropriate for my job, my lifestyle, or this city. So I'm selling a lot of it (probably about $2000 of it..), and buying a ton of what i need. I have the computer post-its on my desktop with Spring/Summer on one (anything I buy from beg. of february through July) and then my Fall one as well. I put the dollar amount at the top and subtract things as I buy them like:
$2000 Spring/Summer
$1870 J Brand Jeans
$1850 Old Navy tank top

etc etc...and at the bottom of the list i have a few things i really really need..like dark straight leg jeans, or drapey tops for going out that have sleeves. Pretty specific. But then I stop when i've spent my amount...its worked so far. After this year, I'm hoping to reduce my yearly amount by at least $1000 or so. It could be far more since nothing in stores really excites me anymore and i've been making myself a lot of jewelry/accessories or been buying cheapie vintage- plus i get nice showroom discounts and have access to the best sample sales in the country. I've had other systems, but this works the best for me.

berryahou35 · Dooney & Bourke

Shopping budgets don't work for me. Usually I don't spend very much. So if I set it to a certain amount, I'll say, oh I can still spend this much more on clothes! And that's not what I'm trying to do.

Kitty · Hermes

I decided to do a $50 a week budget - so, if I want anything big I"ll have to save for awhile.

I'm going to start tomorrow!

TheLovelyLady71 · Hermes

YES! That's exactly what I'm going to start for this week - spend about $30-$50.00 week, and not like I have been (crazy) for this whole month! That even counts my fetish for the home shopping networks....... I think $50.00 week is a do-able amount.

Kitty wrote:

I decided to do a $50 a week budget - so, if I want anything big I"ll have to save for awhile. I'm going to start tomorrow!

Sandy · Kate Spade

lynnie wrote:

I have the computer post-its on my desktop with Spring/Summer on one (anything I buy from beg. of february through July) and then my Fall one as well. I put the dollar amount at the top and subtract things as I buy them like: $2000 Spring/Summer $1870 J Brand Jeans $1850 Old Navy tank top etc etc...and at the bottom of the list i have a few things i really really need..like dark straight leg jeans, or drapey tops for going out that have sleeves. Pretty specific. But then I stop when i've spent my amount...its worked so far.

I think this is what I'm going to start doing. I'm in the beginning/middle of a wardrobe overhaul, and I need a decent budget to work with starting in the fall. I've never set a budget for myself, I pretty much just bought things as I saw them, so I need to start keeping track.

The way I've always figured out how much I can spend is by saying "this much goes toward bills, this much to savings, and what's left over is for spending." I never spent any money before my bills and savings were covered each month, and the rest was to do with what I pleased. Admittedly not the best system, and I'm working on a better one.

NCshopper · Hermes

Gosh, I have a whole spreadsheet system down. Basically, I don't budget my purchases, but I know that after my bills are paid and I save money for retirement, etc, I have a certain amount of money left over every month and that's my "fun money" for clothes/house/entertainment stuff. I keep an Excel spreadsheet with a list of clothes that I need/want, along with where to buy them, best price, and coupon code, if available. So when I get paid and have some money to spend, I turn to the spreadsheet and pick out what I can afford to get for the time being and then check it off my list.

Aurora · Marc Jacobs

NCShopper - I like your spreadsheet idea. Do you just put the item name down or copy and paste pictures or add in a link? Right now I copy & paste pics into word and do it that way but I like the idea of a spreadsheet so I can play with it more and sort by item or price.

shopgirl82 · Chanel

NCshopper wrote:

Gosh, I have a whole spreadsheet system down. Basically, I don't budget my purchases, but I know that after my bills are paid and I save money for retirement, etc, I have a certain amount of money left over every month and that's my "fun money" for clothes/house/entertainment stuff. I keep an Excel spreadsheet with a list of clothes that I need/want, along with where to buy them, best price, and coupon code, if available. So when I get paid and have some money to spend, I turn to the spreadsheet and pick out what I can afford to get for the time being and then check it off my list.

i do this exact thing too. i'm glad i'm not the only

Aurora- i'll save pics to my computer, but i won't save them in exel. usually i name the picture with the designer, place to be bought, and original price. so i'll do, EllaMossNordies$60. under name. that way it's easy for me to know what it is on my spreadsheet, and where i can buy it.

i think the spreadsheet helps me a lot because if i have money i want to spend, i can look it over and buy accordingly, or say, if i don't buy this now, in two weeks i can get X which is what i really need/want from my list right now.

Kitty · Hermes

SO, I already spent my shopping budget for the week! I'm horrible.

However, I decided that any money I make on eBay or amazon I can use towards clothes :) This will also motivate me to purge.

deadlyjane · BCBG

I have found that if I budget myself I get frustrated and end up spending more money just to spite myself. I limit online shopping because I spend more then I would instore. My budget is like 70$ a week for clothing, beauty, and entertainment. But even that is going to get cut in half because of my new addition. bah I want to go shopping now.

erin · Chanel

Kitty wrote:

SO, I already spent my shopping budget for the week! I'm horrible.
However, I decided that any money I make on eBay or amazon I can use towards clothes :) This will also motivate me to purge.

this has motivated me to purge over 60 items from my closet. it's just such a bitch to list them.