Wednesday, October 28, 2015

October Budget



As I started to put together this post, something dawned on me: I think I forgot to shop this month.

It wasn't intentional, although I suppose it wasn't completely accidental either. And it wasn't because I blew my shopping budget on bags and bags of Halloween candy (although, that totally could have happened). October was kind of a struggle -- so many things caught my eye, I think I ended up with a bit of buying paralysis because I didn't have a strong idea of what I really wanted or needed. I also know November could be spendy month (more on that in a bit...), so I wanted to hold back a little.

Here is the super quick October summary:

Starting Budget: $200

Purchases:


oct budget

















Mossimo Linen V-Neck Tee ($8, on sale) -- this is one of my favorite basics, and I grabbed a chance to pick up a white one when I spotted it on the clearance rack. Last year, I scored a slew of them when I found them marked down to $3.60, but I'm not holding my breath for that kind of price again. I have to note that even after constant wear, the tees I picked up last year are still perfect. Best 4 bucks I've ever spent!

J. Crew Factory Dachshund iPhone Case ($6, on sale) -- I didn't count this towards my shopping budget, but I just wanted to show it off. Isn't it the cutest? You can still grab these online for about the same price.

BCBGeneration Studded Bow Wedge ($60, on sale) -- a cute shoe for the rare occasions when I have to put real work clothes on. Most of those occasions involve travel and running to and from client meetings, so if you can give me a practical, comfortable shoe and put a decently cute bow on it, I'm pretty happy.

Total: $68 ($132 under budget)

My purchases this month are totally boring, and I know you didn't click over to hear about a tee shirt and a pair of shoes. So I thought I'd talk about strategy for spending next month:











- You'll recognize some items from recent posts -- these are on the top of my current wishlist, and I'm planning to pull the trigger on a few in November. I love this cozy wrap sweater, and I can almost begin to imagine temps being cool enough to wear it. These tortoise flats seem amazing, I actually meant to order them a few months ago and I have no idea what I've been waiting for. This bag is finally on sale -- I love the look of it, though I can't ignore the fact that the reviews are very mixed. I'd love to see this frilly blouse in person, but I've rarely been disappointed by black and white and feminine. And these rings are so pretty and versatile, they'd work with just about every outfit in my closet.

- This month will bring Sephora's annual Beauty Insider sale -- if you're a member of their Beauty Insider program (and YOU TOTALLY SHOULD BE -- it is, without a doubt, the best loyalty program I have ever been a part of), you'll get 20% off of purchases for a few days in early November. It's truly the most wonderful time of the year! I don't count cosmetic purchases against my monthly budget, but I'll be happy to have a few extra dollars to throw at Sephora for this very special occasion. I've been sampling new products like crazy, and I'm planning a post in a few days with some shopping suggestions.

- I can't ignore the impending Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales -- they are harried, frantic, exhausting...but also pretty enticing (admission: almost all of my BF/CM purchases are for myself. I'll shop for everyone else in December!). I'm planning to roll over at least $100 of October's budget to have available for November purchases.

Linking up with Franish and the other budgeting bloggers -- go check out what the other ladies bought (or didn't buy) this month!

PS -- new here? Check out some of my most popular posts from this month:

Fall Uniform












Wednesday Wishlist: Muppet Chic











What's In My Bag

5 comments:

  1. You made some awesome purchases! Target has great tees, and good basic tees are a must. Also, that phone case is adorable and I am loving those wedges!!!

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    1. Thanks! I'm wearing the tee now, so comfy :)

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    2. Thanks! I'm wearing the tee now, so comfy :)

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  2. I love that phone case! My work shoes are also bow wedges, though in black. I find wedges to be much more comfortable, even if I generally only wear my work shoes in the office, and we don't do much walking around during the day.

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    1. Thanks, it makes me smile! And it's doing a pretty good job of protecting my phone -- I've already had a couple of clumsy drops and all good :)

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