April SYB results

After I ended my Lent shopping ban early, I binged a bit on shopping and it became clear that I needed to come up with something to avoid the binge/purge shopping cycle. I decided to implement a $100 spending limit for the month of April. Counting the items I bought from the thrift store today, I spent exactly $100 (that'll never happen again...).

I kept track in a simple text document with a running total. If I were super-cool I would start a wardrobe spreadsheet and keep it as part of that. For the record, I bought 12 items this month; 1 pair of pants, 1 shorts, 2 skirts, 3 sweaters, 3 knit tops, and 2 shirts. Everything except 1 sweater bought on sale from Gap was from the thrift or consignment store, which helps explain the sub-10 dollar average cost per garment. (Now, did I *need* 12 new garments? Uhhhh.... One step at a time, right?)

If you were SYC or SYB, how did you do this month?

14 years ago

Shopping

7 replies

Latest reply was from Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I was SYC after buying my Frye Julias in Feb. I started to jump into SYB a bit early, by late March. So March and April kind of ran together.
My budget is $500 per season, or $83/month. I bought: crop white jacket, cobalt tee, a silk shell, taupe leggings, an olive cord skirt, ink blue daydress and nude heels.
This last week I jumpstarted into May's budget, but that's a story for another day (or thread!) On the one hand, I'm perennially into the next month's budget early, but on the other, at least I'm reigning it in that much! I never get more than a month ahead. If I do, I just have to stop until the first rolls around again.

This post has 7 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

14 years ago

Kari

Veteran

What's SYB? That's a new one to me.

Possibilities ensue...

So You (Can) Buy
Sell Your Bras
Stop Your Binging

...Of course, it could be Shop Your Budget... but that's too obvious, right?

Given that I'm planning to pull out of my job somewhat soon (though with the situation *slightly* improving I've pushed off the timeline a bit later) I'm on a stricter budget. I'm allowing myself a couple items that have been on my "want list" that I've thought about for a few months - a coral and white dress (I have two on order, I will only keep one) and some midi skirts that were on sale. Then I'm on a hiatus until the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. The upcoming Seattle clothing swap this weekend will hopefully tide me over with some fun new items, though.

14 years ago

Kari

Veteran

Another idea - SYB could be Save Your Basket, because I'm finding what I do is think about an item, put it into my online shopping cart, and think about it for weeks/months to see if it goes on sale, or determine if I'm really sold on bringing the item into my closet or if it's just an impulse grab.

14 years ago

(website)

Veteran

Hee hee Kari! Yes, budget it is. But sell your bras was a good one! I may have been responsible for this acronym, sorry.

14 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

LOL, Kari, I was thinking Shop Your Budget, but Stop Your Binging (bingeing?) would work for me too

Mo, I love your items and the idea of having a pic of each one. I really should do that. (Hmm, more ideas for my nonexistent spreadsheet.) I too thought I might have to dip into May's allotment after I found some stuff today, but fortunately it came out exactly right this time! Let's see, here's what I bought in April:
white jeans, denim bermudas, a red knit top, a teal and white knit top, the cream cardigan from this WIW, the striped sweater from this WIW, a Sharks waffleknit top, the ruffled tank from this WIW, a printed floaty midi skirt, a blue sweater for next fall, and today a blue button-front skirt and a tan pencil skirt.

For May I am considering buying some combat boots, because I found some on sale and I need to replace mine, but I wouldn't wear them much until the fall so it's hard to get excited about that. I really need to replace some of my ballet flats; I don't think I need a lot of new clothes for summer, though. I pulled out a crazy number of summer skirts when I pulled out my summer clothes last week.

14 years ago

christieanne

Veteran

Sharks waffleknit was an absolute necessity (until they proved themselves once again to not be worthy - I am a total hockey nut - who knew right?) and must have. I am lounging in my pj's of yoga pants and A's tshirt currently so may be biased lol.

I thought I was covered for summer but pulled out things yesterday. I have a pair of too long slim denim crops that might work as made over clams if I don't count tailoring in my SYB/SYC $20 thrift challenge. I have a lot of skirts and may end up wearing those instead of shorts since I don't really have the shorts I thought I had lol.

14 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Christieanne, hockey Hi5! It was funny, I found the Sharks shirt at a local thrift store somewhere around game 3 or 4 of the first round of the playoffs, a couple weeks ago, and I thought "oh no, some fan has finally given up in disgust and donated all their Sharks gear." Sadly, it never got worn to a game, as I wore my orange Sharks tee to game 4, and that was all she wrote for home games. Next year!

Your crops to clams idea reminds me that I was about to donate my too-short white jeans because I found a longer pair this month, but then it occurred to me that I could turn them into crops. I wonder if I can just be lazy and cuff them, or whether I should actually alter the suckers...

14 years ago

Category