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Being happy with what I have

Meredith

Hello! I'm a long-time YLF reader, and I finally decided to take the plunge and join the forum. I love clothing and have a classic, feminine, slightly whimsical style. You can find me in a dress or skirt almost every day. In fact, people I work with comment when they see me in pants.

This year I decided to set a yearly clothing budget to allow myself space for bigger purchases. Today is June 2, and I've spent my entire budget for the year. Ahhhh! I really want to stick with it, which means no shopping for the next seven months. I have some great new pieces that I love and that work well together, but I'm worried that I will fall off the wagon. Any advice? I still can't believe I spent it all...

Shopping

23 replies

Latest reply was from Meredith

crutcher

Veteran

Welcome to YLF...I just hope you spent it all on what you loved and what makes your heart sing..I guess if that is the case, then you did good...
I havn't spent all at once because I am just so careful and would make myself budget back...However, that is my own weirdness and would not be like you..smile..

Meredith

Thank you! Good point about loving everything I bought. I do love it all. My rule is only to buy something if I love it. If I just like it, it goes back on the rack. Maybe my delight in my new items will help with the seven long months ahead. And I think it's great that you are so careful with budgeting. That's weirdness to be proud of.

unfrumped

Veteran

There are some good posts on SYC and remixing. I enjoy soending time making outfits and almost always find that more productive than shopping for something else, so keep reminding myself of that. Creating them, having them ready, usually puts me in higher- happiness outfits more of the time, and speeds getting ready for work. You may not have tried all accessories, either.

Aquamarine

Veteran

I hope you planned ahead for the colder (or hotter) months! I frequently am not sure what I will need/want in future seasons.

Anonymous

Welcome. I periodically go on spending fasts. I find distraction to be the most successful way to positively reinforce a fast. I purposely schedule other things to do and avoid the malls/websites at all costs. Best wishes.

Meredith

Thanks everyone! I love the support here. I've joined the June Challenge and will shop my closet and plan outfits instead of shopping when I get the urge for something new. I'll also do some searches on that topic to get some motivation. Aquamarine, I live in Michigan, so shopping from January to June covers just about everything the climate can throw at me. (Although in Michigan we never know. This morning it is just 46 degrees F!)

Summer

Veteran

Welcome, Meredith
.
I've done something similar this year, except that mine is a half-yearly, rather than a yearly, budget. Like you, I spent most of my budget in one go, but I did leave a little in reserve to allow for a few small purchases through the season.

The pros:
1.) I was able to buy a small capsule of items that were ready to go for the coming season. Previously, I would have bought an item here and there as my monthly budget allowed.
2.) If a big-ticket item is needed, I can go ahead and buy, then let the budget catch up.
3.) Likewise, if I see something I really love, I can buy, rather than saving up and hoping it won't be gone by the time I can afford it.

The cons:
1.) I've had my fun.
2.) Despite planning, it's difficult to know for sure what will be needed in any one season (variations in weather, for instance).
3.) I might see something later on that I like even better.

Anyway, I hope your strategy works out for you, and will be interested to hear how it goes.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Welcome! By participating in some shop your closet challenges, you should be okay. Another trick is to keep a list of all your clothing items (on a spreadsheet or just on old-fashioned paper) and note each time you wear every item; this will show you what is actually getting use. (Sometimes we think we are using things we are not using -- and vice versa!)

What climate do you live in? For me, this would be the major issue -- I live in a 4 season climate and can't always predict what I will need in other seasons.

Having said that, I tend to shop in seasonal or half-seasonal binges; it's just my preferred method. I like to focus on other parts of my life between shops. Maybe this will happen for you?

Helena

Veteran

Hi Meredith, welcome! Kudos to you for buying what you love - Although I do not really shop or spend a lot, when I do, I am often guilty of settling for things that will do, rather than focusing on things that really make me smile. So you are on a great track!!

As to curbing the urge to shop - I agree with the suggestion to join in on some fashion challenges! There are some on the forum, or you can google all sorts of ideas. You could plug in your pieces (or similar items) into your "Finds" and use the random outfit generator to mix things up. You could pull a capsule for a period of time, say a month, and tuck the rest out of sight so it feels new when you pull it out next! Have fun and enjoy, and good luck!

jackiec

Veteran

Welcome, Meredith! Good luck on the challenge; I'm sure you'll do well.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Another welcome from me. You've received great advice from our forum members, and I look forward to seeing your skirt and dress style.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Welcome! Here's my advice: Every time you feel the urge to shop, go to your closet and create an outfit and post a pic here on YLF :-). You'll make a lot of people here very happy and your budget will be happy too.

Kirstjen

Veteran

If you really get the itch, organize a swap with friends. If your friends are all different sizes, just have an accessories swap.

Another suggestion - sometimes when I get the urge to shop, I actually do a purge. Sometimes eliminating excess is what you need, more than adding to your wardrobe. It sounds nuts, but it really does work for me.

Dee

Veteran

Welcome! I just posted a shop-your-closet goal myself for the month because I need to slow down for a bit. I should have checked through the forum first, clearly.

I'm not necessarily over budget, but I am in a place where I shouldn't need to buy any more for the next while at least. Here's hoping we can have fun without shopping! I'll definitely be following your posts.

abc

Veteran

I think instead of offering suggestions on how you can maintain the shopping ban for 7 months, I would ask - how did you set this figure in the first place? Was it based on historical spending and analysis? Or quite frankly, pulled out of your, ahem, backside?

Not trying to be harsh, but if you are realizing on June 2 that you've spent it all, maybe the number was unrealistic or unattainable from the beginning and (if money isn't an issue) you could cut yourself some slack.

I would also look back and see what possible "mistakes" you've made in the purchases this year, and try to learn from them so you don't repeat them again (common one - buying for an imaginary life, not the one you live).

Also, I would make sure you allot for replacements of things like undergarments, sleepwear, workout gear, shoes, makeup, skincare, haircare - all of the things that take $ but you may not realize are eating up some of your funds that, if you're like me, in your head are for more "fun" items (not staples, replacements, needs vs wants).

Good luck and congrats for diving into the forum!!!

unfrumped

Veteran

What kirsjen said is great. Organizing seems to hit some of the same brain receptors, IMO, and is satisfying. Can even be other parts of the home, not just wardrobe. That plus doing other things--go places where you can wear your new items.

deb

Veteran

Welcome! I have no advise but wish you luck.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Welcome! Boy, can I relate to always itching for something new. I'm dialing back on fashion purchasing since I've gone a bit crazy in the last few years. Budget is changing, and I'm happier with my closet than I've ever been. I'm learning to walk away and see if an item really sticks in my brain and my heart.

I love Kirstjen's idea about channeling that urge into closet editing. I have been doing a bit of that lately. I went through my summer wardrobe with a really critical eye, analyzing why certain things don't get worn. It turns out that a number of them actually need some alterations to make them more wearable, so I took them to the tailor. When I get them back, it will feel like I have new pieces in my wardrobe because I'll be able to wear them in ways I couldn't before (i.e. a tank style blouse that I only layered before because the armholes and neckline were too deep -- I had the shoulders taken up so it's more comfortable to wear by itself). I also cut off an unworn pair of boyfriend jeans into shorts, and I've already worn them a bunch this season! So, sometimes a bit of creative thinking about the items already in your closet can yield similar results to a trip to the shops, without spending much (or any) money.

Good luck!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Ooh, and I just read unfrumped's comments about organizing, even in other areas of the home, and those hit home for me. I don't think it's a coincidence that some of my most successful non-shopping months were those in which I did some major cleaning/editing/organizing of my office, studio, and other areas of our home. It's really satisfying and productive, which satisfies some of my motivations for shopping.

Many years ago, I bought a sewing machine, thinking I could channel my clothes shopping energy into making or altering things. Well, that's never happened, and the sewing machine is still in the cabinet, but maybe that would work for you.

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

Welcome, no advice as I don't do well with budgeting...maybe next year's goal. Good advice on remixing and reorganization to keep busy. Looking forward to seeing your feminine dress and skirt style.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Welcome, Meredith. I was thinking something similar to abc - my first year of budgeting for clothes specifically, two or three years ago, I was constantly going over my budget, a lot. (If you really wanted to see my panic/complaining, you could probably search and find my threads about it on the forum back then.) It was a combination of having set my budget mostly by guessing, and not being aware of just how much I was spending on clothes, since I'd just lumped it in with general personal and household expenses in the past.

The solution for me has proved to be a combination of cutting back a bit on buying clothes, which was needed for sure, but also getting realistic about my budget and adjusting other categories so that I could have an adequate clothes budget. Obviously none of us want to spend money we literally don't have, but what percentage of your overall budget goes to clothing can vary a lot. Clothing is not an entirely voluntary category - we all have to wear clothes, and for most of us it behooves us to look appropriate to our jobs and other activities. (Not to mention that for me, it's also somewhat of a hobby, as it is for a lot of the folks here, so part of my clothing budget could be called 'entertainment' or 'mental health'.)

unfrumped

Veteran

It can also be a learning experience as to what is the budget interval that works best--obviously different for different folks. A monthly budget has the disadvantage of not allowing for some big ticket items like good coats or boots, or for an unexpected windfall of a group of items that all go together, but the time interval to starting over is short. A yearly budget sounds good but in fact is still "used up" at some intervals and if used up early, then the shopping fast is long. Is quarterly better? Is budget-within-budget better, such as a quarterly budget set lower than total budget but with a separate "special find" fund? Points to ponder--matching budget to personality or bending personality to budget (I need to do more of the latter!)

Meredith

Thank you all for your warm welcomes and insights! Here are some of my take-aways for 2016:

Look at the next seven months as a great challenge to wear the clothes I have. I've been working hard to edit my wardrobe down over the last three years. I have maybe 60 pieces total, and I adore them. I need to reframe from feeling restricted (no shopping) to free (no NEED to shop)
Divide the 2016 budget into halves and do the majority of my shopping in late winter for spring/summer and in late summer for fall/winter.
Make outfits/organize when I get the urge to shop. And visit the forum to shop vicariously through others.
Track my budget more closely next year. I feel good about the amount I picked, but I didn't track it very closely so when I stopped to do my calculations, it was gone. I like getting fewer, higher quality pieces, but that makes it easy to fly through that money.