SYC-oween, budgeting & goals - YouLookFab Forum

I just bought a pair of new fleece slippers during LL Bean's Columbus Day sale (10% with code SAVE10, Bean boots excluded). Other than that it's SYC until November when my budget coffers refill. Not that it matters much, because I haven't even gotten to wear my fall clothes yet. It's supposed to be 94 degrees tomorrow, ugh.

I found out that a woman from the closed natural nail salon I really liked had opened her own place, so I got a pedicure this weekend - in a nice metallic orange to be seasonally appropriate. Which makes me curious - do you track your beauty expenses along with your clothing budget? Separately?

I've been thinking about my new budget & shopping goals for 2016. I usually start the new year at the Winter Solstice, so it's only a small number of weeks away. This year I slowly evolved into my goals and by now I'm pretty much into the routine of 'less but better', but still struggling with a bit of boredom. I might add a new category for beauty stuff - not basic toiletries but cosmetics and services - but I don't know how much it should be, since I haven't been tracking it religiously. I have a feeling that it'll surprise me how quickly everything adds up to a lot of money, even though I'm a pretty low maintenance chickie.

10 years ago

Susie

Veteran

I recently decided to start tracking such things so I started in September. I have a list of services like massage, pedicures and hair appointments. Then I have a separate list for products including make-up, skin care, nail stuff, perfume etc. I don't have a budget, just thought it would be good to know how much I spend so I thought I would track for 6 months or so. And since I'm not really tracking # of wears for my wardrobe, I needed something else geeky for a spreadsheet

Caro in Oz

I track as part of an overall budget but don't include them in my clothing one. IKWYM about the high cost of low maintenance

Anonymous

I have separate budgets for clothing, hair, beauty, and pharmaceuticals. I use ibank to budget and track.

I too am on SYC because NAS started me on a crazy spending spree that I wanted to break. I figure I will shop my closet until ~December. This shouldn't be too hard because, like you, I haven't even started wearing my fall/winter clothes yet?

I've also been following your posts on sustainability and I have been even more inspired to SYC.

Mauvish

Active Member

What does SYC stand for?

carter

Mauvish...SYC means shopping your closet (ie, not shopping the stores)

Windchime

I'm also doing SYC until at least November. I've added several fall/winter items, starting with the NAS, and am enjoying styling and wearing them, since temps here have cooled.

For the last couple years, while I was very focused on wardrobe building, I didn't require my "clothing" budget to cover things like haircuts and makeup. My wardrobe is in a very good place now--better than ever in my life-and I plan to slow down the acquisitions and use the same monthly budget--or maybe just a little more-- to cover all my style-related expenses.

shedev

I just buy as needed for beauty, mostly haircare. Under the 5 Piece French Wardrobe, I didn't set a budget but I did spend a little less than last year.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

I think I may add 'beauty' as a line item for next year - to track my spending but also to be more intentional about things like buying new makeup. I tend to use what I have for a really really long time which isn't always the best choice. If I have a budget that's 'expiring' I may be better at spending a little along rather than a bunch every few years.

Sal

I don't actually budget for beauty, it is an area I splurge at times and cut back at times. Last year I had a few facials and this year none, as money has been tighter.

I have a small tight makeup and skincare collection, with a mix of cheaper and mid range brands. Haircare is supermarket brands.

abc

If you are gonna go there (beauty) with your budget, I would break it into beauty products and beauty services. Two different categories in my opinion.

Good luck on SYC. I have been shopping way less lately and now with a pending trip to the USA I realize how many things I've deffered - so I will def NOT be SYC'ing, haha. Shopping less often has made me realize what I need, but now all of a sudden, I need a lot of things. Sigh.

ha that's funny abc, I feel the same way about SYC--that deferring purchases till later just means you have to shop more later. I think this is probably a function of having a small wardrobe though--or no moolah!

I do tend to put beauty products and care in the same category as clothes, as I sometimes swap one for the other. For example, I'll tell myself, "If I get a haircut this month, I'll not buy that blouse".

I just bought $50-worth of makeup the other day, and that'll be it for a long time. (I had a great experience at the MAC counter! In and out in about 5; no hemming or hawing. I highly recommend doing this for people who tend to get overwhelmed by the options at the drugstore.)

unfrumped

I haven't tracked, but I do feel it's easy to overlook some basic maintenance and feel that that can be more important as a new outfit.
A balance, if you will, or not forgetting the total package. Whether or not it's do- it-yourself or salon.
Similarly, need to save some free time for enjoying the process- sometimes I get in a rush and turns out I had the perfect accessories right there but tried to pack in one more errand or ( non- essential) activity before a fun event.

Good points, all, about the balancing of spending. I probably need to be a little more high-maintenance than I am, if I want to look nice, especially as I get older. I can't get away with cutting my hair every few months and wearing the same makeup for years like I used to. (Or maybe I didn't get away with it then either...)

I know what you mean, unfrumped. I'm almost compulsive about being efficient when running errands to try to optimize my time, or do something else when I'm in that area of town, and overoptimize to the point that if anything goes awry my whole schedule gets thrown off.

I think I default to spending on clothes rather than beauty or services because I can have control of it. I get to go shopping; I get to choose. If I'm getting a haircut or a facial, who knows how that's going to turn out. Hopefully good, maybe not.

I think it's also the sense of getting something material seems like "more" than a service. When instead the quality of life may be better with a pedicure than a new top !
Also, I don't mean that outfit creation needs to be arduous, or that I'm a belle of leisure sitting at my dressing table--one of the purposes of organizing wardrobe is to be able to get ready in a jiffy "for any occasion". What I mean though is it can be fun to "get ready" for an evening out and enjoy that process as part of the whole event, and sometimes that is fun to do on the actual day, taking into account weather, mood.

Yes, that's probably another reason too - items seem more tangible and I get to keep them, whereas a pedicure or a haircut takes an hour and you're out the money, but there's no product afterwards besides you.

Gotcha re preparing for events. I like to plan my outfits ahead for the week but stay open to a change if I feel like wearing something else. No reason in not enjoying the process of getting dressed.

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