I will be the first to admit that when I see pretty things in a store, sometimes it's as if those items are calling me by name. Instead of sinking into the quicksand trap of impulsive buying or turning into the girl from Confessions of a Shopoholic, I have to stop and think. Yes, think. Do I really need that beautiful thing calling my name? DO I already have one similar? Will I use it? Where will I store it? (Okay, honestly, sometimes I push these questions aside because I REALLY WANT IT!) This is why it's important to go in the store with a plan. It may look different for every single one of us, but I wanted to share my plan with you and encourage you to make one of your own! :)
My plan starts when I get paid each month. (In case you didn't realize it until now, teachers only get paid once a month.) I start by looking at how much money I have. I then take out money for my tithe, insurance, rent, sponsored kid, groceries, gas, etc. I then put money into savings or to pay off student loans (what a joy they are).
The money that is left is what I have to spend for the month. I then separate that money into smaller categories, such as toiletries, beauty (nails, hair, etc.). This helps me understand exactly how much I can spend each month on each type of item. If I have a bad day and feel like having retail therapy, it comes out of my budget for that category. I try to stay within the spending parameters I set for myself each month.
With that in mind, most of the time I literally divvy up whatever money I have for shopping each time I go to a store. I tell myself, "Okay, today you can only spend $20." It becomes a game to see how many things I can find that I "need" for $20. Because I treat it like a game, I find it more fun to stay within the little allotments I give myself. (This was discovered after blowing my spending budget time and time again. <--See that?! I admitted it. That's the first step, right? :)
Have a different way of making sure you stay within budgets? Let us know in the comment section. :) You too can be an innovative budget creator! We can still have fun shopping without spending much! Let's outsmart the overspending trap we all know too well!
Fashionably Yours,
The Thrifty Stylista