So as you may know from my recent stories I have started budgeting this year. I started In February and have been keeping up with it ever since. I have found so much joy and freedom from having a to stress about money and what not.
Today I wanted to share with you my little secret to being a fashion blogger while having only $58 at the beginning of the month to spend on clothes.
Lets start by me sharing my budgets for things:
Clothes: $700/year ($58.33/month)
Gas: $3600/year ($300/month) (I know it is awful when you have to commute, this was during school)
Insurance: $3500/year
Vacation: $1500/year
Personal: $200/year
Entertainment(food, movies, etc): $1200/year ($100/month)
Savings: $490/year ($40/month)
= $11 180/year, this is what I have to make at my jobs. I am fortunate to have money saved away for school as well as being able to live rent free while I am in school.
This biggest question that I get is how I am a fashion blogger and only give myself $58 a month for clothes.
It really makes you get creative with how you source your clothes as well as how you pair outfits together.
I am also on the road to shopping sustainably and ethically. This creates another problem for my “little” $58 budget as that is often equal to 1 piece of clothing if not even that.
How I get my clothes:
- I borrow/trade with friends. My friends are also clothing fanatics like myself so if they have a piece of clothing that is on trend I might borrow it for a picture or if they like some of my pieces that I am bored with and vice versa we will trade!
- I sell my clothes/other items all the time. I used to be someone that held onto clothes for sentimental value but what is the point in that? Now as I am always hopping on new trends I get new pieces that I don’t wear much so I give them a new home and that money I put on top of my existing $58. I might not get what I paid for but every penny counts.
- I started thrifting more. So many trends you see are plays on older trends. Going to your local thrift store is a real money saver and it is sustainable and ethical.
- (blogger bonus) I am thankful to receive a few pieces in the mail to do with blogging but not enough to post regular, new content.
- (bloggers bonus) Every once in a while I will contact a brand to borrow clothes from their store to take pictures in. Afterwards I will give them back!
Other ways that I keep myself on track are if I end up not spending as much money in one category but need or want to use that money somewhere else I don’t stress out about it, I just move the money over. Budgets are their to help you not hinder and annoy you.
Why do I use a budget? I find it really freeing to know how much money I can spend on things each month and just being able to spend it! I don’t have to ever feel guilty for shopping and buying things that I want because I know that I have the money for it.
