Budgeting Bloggers: March 2014

March was a good month for me!  It's my birthday month, and I happened to win a $250 giftcard at work... but I decided not to credit my clothing budget.  I'm proud of myself for not going hog wild on a spending spree, even resisting a Tory Burch sale.  My, how I've grown up.

1. Fabletics Outfit (originally $50, FREE):  Camacan Capris (and a credit for a returned top), earned at no cost for referral, review, and purchase points. Check out my review of the outfit here.  It's my third month doing Fabletics, and I LOVE it!  I still don't feel like I have all the pieces I need in my workout drawer, so it's helping me on that front for sure.  Super pumped this month was a freebie, as my remaining budget was pretty tight.
2. J. Crew Factory Classic Button-Down Shirt Gingham (originally $55, paid $38):  This was straight off the wishlist, as I love so many of the gingham layering looks I see on blogs.  I chose the dark navy check as it seemed the most classic.  The J. Crew pieces I bought were already on sale, then I used a 30% off code to stack deals.
3. J. Crew Factory Clare Cardigan in White (originally $55, paid $28):  These are my #1 favorite cardigans, and I noticed that I need a white one in my closet as the weather warms up.  I keep reaching for one that doesn't exist, so I know it will get some wear this spring/summer!
4. J. Crew Factory Croc-Embossed Belt in Dusty Charcoal (originally $30, paid $7):  This was an add-on to my J. Crew order, since it made shipping free but was basically the cost of shipping.  I wear a lot of skinny belts with my cardigan outfits.
5. Dorothy Perkins Blue Floral 2-in-1 Dress (originally $29, paid $23):  I already have two dresses from Dorothy Perkins, and I love them both!  I spotted free shipping and 20% off codes online recently, so I decided to try the site out again with a couple of fit-n-flare dresses.  I am determined that the weather will turn around and it will be spring dress season again!  This dress was an instant favorite for me.  The material of both my DP dresses was soft and stretchy, way better than other dresses I've been browsing that cost more.
6. Dorothy Perkins Navy & Ivory Striped Boxpleat Dress (originally $29, paid $23):  I wanted to LOVE this dress, but the torso length felt slightly off on me. Returns to the UK were too pricey, so I did my best to make it work... and I grew to love it.
7. Dorothy Perkins Bird Ditsy Necklace (originally $9, paid $7):  Free shipping add-on piece, because I need more gold!  Not amazing, but I am sure I will wear it occasionally.
8. J. Crew French Print Popover (originally $88, paid $51 with shipping/tax):  I blame two people for this... Caroline for telling me I had to have this French-themed shirt (I was a French major after all), and Fran for mentioning the 40% off sale prices offer on her blog!  I also credit the same two people for bringing this wonderful top into my life.  Merci.  The deal took the price down to about $41, but I had to pay shipping and tax.  I think I'm moving down a size in J. Crew based on this shirt (woohoo, weight loss!) but keeping this one as-is.
9. Long-Sleeved Dress from Macy's (FREE):  Birthday gift from my Mom, has a great silhouette and I've already worn it!
10. Statement Necklace from Macy's (FREE):  Birthday gift from my Mom

$177 spent - $50 earned = $127 $166 savings
Quarterly Budget: $500 - $260 January - $135 February - $127 March= $22 over budget
Overall, I'm pleased with myself in terms of how my first quarter went.  I was a bit over budget, but given how much money I saved I don't feel like it was a terrible offense.  Budgeting almost a year now with Fran has helped me realize that I was shopping emotionally a lot of the time.  I'm more deliberate about what I buy now, and I cull my closet more often.  (To my local Goodwill's delight!)  I'm scared to think how much I was spending on clothes before, knowing that it was perfectly normal for me to go into a Forever 21 and spend over $100 on a regular basis, on clothes I didn't even keep for a year.

How I styled the Dorothy Perkins dress

Don't forget to check out what the rest of Fran's Budgeting Bloggers hauled this month!