Saturday, September 27, 2014

Budgeting Bloggers: September 2014

It's the end of another quarter!  While I had a larger budget left for this final month of the quarter, and I sure did spend it, I noticed I got fewer items overall.  And it feels good!  I like the idea of investing in quality.  My biggest purchase was my Madewell tote, which I chose to replace my falling-apart black Longchamp Le Pliage (circa 2005, falling apart now); I wanted something bigger than my Longchamp, and Madewell's offering is leather for a similar price of Longchamp Nylon.   The brown/black combo is one of my favorites, because I can keep the same purse on my shoulder all week no matter what color shoes/belt/etc. I'm rocking.

Here's a snapshot of my haul:
  1. Chloe + Isabel Crystal Square Stud Earrings ($24):  My friend had a jewelry party to support her friend who recently adopted.  I feel strongly about adoption, so why not buy some new baubles for a cause?  I love stud earrings, and these were classic!
  2. Fabletics Lima Capri in Taos Print (retail $50, paid $40 VIP): I have a number of Lima Capris from Fabletics, and I find it hard to resist new prints!  Capris are perfect for working out in pretty much year-round in Tennessee, and this print might also get worn around the house on lazy Sundays.  (If you're interested in learning more about Fabletics and their *$50* high-quality monthly workout outfits, click my referral link here.  I can earn $10 if you sign up!)  Kate Hudson wore the pink version of these on a magazine cover this month.
  3. Fabletics Suki Short in Pink Lava (retail $30, paid $24 VIP):  These are shorter than my other pair of Suki Shorts, but still long enough to be comfortable in for running!   I wear my Sukis so much, I wanted another pair.  These also have pockets, perfect for my inhaler or a little packet of energy gel.  I definitely use the shorts in warmer weather quite a bit, just like capris but with more breeze.  I even ran a half marathon in them!
  4. eShakti Belted Chambray Skirt (retail $53, paid $18):  I know I'm an eShakti addict.  But hear me out!  I had a $25 giftcard from my last purchase, plus they sent me a $20 gift coupon, and those both *stacked* for $45 off base price.  So I got a full, fun belted skirt for under $20 including shipping!  Their chambray does rub off before the first couple of washes, but it's fun.  It will be a new classic piece for me.
  5. Madewell Transport Tote in black (retail $168+tax, paid $156 w/tax):  This bag has a bit of a cult following, especially among bloggers.  I wish this bag had a zipper or snap top, but I chose it because it was a comparable price to Longchamp's nylon bags, and I gave my old Camden tote from Madewell to sissy this summer.  Shoutout to Madewell for offering a 15% in-store student discount!  It actually gave me $25 off the pre-tax retail price ($143 subtotal).
  6. Madewell Bien Fait Canvas Tote (FREE):  It just so happened that I was picking up my Transport Tote during the grand opening celebration of Nashville's store... so they gave me a freebie tote bag.  Score!  The back has the Madewell logo.
$262 spent - $38 sold = $224 total
$64 savings + a freebie tote!

Quarterly Budget: $500 - $159 July - $115 August - $224 September = $2 remaining

Not too shabby!  But since I now have a new car and other things that require my funds, I am cutting my quarterly budget from $500 to $400, which is actually less than I used to do before quarterly tracking.  I am also no longer going to count blog earnings towards my budget, only sales of clothing/accessories exiting my closet.  I feel like my wardrobe is in a much better place, and I can still use my quarterly budget for the occasional splurge.  Forcing myself to sell some things before I bring in new stuff will help me control the total closet.

I also decided that after my Disney Marathon in January, I am going to treat myself to a pair of imogene + willie jeans as a reward, outside of my budgeting.  You heard it here first!  Gotta keep myself motivated to finish those 26.2 miles.

Here's a pic of me wearing one of my custom circle skirts from last month!  Instead of my normal petticoat 50s look, I wore it without for more of a 60s schoolgirl vibe.  I love mustard; it's my favorite color these days.


Check out the rest of this month's Budget Bloggers at the linkup at Franish!

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5 comments:

  1. I'm impressed with your ability to stick to a quarterly budget. What do you include in that? Eating out, etc.? I would love to see a post on it if you haven't done one before!

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  2. Hi Kelly, this quarterly budget is 100% only clothing, accessories, shoes, etc. I used to do $150 a month, but then I started to want investment pieces that might cost more than $150, so a quarterly budget allows me to figure out what wants I should fulfill.


    As for my personal budget, I used a monster spreadsheet and view things as monthly vs. quarterly.

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  3. Oh girl, you got some GREAT stuff! I have that skirt in the printed cotton version and love it. Hopefully I'll be cheering you on at the marathon! We're hoping to go again in January. How exciting for you!

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  4. Hi, first time stopping by. Great skirt; mustard is such a perfect color for fall. Also where is your tassel necklace from? It looks vintage, and I love vintage jewelry.

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  5. I am addicted to my tassel necklace! It is actually from LOFT, and there was a similar one at J. Crew a while back, but I didn't want to pay that price. I also love that it looks vintage, and over time it has gotten less shiny, more of a worn-in vintage patina.

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