Spending money now
Posted by ledzepfan12 on Dec 25, 2008 · Member since Jan 2007 · 675 posts
I have horrible credit that I am preparing to get under control during this coming year I also have two jobs that for now supplies some damn fine spending money. I also have no decent clothes or shoes. Seriously I look a hot mess. So far I've spent about $150 on clothes today (!) and just stumbled upon a sale at J. Crew and their cardigans look scrumptious! >:D
BTW: I do have enough to pay my bills with and to buy groceries and gas and whatnot.
ETA: Everything I'm getting is on sale so its not like I'm getting just like five things or something. I'm making sure they all count and I'm buying on volume to hold me for a while.
You need to have good clothes and shoes. That is basic. Think about how much money you need to pay your bills, etc. If you have enough left, then buy them. You can even buy one piece at a time. Like, each paycheck, buy something you need--shoes, a pair of pants, etc. Look for the best deals but get what you NEED.
Buy things, like KMK said, that you will use a lot-- clothing, shoes-- buy nice things. Pieces you can wear to work as well as outside of work, things that are on sale. Make the most of your dolla! I like to buy nice pieces that can go with several outfits. Sales are always a plus. I don't know if you like the clothing at Express (we all know I'm a huge fan) but they're having a HUGE sale starting tomorrow.
No, I'm not going. I swear.
Unless I get bored.
My way of thinking is probably different than most people here.
You can find allot of nice clothes by shopping at thrift shops.
Also keep an eye out on Freecycle.
You need to prioritize your spending. Broke people will always be broke if they don't budget correctly.
Obviously you need clothes--no one would fault you there! Have you looked into thrift/second hand shopping? I go to a salvation army and antoher thrift store and I get practically new, brand name stuff all the time for a fraction of the price--and I'm talking real brand names like Express, Gap, J. Crew, American Eagle, Levi, etc., etc., I never spend more then $5 on a pair of jeans and I've enve got hella cute stuff for as little as $.50!!! I know it's not for everyone--but if you get a thrill out of finding a deal and don't mind second hand yu should check it out!! It's a real money saver and you can go shopping all the time at second hand places :)
I bet a lot of us have messy money issues right now so don't feel bad--it sounds like you are making great progress on getting things in order!!! Good luck and happy bargin shopping :) :)
Buy things, like KMK said, that you will use a lot-- clothing, shoes-- buy nice things. Pieces you can wear to work as well as outside of work, things that are on sale. Make the most of your dolla! I like to buy nice pieces that can go with several outfits. Sales are always a plus. I don't know if you like the clothing at Express (we all know I'm a huge fan) but they're having a HUGE sale starting tomorrow.
No, I'm not going. I swear.
Unless I get bored.
Yes. Buy clothes you can wear for a lot of things. Not just cutesy things. Like, a good pair of pants, solids, things in neutral colors, etc.
Just use your best judgment. Prioritize managing your debts, of course. If your job doesn't require nice clothes, you can always hold off. But if not having nice clothes impedes other aspects of your life, you need to get some.
Yes. Buy clothes you can wear for a lot of things. Not just cutesy things. Like, a good pair of pants, solids, things in neutral colors, etc.
Just use your best judgment. Prioritize managing your debts, of course. If your job doesn't require nice clothes, you can always hold off. But if not having nice clothes impedes other aspects of your life, you need to get some.
Exactly. Like, you said you're digging cardigans right now. A good cardigan, in my opinion, is one I can dress up with a nice pair of slacks and that I can also wear with a pair of jeans. Dual-purpose. Neutrals for pieces like cardigans, jackets, dress pants, etc are your best bets. Then you can buy a few funkier shirts to play up the neutrals. Neutrals go with EVERYTHING. Neutrals go with neutrals. Neutrals are your friend.
I guess KMK and I are sort of sticking to more professional gear here; we were discussing wardrobes the other night. I'm not exactly sure what you're shopping for, but it's never a bad time to start building up a good "professional" wardrobe. The pieces can always be "dressed down" for more casual wear.
Yup, that is what I'm thinking! Timeless, professional pieces that make you look good and can also be made casual. Bingo.
Yup, that is what I'm thinking! Timeless, professional pieces that make you look good and can also be made casual. Bingo.
Sigh. Love it. :)>>>
EDIT: I just feel so good when I wear awesome clothes!
I am of three minds on this issue since I am currently in the same situation. I live with my parents so I live rent free and I don't drive. I work two jobs and currently have students loans and a massive amount of credit card debt. I made the decision this summer to buy myself new clothes and again this winter (when moving home I purged a lot of my clothes and rather than move them). I am currently trying to get my credit cards paid off before I have to start paying back my loans.
I save 150$ a month to build up an emergency fund (very important)
I cannot currently afford to give money to charity and I really wish I could
I love shopping and buying clothes.
I think your best bet is to come up with a budget and decide how much money you can afford to spend on clothes, while also saving money and giving to charity. I think all three things are important but the faster you can pay off your debt the better.
Thanks for all of your input. But yeah, all of my clothes are faded, stretched out, stained beyond repair, etc.. Same for my shoes, but I'm focusing on clothes now. A few people mentioned thrift stores but believe me I'm better off with the clothes I have now rather than buy those. My Salvation Army/ Goodwills will take anything no matter what the condition.
P. S., I wonder how many "I don't care"''s I'll get in the poll.. :P
P.P.S, I am definately going for the timeless look. Lots of plain t's, cardigans and pants.
and sometimes it's just nice to buy something new when you have been scrimping and saving. It's a big morale booster, at least for me!
Before I buy anything I try to determine if the pleasure/utility I could potentially derive from it will justify the price. As a result the only things I ever buy are books and clothes. It keeps the budget very low. Each month I donate 1% of my paycheck to charity. It's not much, but I know people have it worse off and donating money to help realize their dreams is definitely justified by my pleasure/utility function.
to me, saving is just as rewarding/exciting as shopping. to go onto my online bank account (capital one online savings account has a great interest rate) and to see that I've MADE 70$ in the past 6 months is like.,ajsdflkjalsdkjflkj!!! YESS! then i can spend some time creating a budget, figuring out how much I can take out of my primary account, still have enough left over for food, bills, necessities and then put the rest in my savings account to earn more money! ooooo!! it feels so good to save.
saving = fun!
me= shopaholic.
fo realz. BUT a good thing is i'm pretty cheap. i find a lot of cute stuff at our "thriftown" and goodwill as well. i just have wayyyyyyyy too much tops and shoes and jewelry (well cause i make my jewelry-doesn't count) but i only have 3 pairs of pants (its difficult finding perfect skinny jeans).
i love love love to shop!
to me, saving is just as rewarding/exciting as shopping. to go onto my online bank account (capital one online savings account has a great interest rate) and to see that I've MADE 70$ in the past 6 months is like.,ajsdflkjalsdkjflkj!!! YESS! then i can spend some time creating a budget, figuring out how much I can take out of my primary account, still have enough left over for food, bills, necessities and then put the rest in my savings account to earn more money! ooooo!! it feels so good to save.
saving = fun!
Oh gosh. I wish I found saving that thrilling.
I like....spending the savings....
You made $70 in six months? Jesus. Good for you, lady. ;)b
I am with KMK on this one. I love seeing my money grow. I was putting away 75$ a week for awhile and it certainly added up and I now have my emergency fund (I switched it to 150$ a month now so I can allocate that other 150 to debt repayment). Anything I save from now on is a bonus to help me when I get settled in a new place in the near future. I love figuring out how much I can afford to put into my savings account. I have an ING high interest savings account and you can set up automatic withdrawals from any bank account so the money goes into that account on the same day i get my pay check so I never really miss the money. There are are few things more satisfying than watching money grow!
I am with KMK on this one. I love seeing my money grow. I was putting away 75$ a week for awhile and it certainly added up and I now have my emergency fund (I switched it to 150$ a month now so I can allocate that other 150 to debt repayment). Anything I save from now on is a bonus to help me when I get settled in a new place in the near future. I love figuring out how much I can afford to put into my savings account. I have an ING high interest savings account and you can set up automatic withdrawals from any bank account so the money goes into that account on the same day i get my pay check so I never really miss the money. There are are few things more satisfying than watching money grow!
exactly!! best thing ever!
I'm with the camp that you have to have decent clothes. Clothes is an expense like food, rent and something you need to buy every so often. As long as you don't go overboard and are sensible.
But I know how you feel. I feel guilty whenever I spend money on myself when I should be saving more.