Spending Freeze Series - Being on a Budget Really Stinks....Until I Consider the Alternative!

This past week has been harder than the first week as far as sticking to a budget goes!  At various times throughout the week, I became stressed, bored, and tired (all triggers for my online shopping).  I resisted though and am quite proud of myself for that!  I did get a pedicure Friday, which I ended up feeling guilty about (although my aching feet thanked me for it).  I never would've felt bad about doing it before and that's when it hit me....being on a budget stinks....until I consider the alternative.

As I've mentioned before, taking this new job also meant taking a BIG pay cut.  I became frustrated this weekend though b/c, of all things, it's the end of the Lia Sophia Spring/Summer 2014 catalog and there's some items that are being discontinued that I wanted to order.  (Yes, I realized how ridiculous that sounded as soon as I typed it.  I should be focused on my debt snowball anyway).  Instead of letting the b-word get me down, I kept reminding myself that I could be having all the fabulous clothes and Lia Sophia jewelry I wanted...if I were still at my old job.  The money there was great, but being on-call 24/7 and the stress and frustration level I felt every day just wasn't worth it.  I know the Lord lead me down this path for a reason and I'm thanking my lucky stars for my new job and the sense of peace that comes with it!

Spending Freeze Series - What I Wore this Week

Here's a look at what I wore during this first week of my "No New Clothes" Spending Freeze....

Monday:

Top:  the Limited (purchased last month)
Bottoms:  Target (Several years old.  They're maternity shorts actually, but I bought them b/c the elastic upper is slimming underneath tops - just a little trick I found).
Shoes:  White House Black Market Wedges (purchased two or three years ago).  Put them on eBay after trying to wear them.
Jewelry:  Lia Sophia (Debating putting the necklace on eBay.  This is the first time I wore it and I just don't know if I love it.  It's blue on one side and white on the other, which limits what you can wear it with b/c the chain turns throughout the day.  I wear the earrings at least monthly).

Lia Sophia "Check Please" Earrings and "Chain Reaction" Necklace

Tuesday:

Not sure why the photo is sideways, but you get the point.  

Top:  The Limited (Several years old.  I have this top in 7 different colors b/c it's so comfortable & versatile)

Capri Pants:  Style & Co from Macy's

Jewelry:  Lia Sophia "Sierra Vista" Necklace and Earrings

Wednesday:

Top:  The Limited

Bottoms:  Capri Pants from New York & Company

Jewelry:  Lia Sophia "Exotic Bloom" Necklace and "Botanica" Earrings

Thursday:  

Top:  the Limited

Cover Up/Cardigan:  the Limited (it's on the left and is black)

Bottoms:  Black Capri Pants from New York & Co - Got these from a second hand store by work last summer and I love them!  They're great for work!

Jewelry:  Lia Sophia Necklace and Earrings

Friday's outfit is now in the laundry room to be washed.  I can tell you that I wore the bright pink version of the same shirt from the Limited that I wore Tuesday, along with a beige cardigan and denim capri pants from the Limited.  We had a work retreat and were allowed to dress more casually, which was great.

Weekly Re-Cap:  I did a great job sticking to my budget/spending freeze!  It was tough, especially since I keep getting coupons in the mail since this is my birthday month.  I resisted the urge to use them though.  (Maybe if I get some birthday money, I'll do so then).  I also pushed my next Stitch Fix back as promised.  

I spent the following and did so with cash:

~ McDonald's - breakfast one day ($4.29) and lunch another day ($5.60) b/c I didn't have anything at home to pack.

~ Kroger - gas for car - $32.64

~ Longaberger Golf Course - 1 drink at our retreat - $7.97 

~ Vending machine at work - 1 pop - $ .75

~ Kroger - grocery stock up - $120.65 (Kind of lost my marbles at the grocery stocking up on my husband's favorite potato chips b/c I thought they were on sale and on shaving cream since I had coupons).  Oops!

Spending Freeze Series - You Look Familiar....

As you know, I'm currently on a 30-day spending freeze when it comes to clothes.  The action steps for this "freeze" include the following:

Step 1:  Don't spend any money on clothes until after 8/5/14.

Step 2:  Take inventory of what I already have.  I know there's clothes/shoes in my closet that I've never even worn (and have forgotten are even in there).

Step 3:  Donate or sell what doesn't fit or what I won't wear.

Step 4:  Be accountable on my blog.  I'll post an update every few days (hopefully more often) and let you know how it's going.

While going thru the shoes in my small closet, I discovered 2 pairs of shoes that looked familiar (as in almost alike):

The ones on the left are from White House Black Market.  I bought them 2 or 3 years ago and have worn them once.  The ones on the right are from INC Concepts (Macy's) and were purchased last year.  They've also been worn once.  When I bought the INC shoes, I had honestly forgotten I owned the WHBM ones and fell in love with the fact they were on clearance, were sparkly, and were a wedge.

Guess I have a type!  Since the WHBM ones (on left) are more versatile than the ones on the INC ones on the right (they have purple/lavendar crystals on them), they stay and the purple, sparkly shoes are headed to eBay.  (Again, making my closet work for me versus me working for what's in my closet).  If I don't wear the WHBM wedges this week, they're headed to eBay as well.

Update:  I actually wore the WHBM wedges Monday to work and they killed my poor little pinkie toes.  By lunch time and I had to switch over to my Sperry's.  I hate to get rid of them too, but there's no sense in keeping shoes that I can only wear for 1/2 a day.  Looks like they need a new home as well!

XOXO,
Stephanie

Spending Freeze Series - 58 Layering Tank Tops - Really?!?

As I mentioned in my previous posts, I'm currently on a 30-day spending freeze.  Part of that freeze includes taking inventory of what's in my closet right now so I know what I have to work with as far as putting outfits together.  I knew I had a box (the black and white one you see below in the photo) and a cubby of tanks, but what I didn't know was how many that entailed exactly.

When I pulled them all out and counted them, there were 58 total (and who knows how many more are in my spare closet).  58 tanks?!?  Who on earth needs that many tanks?  The crazy part is that I don't even wear most of them b/c of my stomach that I'm trying to hide at all costs right now.  Out of the 58, here's what I actually wear (plus one green one that's not on the hanger):

I recently bought the light tan one in front from the Limited and I wear it all the time.  That one along with one white, one cream, and one black tank are all I really need - 4 layering tanks total.  (Honestly though, I could just use the tan one for everything).  Talk about a waste of money (and valuable closet space)!!  Guess what I'm not going to be buying any more of any time soon!  I didn't realize I had that many.  

In the end, I took these 11 tanks out:

The 6 on the far left have been deemed "casual evening/weekend tanks" either because they may have a make-up mark on them or because they have shelf bras (AKA - make my chest look way too big to wear to work).  They'll be nice to put on at night when I come home and do the instant bra-toss (ladies, you know what I'm talking about).  

The 2 in the middle and 3 on the far right are going to be sold in two lots on eBay according to their size.  I'm going to take that money to put towards my current Snowball item (on the Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover) I'm trying to pay off.  This way my clothing will be working for me towards my goal versus sitting in my closet collecting dust.  And it gets me down to 47 tanks in my closet (which is still too many, but is at least a start).

XOXO,
Stephanie

Update:  I've since found 4 more tanks that I wear by themselves.  So, the grand total was 62 (and is now 51).  :(

Spending Freeze Series - If You Don't LOVE It, Send It Back!

How many of you are fans of online shopping?  That's how I normally shop.  I HATE going to the mall, fighting lines, and walking a mile to get from one anchor store to the other.  The only downside is that you can't try on your purchase prior to buying it and sometimes the size is bigger/smaller than imagined.  Luckily for me, I shop at the Limited enough that I know how their clothes fit.  Today though, I decided to send some things back that arrived last week.....

Here's what didn't make the cut (and into my closet):

In person, these stones were much bigger than I had pictured.  The colors also didn't vary as much as they do in the photo, and overall, the necklace just looked cheap in person.  Back you go and $16.64 comes back into my wallet.

This eyelet top also didn't make it.  In the photo, you can't see the model's bra thru the holes, but in person, you definitely can (and I didn't feel like layering another shirt underneath).  Back you go!  $19.02 coming my way.

In person, this necklace is HUGE.  Plus, I already have 2 nautical-looking necklaces that I found in my jewelry hanger.  Decided I didn't need a 3rd one.  Welcome back $16.64.

There was also one more necklace from Express that I sent back as well because on, I just didn't like how it looked.  Thank you $29.90.  

So, just by saving my purchase receipts and taking the time to send these 4 items back, I saved approx. $80.11 (minus the return shipping fees).  That was worth it!  And now I know, once this spending freeze is over, don't buy anymore nautical necklaces, eyelet tops, plastic necklaces, choker necklaces, or anything else that I don't love when I come across it.  Lesson learned!

XOXO,

Stephanie

Spending Freeze Series - These Shoes Tell a Story!

I recently put myself on a spending freeze of not buying any clothes for 30 days.  (I'm a stress and boredom shopper, so for me, this will definitely be a challenge).  The action steps for this freeze were simple:

Step 1:  Don't spend any money on clothes until after 8/5/14.

Step 2:  Take inventory of what I already have.  I know there's clothes/shoes in my closet that I've never even worn (and have forgotten are even in there).

Step 3:  Donate or sell what doesn't fit or what I won't wear.

Step 4:  Be accountable on my blog.  I'll post an update every few days (hopefully more often) and let you know how it's going.

As part of Step #2 and #3, I began going thru my closet to take inventory of what I have and to sell what doesn't fit or I won't wear.  That's when I came across these little beauties....

I only wore these shoes once over a year ago and when I tried them on today, they kept sliding off my heals.  Naturally, they're going up on eBay.  Before they go off to their new home with someone fabulous who will rock them, their story needs to be told.  (I mean, after all, when you find shoes with red glitter (yes, freaking GLITTER) on the bottom of them, they represent a fun time)!

Picture it: A work conference, a Katy Perry outfit, and these fabulous heels!  

Every year my former employer holds a 3-day conference.  As part of the first night, there is a theme party.  In 2012, the theme entailed dressing up as a famous character/celebrity.  I decided to be Katy Perry (a-la California Dreams).  I had so much fun putting this outfit together!  I ordered the dress, the necklace, the wig, the microphone, the pink tutu to go under the dress, the white knee socks, and of course, the fabulous pink shoes.

By the end of the night (after a celebrity talent show of sorts and a few glasses of wine), a bunch of us ended up in the pool and we swam for what felt like forever, costumes and all (fabulous shoes sitting safely on the pool deck), rotating between the pool and the hot tub, laughing, throwing people in the pool, swimming, and just hanging out/having a good time.  (Hence, the red glitter from my costume ending up on the bottom of my shoes.  That stuff washed right off the cupcake on my costume onto the pool deck when I got out and then I stepped in my red, sparkly puddle).

And that is the story of my fabulous, sparkly hot pink shoes (that now need a new home).  If you're a size 8 1/2, you can buy them now on e-Bay and make some fabulous memories of your own.

XOXO,

Stephanie

Spending Freeze - Life AFTER the Big Garage Sale

If you read my post "The Price of Happiness", you know that I recently took a much lower paying job.  In preparation for this change (and to pay off some debt), my mom and I decided to have a joint garage sale.  (We're averaging one every 3-5 years since I was little).  Unlike the last garage sale we had 3 years ago where I took over 30 boxes of stuff up to my mom's to sell, this time we pulled it together in just over 2 weeks and I took about 9 five-gallon totes of things to get rid of.

After 3 days of sitting in the hot garage with my mamma (who is QUITE the saleswoman by the way), we got rid of about 3/4 of what we had put out to sell.  Once again, we also vowed to curb our spending habits.  (Though I've gotten much better since the last garage sale, there's still room for improvement).  

With that and inspiration from my best friend, Shayla, (who has gone nearly 2 years and only bought clothes with Christmas/Birthday money and/or clothing essentials) in mind, I'm going to try to do a 30-day clothing spending freeze and see how I do.  I already put myself on a Bath and Body Works spending freeze starting in January 2014 and have done great on it.  I've been using up what I already have in the cupboard and haven't bought any new. Yeah!  Go me!! (Dave Ramsey of the Total Money Makeover would be proud)!

Action Steps:

Step 1:  Don't spend any money on clothes until after 8/5/14.  (Stitch Fix #8 - you just got pushed back baby).

Step 2:  Take inventory of what I already have.  I know there's clothes/shoes in my closet that I've never even worn (and have forgotten are even in there).

Step 3:  Donate or sell what doesn't fit or what I won't wear.

Step 4:  Be accountable on my blog.  I'll post an update every few days (hopefully more often) and let you know how it's going.

Feel free to follow along and do this with me.  Changing habits is hard, so accountability partners are great to have!

(Mom - this last garage sale picture is for you).  :)