A broke girl’s guide to shopping on a budget:
It’s time to admit something to ourselves. Alright, take a deep breath. Ready? Here it is… you’re broke. Okay maybe you already knew that, but here’s the thing, all of those so called “necessities” you’re justifying spending your limited cash supply on are likely not necessities at all. We’re going to give you a few ideas of what is worth the splurge, and when you would be better off going for the cheaper option.
Splurge: Foundation
There’s nothing wrong with going into Ulta and heading right for the drugstore section, and if you can find a foundation that blends well, doesn’t flake, matches your skin tone and doesn’t make you break out, power to you. If not PLEASE do your face and the world a favor and invest in a good one. Hit up the Sephora makeover counter; they’re basically makeup wizards.
Save: Shampoo
It’s soap. It’s in your hair for maybe a minute before you wash it down the drain.
Splurge: Conditioner
That being said, if you have dry, damaged, or color treated hair you should invest in a good conditioner. Just ask you hair dresser that they recommend. Plus, there are plenty of great options that are still under $15.
Splurge: Running Shoes
If you work out, do your back and knees a favor and purchase a pair of high quality running shoes. Do your research and find out what type of shoe would be best for your workout style, and don’t you dare just get the cutest pair you see- your body will not be happy with you.
Save: Medicine
Whether it be cramps, allergies, or that morning after headache, we all need our meds. When you walk down the health aisle at Target you probably reach for the classic brand names like Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Advil, etc… Stop that! Store brand meds work the same as brand name ones but are so much cheaper. To put it in perspective: Advil 160 count: $14.00; Target brand pain killer 250 count: $9.19. You get so much more for your money.
Splurge: Bras
Boobs. We all have them. Some are big and require a lot of support, and some are small and could use a little help. Alright we know Victoria Secret’s prices can be a bit crazy sometimes, especially for you larger-chested girls who have to pay more for the same bra. BUT, we all deserve to own at least one bra that makes us say “woah, my boobs look great AND I don’t feel at risk of developing spinal problems”. So ladies, do yourself a favor and invest in your chest. Your girls and your back will thank you.
Save: Mascara
Okay we’re just going to be blunt with this one. Maybelline has invented hundreds of different mascaras, and we guarantee you they work just as well as high end ones. So stop spending two to three times as much on a product that is going to dry up and have to be replaced in a couple of months anyway.
Splurge: Bikinis
The next time you try on that miracle bikini that flatters you in all the right ways and makes you feel like queen of the beach, buy it. Don’t even look at the price tag, just walk up to the registers, put it on the counter and pray you’ll still get to buy groceries that week. Nobody likes bikini shopping, so when you find that holy grail piece you gotta treat yo’ self!
Save: Makeup Brushes
The next time you consider dropping $40 on a foundation brush, slap your own hand and walk away from that makeup counter. Sure you might feel like applying blush with angel wings, and if you used one brush for every powder, cream and goo you put on your face, we’d say go for it. But the fact of the matter is you probably have a brush for your foundation, blush, bronzer, powder, etc. Go for a brand like Real Techniques, who has good quality brushes for around $10 each. If you’re a fan of beauty blenders, look in the checkout isles at T.J.Maxx and Marshalls for brand name blenders before you drop $20 on a piece of foam.
If we’ve learned anything from being broke college girls it’s that sometimes you’ve got to embrace the ratchet. While you may not be able to have all of the nice expensive things you want, we hope this article shed some light on where you can shell out a few extra dollars without guilt. So carry on being slightly less broke and a little less ratchet as well.