Usually I am strict about what I spend my money on, but there are times that I see something cute and feel like maybe a few dollars won’t hurt. For the most part, I never feel guilty about splurging, but I do know my limits.
If you want some ideas on how to feel less guilty about treating yourself you can follow these steps to ensure that you are spending while benefiting yourself:
1. Always give yourself a spending limit. Every time I go to the mall I give myself a budget, “Katia you can spend no more than $30.” Of course, this seems small, but you can do a lot with a little. I went to Wet Seal and spent about $16 on a pair of shoes, a skirt and a sports bra. Then I went to Forever 21 and spent $7 on a pair of plaid shorts and a tank top to go with the skirt I bought at Wet Seal.
2. Go directly to clearance. If you stay at the front of the store long enough you might get distracted by all of the pretty -expensive- things. The clearance section is nothing to be ashamed of, it is just a bunch of items that were left over from when they were in season and you might find something cute. You can buy a whole new wardrobe for less than half of what you would spend buying the items for full price.
3. Buy all of the items that you need when they are out of season. In the winter and fall bathing suits, cute dress, shorts and tank tops start to go on sale. If you feel like your summer and spring wardrobe are looking drab or small them spice them up by saving money on them when the season is over. Of course, you might think it is crazy to shop for all of your summer clothes in the winter and winter clothes in the spring, but you will see that it is cheaper and you will find a lot more that you would be willing to buy. Why not stock up now?
4. Only pay full price for something that you absolutely need, but if it’s too much you can always find something similar elsewhere. For me this is always tricky, because I think to myself “what if I never find another pair of skinny leg khakis?” Lucky me, I passed up a pair of regular khakis at Macys, thinking that was as good as I was going to get, and saw a pair of skinny leg khakis at Gordmans for $19.99. Shopping sales are the best way to never pay full price.
5. Don’t be afraid to use coupons. Using coupons should never be shameful, what is so wrong about saving your money? If you save that extra dollar at one place, you can use it toward something else at another place. It will also benefit you in the long run.
6. When shopping in clearance, give yourself a limit for what you are willing to pay for each item. My limit is $10 for pants, dresses and shoes and $6 for shirts and skirts. When I let myself think this way, I pass up things that I would be tempted to buy, but would probably never wear or would feel bad for wear since I spent so much on it.
When you are buying for yourself don’t be afraid to be cheap. Cheaper is better and you will feel better about it when you have money left over.
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