November Budget

Every month I post about my clothing budget. My budget per month is $350, which may seem like a lot to some and a little to others, but feels just right for me. You can read my thoughts on my 2018 budget here.

Another month down! I didn't do a ton of shopping in November mostly because I was so busy!! I also always feel like fall items are so classic and timeless that I don't need to add a ton to my wardrobe. This year I was pulling back out a lot of fall things that I didn't get to wear last year when I was pregnant, so it was basically like having a brand new wardrobe.

That being said, I'm pretty psyched about what I did end up buying! Here's the damage for November:

Eliza J Sweater Dress - $118. I was trying to figure out something to wear to Mia's baptism, since most of my clothes are either super dressy or super casual. This was so pretty online I thought I'd order it to try. In person the detailing is gorgeous, and I love the fit & flare style. Had to keep it! You can see me in it here.
J.Crew Boots - originally $198, on sale $99. I'd been wanting these for a couple of seasons, but never pulled the trigger. I realized though that I'm in winter boots for literally six months of the year and didn't want to just be in my Bean Boots every day, so I thought I'd give these a try when they were on sale last week. I like that in the black they look a little dressier than other hiking boots.  I put them on and was like "eh, I don't think I need them." And then I literally kept them on all day! They are so cozy with a full fur lining inside, it's like stepping on a cloud. I've been having issues with one of my feet for the past month or two, and these took the pain away immediately. Definite winners!
J.Crew Factory Earrings - originally $22.50, on sale $10.80. These were the only thing from an order from J.Crew Factory that I kept. So cute in person, slightly bigger than you'd expect and perfect for dressing up any holiday outfits.
J.Crew Great Lakes Tee - originally $29.50, used rewards $24.50. I ordered this way back in September but it was backordered and just arrived this month. For some reason I thought I needed an XXL (I still have some weird body dysmorphia from being pregnant!) so it's really oversized on me, but it's adorable and perfect for wearing with leggings and a cardigan for all of my momming around days.

Total Spent: $252.30
Total Saved: $115.70

I honestly had no idea how I was doing as far as budget for the year, so I decided to actually go back and do the math:

January: $166.95
February: $231.04
March: $149.49 
April: $348.61
May: $334.20
June: $269.85
July: $294.90
August: $17.70
September: $404.54
October:  $360.44
November: $252.30

Total Spent so far: $2830.02
Monthly Average: $257.27

Turns out I am way under budget, which at least makes me feel better about the coat I ordered last week too that I'm waiting on. Technically I have $1369.98 left over for December (ha!) and no, I am not just going buck wild and spending it all. It makes me feel good that I seem to have reigned in my spending a bit. I actually try not to shop for myself a ton in December anyway since I'm busy shopping for others, so we'll see how this month goes.

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November Budget

Every month I post about my clothing budget. My budget per month is $350, which may seem like a lot to some and a little to others, but feels just right for me. You can read my thoughts on my 2017 budget here.

I feel like I say this every time I write a budget post, but how on earth is November almost over?! Between Thanksgiving and our trip to Hawaii, the month just flew by. As per the usual with months when we have a big trip, I didn't do a ton of shopping, mainly because I was checked out for so long! The scarves and cardigans I actually ordered back in October but they hadn't arrived in time for that month's post.

My favorite purchase for the month is also the least practical - that pretty sequined handbag! Ever since seeing a friend carry a pretty beaded and sequined handbag to a wedding a few years ago, I've been on the hunt for something similar. It's such a fun and easy way to dress up a basic black dress (or just jeans and a tee)! I haven't brought it out to play yet, but I know it's something I'll have and use for years to come.

So here's the damage for November: 

J.Crew Factory Plaid Scarves - originally $29.50, on sale $20.65 x2. Yes, I now own six of these scarves, but they really are the best! Inexpensive but they don't look it, and they're nice and warm! I wear them both as a part of an outfit and with my coats as a warm layer. I get compliments every time I wear one. How fun is the red and green one for the holidays?!
LOFT Cape - originally $79.50, on sale $39.75. I shared this cape yesterday, and it is so soft and so cute! Definitely a good buy for the holidays, and when reversed to the navy side, the rest of winter!
Old Navy Cardigans - originally $39.99, on sale $27.99 x2. I ordered these when I was getting ready for a party back in October and realized I didn't own a black cardigan - what?! These are great dupes for the Madewell cardigans that are so popular right now (I have one in green) and feel surprisingly high quality for the price! I still might return the purple/gray color though - I feel like it isn't the most flattering color on my skin tone.
Sole Society Boots - originally $149.95, on sale $127.46. I had these on my wishlist for a long time and was unsure on ordering them - mainly because I already had a couple pairs of riding boots, and since booties are more in style right now. But I ended up snagging them because I can't stand having cold winter ankles with booties all winter (Chicago problems!) and the day after they came my other favorite pair of tall boots bit the dust! I literally pulled the zipper right off of them!! So I'm very glad to have these now. They definitely won't work for you if you have a wider calf, they fit very close on me. I would also say they run slightly narrow, but wearing them around one day was enough to loosen them up for me.
Sole Society Bag - originally $59.95, on sale $50.95. Like I said above, this is so cute in person and I'll be using it for years to come! It's a good size, big enough to fit both of my phones plus my other party essentials, and it has a chain that you can use to wear crossbody or on the shoulder, or you can tuck the chain inside and wear it as a clutch.

Total Spent: $315.44
Total Saved: $112.94

So for December, I don't have a ton on my wishlist since I'm sticking to my maternity uniform (leggings, a tee shirt, plus another layer) through the end of February. I'll probably just be looking for a pair of winter shoes or boots that are easy to slip on for when it gets really hard to bend over, and another pair of maternity leggings!

So tell me, did you budget in November? Get any good steals?

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November Budget

Every month I post about my clothing budget. My budget per month is $350, which may seem like a lot to some and a little to others, but feels just right for me. You can read my thoughts on my 2016 budget here.

And looks like we're done with November! I actually looked at my budget from last November while putting this post together and was really amused, because I bought the exact same shirt and a super similar poncho last November too. Cheers to patterns.

Here's what I bought in November:

J. Crew Factory Sweater - originally $64.50, on sale $38, asked for price adjustment $32.00. Always, always ask for price adjustments if you see something go on better sale! I usually go to the store's contact page and either find an email address or a live chat. It takes no time and keeps you from being mad that you didn't predict the day something would be on the best sale. I've only been told no once by someone at Pottery Barn, and I complained and was given a backdoor way to get the price I wanted. This particular price adjustment only saved me six bucks, but that Pottery Barn order? Over a hundred! Oh, and this sweater? I already own it in pink and decided I loved it enough to snag another color. SMART.
J. Crew Bow Earrings (in red and black) - originally $24.50 each, on sale $18.37 each. I really wanted the red version of these earrings but knew I'd get more use out of the black, sooooo... I just ordered both. They came in the mail last week and they're so freaking cute! They turn out slightly in your ear so you can actually see the bows. And they're really light too, which is my number one when it comes to earrings.
Treasure and Bond Cape - originally $49.00, on sale $29.40. This sold out immediately after I shared it with you guys (sorry!!) but I love wearing these capes in the winter. Basically an excuse to always be covered in a blanket :) This one is really similar if you're in the market.
Sam Edelman Felicia Flat  - $99.95. I was looking for a last minute cute pair of flats to wear to a work conference earlier this week (and maybe still have four rejected pairs waiting to be returned) and these fit the bill! They took a little bit of breaking in but didn't give me any blisters after wearing them four days straight and walking all over the place! The last day my little toes got a little sore but that's it - and I'm super picky about shoes! Definitely winners.
J. Crew Factory Scarf - originally $49.50, on sale $29.50. I have so many red plaid scarves, it's nice to have something a little different! This pattern is a repeat from a J. Crew scarf last season that I really wanted, and is so cute in person - I wore it here.
J. Crew Bow Back Sweater - originally $89.50, on sale $67.12. This was one of those things I saw and had to order immediately. I mean, it has a velvet bow on the back. The reviews complained that it was short and boxy, but I mean, come on, did those people even look at the picture?! It actually worked really well on me, I thought the fit was just oversized enough and it's definitely not too short.
J. Crew Factory Ruffle Plaid Shirt - originally $64.50, on sale $32.00. I've been wearing this probably more than once a week since I got it. So so cute in person, and perfect with my velvet blazer! Oh, and yes, it's just a different pattern than the one I got last year.

Total Spent: $326.71
Total Saved: $139.24

Whew, under budget! This month I was actually convinced I had spent no money, but once again, I fooled myself. Good thing I kept track because I definitely would have gone off the rails otherwise.

Anyways, I'm going to try to hold myself back when it comes to shopping in December, mainly because I'm currently spending all of my dollars in Paris. And also because, you know, I probably shouldn't buy myself a bunch of stuff when Santa is coming soon.

Did you budget in November? How was your month?

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November Budget

Every month I post about my clothing budget. My budget per month is $300, which to some may seem like a lot and to others a little, but feels just right for me. You can read my thoughts on my 2015 budget here. 

I feel like I say this every month, but holy crap, how did we get to December? In my brain we're still just heading into summer, yet here we are.

This month I wasn't super excited about shopping, which is really weird for me. I think part of the issue is that I started working downtown again and thought it would be really fun to be able to shop, but it turns out I'm not really into shopping in stores any more! I've wandered through Nordstrom a few times and it's seriously overwhelming! Plus, I know that they've changed their formula for the stores so that there's more inventory online these days than in store, but it's super frustrating. I have a lot of issues when shopping, one of them being big feet. I went into Nordstrom looking for OTK boots and they only had one pair that I could even try on! I was also looking for red flats and they had zero pairs to try!!

So, I thought it was going to be a huge shopping month but it turns out I didn't do too much damage. Here's what I got in November:

J. Crew Factory Plaid Ruffled Shirt - originally $74.50, on sale $50. This is probably my favorite thing I bought this month (already worn here and here) - if you're looking for one shirt to pick up for the holidays, this is it!!
BP Scoop Neck Black Tee - $18. I realized I needed some more basics - enter the perfect drapey tee!!
Sole Society Wrap - originally $59.50, on sale $34.95. I'm so glad I picked up this wrap (seen here) because I've been wearing it nonstop! It's so comfy, and I've been joking that you could hide an entire turkey dinner or perhaps a 5 month pregnancy underneath ;)
Sole Society Bliss Drop Earrings - $34.95. I'm particularly sensitive to heavy earrings, so all of the giant earrings that are popular right now haven't worked on me. These, however, are light as a feather so I had to snag them! I successfully wore them for 12 hours straight earlier this week, so these are definitely keepers!
J. Crew Factory D'orsay Glitter Bow Flats - originally $98, on sale $64.50. Umm, I love these (seen here and here). Can I wear them every day now and forever? K thanks.
J. Crew Factory Teddie Sweater - originally $59.50, on sale $35.50. I mentioned a while ago that I was looking for a navy sweater, and this one checks all of the boxes!

Total spent: $237.90
Total saved: $106.55

So quite a bit under budget! I did more shopping during Black Friday/Cyber Monday, but none of it has come yet so I can't judge if those will actually be keepers or not. Besides what I already picked up though, I'm still on the hunt for a pair of over the knee boots (or maybe just some riding boots!) to help get me through the winter. Yesterday I was freezing in my bare ankles and ankle boots, so it might be time to move into real boots for the rest of the winter.

Did you budget in November? How did you do?

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November Budget

Every month I post about my clothing budget. My budget per month is $300, which to some may seem like a lot and to others a little, but feels just right for me. You can read my thoughts on my 2014 budget here. 

I knew it was coming. An overbudget month. That being said, I'm very pleased that I'm only a few dollars over budget and not, say, $200, because if I hadn't returned a number of things (including these faux leather pants, so sad they didn't work out!) I definitely would have been. 

Usually most of my purchases seem to be fairly practical, but in November there were a lot of impulse "but I love it!" purchases. Like these bow back heels from Ann Taylor. I saw them, I needed them, and into the shopping cart they went. Do I need another pair of black heels? Absolutely not. But, um, now I have them and they are so adorable.   

Weirdly, the more practical purchase was this fun lacy dress. I was looking at Rent the Runway for a wedding and a couple of parties coming up in December, but then I realized that there wouldn't be guest overlap at any of the events so why not buy something instead of paying to rent three different dresses? I actually already got some use out of it for a rehearsal dinner at our last wedding that turned out to have a fancier dress code than the groom originally told us (never listen to them when they say, "oh it'll be pretty casual"...) and it was so fun to wear thanks to the ruffled skirt. 

Anyway, here is the damage for November: 

Jessica Simpson Dress - originally $148, on sale $104.99 (I found it at a couple of stores on even better sale now!). 

Ann Taylor Heels - originally $148, on sale $88.80. These also come in red, which is so cute, but I already have a pair of red strappy suede heels that I never find a reason to wear. I thought I'd go with the black since they're more versatile. 

Hinge Striped Scarf - $48. Another item I just needed. I've gotten a lot of use out of it already though so it's one of those impulse purchases that worked out. 

J. Crew Factory Beaded Popover - originally $79.50, on sale $55.50, price adjusted to $38.29. I rarely think to ask for price adjustments, but in this case an even better sale came along less than 12 hours after I had placed an order at J. Crew Factory. I went online and live chatted their customer service to see if I could get the price adjusted, and bing bang boom they gave it to me. Never hurts to ask! 

J. Crew Factory Flannel Popover - originally $69.50, on sale $49.50, price adjusted to $34.15. You'd better believe I'll be wearing this all holiday season! 

Total Spent: $314.23

Total Saved: $178.77

So $14.23 over budget, but considering that last month I was $200 under budget I'm not feeling particularly bad about it. To finish out the year, in December I'm hoping to add some new denim and a pair of black flat ankle boots (maybe this pair!) to my (shiny new) closet. Oh, and depending what our NYE plans end up being, probably something covered in sequins ;)

Did you budget in November? How did you do?

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November Budget

Phew. Can you believe it's been almost a whole year of budgeting at this point? It turns out the $300/month budget I set for myself is dead on - it keeps me in check every month, but doesn't make me feel deprived. This month I went for a bunch of lower priced items, and two bigger ticket pieces - new boots and a faux fur vest. I actually had a pretty hard time picking out new boots after my favorite pair broke in October. Every pair I tried just wasn't quite right. Then I thought, why keep looking when I really just wanted my old pair back? So I went to DSW and bought an almost identical pair from the same brand. As far as the vest, I had been holding back for a while because Banana Republic refused to put it on sale. But then I noticed sizes started disappearing online so I decided to pull the trigger. Then it came in the mail, and they forgot to take the security tag off. I called to complain, and they took 20 percent off the price! Which means I ended up coming in right under budget for the month. Here's the damage for November:

BaubleBar Crystal Necklace - originally $44.00, on sale and used credits, $26.00
Old Navy Plaid Flannel Shirt - originally $26.94, on sale $16.25
Loft Striped Tee - originally $24.50, on sale $8.25
Banana Republic Faux Fur Vest - originally $130, used credits plus extra 20% off, $82.40
Forever 21 Beanie - $8.90
Bandolino Coppa Riding Boots - originally $149, on sale $99.95
Loft Striped Chiffon Tee - originally $39.50, on sale $23.70
Loft Lacey Tee - originally $54.50, on sale $23.25

Total Spent: $288.70
Total Saved: $188.64

While I did get a lot of things I liked this month, I didn't get the one thing I really needed - a new laptop bag. Maybe I'll gift it to myself with Christmas giftcards. Besides that, I'm really just looking to get some sweaters (because it has been so cold so far this fall) and maybe a new dress for NYE.

How did you do this month?

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