Without the insurance factored in, I came in at $1136.74
So I technically went over my $1000 budget by $136.74.
This was a more controlled month, but I am really upset with myself for something that happened.
At the start of the month, I got suckered in by retail therapy by being STUPID, and buying a pair of low heels on impulse.
It’s just that I was looking for a pair like that for a while, and when I found them, I lost all reason.
….and I forgot to ask about their return & refund policy.
I got home, experienced buyer’s remorse,and ended up keeping them in the end because they only did exchanges or store credit.
I really felt stupid.
Like, really, really stupid.
This is the first time in a while that I’ve bought something that I really regretted doing so.
(I hate doing returns).
But instead of dwelling on the past, I am putting a ban on myself.
No more wardrobe purchases until end of December 2010.
It’s only been 3 weeks since I’ve put this ban on myself, but I am getting more creative with doing things in my wardrobe of what I already have.
Like layering, changing up the jewelery, etc.
I actually have.. it all. (Wardrobe wise)
I have everything I need in my wardrobe and there should be NO REASON whatsoever to buy ANYTHING else.
So.. no more clothing or jewelery.
This is going to be nasty hard, especially with my lust for Etsy items, but.. it’s gotta be done.
And I want to see if I can do it. What a great challenge it will be.
Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver.
I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year.
Now I am self-employed, and you can read more about 
Hey!
Just found your blog – and I love it! Congrats on being so open and good luck on the lack of clothing purchases for another YEAR! hahaha.
Looking forward to reading more of your posts,
Best,
Laura
Hooray for purple eyeliner!!
I now mix purple and navy. It’s perfect.
.-= Duddes02´s last blog ..Student Loans and such =-.
Ok, let's get a confession. How many pairs of jeans do you have FB? 3? 6? 10+?! If more than 7, I have some retail therapy for u! 🙂
I'm impressed you have a strict budget! I kinda just say, "Here's $1,500/month, go spend whatever I want within it, but don't worry about how you split it up."
I only have 2 pairs of jeans. One is dying, the other is brand new, and it’s future replacement (though I am wearing it now)
I want to cut my budget down from $1500 to $1000. That’s the goal.. hence the strict budgeting. I don’t have a contract right now and without income, I need to work on expenses.
no new clothes until next december – you are a good one . I wish you all of the luck on that one
WOW, very impressive!!!
And to think, I consider myself to be very frugal…
Just my monthly mortgage payment alone ($1560), is more that your monthly expenditures!
Going at this rate, you'll have to create a new website call "Fabulously Rich in the City"…
*LAUGH*
I don’t consider myself “Rich”.. but I do watch my expenses (as does BF for the household), because we need to stay focused/on track, as we are freelancers without steady incomes.
I have a huge problem limiting my wardrobe purchases even though, like you, I have everything I need (despite what I tend to think after reading a fashion magazine – lol). Please keep us updated on how you deal with your shopping ban…
How in the world do you keep your grocery bill so low? We average $100 a WEEK. Of course, that includes dog food and toiletries and our allergy medicine, but still…. Holy crap.
Well we don’t have dog food, or toiletries or allergy meds in that category.
Grocery Bill = Only groceries.
If either of us needs toiletries, we buy it on our own dime… he’d never use my lip balm for example 🙂
And we keep it low because we cook at home, and tend to eat pretty simple things during the week.
Mostly BF — he takes oatmeal + sugar in the morning, then pasta + tomatoes + veggies & sauce during the week.
I’m the one that jacks up the bill with my deli meats, chicken, veggies.. but I also bake a lot of stuff like cakes and pita bread.
Plus, I eat ramen. For $1/meal, that sure ain’t bad!
FB… I have to say. You are my money management Hero. No wardrobe additions until End of dec 2010? I haven’t bought any clothes in general lately and swore off shoes until Jan 2010 but an extra year… Wow. Good luck to you in your goal!
A whole YEAR!
Wow,,,I'm speechless.
still, if your wardrobe really is complete, I'm sure you'll manage to do it! Good luck 🙂
Where does the gas for your car fall under?
I didn’t drive at all or use my car this month. So my gas category is not in there.
you seriously aren't buying anything for a year? or did you mean december 09? :O
Like a whole year until Dec 2010.
Don't ban yourself! Well, ok, you can keep the ban, but enjoy those shoes. I love the LOW HEEL. It's not painful, but still chic.
Yeah, except the right heel is not steady (is off by a small millimeter or so and makes the shoe wobbly), so it was a waste of $35 to buy a pair of shoes that I am not steady to walk in.
December 2010?? That's a long ways away! I was expecting to read until the end of December 2009…good luck!
No wardrobe purchaeses until the end of next year???! Are you crazy? I could never do it. lol
Wow best of luck with your wardrobe ban. How are you liking the purple eyeliner?
I am not seeing a huge difference versus wearing brown eyeliner… but it’s a nice change without being too dramatic.
Holy moley. A whole year?!?!
Impossible. Well, no way I could do it for sure. Why not just set a budget?
Because I don’t do well with budgets.
I really love your blog. I've been following for a while, and it's inspiring to me (someone who is trying to overcome debt).
Go easy on yourself FB, eh? Being that harsh on yourself will just cause more damage to yourself than actually buying the product itself. It may not have fallen under that ideal world you're trying to create for yourself, but retail therapy once in a while doesn't hurt – as long as you can afford it, which you can. 🙂 Be nicer to yourself. 🙂
I have too much in my wardrobe as is.. it’s a nice challenge
$140 on groceries for A WHOLE MONTH?
Is that for 2 people? 'cause if it is, I need to know how you do it! We pay 3 times as much…
That grocery amount is for one person 🙂
The no shopping this is sooo hard at first! But it gets easier for sure. And now when I do go shopping, I'm so much more particular. No impulse purchases for me!
Did you spend $11.24 on JUST Mars Bars? Cause… that's alot of Mars Bars. 😛
HELL YES I DID 🙂
They were on some sort of promotion and I went whacko.
Please wear those shoes. Often when I make a mistake like that, I don't wear the item, compounding the buyer's remorse.
Oh I do wear the shoes.. it’s just the right heel is wobbly which means I should not have bought it to begin with without really vetting it