April Budget

Loft Stripe Textured Cotton Sweater - $39

Image via Loft

I really debated on whether or not to get this during the Loft Friends & Family sale...  I loved it, but wasn't sure how much use I would get out of a sweater at this point in the spring.  Then, I was reminded that I live in Kansas where it can literally go from blizzard to shorts weather in the same week.  (Seriously, we had one day this month where part of the state was under a tornado watch and the other was having blizzards.)  Anyway, I've already gotten some good wear out of it and I think the navy and white stripes are classy for any season.

Loft Curvy Cropped Jeans - $39

Image via Loft

I wasn't really looking for jeans when I hit the Loft sale, but I decided to give these a try as I've really come to like the fit of many of their pants.  The super dark wash makes them feel more like dress pants than jeans and therefore they've been added to my work wardrobe rotation for the remainder of the school year.

J.Crew Factory Airspun Baseball Sweater - $27 (purchased with gift card)

Image via J.Crew Factory

I've been really liking baseball tees lately and have found some cute styling ideas on Pinterest.  I love the tomboyish look paired with girly details.  I felt a little guilty getting this right after buying the other striped sweater from Loft, but I liked the stripes a bit better than the solid versions and this one was cheaper.

J.Crew Factory Bar Stripe Tee - $24 (purchased with gift card)

Image via J.Crew Factory

I've had my eye on this tee since the retail version came out last year, but kept missing out on it.  I was happy to finally get it.  I love that it's casual, but a little bit more than just a basic tee.

Old Navy Eyelet Shift Dress - $0.32

Image via Old Navy

This is what happens when you stack a sale, plus Stuff & Save, plus a reward coupon on top of one another...  You get a super cute dress for $0.32!  This one is very flattering and was one of my Easter dresses!

Charlotte Russe Necklace - $5
CR has had some really nice necklaces recently and ran a $5 statement necklace sale right before Easter.  I may not have necessarily needed this one, but I had a hard time passing up a great necklace at a great price.

Merona Wedge Sandals - $18

Image via Target

Target has been running some great sales with coupons and Cartwheel and the best part is that they all stack on top of one another.  I bought these to go with my Easter dress (that I bought at Loft last month) and some of my other summer dresses.

Target Earrings - $0 (after coupon)

When I bought the sandals I was a couple dollars short of being able to use a $5 off apparel and accessory coupon.  Combined with Cartwheel, I got these for free and still saved a few extra bucks off of the sandals.

Sam & Libby Chelsea Bow Flats - $30

How cute are these?!?  I love flats and even more loved the idea of adding navy bow flats to my shoe collection.  I love that they're comfy and good quality at a decent price!  I may be buying more colors!

Mossimo Lakitia Sandals - $10

Target was running a BOGO 50% sale on all shoes, so when I bought the flats I knew it was a good time to snatch up some new sandals.  I love that these are black AND brown!  They're probably going to be in heavy rotation this summer!

Total = $141.32

This doesn't include my Sephora makeup purchases after my 100 day makeup and nail polish shopping ban, but that is coming in another post.  (I also spent a gift card on some of those purchases.)  I did fairly well staying on budget with clothes and accessories this month.  I don't feel like I buy shoes very often, so to get 3 pairs is kind of crazy for me!  I threw out and Goodwill'ed a lot of shoes last month, so I didn't feel too guilty about upgrading my collection.

May Budget Plan:
May brings the end of the school year, so I don't really have much need to think about work clothes for a couple months.  I'm hoping to find some cute warm weather items, but really don't have any specific items on my "must have" list right now.  I have a few weddings coming up, so I may treat myself to some new shoes or accessories for those events.

How did you do with your budget this month?

Don't forget to link up at Franish to check out the other Budgeting Bloggers!

Budgeting Bloggers ~ March

Hey friends!  It's that time again!

J.Crew Merino Boyfriend Sweater - $36

I have to admit that I've purchased 3 of these sweaters since the fall (as well as the "side panel" version, which really it almost exactly the same fit).  I'm in love with the slouchy sweater and skinny jeans look right now.  When this one went on an extra 40% off, I decided to grab it since it's fairly lightweight and a neon coral color that transitions into spring.

J.Crew Factory Printed Pencil Skirt - $19 (after gift card)

Image via J.Crew Factory

I've professed a few times how I don't do pencil skirts...  Well, I saw this one in the store last month and thought, "I've lost some weight.  I love this pattern.  What the heck, I'll give it a try!"  I really liked it, but didn't get it.  I still found myself thinking about it each time I saw a sale e-mail pop up and so I decided to take the plunge and get my first pencil skirt!  I may have started something bad for my budget...

Navy Crochet Toms (via Zulily) - $36

I had a friend introduce me to Zulily this month when she called to ask how I liked my other crochet Toms.  (Yes, I have these in black and silver.)  When she told me the price, I had her send me an invite.  I'm not sure I'll do a ton of shopping on there, but I was super excited to snatch these up at a good price, since I've wanted to add the navy to my collection since last year.  These are some of my favorite spring and summer shoes and are perfect for those days when your pedicure isn't quite in tip-top shape.

Banana Republic Tipped Long Cardigan - $37

Image via Banana Republic

My gray v-neck cardigan was in desperate need of replacement.  It was pretty shabby and had definitely lived a good life.  Sure, I have other gray cardis, but for me this is a wardrobe staple.

Loft Dress - $42

Image via Loft

Loft has definitely become a favorite store since it opened in town last fall...  It's a great store for cute "teacher clothes" that can still transition easily to the weekend.  Even better, they always seem to be running awesome sales like 40% off!  I love dresses like this!

Loft Stretch Lace Tee - $30

Image via Loft

I've been trying to make less impulse buys and let myself think about purchases before making them.  I tried this one on the same day I bought the dress, but didn't make the purchase at first.  I ended up going back the next day for it.  (I don't know if living 5 minutes from the shopping center is a good thing or a bad thing...)  My warm weather work wardrobe is kind of lacking, so I decided this was a good addition.  Even with the 40% discount I think it was a little pricey, but I'm glad I've added it to my wardrobe as it goes well with skirts, dress pants, and jeans.

Loft Scalloped Neck Cotton Sweater - $36 & $24

If you can't tell, I really like brights and neons, so this sweater is a little out of my current element.  I tried it on Loft trip #2 after eyeing it the day before.  It's so soft, pretty, feminine and is different from most of my other sweaters.

And then a few days later I went back and bought the light gray one on clearance.  I have a habit of buying things in multiple colors.

Express Essential Cami (x2) - $10
I've been on a major cami and layering kick again recently and have fallen back in love with these camis from Express.  The quality is really good and they're some of the few that I've found that fit my body the right way.  (I have issues with the built-in bras being too small and the body being too big.)  I was lucky enough to score these with a $15 off coupon while they were already 40% off!  They normally retail for $19.50 each, so to get 2 for $10 (navy and light gray) was awesome.

Target Belt - $5 (after gift card)

I tried on this ADORABLE dress at American Eagle, but was super disappointed when it was too short...  If something is short on me, you know it's really short.  Anyway, I loved the embroidery detail and colors and so I was excited to find this belt at Target.  I think it's going to be good for spicing up some of my basic dresses during the spring and summer.

Michael Kors Purse - $180

I've been itching to get a new purse for some time now and struck out when I hit the outlets last month...  Coach didn't strike me to have anything I had to have and Michael Kors seemed to still be fairly pricey for the outlet.  I've been on a basic purse kick for a few years and wanted something that was classy, but still fun.  When I saw this beauty at TJ Maxx I knew she had to be mine.  In good taste, though, I waited a day to think it over and make sure that I wanted to make this investment.  Let's just say the next morning the thought of going to get my new baby from the store got me out of bed.  Sometimes being patient is well worth the wait!  (PS ~ The original MK tag showed a retail price of $368!)

Total = $455

Yikes!  Even if you take out the purse (which was from my tax refund "fun money") I was still well over my $150 monthly budget.  This may be a lame cop out, but I had A LOT of extra income this month from a grant program I am in for school and the 40+ hours I worked at my part-time job over spring break.  A girl is allowed to treat herself, right!?!  This is also one of those months where I look back at what I bought and really love everything I picked up.  I may not have scored amazing dirt-cheap deals, but I feel like everything I bought was well worth the money.  Well, I certainly did, but rest assured I won't do this very often and a good chunk of that extra money went to other things (like a new desk / workspace) and into savings.

April Shopping Plan:

Since my spending was *cough cough* a bit high for March I plan on trying to stick closer to my budget for April.  I'm allowed to start buying makeup and nail polish again in April and also plan on updating some of my shoe collection.  (I did a MAJOR closet clean out over spring break and really weeded through my shoe collection!)

Head over to Fran's blog to see how all of the other budgeting bloggers did this month and join in on the party!  

Budgeting Bloggers ~ August

Hey everyone!  It's time for Budgeting Bloggers!  Sorry I've been MIA most of this month...  School starting and a(nother not my fault) car accident have been a huge time suck.  I've still been working part-time on the weekends on top of that all, so I've had very little down time to blog.  That said, I'm super happy to be back, though, and share this month's purchases.  I feel like I got a little bit of everything this month, but I've already gotten some good use out of a lot of my purchases!  I apologize for not having as many links / pics as usual...  I just didn't have the time and wanted to go on and get my post up!

J.Crew Factory Tiny Dot Tee - $16

One thing I love about the J.Crew Factory store is that they bring back patterns that have previously been in their retail stores.  Does anyone remember the sweater and scarf in this last year?  I was super excited to find it in a tee and even more super excited when they ran a half price tee sale!

Groop Dealz Rosette Necklace - $8

These necklaces have definitely been growing on me, so when Groop Dealz ran a special for $7.99 I decided I needed to just go for it and get one.  I also bought a turquoise one for my mom, which I plan to steal borrow.  

Target Sandals - $8

The brown version of these have been all over the blogs and Instagram this summer and I've been wearing mine a ton.  My other (non-Nike) black sandals have seen better days, so these were a great addition to my summer sandal wardrobe!

Abercrombie Tee - $13

Sometimes a girl just needs some casual clothes...  And gets sucked in by promos.  Even though this was kind of an impulse buy (I went in for the baseball cap and to look for stuff for the 'lil bro), I do really like this tee for those days when I want to be dressed down, but not wear a schlumpy t-shirt.

Abercrombie Baseball Caps - $10 & $5

I've found myself wearing baseball caps a lot on weekends and to the gym and decided that I wanted another cute baseball cap that *gasp* wasn't a K-State hat.  With the coupons and promos that Abercrombie was running a few weeks back I decided this was a good opportunity to grab a few cute ones!

Gap Shirt Dress - $20

Image via Gap

After staying out of Gap during July in anticipation for their Friends & Family sale, I'd had my eye on a few items.  You might remember that I bought a bright pink version of this dress back in the Spring.  This was my first day of school dress and I felt very cute and teacher-y in it!

Gap Scarf - $13

Image via Gao

I have a serious scarf hoarding problem.  I will probably need rehab soon.  I may need to make a goal not to buy scarves for a month.

Gap Skirt - $26

I really enjoy wearing dresses and skirts to school when the weather is warm enough.  Remember how I posted about how I don't do pencil skirts? I was super happy to find this skirt, but then crushed (and surprised) when it was too short for work.  I went up a size, but to be honest, it's too big in the waist (perfect length, though) and I may take it back.  It's so darn cute, so I may explore some options in getting it altered to actually fit.

Monogram Necklace - $10

I've been really wanting to jump onto the monogram bandwagon lately, but most that I saw online were a little more than I wanted to pay.  I found some initial necklaces at our awesome accessory store, Versona, and thought this would be a cheap and easy way to see if I like this trend and if a more expensive version might be worth it someday.

Old Navy Diva Skinny Ankle Pants - $35

I very very VERY rarely pay full price for anything at Old Navy, but when I found these super dark "denim" trouser skinnies I decided they weren't worth the risk waiting for a sale.  I have a really hard time finding pants for work, so I was super happy that these fit and are a nice alternative to black pants.  I'm tempted to go back for some more colors!

Total = $164

Not too bad!  The dress pants were kind of a last minute purchase, but still fit within my budget for the most part.  While I did get some items that are more on the casual side, I also managed to get some good items for school.

***
September Budget Plan

I have my 10 year (!) high school reunion and a wedding on the same day this month, so I decided that would probably be a good reason to buy a new dress.  I've had some extra income recently and am thinking I will allow myself a splurge or two during the Labor Day weekend sales.  I tend to be an emotional shopper and also a person that rewards myself through shopping.  Other than that, I am going to try to save a good chunk of this month's budget for a trip out of town with my mom that I am planning on in early October.  I hope to hit some outlets (J.Crew, Banana, Gap, Michael Kors maybe?) as well as a few other stores (J.Crew & Loft) that we don't have here.  Speaking of Loft, we're getting one here in October!  I'm so happy that I'll have that store 5 minutes away and not 2 1/2 hours away!  Loft can be hit or miss for me, but having one nearby excites me a lot because I know that they can have some amazing in-store sales!

Budgeting Bloggers ~ July

Gap Essential Star Tee - $11

Image via Gap

How stinkin' cute is this tee!?!  My friend and I popped into Gap after lunch one day and both loved these tees.  I found myself thinking about it over the next few days.  For me, that's a sign that something is probably worth buying.  Of course this tee was perfect for the 4th, but it's just a fun tee for anytime and will of course come in handy for some of those patriotic dress up days at school.

J.Crew Factory Textured Charley Sweater - $27

Image via J.Crew Factory

I really like my other 2 sweaters like this and so I took advantage of the awesome 50% off sale to pick up this minty one.  It's sold out now, so I'm glad I grabbed it when I did.  It's more neon in person, but of course, that's totally fine with this girl!

J.Crew Vintage Cotton Tank - $12

Image via J.Crew

I haven't ordered from the regular J.Crew site in a while, but when they marked down their "Final Sale" section an extra 40% off I thought it was worth a look.  I bought one of these tanks last year and really liked the fit, especially for layering, so I decided to get a hot pink one!

J.Crew Linen V-Neck Pocket Tee - $16

Image via J.Crew

I'd seen a few bloggers post about linen tees and then saw Fran post about her adorable striped tee...  That was it.  I had to try one for myself.  I contemplated getting a fun color, but decided to stick with this better than basic gray tee for a little added versatility.  How awesome is it that I got both shirts, plus tax and shipping for less than the original price of this tee!?!

Target Infinity Scarf - $3

I'm always excited when Target puts out new items in their bargain bins.  It used to be everything was $1, but now they add in some $3 as well.  I spotted this lone infinity scarf chillin' on the bottom rack and decided it needed to be mine!  It's super cute and a super bargain!

Express Necklace - $20

I used to shop at Express all the time, but I rarely go in there these days.  I spotted this necklace a while back and it stayed on my mind for several weeks.  At that point I decided to find a coupon and make it mine!  The silver and mint is so glam, but still works with a lot of outfits.  (PS--  Never shop at Express without a coupon...  They always have ones posted on FB or their website!)

Coach Poppy "Perri" Hippie Bag - $159 (before gift card)

Image via Coach / Dillards

I'd seen this bag in passing at Dillards and Von Maur and really liked it, but wasn't sure if I could justify purchasing a $228 bag right now.  I had time to kill before working one afternoon and happened to see that the ones at Dillards had been marked down to $159.  I've got a few black Coach bags, but I love the size of my other Hippie bag from Coach and I've also been on the hunt for a good cross-body for quite a while.  The next day I decided to go for it...  I had a $100 Visa gift card from when I switched cable companies and I bargained with my aunt to buy one of my older Coach purses for $40.  So, out of my pocket this baby only cost me about 20 bucks!

Vans "Authentic Skate Shoe" - $45

Image via Journeys

A few months ago I stumbled upon some pins of these shoes on Pinterest and instantly fell in love.  I think I checked 1 or 2 stores and didn't have any success, so I kinda gave up the hunt.  After going through my pins again, I decided to give it another go and found them immediately at Journeys!  I haven't been this excited about shoes in a long time!

Total = $293
Minus $140 in gift cards and sold items.

FINAL TOTAL = $153

I have to say that I'm quite proud of everything I purchased this month for the amount of money I actually spent... 4 shirts, a scarf, a necklace, a pair of shoes, and a leather Coach purse all for $153?!?  I think July was a definite win for the budget!  I made an effort to stay away from Gap this month and even popped in during their extra 40% off sale and walked out empty handed.  (My star tee was actually purchased in June, but after my last budget post.)

August Budget Plan

Back to school sales are in full force right now, so this time of year it gets to be difficult to resist some of the good deals out there.  I need to make an effort to find some good work pants for the school year and I will probably treat myself to a new first day of school and / or open house outfit.  I think Gap should be having a Friends & Family sale sometime soon (last year it was the week before school started), so I am excited to check that out since I've tried to stay out of there recently.

How did you do with your budget this month?  Check out Fran and the other Budgeting Bloggers to see how they did this month!

Budgeting Bloggers ~ June

It's that time again...  Budgeting Bloggers is now up over at Franish!  I think this is one of my favorite posts each month and I love seeing what the other girls have purchased!

Gap 1969 Destructed Denim Jacket - $33

Image via Gap

I've been contemplating getting a lighter wash denim jacket for a while, but hadn't found one that I liked as much as my current jacket.  I ended up finding this one at Gap just in time for my vacation!

Gap Essential Tee - $10

Image via Gap

I realized that a good, basic black tee was something that I needed to upgrade in my wardrobe, so I snagged another one of these faves during the $10 tee sale.  I love that these are thin enough to be comfortable in the summer heat, but thick enough that I don't need to layer a tank underneath.

Merona Shorts - $16 (purchased with gift card)

Image via Target

I'm going to be honest and say that I'm not sure this was my best purchase.  I bought these before I went on vacation, but ended up not even taking them with me.  I've worn them a couple times, but I probably could have made a better purchase with my gift card money.  I'm going to work on styling these, so that I don't feel buyer's remorse.

Mossimo Maxi Skirt - $18 (purchased with gift card)

Image via Target

I've been on a hunt for a black maxi that wasn't a super thin or clingy material and that wasn't too long.  This one is actually pretty good and was super comfy for my traveling days while I was on vacation.

H&M Necklace - $18

{maybe a pic coming soon}

My vacation shopping was pretty much limited to a 10 minute stop into H&M during my super short day in Seattle.  I was traveling with a boy (who is NOT a shopper), but he was kind enough to put up with a super fast stop into H&M so that I could look at accessories.  (Out of kindness, I promised not to look at clothes.)  I bought this necklace for myself as well as another cute one for my mom.  

Charlotte Russe Bracelets - $6

After seeing a set of bracelets from The Buckle on a girl at the mall, I decided to create my own "look for less" with a few new cheapies and few randoms that were already in my collection.  $6 versus $20?  Yes, please!

Gap Shoreline Slub Cardigan - $21

Image via Gap

Sucked in by Gap cardigans and coupons...  My beloved basic gray cardi is about 5 years old and is starting to show some age.  This one is just the perfect weight for layering without tons of bulk.

Gap V-Neck Cardigan - $30

Image via Gap

I've wanted a green cardigan for a while and had been contemplating this one from the J.Crew Factory for months.  I really like the fit of this one from Gap and think it will be a great piece to transition into fall.  (I can't believe I'm even talking about fall when it's not even July!)

Total = $118

I'm actually amazed that I ended up coming in under budget, especially since I went on vacation this month and I always seem to think I need a new vacation wardrobe.  It probably also helps that since I was visiting a boy I didn't really do any shopping while I was on my trip.

***

July Shopping Plan

I recently had a discussion with someone about how fun it is to rediscover items that are already in our closets.  I feel like I have a lot of items that need some attention after being neglected, so I'm going to focus on wearing those things and less on adding new things to my wardrobe.  I'm not saying I'm going on a complete shopping ban, but I am going to try to limit my purchases as much as I can.  The only actual need I really have right now is some work pants for the school year, but that's not really going to be much of a need for several months still.  

How did you do with your budget this month?  
Don't forget to go over to Fran's blog at Franish and check out the other budgeting bloggers!

Budgeting Bloggers ~ May

It's that time again!  In looking at my purchases this month, I really did better than expected...  It feels like I spent a TON of money this month, but I have to consider the fact that I had to buy a new car this month.  (I had a lady hit me while I was stopped in traffic totaling my 2 year old car.  Thankfully I had insurance money to cover those costs!)  When I look back at this month's buys I feel like I did pretty well getting some good deals and summer essentials.

          
Images via Gap 

Gap Tee - $9

Gap Striped Tee - $7

Gap Tee - $9 

Gap Tee - $9

Gap Striped Tee - $12

I've managed to do almost a total t-shirt collection upgrade this spring.  Gap's "Essential" tee collection is pretty awesome.  The fit is great for me, they have a ton of great colors, and they're the perfect weight for wearing alone or layering.  I picked up 2 of these on clearance at the beginning of the month and then the other 3 were new arrivals that I scored with a couple coupons later on in the month.  (Read here about how tees are part of my summer "uniform.")

Versona Accessories Necklace - $22

 Versona Accessories Earrings - $6

 Love.  This.  Necklace.  It's a complete knockoff of the J.Crew Flower Lattice Necklace that runs $228.  Yup.  Naturally, I snatched this one up immediately and have been loving it ever since.

Versona Accessories Wedge Sandals - $16

We had a new accessory store open this month and is of course way too close to where I live.  Everything is super affordable, which is totally my kinda thing when it comes to accessories.  I grabbed these wedges on clearance since they comfortably fit my wide-ish feet and have a lower height than my other wedges.

Target Linen Skirt - $22

Image via Target

I first found this skirt in bright pink and loved it, but just couldn't justify a(nother) pink skirt.  I was thrilled to find it in navy, though, and grabbed it as it will be a great basic skirt to have in my wardrobe.

J.Crew Factory Textured Charley Sweater - $38

Image via J.Crew Factory

I have a serious weakness for these sweaters and was interested in getting the "textured" version.  I really love this sweater and the fun neon pink color!

Old Navy T-Shirt Dress - $15

Image via Old Navy

I love simple dresses for the spring and summer and was pleasantly surprised by this find at Old Navy.  It's somewhat comparable to my black t-shirt dress from BR, but at a fraction of the cost!

Sakroots Tote - $70
Sakroots ID Holder - $10

I'd been contemplating a new summer bag for a while and when I saw a friend with this tote in another pattern I had to check them out.  I'll have a whole post on what's in my summer bag later this week, but let me just say, this bag was a great buy!  I got mine at Dillard's, but you can find these online at quite a few other stores as well.

Total = $245

While I did technically go a little a lot over budget, I had quite a bit of extra income on top of teaching and my part-time job.  I allowed myself to take a portion of that to put towards a new bag and a couple accessories for the home.  If you take out the bag, I'm pretty much on track for my monthly budget.

I was proud of myself for not making any makeup purchases this month.  I think my 100 day makeup shopping ban really helped me in this area!

June Budget Plan

Since I don't yet have any summer trips planned out, I am going to attempt to reserve most of my shopping budget for when I go out of town.  I love hitting up stores that we don't have locally and hope to do so at least once before I go back to school in August.

How did you do with your budget this year?  Don't forget to link up with us over at Franish!

Budgeting Bloggers ~ April

***Okay, I'm a little late to the party...  As if life was not already busy enough with this time of year, I was in a car accident last week and now have to take on the job of buying a new car.  Thankfully, the accident was not my fault, there were no injuries, and hopefully the insurance stuff will all work out to take care of things, but my 2 year old car is totaled.  *sigh*

Alright, now onto the fun stuff!

Xhilaration Sandals - $17 (Target bogo full price) 

Merona Flats - $5 (Target bogo 1/2 clearance price)

Lower East Side Flats (Payless) - $17

Image via Target

Image via Target

Image via Payless

          

I somehow ended up on a shoe shopping spree at the end of March.  I have to admit, I bought these right before posting my last Budgeting Bloggers post, but I was debating on keeping / exchanging, so I decided I'd  just put it into my April budget since I was exactly on budget for March.  Shoes have been a focus on mine, so spending $39 on 3 pairs was really good for me.

Gap Essential Tee - $7

Image via Gap

One of my goals for the spring was to upgrade my t-shirt collection.  I sold a lot of the ones that were in good condition last month and have a stack of others for a garage sale or Goodwill.  I think basic tees like this are a total wardrobe staple and I love having a variety of colors to pair with just about everything in my closet.  I thought I was getting a mint-y tee from J.Crew a couple months ago, but when it finally arrived it was much darker than expected.  I kept it, but still had my eye out for a mint colored tee.

Gap Block Print Cardigan - $30

Image via Gap

One of my goals for the month was to stay away from Gap...  We'll consider only 2 items from there a decent success on that goal.  I popped in to get a baby gift and walked out with a baby gift AND this cardigan that I thought I'd just pinned on Pinterest.  Even better, it was 40% off!  It's super cute, but totally out of my element being that it's blue and a pattern.  It makes me want to buy a cute white dress to wear with it!

Banana Republic Draped V-Neck Sweater - $38

Image via Banana Republic

I have a weakness for gray sweaters, particularly those from Banana Republic especially when 40% off.  This is a great spring sweater...  Slouchy, lightweight, and a versatile light gray.  For reference, I'm between sizes at BR and I went with the larger of the 2 for a little extra length and slouch.  (Side note:  In store this is called the "drapey" sweater, not "draped" like it is online.)

J.Crew Factory Button-Back Sundress - $33

Image via J.Crew Factory

This dress tempted me last year when it was at J.Crew, so when the Factory came out with their own version this year I was even more tempted.  The color of green is much more of a bright true green in person, but it's very comfy and fun.  I wish I'd been able to try it in store because I really can't quite figure out J.Crew's sizing for myself.  This dress is a tad smaller than I would prefer, but not so much so that I feel like it needs to be returned.  (Plus, I'm getting back on track with diet and exercise after a slump and I think going a size larger might have been too much.)

Tarte Femme Naturale Eye Palette - $22

Image via Sephora

My makeup shopping ban was over the day before Sephora's spring Beauty Insider sale started...  How convenient?!?  I behaved pretty well in the store, but found this baby on sale online.  I debated for a few days and finally decided that at $22 this was a really good value.  Even though it's another neutral palette, it's very different from my Naked 2 and I've been wearing it a lot.  It's sold out on Sephora's site now, but you can get it at full price from Ulta.

Maybelline Color Whispers - $6 each
Revlon Balm Stain - $8
(purchased with gift card)

Lip products were one thing that I was really having to fight off buying during my makeup ban.  I feel like as soon as I banned myself from getting those things, TONS of new products came out!  I still had some gift card money for Wal-Mart and since I hate that place so much, I decided my reward for going to that place would be some new lip candy!

Total = $169

I was over my goal of $150, but under my cap of $200.  I think the BR sweater was my only real impulse buy, but it's a great basic that's already gotten a lot of wear and will be perfect in the fall.   I fought off temptation to get some new accessories at Target (clearance purses!) and overall, I'm happy with my goodies!

May Spending Plan:
I've made 1 purchase  for May so far, but until this car thing thing is taken care of I'm trying not to spend much unnecessary money.

Other than that, I really don't have much planned for May purchases...  I need new workout shoes and will probably make that a priority for this month.  

At some point in the near future I'll share my summer wish list and budget plan.  I think for the summer I am going to set one budget for June, July, and August and see how far that can stretch me.  I'm hoping to make at least 1 trip out of town and do some shopping, but other than that my summer will be spent relaxing, doing some part-time work, and taking some classes!

Don't forget to check out and link up with the rest of the Budgeting Bloggers over at Franish!

Budgeting Bloggers ~ March

Sometimes not spending money is really easy...
Sometimes it's very hard.
Gap seems to make this hard for me.

Gap Cardigan - $23

Image via Gap

I went to Gap one evening in search of a dress for Easter and a wedding that was the next day and fell short on the dress hunt.  I fell in love this this cardi, though, and found it to be the perfect solution to spicing up one of LBDs.

Loving my new cardi for spring!

Gap V-Neck - $12

Image via Gap

Have you ever gone back to buy something after seeing it on someone else?  The girl on the worship team at church had on this tee and, yes, I went to Gap right after church to get the tee.  I really liked that this is a darker almost more purple-y neon pink.

Gap Shrunken Boyfriend Button Down - $34

Image via Gap

I had a love / hate affair with Gap's Friends & Family Sale this month.  I spent an hour in the store and came up with nothing.  (I'd bought the tee and cardi the weekend before.)  I loved this pattern and the fit of these shirts, but they didn't have this particular one in store, so I ended up getting it online.

Gap Roll-Sleeve Pocket Shirt Dress - $36

Gap 1969 Denim Vest - $36

Image via Gap

I gave Gap's F & F sale a second try after my first trip had been a fail.  I loved this outfit online, but figured the dress wouldn't work on my body.  I mean a button-down, hot pink, and a dress with pockets? I was pleasantly surprised with the result! It's school appropriate, cute, and comfortable!  I'm excited to style it in different ways!

I  then became obsessed with this dress and denim vest combo.  I think it helps to tone down the brightness of the dress.  I rocked the denim vest look at lot back in the mid-90's, which was a little hard to get over, but I'm happy to have this as an alternative to my well-loved denim jacket.

Jeweliq Necklace - $25

I had to Instagram this one immediately!

I think Jeweliq may be my few favorite source for cute jewelry!  I freakin' love this necklace!  The shipping was insanely fast and they even included a hand written thank you note!  How's that for great customer service!?!

Fossil Stella Mini Tortoise Watch - $40

I've wanted one of these tortoise watches for almost 2 years now.  I'd tried the larger version on a couple times, but it never fit right.  When I saw this at Ross, I decided I couldn't pass up at least trying it on...  And it fit perfectly!  This is a classic watch that will go with everything and I'm so happy that I didn't end up paying the $85-$115 that I was originally willing to pay for it!

Total = $206

Minus $56 (sold clothing to a resale shop)

Final Total = $150

BOOM!  On budget to the dollar!

I knew buying the watch would put me over $150, but I was okay with that since I'd wanted it for so long.  I took in some clothes to sell (you can read about what I took here), and was hoping for about $30.  I was super happy to be offered $56.06!  Yay!

How I Came Up With My Budget:

One of my shopping goals this year was to come up with a more firm budget.  I've read several things on blogs and in magazines on how to set a clothing budget.  Most suggest devoting somewhere between 5% and 10% of your take home income to this area.  When I looked at my income, bills, and other stuff I decided to stick closer to the 5% mark since that seems to be a reasonable amount.  I've pretty much settled on a budget of $150 a month for clothing, makeup, nail polish, and accessories.  I'd previously allotted about $200 a month to "fun money" which included all of those things, plus entertainment and eating out, but now that I don't really have friends around to go out with I don't need quite the same kind of budgeting.  I'm comfortable spending up to $200, but $150 or under is pretty much going to be my goal.  We all have our areas where we like to spend, and this is mine.  I've also decided that my extra work income is not going to count toward this budget as I'm trying to devote that money to savings and such.  (I let myself subtract that for a few months, but now that it has turned into a long-term thing, I have decided to use that money more responsibly.)  I will allow myself to subtract other extra income that I get from selling things or Ebates refunds from my clothing and accessory spending.  Does that make sense?

April Spending Plan:

• Attempt to stay away from Gap.  Ha ha ha!  This one might be hard, but that store has just been killing my budget lately.  It's way too convenient for me to just swing in there whenever and everything they come out with screams my name!  I've got a pretty good spring wardrobe at the moment, so I'm going to see if I can stay out of there for a month.
• Update my sandal collection.  I have a lot of sandals that need to be retired.  Target has some really cute and affordable options that may serve as good replacements for some of my old faves.
• Lift the makeup shopping ban!  April 10th will be the end of my 100 days without buying makeup.  I actually want to try to last until Sephora's spring VIB sale.  I'm going to let myself splurge a little at that time (and use a Wal*Mart giftcard to get a few drugstore brand items) and then I may ban myself for another period of time.  

Don't forget to check out Franziska and the other Budgeting bloggers over at Franish!