Boujee On A Budget

Anyone else living life boujee on a budget? You know, you like the finer things in life, but your bank account says you can go to the end of the driveway. Welcome to my life and motherhood.

I have decided to look at it as a positive. There is no better feeling when working on a budget and scoring a deal on something that you love. If you are one of those who has to have the real name brand or designer, you may want to check out now. The rest of this post is for those of us looking to hack life and enjoy it on a budget.

A few tips to my fellow boujee budgeters that have helped me in this last year that I wish someone would have shared with me earlier in life.

“No one has to know.”

If you are on TikTok, you automatically said that in your mind a certain way. But, it is true. No one has to know that you have the knock off designer bag/shoes, drink the cheap Winking Owl Wine, mix your own coffee and off brand protein shake in a fake Starbucks plastic cup, or score the best fashion at your local thrift store. It all looks the same. There, I said it. It all looks the same. Plus, you have a fun back story to tell about it while helping your bank account. One of the biggest lessons I have learned in the last year is that my bank account thanks me each time I live by this. I love trying to recreate a look or aesthetic by saving as much as possible. It has become almost like a game. And no, this doesn’t make you fake, it makes you smart. I never said lie about where you purchased something, I just said do not splurge if it doesn't make sense in your budget. Some of my recent favorite hacks have come from Aldi (discount grocery chain) helping me create the allure of an expensive NYE without breaking our bank. I am also a HUGE fan of Target’s $1 section, Gimme a $5, thrift stores, and Audrey Swan’s Instagram to score some of the BEST deals on the latest trends. Don’t be ashamed that you are taking advantage of those deals and “faking it”. Like I said earlier, no one even has to know. Let others think whatever they want about it. At the end of the day, it's you that has to take care of yourself in the long run. The Jones’ opinion next store, will not be keeping you afloat if something tragic financially was to happen or paying your credit card bill. So do you, be original, and save the money by creating your own boujee budget masterpiece.

Know the Difference Between a Trend and a Classic Piece

Saying all of that above, also know when to splurge on a piece that will be an investment. I have really been deciphering this as we have been remodeling our house. We are remodeling on a budget while also trying to pay down debt, so it has forced me to really think about where our money is going. I decided from the get go, I was not going to splurge on “trendy” pieces. There is no point in my opinion. Fun fact, the most talked about pieces in our house so far have all been from discount or refurbished home stores and the clearance aisle. On the other hand, I have splurged on some of our staple items that my family uses everyday. We LOVE cooking and spending time in our kitchen. We also love to entertain and our doors are always open to friends and family. That is what brings our family happiness. Saying all of that, I knew it would be worth it to our family to splurge on those pieces that will be staple pieces in our household. The double oven was a splurge, but we have used that every weekend since purchasing. Sit down and figure those things out about your family. That will help guide your budget on anything that you are working on.

Also, spend the money on classic pieces that you will have forever. No, the farmhouse, metal initial, cotton wreath trend will not last forever. So do not splurge on those items. Hit up the clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby to score those pieces if that is the style your heart desires. But for other items (for my family serving ware and dishes) spend the money on a classic style that will last your family a lifetime. When picking out ours at one of my favorite local stores (Miss Millie’s), the main thing I let Dona and Abby know is that I wanted them to last for a long time and for them to be able to transition between design styles to come through the years. They did cost more, but I knew that would be a purchase I would have for many years to come and use daily.

The items that are classic, staple pieces for you and your family will differ from mine, but decipher those pieces from trends and know when to splurge or save your money. That will help you so much in the long run.

Doing What Makes You Happy Isn’t Always the Best

Ouch, I actually just said that…

But really though, I think we get caught up in the constant blast from social media that we are entitled to always do what makes us happy without even thinking about it. That mindset can really bite you in the butt in the long run. Yeah, that new LV bag or white sofa or fancy dinner might make you feel better right now, but in the long run if it's not in your monthly budget it could just bring more stress. THIS IS the biggest lesson I have learned and am still learning. Plan ahead for those things. Do not break the bank trying to find short term happiness if it is going to bring you long term stress by breaking you financially. That is the advice I wish I could have given myself and picked up on sooner in life. You are so much better off to save in advance for that purchase or event rather than spending from other lines in your budget or putting it on a credit card. You do not want to go down that route. Trust me, the experience and purchase is 100% better when it is planned, saved for, and not putting you in debt.

I hope this advice was helpful no matter which season you are in, and I wish someone would have let me know this sooner.

So pour you a glass of Winking Owl or Cupcake sauvignon blanc, plan your purchases, and stay boujee on a budget friends.

XOXO

-Paige