Before I moved out, I would say I was fairly frugal, but I wouldn’t shy away from
buying something I really wanted. For instance, when I would go to the supermarket, I’d always
try and find the best deal, but I didn’t have so much restraint when shopping in H&M.
Now that I’m on my own, not only am I much more aware of where my money goes and
how much everything costs, but I’m also making more than minimum wage for
the first time in my life. I also work in an industry that takes
personal appearance very seriously, and I always want to show how fashionable
and on trend I can be. I also work with people who are egging on the
behavior of buying a ton because that’s what they love to do. I’m not saying
it’s an excuse, but it’s another voice in my head telling me to
buy things.
I recently put a budgeting app on my phone called Good Budget so I could be on top of
what I’m spending and be accountable for every penny I spend. I feel
like budgeting is the best way to keep track of where exactly my money is
going, and it helps me to curb my spending along the way.
I find it best to make my clothing budget a little smaller to see how much I’m really spending
and force me to tighten my belt so I can save more.
So far, shopping has been my most difficult habit to break. I’ve only given myself
a small budget to shop with, but I blew that out of the water within two weeks when it was
supposed to last me the month.
Where some parts have been tough, others have been an easier adjustment such as eating out less often by bringing my lunch to work.
Overall, budgeting can be tough, but it’s part of growing up and being an
adult. We can become budgeting masters together!
Some tips for budgeting:
1.Take a month to figure out what you’re spending your money on.
- Using an app is a good idea, as your purchases can be easily
allocated into specific categories, and you can easily keep track of
all your purchases on the go.
- Be realistic. If you’ve been spending $1,000 a month on shopping, you may find it difficult to break that habit immediately. Slow and steady.
- Avoid temptation. Shopping has been the hardest part of my life to
budget for, so I try to avoid online shopping and going shopping on my lunch break (which I
used to do just to get out of the office).
Want more tips? Check out this budgeting tips website