During the pandemic I spent a lot of time trying to find ways to save money and reinvent myself and my thoughts about keeping up with trends. As a Christian it’s important to remember that our money holds so much value and shouldn’t be wasted away on, as the Bible puts it…[things that can rust and decay and moths can destroy]…but rather on things that build up the kingdom of God. Now, this is not saying that God doesn’t want you to look good, and feel good and fully ENJOY this life. So with that being said, I’ve spent some time now trying to find ways to really USE the things I have, not only to save money but also to learn how to cherish items more intentionally and not take a single thing I own for granted. Read more below to see some of my ideas and comment some of your own 🙂
DIY Coffee Re-purposing
I love a good coffee scrub. My husband and I drink coffee every single day and that means we have a TON of coffee grounds left over. Note here that part of being on budget means we drink our coffee (mostly) at home! One thing we do with them is compost some, but the acid content isn’t great in bulk so that’s not too often. Above is a link to several ways to reuse those coffee grounds and give yourself a little pick me up. My favorite is making hair masks, face masks and making candles.
Find “Dupes”
There are what seems to be a billion YouTube videos full of dupes for higher end products. Most of which honestly are amazing products in and of themselves, dupe or not. Something you’re dying to buy from a designer or even just an expensive version of it? Check online first!! Make sure you’re doing your research and that you’re purchasing from a reputable place first but go for it. I strongly recommend checking YouTube reviews first, so you can see products and someone’s live reaction to them.
Clean out your closets and drawers
Reusing or re-purposing items that you already have is one of my favorite ways to save money. I can’t tell you how many times old jeans of mine have come in and out of style and when I pull them back out, wash them and pair them with a new top or pair of shoes, they feel brand new. Don’t just get rid of everything you no longer use or wear. Check google for ways to use the item differently. Worst comes to worse and you can donate it. Clean out every drawer and closet and for those of you brave enough, even your attic or storage spaces. I promise you have exciting stuff packed away. I found this t-shirt in one of my closets in my house and decided to cut it up, now I wear it almost weekly as a shirt for around the house!
Do a trade
In similar fashion to reusing items you have, do a swap for things with friends. I have some of the most fashionable people surrounding me (hello gorgeous friends) and I always see clothes and items they have and use that I would loveeeee. The nice thing is, once they get tired of them, I can be first in line to snag stuff 😉 To sweeten the deal, I offer them the chance to look through things I’m also tired of and we can swap. Even if you don’t want to get rid of something, be brave enough to ask a friend if you can borrow something for a specific occasion!
Sell and budget
Simple thing to do. Sell the items and vow to only spend the money you made on new items. Pro tip, however, would be to make sure you’re not just buying cheap clothing for the sake of buying cheap. The cheap items I’ve purchased over the years are the items I’ve been more likely to get rid of quickly or damage quickly. If you sell $50 worth of items you no longer want, think about spending that money on ONE really nice item that will last you forever versus several cheap items that you may have to get rid of anyway in a few months. Quality over quantity is always a good practice.
Utilize your FREE resources
I was super late to the Amazon Prime party. While I was in College I got a free prime account and got so accustom to the free shipping that I kept it after I graduated. The unfortunate part is, for years I had no idea of all the other free perks that being a prime member included. Free books, free movies, free music, access to fresh grocery deliveries and so much more. Now I use almost ALL of those resources and other things like free trials on apps or websites. Easiest way is to start searching the internet for whatever you’re in need of, and more than likely there is a way to get Free (or insanely cheap) versions of it.
Practice Minimalism
I’m very new to the art and practice of minimalism and still have an insanely long way to go. Boiling it down to the most basic concept, write a list or google a list, of the most basic items you need. Everything from in the kitchen, in the bathroom and even fashion (think wardrobe staples), then start slowly getting rid of items you don’t actually need. How does this help obtain boujie status? By using and wearing the items you ALREADY have. See the common theme here? I love to dress up an outfit about a dozen different ways. See what you can come up with!
Rent the Runway
Literally, rent clothes and shoes and accessories from major retailers. My personal favorite is LeTote. You fill out a profile and tell them the types of items you’re looking for, the send you about 5 or 6 items a month that you can choose to return or buy if you absolutely HAVE to have them. This is one of the biggest kept secrets of all those fashion bloggers 😉
As you see, not all of these ways involve monetary value. You can still be trendy and boujie without having to buy designer everything. You’d be surprised how many of the Instagram influencers we so desperately try to keep up with are utilizing these same practices (not to mention they get free PR boxes sent to them).
I hope these ideas set you in motion for finding ways to be frugal during this time but also still taking care of yourself. Spend some time finding resources of your own and ways that you can get the same products for less money. Let me know in the comments what you’ve found!
xoxo,
Camille
Camille Edwards 