*Outfit details with affiliate links: Top (Shein) | White Jeans (Shein) | Shoes (Aldo) | Bag (Luana Italy)
If there’s one financial skill that I a proud of, it’s definitely budgeting. I have been a pro when it comes to managing my money because I’ve had a job since I was 14 and have loved the idea of being independent, making my own money and taking care of myself. Now that I work for myself, it’s extremely important that I know how to budget my money wisely because I an responsible for what I make since it varies monthly compared to having a steady paycheck when I had a job.
I guess the main reason why I have learned to budget wisely is because I have my priorities in tack. Unlike other women who splurge on clothing and materialistic things, I actually don’t. And full disclaimer there’s nothing wrong with that! I love to splurge every now and then too but not as often as most people might think. Don’t get me wrong, I upgrade my wardrobe and go on mini shopping sprees every season, but once I get my essentials, I don’t feel the need to shop again. My priorities aside from bills are food, entertainment and travel.
When it comes to food, I would say a good chunk of my money is dedicated to weekly grocery trips and frequent dining with my friends. With that being said, I still prep most of my food at home and would say 80-85% of my weekly meals are home made. This percentage is probably higher when it gets colder since a majority of my summer activities involve going out for coffee or brunch. Making my own food also helps me save money and I actually enjoy going to the grocery stores!
Since it’s the summer, I love being outdoors and finding new things to do. This is where my entertainment bracket comes in because this is where I spend money on movies, attractions, etc. However I’m not constantly out and about so I find it easy to manage my money when it comes to entertainments since there’s actually a lot of free things to do in the city and I attend a lot of events with blogging.
Last, but not least my favorite thing to spend money on is travel! I absolutely cannot pass on a great travel deal as some of you might not be able to pass on designer items in a sample sale. I value experience and there’s nothing better than to explore different cultures and places. I thrive off being out of my comfort zone and I think it’s important to see what the world has to offer. I always come back fascinated by what I’ve observed and learned and have never regretted going on a trip. Speaking of travel, I am currently looking to do a solo trip next month so stay tuned for that!
Are you guys good with budgeting money? What are some of your tip sand let me know what else you’d like to hear from me in the next blog post 🙂
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the back of that top is so pretty! i love it :) as far as budgeting wisely goes, i find that cooking and eating in more helps to save a lot of money! eating out adds up fast. plus, it's way healthier too! similar to you, i don't find myself going out all too often so i don't have a problem with spending excessively on entertainment and attractions. lately, i've been wanting to do more traveling so i'm saving up for that! :) xo, sharon
http://www.stylelullaby.com/travel/day-at-fashion-valley/
I'm glad we are on the same page in terms of budgeting. I think it's important to create a priority list and go from there!
I love you keeping yourself on a budget. And I agree I would rather spend my extra money on travel because that is my number one thing to do. I love your top with the open back. Great.
Xxgracie
snappedbygracie.com
I've realized that if you don't keep yourself on a budget, nobody else will so it's important to stay on track and make sure you've got your finances under control.
I keep track of my spending in a spreadsheet. It allows me to visually see where my money is going and to also compare it to previous months. I need to work on cooking more like yourself!
http://www.thebeautybeau.com
I do the same!! I use a spreadsheet every month and I go through all my expenses and income to see where my money as gone. I then analyze what I can improve on for the next month, which is a great way for me to keep me on track.
I'd say I don't suck at budgeting, but I'd like to quote a long lost idol of mine, Lord Bosie, to ease my conscience "A true gentleman never knows the balance of his bank account". Jokes aside, just like you I know longer get a paycheck from a day job every month on a set date, but make my own money for my own company and it does take both skill and effort to manage it, but just like you I don't buy that much materialistic things. I believe in memories which come out of experiences and those most definitely include food and traveling! Glad you're including Stockholm on your "spending" list hun! :)
Thomas xx
I love that we both agree on how to spend money and I love the quote from Lord Bosie! I think memories and experiences go a long way so I'm all about that :)
Food always gets me! I think that is essentially where most of our budget goes. As much as we try to eat at home, it is something we always have to keep on top of. Such a mission!
xx Jenelle
http://www.inspiringwit.com
I am constantly battling with eating out as well. As much as I love to make my own food, sometimes you have to actually go out and catch up with friends so most of the money spent on food for me are social events and special occasions.
These are such great traits you have! I have never been a good budgeter or saver and definitely leave that to my hubs. I definitely need to be more mindful about where I spend my money and the price of things. I know, so embarrassing. I love that you budget and you splurge on things like travel. Traveling is so incredible to see things and learn about other cultures. I can't wait to see where you are going next! xoxo, Christine
http://dailykongfidence.com/
Thank you Christine! Budgeting is a skill that I pride myself with because it has helped me become more responsible with my life and prioritize my needs. I am actually going to Sweden in less than a month and I'm super excited about it :)
I'm also a big fan of meal prep as it helps my fiance, and I stay on our diet, and also it's fun to shop with our friends so we all meal prep together. Do you have any products you specifically buy that are more affordable but the same nutritional value you like to buy?
Bernice | IG @bunnybernice
https://www.bunnybernice.com/single-post/2017/08/29/MuLondon-Cleanser-and-Moisturiser-Review
It's honestly a lot harder to really budget when living in the city - while yes there are free events going on once in a while and I have the opportunity to go to blogger events in Tokyo, it's so easy to spend money haha. Eating at home for me is huge though when it comes to saving money, I gotta agree with you on that one!
http://www.samanthamariko.com
I agree that budgeting is hard but I think making a priority list and being aware of where your money goes to definitely helps with budgeting. And yes sometimes I justify my spending based on my love for food!
So very true that budgeting becomes ever more important when you work for yourself. I always make sure to have a bit saved up for eating out and personal expenses because after all the hard work, I think it's equally important to have fun and take some personal time to yourself. You're so right though, eating out is not something that can be done every night, but it's so much healthier cooking your own stuff anyway!
xo, Jo
I think the key to budgeting is finding balance and being responsible with money while still trying to have fun like you mentioned.
I feel to identified with this post babe because I also started working very young on my parents business but once I got my Ralph Lauren job I got independent as well in paying my own things and bills. I even helped my mom. I do have to agreed the best investment you can do in your pocket is to travel. BTW love that top
xoxo
Marcy
Thank you Marcy! I'm so glad you can relate to this post. I know you travel a lot so it's nice to hear that you agree that traveling is a great investment :)