After winter break, I returned to school with no real, specific resolutions in mind. Obviously, I had the typical resolutions: spend less money, lose weight, get fit, be more spontaneous.
When I returned to my house at school, I wanted to get organized before classes started. I started cleaning up my room, and sorting and going through my stuff.
And I realized that I have SO much stuff. Like, a stupid amount of stuff.
So I set a reasonable goal for myself. I wouldn’t spend money on anything that I could bring into my house for the next month. Obviously, food was the exception. And if I ran out of something vital, like toothpaste, then yeah, of course I would buy that.
I’m a big fan of stocking up. My Costco card and I have a very close relationship. When things are on sale, I stock up and buy a few. And with non-perishable items, like toothpaste or toilet paper, it’s no big deal. So I wasn’t really worried about running out of essential items. But I also recognized that this isn’t where I spend the majority of my money. I spend so much of my money on stuff I definitely don’t need more of: clothes, makeup, shoes and beauty products.
First I organized all my stuff so that I could see everything that I have on a daily basis, so that I’d be more inclined to use everything. I put all my makeup and lipsticks out on the counter, in clear plastic bins. All of those little sample products that you get with your orders became my primary goal—I usually saved these for travel, but I wanted them gone. Same thing with all my products that were almost empty; I became a recycling queen.
Since I was trying to use my products, and because my skin gets so dry in winter, I was moisturizing regularly. I was cleaning out our kitchen as well, so I was drinking through my stockpile of tea. I was also taking my vitamins regularly. And I reorganized our kitchen and made a huge pile of kitchen items to donate, all while making our kitchen 100% more functional.
I had also decided, for the sake of saving money, that I wouldn’t get fake nails or eyelash extensions for the month. A full set of eyelashes costs $80, and a fill is $45. A nail fill is usually about $40. So by skipping these non-essentials I was saving anywhere from $80-$120 per month. Unreal, right?
With a full closet and bursting drawers, the goal with my clothes was donating items. I used to live by a strict “one in, one out” rule, meaning that if I got a new shirt or pair of shoes, I had to get rid of one. Now, I started getting rid of things that I didn’t wear because they didn’t fit right, or I didn’t feel comfortable in, or anything that had stains or holes. If I was getting dressed and I put on a clean shirt that I loved and then noticed a stain down the front—into the donation pile. Same with things that I couldn’t remember the last time I had worn them.
I was keeping track in my planner of the days that I did and did not spend money. While buying food at school wasn’t ideal, and I usually tried to avoid it anyway, I wasn’t super concerned about that type of spending. I was more interested in cleaning out my house and not buying more crap that I didn’t need. I don’t have class everyday, and the days that I don’t, I tend not to go to school, so I eat at home, so those days were really good for curbing my food spending.
So far, I liked my goal, and it was going well. It was helping me save money, assess the things I owned, clear out my stuff, and get organized.
Halfway through the month, disaster struck. I had a miserable week, my PMS was at an all time high, and my texts to my roommate consisted mostly of “please can we go to the mall please.” So we did. I spent about $100, mostly on beauty products (Tarte, why do you have to do this to me?). I’ve been using everything I bought on a daily basis, so I don’t actually feel too bad about this momentary lapse. I didn’t buy any clothes or makeup, so I felt okay.
Overall, I still am coming out of this month with more money than I normally would have at the end of the month. I’ve been eating way healthier (which is also cheaper!), I’ve been taking my vitamins, and my skin and hair has been super moisturized—and I haven’t spent any more money than I normally would.