Tag Archives: spending

Girl Talk: I Went On A Shopping Ban … And It Backfired

Sally McGrawSeptember 26, 2011 //

I’m fairly certain that I have an addictive personality. I’ve avoided drugs, gambling, cigarettes, and alcohol based on those suspicions, and likely will continue to do so until my dying day. But I got blindsided by my own addictive tendencies when I discovered the joys of personal style. After years of hating my body, I finally figured out that I could look and feel fabulous if I simply dressed to highlight my favorite physical features. It was an absolute revelation, and sparked a new-found, fervent love of clothing, shoes, and accessories. Soon, I fell into some pretty ridiculous and harmful shopping behaviors, the repercussions of which came to a head about three years ago. I had allowed my debt to grow exponentially over several seasons of frenzied acquisition. I’d begun making mental bargains with myself about how another $200 on the ol’ MasterCard wouldn’t make THAT much of a difference in my monthly payment, and I definitely needed those new Frye boots before fall arrived. I’d dug myself into quite a hole, and felt utterly incapable of clawing my way out. Keep reading »

Money 101: Identifying The Money Drains In Your Life

Rainbow KirbyJanuary 19, 2011 //

I’m amazed at how every time I walk out of my apartment, cash just seems to seep out of my wallet. So, this year, in a conscious effort to make my paycheck stretch a bit longer, I’ve been keeping a watchful eye on my miscellaneous expenses. Here are some common dollar drains I’ve found and tips to put a stop to them before more money flushes down the proverbial drain. Keep reading »

Don’t Let Santa Bring You Debt This Year For Christmas

Joanne HinkelDecember 13, 2010 //

Even though it’s less than two weeks until December 25th, I’m experiencing a small Christmas miracle: I’m not feeling the holiday panic. Why? The day after Thanksgiving I put together a gift-giving plan for my loved ones and accompanying to-do list and I’ve been chipping away at it — both online and by shopping here and there — ever since. But in terms of my wallet? Yeah, I’m feeling a little anxiety there. According to the National Retail Federation, the average American spends around $700 on Christmas. And for a lot of us, myself included, I think that’s a conservative estimate …

Keep reading »

Watch 15 Fashion Addicts Refrain From Purchasing For A Year

Leonora EpsteinDecember 4, 2010 //

The idea of going on a spending fast is nothing novel—we’ve heard stories about people challenging themselves to not even buy one single thing or to refrain from buying anything that’s absolutely unnecessary. Here’s a new project: the Free Fashion Challenge takes 15 “fashion addicts” (they really can call themselves this because the group is made up of fashion professionals and students) and asks them to not buy any clothes for a year. During that time, they blog about their experiences, and some even face extra challenges. Why do this? Keep reading »

Money 101: How To Meaningfully Reduce Your Expenses

Amelia TimbersOctober 4, 2010 //
tighten budget photo

Financial tips like “skip your latte” are obnoxious. So are suggestions to camp rather than stay in hotels, separate two-ply toilet paper and cook eggs in the dishwasher. After all, I don’t want my life to suck. While it’s true that incremental expenditures add up over time, the biggest factors affecting spending have to do with central life choices. The average “middle class” American making about $50k spends 30 percent of it on housing, 20 percent on transportation, 15 percent on food, 10 percent on retirement, 8 percent on utilities, and 7 percent on healthcare. These things aren’t elastic — you need it all — so the idea is to make efficient choices within these categories. Keep reading »

Brace Yourselves: Clothing Prices Will Apparently Go Up Soon

Leonora EpsteinJuly 27, 2010 //

See those two women in the photo who are shopping and all smiley and happy? Now, close your eyes and remember this image, seal it to your memories, children. Because soon, the days of shopping sprees and enjoying mall trips will be long gone. OK, so we exaggerate a bit (we hope!), but you should be warned that clothing prices will probably increase. According to Women’s Wear Daily, many big retailers (the North Face, Seven for All Mankind, to name a few) are thinking about upping price points both because of inflation and rising costs of cotton and manufacturing. Keep reading »

My Two Cents: 5 Ways To Stay Fabulous On A Budget

Wendy AtterberryJuly 21, 2010 //

I admit I’m pretty much a walking gender stereotype — I like shopping, getting pedicures, grabbing drinks with the girls after work, obsessing about my hair, and lusting over other women’s awesome boots. I also hate when models brag about how they can eat anything without gaining an ounce, and I have an unhealthy addiction to gossip sites, but that may be taking it a bit too far. The point is, I embrace my girlishness and I’m not about to give up any of the fun parts of being a chick just because the economy isn’t doing so well. So I’ve decided to embrace my inner recessionista, who, frankly, wasn’t all that hard to find (she also goes by the name “cheap”). Before thriftiness was a necessity, I picked up a few tips about living fabulously without spending a bundle. Keep reading »

Net-A-Porter Sells Out Of $6,000 Alexander McQueen Dress—How Much Will You Drop Online?

Leonora EpsteinMay 18, 2010 //

When Net-A-Porter started up in 2000, it seemed doubtful that people would buy premier designer goods off the internet, sight unseen. But the times, they did change, and now we’re all online shopping. However, it still seems shocking to us that shoppers drop thousands of dollars through e-commerce sites. For example, this famous Alexander McQueen dress retails for $6,375 and is completely sold out on Net-A-Porter. Other items people are scooping up? A Marie-Hélène de Taillac’s 22-karat gold bracelet for $1,805, a Fendi embroidered tote for $6,980, and an Alaïa leather belt for $1,335. Who are these people, and can we be their best friends?

Do you have a limit on how much you’ll spend on an item online? Especially if you haven’t seen it in person or tried it on? [Net-A-Porter.com] Keep reading »

Rich People Shop At Kohl’s?

Leonora EpsteinApril 16, 2010 //

There are two types of wealthy people. Those who go on reality television to show off their private jets and bling and Caribbean estates. And then there are rich people who are also cheapskates, and won’t spend money on peculiar things, like clothes. (Come to think of it, Daddy Warbucks did wear pretty much the same outfit every day.) Or so it seems, according to surprising new research about where they shop. Check out the full infographic after the jump. Keep reading »

I’ve Lost My Passion For Shopping

Leonora EpsteinNovember 8, 2009 //

I don’t know what’s happened to me. I used to love shopping. Next to having sex, drinking, and eating great food with friends, shopping used to rank pretty high on my list of activities that make me happy.

And no, I was never one of those girls who “bought to fill the void” or anything like that. As a fashion lover, the biggest draw of hitting the boutiques was a satisfaction of being able to change my style with something simple. I never dumped huge amounts of money on clothes, but I definitely had patterns. Maybe one nice designer purchase every three to four months; one to three smaller things per month like tops, accessories, and sometimes shoes from places like Urban or Forever 21. I rarely bought out of necessity.

Now that’s not the case … Keep reading »

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