Ahhhh. Blogging. I assure you I haven’t died or fallen off the face of the planet! I have been enjoying my few last days before the school year starts. Catching up with friends and celebrating 3 birthdays in my family have been highlights of my past week. But here I am back in action! Sharing some of my favorite ways that I indulge in beauty… On a budget!
Say what?! A budget? But none of our favorite bloggers or YouTubers ever talk about budgets! I have found that point to be rather true over the past 4 years of following the beauty community. And I find it slightly frustrating. Gurus and bloggers have large followings, especially of young girls. As a 16 year old, I know I never had enough saved up for high end makeup, or the latest “it” bag. And I never dared to ask my parents for it. So I think it is important to have a budget, be aware of it, and stick to it.
Budgets aren’t always fun. Sometimes they downright suck. But by keeping on budget, I have been able to afford trips, the high end beauty products, and maybe some day a fabulous bag. So how do I stick to a budget and stay fabulous? Glad you asked!
1. Coupons! Yes sir! Every month, Procter and Gamble produces a coupon flier that has tons of fantastic coupons! Keep your eyes peeled! Just recently I scored a buy one, get one free coupon on Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner. That’s about $4 or $5 at my local target. One time I got a $3 off Covergirl makeup product. Used it on mascara and only paid $3 for my product. Not only can you use them on beauty products, snag the ones you know you will use for other household items. I always clip the laundry detergent ones, or pet food ones. By saving money on those items, I have more that I can allocate for trips or saving for investment pieces.
2. Have a Birchbox subscription? Rate your products! Sure my box is $10 a month, but if you rate everything in your box, you get enough points to pay for half of your box! Save those points up to use on something truly fabulous! This is how I got a roller ball of Oscar de la Renta perfume for no charge. Same with my Embryolisse. By doing this you can have the great products that we all want, but don’t have to shell out a ton of money for them.
3. Patience. Patience is a virtue they say, and when it comes to keeping in budget, it is key. Sometimes it is great to see something you love and snatch it up right away. But rarely does that work well for the budget. By waiting it out, and being patient, it gives you time to eliminate impulse purchases. You can also look for coupons or deals while waiting, saving you even more money. And if you still want it after you have saved for it? Go and get it! No sense wasting time! Being patient is super important, and has helped me to weed out many purchases that would just end up sitting in my beauty drawer.
4. Sign up for in-store membership cards. Almost every store seems to have them, even my Target pharmacy has a rewards program. It doesn’t hurt to sign up for them, sometimes you get introductory offers, or extra points for signing up. By having one at all the stores you shop at, the savings can add up! Just attach your phone number, and you won’t have to carry around all the cards. We still have a land line, so I give out that phone number because then I don’t have them calling my cell phone. By signing up for one email list at a favorite restaurant of ours, I ended up winning a gift certificate that paid for a whole meal the next time we went. You never know! Having an Ulta card, and a Sephora card has scored me many awesome free products, especially for birthdays–so make sure to sign up!
While these ideas may not be anything new, or groundbreaking, they totally help me get the job done. By saving on certain items, I free up my budget for things I think are “fun”. Find what works for you, and strike a balance. But never stop trying to save a little extra money and keep within your budget! It truly is the best friend of any beauty loving maven! Do you have any tips on staying fabulous and on budget? Let me know! -T
brains. brawn. beauty. 