January Budget

January was apparently a good month of shoes for me. Both trips to Target taken to buy traveling essentials found me in the shoe section coming home with pairs of shoes that are styles I have been keeping an eye out for. And both pairs were under $9!

So even though my goal was to limit any spending outside of my trip to Jerusalem, I did end up buying shoes... #noregrets

Other than shoes, I was able to get a few beautiful pieces from my journeys in the Holy Land including two scarves, a pair of earrings, and a beautiful, reversible  wrap skirt that I am pretty obsessed with. The patterns are a little mismatched which normally drives me nuts, but for whatever reason, I really liked this combination - maybe California is mellowing me out.

sneakers: exact, similar  |  flats: exact, similar

As far as numbers, I didn't keep as good records of my spending on the items in Jerusalem as I should have. I am pretty sure what I remember is accurate, but I might be off by 20 shekels or so (aka $5).

Sneakers: $8.48

Leopard Flats: $8.48

Nude Scarf: $5

Black Floral Scarf: $12

Coin Earrings: $4

Reversible Skirt: $10

Total: $47.96

similar left   |   similar right

The shoe-filled January was also made possible via some great thrift finds from my mom. When I go home for breaks I don't bring a lot of clothes with me and often ask my mom to borrow a jacket or pair of shoes. This time around I was in need of some black flats and she brought over these beauties and said I could take them because she didn't wear them often enough. OK, twist my arm mom ;)

The embellished smoke shoes are something that I would have never tried on or bought myself, but I LOVE them. They give just the right amount of glam to an outfit and are really comfortable. I am also not a huge fan of pointed toe shoes, but love the way these two-piece flats. They're the perfect combination of fun and professional. 

So there you have it, lots of shoes and some great finds while traveling. What deals did you find this month?

Peace,

Sarah

**linking up with Franish

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December Budget

I'm a few days late, but for those who celebrate Christmas, I hope you had a very merry one!

I intentionally took a few days off from blogging to be more present to family and friends and boy was it lovely. Being home has been so much fun and other than the lack of snow (get it together Ohio!) this Christmas break has been top-notch -- more on that and a few other new projects I'm working on later this week.

Today I am linking up with Fran over at Franish in December's Monthly Budget Review.

1. Old Navy Black Sueded Dressy Ankle Booties - $42.94 (40% off + 10% off) $23.19...

...but, I had $25 in rewards, so I added a pair of fuzzy fox socks and paid $0.97 for the two!

They're sold out in black and have very few in burgundy, but you can find similar ones here and here.

2. Old Navy Black Jersey Leggings - $24.94 on sale for $10

3. Old Navy Metallic Scrunch Ballet Flats - $24.94 on sale for $10 

 And an Ohio State Winter Hat from Marshalls (similar) - $9.95

Total - $30.92

All-in-all, not bad. Like many of you, my budget this time of year is dedicated to Christmas gifts for loved ones. I  had hoped not to spend anything on myself, but I am very happy with what I did buy. 

The booties were exactly the style I have been searching for and I was in need of another pair of nice, thick leggings since I wear my other pair all the time. The flats were definitely more of a want than a need, but with the amount off times I have already worn them (for example), they were well worth the $10. 

The OSU hat speaks for itself ;) Let's go Bucks!

I was also very blessed with some wonderful Christmas gifts that I am sure will make an appearance here in some way or another. 

Were you able to stay on track with your budget this month? What was your favorite deal?

Thanks for reading!

Peace,

Sarah

** Linking up with Fran.

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November Budget

Happy Monday friends! I hope your weeks are off to a stellar start! 

Can you believe that November is basically over? My roommate made the comment that it seems like we just blinked and the month was gone! And it's so true! What is it that always makes November fly by so quickly?

With the end of the month comes Fran's Budget Link-Up which is always a ton of fun. I made a few more purchases this month than in the past few and I'm pretty happy with the pieces. 

1) Old Navy Light Weight V-Neck Sweater -  ($26.94) $7.54

Very comfortable, but also cut very large. Definitely consider going down a size.

2) Gap Factory Always Skinny Jeans - ($59.99) $17.99

Love the color and cut of these jeans. They have a lot of stretch as you wear them, so you may need a size smaller than you think.

3) Old Navy Fleece Cowl Neck Tunic - ($36.94) $26.23

This is the most comfortable sweatshirt ever! Okay, maybe not ever, but it's definitely top 10. I was drawn to it because it is such a unique take on a typical sweatshirt with the cowl neck and zippers and as soon as I tried it on I knew it was coming home with me. I've already worn it too many times to count.

4) Vince Camuto Off the Shoulder High-Low Blouse (Marshalls) - available in blue here, petite here, and plus size here - ($79) $10

I purchased this top in an olive green from the sales rack at Marshalls. The color is fantastic and the sleeves can be worn off-the-shoulder or not which allows it to be more versatile. I paired it with my brown Express motto jacket this weekend for a day of exploring with my mom and got so many compliments. If you run by it in stores, give it a try!

5) Rent the Runway - ($375) $35

I shared a bit about my experience with RtR earlier this month in this post. Technically, with shipping it cost more, but because I also shared a dress with a friend, I thought I could let that slide.

Caslon Sweater (Nordstrom Rack) - very similar here  - ($68) $10.48

Another great sales rack find! Plus, it combines my love for oversized sweaters, decorative zippers, and mustard yellow! I have a strong feeling I'll be sharing an outfit post with this guy at some point.

Earrings bought at local Tibetan boutique in Berkeley - $5 each x2 = $10
While shopping local this Saturday, I came across some beautiful earrings outside of a little shop on College Ave in Berkeley. I was only going to get the diamond-shaped ones for $8, but when they told me about the 2 for $10 deal, I obviously had to pick out another pair.

Not Pictured:

Gap Factory Favorite Cami - ($16.99) $5.99

Standard cami. Great sale. Enough said.


Total: ($ 332.86***) $123.23 
*** I kept the RtR dress as $35 in both tallies, had I added the actual cost of the dress, the totals would show an even bigger difference between what the items cost and what I spent on them!

All in all, not too bad. I'm very happy with this month's purchases and even more happy about the Christmas gifts I bought for friends and family this weekend. I would post them, but that would ruin some surprises ;)


Gifts:

My mom graciously purchased a few items for me while she was in town for Thanksgiving and I wanted to share them here because they're technically part of my style intake this month.

Plus they're adorable!

Old Yak Bazaar Tunic #fairtrade!

Monogramed Pendant Necklace, Anthropologie

I'm obsessed with this monogram necklace. It's very simple and dainty which is just my style. I now have the "S" :)

I'm not a huge fan of Black Friday shopping - though I'm loving Small Business Saturday - so the majority of my items were actually bought prior to Thanksgiving weekend. For those of you who did brave the lines, did you get any good deals??

Thanks for reading!

Peace,
Sarah

*** Linking up with Fran over at Franish

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October Budget

It's that time again, friends. The end of October is upon us, Halloween is approaching and Fran has shared her monthly budget link-up!

These link-ups are some of my favorites because they have exposed me not only to some great items and deals, but also to a wonderful community of bloggers who are supportive in efforts to keep track of monthly spending.

I don't know about you all, but I tend to do most of my spending toward the end of each month. Over halfway through this month, for example, I found myself thinking "wow, I may have nothing to post this month." But then, sure enough, I stumbled across a few things that I loved enough to add to my wardrobe.

Old Navy Go-Dry Cool Muscle Tee - ($16.94) $8.97 + Rewards = $0

I wore this tank on a hike in Yosemite Monday and loved it. Overall, it's a well fitting gym tank that doesn't have arm holes that expose your side too much. Mine is pretty much sold out, but there are others available. I really like the "hustle" one!

Madewell Slub V-Neck Pocket Tee - ($25) $17.99 + 40% off and student discount = $9.97

I've been a huge fan of the color rust lately so when I saw this tee on sale at Madewell for under $10, I had to get it. A plain tee-shirt and jeans is one of my favorite combinations for running errands, so this shirt is perfect! The material is incredibly soft and it comes in so many other colors! (I'm very tempted to buy the mustard one too...)

Gorjana 'Lido' Ring - ($55) $27.50 +25% off = $22.59 + giftcard = $0

This summer I participated in one of the countless blogger giveaways out there and actually won (which admittedly I thought was impossible)! My prize was a lovely $50 gift card to Shopbop! I ordered a few things to try earlier in the summer which I ended up sending back, so I still had the gift card - minus $10 because of shipping :( - when Shopbop had their friends and family sale earlier this month! I've had great experience with Gorjana jewelry in the past, so I ordered the Lido ring expecting to love it and I think I have worn it every day since its delivery. It's sold out at Shopbop, but is available at Nordstrom!

Uniqlo Sleeveless Black Blouse - $9.90

This plan black, silk shell is absolutely perfect! It's perfect for layering in the warmer California weather, and very easily transitioned from casual to business. I could not find the Uniqlo link, but I did find a couple of similar tops here and here.

The No's:

Old Navy Patterned Swing Dress

While on the same shopping trip where I bought the Madewell tee and Uniqlo tank, I tried on this dress at Old Navy and loved it. However, at the time there was no discount and since Old Navy has pretty good sales all the time, I waited to buy it until it was marked down online. Sure enough, the price dropped and I ordered it immediately. 

However, when it arrived I tried it on again and am still trying to figure out why I thought it looked good in the first place. The sleeves were tighter than I remembered and the dress body was a lot larger too. I was so bummed! Needless to say, it is being returned.

Total: $19.87

I am very happy to again come in way under budget, especially because my house is throwing a Halloween Party this weekend which will mess a bit with my normal food budget.

What deals did you find this month?

Peace,
Sarah

**I am linking up with Fran over at Franish

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September Budget

Happy Monday all! Can you believe September is basically over already?! It feels like I blinked and those first four weeks of class just zipped by!

This month's spending was definitely under budget, which is great in my book. Beginning to pay rent and buy school books probably played a part in that, along with having zero free time to even browse some shops. Yay grad school!

First up is this beautiful rose-covered dress that I bought in Ecuador. While we were there, we spent some time with a woman who owns her own clothing store. She graciously spoke with me and my students in the back of her store where she does all of her sewing and designing. I had noticed this beautiful floral fabric while we were chatting, so when she brought a dress to the market made from the fabric I had been admiring, I had to try it on. It fit like a glove! The material is super comfortable and I've already paired it with a navy cardigan to make it seem more "fall appropriate".

I also picked up these beautiful earrings while in Ecuador. I'm a big fan of funky earrings because they are such an easy way to add interest to an outfit and often spark conversation!

Last weekend I finally returned Nordstrom sale pieces and ended up exchanging the Gorjana Necklace for regular gold in replace of the really pink rose gold. Technically not a new purchase, but it is still a new addition to the closet so I thought I would note it here. Though, if we are being critical I was actually given 30 cents back because of a tax difference :P

Dress: $25

Earrings: $4

Gorjana Necklace: $0-Exchanged

Total: $29

All-in-all, not a bad spending month... which gives me permission to start eyeing up some new pieces for fall, right??

Thanks for reading!

Peace,
Sarah

** As always, I'm linking up with Fran for this budget series! Be sure to check out her post this month and others who've linked up as well!

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August Budget

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I flew to Cleveland after my trip to Poland and have been spending as much time with friends and family as possible before I head back to Berkeley tomorrow. I do have updates and posts to share and they should be up ASAP. 

I've definitely realized blogging is a habit. Once you skip posting for a few days it takes some motivation to get back into the swing of things. 

Well, I am back! And to start off, I'm linking up with Fran over at Franish to share my August budget. I was a lot better at staying on track this month and am really excited about some of my new purchases/gifts. 

Because I spent the majority of the month finishing my job in Europe, I will begin with those items I purchased while abroad.

From Florence:

Sandals: $39.15

(They aren't cognac, but look how similar they are to my favorite pair from Target that I destroyed from all of the walking I put them through!)

Scarf: $5.59

Wine Colored Leather Crossbody Purse: $20.14***

Brown Tote: $24.61***

From Cinque Terre:

Red Beaded Necklace: $5.59

Turquoise Bracelet: $5.59

Krakow:

Orange Stained-Glass Earrings: $9.28

Europe Total: $109.95

 ***BONUS! I mentioned in an earlier post that I post that I had purchased the two bags in Florence keeping in mind that I had bought similar ones (seen in my July Budget) during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. This means I can technically subtract the price of the Nordstrom ones since they will be returned as soon as I get back to California. 

This means my total is: $57.15!!

I am very happy to be so under budget this month seeing as last month was a fiasco. Plus, I also purchased many items as gifts for family and friends while I was abroad. And while those gifts are not documented in my clothing budget, my bank account still felt the cut.

I am super fortunate to have an incredibly generous grandmother who probably loves clothes and shopping more than I do. (Seriously though, the woman has 3 closets filled.) And though she had already given me a birthday gift prior to my Europe trip, once I was home she insisted on going to the Aurora Farms Outlet Mall. These next few items are a result of that trip. She spoils me.

Sleeveless Eyelet Top: Loft Outlet (similar here and here)

Cardigan: Gap Outlet (exact) - so stinkin' soft!

Embroidered Tee: Loft Outlet (similar in darker blue) - sorry for the wrinkles :/

Watch: Michael Kors Outlet (similar here and here)

I can't even say how in love I am with this watch! I've been in the market for a nice one for a while and when we walked into the Michael Kors Outlet and learned there was a 40% off sale on everything including watches and sunglasses (which they never do) I had to look. I tried on a few different styles (I'm pretty particular about watches) and wasn't having much luck. As my sister was checking out, I noticed a few other options by the register and saw this one. I loved it. It was the last one they had in stock so I even got an extra 10% off after the 40%. And thus the stars aligned and I was united with this beauty. I'm obsessed.

All in all, I'm extremely happy with the additions to my wardrobe this month. Beyond the watch, my favorite is probably the cardigan from the Gap Outlet. It's so stinkin' soft and I've worn it just about every day since I got it.

 It almost makes me forgive Ohio for the cooler weather we've had since I arrived. Almost.

Peace,

Sarah

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July Budget

When I first started following blogs on the regular, I was in search of sites that shared fashionable looks at a budget-friendly prices. Through various web searches, I eventually stumbled upon Franish and her "Monthly Budget Link-Up".

This link-up was one of those threads that I made note of as a “definite” for when I began my own blog. And now, 4 months into blogging, I am finally joining in on the fun.

After thinking long and hard about a reasonable budget and keeping in mind what I typically spend on clothes each month, I have decided to allow myself $100-150 per month on clothing and accessories. 

I fully anticipate that there will be months where extra funds roll over, as well as months where I go over budget (as you will see here in a moment with July…) but hopefully participating in this link-up will help to make me more aware of my purchases and mindful of what I buy.

And so, here is my very first Monthly Budget Link-Up.

Jewels:

Gorjana "Taner" Small Bar Pendant Necklace: $39.90

Crisscross Hoop Earrings: $15.90 

Kendra Scott "Hazel" Stone Stud Earrings: $29.90

Kendra Scott "Arden" Station Cuff: $32.90

I purchased a few new pieces of jewelry to add a little more spice to my wardrobe beyond funky earrings from travels. I’m excited to see them in person and choose my favorite(s).

Bags:

Street Level Vegan Leather Pocket Tote: $31.90

BP. Vegan Leather Crossbody Bag: $20.90

Oxblood, wine, whatever you want to call it, this red is my favorite fall shade and may even be my favorite color (don't tell orange). Thus, a wine colored purse screamed my name for fall. The vegan leather tote has mixed reviews of an odd smell (fingers crossed nooo), but many notes on how cute it is and how it fits a laptop for school or work. I figured I'd give it a go.

Tops:

BP. Stripe High/Low Tee: $12.90

Treasure & Bond PlaidHigh/Low Popover Top: $44.90

BP. Long Textured Open Cardigan: $31.90

$12 for a striped shirt in a color I don’t often find but love? Sure I’ll try it out. I’m also hoping this plaid shirt in cool tones will be a keeper. We will have to see how it looks layered with the grey cardigan as mine is 8 years old and also falling to bits…

Shoes:

Sam Edelman "Alaine" Scalloped Topline Flat: $64.90

The purchase I am most excited about. My favorite teal flats from Target are literally falling apart so I am hoping these beauties will be able to take their place. Almost $70 for a pair of flats is still steep for my budget, but when you compare them to these, $70 doesn’t seem that bad after all…

Not Pictured:

While in Spain and Italy, I have also purchased an Ignatian Camino T-Shirt (10 euro) and a beach cover-up/skirt (14 euro) which comes to about $26.40 with the conversion rate.

Total: $383.39

Aaaand already I am waaaay over budget. Oy. 

To be fair, July is my birthday month, so I was generously gifted money specifically for shopping from multiple family members.

I blame the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale for this one. Please notice that every item pictured is from the sale...

I have a feeling that at least 3 of the items will be returned once I can actually see them at the end of August. I know for a fact I will not keep everything I bought. If I'm online shopping and there are free returns I often spend more than budgeted just so I can try more on as I would in a store. So, even though my heart races every time I say that total number, I know that it will come down substantially once I'm back in the States and can take a closer look. 

For instance, I purchased multiple pieces of jewelry with the intent of choosing my favorite one or two pieces and returning the others. There's no way I could spend $100 on jewelry at one sale. My wallet would combust.

 And after reading reviews, the striped top is likely to be too tight in the arms which is a no-go for me, but we’ll just have to wait and see… 

What did your shopping basket look like this month? Did you practice more self control at the Anniversary Sale than I did? 

Peace,
Sarah

Linking up with Franish.

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