Money management is a huge part of that post-grad adulting lifestyle. When everyone around you on social media is trying to stunt and flex in designer outfits or brand new everything almost every day, there can be pressure to follow suit. That’s why this week I wanted to focus on making wise wardrobe decisions. Regardless of what I state, my biggest advice is to do what works best for you. I don’t know what you’re working with in your bank account, nor do I know if you bought that designer clothing outfit on sale. Hopefully regardless of your circumstances, these questions can help you make smarter decisions when your considering some new buys for your closet.
Is this a want or a need?
I wanted to start off with a pretty obvious question that some people often overlook. Most can probably discern for themselves the difference between a want and a need in their life. It gets especially complicated when we take a deeper look at why we want the things we want.
It’s always good to double check motives.
Are you buying this because the item genuinely makes you look and feel better about yourself? Do you want it because you think having it would create an image you are trying to portray? Are you buying this because everyone else has it? Really take a moment to acknowledge why you want it so much. Most times its nothing more than the fact that we think it’ll look good on us but it’s always good to double check motives.
Will you wear this more than once or twice?
If you’re going to be making a clothing purchase, and especially if it’s expensive, you want to make sure it is a valuable investment. The biggest reason most of clothes that I purchased in college went straight to the donation pile is because I was buying clothes for specific events and not to add on to or diversity my wardrobe. Thinking about how the piece fits into to the items you already have. Can you style it in numerous ways for various occasions? If not, you better have a really good reason for why you need it then…but I guess that’s none of my business.
Can I Wait At Least A Day Before Making This Purchase?
It’s the best question to check if truly wanted the item in the first place.
Impulsive spending is a real thing. Sometimes to avoid falling into that trap I set a rule for myself that I have to wait at least 24 hours before making the purchase. This helps me out for multiple reasons. First, I can actually plan appropriately because sometimes those pending transactions on your bank account go through all at once and you don’t have the money you thought you had to splurge on a fashion find. Second, more often than not, I forget about the product 24 hours later which really means I neither needed it nor truly wanted it to begin with.
Can I Expect This To Go On Sale?
There aren’t too many things in this world more annoying than seeing an item in the store that you bought because you loved it so much, only to find out a week later it’s on sale for half of what you paid. It makes you feel like you paid more than what the item was actually worth. Yet there is also something to be said about the whole “patience is a virtue” idea. Good things come to those who wait and in this case the good thing could be spending significantly less and saving more.
Wrap-Up
Obviously this list is not exhaustive nor is it meant to judge your financial decisions but it’s always helpful to keep our clothes purchases purposeful and in check so ensure we are making the right investments! Thanks for reading!
“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?”
Luke 14:28
