Ths post may contain affiliate links

In a world full of selfies, vlogs, and cameras recording your every move the need to look somewhat presentable 90% of the time can be overwhelming not only mentally, but also monetarily.

I remember being at a conference and joking with some of the other attendees how you didn’t want to be photographed in an outfit that you already wore somewhere else. The time of this conference was pre-Instagram and when Facebook was still really only geared towards students. I may have just dated myself there, but the point is even then we were feeling the stress of trying to stay fashionably fresh.

With new collections released on an almost daily basis and affordable websites that offer fashion and beauty at your fingertips, the line can easily become blurred on what is considered a need vs. a want.

“Shop my Post!” is such a simple statement. Fashion bloggers use it all the time. I even use it when I’m sharing an outfit or makeup related content over on my lifestyle page Being Melody. We simply want you to be able to easily access the very thing for which you just liked our Instagram photo.

So, you innocently click the link and start down the rabbit hole that is adding stuff to your cart. You’re bookmarking sites, looking for coupon codes, and patiently waiting for an item to go on sale so that you can add it to your closet.  Next thing you know the item arrives and you fall in love with it until you receive your bank statement or happen to take a peek at your bank account. You feel guilty. Beleive me I’ve been there and done that. Buyers Remorse is a real-life monster, and you shouldn’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

So how do you stay on trend, look put together, slay your Instagram photos, and not drain your bank account? I’m here to tell you how you can save money on fashion and beauty with these few tips!

1. Stop playing and make a budget.

Before you side, eye me listen. You seriously need a budget, not only for spending on essentials but also for laying out how much you want to spend on your slayage. Making a budget is simple if you follow the tips I’ve outlined in this post. By having a budget for your “slaying money,” you know how much you can afford to spend each month.

The great thing about budgets is that their fluid, so whatever you budgeted for last month doesn’t have to be the same for the next month coming. I used to spend like crazy on makeup. Now that I’ve finally gotten everything organized I’ve reduced the amount of money I plan to spend on makeup in 2018 and added that money to another budget category.

2.  Create a Capsule Wardrobe.

If your guilty pleasure is fashion, a capsule wardrobe will help get your spending in check real quick. I’ve been doing a capsule wardrobe for over two years now, and I’m never going back.

Real quick a capsule wardrobe is a curated closet of only 30-37 pieces of interchangeable clothing and shoes (not including undergarments PJ’s or “house clothes”) that you wear all season. Here’s why it’s great for you fashionistas, it challenges the hell out of you! You’re not only picking out items you love, but you have to make sure they work together.

Since you’re only purchasing 30-37 pieces of clothing, your goal is quality over quantity. With a capsule wardrobe, some of your spring items can easily transition over to summer. It means for your summer capsule you spend less. Once you’ve done a capsule wardrobe for all four seasons the next year your spending on clothing is limited to replacing items or adding high-quality classic accessories that are timeless. Which also leads to my next point.

3. Ditch fast fashion!

Ever wonder how a brand can come out with a whole collection of new trend days following it being seen in an episode of Love and Hip Hop? It’s called fast fashion, and it’s taken over some of your favorite stores.

So, I may have been exaggerating with the whole Love and Hip Hop thing, but Fast Fashion is trends taken from the runway and mass produced for an affordable/ low price or low price. In some ways it’s great because it allows you get the latest looks without breaking the bank, but here’s the catch. Have you noticed that the quality of these fast fashion items isn’t up to par?

Fast Fashion is meant to be replaced so don’t expect that gorgeous $10 sweater that goes with everything to last you longer than the season for which it was made.When shopping in stores take the time to look at the item for its quality. Ask questions like will this fade, shrink, or rip before I’ve gotten enough wears out of it? Even though it’s only $10, that’s $10 you could be putting towards something that’s higher quality and may cost a little more but will reduce your spending on clothing over time. My favorite places to shop are the Banana Republic and Asos. Both places have fallen guilty of fast fashion, but with a keen eye you can pick out what’s worth and what’s not. If all else fails you can just send the items back.

4. Look for Dupes or shop Drug Store Makeup.

Makeup doesn’t have to break the bank. I know, I’ve tested tons and tons of products over on my lifestyle blog. What I’ve found is that while I might love an expensive mascara a $12 one from CVS can perform just as well. This is called a “dupe,” though you may see the word used when referring to a color that is similar but less costly.

I’ve set my beauty budget at $40/month this year. You read right; I’m only spending $40/month on makeup this year because I’ll be shopping more budget-friendly brands at my local drug stores, ULTA or even Amazon! Not only do these brands perform just as well as some of my mid to high-end items from Sephora, but I can save more money by clipping coupons!

I’m always amazed at how many coupons are being offered in the Sundays papers for brands like Loreal, Revlon, Maybelline, and CoverGirl. When you pair these savings with the weekly offers at the store you can save big and even earn cash back. I spent less than $40 and received $12 cash back at CVS for restocking my mascara (which was BOGO/free with a coupon), brow pencils, and other makeup essentials when I used clipped coupons.

Don’t forget about the Sephora brand collection in Sephora stores. I know, its easy to gravitate towards everything else in a place dubbed the Disney world of makeup, but trust me you won’t regret it. The Sephora Collection of makeup is owned by LVMH, the same curators of brands like Make Up For Ever and Fenty Beauty, Kat Von D, and Marc Jacobs. In this Sephora brand palette, I found four dupes of shades from NARS cosmetics.

5. Shop with Cash Saving Apps.

On top of doing all four things listed above while staying fashionably on a budget, you can also use cash saving apps. Over on the Broke on Purpose IG stories I’ve been sharing all the great ways I’m saving using the app EBATES. Can you believe I got $16 cash back just by shopping through the app to send my Mom flowers?

The way EBATES works is it gives you a percentage back on your purchase. The rate varies from store to store, and there are maybe over 1000 brands. Your cashback is paid out quarterly in the form of a check. Sometimes if you even get the option to convert that check into a gift card that includes up to an extra 20%. I did that just last month when I was due to a $59 check but opted to take a Banana Republic gift card for $71 instead.

Signed up for EBATES is free. If you sign up through this link and make your first $25 purchase, you’ll get an add’l $10 cash back added to your account!

6. Wait for it to go on sale.

Back in the day, it seemed like you had to wait forever for something to go on sale. Now items are going on sale so fast it’s practically foolish to pay full price. Waiting for things to go on sale is one of the easiest ways to save money on fashion and beauty. Some of my favorite places to shop have sales almost weekly to draw in customers and move merchandise (trying to sell that fast fashion). Instead of purchasing something immediately you’ll find that waiting can be monetarily rewarding. There is nothing better than scoring a $400 coat for $70!

Many people don’t think they can find makeup on sale but you can! Sephora’s weekly wow features some of your cult faves for 50% off and their sale section online isn’t too shabby either.

This even includes designer goods that you can add to capsule wardrobe! During the second year of my capsule wardrobe, I knew I wanted to start adding classic designer back in to replace the Valentino Rockstud pumps I sold to pay off a credit card.

To achieve this goal I did two things. I scouted my favorite website for designer goods, Farfetch, for what I wanted and then began setting aside money every month for my purchase. By the time I was ready the item had gone on sale. If the item I wanted is sold out in my size or no longer made, I shop consignment shops or online sites like Tradesy and The Real Real or even Poshmark.

By following the tips outlined above you will definitely start to see how much less you spend on clothes and makeup over time.  Don’t be afraid to mix it up and create your own style. When I started my capsule I read this book, The Curated Closet, to help guide me in what to include in my closet and things that I could leave out.

[symple_column size=”one-half” position=”first” fade_in=”false”][/symple_column][symple_column size=”one-half” position=”last” fade_in=”false”]The Curated Closet: A Simple System for Discovering Your Personal Style and Building Your Dream Wardrobe[/symple_column]

[symple_column size=”one-half” position=”first” fade_in=”false”][/symple_column][symple_column size=”one-half” position=”last” fade_in=”false”]The Curated Closet Workbook: Discover Your Personal Style and Build Your Dream Wardrobe[/symple_column]