Where to Shop on a Budget

Part of the impetus for our move from Long Island to CT last summer was the ever expanding cost of living. Simplifying everything was a top 5 on the priority list, and its been a work in progress. Inevitably there are months where we go over what we budgeted, and some things seem impossible to cut out. So with the invigorating fresh fall air comes a renewed sense of paring down to the essentials, so there is something leftover for the 'wants' after the needs are accounted for.

I love clothing, wine, food, home decor, and coffee. Yes, we all know this. So I've narrowed down the list of where I get these necessary items without busting the budget by the first week of the month.

Clothing

I love Nordstrom for everything possible, from clothing and my athleisure to skincare to holiday candles. The free shipping with zero minimum is not to be understated- this saves a lot of money when you are forced to do so much online shopping (#suburbs and #workingmomlife). I have also given up my Lululemon addiction in favor of more reasonably priced and super functional brands like Zella and Athleta.

I get the other half of my wardrobe from J.Crew, and I only do so from the sale section. If you watch the items you like, they will generally become sale merchandise within 4-6 weeks of their initial appearance on the shelves. Then they run POS (percentage off sale) and that's when you can score huge. (Starting my career as a buyer for Ann Taylor in 2005 still has its advantages.) The Factory diffusion line of J.Crew's classics is not my favorite, as the quality is definitely not the same, and I'd rather have one amazing pair of jeans than 3 mediocre pairs that won't withstand afternoons filled with kneeling for tummy time or 200 hundred trips and up and down the stairs a day.

I buy most of the boys' clothing from Gap Kids and Baby Gap, which costs more than Old Navy or Gymboree, but lasts much longer. Now that I save Tucker's things for Wells, I care about longevity. Gap runs constant promotions on line so its pretty easy to wait for one to make a purchase.

Wine

One of our favorite times each month is when the door bell rings and the friendly FedEx delivery man hands over our box of wine from Winc. We have belonged to this California based wine club for several years, and with many bottles priced around $13 and free shipping with 5 bottles, its the most convenient and wallet-friendly way to try new wines. Give it a try, there is also no fee or monthly minimum.

Home Decor

So this is admittedly a money pit of sports for me, since I rarely can leave a store without something new for the house (yes, even in the grocery store- did you know Stop and Shop sells the cutest woven storage baskets?) But when I'm being judicious with my spending, I stick to places that run specials and seasonal deals, and for this you really can't beat Pier 1 or Michael's (behind the oodles of crafts there are actually super cute home items). Larger stores like Home Goods are fun, but I find the mass amount of items and unorganized shelf displays to be too chaotic when I'm tight on time, and things sold in sets are often missing their pair (I still feel deeply sad when I think of the anchor bookend I found in my local Home Goods last yer with no mate- one bookend I tried so hard to make work but they are called 'bookends' for a reason. #firstworldproblems).