March ends. The time of the year that brings with it the true realization that your financial planning hasn’t really borne fruits, that’s unless you’ve used the services The Kelley Financial Group provides. Having a financial planner can really help prepare for the future and ensure all of your finances are in order, otherwise you may be in a position where you have less money than you thought, and that paying taxes and making investments has left you broke.
It’s one thing to think about ways that one can cut back on areas of spending to save money here and there, but it’s another to actually generate money. There are various ways one might be able to find success in investing wisely. Cryptocurrencies are increasingly popular for this purpose. Check it out in this German-language article to get familiarized with Bitcoin bank experiences – Bitcoin Bank Erfahrungen.
This is when you start scurrying around, looking for financial planning tools, hoping to be in a better spot next year. If you have any money left to invest, you may start looking at alternative investment options. This Vinovest Review suggests that investing in fine wine is a great of making a return on an investment, for example. If you are like me then, as you feed in your expenses and earnings to a planning tool, you realise how much money you spend on eating out and shopping.
If you are clotheshorse and staying on top of trends is second nature to you, then shopping is probably a big expense, unless of course, you’ve found out about the fab Replica bags that are far cheaper than the designer originals. But when someone calls you shopaholic, you possibly respond with a “Roti, KAPDA, Makaan,” refrain. After all, clothes are a necessity. So why shouldn’t you spend your hard-earned money on some much-needed shopping therapy?
It seems like a great idea most of the time except at the end of the month (or financial year) when buyer’s guilt overwhelms you. This is when a clothing budget can be heaven sent. Because if your personal budget allows it, then it’s fair game.
The Why
I had the same question when I was first introduced to the subject. Do I really need a shopping budget? Will it really help? Trust me. It does. There’s no slow panic eating away at your conscience, constantly reminding you that you are spending money you don’t have. And those fights at home, with your partner, or your sibling, or even your parent about cupboards bursting at their seams, and shopping bags peeking out of every nook? Those arguments become a thing of the past or at least they aren’t as ferocious.
But the best thing about shopping budgets? The indecision that comes with purchasing is eliminated. If you have only INR 2000 to spend on clothes and accessories in a month, you put in more thought into your shopping. You will become a smarter shopper, opting to buy more classic styles and more durable outfits, and that, my friends, is a complete win-win.
The How
Expert international financial planners suggest that you spend 5% of your monthly budget on clothing and accessories. So, if you earn about INR 50000 a month, then ideally you shouldn’t spend more than INR 2500 a month on clothes. But 5% is not necessarily the number to go by. If you are on a limited income, are paying EMIs, have other important expenses like education, then this 5% may be better used to pay for other things. The idea is to be mindful off your expenses.
Another good idea is to shop your own closet. All of us have clothes that we haven’t worn in years or even bought on a whim but never touched. According to some studies, we wear only about 20% of the outfits in our closets. Discover those untouched outfits. By shopping your own closet, you can figure out what you have to work with, and what you need to up the ante with those outfits.
If you are of the more entrepreneurial bent of mind, then you could also set up shop on one of the many pre-loved clothing apps in the market that allow you to sell your clothes and accessories and make some money which can be then added to your shopping budget.
Some saving, some investment, some selling, and a whole lot of thought-out shopping.
It’s definitely the right recipe for a more amazing financial year for fashion. Isn’t it ?
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