When to splurge vs. when to save

Now that it’s November, it is time to officially start thinking about the holidays! And not only is this the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also the most expensive time of the year. With all of the sales and shopping that we do these months, sometimes it’s hard to know when you should invest in high-quality (clothing) items and when you should save. Is it better to buy the nice pair of shoes that will last you for years? Or should you buy the cheaper pair that could break after a few weeks?

I’ve always been conservative about spending, especially when it comes to clothes. And one of the things I love about blogging is that when I come across a great deal or an amazing sale going on, I get to share it with all of you! But I also like some nicer things (who doesn’t?!) – And I get comments every now and then like “Wow great top for $10 but how much is that bag?!” So I wanted to share my personal strategy of when to splurge on clothes/accessories and when to save:

Bottom Line: Splurge on items that can be worn/used for many years and will NEVER go out of style. For everything else – SAVE!! This will mean different things to everyone – But here are a few of my personal opinions:

SPLURGES:

Purse: I purchased my Louis Vuitton speedy 35 several years ago and it has been the only purse I have carried since. It is a classic piece, it goes with every outfit, and I’ll continue to carry it for years to come. I’ve probably saved more than the cost of this purse over the years since I have not bought any other bag since this one.

Black/Nude Pumps: From the work day to a night out, pumps are a classic. They always look good and they will never go out of style. Just be sure to take care of them so they last a long time!

Nice Jewelry: I wear the same David Yurman jewelry almost every single day. I’ve tried to switch it up a few times, but I always find myself going back to my basics. My mom has been collecting Yurman for a long time, so a lot of the pieces I wear are hers that she has given to me. I love that jewelry can be passed down and shared, and while I don’t personally spend money on jewelry for myself, I still put this in the “splurge” category.

SAVES:

Trendy clothes: It’s not worth spending a lot of money on things that go in and out of style so quickly. Designer clothes are CRAZY expensive, and a lot of retailers are now making similar versions that are super affordable.

Sunglasses: I like to switch mine up too much to spend a whole lot on them.

Workout clothes: Unless you are a professional athlete, marathon runner, or someone else who really does need heavy duty workout clothes – It’s not worth spending a fortune on t-shirts to wear at the gym.

Jackets: I’d rather have a few inexpensive jackets that I can wear with several different looks, than to have one splurge jacket that only goes with a handful of outfits. Granted, I live in South Carolina, so I’m not dealing with snow storms or anything like that in the winter to where I’d need a major coat. But if that were the case, I’d probably just have to hibernate anyway 😉

What are your biggest “splurge” items? I’d love to hear them. Comment below!