Even at the peak of my sustainable fashion influencer years, I was highly motivated by the thought of getting a good deal. I hate to admit that, but it’s true.
When I first started fashion blogging, I did it in hopes of getting free clothes. I saw how the first fashion bloggers went from hobbyists to brand partners, and I was determined to get in on the action.
When I pivoted to talking about ethical issues, I really was invested in being more thoughtful and sustainable in my purchasing choices. But I never stopped being a bargain hunter.
When brands started offering me items for review, I was delighted just as much at the thought of getting free things as I was at promoting good ethics. Even though I didn’t make a lot of money during my influencer days, I was able to live beyond my means because of all the free stuff I got. I’m not gonna lie, I miss it in some ways.
I was raised as a deal hunter. We always went straight to the sales rack. My grandma taught me to have immense pride in getting the rock-bottom, bargain basement price on everything.
But the tricky thing about a “good deal” is that it can lure you into accumulating something you never would have wanted otherwise. You don’t buy because you need or want that exact thing, but because it’s there and its cheap and it makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something.
Whether shopping with my grandma as a teenager or accepted free product as an adult, the real issue is that I was addicted to getting a good deal at the cost of being intentional in my choices. Satisfaction always came second to price. And I still have to work hard to convince myself that saving up for the thing I actually want is a better idea than getting the cheaper thing that is only sort of what I want.
Mentally, physically, spiritually – and certainly from a sustainability perspective – accumulating “almosts” is a disheartening habit. It has left me with a constantly rotating, always disgruntling closet. It has forced me to shamefully donate bags of clothing to the thrift store because nothing quite worked out. It has made me feel out of control.
But having a budget has helped a lot. I used to manage my money by buying the cheapest thing possible. From a financial perspective, this feels like it works. But after buying the 6th pair of jeans that don’t really fit, it can get pricey.
Now, I use a budgeting app to track my spending in certain categories. Obviously, necessities are my biggest spending category.
But Daniel and I also have our own spending categories. Mine is called “Leah’s shopping.” Though the amount varies with seasonal expenses, I give myself a certain amount of money per month, with a rollover option. I can spend it however I want. Which means that, instead of always buying the cheapest possible thing, I can afford to think about what I really want and then be totally free to buy it…as long as it’s in the budget.
I’m not a luxury buyer by any means. But a budget of $100 a month for discretionary spending has allowed me to consider spending $75 on a full grain leather, made in USA bag over a cheaper option that doesn’t quite suit my taste or my needs. It has convinced me to get the $50 sandals from the better quality brand instead of the $12 thrifted ones that give me a blister. I can make choices that seem riskier, but are actually cheaper over time.
Since I rarely receive gifted or sponsored items these days, I am freed up to consider what is actually worth the money in a more holistic way. I’m not compelled to convince myself that I like something just because it was free. Now, if I buy something that’s more than I usually spend, it has to be worth it. Paying lip service to sustainability and ethics but producing a mediocre product won’t cut it. I have to be discerning.
Obviously, in our consumer context of increasing prices for lower quality goods, I still make purchasing errors. There are times when things don’t fit right, don’t wash well, or don’t make good on their promises. But the budget is keeping me sane. It’s reminding me that I literally can’t afford to buy something on the cheap. Because, over months and years of deal hunting, I will just end up with a pile of crap.
At the end of the day, having a budget is the key to good discernment. And now more than ever, in a world of greenwashing, rampant exploitation, and economic precarity, good discernment is my best mode of resistance, at least when it comes to shopping.
