Wednesday, January 11, 2023
What is “bougie”? I think we kinda use it incorrectly in society according to this definition. My students basically say bougie for anything fancy.
I am trying to live fabulously frugal this month as I am doing a challenge called “Uber Frugal January”. I try to live this way all the time, but I needed a re-set after the excess of November-December. I try to put my money towards things that matter to me and save on things that don’t.
So I am trying to be FROUGIE!
My weaknesses:
Clothing and shoes – I really like fashion and putting outfits together!
Earrings – they always fit!
Good writing utensils – Sharpie S Gel, amiright?
Amazon – it’s just so easy and so good.
Candles – I’m basic, ok?
Lipsticks – After being masked, my lips need to show off.
Happy hours and Bougie cocktails – I’m a teacher, ok?
I don’t really feel tempted to buy:
Books – I love my library!
Drive Thru coffees or any drive thru things – I would rather spend money to drink a coffee inside the shop and I just don’t have the time to wait in lines or I don’t want to.
Housewares – I am trying to only have what I love and minimize “stuff” to make cleaning easier. I wish I was more into home decor in a way.
Some Things I’m doing:
I am keeping all my candles in one place and rotating them so they feel “new”.
I am paring down to my fave lipsticks and making sure I love them all.
I am organizing my earrings and getting rid of medicocre ones and ones I don’t wear.
I am rotating through winter clothes and getting rid of what no longer suits me. I am starting a donation bag and a re-sell bag.
I am cooking at home more than going out. What makes going out so special besides the lack of work you have to do? I like to get bread and make a dish of olive oil and seasonings like they do at some restaurants. I can use my nice plates and glasses.
I recently had a happy hour at my house with truffle fries and garlic aioli, croissants, and truffle popcorn. I really enjoy re-creating what I might get in a restaurant.
I can take a little more time for self-care. Put on those great smelling lotions, use my eye patches to de-puff, do a face mask – that kind of thing. Spa at home, you know?
I plate my food. I try to not eat standing up. I arrange my breakfast and lunch in a pleasing way.
I use cloth napkins at home. I really prefer cloth to paper and it feels nicer to me.
So, tell me now, are you FROUGIE?
Amy
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 
Great expression! You’re doing good! I like the idea of rotating things so they feel new!
Well, I don’t shop too much and I enjoy the cheaper brands like h&m and Zara. I’m very thorough with my skincare, but you can find cheap things here too. I do spoil myself with two subscription beauty boxes every month… (but I often save things and give to my daughters for birthday etc….)
Enjoy your week sweet Amy! (sorry, I thought it was Monday, first day with students so I’m a bit off :-D)
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Thank you! It sounds like you keep a good balance!
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I loved this, and the combination of those two words is excellent. I am frugal in that I buy NOTHING unless it’s something I love. The clothes in my closet you saw last week? I have pictures of me wearing some of the same ones from eight or nine years ago. I try to buy things that are timeless and pretty neutral…that way, they stay in style and I never grow tired of the color. I do have things that are colored, but I am super picky about everything that comes into my closet, hence my rule of loving it or leaving the item in the store.
I am bougie in that I love to look nice and put together. This is in my clothing, shoes, nails, and makeup. I’ve never been a jewelry type of girl, so I just wear the same 3 pairs of earrings over and over again, but again- even those are timeless. Instead of hoops, I wear big hearts (I have them in gold and silver) and I have one pair of gold studs (big in size), so they’re a statement piece. Things I spend money on: 3 highlights a year, 2 hair trims a year, monthly nail appointments, and books for my Kindle that are under $5.
Have a great day, my friend!
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Thank you! I think you do well with this! Are you Marie Kondo? Ha! I want to be better at this and only have things I 100% love. I actually want this in all areas of my home.
Interesting about your earrings and I think you have found your things you put money toward. You are lucky to have figured that out relatively young.
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It’s not that hard to cut back on spending for January since I spent so darn much the last two months on Christmas. But I am trying to make meals from our pantry and freezer as much as possible since our largest bills tend to be groceries and gas right now. I’d love to say I managed a no spend January but I’ve already bought a few crafting supplies and things I was eyeing before Christmas… I just can’t resist when I’ve been crafting up a storm and actually using them. But I’ve also made a real effort to go through all my crafting supplies to see what I have on hand and try to use older things I forgot I even owned!
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Right? It’s a great time to hunker down and use what you got in December. that’s great! It’s ok – it’s about using what you have or getting what you need and use and value, I think!
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Totally with you, I don’t like wasting money on things that don’t matter that much to me – like a drive through coffee. I suppose my attempt at doing my own gel nails at home is me being kinda frougie!
xo,
Kellyann
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Yes! I think you do well with this! You are so right – nails at home are frougie! I’m gonna try another gel mani today!
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This is such a great post and great mission. I am doing my best to “simplify” and purge this year. I try to “shop my closet” as much as possible but clothing is my weakness too 🙂
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Thank you so much. I am also going to post my January spending diary at the end of the month so you voyeurs can see how I did! He!
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Frougie! I love it. I have all my candles on a shelf in the closet. I try to rotate them as well…& I just can’t throw a candle away until it’s all gone. I do like having even the off season ones on a shelf so I can see what I have and not buy unnecessarily. I always being my lunch to school and on Friday or Saturday evenings, if we get carry out, I usually opt for something at home that’s probably healthier and saves a bit of money.
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Thank you! I can’t either and I am like – but what if the power goes out. I will need to create the weirdest cornucopia of scents to light my home for you people! we have to be frugal as teachers because we have no time for buying lunch.
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Loved this post! Some of my weaknesses are Amazon, earrings and candles too. I am also trying to resist the urge to buy many things this month. I just made a trip to the grocery store to re-stock a little post holidays and that was my shopping splurge! I also use cloth napkins and it saves on buying paper and I agree, it feels nicer.
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Thank you! We have a lot in common, then! I do find that the grocery scratches the shopping itch sometimes. I love cloth!
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I love that word but i don’t think i am. Bougie yes. Frougie most likely no. Lol I just spent the last two afternoons totally purging my Hallway cabinets and drawers and donating so many little knickknack decorating things. I’m only going to be decorating my fireplace mantle and my front porch from this point forward for any kind of holidays or seasons. Today I cleaned out my garage pantry cabinet and some other side cabinets and got everything out of there. Wiped them all down. And then only kept what I truly am going to use. I have a car trunk load full of donations items going to my local thrift store. When I get back from vacation, it’s going to be wonderful knowing that I don’t have that to have to do when I get home.
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I think you might be bougie, but you are not wasteful? I love that you are purging and I need to get my butt motivated to do the same. I want space! It is so nice coming home to a clean and fresh looking space!
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