Wednesday, March 30, 2016

March 2016 Purchases

March was a good shopping month! I bought a lot of great pieces but still came in way under budget, thanks to a successful month of selling on eBay (due to my closet clean-out last month), generally good sales, and a $50 J.Crew rewards card. My absolute favorite purchase was a seasonless black suit that I got for under $100(!). I was initially torn between it and another suit, but ultimately decided to keep the one I did for its breathability and affordability. Without further ado, let's talk about what I bought this month!

1) J.Crew sleeveless drapey popover shirt in clover print (citrus 00) - This is my new favorite blouse! The print is very versatile and is suitable for both casual and business casual occasions. The top is made of 100% silk, the silhouette is forgiving yet flattering, and the price was reasonable, What's there not to love? Originally $88. Paid $44.99 + 40% off + 1.5% off ebates + $25 rewards card = $1.59.

2) J.Crew perfect cable sweater (bright lemon XS) - Honestly this chunky wool sweater has a few design flaws. It's a little boxy in the torso, it runs short and small, and the neck is very tight, but I'm willing to overlook all of these issues because I love the acid yellow color! Originally $98. Paid $49.99 + 40% off + 1.5% off ebates + $25 rewards card = $4.54.

3) J.Crew 1035 two-button jacket in super 120s wool (black 00) - Despite reading reviews about the declining quality of J.Crew's super 120s wool, I thought the material of this suit blazer was smooth, breathable, and draped well. The jacket has a slim fit in the shoulders and torso although the sleeves are a hair long. Surprisingly, it looks best when worn with the sleeves cuffed and with jeans. Originally $248. Paid $69.99 + 30% off = $48.99.

4) J.Crew 1035 trouser in super 120s wool (black 0) - The matching suit pants are a little disappointing but still better than the alternatives from Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, etc. They are much too long, unlined, and a little itchy. However, I like the slim silhouette, and the itchiness issue can be remedied with slip shorts. The length issue can be fixed through hemming or rebuying in petite sizing. After trying on the size 0, I reordered them in 2P, but USPS misdelivered the package, and now they don't know where it is (so annoying)! Hopefully that package turns up, or I'll have to hem the size 0 pants. The price really can't be beat though for seasonless 100% wool pants. Originally $148. Paid $49.99 + 25% off + 3% off ebates + $5 shipping = $41.37.


5) Old Navy v-neck cami (bare necessity XS) - Last month I mentioned that I need more basic tees and tanks, so I tried on a few this month. Unfortunately, none of them worked out except this nude layering tank. It's great for wearing under tops that are a little too sheer. I wish it was 100% cotton instead of 94% cotton, 6% spandex, but it's still a good value for the price. Originally $4.50. Paid $4.50 + 2% off ebates = $4.41.

6) J.Crew Factory Clare cardigan sweater (navy XS) - For most of the year I usually wear light wool cardigans, but now that the weather is starting to warm up, it would be good to add a few cotton cardigans to the rotation. The Clare is true to size, made of smooth 100% cotton, and features 3/4 sleeves. I haven't worn it yet, but I can already picture the outfits that I would wear it with. Originally $54.50. Paid $29.50 + 30% off + 1.5% off ebates = $20.34.

7) Uniqlo supima cotton v-neck short sleeve t-shirt (light gray XS) - I knew this tee was a risky purchase, because I had never ordered from Uniqlo before plus there are no stores near me. I decided to give it a try anyway, but unfortunately my gamble didn't pay off. Somehow when I was reading the description, I missed the fact that the material was a cotton blend instead of 100% cotton. Also it hugs my stomach too much and makes me feel self-conscious. It also doesn't make much sense to return it since the cost of return shipping is $7. Most likely I'll just keep it and wear it as a lounge shirt around the house. Originally $12.90. Paid $9.90 + 3% off ebates = $9.60.

8) Gap stretch 1969 true skinny ankle jean (washed black 25R) - I feel like Gap has really improved the fit of their jeans recently! Most of the jeans I've bought from them lately have fit perfectly. This one was no exception. I wish the denim was a little heavier, and the distressed hem is a little quirky, but the fit is so spot-on that I just have to keep them. Originally $69.95. Paid $69.95 + 40% off + 2% off ebates = $41.13.

That's everything I added to my closet! I also sold 7 items on eBay, including 3 items from my worst purchases of 2015. After shipping, eBay, and Paypal fees, I was able to recoup $158.15.

So the total for this month comes to...
RETAIL: $723.85
SPENT: $171.97 (23.8% of MSRP)
SOLD: $158.15
NET: $13.82

My goal for the year is to spend no more than $2400, which equates to $200 per month. Right now I'm at $2400 - $163.50 for January - $270.55 for February - $13.82 for March = $1952.13 for the next 9 months, which is an average of $216.90 per month.

How did you do on your budget this month? As always, I'm linking up with Franish and the other budgeting bloggers!

13 comments:

  1. I don't know what I love more about that popover shirt - the print, or what you paid for it! It's such a versatile print, it looks like you could pair almost anything with it! And paying $1.59 for an $88 silk shirt? My hat is off to you, that is an excellent deal.

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    1. Say what you will about J.Crew, but they sure do prints well, and the J.Crew rewards card really helped with the price!

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  2. My rewards card saved my crew purchases this month too. I love that suit on you. It's perfect!

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    1. I'm glad I got the J.Crew credit card since I shop there so often.

      Thanks! My only annoyance is that I won't be able to try on the pants in size 2P. USPS misdelivered my package, so it's probably lost forever... :(

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  3. The print of that floral top is so cute!! And that suit looks amazing on you!

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    1. Thank you! Those are definitely my favorite purchases of the month.

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  4. Wow some really great bargains - especially that lovely silk shirt! It's so impressive that you're under budget even with a suit purchase! I really enjoy reading your monthly budget posts. :)

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    1. Thanks! I feel like March had a lot of great deals. Yeah, I was extremely surprised too by how affordable the J.Crew suit is. Maybe they're trying to clear out old inventory to make space for new stuff.

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  5. I'm impressed that you made so much on eBay sales! I guess I try to sell things that no one really wants, haha. I've had some good luck on Poshmark recently though. I'm sorry the Uniqlo tee didn't work out! That's a bummer. :( You got some really great items this month, though, and I'm impressed by how little you spent!

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    1. It's a lot of work to sell stuff on eBay, so I generally don't bother unless I know it will sell for at least $20, which comes out to a "profit" of ~$12 after shipping and fees. (Otherwise I send it either to Thredup or Goodwill, depending on the brand/condition.) That means I usually only sell new with tag items, barely worn J.Crew stuff, and high value items like jackets, bags, shoes, etc.

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    2. P.S. I really ought to try Poshmark for actual clothing items (i.e. lightweight stuff) though!

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  6. Wow I am so impressed with your bottom line. My budget is $1750 for the year and that excludes anything made from sailing clothes. Even still before you deducted what you sold, you got a ton. Glad you found that the J Crew suit still works for you.

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    1. There were a lot of great sales in March, plus that $50 J.Crew rewards card really helped. My budget is $2400 per year right now, but I would love to slowly lower it towards $1800. Selling clothes is such a drag that I have to motivate myself by adding the extra money to my monthly budget!

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