5 Tips for Looking Good on a Budget

Growing up, I've never had much money. However, I've always had an interest in fashion, make up & accessories (along with many other bank-draining activities). This is quite clearly a conflicting matter, but being the stubborn, hard-headed girl that I am, I was never going to let the issue of 'not having enough money' bring me down.

I learnt (over time) how to be able to indulge my love for shopping and all things pretty without breaking the bank, and still manage to look great (well, I hope so anyway)!

Here are my five helpful tips for looking good on a budget!

1. You don't need to buy all of the latest trends! The latest trends come and go, and if you're spending all your cash on a passing fad, you're gonna run out of money - fast.

2. Have a wardrobe of basic pieces that you can wear with just about anything! I have basic pieces from several years ago that I still wear to this day. A black cardigan, for example, can be added to just about any outfit. A simple white crop can be dressed down with some jeans or shorts, or dressed up with a colourful bodycon skirt.

3. Buy things when they go on sale! Things go on sale a lot more often than you may think. I recently found a gorgeous scarf in Cotton On for $20, new in for the Fall season. Despite absolutely loving it, I decided to pass on it as I only had the $20 and still needed to pick up some other things. Well, whaddaya' know? This scarf was now only $10. That's a 50% reduction on new stock, two days after seeing it full price. This wasn't an advertised sale either, but trust me, stores randomly mark down their products a heck of a lot more than they're willing to share! And the leftover $10 meant I was able to grab some lip gloss to go with my new scarf!

4. Get creative with your old clothes! Do you have a bunch of now out-of-fashion items? Have you lost or gained some weight? Do you have old clothes that are ready to go into retirement? Why not pull out your scissors and get creative! An old pair of jeans, for example, could be turned into a pair of shorts and a purse with a bit of D.I.Y! You'll still be making good use of your old clothing, and have something totally one of a kind to show off!

5. Shop around! If you see something you absolutely love, then by all means you should be able to get it! But before purchasing it (love at first sight, aye?), it's always a good idea to check out other stores to see if they have the same thing at a better price, or of a higher quality. You should always try to get your moneys worth!

I hope my tips for looking good on a budget were helpful to you! If you have any of your own tips you'd like to add, let me know in the comments below!

xx Chontelle Louise