Thank you for sharing this - responsible consumerism and finances! My only tip is start using your public library!!! My husband likes to say it’s the only area where I like to save money (not true but….husbands). They even show you how much money you’ve saved YTD / over time using your library card. I’m the biggest public library advocate there is! :)
That's an extremely smart tip, and one that I really need to follow!!! I love that you get a savings recap at the end of the year -- kudos to your library. Do you use Libby, too, or do you always rent the physical copies? I ask because I'm Libby curious...
I love using Libby! I usually have a big list of holds going. When the books become available…it’s almost as good as getting a package in the mail (almost)
I don’t love reading on a kindle, etc! So I’ve used Libby but it’s not my one true love like the library. The key is to always have something on hold but to also peruse the racks for something else that catches your eye ❤️
I am so happy that Rivedroite bag continues to bring joy!!! I also love your honesty about budget because it is a convo we all need to be having (and one that I, personally, am terrible at!!). So, thank you for this!!
I promise one day I will stop talking about that bag lol but tbh the obsession just continues to grow so probably not anytime soon. And I'm not gonna lie, I felt *vulnerable* sharing a glimpse into my budget, but I'm SO glad I did and hope to continue the conversation. Thank you as always for reading and supporting -- I appreciate you!!! xx
We have almost the exact same monthly budget!! Solidarity, my friend!!!
I don’t mind affiliate links on things you’ve already bought. The ones on round-up posts or things the creator hasn’t tried are the ones I tend to side eye, personally. But also… it’s your space! You don’t paywall hardly anything (if at all?)! You do you, girl!
Heck yeah for solidarity! If you ever want to vent about being at budget within the first week of the month or need help deciding between things to spend it on, hit me up!!! And thanks for the feedback on affiliate links. That totally makes sense — I feel the same. And you’re right, I don’t paywall any new letters (just archives) soOoO maybe I *will* try em out!
Elin, this HIT on sooo many levels. As someone who has sat down with her husband so many times over the last 5 years of parenthood to ponder the "what if" question of a career pause and the (not fun) money math that comes with that, I loved getting a peek into how you think about your fun money!! There are seasons to life and I love to see how your navigating this one ❤️ inspiring!
I’m so glad this hit! Forever grateful for your support and for the ability to connect with you on so many aspects of motherhood right now. You’re just the best. 🫶🏼
Love this. I’m a year into a career pause and really like the idea of a personal budget each and then giving yourselves a raise when it goes well! Would love to hear any other budgeting / financial planning tips you used ahead of your pause and what has had to change during (if any).
I’m new to Substack and just created my page to write about my pause and all I’m learning. It’s amazing to see how many others are doing similar.
Welcome to Substack! And that's awesome to hear you're a year into a career pause, too. I think the biggest budgeting tip (or what's worked especially well for us) is creating budgets for multiple categories so we can more easily stay on top of our outflows. For example, we initially had a certain dollar amount set for ALL food expenses at the start of my pause but it has been much easier to stay within budget by breaking that bucket into 'groceries' and 'eating out' accounts with separate budgets for each. I hope that is helpful? If you ever want to connect on career pause thangs, I'm just a DM away! :)
I loved this. About to have to cut way down on the fun and this was inspiring. The no trip to Wyoming this summer was hard to swallow but I’m looking forward to diving into my own closet. I also just got a library card and have been loving making a list in my notes on books to check out.
I'm so glad this landed at the right time for you! Thank you for reading :) And YOU GOT THIS. I've found that it gets easier over time....either that, or you just get more creative. Rooting for ya and here anytime if you wanna chat about the transition. xx
I LOVE that vest on your to-buy list! Just recently decided to overhaul my entire out-dated and pre-postpartum body wardrobe and bought a bunch of basic tops in only black/white/cream and an accent color (red). My life has already transformed in simplicity 🙌🏼
Loved reading this as someone in a very similar situation! I also hit pause on my career last year to stay home with my toddler and having to reframe my mindset around spending (especially fun money) was definitely a challenge. It’s overall been for the better though, as I find myself being much more mindful and considerate of every purchase. Thank you for sharing!!
Ah, hello fellow career pauser! It’s so nice to connect with others in a similar phase, and I totally agree with what you shared. Can it be challenging at times? For sure. But would I make the same decision all over again? Abso-freakin-lutely. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts!!
I really appreciated this read! I’m seriously considering going part time BUT need to have serious budget conversations with my hubby. I wanna spend more time with my son while he’s young. This is inspiring to know y’all made it work.
I’m so glad this found you at the right time, Katelyn! It’s not always easy but so far the tradeoffs have been totally worth it. This time when they’re young is so fleeting, but it’s also such a complex decision to make. I’d love to hear how things go if you do decide to go part-time so please stay in touch! Rooting for you.
Budget buddies!! Not only do I operate on a budget BUT we also call it “fun money.” For EVER it was $100/month but when I started my part-time work it got upgraded to $200/month. Honestly, it’s been sooooooo good for my personal style. I have to be picky about what a buy because I can’t buy everything I want. To be fair, my birthday is coming up so I asked to shop Memorial Day sales as my present 😂
Budget buddies!! I love that we have this in common (among so much else). It’s a fun challenge, and we’re in it together. Happy early birthday btw! 🥳 I would love to know what you end up treating yourself to with these MDW sales!!! You deserve it all. xx
You are so, so kind. Sogole Kane has been my sales buddy and we are considering making an unboxing video. Would that be fun to watch or totally tone deaf? 🙈
Oh, I really loved this! I haven’t bought something ‘for fun’ for way too long! I’ll get a bonus (kind of) at work next Tuesday so I was thinking that I’ll enjoy a bit of fashion fun with that. Your post just gave the perfect input for this.
Congratulations on your upcoming bonus!!! It definitely sounds like the perfect opportunity to finally treat yourself to something fun. I’d love to know what you end up splurging on. Happy shopping!
Ok I love a babe on a budget- you still managed to find SO MANY fabulous pieces! It’s all about creativity and resourcefulness and you have that in spades!
Thank you, Sogole!!! Wanna know a fun fact about this month’s fun money? I almost used it on those Prada sport pants you shared via notes the other day. It was even in my cart at one point! After sleeping on it, I decided I want to get the Alex Mill vest *more* this month so didn’t pull the trigger but I was close. You have such a great eye for fabulous finds yourself!
Full disclosure, I just went to your About tab to see where you live because I really want to become your IRL friend .. sad you’re in California BUT Nick Kroll as your header image cemented my intuition that we would def be fast friends.
Anyways! Your fun purchases are SO FUN! And I happen to write a little newsletter about FUN so I KNOW! 😂
I hate it when that happens!!! But can we talk about how you just made my day? I really want to be your friend, too, so let’s defy distance and try anyway! I’d be honored, honestly. And ugh, I just love nick kroll! Seeing him live was my birthday gift to myself a couple years ago (BUT HE CANCELLED LAST MINUTE BC OF A FAMILY EMERGENCY AND THAT SUCKED.) And then another time I ran into him outside of a bar in Austin and asked to take a selfie with him (cringe) — I should try to find that actually 😂
There’s no friendship like a Substack friendship! We are ride or die 😂 omggggg he cancelled?? I mean, stinks, but props to him for being there for family. It’s part of life, sigh. I had the honor of seeing his show Oh, Hello with John Mulaney on Broadway years ago. I have never laughed so hard at a live performance and there was no intermission and my abs hurt! I want to see your selfie with him though!
Thank you for sharing this - responsible consumerism and finances! My only tip is start using your public library!!! My husband likes to say it’s the only area where I like to save money (not true but….husbands). They even show you how much money you’ve saved YTD / over time using your library card. I’m the biggest public library advocate there is! :)
That's an extremely smart tip, and one that I really need to follow!!! I love that you get a savings recap at the end of the year -- kudos to your library. Do you use Libby, too, or do you always rent the physical copies? I ask because I'm Libby curious...
PS thank you so much for reading xx
I love using Libby! I usually have a big list of holds going. When the books become available…it’s almost as good as getting a package in the mail (almost)
I finally set Libby up this week! So stoked on it.
Whoop! Enjoy it!
I don’t love reading on a kindle, etc! So I’ve used Libby but it’s not my one true love like the library. The key is to always have something on hold but to also peruse the racks for something else that catches your eye ❤️
I am so happy that Rivedroite bag continues to bring joy!!! I also love your honesty about budget because it is a convo we all need to be having (and one that I, personally, am terrible at!!). So, thank you for this!!
I promise one day I will stop talking about that bag lol but tbh the obsession just continues to grow so probably not anytime soon. And I'm not gonna lie, I felt *vulnerable* sharing a glimpse into my budget, but I'm SO glad I did and hope to continue the conversation. Thank you as always for reading and supporting -- I appreciate you!!! xx
We have almost the exact same monthly budget!! Solidarity, my friend!!!
I don’t mind affiliate links on things you’ve already bought. The ones on round-up posts or things the creator hasn’t tried are the ones I tend to side eye, personally. But also… it’s your space! You don’t paywall hardly anything (if at all?)! You do you, girl!
Heck yeah for solidarity! If you ever want to vent about being at budget within the first week of the month or need help deciding between things to spend it on, hit me up!!! And thanks for the feedback on affiliate links. That totally makes sense — I feel the same. And you’re right, I don’t paywall any new letters (just archives) soOoO maybe I *will* try em out!
Elin, this HIT on sooo many levels. As someone who has sat down with her husband so many times over the last 5 years of parenthood to ponder the "what if" question of a career pause and the (not fun) money math that comes with that, I loved getting a peek into how you think about your fun money!! There are seasons to life and I love to see how your navigating this one ❤️ inspiring!
I’m so glad this hit! Forever grateful for your support and for the ability to connect with you on so many aspects of motherhood right now. You’re just the best. 🫶🏼
Love this. I’m a year into a career pause and really like the idea of a personal budget each and then giving yourselves a raise when it goes well! Would love to hear any other budgeting / financial planning tips you used ahead of your pause and what has had to change during (if any).
I’m new to Substack and just created my page to write about my pause and all I’m learning. It’s amazing to see how many others are doing similar.
Welcome to Substack! And that's awesome to hear you're a year into a career pause, too. I think the biggest budgeting tip (or what's worked especially well for us) is creating budgets for multiple categories so we can more easily stay on top of our outflows. For example, we initially had a certain dollar amount set for ALL food expenses at the start of my pause but it has been much easier to stay within budget by breaking that bucket into 'groceries' and 'eating out' accounts with separate budgets for each. I hope that is helpful? If you ever want to connect on career pause thangs, I'm just a DM away! :)
Thank you and thanks for sharing. It most certainly is.
I live for fun money purchases!! a little treat to take the edge off haha
Couldn’t agree more !!
I loved this. About to have to cut way down on the fun and this was inspiring. The no trip to Wyoming this summer was hard to swallow but I’m looking forward to diving into my own closet. I also just got a library card and have been loving making a list in my notes on books to check out.
I'm so glad this landed at the right time for you! Thank you for reading :) And YOU GOT THIS. I've found that it gets easier over time....either that, or you just get more creative. Rooting for ya and here anytime if you wanna chat about the transition. xx
I LOVE that vest on your to-buy list! Just recently decided to overhaul my entire out-dated and pre-postpartum body wardrobe and bought a bunch of basic tops in only black/white/cream and an accent color (red). My life has already transformed in simplicity 🙌🏼
Amazing!!! That must have felt incredible to do a total wardrobe reset. I wanna see! And red is an excellent choice for an accent color. ❤️
Loved reading this as someone in a very similar situation! I also hit pause on my career last year to stay home with my toddler and having to reframe my mindset around spending (especially fun money) was definitely a challenge. It’s overall been for the better though, as I find myself being much more mindful and considerate of every purchase. Thank you for sharing!!
Ah, hello fellow career pauser! It’s so nice to connect with others in a similar phase, and I totally agree with what you shared. Can it be challenging at times? For sure. But would I make the same decision all over again? Abso-freakin-lutely. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts!!
I really appreciated this read! I’m seriously considering going part time BUT need to have serious budget conversations with my hubby. I wanna spend more time with my son while he’s young. This is inspiring to know y’all made it work.
I’m so glad this found you at the right time, Katelyn! It’s not always easy but so far the tradeoffs have been totally worth it. This time when they’re young is so fleeting, but it’s also such a complex decision to make. I’d love to hear how things go if you do decide to go part-time so please stay in touch! Rooting for you.
Thank you so much! I will absolutely share if I make any changes 🫶🏻
You are an absolute dream! Thank you for writing about this topic and sharing your glorious finds!
Courtney, I just love ya. Thank YOU for reading! 💖
Budget buddies!! Not only do I operate on a budget BUT we also call it “fun money.” For EVER it was $100/month but when I started my part-time work it got upgraded to $200/month. Honestly, it’s been sooooooo good for my personal style. I have to be picky about what a buy because I can’t buy everything I want. To be fair, my birthday is coming up so I asked to shop Memorial Day sales as my present 😂
Budget buddies!! I love that we have this in common (among so much else). It’s a fun challenge, and we’re in it together. Happy early birthday btw! 🥳 I would love to know what you end up treating yourself to with these MDW sales!!! You deserve it all. xx
You are so, so kind. Sogole Kane has been my sales buddy and we are considering making an unboxing video. Would that be fun to watch or totally tone deaf? 🙈
Oh, I really loved this! I haven’t bought something ‘for fun’ for way too long! I’ll get a bonus (kind of) at work next Tuesday so I was thinking that I’ll enjoy a bit of fashion fun with that. Your post just gave the perfect input for this.
Congratulations on your upcoming bonus!!! It definitely sounds like the perfect opportunity to finally treat yourself to something fun. I’d love to know what you end up splurging on. Happy shopping!
Ok I love a babe on a budget- you still managed to find SO MANY fabulous pieces! It’s all about creativity and resourcefulness and you have that in spades!
Thank you, Sogole!!! Wanna know a fun fact about this month’s fun money? I almost used it on those Prada sport pants you shared via notes the other day. It was even in my cart at one point! After sleeping on it, I decided I want to get the Alex Mill vest *more* this month so didn’t pull the trigger but I was close. You have such a great eye for fabulous finds yourself!
Ok that IS fun! I feel honored that you even had it in your cart!! We’re gonna need to see that Alex Mill vest when it arrives!
Full disclosure, I just went to your About tab to see where you live because I really want to become your IRL friend .. sad you’re in California BUT Nick Kroll as your header image cemented my intuition that we would def be fast friends.
Anyways! Your fun purchases are SO FUN! And I happen to write a little newsletter about FUN so I KNOW! 😂
I hate it when that happens!!! But can we talk about how you just made my day? I really want to be your friend, too, so let’s defy distance and try anyway! I’d be honored, honestly. And ugh, I just love nick kroll! Seeing him live was my birthday gift to myself a couple years ago (BUT HE CANCELLED LAST MINUTE BC OF A FAMILY EMERGENCY AND THAT SUCKED.) And then another time I ran into him outside of a bar in Austin and asked to take a selfie with him (cringe) — I should try to find that actually 😂
There’s no friendship like a Substack friendship! We are ride or die 😂 omggggg he cancelled?? I mean, stinks, but props to him for being there for family. It’s part of life, sigh. I had the honor of seeing his show Oh, Hello with John Mulaney on Broadway years ago. I have never laughed so hard at a live performance and there was no intermission and my abs hurt! I want to see your selfie with him though!
loved this, thank you for reading !!
Right back atchu!!! 🫶🏼