How to Budget Shop: The Ultimate Shopping List

Photo from: Photos8

This is part 5 of the Budget Shopping series. If you haven't already, please check out part 1- How to Budget Shop: The Rules, part 2- How to Budget Shop: Investment Pieces, Basics and Classics part 3- How to Budget Shop: Sales, Thrift stores and Shopping Your Closet and part 4- How to Budget Shop: Income,Outcome and All that jazz .





Even though you don't know it darlings this is what you've been waiting for. The solution to the endless days of frenzied shopping sprees and nights of the evil known as buyer's remorse: The Ultimate Shopping List. This is a list that acknowledges the fact that we are human, we can't always be perfect and therefore need to be allowed to get things just because we want them and not because we need them. I personally really love it because it helps me organise my shopping in order of priority and necessity, and desire. I'm going to give you the categories and advise that you use this list not only for clothes shopping but for all your major shopping. I feel like if you can see all the things that you want/need written down as you shop, you can know what will make you happiest to have and therefore avoid buyer's remorse. That being said, here are the categories for the ultimate shopping list:

• High Priority Items: These are things that you need to have urgently either for a particular event or in order to accomplish a set goal . These vary widely with time and need to be bought first when shopping. They include: a dress for an elegant ball or dinner a couple of nights before the event, supplies for a major project, etc.
  



• Basic Items: These are items that you need for everyday life but that you may not need right away. In your wardrobe : they are closet essentials, outside of your wardrobe they include certain household appliances such as vacuum cleaners and fridges. Basics are usually upgraded to high priority items if they are not bought in a while.

• Fantasy Items: These are the least attainable items that you usually don't need but really really want anyway. They can be anything from that gorgeous Elie Saab wedding dress I aspire to, or a million dollar mansion complete with orchard, Olympic-sized swimming pool and horse stables stocked with several thoroughbred horses. These are things that you usually have to work towards to and save up for in order to attain them one day.
  



• Splurge Items: These are items that you also really want but they are slightly (or not so slightly) out of your price range. You may or may not need them and the level of desire at that moment and the cost-per-wear determine whether or not you will buy them. They include: Designer shoes on sale, overpriced but extremely gorgeous $40 hairpieces, a compact digital camera, etc.

Remember that what falls into one category for a certain person may fall into a completely opposite category for another, because people are different and therefore have different wants, needs and means. Update your list regularly and make sure it reflects you all the time, and it should help you shop better. I discovered this list in a book I believe was called The Pink Book when I was about 11 years old and wrote it down in my diary knowing that it would be useful to me and it was the inspiration for this whole series. This is the last post in the budget shopping series and I hope that its helped you in your journey to lead a more budget friendly life.

Love you all and Stay inspired,

P.S. So let me know what you think. Do you use a shopping list? If so, how often? What kind of stuff would be on your ultimate shopping list? Feel free to let me know in the comments below.