We might not be ready for it, and we definitely don’t want to admit it: but summer is quickly coming to a close. Getting back into a routine again isn’t too much fun, and to add insult to injury as fall moves in, you might be feeling like you need to do a complete overhaul on your favorite summer staples. If you’re trying to stay on budget like the boss babe you are, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve rounded up some great transitional summer staples to help you coast right on through, and right on budget.
***Special thanks to our partners today Atlantic credit unions for sponsoring today’s post, and allowing me to share some amazing money saving tips!! Let’s get into it.
We all want more money in our pockets, but we also want to look cute too. What if I told you that you can have both? We are so lucky to have a plethora of shopping options here in Atlantic Canada. Whether it be local or online, we have a lot to choose from and that can be REALLY overwhelming.
Expensive doesn’t always mean better. And that little extra money here and there can really add up. When it comes to saving money, I really believe you can only regret not doing it.
I know being frugal isn’t the most glamorous topic, but I do believe it’s an important one—especially when you want to continue to make those fun purchases.
Six Lifestyle Items to Help You Transition to Fall on Budget
The decisions you make today can make a big impact on tomorrow. Whether you’re shopping skincare, makeup, or the hottest style trends—almost always you can find a more cost-effective option that’s just as great! Y’all know a lot of products pass my desk, so to help you get started I’m sharing a few of my faves.
1. DRY SHAMPOO
As we approach back-to-school, and regular work schedules you may be looking to extend the life of a blow out, or maybe you’d rather sleep in longer in the morning (hey we’re not here to judge). Sometimes I think, what did we honestly do before dry shampoo?? It’s such a saving grace I use so much of it I can’t imagine my life without it.
We say you can’t put a price on a great hair day, but you also don’t want to waste your money on products that don’t do their jobs either! There are SO many products out there it can be really overwhelming and tricky to know where to spend your money.
Not to worry I’ve basically tried them all, and I’ve rounded up my favorites.
SAVE: DRY SHAMPOO ($9.99)
One of my favorite money saving hacks for hair products is to shop them at Winners! They have such a great selection of haircare styling products, and the savings are REALLY amazing. Now the one down side with Winners is that you can’t always guarantee the product you’re looking for will always be there, but they usually have enough of a selection that you can typically grab something in a pinch, and at their price point it’s a little less risky. This specific dry shampoo retails typically for $20.00, but at winners it was 9.99! You can literally buy two for the price of one!
SPLURGE: ORIBE TEXTURE SPRAY ($ 27.00)
Technically this product is a texture spray, BUT you can save yourself time and money, by using this product.
The trick is actually using this product on clean hair because it will help hold your hair in place, and it’ll absorb any excess oil through the day(s) until you wash your hair again.
Using this product really reduces that amount of times I need to wash my hair (i.e saving me time so I can focus on other things). This product is slightly on the pricier side, but a little does go a long way, and it seriously saves me so much time it’s totally worth it! Available locally at Thumpers Salon and online here > thumperssalon.com/
2. SUNSCREEN
Just because we’re heading back to work doesn’t mean we should skimp on the sunscreen. We all know we should be wearing sunscreen, but there’s so much out there it can be tough to know which products to spend your money on. Sunscreen is your number one defense against sun damage and premature signs of aging, not to mention our September is still super sunny!
Because sunscreen is so important for the health of your skin I say whatever product you actually use is worth the money, in my opinion.
SAVE: Neutrogena Hydro Boost ($12.00)
If you’d rather not spend your entire paycheck on a sunscreen that not only offers great SPF, but hydrates too I can’t say enough about the Neutrogena Hydro Boost. A water-based sunscreen, this product is SO lightweight it effortlessly absorbs and seamlessly goes under your makeup. With the addition of the hyaluronic acid it also plumps your skin at the same time, making your skin look full and youthful—who doesn’t want that? At $12 you can’t beat the price.
SPLURGE: Elizabeth Arden City Smart ($85.00)
There’s a reason the Elizabeth Arden City Smart sunscreen comes at a hefty price of $85 dollars— it’s a great product, and one I’ve actually replaced numerous times. What’s great about this, is that it helps protect your skin from sun damage, environmental aggressors, and free radicals. If you’re living in the city, and spend a lot of time in traffic, this could be the product for you. A little goes a long way, so it should last you a while. Did I mention it’s tinted? So it’s great under your regular makeup or on its own when you just want a little something extra.
Whenever you can find products that can multitask I say it’s worth the price because it saves you from purchasing another product.
3. THE BIKE SHORT
Maybe it’s just us, but we want to hold off on wearing pants as long as possible. One of the biggest trends this summer was without question: the bicycle short. Sported by models, bloggers, and Kardashian’s alike. These shorts were EVERYWHERE, and one of the super trendy ways to wear them is with oversized retro inspired sweaters, blazers, and chunky knits, so with fall just around the corner and cooler temps swooping in: it could be the perfect time to test the waters with this trend. Did we also mention bike shorts also look super cool with chunky socks and sneakers too??
SAVE: H&M ($12.99)
As a general practice I typically don’t suggest investing too much on SUPER trendy items ; although at the same time: trying new trends is what fashion is all about! Since trends can come and go so quickly opting for the cost effective option is definitely the way to go (especially if you’re timid with trends). Opting for the H&M version at $12.99 is much less risky, and definitely a wiser choice for your pocket book.
SPLURGE: Aritzia Babaton Duncan Short ($29.99)
If you’ve already tested the waters with this trend, you know you LOVE it, and you can find practical reasons for splurging on the item—you know you’re going to get a lot of wear out of it—then I say SPLURGE because the quality will be better. When you factor in the CPW (cost per wear) it actually ends up costing you less over time. Right now is a great time to shop for these typically summer themed items. Since everyone is making room for fall items, it’s a great time to stock up considering our Septembers tend to be quite warm here in Nova Scotia anyways.
*photos in graphic above c/o H&M.com + Aritzia.com
4. FOUNDATION
Foundation, quite literally the building blocks of your whole makeup routine: it can definitely make or break your look! We just don’t want it to break the bank either.
Whether you’re wearing foundation every day, or just for special occasions you want to make sure you’re using a good one, so it does its job (and your skin looks good).
SAVE: L’Oréal Infallible ($14.00)
If you’re looking for something with a wow factor for a lot less, always opt for the L’Oreal foundation it’s such a great price and they have some awesome shades and textures.
The Infalliable 24 hour fresh wear ($14) does have some pretty amazing staying power especially for a drug store product. Did I mention it’s super dewy?? It makes your skin look flawless, and it’s such a great price. You can also typically catch it on sale too, so you could potentially save a few extra bucks by keeping an eye out.
SPLURGE: Touche Eclat All In One Glow ($63.00)
Wondering when it’s okay to splurge on your foundation? Think of it like any investment. Ask yourself, “Is the quality THAT important to you for what you need it for?” Think of it this way, do I need a bit of an insurance policy? For example, do I have a big event coming up or do I need to be camera ready? Do I need this foundation to survive the day?
While as a blogger this is my regular life, lol I understand it’s not everyone else’s; however, for things like weddings/special events it could make sense to splurge on your makeup. Having something that will last all day will save you A LOT of stress (and time) so it actually does save you money because you’re not needing to keep someone around to do touch ups. And if you are gearing up for a wedding you’ll have lots of events leading up to the big day, so you can use this product again and again knowing it’s going to give you that flawless look every time (and you won’t break out because you’ve tested it in advance). In this instance, I say it makes sense to splurge.
5. CUT OFF DENIM SHORTS
Quintessential to summer the jean short is a staple, and if you’re like me and you’re not ready to give them up just yet: you don’t need to. I love a jean shorts for fall, our Septembers are still pretty warm here in Halifax, so you can totally still rock them with some cozy sweaters, and jackets. Not to mention you could layer your denim shorts over some printed tights for a fun layered look. All that being said, while we love a denim short depending on where you purchase your them, they can set you back quite a bit. Luckily I have a solution, so they don’t have to!
SAVE: Zara Or Thrift ($ 29.99)
These shorts from Zara are half the price of the name brand version AND they are little longer in length meaning you could cut them to fit you the way you want them to fit. Simply add a shoelace to get the same look (but for a lot less).
Conversely you could likely save even MORE by popping over your local thrift store, and shopping the men’s section for jeans. Yes I said the men’s section, they will be slouchy in all the right places, and the best part about thrifted items is that they are typically already broken in so you don’t need to go through that awkward need-to-stretch-them-out phase. (WINNING).
When cutting them yourself make sure to measure where you want them to go, and start modest. I suggest using some chalk so you stay on track.
SPLURGE: Levis ($ 79.99)
On the flip side if you KNOW what you want, and they fit great, and you KNOW you’ll wear them literally every day all summer long Levis are a great investment. Levis knows jeans they’ve been making them since 1853, so they know a thing or two about quality and fit.
6. SUNLESS TANNING
While we make our way into fewer daylight hours you might be looking to extend the life of that summer glow. We all want that effortless glow, but it can come with a hefty price tag. There are so many sunless tanning products out there, but which ones should you spend your money on?? Anyone who knows me knows I love a good sunless tan as a dancer (and an avid sunscreen lover) I use them all year long. I’ve tried many sunless tanning products, and let me tell you they are not all created equal my friends, but they also don’t need to break the bank either. Here are my picks below:
SAVE: Clarins Addition Concentrate Eclat Body ($50.00)
Hot tip: brands make this exact same product for your face, but it costs double the price, and it’s always in a smaller bottle meaning you’ll need to repurchase more often!
This product is totally save to use on your face AND it’ll stretch your dollar MUCH further. What I love about the Clarins Addition Concentre Eclat is that it’s sunless tanning drops you can apply to any product you are already using meaning (a) it’s effortless to apply because it seamlessly fits into your routine, and (b) it’ll go along way because its concentrated.
You only need a few drops, and it’s a great way to extend any color you grabbed over the summer (and a lot less damaging than the sun).
SPLURGE: St Tropez Extra Dark ($59.00)
Extra dark sounds intense, but actually the St Tropez products are designed to take you only as dark as you would normally go, so it’ll always look natural. What’s great about this product is that it develops FAST, so you can use it like an express tan OR do the overnight for a dark look. I love the versatility of this product, and therefore I think it’s worth the money.
You can apply it for a short period of time, and get a subtle glow, or go full-on and get some great color that will last you longer meaning you’ll be applying them less, and therefore using less product which means you won’t need to replace it as quickly. It’s a win/win truly.
Hope you enjoyed today’s save and splurge items I’ve been thinking we could make this a bit of a series I really had a lot of fun with this one! Happy Shopping my loves.
MORE SHOPPING TIPS
For more money saving tips catch this super fun episode of Your Two Cents where uber glam Annie Murphy, aka Alexis from Schitt’s Creek tackle the world of dress rentals to show you how to look FabUless! 😉 Enjoy
For ever MORE money saving tips, and to learn about how to invest your savings pop over to honestmoney.ca !!
Happy Shopping Everyone.
xx
Kayla
***Special thanks to our partners today Atlantic credit unions for sponsoring today’s post and allowing me to share some amazing money saving tips! Visit HonestMoney.ca for more smart saving tips.
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