What I Spent in a Week

What I Spent in a Week

By: Claire Watkiss

As an out of state college student with rent, gas, groceries, and many other expenses to account for, my online-shopping obsessed self has had to budget for just about everything this year. In order to keep my closet refreshed and my self confidence up I make sure to leave extra room for all things fashion and beauty within my monthly budget.  Below are purchases I have made, and not made, to keep myself on track and accountable. 

Fashion 

A couple of months ago I was watching a TikTok haul, and we all know how that goes. Somehow the  app knows what we like and we find ourselves clicking “add to cart” just shortly after we see a  video. For me, this happened with the On Cloud Nova Sneakers. After waiting to purchase these for quite some time I found them on Revolve and bit the bullet. I already know these will be an essential for walking around campus and working out. 

The “dress-code” that female students at Ole Miss have established for football games has me constantly scrolling online, trying to find the perfect game day fit. After coming across a red poplin jumpsuit from Zara, I knew it would be a comfortable and chic option for Saturdays. Unfortunately, it was sold out so I pulled out my online digging skills and found it on Poshmark; brand new with tags. It came in the mail and fits perfectly. This piece is extremely versatile and can be dressed up with a belt and booties, or dressed down with some sneakers and a denim jacket. I also see this piece working for various seasons as it can easily be layered on top of or even underneath. 

Beauty 

Recently I picked up two of my drugstore beauty must-haves. For only $8 you can achieve a foolproof “model brow” look we have been seeing for quite some time. NYX makes a product called “The Brow Glue” that pulls your eyebrows into the perfect shape. This little tube also lasts quite a while and can always be found in my makeup drawer. 

My go-to gloss is the Milani “Keep it Full Nourishing Lip Plumper” in the color “Prismatic Peach.” I cannot even count how many times I have bought this while at college. It has been hard to stray away from this product since it is under $10 and keeps my lips moisturized, shimmery and plumped.

Lifestyle 

In order to save on expenses (and leave more room in my budget for fun things) I tend to eat on campus. However, just about twice a week I find myself eating out. My favorite breakfast is at High Point Coffee, just up the street from where I live. They make the best oat milk latte in town, by far. They also have punch cards which, once filled up, can get you a free drink of any size. 

Another frequented spot  is South Depot Taco Shop on the Square. I enjoy eating on the back patio just about every Friday with a friend or two to relax and catch up after a long week. This restaurant is priced very reasonably and I always have leftovers, so it is always an easy decision to eat there. 

While budgeting can be a hard task as a college student, it can be a manageable feat. Once you establish where you can save money, you can decide where you want to spend your money. With a year under my belt here at Ole Miss, I have learned certain expenses to say yes to and others to pass on. Even though it is hard to tell myself “no” to a new pair of shoes or a new makeup product, I know it is the right decision in the long run. Plus, who’s not to say I can’t buy it next month? 

Check out our Instagram for daily inspiration and keep up with our website for more lifestyle articles just like this one. 

Image by Claire Watkiss.