Whether you want to treat yourself to a new handbag, some cute accessories, or just treat your skincare routine to a little update, it can be a nightmare deciding how best to spend your hard-earned money! So, I decided to take some action and master the art of the splurge or purge and know exactly what is worth spending on and what I should avoid buying again. Luckily for you, I’m here to share just a few tips to get you started in spending smarter.

Bags

If you’re like me, the you’ve probably caught yourself buying cheaper (but still cute!) bags. Why shouldn’t you? You don’t have to spend so much money when you do, and you can mix up your look a lot more often. But, last year, I started thinking and realised, I only ever use these bags once or twice! If I’m lucky they end up looking very old in very quickly but sometimes they feel close to falling apart in no time at all. For this reason, I’ve decided to save some money and purge cheap bags. Instead, it makes so much more sense to splurge on a quality designer bag. By buying a more expensive bag that will stand the test of time, not only will I save big by not buying again and again, but I get to own a gorgeous bag. When splurging on such an expensive product, it’s not only that quality that decides how long it lasts! Make sure you go for a classic or timeless look is crucial in making sure your splurge is worth it.

Accessories

I use a very similar rule for accessories! Before, I would buy some cheap earrings or a necklace to wear when I go out. This felt like I was making a saving because instead of spending hundreds or thousands on gold or silver, I could wear something that looked roughly the same for much, much less. The problem? Fake silver or gold doesn’t look like the real deal for long. It discolours – usually to green or black – and starts to look very nasty really quick. I decided to purge cheap one-time accessories and invest by splurging on real precious metals. When you buy real gold or silver, it doesn’t just look a million times better and hold its value very well, but it can last a lifetime (and even longer!).

Makeup and Skincare

I wish it were so easy with makeup and skincare. It’s so important to prioritise what is right for your skin type that it can seem like your choices are limited! However, this doesn’t always mean that higher cost means better quality. I have found that some of the best skincare I use are cheaper than most you’ll find, such as Boots’ own line. With makeup too, I used to always buy much more than I needed, throwing money down the drain on gimmicky purchases such as liquid eyeshadow or makeup I’d only plan to wear one (for Halloween). The simple rule? Purge all overly expensive and unnecessary skincare and makeup and, where possible, try before you buy. Don’t forget, though, it’s always important to be willing to splurge on high quality products than are extremely suited to you skin type.