Here’s what I regret spending money on last year.
This bathing suit.
I ordered this BCA Romance One-Piece from Nordstrom before my first trip to Mexico. It’s adorable, right? Well, it runs small. Very small. I ordered a size up as per customer reviews, but it still ended up being on the small side. I brought it to Mexico anyways because it was too late to return it & I figured I’d just rock it. I wore it once and have the photo to prove it. While it looks okay in the photo, all the cut-outs and stringy bits made me feel like a tied ham baking under the sun. ALSO, I’ve learned that one-pieces aren’t the most practical when you’re at a resort drinking a lot (water or alcohol) and making regular trips to the facilities — unless you love the feeling of peeling off a wet bathing suit every half hour… which I don’t. Lesson here: don’t order a pricey bathing suit online unless you’ve tried it on first.
(Or you can buy cheap bathing suit online here)
A weird stick on strapless bra that I bought from an Instagram ad.
It was late at night. The ad for the mysterious but alluring adhesive push-up bra had appeared on my Instagram feed at least 100 times that week. I’ll admit, part of me wanted to order it just to see if it was actually real. Spoiler alert: stick on bras are very real and they feel awful on — at least to me. It felt like my lingerie had been attached to my body with one of those sticky hand toys that I remember from the toy cupboard at the dentist (I had a neon yellow one). I’ve since learned that I feel way more comfortable and sexy just going bra-less if the outfit requires it. If I want some extra coverage, I use silicone nipple covers.
Fast-fashion for everyday clothes.
While stores like H&M, Forever 21 and Marshall’s are a godsend when it comes to finding super cute pieces for vacation and press trips to the Caribbean, I didn’t have much luck buying everyday stuff at fast-fashion retailers in 2018. Everything I purchased either didn’t match other things in my closet (red satin bomber jacket with floral pattern, I’m looking at you!) OR had quality issues (I am very hard on my clothes & I can’t explain why). I’ve realized when it comes to my everyday wardrobe, I’m happier when I spend a little bit more and just stick to really simple basics.
Professional memberships that I never use.
Media Bistro is a great resource…if you use it. Last year I forked out the money for a membership and literally used the site twice. I also didn’t renew a few other professional memberships because I’m simply not making use of them at this time.
Struggle tours.
Someday I’ll share the story of that time I went to see Nelly perform in 2018 (yes, you read that correctly), but for now let’s just say that’s money and an hour of my life I’ll never get back.
Now for the things I don’t regret! Considering I took over 25+ flights in 2018, it’s no surprise that many of my favorite purchases are travel related.
Here’s what I don’t regret spending money on in 2018:
Sturdy luggage.
Over the course of the year I managed to annihilate three separate suitcases (1 soft duffel bag and two hard-shell suitcases), all of which had to be replaced by the airline. Finally, I bit the bullet and splurged on a Travelpro soft side suitcase. It’s not anywhere as cute as my beloved leopard print hard shell (RIP!) but it’s super sturdy and comes with a lifetime warranty….which, clearly I’ll need.
Rolling Laptop Case/Under seat carry-on bag.
I have shoulder and back issues. I also work at local coffee shops and travel frequently with my laptop. Enter: the rolling lap top case that fits neatly under the seat of an airplane (did I mention I *hate* overhead compartment drama?!) Although I *wish* I could spring for this model by Tumi (I mean, it’s called The Simone and has pink lining), I just can’t justify the purchase at this point. Instead, I chose this anti-theft rolling bag by Travelon, which is similar in design and comes with a 5 year warranty, which I’ll need (because if this post has taught you anything, it’s that I will subconsciously find a way to destroy it).
Automatic withdrawals to my savings account.
This isn’t really a “purchase,” but I’m so glad I set up automatic withdrawals to my savings account in 2018. I used to struggle with saving, but now I don’t even have to think about it. Even if you’re only putting aside $5-$10 a week, you’d be amazed at how quickly it adds up. There’s a couple of different apps that can do this for you, but I use Mylo. I like it because it also gives you the option of rounding up your purchases & depositing the extra change in your savings account. I wish I’d started this YEARS ago, because it’s made me so much more zen about my savings efforts.
PS. If you want to sign up, feel free to use my referral link.
(Full disclosure: I’ll get a small bonus, which I promise I’ll put towards buying tiny things for Joe the Intern and other critical necessities.)
Levi 501’s.
After wearing stretch-denim almost exclusively for the past decade, I bought my first pair of non-stretch Levi 501’s this past year and don’t regret it at all. This is the first pair of Levi’s I’ve worn since high school. While the stiffness of the denim takes a while to get used to, they also have a structured, retro feel that I really like. I’ve worn these jeans at least a couple of times a week for a year and they’re yet to show any wear.
TDLR: They seem to be “Simone proof” and I’ve yet to destroy them.
A pair of high-end leggings for travel.
Technically, these were a gift from my Mom….a really, really great gift. Although I buy a lot of my workout wear from Marshall’s, I’m so glad I finally invested in two pairs of plain black leggings from Lululemon for traveling. I’ve always shrugged off Lulu, but 2018 turned me into a true believer. With other athletic leggings, I often experience chafing and sweating if I sit in them for too long (ie. at my desk or on a plane). However, these high-waist leggings hug me in all the right places. Perfect fit + amazingly comfortable fabric + less sweating = great for long days & nights of flying.
Travel and experiences.
Nelly concert aside, I rarely regret spending money on travel and experiences. While most of my travel in 2018 was work related, I did take some trips on my own, took a handful of tours (stay tuned for an upcoming post about NYC), went to a Broadway show and saw as many concerts as I could. Even if these experiences didn’t always go as expected, I still took something away from each of them. I can’t say the same about that adhesive bra (except maybe that I should never, ever order anything from Instagram late at night). The lesson here:
Experiences > Things.
What do you/don’t you regret spending money on in 2018?
Photos by Mirza Babic & STIL
