My strategy right now is:

• constantly staying on the lookout for cheap loliable items (mainly at thrift stores)
• stalking the EGL Comm Sales and the Lolita sales on Facebook in case I see a wishlist item or great deals
• checking for brand sales in case something is worth getting
• thinking about what kind of wardrobe I want and trying to find cheap basics that I can build on
• saving money and reminding myself to THINK OF THE LOLITA

Speaking of saving money…

I’ve been avoiding smoothies and milkshakes. Unless there are free ones. I used to buy Coolattas from Dunkin Donuts or Frappucinos from Starbucks (or milkshakes; I love sweet drinks) maybe once every two to three weeks, but I stopped because I realized that these drinks add up. $2-$5 per drink, right? If you avoid buying these drinks for a few months, you’ll be saving some money. If you buy them, that’s less money you could be using for more important things (bills, textbooks) and also less money to save for Lolita fashion.

Whenever I feel the urge to buy something, I resist because I think of what I could do if I save the money… For example, I have not purchased any manga or non-academic books in over a year; every time I want to buy a book, I tell myself that I can borrow it from the library if I want to read it. The only books I’ve purchased are the textbooks for classes, and even so, I purchase used books so I can save more money. I used to love buying books because I like the feeling of owning books. It’s hard to explain, but I like having books on my bookshelf. But books are expensive! $5 – $20 per book for most paperbacks. And manga are usually at least $10 each. I love books, but I also love the library. So I think borrowing books to read is great because I can save money and also save space. (And since I’m in a college dorm, I have to share my space with my room mate, so it works out better this way.) I’m even trying to sell my manga and some of my books to make more space. I’m not having much luck with sales though. XD; I only sold 3 manga so far.

Here’s a list of things I wanted to buy but resisted the urge because I wanted to save up for lolita:

• a new laptop (I’m currently using an old laptop; it’s actually the first laptop that my family purchased, and my mom and I originally shared it but now it’s mine for school. I wanted to get a new one because this one is so slow… but instead, I decided to be patient with this one since it’s not dead yet. It’s slow, but it works …most of the time.)
• milkshakes (I just love milkshakes, but I have resisted the urge to purchase them.)
• a shelf/case to organize things in my dorm room (I decided to be creative and use plastic bags and old boxes instead… and of course, I think I’ve become a bit messier since finals since I have many things strewn across the floor. I better clean up before my room mate returns!)
• a poster of The Hunger Games (I reallyyy love The Hunger Games and I saw a poster that was on sale for $3 I think. And I wanted to buy it but I thought about it and decided that I didn’t need to fill up my wall even though it looks so empty compared to my room mate’s wall. And even though it was “just $3,” every dollar counts when you think about it. And if I can help it, I’ll save up. It’s a sort of determination. There’s a Lolita that I met last semester, and she told me about how she saved up for such a long time when she fell in love with Lolita fashion. I miss her because I felt like I just met her then she graduated, but what she said about saving up really stayed with me. She told me about how some people assume only rich people can afford Lolita, and sure, rich people can afford it, but there are also a lot of average and below average people who make it work. I’m determined to be a Lolita even though I am on an extreme budget. Whoops, this was sort of a long tangent…)
• DVDs (I wanted to buy Ip Man and Ip Man 2 on DVD because they’re such amazing martial arts movies… but I resisted. DVDs are really expensive when you think about it. And Lolita is even more expensive. I can survive without DVDs. Speaking of DVDs, I can survive without CDs too. If I want to listen to new music, I can use YouTube or Pandora radio.)
• a bonsai tree (I’ve always wanted a bonsai tree, but they’re really expensive, and I thought about buying one… but then I decided that I am happy with the ivy plant that I got at the beginning of the school year for free. Bonsai trees are also pretty high-maintenance plants. So, I decided to not buy a bonsai.)
• pajamas (I saw these cute pajamas and wanted them… but decided not to buy them. I usually don’t wear PJs anyways; I just wear a t-shirt and sweatpants and sometimes a sweatshirt on top to bed. And I still fit in the warm pajamas I got a few years ago when they were on sale.)

There are probably other things I resisted buying as well. I’ve been trying my best to be aware of how I’m spending my money so I don’t overspend or spend on things that I don’t need.