First off, let me say that there’s no shame in being on a tight budget. Many tend to believe that it makes them lesser than those who are allegedly rolling in racks, but here’s a little secret: most of the latter are probably faking it.

The average person makes under $40,000 a year, while the rest are either a little above that and the remaining percentage are either somewhat rich or, if they’re really up there, somewhere in Beyonce’s tax bracket—which is one in a billion. For god’s sake, there are people in the world who literally don’t have running water or internet, so you’ll live.

Plus we’ve all been broke before, so no need to front. I’m not trying to make you feel bad or anything, but just putting things into perspective because we can get carried away by what we see on the internet. What if it explodes one day? You know what, never-mind because that will be bad and I’d like to drop more heat on this website, so let’s pretend I didn’t say that, K?

So, you wanna know how to look expensive on a budget? Here are some tips that I’ve learned whilst living in a big city, working a part-time job, doing paid internships and freelance gigs and managing to have a semi-decent social life at the same time.

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The first tip is to go thrift shopping. Now, I know that some don’t have access to a physical store because they live in west bubble f*ck, but that’s why websites exist. Oh, and there’s also Depop, which is one of my favorite apps right now. It’s gonna take some time to find what you want, but these are goldmines of really cool sh*t waiting for you to purchase. Seriously, I mean any freaking thing from t-shirts to cute little dresses. There’s also price ranges to fit any budget, so make sure you turn on the filter when you’re browsing.

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The second tip is to shop independent brands. There are a ton of independent designers making great clothing (although there are a lot of wack ones too, sorry) and they need our coin to survive. Whether it’s your friends’ cousin’s uncle’s daughter’s line, or some stranger on the internet that posts fire on their feed, it would behoove you to take advantage of that situation. Newer brands tend to sell items much cheaper in the beginning because they’re aren’t super established yet. You never know, they could be the next Marc Jacobs. Don’t play yourself and miss out.

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The third tip specifically pertains to those who are willing to splurge on luxury, and to that I say, pre-loved is your friend. Popular websites like Fashionphile and The Real Real sell high end designer brands on consignment, so if you want to cop a Chanel bag that is no longer in stock but you couldn’t afford that sh*t on retail anyway, then those type of stores are the place for you. Please note that there’s no way a luxury purchase is going to be dirt cheap, so if that’s what you are looking for then girl, you better ask your aunt if you can cop her Louis for half price, because it’s not happening. Thanks to a handbag forum I frequent, I came across a lovely lady who sells designer goods on consignment and bought a beautiful Fendi piece. It cost me some coin on top of the fact that it was delivered ALL the way from Japan, but it was worth it. I scored an amazing accessory that is hard to find and discontinued so, yeah. If this kinda thing is up your alley, simply create a free account on the sites (no, this isn’t sponsored) and “window shop.” Then, save some money every time you get paid and in no time you’ll have a brand new purse that’ll last a lifetime. Yay!

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Lastly, don’t skimp on quality. You should def spend a little bit more on a well-made piece that costs a few more dollars than something cheaper and poorly made. When those shitty sandals give up on yo ass, you’re gonna have to go out and buy a new pair—there goes 15 bucks you could’ve used more productively, like on a carton of curry chicken. Be smart and think about your stomach, I mean, bank account.

I hope these tips help you on your journey. And don’t worry, tough times never last so keep your chin up, work hard, stack your paper and slay regardless. You got this!

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Amber Alexander

Writing since September 2017 · 3 stories contributed