Visit and get your first two months of Skillshare for free!
Hi i’m tasha from one big happy life on behalf of the financial diet and this is the lifestyle fix brought to you by skill share one of the most interesting parts of personal finance is learning about what other people value and how much they’re willing to spend on different luxuries whether those luxuries are big or small figuring out how to spend your money
Responsibly while still making room for the things and experiences that make you happy is part of the learning curve when it comes to taking control of your finances everyone has different lifestyles and responsibilities that affect their financial priorities but no matter what it is that you value it’s always worthwhile to consider whether or not you’re getting
The best deal there are times when the most expensive option truly is the best for you because it’s the only thing that gets you exactly what you’re looking for but there are other times when a less expensive substitute will check off all the right boxes without you having to compromise significantly on quality today i’m gonna walk you through seven cheap but still
Sophisticated swaps for more expensive items number one kava instead of champagne alcohol is a category where you can quickly spend more than you meant to if you’re not careful especially if you like to indulge at restaurants or drink regularly at home or like to host larger gatherings champagne is a pretty popular alcohol for brunch cocktails or just celebrations
In general i’ve had it at weddings and work functions and everywhere in between champagne is a great accent to just about any happy occasion but its prestige means that it frequently comes with a higher price tag a good bottle of non vintage champagne genuine from the champagne region of france in the us can cost you somewhere between 35 dollars and 48 dollars and
The price only goes up from there if you feel like splurging that can get pricey pretty quick especially if you need more than one bottle of champagne for a dinner or a celebration a cheaper but still good quality substitute is kava a spanish sparkling wine that has been gaining popularity over the years like champagne it comes in a variety of sweetness levels and
Is a solid substitute for champagne in any cocktail recipe that requires a white sparkling wine it’s also delicious on its own the good news is that a bottle of cava will set you back about fifteen to twenty five dollars which makes it a great budget alternative for champagne number two last year’s electronics instead of the newest models the world of electronics
Can move extremely fast there’s always a company coming out with a newer better and more robust spec on whatever product was making a splash last year that makes it easy for your fomo to interfere with your financial decisions if you aren’t careful for some people staying on top of the newest and greatest electronics is either important for their work or necessary
For the kind of entertainment that they enjoy the most if you fall into those camps then start saving for your purchases in advance so that you can get exactly what you need when it comes out but for most people take a moment to pause whenever you’re tempted by the newest product offering from an electronics company often you can get the previous year’s model at a
Discount after a new release happens and the older model will still be able to do everything that you need it to reviews are your best resource when it comes to figuring that out if you’re willing to wait a bit you can even look into refurbished options of the latest release refurbished purchases are cheaper than something straight off the shelf and they frequently
Come with a warranty of some kind since technological advancements can move so fast it’s important that you take a close look at what you actually need a device to do and make your decision with that in mind and not according to which product is the flashiest even if it’s tempting number 3 drugstore beauty products instead of luxury brands there is a wide range of
Skincare and makeup products on the market and products that someone else loves may not be the best choice for you on top of all of your skin’s individual quirks like being prone to acne or being sensitive to certain ingredients there are other criteria to consider like whether the products are cruelty free vegan friendly or ethically made you’ve probably also felt
The pull towards expensive prestigious brand products at one point or another i know i definitely have while you should definitely keep using the products that deliver the best results for you keep in mind that there may be less expensive alternatives that do the job just as well pay more for better result makes perfect sense paying more for beautiful packaging or
A company’s prestige and history may not check out my videos seven products you should always buy at the drugstore to see what my recommendations are if you want to reduce your makeup and skincare expenses without compromising on performance number four dinner party at home instead of at a restaurant let’s be honest it can be a lot of fun to get dressed up and go
Out to dinner at a fancy restaurant sometimes you just want to make a production of it all and treat yourself to a lovely night out restaurants make up part of my monthly budget for sure and i don’t see that ever changing but because of how expensive it can get to go out to a nice restaurant especially with the group dining out is something you should put deliberate
Thought into so that you’re only spending your money when it makes sense but you know what else is also fun making a fancy dinner at home and i mean going all out when was the last time you pulled out the recipe for that one meal that you absolutely loved but you never seem to make more than once or twice a year when was the last time you made different courses for
A meal get out your good dishes dig up a tablecloth set up some nice lighting and invite a partner or friends over to enjoy a sophisticated but homemade meal with you ask your guests to pitch in on drinks or a side dish and you’ll have the makings for a lovely evening out without the high price of a restaurant bill or if you really want to kick it up a notch have a
Themed murder mystery party i hosted one that was in a 1940’s english chateau we got all dressed up in period our evening wear or the closest thing we happen to have to it in our closet and we prepared the multi-course period menu using recipes that were supplied by the game that’s how i learned how to make beef wellington and yorkshire pudding it was a lot of fun
Cost less than a night out at a restaurant and was far more memorable number 5 moissanite instead of diamonds diamonds are beautiful when someone mentions an engagement ring chances are the first thing that pops into your head involves diamonds there a cultural signifier of wealth and status and love and if you have any interest in fine jewelry you probably have
Opinions about them the diamond trade has a number of ethical issues surrounding it not to mention just how much the price of a piece of jewelry can skyrocket when a diamond is involved if you like the look of a diamond but don’t want to support the industry or pay diamond prices you should definitely take a look at moissanite moissanite is a synthetic mineral that
Has been gaining popularity as a diamond substitute since its introduction to the jewelry market in 1998 in color brilliance and durability moissanite is very similar to a diamond but it can cost up to 90% less compared to a diamond of similar quality and size keep moissanite or other synthetic gemstones in mind if you end up looking for engagement rings or other
Fine jewelry in the future you can save yourself a lot of money if you’re willing to look at less traditional options while still getting a beautiful piece of jewelry number 6 estate furniture instead of designer furniture good furniture can be very expensive especially if you’re just starting to acquire pieces of your own or are looking to upgrade i’ve had my fair
Share of hand-me-downs thrift store finds and furniture of questionable origin over the years yes i have straight-up snagged a couch from a curb but many people eventually get to the point where they’d like something not made out of particle board or don’t want to risk bedbugs there are designer furniture brands that offer fantastic long lasting furniture with a
Price tag to match if you’re looking for a trendy piece and have the budget for it that ultimately might be the best way for you to go but if you’re looking for more classic pieces and don’t need the furniture right away you should start looking at estate sales estate sales generally happen after the death of a property owner though they also happen when people
Have to relocate or after they’ve gotten divorced estate sales are typically a step up from your average garage sale and they can be a great way to acquire quality furniture if you’re willing to do some legwork to find the pieces that you want you can find out about estate sales in your area by searching online for them some companies that run estate sales even
Have mailing lists that you can get on so you can be notified regarding upcoming sales in your area along with a brief description of the types of items that are on sale number seven rent special occasion clothes instead of buying them if your 20s and 30s are anything like mine you’ve probably received invitations for special events particularly weddings dressing
Up for special or formal occasions can be pricey unless you manage to get lucky at a thrift store stumble upon a great sale or have a friend who happens to wear the same size clothing is you new and is willing to let you borrow their clothes if you do end up buying something you often get stuck with something expensive that you probably won’t end up wearing again
Like a very specific bridesmaid’s dress or that you might not fit into or may not longer be the style the next time you need to wear it buying expensive items of clothing that you only wear once isn’t great for your wallet or the environment instead the next time you need a fancy outfit for a special occasion put some serious thought into renting the outfit instead
Of buying it not only will you be able to save some money up front but you can also rent an outfit that would other be outside of your budget if you were going to buy it outright renting will also keep you from wasting space in your closet with clothes that you won’t wear often or even more than once and that’s always helpful for the rest of your wardrobe looking
For cheaper substitutes for expensive items doesn’t mean that you have to take a major hint in quality or sophistication what matters most is that you learn to figure out when something is important enough for you to go for the full price item and when it’s an area where you’d be more comfortable going with a budget conscious but still nice substitute the seven
Swaps i talked about today are just suggestions for you my hope is that they’ll get you started on thinking about other substitutions that you can make the next time you’re contemplating an expensive purchase now that i’ve shared 7 cheap but sophisticated swaps for expensive items let’s talk about a great place to learn some new things skillshare skillshare is an
Online learning community with thousands of classes in design business technology and more premium membership gets you unlimited access to high-quality classes on essential topics so you can improve your skills unlock new opportunities and do the work you love looking to brush up on your lifestyle photography skills so you can deck out those empty walls of yours
Check out mark murray for spirts class lifestyle photography capturing inspiring visual stories where she teaches you how to capture stunning stories in a styled yet natural way with photography click the link in the description box to join the millions of students already learning on skillshare today and to take advantage of a special offer just for tft viewers
Get two months of unlimited access to over 25,000 classes for free act now so you don’t miss out and start learning today thank you so much for watching and be sure to subscribe hit that notification bell and tune in here every single friday for another new episode of the lifestyle fix see you next week
Transcribed from video
7 Budget-Friendly Swaps For Luxury Items By The Financial Diet
