Who else is constantly on-the-go and doesn’t lov Who else is constantly on-the-go and doesn’t love cooking?👋🏼I’m embarrassed to admit that Jesse and I have been completely blowing the budget on food. We love delivery and decided to give @FactorMeals a go and they’re hands down our favorite meal delivery service that we’ve tried thus far!! If you’re as busy as we are, prefer not to cook, or just want to try a delicious meal service, use my code MELISSA50 and save 50% off of your first order at Factor! #FactorPartner
Comment LINKS for details💕This is the BEST make Comment LINKS for details💕This is the BEST makeup hack, trust me when I say everyone needs this brow stamp! It’s an #AmazonFind and I use the color Medium Brown. DM me with any questions. XO

#makeuphack #beautytips #beautyhack #eyebrowkit
I asked you exactly what newborn must haves I shou I asked you exactly what newborn must haves I should buy, and SO many of you said a baby bottle warmer. I found the world’s FIRST self-warming baby bottle system, and it’s literally genius! It connects to an app and heats the milk or formula in less than 5 minutes. Sharing more details in my stories!

✨Comment LINKS and I’ll send you the details.

#BestBuy #LtkFamily #LtkBump @bestbuy #bestbuypartner
https://liketk.it/4ihYY
Comment LINKS for the details & 20% off code! 🙌 Comment LINKS for the details & 20% off code! 🙌🏼 Who else is ready for Fall!? I won’t lie, I am so ready for sweater weather... LTK is doing an exclusive sale, the entire Abercrombie site is included in the deal. DM me with any questions. XO

https://liketk.it/4j30W

#abercrombie #ltkbump #bumpstyle #ltksalealert #maternityfashion #falloutfitideas
Comment LINKS & I’ll DM them to you✨ Do you de Comment LINKS & I’ll DM them to you✨ Do you decorate for Fall or Halloween!? I’m Fall all the way!! I got this side table for under $100 and all of the other decor is super affordable Amazon home finds!

https://liketk.it/4iKak

#amazonhome #fallhomedecor #homerefresh
Comment LINKS & I’ll DM you!✨ I’ve been wear Comment LINKS & I’ll DM you!✨ I’ve been wearing this designer inspired Amazon dress on repeat and own it in 3 colors… & it’s ON SALE today for just $31.99!! Here’s one way I’d style it for Fall!🍂 It comes in a handful of colors and runs true to size. It’s not maternity, but it’s ribbed and has amazing stretch, so if you’re expecting it’s perfect for you, too! Grab it and thank me later!!

#amazonfashion #bumpstyle #founditonamazon #pumieyus @pumiey.us
Comment LINKS & I’ll DM you!⭐️Almost 32 week Comment LINKS & I’ll DM you!⭐️Almost 32 weeks and still avoiding maternity 99% of the time… 🤪I found these two piece sets from Amazon and they’re all so perfect for Fall. Everything is under $50 and saved to my LTK and Amazon shop. XO

#fallfashion #bumpstyle #ltkunder100 #amazonfashion #founditonamazon
Which is your favorite way to style 1, 2, or 3? Co Which is your favorite way to style 1, 2, or 3? Comment LINKS & I’ll DM you!🍂 I found these fall suede booties @NineWest and instantly fell in love! The heel height is perfect and they’re literally so comfortable. My bag and watch are also Nine West and I’m sharing more details today on stories. Head there for more! XO

https://liketk.it/4ihZy

#NineWest #NineWestPartner #FallFashion #BumpStyle
Comment links for details!⭐️SPANX vs WALMART⭐️ can you tell which is which?! I’ve had the $15 Walmart leggings for a year and they’re incredibly comfortable! Thankfully they still fit me and I can’t recommend them enough. While I love Spanx, these are not nearly as comfortable on me at this stage of my pregnancy. I will be shelving them until baby comes, but I do love them when I’m not pregnant.

#ltkbump #ltkunder100 #walmartfashion #bumpstyle
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Holiday · December 4, 2020

Holiday Budgeting Tips + How To Not Overspend

amazon find waffle knit long sleeve mini dress for holiday outfit idea

Tis the Season of overspending and gifting things out of our budget! Who has gone overboard with the spending during the holidays? I’d bet 9/10 of us have at some point. I’m NEVER an advocate for overspending and getting into debt. Today I’m sharing holiday budgeting tips plus how to not overspend and still afford thoughtful gifts for your friends and family!

Be sure to follow me on Instagram and subscribe to my newsletter for exclusive details in stories and posts for holiday deals!

Regardless of your budget, I’ve created gift guides to help provide you with ideas at all budgets! I took all the work out of shopping for you, and there’s a gift for everyone at every price point!

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Why I’m Writing This Post

As much as I love the holidays, there’s a TON of social pressure to gift anything and everything under the sun! Plus, being a great gifter feels really good. I love giving gifts to people, as well as receiving them. However, it is NEVER worth going into a black hole of debt to gift everything you can’t afford. The bottom line is, debt is stressful. Not to mention debt is completely unnecessary! Why go out of your way for someone to please them with a gift when you are going to suffer later. DO NOT DO IT! Budget your way through the holidays and I promise everyone will still be happy (and if they’re not, reevaluate those relationships!!).

I’m writing this post, because despite being an “influencer,” I am not an advocate for overspending. I’ve seen how debt can impact people. It’s stressful, it’s ugly, and it causes heartache. I’d much rather you buy something you saw me share that you can afford and feel good about, rather than having buyers remorse for spending money you don’t have. I care more about YOU than a few bucks commission in my pocket and a whole lotta heartache on your end.

How I Made This List

If you follow me on Instagram and watch my stories, I asked my followers to please share their best tips for Holiday budgeting. I compiled their tips along with several of my own to create the budgeting tips below.

The Best Holiday Budgeting Tips

Set a strict budget before shopping for gifts

By setting an overall budget, you know exactly what you’re willing to spend out of pocket total.

Once you set your budget, decide exactly what you want to spend on each person.

Not all friends and family have to get a gift that cost the same thing! I spend more on my husband than anyone else, and my sister and I have an agreement to not spend on gifts for each other. That’s ok to do too!!

Split gifts for family/friends with someone.

Jesse (my husband) and I almost always go in on gifts for his parents with his brother! We can get them a better gift and each spend a little less than what we would if we bought that item individually. My in laws always seem happy with their gifts and we don’t go over budget!

If you don’t have money to spend, don’t put it on a credit card!

This is my NUMBER 1 budgeting tip! DO NOT spend money you don’t have! The interest rate on some credit cards is almost 26%!! Think of it this way, if you spend $100 on a gift for someone, and can’t pay the credit card bill that month, it’s a $126 gift the following month, and then even higher the following! Not to mention, it hurts your credit. Cut up those credit cards and stick to cash or debit cards.

Write It Down

Once you start holiday shopping, make a list!. Write everything down and document when you buy the gift, how much you spent, and money you have left over in your overall budget. This will prevent you from going over your total allotted budget. Then if you spend a little bit more on one person, you can drop someone else’s budget down a bit.

Less “filler” gifts (little value items) and more intentional gifts

I love this tip! Rather than gifting several small gifts, just go with one really thoughtful one!

Do a gift exchange

This is genius! Whoever sent me this tip is spot on. Don’t send all 10 of your cousins a $25 gift, just go in on a family or friends gift exchange! That way everyone can get a higher budget and better gifts. You can even set the budget so everyone spends the same thing on one person, and everyone is happy!

Shop for quirky gifts at second hand shops like Goodwill

My sister actually sent me this tip! She said her husband does this, and it always makes people laugh. There’s nothing better than putting a smile on someone’s face during the holidays! Have fun, shop fun budget friendly gifts.

Shop Sales

I agree with this tip! This is the best time of the year to shop the deals. Stick to your budget, but look up the sales happening all over. You can probably gift some bigger ticket items that are on sale, while sticking to your budget!

Other Budgeting Resources

Aside from the tips you generously provided on Instagram, there’s also some other amazing budgeting resources!

Dave Ramsey

I read Dave Ramsey’s book Total Money Makeover (shop it HERE) and I joined his Facebook Group (HERE). There’s some amazing comment threads on there, with tons of encouragement and tips from people all over the world! I’m incredibly glad I joined the group. I honestly don’t participate, but reading the threads helps give me ideas for budgeting and saving. There’s some people who went from tons of debt to millionaires! Their tips and stories are incredible.

Apps

Personally, I’ve tried MANY apps and they all overwhelm me, except for Mint. First and foremost, the app is safe! Second, it links ALL of your bank accounts and credit cards, so you can actually see how you’re doing financially. It also alerts you when you get paid and when the month ends shows you where you’re spending your money. I highly recommend Mint.

Weekly Budget Planner

If you’re like me and do well with notes, grab a weekly budget planner! This could be helpful. I found two under $15.

Affordable Gift Ideas

I’ve put together some affordable gift ideas under $25 to help you stay on budget. You can click the image to shop. I’ve personally gifted several of the items in both gift guides below, and they’re always a win! I hope this helps you stay on track for the rest of 2020!

affordable gift guide for her under $25

affordable gift guide for him under $25
[show_shopthepost_widget id="4298435"]

In: Holiday · Tagged: affordable gifts, budgeting, gifts, Holiday

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Who else is constantly on-the-go and doesn’t lov Who else is constantly on-the-go and doesn’t love cooking?👋🏼I’m embarrassed to admit that Jesse and I have been completely blowing the budget on food. We love delivery and decided to give @FactorMeals a go and they’re hands down our favorite meal delivery service that we’ve tried thus far!! If you’re as busy as we are, prefer not to cook, or just want to try a delicious meal service, use my code MELISSA50 and save 50% off of your first order at Factor! #FactorPartner
Comment LINKS for details💕This is the BEST make Comment LINKS for details💕This is the BEST makeup hack, trust me when I say everyone needs this brow stamp! It’s an #AmazonFind and I use the color Medium Brown. DM me with any questions. XO

#makeuphack #beautytips #beautyhack #eyebrowkit
I asked you exactly what newborn must haves I shou I asked you exactly what newborn must haves I should buy, and SO many of you said a baby bottle warmer. I found the world’s FIRST self-warming baby bottle system, and it’s literally genius! It connects to an app and heats the milk or formula in less than 5 minutes. Sharing more details in my stories!

✨Comment LINKS and I’ll send you the details.

#BestBuy #LtkFamily #LtkBump @bestbuy #bestbuypartner
https://liketk.it/4ihYY
Comment LINKS for the details & 20% off code! 🙌 Comment LINKS for the details & 20% off code! 🙌🏼 Who else is ready for Fall!? I won’t lie, I am so ready for sweater weather... LTK is doing an exclusive sale, the entire Abercrombie site is included in the deal. DM me with any questions. XO

https://liketk.it/4j30W

#abercrombie #ltkbump #bumpstyle #ltksalealert #maternityfashion #falloutfitideas
Comment LINKS & I’ll DM them to you✨ Do you de Comment LINKS & I’ll DM them to you✨ Do you decorate for Fall or Halloween!? I’m Fall all the way!! I got this side table for under $100 and all of the other decor is super affordable Amazon home finds!

https://liketk.it/4iKak

#amazonhome #fallhomedecor #homerefresh
Comment LINKS & I’ll DM you!✨ I’ve been wear Comment LINKS & I’ll DM you!✨ I’ve been wearing this designer inspired Amazon dress on repeat and own it in 3 colors… & it’s ON SALE today for just $31.99!! Here’s one way I’d style it for Fall!🍂 It comes in a handful of colors and runs true to size. It’s not maternity, but it’s ribbed and has amazing stretch, so if you’re expecting it’s perfect for you, too! Grab it and thank me later!!

#amazonfashion #bumpstyle #founditonamazon #pumieyus @pumiey.us
Comment LINKS & I’ll DM you!⭐️Almost 32 week Comment LINKS & I’ll DM you!⭐️Almost 32 weeks and still avoiding maternity 99% of the time… 🤪I found these two piece sets from Amazon and they’re all so perfect for Fall. Everything is under $50 and saved to my LTK and Amazon shop. XO

#fallfashion #bumpstyle #ltkunder100 #amazonfashion #founditonamazon
Which is your favorite way to style 1, 2, or 3? Co Which is your favorite way to style 1, 2, or 3? Comment LINKS & I’ll DM you!🍂 I found these fall suede booties @NineWest and instantly fell in love! The heel height is perfect and they’re literally so comfortable. My bag and watch are also Nine West and I’m sharing more details today on stories. Head there for more! XO

https://liketk.it/4ihZy

#NineWest #NineWestPartner #FallFashion #BumpStyle
Comment links for details!⭐️SPANX vs WALMART⭐️ can you tell which is which?! I’ve had the $15 Walmart leggings for a year and they’re incredibly comfortable! Thankfully they still fit me and I can’t recommend them enough. While I love Spanx, these are not nearly as comfortable on me at this stage of my pregnancy. I will be shelving them until baby comes, but I do love them when I’m not pregnant.

#ltkbump #ltkunder100 #walmartfashion #bumpstyle
Comment LINKS & I’ll DM them to you.🤎Where’ Comment LINKS & I’ll DM them to you.🤎Where’s my neutral clothing lovers?! 🙋🏼‍♀️ That’s me, and I’m not mad about it. It’s still over 100 degrees in Phoenix, so I’ve been living in dresses and rompers, but I love these looks going into fall. They’re easy to layer and mix & match. Here’s the look breakdown:

1. Amazon dress - wearing size small (not maternity)
2. Amazon skirt + tank (sized up in skirt - not maternity)
3. Pinkblush Romper + @Bohme denim jacket (sold out, linked similar - neither are maternity)
4. Pinkblush Maternity dress (code ALWAYSMELISS for 25% off)
5. Amazon Dress (runs tts- I didn’t size up, it’s not maternity)
6. Pinkblush jumpsuit (code ALWAYSMELISS for 25% off)

Head to my LTK or comment LINKS for details. XO

#ltkunder100 #bumpstyle #ltkbump #maternityfashion

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