Style Bloggers <3 Budgeting: Erin of Loop Looks

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m Erin, a gal who loves putting together outfits from items in my closet, lifting heavy weights at the gym, running the occasional race, and going to the dog park with my pup and my husband.

In my day job I work at a software company where I manage our internal help center, document repository, and staff training.

I have a Master’s in Library Science and have also worked as a records manager at a courthouse and a university.

Believe it or not, I’ve never worked in an actual library!

I started my blog, Loop Looks, just over 4 years ago when I needed a creative outlet and it’s just kept going!

I love helping people in any way I can and I like to think that my blog helps women figure out how to wear the items they have in their closets in new ways.

I aim for approachable outfits, not looks you’d only see on the runway or in a magazine.

[Editor: I find looks on the runway or in the magazine are either (A) Unattainable for the common pleb like ourselves or (B) Unwearable even with just one piece here and there.

I am sure it is very difficult for fashion folk to get excited over a perfectly made, plain, simple, chic shirtdress that isn’t wild or plunging, but that is exactly what we need in our everyday lives. Can you tell I have shirt dresses on the brain right now!? 🙂 ]

What’s your money motto and where did you learn about budgeting?

I used to help my mom pay the bills.

We’d sit at the kitchen table and she’d show me how to fill out the check (remember when you had to send a check to pay a bill??), she’d sign it, and I’d put it in the envelope and put on the stamp.

[Editor: Er…. I actually can’t even remember the day I had to use my personal chequebook to pay for anything. I do it for my business but for real life?!? I usually pull out my personal chequebook and have to dust it off. Haha.]
 
Then she’d show me how to balance the checkbook.

Seeing the numbers like that made a big impact on me.

Growing up I was always the only one of our siblings that had money to spend.

I’d save my allowance, money I got as gifts, etc. I always wanted to have a cushion “just in case.” As an adult, I’m the same way. I don’t spend down to zero. I always have an amount in my mind that I won’t let the bank account go below.

[Editor: You sound so responsible. Unlike me when I was a kid. I bet you saved your favourite chocolate to eat until the end. You must have eaten all the ones you hated first.]
 

Do you create a clothing/wardrobe budget and how did you come about the method?

For years I’ve had $200 from each of my paychecks go into my own personal “fun money” account. And also for years I tried to stick to a budget of $150 per month for clothing.

I found, though, that especially with blogging it’s easy to fall into the “see something pretty and buy it” mindset.

[Editor: GUILTY AS CHARGED!!!]

Because of that I didn’t always stick to my budget.

So, for 2016 I made a goal to only shop when I had A. store credit from blog sponsors or B. gift cards I earned from doing surveys, etc.

So far I’ve done really well and only spent $30 out of pocket for the whole year!

What do you like to shop for and why?

SHOES! I love to shop for shoes. I get this from my mother.

When we’re out together we almost always end up in the shoe section of a store. I have more shoes than I know what to do with and I love all of them.

Shoes are just so pretty.

[Editor: Annnnnnnd they always fit even if your clothes don’t.

The only time this is not true is during or after a pregnancy for some women. I was lucky to keep my size 7 but a lot of women had to start over…]

Even if I’m not going to wear 4 inch stiletto heels I still like looking at them. They’re like pieces of art.