Bling budget?

[Indylady]

How do you come up with your bling budget? I’m thinking of giving myself a yearly bling budget. I think that could be fun—almost like an allowance.

My typical habit over the past 10 years has been to just buy what I can afford and try to snap up pieces on my mental love list when I find a good fit—a 7mm+ OEC, a fine ruby or emerald, a diamond riveria necklace, a fine pair of pearl studs or a single pendant, and one of each of these rings: a halo, a three stone, a CS solitaire, and a nice step cut (maybe a CS).

How do you decide how much to spend and when to spend it? Do you ever feel guilty for your bling budget? I only spend within my means and have a pretty small collection, so I don’t really feel guilt, but every once in a while I feel a bit of sticker shock when I think about the $$ I’m wearing at once or are just sitting on top of my dresser. I know many go by anniversaries or significant birthdays. Colored stones and OEC’s are a bit of a ‘hunt’ so it’s hard to time when you’ll find something great and whether it will coincide with a special event, which is likely why I haven’t tried that.

 

[baby monster]

My yearly bonus funds my bling. When cash hits my account, I review my wish list and decide whether I actually want to spend any or all of it on bling. Some years, money is used elsewhere. Last year's bonus went into landscaping. We had a leak in the basement that required digging trenches around foundation and replacing collapsed drainage pipes. I don't feel guilty if the money goes into house repairs or bling. It's just cash allocation.

 

[doberman]

I need to sell my house. Right now my bling budget is $0.00 and this is my husband .

 

[Tekate]

Basically I can buy anything up to say 1.5K whenever I want (of course I wouldn't abuse that like every week but on occasion).. Big items, well that is when my husband is ready, I work on him but he made most of our money, he invested what we put into TDSP etc, while it's OUR money, I really think it's his money and so therefore I don't buy anything until he might say, 'now what is that 3 stone ring you want?" I know it's old school, but my husband was undoubtedly 6 levels higher than me at IBM.. we paid our mortgage off fairly quickly but then again we never lost a penny on any home we sold and we were lucky because we sold in down market and we have sold 2X in hot markets, so we paid cash for our house here. I think I keep harping on my age but at this late date my bling list is small, basically I want/need/desire/lust for a 2.80 - 3.30 well cut G-K OEC, set in CVB's Chloe in Platinum if the stone is more yellow than I would think Plat can handle then yellow gold 18K or 14k not sure. Then I will reset my 1.61 MRB AGS2 I color stone in a semibezel pendant and I'm pretty much done, of course I would like to sell my crappy 4.5carat tennis bracelet and get a tennis bracelet with PS quality stones, but that is just a 'that would be awesome' thing.

 

[BlingBlingLova]

I am a professor and at the beginning of every semester, I have a goal for a bling piece. My goal always takes into account our current finance and it has to be a piece in which I can pay it in full, no credit! Also i refuse to withdraw money from the savings account for something so frivolous!
From that point on, every time I get my paycheck, I place 75% of my paycheck into the savings account. Whatever is left over I will save and then at the end of the 16 weeks, voila! Goal achieved! Of course this is not for everyone and I am sure lots of people will disagree but it works for me. I reward myself at the end of each semester for all of my hard work. If it’s my birthday, of course my husband and family will chip in with a couple of hundred dollars here and there. I found that over time, I actually started to value my pieces even more. Every piece is associated with a semester or birthday. Next week, I will be receiving my 5 carat tennis bracelet, which I budgeted for since August! Can’t wait! So excited!