"BE LOWKEY. STAY IN YOUR LANE. FUCK WITH YOURSELF HEAVY."

For a while now, I've been extremely cautious with how I've been spending my money. Buying the latest sneakers never really satisfies me nowadays.

Like Sophia Amoruso said,

"MONEY LOOKS BETTER IN THE BANK THAN ON YOUR FEET".

Being a blogger, it must seem mandatory to have the latest things. To a certain extent, yes that's reasonable. Collaborations are blessings, so I wanted to take my style to a whole new level. Remaining timeless resonates well with Modern Fit, and I plan on being "practical" with my wardrobe. How can you stay current with the latest trends without draining your bank account?

1. CREATE A BUDGET

Like your fitness goals, your budget should be planned ahead of time. Prepare yourself with your fixed and flexible expenses for the month. This also includes setting a side a little savings for emergencies, the business you eventually want to open up & other future investments.

You can also try the "50/20/30" rule. Budget each paycheck: 50% to fixed expenses (rent, gym membership, phone bill, utilities, etc.), 20% to financial goals (save for emergencies, your future business, vacation), and 30% to your flexible spending (groceries, gas, SHOPPING, etc).

2. LIMIT YOURSELF

My old motto was "well, if you don't have it, BUY IT". How incredibly stupid of me to even think like this. When I wanted something, I wanted every color of it. When shopping, you need to ask yourself if you absolutely NEED it or just WANT it. Try thinking of the ultimate goal while gazing at that cute sports bra and ask yourself "Is it worth it? Can I work it? Flip my thing down & reverse it?" Ya, I went there.

3. FOCUS ON TIMELESS PIECES

Buy things that you know you can wear over and over again in many different ways. You can't wear those bright printed colored leggings forever, but you sure can wear those black leggings all day every day and pair it up in and out of the gym! Whilst shopping for timeless pieces, QUALITY IS KEY. All the pieces to this outfit I'm wearing in this post can be worn several different ways. Talk about more bang for your buck.

This is the first time I bought some Nikes in almost a year! Can you believe it? I was extremely proud of myself and felt like these Nike Air Huaraches were finally calling my name.

4. FOLLOW YOUR OWN STYLE

Get something that YOU like, not because everyone around you bought it. It's exhausting playing the "one upper" game with your peers. Frankly, if your peers play that game, then distance yourselves! You don't have enough time, energy or interest to even partake in such silly games. Trust me, I've played it, and I ended up broke, wearing old sneakers (when I felt like I JUST bought them) and still feeling like I didn't "win".

Another helpful tip is to THRIFT SHOP! It's one way to stay completely unique & save some money while satisfying your shopping needs. I found this Vintage Nike bag in a thrift shop in Long Beach! Scorrrreeee.

Photographer: Ron Holden | @HoldenFocus | www.ronholdenphoto.com