This post is somewhat tongue-in-cheek and reminds me of some of the things I actually do to (occasionally) stunt on the ‘Gram and tbh I have no shame. Sometimes living your best life means taking a little advice from one of my favourite Migos tracks…
Here are my tips of how to live bouji… on a budget:
Eating Out
Has your friend booked their birthday meal at an overpriced restaurant you can’t afford but you still wanna go (and you have to cos it’s your friends birthday, duh). My hack here is to eat 2-3 hours before you go out because it means you won’t order as much at the overpriced restaurant and you consequently won’t spend as much. My other hack is to order sides as they’re usually a third of the price of a main and you can order (and try) a little more off the menu.
If you’re like me and actually think you know about wine, but really don’t, always go for the second or third cheapest wine on the drinks menu. The first one is usually shit and the bottle actually costs more. But if you’re like me, you drink before you go out so you’re actually trying to stay on that ‘good drunk’ level the whole evening and one glass of wine is enough to keep you on that level.
I’ve also compiled some affordable and expensive eateries in London over here if you’re looking for somewhere new to try.
Travelling
I have a huge travel section with my tips and tricks of how I travel affordably. But if you wanna live bouji on a budget on your travels, here are my tips to get those LIT pics and still have a good time.
- All the sales are on now, check out the RyanAir, British Airways and Virgin Holidays sales and get some 2018 travels booked in!
- I love luxury hotels BUT not the prices that come along with them and my way around this is travelling ‘off-peak’ where costs are half the price. I stayed in a 5* hotel in Dubai for under £600 just by going in February, trust me, it’s worth it.
- Search through the locations on Instagram, find photos you like and bookmark them to ‘Collections’ feature. That way, when you arrive at your destination, you’ll have a reference of where you want to go
- Wanna go to a nice restaurant but can’t really afford it? Just go for drinks instead and eat cheap nearby before.
It’s Fashion Darling
I’m no fashion blogger as I don’t know how much I can personally talk about clothes without uttering the fact that all I wear is black. It never goes out of style after all and I always wanna look like I’m dressed for the sudden funeral of an ex. Anyway, some tips I’ve come across over the years to looking like ‘that b*tch’ on a budget are:
All black everything
Plain black always looks chic and black hides a multitude of sins.
Diamonds are forever
Jewel tones like emeralds, rich purples and burgundies look amazing and photograph really well. You’ll be shining like a diamond in no time (or a cubic zirconia).
Getting fit…
Playing around with the fit of clothing is can sway opinion as some may prefer oversized and comfortable and others may prefer alright and tight. I think that you can do both as long as it fits you well. You could be wearing £6 jeans from Primark but if they don’t fit your shape well, what’s the point? I would get on YouTube, learn how to make simple alterations and take those jeans to the next level, aka something that fits well. Well fitting clothing can elevate your look and make a statement; if you’re after inspiration, one person that always gets it right is Rihanna. You can check out my style icon post discussing Rihanna’s trends here.
Wear your nudes
I’m talking about flesh-tone shades guys (get your mind out the gutter). Skintone shades are flattering and like black, they can hide a multitude of sins. The key is getting the fit right and finding ones to flatter your skin-tone. If all else fails, the ever popular Zara camel coat suits all.
Materials and textures
Playing around with texture is a surefire way to have you looking bouji on a budget. Hunting through charity shops, vintage stores and your high street and aim to find velvets, cashmeres, faux furs on a budget can be done. Just imagine and all black outfit with a faux fur coat (I’m getting excited thinking about it). Or perhaps crushed velvet is more your style? Whatever your style, textures and materials photograph really well and you’ll have your followers asking where you got that coat in no time.
Designer or not?
Wearing designer clothing isn’t exactly the key to looking bouji nor is it exactly being on a budget. BUT, certain pieces can give your outfit that extra ‘pop’, the key is looking for staple pieces or accessories that won’t be just a fad in years to come. No one wants to be covered head to toe in GUCCI GANG GUCCI GANG, so think of investing (I use this term lightly) in classic colours and shapes that will have you looking fly forever. Designer items rarely go onsale and if they do, it’s never the colours you want, so I’d recommend raiding duty free, buying second hand or heading to outlet stores.
SUNGLASSES
The bigger the better.
Bills
Netflix addict? Split the subscription with friends and save your coins.
Unfortunately, I don’t have any bouji tips on how to cut back in paying your bills BUT learn to negotiate. Phone bill too high? Haggle. Car insurance renewal too high? Haggle. If you don’t ask you don’t get.
A conclusion…
As with all my posts, I will conclude with that ‘bouji’ is just a concept but it does exist. Some of us prefer the finer things in life and there is no shame in that. Life is for living after all and if you wanna show off, why not. I lean between wanting to live the high life and stay low-key, but you can do both. Just make sure you budget, share this post with your friends and let me know how you live bouji… on a budget.
How do you even spell bouji anyway? Is it bougee? Or boujee?
ronkeadeyemi says
LOOOL I LOVE this post. I am the ultimate bouji queen – I do NOT rough it for anyone. People who like to rough it and try to get me to rough it with them get the elbow. Unfortunately I do not have a bouji budget so like you I have to be creative. With bills – Martin Lewis is my best mate and I am all about switching over. With clothes – ASOS and Zara are my greatest loves and I am always in there to pick up pieces.
memoirsmusings (Char) says
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMMENTING RONKE! Being Bouji is LIFEEEE!xxxx
RaychelSays says
hahaha perfect!! Great read xo
memoirsmusings (Char) says
Thank you!!! <3
Laura McDaniel says
HA – love it! And I’m certain there are ALL ways to spell boojie… lol
Oddball Content says
Great tips! What do you do with all the money you save? Are you saving for anything in particular?
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memoirsmusings (Char) says
A house!! 😭
IntellectKitty says
This is pretty funny but really useful hacks in here. Really don’t get why some people dress up in Gucci from head to toes though. By the way, how long did you stay in the Dubia hotel for ?
memoirsmusings (Char) says
Exactly! Less is more! I was in Dubai for 6 nights! xxx
ellemacuk says
Love this!
Pat says
Absolutely! Life is for living.
Great post with brilliant tips.
If I’m ever invited to an overpriced restaurant i will definitely remember to eat before the actual meal😂
With the travel I’m always keeping an eye on sales…i dont do full price if i can avoid it.
Thank you. Great read.