Well over a year ago, I triumphantly announced that I was planning to buy a designer bag (I even wrote this post with a few of my friends about tips for splurging on a designer handbag). And really, I thought I was going to go for it after I hit publish…but it turns out that designer handbags are actually pretty expensive (earth to Maya, of course they are). So while I thought I was going to swing it, I totally realized I needed to save up some money and really think about what purse I actually wanted to buy to make sure I was saving accordingly. And giving myself time to save up too….woah!

After thinking on it for a few months, I landed on wanting a Gucci handbag, not only because everything they make is classic, but because the brand reminds me of my grandmother Jessie who I was really close to growing up. She had amazing, effortless style, and loved all things Gucci (she collected scarves and had an amazing designer collection!), so knowing how much she loved the brand made me want my own piece in my collection too. She also called everything she loved “charming”, which was the inspiration for my blog name too. Even though she passed away years ago, it’s nice to always have a little reminder of her every day – either with my blog or my new go-to purse. So after months of deliberation, I landed on the Gucci Marmot purse in the small size – not only because it was trendy at the time, but also because I knew it was going to be a style that would stand the test of time. And you can’t go wrong with a classic shaped, black leather handbag either. And once I figured out how much I needed to save, I had to be a little crafty with how I was going to save a ton of cash to make my Gucci loving dreams a reality.

I put aside a little bit of money in my savings to start saving, and downloaded Reel, and app that helps to automatically save a certain amount of money each week (or each paycheck) to set aside for a large purchase that you’ve been eyeing. You can pick on the app what you’re saving for (and how quickly you want to buy it) and they automatically tell you how much money you should save each week – and connects to your bank account to put the $ into your handbag fund. I realized this app existed halfway through my saving, but for my next big purchase I’m definitely going to use it to help me set aside money each week.

I also spend a few months saving my Visa gift cards from gifts for birthdays and holidays, as well as cash in my Amex credit card points I had been saving for a little under a year. Yes, it probably wasn’t the best use of my credit card points, but knowing it was something I’d been wanting for so long – it seemed worth splurging for! Between Reel, gift cards and credit card points, I was able to save for my purse (once I finally decided what I wanted to get!) in a few short months.

And honestly, I’m pretty happy with my first designer purse purchasing experience. I definitely don’t have the desire to get a big collection started – but I am happy that I have a fancier purse to wear around town for events or just running around town on the weekends. And while I won’t be planning to buy another one soon, I definitely at least know how to save for it next time I have an itch for another designer purse (let’s just hope that doesn’t happen for another 3-5 years, because I have other fish to fry before I go down that rabbit hole again!).

But I’d love to know what your tactics are for saving for big purchases – whether it’s a purse, a big trip, or even a home – any advice you have to saving would be much appreciated! Any apologies in advance for the gratuitous posts of my new bag. After dreaming and saving for months, it seems only fair that I get my moneys worth on this little blog 😉 xx