How to Budget For Fall: PSLs & More

Thought Bubble: Have Your Cake & PSL Too 🍂

10.23.2022 - By: Anastasia Barbuzzi

The content in this blog post was adapted from my weekly newsletter. Subscribe to receive the The #SundayScroll ☕, a thoughtfully curated newsletter that’s full of personal musings, every Sunday!

^ Now that #fall is finally here, that's probably not what you wanted to hear, is it?

Same. I was highly disappointed when I opened my inbox earlier this week only to see this message from a very popular finfluencer (I won't mention their name here, but chances are you've seen them pop up on IG or TikTok).

"DON'T FALL INTO THESE TRENDS" and "WHAT NOT TO BUY" followed the newsletter headline, and I was immediately turned off from reading the rest of it. But I kept on, hoping the writer would say something that would overturn their statement…

Nope. Then came this advice: "Please don't buy $200 worth of ceramic pumpkins & branches from Home Goods. Fall is not a personality trait. Get a hobby, Shailene. Become sarcastic about fall & make fun of people who make plaid their entire identity come Autumn."

I don't know about you, but I don't find any of this super 'extra' rhetoric funny… Not because my name is Shailene (it isn't— obvs) and not because I wear plaid or shop at Home Goods (I don't), but because this finfluencer obviously believes the same shitty ol' message that many personal finance "experts" before them preached: you can't indulge in simple pleasures, like a seasonal drink, for the sake of your budget. It reminds me of another statement I highly dislike: Millennials should stop eating avocado toast if they want to own a home someday.

Now, should you maybe monitor how much you spend on PSLs per fall? Of course— if you're ordering too many and it's putting your finances in legit jeopardy, then it might be time to scale back, but the idea that you have to cut them out entirely is so unnecessary. Guess what?! You can budget for 'non-essential' items like seasonal drinks if they mean that much to you.

For some reason, that very cut-n-dry, age-old thought process persists, maybe because personal finance philosophies and materials tend to be outdated. Hence, why $HMONEY exists… No matter what, value-based spending is what I'm more aligned with.

Let's put it into perspective. If you believe in value-based spending and ceramic pumpkins are your jam, you're probably OK with spending $200/fall on home decor. Month-to-month, your budget allowances may change. For example, if you recently cancelled a membership that cost you $50/month, you might think about budgeting that $50 for something else you love or love doing, or you might invest it or tuck it in your savings.

It's your money. You earned it and you can do what you want with it, so what other people think about your spending habits shouldn't matter all that much, right? I've said it a million times but I'll say it again: there's no one size fits all approach to personal finance. Everyone's preferences and money situation are different. They're unique, just like you. In other words, you'll feel passionate about certain things that most people won't, including PSLs. But if you can afford to allot a chunk of change to buying bevvies that make you happy, why shouldn't you?

Anyway, I did hear that Starbucks raised its prices. A grande PSL will cost you upwards of $6, and if you drink 1-2/week, you're looking at spending $24-$48/month. Of course, you could DIY your take on Starbs' PSL at home and tweak some ingredients to make the recipe more nourishing, or stick to 1 PSL/week.

As the Zs like to say, 'romanticize' your life a bit. Make a date with yourself one day each week, bundle up, and plan a walk to your favourite cafe. Listen to a podcast on the way and revel in every last drip of that cozy concoction. Maintain that special feeling— it doesn't have to cost you anything.

I know I'm fortunate to say this, but I'm a millennial, and I purchased my own home at 24 (with the help of my partner). I still order cappuccinos from my favourite cafes, and I still pay my mortgage, and I still eat avocado toast. I freakin' love avocados and I'm 'somehow' still able to afford them, although sometimes, the price tag feels like a punch in the throat.

All this to say, ya win some, ya lose some. I'm fond of this lil' idiom. Sure, you might save a couple of bucks by making your own PSL concentrate at home, but if you're like me, you'll lose a few bucks to froth your soul. It's not a make-or-break decision.

Tap or click here to subscribe and receive a weekly #SundayScroll ☕.

Thoughts? Questions? Leave ‘em in the comments below 💚