How to Be Boujee on a Budget: Food & Drinks Edition

So, we've all been there, when our friends want to grab a nice dinner and drinks but you have $30 to your name? Happens to me every weekend, so I feel you. Being in college is hard, but having to keep up with the extravagant life in Tampa is even harder to do on a budget.

This past weekend my girlfriends wanted to go to this FANCY restaurant in Tampa called OLIVIA. I looked at my bank account and had $50 for the next 4 days and said ya know what I want to go anyways, as I should.

So, keep reading for outfit, drink, and food details.

The first thing is first, put on an outfit that makes you FEEL like a bad ~bleep~ as Addison Rae says. When I went out to OLIVIA with the girls I wore an outfit that made me feel like the richest person in the restaurant, even though I most likely had the lowest bill in the place.

OUTFIT DETAILS FOR THE EVENING:

Shoes: Jeffery Cambell (couldn't find the exact shoes because they're old, but here's a similar pair) Now these shoes are easily the most expensive piece in the outfit but they were a Christmas gift and I've had them for years and gotten so much wear out of them

Jeans: Thrifted and Distressed Levi's (the link to the original jeans is above I thrifted these bad boys for $4 about 3 years ago and wear them all the time)

Belt: This belt is actually a knock off Gucci belt that I got for $10 on a street corner in New York City and no one can ever tell the difference.

Top: Zara Now I couldn't find the exact top because it's last season but a similar one is linked above. You could even check out the men's section at your local thrift store

Bag: I actually have no idea where this bag is from, my friend Bela gave it to me for my birthday, but any black bag will do.

Jewelry: Necklace: is from Amazon It's my go-to gold necklace lately and the quality is incredible for only being under $20. It's listed for $25 but is on sale for $12. Earrings: Madewell brand but these were my mom's from forever ago so I found a similar pair

OKAY MOVING ON ...

Here's what to do when you get to the actual restaurant

DRINKS EDITION:

If you're 21+ and grabbing a drink, pick alcohol of your choice and then order the cheapest drink which includes alcohol.

For example, I wanted something with gin in it, so I ordered the cheapest drink with gin in it which was a Blue Indigo.

My friend Cammi wanted red wine, so she ordered the cheapest glass of red wine on the menu. (it happens rarely but sometimes it is not about quality it's about quantity)

FOOD EDITION: One easy way to cut costs is to order an appetizer or side dish as your meal. OLIVIA has a ton of amazing apps that aren't crazy expensive. I highly recommend the Burrata appetizer it is one of the best I have had in Tampa. The girls and I got one for the table to split so it came out to about $3.50 each between the 4 of us.

If you don't want to get an appetizer, opt to look at the sides menu as something for your meal. One thing I always find is that nice restaurants have extravagant sides for around $9-$15 which seems like a lot for a side dish, but is a great price for a meal.

If you and all your girlfriends are on a budget everyone can split a bunch of sides! There is the mac n cheese, meatballs, veggies, salads, soups, and more. One of my friends got the Wild Arugula salad and I had a bite, safe to say it was life-changing. The strawberries add

such a fresh feel while the pistachio vinaigrette

makes it salty and tangy. 10/10 from me people.

At OLIVIA, I highly recommend the Truffle Mac n' Cheese for $10. It's very filling for only being $10 and tastes very luxurious. I also recommend pairing it with a good red wine instead of a cocktail. We're ALWAYS here for good wine and cheese combination

If you are deciding to go big or go home at OLIVIA, I highly recommend the Filet for $39. It is out of this world and so tender. It comes with potatoes, cauliflower, and what seems to be fried macaroni and cheese balls.

Now for dessert, get a shared one for the table to save a little cash. They had a cookie ice cream sandwich special for $12 and so we paid $3 each. Let me tell you it was AMAZING.

The ice cream was vanilla bean and you could definitely taste the bean in it. Very luxurious, 10/10.

So, in total, I spent: $28.50 and tipped 20% so I spent a total of $34.20. This $34.20 included the following

• The Indigo Cocktail - Gin Cocktail $12

• Burrata appetizer for $3.50 each

• The Truffle Mac n' Cheese for $10

• The dessert cookie $3

• 20% tip of $5.70

So, while $34 might seem like a lot of money to spend, but for a fancy dinner and everything I got with it, I'd say that's a pretty good deal. Now you can add or take anything off the list of things I got. The drink was the most expensive item so if you change that up or get no drink you can save some money as well.

My point is, eating out does not have to be insanely expensive and there are plenty of ways to enjoy an expensive restaurant for a reasonable price. Tampa is filled with places priced similar to OLIVIA so next time you question if you can go out with your friends or not, remember you don't have to drop $90 or even $40 to have a good night!

Alright that's all from me babes, stay broke xoxo