Tag: cash

Payday! Payday!

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As your weekend plans start to come together, and Friday night is closer than ever, it is imperative that you keep a conscious eye out for frivolous spending. As my loyal followers, I feel I have a duty to let you know, payday is just a day that is there to tempt you. “But, Katie, I just got paid! I have so much expendable money! It’s Friday!”

….No, no you don’t. Sit back and read…this could help you out of the poor house.

1) Let’s cut to the chase, every single time that you are planning on going out for an night on the town, you believe that you need a complete new outfit. Whether it be Thursday after work or Friday after work, your pump yourself up and lead yourself to believe that you had enough cash to go out to get cute new pair of pants or a new dress. If you’re an instant gratification gal or guy like I am, you have tunnel vision all the way to the store.

Fight the urge, my saving beauties!

Am I being unfair? Probably a little bit. But the fact of the matter is that you do have something to wear and quite honestly no one will actually notice your outfit!

2) How many credit cards do you have? One? Two? Six? Go in your wallet and take them all out. NEVER pay for a night out on your credit card. Don’t open a tab with a debit card either…imagine waking up with $27 left in your account! (It’s happened) Before you go out on the town, stop at your bank…NOT a random ATM. This way, you don’t have a surcharge on your account. Estimate how much money you will be spending and take out $20 extra. I like to call this “God forbid” money. With my anxiety, I like to cook up situations that may happen. I.E- my friends leave me, I get kidnapped…you know, the logical stuff.

3) How do you get to your destination? Walk? Taxi? Car? If you’re walking, good for you! Just don’t wear heels. Anything else is going to cost you $10-$25. In your allotted cash. That’s right! No credit or debit cards can be used!

Make sure that you have a definite area which in which you will be staying the entire night. If you were hitting up multiple places, be smart about it. Shop around different taxi companies. A word of advice: don’t appear drunk, many cab drivers will assume you do not know where you are, and take a long cut! Don’t be afraid to speak up if you know a shorter way!

4) Have the munchies? Cut it out! You will end up wasting more money and if you’re on a diet, well… You get what I mean.

5) Lastly, make sure to collect loose money in your purse or pocket and put it back into the bank! If you were under budget, congrats! If you went over budget, go through and reevaluate your night. I’m sure there were some purchases that you shouldn’t have made!

Happy Weekend, saving beauties!

K

Bargain Warriors

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I’ve decided to share my super secret list of fantastic websites that are sure to get you great deals for amazing items!

www.ruelala.com

www.hautelook.com

www.livingsocial.com

etsy.com

www.livingsocial.com

These are just a few, well-known sites that I use on a regular basis!

Happy bargain hunting!

K

Holiday Shopping

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With the holiday season just around the corner, I figured I would share some interesting ideas for NOT going into debt this year. I know we all want to pamper and spoil our loved ones, but there comes a time that you have to draw the line inbetween being generous and being insane.

For those who have a big heart, but not a big paycheck: read on…

  1. Take cash out before a shopping trip and put in an envelope. Leave your credit cards at home and only use you alotted money that you have budgeted yourself.
  2. Use apps and websites like RetailMeNot, Hautelook, Ruelala, and Looksy to get great, designer looks for less.
  3. Never buy full price. Ever. Don’t do it. You’ll regret it. Do you hear me?
  4. If there is something major that you are buying for somebody, shop around. Instant gratification is not a feeling you want while holiday shopping. You’ll end up finding the exact item somewhere else for $100.00 less. Believe me, it happens.
  5. Do not procrastinate. Start thinking about gifts now. If you aren’t exchanging gifts, think about what you and your loved ones will be doing instead. Dinner? Great…get a reservation ready. Movie Outing? Even better…start making plans.

This year, I started saving for presents in August. I used my savings account as a safe haven for my money (literally). Today, I “cashed out” and once the money arrives into my checking account, I will be on my way to the bank with a crisp envelope ready to withdraw it! 

Shopping on a budget isn’t the most fun. I know we would all love to have an endless amount of money, with sales and beautiful items at our fingertips ready for us to buy…well, the latter actually exists, but you get what I mean. This isn’t dream land, and we don’t have an endless supply of money.

Happy budgeting!

K

Back at it…and Embarassed

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There is no doubt I stopped writing because I’ve been busy…but there is a side reason as well…I’m back at spending, but wisely. Is that a thing? Is bargain hunting bad? I sure hope not. It seems to me that there is no grey area with deciding to stop spending frivolous money. You either lose all hope, or you don’t even spend money on gas. I’ve decided to break all of these stereotypes. Let’s be real, rationalization at its finest here, folks.

Why deprive ourselves? Saving money is like dieting. When you deprive yourself of an ice cream cone or a cookie, you tend to break your diet more and HARDER. So, I’m proposing, save…but spend responsibly. (I sound like a beer commercial) Don’t fool yourself, because if you are an instant gratification gal or guy, you always will be…let’s look at the hard facts. How would you know? Take a second and think about the past couple of days. Did you think about how much better your room would look organized? What about how much better it would be if your kitchen plates were in a different place? And then think about your reaction. If you went out to Bed Bath and Beyond or the Container Store and GOT and organization rack without weighing out the pros and cons…you’re instant gratification. FACE IT. I know I know…now let’s get over it and DEAL.

Since we last spoke, I left my job because of unhappiness. I still work for the company, just in a different, closer place. BUT this cause a severe dent in my wallet due to lack of paychecks. SIGH. Talk about struggle. Here’s a tip: During unemployment…don’t spend. Seriously, you’ll need your extra cash while looking for a job…or in my case, racking up hours again so you have a reasonable paycheck.

I have spend less money on eating on the way to school or work, which I am very proud of myself. I have taken advantage of my savings account, and decided to start putting money in (for the long run…and my dream wedding) (just kidding?)

Okay, time to jet. My room has been painted and I am SO EXCITED to see it… pictures? Okay…whatevs.

 

Happy Saving/Spending/Being Responsible?

xoxo

Latest Dupes for High End Fashion/Beauty

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Let’s face it, if you are a fashion and beauty lover like me, sometimes it can be hard to not get the actual product…but OUCH! For that price?! I’m owning up to the fact that I LOVE whipping out my MAC or NARS lipstick in front of my friends and being the most “chic” girl…

I am so guilty of instant gratification, as well as cute Instagram pictures. So, when I see a product I love, I tend to spend the money, no matter the cost, to get what I want. Let’s stop this shall we? I’ve compiled a list (let’s call it part one) of items that are super cute or super expensive…and “dupes” for said products.

  1. MAC’s “Snob” lipstick–Revlon’s “Pink Pout”
  2. MAC’s “Ravishing” lipstick–Revlon’s “Smoked Peach”
  3. MAC’s “Russian Red” lipstick–Revlon’s “Really Red”
  4. OPI’s “Mod About You” nail color– China Glaze’s “Something Sweet”
  5. Essie’s “Turquoise and Caicos” nail color– China Glaze’s “For Audrey”
  6. L’Occitane’s “Crème Mains Hand Cream”– Burt’s Bee’s “Shea Butter Hand Repair Cream”
  7. Benefit’s “Hoola” Bronzer– NYC’s Smooth Skin in “Sunny” Bronzer
  8. NARS’ Blush in “Orgasm”– Milani’s Baked Blush in “Luminoso”
  9. MOROCCANOIL Treatment (Hair treatment)– Garneir Fructis Moroccan Sleek Oil Treatment
  10. Chi Silk Infusion (Hair)– Got 2b Smooth Operator Lustre Lotion

That’s all for part one… stay tuned…for picture comparisons! Sigh, I know it’s hard…but your wallet will thank you!

 

Happy “dupe-ing!”

 

iTunes Trap

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I must say, I am relieved I was able to spend some time away from technology for a bit and have a wonderful weekend with my two roommates from college and the rest of my friends for my birthday weekend!

Anyway, I’m back at blogging and I have a couple awesome ideas brought to you by my friend Lindsay and my boyfriend, Michael. While taking a drive around Long Island, I asked Lindsay to download a couple songs from my iTunes account. She noticed my credit card was connected to my account, which I thought was easy access to download a song or movie. Lindsay told me her trick to try and save some money, because it does add up! If you buy a gift card, or you only use a gift card that was given to you, you are able to track your spending so much easier. This way, if your gift card runs out, you will realize how much you have spent when updating your music library.

Believe me, I get it. Sometimes a song (of five) get stuck in your head, and all you want to do is put them on replay and jam out in your car or room. Don’t give in!!! The little charges on your card aren’t worth it! After buying a couple albums on iTunes, you start to realize that having the latest music will in fact ruin your balance on your account.

Step Three

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How many of you drop change in the car and never find it again? Think about the amount of change you have dropped and try and add it up in your head. Coins are money too! Several banks and grocery stores have change cashing machines on the premises that can take your “pesky” change and give you a receipt for paper bills! Go through your pockets, purses, and car cup holders and gather all your change! You would be surprised how much there is on the floor in your backseat!

I’m sure I am preaching to the choir…since you are looking to save money…and you found my blog…BUT sometimes the simplest things go unnoticed. Don’t think you are the only one cashing in on your loose change. Plenty of my friends and family do this in order to have an extra $20 in his or her wallet. Don’t be embarrassed.

If you try to rationalize that pair of shoes you have up on the next tab on your browser, think about the extra $10 or $15 that is lying around in quarters and dimes in the bottom of your purse or in the back pocket of your jeans. If you want to save your change, get a large mug or cup and drop a couple coins in each day. In a week or two, you will have a full cup! (This also goes for my other tip…using cash instead of your debit card)

Have you thought about my question from my previous post? What do you spend money on each day?

I’ll list my items:

  1. Coffee- $3.25 or $5.79 (depending on Dunkin or Starbucks)
  2. Lunch/Dinner- $12.00- $20.00 (depending on where I eat)

My goal for this weekend: make my lunch/dinner at home.

 

What’s your goal?

 

Trick Your Mind

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When you get the itch to go shopping, clean your room. I swear it works! If you are as messy as I can be, cleaning off a chair filled with clothing can almost be like shopping, without hurting your wallet. You tend to find things that have been out of your sight for weeks! This goes for periodically cleaning out your dresser and refolding clothing. You are able to rotate your clothes and find a piece that you forgot you had! Sometimes, I am able to go through my whole dresser and find items you never even wore! Last night, I found 3 pairs of Gap pants that I completely forgot I bought, and was able to create fantastic outfits with them! This was from yesterday:

OOTD: Gap Neon Pink Khaki, Chiffon sleeveless shirt from Urban Outfitters and Jack Rogers Platinum sandals.

The benefits of cleaning out your room are endless. You are able to dive into an abyss filled with clothing and come out with a clean, organized room AND “new” clothes! This also goes for “taking inventory” of your make-up and jewelry collection. I am the biggest repeat offender of keeping make-up I don’t use. It’s like I have separation anxiety from it. GET OVER IT AND THROW IT OUT! If it’s old, past it’s expiration date, the wrong color, broken, or empty…throw it OUT! Don’t take up space with items you do not use.

Jewelry is a little bit tricky when it comes to taking inventory. I suggest separating items into expensive and cheap, costume types. After you have done that, examine each piece and determine if there are any broken parts, and if it is worth getting it repaired. If not, throw it out. If you like what’s on the necklace, take the pendants off and save them for a potential future project. As for expensive pieces, hang them or store them away from other pieces. This way, they do not have the potential to be tangled…and you can see everything clearly.

 

Stay tuned for more ideas…and try your hardest not to spend today!

Two Day Hiatus…Failed.

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After a 2 day hiatus of not spending any money I didn’t have to, I broke down and went online shopping on Wanelo. Oops…Luckily, for my wallet, I only bought something for $7.00. Afterwards, I had the worst shopper’s remorse and contemplated returning the item before it got to my house. But, I decided it had been something I wanted, and I justified keeping it. Feel free to give me a judgement face! I’m judging my weakness as well.

However, this post is not all about my new fail. I do have my third tip for saving money. Take cash out instead of always swiping your debit or credit card. When you do this, you’re able to visually see your money depleting. It is an eye opening process that shows you just how much money you are spending in a day.

I used to be afraid that if I carried cash around with me, I was more at risk for getting mugged. This is probably the dumbest thing you can think! Even though there is more available money for someone to take, what are the chances a mugger knows you are indeed carrying cash?

Take a minute and look at your wallet right now. Ask yourself…how much money did I have in here last night? What did I spend it on? Was it worth it? If you can justify all your expenses, then you’re in the clear.

Ask yourself, is there anything that I DON’T have to spend money on?

…get back to me.