Tag: Confessions

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!”

 

Utilizing What You Have

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Hi Saving Beauties!

Sorry for the writer’s block lately. While being away, I did not spend much money, and when I did…I was using up gift cards that I received for my birthday. Topic for today? Utilizing what we have.

When going out, how many of you change purses and wallets? That’s right, every single one of you. How many of you just take what you need for the night and leave the rest of your items begging for a home in your old purse? Here’s what I’ve come up with:

  • Gift cards that are half used tend to be forgotten about. “Out of sight, out of mind”
  • Items that fall out of you bag and into your car or in your room go missing forever.
  • Going through your coat pockets can bring a bit of wealth your way.

Just some thoughts I thought I would share…the main point? Use what you have before you go out and buy more. You would be surprised the amount of money you have in half used gift cards!

Another point of random interest? Buying nail polish bottles is not a crime! Think about it: A whole bottle of nail polish is $10.00 tops? A full manicure and pedicure is $20.00 minimum. How many manicures can you give yourself with a WHOLE bottle of nail polish? My justification skills are phenomenal!

 

Happy savings!

Healthy Saving

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If you live in New York, you know just how much cigarettes cost these days. LORD. Not only would quitting this nasty habit help your health, it will help your wallet in the long run. If you smoke, take the time to sit back and write down how many packs you purchase a week– do the math. $35.00 a week? Yea…I know that pain. Luckily, I have cut down a LARGE amount, which makes my parents and my boyfriend very happy. I feel much better than usual. As of right now, I have 33 hours cigarette free. It’s tough, but it’s worth it.

What about all the money you spend on alcohol? Sit back down and add up all the drinks you had at the bar last night. LE SIGH. That’s the kicker isn’t it? When you think about it, you could drop over $100.00 in a single night, and not even remember it. Now, I’m always up for a good night at the bar, but let’s get real. We’re spending money on cigarettes and alcohol only to not remember the “great” night you had and feed into a life in the fast lane. Think about the amount of money you have, and how much you spend on items that will ultimately be bad for you.

Over my birthday weekend, I was able to go out for a couple meals, and found myself penny pinching in order to be able to eat lunch today.

Goal for today: Spend only what I need to. Don’t indulge in the pretty things you pass by in the windows. Make today a “healthy” saving day. Fight the urge. We’ll do this together!

Mail’s Here!

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I went to work today for the afternoon shift, so I was able to intercept the mail today before my parents were home from work. No sure why I am so secretive about what I buy, since it is my money, but I am…One of my two orders from etsy.com came in today, and I do not have shopper’s remorse about it…SO I decided I would share it! Although pointless to someone who is trying to save money, it seemed perfect for me!

I am the type of girl who loves monograms, so I am always on the lookout for cute monogram items. This was no exception…the price was wonderful PLUS the color/font choices were to die for.  I recommend anyone who loves preppy-ish styles for clothing or accessories to check her out! I have my fix for right now, but the affordable price and the cuteness factor make it hard not to buy! Even if I am trying to save money, I can still budget in order to remain satisfied.

Check Meredith’s shop out!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PalmettoMonograms

Tip of the day:

“Budgeting does not mean torture! It means control!”

Made by: Palmetto Monograms! So adorable!
Made by: Palmetto Monograms! So adorable!

And Another One Bites the Dust…

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Since my boyfriend lives so far away from me, I am always on the lookout for cute little things to send him. Unfortunately, those small things end up being much larger purchases. I consider my weakness as another lesson learned.

Lesson learned: do NOT go onto any shopping website with free shipping if you are attempting to save money.

As for what I purchased for my boyfriend, that will remain under wraps due to him reading this 🙂 BUT I will say, I was proud of the “bargain” I got for what I bought.  But…gifts are selfless right?

On the bright side, I have walked in and out of my local drug and beauty stores and not bought a single nail polish! This does not mean I haven’t thought about it. But, I learned that if I bring a friend along, I will not purchase out of guilt. Not the best reasoning, but better than spending frivolous money on items I didn’t need. Looking through my collection, I found I have over 30 bottles of Essie nail polish from different collections and for different seasons. I have justified thus far every bottle as an essential part of my collection.

Rome wasn’t built in a day….right?

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!