Tag: spending

S or S? : Summer Staples

So, what do you want to splurge or save on?

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It’s that time of year again where we find ourselves at a cross roads. To buy new, exciting clothes..or deal with what you have for yet another season of not so cute instagram posts.

Obviously, we have our summer staples: Bathing suits, a cute pair of shorts, sunglasses, flip flops, and a sundress…anything else? I’m probably sure I’m missing plenty of staples…but my dog keeps licking my leg, so that’s what we’re going with for now.

So, what do you want to splurge or save on?

Bathing Suit

Splurge. Yep, splurge on this one. I gotta say, buying bathing suits from Target are great in a pinch, but when you actually spend some quality money (like $100 and you have a mini heart attack while swiping your card) you get a pretty great bathing suit that will last a while. Lands End, Everything but Water, Boden..just to name some. Some things are reasonable, and some stuff is just outlandish– but I’ve seen the difference first hand in how a GREAT bathing suit fits vs a cheaper one. As a bigger laday, it’s hard to find something that flatters you.

Sundress

Save. I know we can all agree that a $98 sundress from Lilly tends to be a *must* for me, but there are so many different dress options these days, that you can get a practical dress for less than $20 that will last you for the summer. Guess what? That color trend or style of dress may be out of style next summer, so it’s best to spend less.

Shorts

Save. Same goes for this topic. Not gonna lie, a good pair of shorts can hug you a special kind of way, but I own expensive shorts…and the pockets stick out and make my hips look wider than they need to. Guess what pair of my shorts DON’T do that? My JCrew FACTORY shorts for literally $15. So, my good pair of shorts that hug me in all the right ways, was $15, while my $68 Lilly Pulitzer pair makes my hips look like they don’t lie. Sometimes, they do. So don’t be fooled.

Sunglasses

Save. Okay, is it just me, or can you find some bomb-ass sunnies for nothing? I know that I had a $3 pair from Marshall’s for the longest time, until I sat on them in my car and then squinted my eyes all the way to New York. I currently have a pair from Dollboxx which is a little more pricey, but still reasonable…and not $150. To add to that, they also make bathing suits that I wouldn’t be caught dead in..but if you can rock them, be my guest.

Flippys

Splurge. Yeppers–buy that pair of Jacks, Eliza B’s or Tory’s. It’s treat yo’self day. First off, Jacks hurt like a bitch, but last a while– unless you get those Jellies, because they hurt AND don’t last…but the reg leather ones are great– just try not to wear them for a whole day unless you like being a grumpy bitch. Eliza B’s are about $60, and WORTH IT. I have about 4 pairs from high school that I can still wear and not look like a bum. They LAST. I just bought a new pair, because they’re madras– but I love how comfy they are and how supportive they feel. Lastly, Tory Burch sells some cute sandals, man. I don’t own any, but for the girl who has everything and wants more– these are for you. She has a ton of choices, and I’m into each one. Everyone might be different, but in my opinion, a sloppy shoe is a sign of a not so put together person.

This summer, spend smart, spend less, and make sure to plan out your purchases so you have enough left over for an impromtu hooky day from work..or if your boss is reading this, an impromtu PTO day 🙂

Love you, mean it.

K

 

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New Year, New Bills

katemcgate3 Comments

Hey Boo-

I have to say, this year is going to be one hell of a year. I am looking to buy a house, move to a different area, and finally get married! There’s way too much going on, and it’s all happening in nine months! September can’t come soon enough, but the year already needs to slow it’s roll. It’s already the 6th, and I feel like I’m behind.

I feel like throughout my process of getting married, I have thought about some unexpected bills that brides-to-be (or grooms-to-be) may not have thought of. This is a doozy. In my own experience, I am going to have to get weened off of a couple things– aka, a gas credit card, an ezpass, my car payment, my insurance payment, and my medical insurance…just to name a few. I’ve already written down most of these “life” expenses…and damn. On top of being throw to the wolves, (in terms of paying my own bills…lol) I am also discovering a bunch of hidden fees along with this whole…marriage contract.

  1. Changing Your Phone Service This is one of the most painful processes known to man. For me, I am currently on my parent’s plan. In the next couple of months, I will be changing over to my fiancĂ©‘s plan. After doing research, I get to pay a cancellation fee and then pay an activation fee plus buy a new phone! That last part was partially my fault…and partially my driveway’s fault.
  2. Moving Costs Get your friends ready…because unless you have money trees in your backyard, good luck! Moving services can cost upwards of 2 grand…with a coupon. I know I’ll be moving my stuff in my little Mazda 3…with a little help from my parents!
  3. Insurance, Insurance, and More Insurance Auto insurance, home owner’s insurance, your face insurance, dental insurance, medical insurance, mortgage insurance, flood insurance…do you get it? I honestly don’t understand why I’m not an insurance agent. I would be making bank. Anyway, make sure to budget in all your insurance needs when you’re starting your new life.

There are so many more expenses…and I can’t wait to share them all with you! For now, start saving your pennies.

 

xoxo -Kate

 

ps– don’t forget to pay your enormous credit card bill from the holiday season…unless you listened to me, and budgeted yourself!

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.