Mixing (Animal) Prints

We've been knee deep in personal finance the last couple posts so I thought today would be a great chance to sneak in an outfit post.





top: gap; jacket: banana republic; jeans: old navy; shoes: target; jewelry-mixed. 


How timely of me to choose animal print for my outfit the same day Christina announced her next Bloggers Do It Better Challenge. While I would love to have a leopard print top of some sort, maybe a nice lounge-y sweater piece, it's not in the budget (as SSF would say) so I will have to just stick with my leopard print shoes and my giraffe print cuff bracelet. Not bad though for things I've had just lying around the house.

On another note, I think I've moved past the useful life of these denim leggings. While the price point was compelling last fall when I bought them (around $17) they haven't held up against the washing machine as well as I would have liked. (Lesson learned: don't buy $17 dollar jean leggings hoping they will last)

Finally, If you look closely at the last picture you may notice I'm wearing the state of Pennsylvania around my neck. Awesome right? I have to tell you, I'm kind of obsessed. My sister bought it for me for my birthday (after I e-mailed her the link--I like people that can take a hint). It's designed and sold by Maya Brenner.  I'm totally obsessed with her stuff right now. (I'm not even kidding you that this necklace may have inspired the design behind my whole wedding invitation suite.

Anyway, it's Friday! Everyone go and enjoy their weekend. I know I will. SSF and I have a gift certificate to our favorite restaurant and a Groupon for movie tickets. I smell a date night (cause that's how we roll).

Working Backward to Move Forward

Source: modernhepburn.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest

When I was in college I had a friend that graduated two years before me. He got a job with a financial advising company and asked me to sit down with him to talk retirement. During that time, he had me fill out a survey (if you've ever been to a financial planner, you know what I'm talking about) basically outlining my current liabilities and most importantly my financial goals for the future. At that time, our little sit down meeting was a joke. I was a server working part-time in a bar, with lots of debt, and no idea of what I wanted in the future (this was prior to meeting SSF). In my mind, I was just helping out a friend.

That was then.

Earlier this year SSF and I started to paint our own retirement picture. It involved waking up every morning to the sounds of the ocean, preferably in the Outer Banks. We patted ourselves on the back and called it a goal. We set a goal for retirement.

This past Saturday we were up in Philly helping my parents get their house ready for the market (ripping up carpets, very glamorous). My Dad will be retiring in few short months and they are planning on selling their home in the city and buying a new one elsewhere. While my parents don't really have any other choice since they want to leave the city, I realized there is no way I would want to start paying a new mortgage on the cusp of my retirement. I want our retirement to be free of any avoidable liabilities. Sounds like another goal to me.

On the car ride home I started thinking about both of those goals, the beach house on one hand and no debt on the other. Those two goals were in conflict if we planned on buying our home post-retirement. That's when, for the first time, I actually made a strategy instead of just a goal.  New Strategy (to achieve retirement goal): In our mid to late 40's we will buy our beach home, maintain it as a rental to help with the mortgage and insurance, and then make it our own when we retire. Then out of that one strategy came another: New Strategy: pay off my student loan debt by 40 so we can save for the down payment on a house. (That sounds like such a long way off, but realistically it's only 13 years away, eek!)


I realize this probably sounds like nothing new, but for me it's a different way of thinking. I've always just assumed that everything would work itself out and that everything happened for a reason. But it doesn't and it won't. Having a goal and a plan to achieve it are two different things. You can't have one without the other. My work is far from over, I still have to layout my plan for paying off my student loans, but thinking about my retirement this way is kind of liberating.

What are your goals for retirement and more importantly how do you plan to achieve them?

Five Things You Might be Paying Too Much for... (and How to Pay Less)

That was a pretty aggressive title right? I've never really done a post like this so before we get into it let me make a few things clear. First, not everything may apply to you. Take it with a grain of salt. Second, these figures are based on my own experiences your own may differ. Third, I'm not saying the items I mention are the cheapest alternative on the market, but it maybe something that preferred to a generic or cheaper brand.


Just wanted to make that clear, now let's save some money.

                                                                 

1. Salon Quality Nail Polish
I will be the first to admit that I am a nail polish snob. I don't buy new polish often, but when I do I prefer brands like Essie and OPI. For me, someone who has trouble painting inside the lines, these brands go on smooth (read: easy) and last a long time (read: only have to change my polish once every 2-3 weeks). The problem is they cost $8 a bottle, at least. Ouch.

                                                                          Source: smallshopstudio.com via Lola on Pinterest

Get it for less: Lately, I've been choosing Ulta for my nail polish purchases. They often run buy 2 get 1 free specials that you can combine with the in-ad coupon (in the Sunday paper).Their standard coupon is $3.50 off a purchase of $10, but sometimes they will offer $5 off. That means you would pay $12.50 for 3 bottles of $8 nail polish. A savings of 48% 

2. Anything full price from Gap

I've always liked Gap, but if you've paid full price for anything from there you paid too much (no offense Gap). The retailer has been crazy promotional the last few months, I'm sure you've noticed if you receive their e-mails, which means big savings. 

Get it for less: As a big fan of their denim I've been using their end of season and random 50% off women's sales to purchase items like white skinny jeans and an pair of cropped denim leggings for $18 dollars total. You can save big too by keeping an eye on your e-mail for "additional % off" clearance events or that elusive 50% off all women's to stock up on their reliable basics (short sleeve/ long sleeve tee's) and denim in all kinds of cuts for less. 

3. Text Messaging

I can only speak to my experience with Verizon, but $20 a month is a lot to pay for unlimited use considering all the alternatives out there. Take a look at your cellphone bill and tell me there isn't an opportunity to trim some fat.

                                                                 Source: habituallychic.blogspot.com via Tessa on Pinterest

Get it for less: The person I text message the most also happens to be on gchat so by transitioning our normal conversations from text to gchat I was able to cut my text messaging plan down to $5/month. You can do the same by taking advantage of social media sites and instant messaging platforms to circumvent those high text messaging plans. Individual savings will vary. 

4. Victoria's Secret Underwear
This is kind of cheating because I've mentioned it before, but trust me it is worth repeating. I love Victoria's Secret underwear. I don't know about you, but I love it, especially the PINK line. I'm not exactly their target market these days, but let's face it they reeled me in as a coed and I really don't see myself buying underwear from anywhere else. That said, $8.50 for one pair is a little ridiculous especially when Hanes is selling a 5 pack for $10.

Get it for less: I know we are all privy to the the 5 for $25.50 sales. They are great sales but I'm talking less than that. Victoria's Secret sends out a lot of coupons especially for free pairs, but the best ones are the $10 off a $10 purchase. Match these $10 off coupons with a 5 for $25.50 sale and you've got yourself a deal. That's a savings of 61% 


5. Toothpaste
I know it's the end but stay with me here. Before we started couponing SSF and I were completely content baying $2-$3 for a tube of crest. We'll call that blissfully unaware. However, now as couponers, we couldn't imagine paying more than 50 cents. Seriously.

                                                                      Source: lovelypackage.com via Grace on Pinterest

Get it for less: This one does require a little more work than the others, in the form of clipping a few coupons and keeping an eye out for Buy One Get One Free deals,but once you can build a little stockpile it gets easier. There are coupons out there for all different brands, if you catch a BOGO free deal, use 2 $1.00 off coupons to lower the cost of your 1st tube. If you see more 2 for $4 sales at your store look for 75 cents off coupons (if your store doubles) to bring your final cost to 50 cents.

Now you tell me, what am I paying too much for?

sidenote: you really can find pictures of anything on Pinterest. 

I don't usually do this...

But come on, this girl  wants an (extra) shot at winning that Marc Jacobs bag.

So here's the deal, have you heard of Shop It To Me? It's a subscription service that finds the sales for you. Let me say that again, finds the sales for you, and delivers them to your inbox. You pick the brands/stores, you pick the frequency, and you pick the % off, and Shop It To Me does the rest for you. You can see a full write-up I did here.

What are you waiting for, sign-up for Shop It To Me (if your not already a member), invite some friends, and enter to win one of the 4 prizes shown above.

Ends Friday 9/23!

* current members are invited to enter the giveaway just by inviting friends. 
* the sign-up link posted is my referral link, I just wanted you to know. 

Combining Finances Pt. II

So Monday I told you about how SSF and I finally took the plunge and combined our finances. I stand by my statement that the decision was the hardest part, but actually figuring out how to make it all work is no walk in the park either. It takes work, and whole heck of a lot of adjustment.

First we had to decide where we were going to keep our money. Initially we considered opening a new joint checking account at a new bank so we could take advantage of one of those deals where we can get cash for jumping through "x" amount of hoops when we opened our checking account.  Another concern SSF had going into this whole thing is that we were missing out on savings because we never did anything with the money left in our own accounts at the end of the month. In the end for simplicity's sake and the hope of boosting our savings we opened our checking account at ING Direct. (Highly  you recommend it, if you are interested in opening an ING account e-mail me, if you open with a minimum deposit you will get $25, and I will get $10. It's a win/win. )

 Next, we had to figure out our cash flow. There are (apparently) many bills required to run a household and we each had our own schedule of paying those bills. Now we had to put it all together to make sure that no matter what bill was due, we had the funds to pay it.

Third, we (and by we I mean I) created a way to track our expenses. I wouldn't call it a budget, because if I did SSF wouldn't use it, but it's just simply an expense tracker. Broken down by spending category and month I tried to make it simple for both of us to see what money we had coming in and where it was going back out. September  is the inaugural month, so at the end of this month or more likely next month we can go back, analyze, set spending limits, and hopefully add a little more to the bottom line.

(click spreadsheet to make bigger-- and btw don't judge on the figures, there were some irregular expenses like car insurance, and a larger than number cellphone bill to be paid, these do not reflect normal monthly expenses)

So just to summarize, there are three important things to do, if you are combining your finances.
1. Agree on an account.
2. Set-up a calendar (or at least, figure out what bills will be paid when)
3. Track your spend.

And a fourth for good measure:
4. Always be honest and open.

Are there any steps I missed? What did you do when you combined finances?

Combining Finances

Source: bing.com via Grace on Pinterest

     For the better part of a week I've been thinking about how I wanted to organize this post. While I'd really like to just dive right into the logistics of it all I think it would be better to start with what drove our decision to put all of our money in the same pot. Because really its the first step that's the hardest part of the whole process.


A Little Background
    SSF and I have been living together for 4 years now and through all that time we've been splitting up our expenses as fairly as possible. Of course though back in those early days I was paying off my credit cards and as a result the responsibility fell on SSF to pay a little lot more than half of our monthly expenses. Despite that we did experiment a little with combined finances by opening a joint savings account together shortly after we moved to Maryland. Every month we would contribute what we could to that account. In a way I feel like it solidified our future together. To me, that savings account was like a commitment  to SSF that I was in it for the long haul.


The Decision
    Fast forward to July of this year. Our financial situation is a much different (no more cc debt), but we still have a huge hurdle in front of us, my student loans. It would have probably been easier to just continue down our path of "separate and kind of equal" finances but we wanted something better for the future. In reality, we were each only seeing one half of the big picture. He knew what he was spending (and had leftover each month) and I knew what I was doing. At this point, we both wanted to see it all. Not only that, but we wanted to maximize our budget as much as possible and lay the foundation for a better financial future together.  The only conceivable way to do that was to put it all in one place and see where it goes. I don't think it was really a hard decision for either of us. We are both very open about our finances and tell each other each and every excruciating detail. We aren't perfect though. We both check the account religiously and at times we ask suspiciously "what was that money for". But you get an answer and move on.


How to Make it Work for You
     I'm not going to make any promises that combining finances is the answer for everyone. It's not. I'm kind of a traditionalist and have always believed that my future husband and I would share finances. Mentally though it's a lot harder than you think.

Start Small: Don't try to go all in all at once. SSF and I started with a savings account. You could also start with a shared account for expenses (this mostly makes sense if you live together). Each month you put your half of the expenses in and it all gets paid out of one account. This eases you into the concept of "our money".

Bare it All: Seriously. Disclose all of your spending/ debts/ etc. This is the hardest part, but most important. Do you think I wanted to tell SSF about all my debt? Of course not. I was embarrassed, ashamed, mortified. But I did, and you know what? He was supportive. Well at first we was upset (naturally) but once he overcame the initial shock he was ready to tackle with me.

Set Boundaries: When it comes to combining finances, most experts will recommend setting a spending limit that you can spend up to without consulting your spouse/significant other. SSF and I haven't really got there yet because we are stilling trying to figure out what disposable income (if any) we have at the end of the month but this is the logical next step.

Keep the Conversation Going: Sharing finances isn't a one time thing. It is an on-going, ever-evolving process. Things change, and you have to be able to adapt. SSF and I have an on-going conversation about money. What we should do with any extra, what we want to save for, and strategy for paying off existing debts.

Later this week I will go into a little more detail about the logistics. How we decided what account to pool in, our short-term goals, long-term goals, and of course how we've been tracking our expenses.

Cheap Thrills

It's Friday! Woooooo!
I just wanted to share some of the (cheap) things that have got me all excited over the last couple weeks.

Have a great weekend!

Making my closet feel more J.Crew than T.J. Maxx

Cost: $14 for the vase and fish bowl (Hobby Lobby)

Who says you can't merchandise your closet? 

Personal finance books on clearance at Border's "going out of buisiness sale".

Cost: $9.. total.

A hot topic for SSF I these days has been retirement savings, hopefully that bottom book should help. 

The most perfect pair of "end of summer beginning of fall shoes" at 70% off.

Cost: $35 at DSW

I've been wearing these things everywhere, all the time. 

Breathing new life into thrifted skirts.

Cost: Free! Already owned both skirts and I used the leftover stitch witchery from my roman shade project.

I can't wait for some serious fall weather to rock these with boots and tights, but first I need new tights. 

Clarity

shirt, jeans, and belt: gap, sandals: old navy; bag; dooney & bourke. 


I was hoping to get a post together for today about how SSF and I have combined our finances, but thanks to a minor flood in my basement on Sunday, you will have to settle for just another outfit post.

To be honest I've been feeling kind of blah about outfit posts as of late, which is nothing new really, I go through these phases every now and again. This time feels different though. SSF and I don't naturally take a lot of pictures, even during special occasions or events. We both get so wrapped up in the moment we never think to document things which makes outfit pictures kind of feel a chore. I don't want anything about this blog to ever feel like a chore. You know?

I write because I enjoy it, I share pieces of myself because I like the connection it creates with others. As I mentioned on Friday, I started this blog with a different intention than the direction I'm currently heading. I wasn't planning on saying any of this, it all just kind of came out like word vomit, so I haven't really thought everything through. I don't know what course corrections are coming yet. But there may be some changes around here over the next few months as far as content goes. This doesn't mean we're breaking up--outfit posts, it just means we might see each other less often. I don't even know if that's true yet but I guess we will see.

If you have any thoughts on things you'd love to see me cover, I want to hear them.

Goals for a New (Birth) Year

Source: etsy.com via Emily on Pinterest

Last year for my birthday I set some goals for myself and to my delight, I accomplished more than I thought over the last year. Just to recap, those goals were:

1. Read 6 books-- didn't happen.
2. Take a vacation with SSF (SSBF at the time) -- unless you count a 2 day trip to the Outer Banks to meet with wedding planners then not accomplished.
3. Be consumer debt free-- I was referring to mostly to my credit card debt so CHECK.
4. Get a raise/promotion-- CHECK 4% isn't much, but it's 4% more than when I started.
5. Take on more financial responsibility/get engaged-- CHECK (to my surprise and delight)

Three out of five is pretty damn good.

This year, in a little change of pace, I hope to:

1. Be Present: I wish I would have snagged this necklace from JessLC while it was available because it's something I need to be reminded of often. I have a tendency to get all wrapped in my own stuff and thoughts  that I forget to make time for the little things like calling friends, commenting on blogs, or rubbing SSF's head just because. These are the little things that keep existing relationships fresh and help to build new ones.

2. Be Open/Brave: While I could be accused of over-sharing on this blog, in real-life I'm a little more closed off and defensive. I tend to fear what I can't control-- what other people think of me. As a result it's hard for me to make friends or even small talk. This year I will be open, attend more after-work functions, and make more than just acquaintances.

3. Be Thoughtful: Similar to my first goal, this one is about doing special things for the people around me. I always intend to send a birthday card, a congratulations card, or I "just wanted to say hi" card but more often than not I just don't get around to it. This year, I want to actually get around to it.

4. Be Fiscally Savvy and Brag About It: This one is kind of ironic since I claim to write a blog with a personal finance spin. I feel like I just don't write about it that often. In the beginning my intent with this blog was to create a resource for savvy shoppers, but it's kind of just turned into same-old girl on a budget getting dressed everyday. I want this blog to be something more than that but I've found I hold back because I tend to second-guess just how clever I am. I doubt how much my readers really want to hear about how I bought a pair of jeans for $5 or saved 70% on grocery bill. I mean I know you do, but I just doubt whether I am the person you want to hear it from. This year, I want to brag, I want to boast, and I want all of you to take the reigns on your financial life (if you haven't already)

5. Be Engaged: No, I don't mean like engaged to SSF. I will be finishing up grad school in December and while that means I will get a boatload of free time back, it also means it will be my sole responsibility to keep learning. Last year my goal was to just read 6 books. This year I don't just want to read books, I want to grow from them. Sounds kind of cheesy but it's true. You know what I mean.

These goals aren't entirely SMART(Specific,Measurable, Attainable,Relevant,Timely), but they are my goals none the less.

What kind of goals are you working on?

Did I Mention it was My Birthday?

top: gap; bolero: express; jeans: old navy; shoes: seychelles via dsw


I know, you are probably sick of hearing how it was my birthday on Sunday, but I had to throw it in there at least one more time. It is a day that comes but once a year. You understand. Right?

If you happened to stop by here on Sunday you may have noticed that SSF staged a little coup on my blog. He also planned a wonderful birthday that included brunch, shopping, and dinner at The Melting Pot (yum). He really knows the way to my heart (food and presents). It was an amazing day and the perfect opportunity to wear my gold brocade bolero that does not get out as often as it'd like. Here's to birthdays, and all of you wonderful readers/friends that wished me happy birthday. It means the world.

On another note, today is the official start to my last semester of grad school(yipee!). The only things that stand between me and a post graduate degree  are Business Strategy, Branding, and Social Media. With that said things could get a little weird around here. Consider this your warning. I may not post as frequently as you (or I) may like but I will do my best. Just bear with me through the 3 craziest months of my life... and then we dive head first into hardcore wedding planning. Sounds like fun right?

How was your holiday weekend?

What I Love About September

Autumn is by far my favorite time of year, and September my favorite month, so why not celebrate Labor Day with some of my favorite things about the season.

1. My Birthday: Duh. no explanation needed.

Source: weheartit.com via Jamie on Pinterest

2. September Magazines: There is nothing better than a 500-page magazine to flip through on a Sunday afternoon.

Source: tumblr.com via Alexandria on Pinterest

3. Changing Leaves: This picture is from Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah Valley (VA) a place I may drag SSF too this fall if I have some time.

Source: google.com via Katrina on Pinterest

4. Layers: I love that little chill in the morning air that makes layering a must (not to be confused with the office AC on full blast making your office feel like an icebox)

Source: atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest

5. Pumpkin Donuts and Warm Apple Cider: While nothing seems to compare to Uncle John's Cider Mill, this fall I'm determined to find a local version that serves those delicious pumpkin donuts.

Source: blogs.babble.com via Milas on Pinterest

What are your favorite things?

Happy Birthday, Sweetheart

Hijacked!  This is SSF, and I am guest-posting on Grace’s blog, unbeknownst to her.  You see, you learn a lot about a person after dating them for five years.  You learn that they like to dip their cut-up fruit in peanut butter, that they giggle whenever they hear the word “wood” in a sentence, and of course, all of their important account passwords!  And you definitely learn they like surprises on their birthday.

Most of you know Grace as a creative, career driven, and fashion-forward fashionista.  You know of her struggles and triumphs with money and debt, and you know her goals for the future.  At 27, she has her life in front of her, and I cannot tell you how lucky I am to be a part of that future.  It’s corny to say she’s my everything, but in reality it’s the truth.  There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t thank my lucky stars that she’s in my life. 

So on your birthday, sweetheart, I just wanted to let you know how much I love you and how special you are to me.  I look forward to celebrating your birthday today, and yes, even taking outfit pictures =).  Here’s to many more birthdays together, angel. 

 Love,

SSF xoxo

 PS~  Here is my all-time favorite photo of Grace.  I know it's not her favorite, but she looks beautiful to me in it.

I Did This! DIY Roman Shade

If there is one good thing I can say about Hurricane Irene is was that she gave me the time to finish up my roman shade project. Thank you Irene.

Two full weekend days and a pile of blinds later here is the end result of my no-sew roman shade:





Not too shabby, right?
There are a few little hiccups (like the fact that shade in the small window doesn't go up very nicely because of a last minute decision by SSF for add blackout lining) but all and all I would say it went relatively smooth.

In total this project cost: $66.87

Decorative Fabric: $42.35(on sale, 7.99/yard)
Blackout Lining: $17.47 (on sale, 3.49/yard)
Hem Tape & Fabric Glue: $7.05

You can see the full step by step tutorial here or here.

Here are some of the things I learned:

-hot glue does not work, or least didn't work for me--- use permanent fabric glue.


-consider using a liner with lighter fabrics, when the light comes through you can see the blinds, which bothered SSF and I more than we thought it would.


-go to the store to scout fabric, but check online for a better deal: my fabric was $19.99/yard in store but landed it from joanne.com for a much more manageable $7.99/yard.


-you can't measure enough, seriously. measure once and then measure again to make sure your blinds aren't too short, too long, too wide, too narrow.


-above all else, just enjoy it! I loved creating something with my own two hands that is now a fixture in our bedroom.

Overall, this was a great project that got my hands dirty and was a cheap alternative to brand new window coverings. What do you think?