Just popping in quick from work (shhh, don't tell!) to let you know that I won't be blogging for a short bit..my Mac Book is in need of a little fixer upper by the Apple doctors. I hope to be back within the next week or so to share my final budget results for August!
September 1, 2011
August 27, 2011
Hurricane Irene
Just a quick note to those who currently reside in Hurricane Irene's direct path to please stay safe this weekend! Although my town won't be directly impacted, we will likely still have heavy rain and strong winds beginning late tonight through at least mid-afternoon tomorrow. I'm planning to sit back and relax with a pile of September issues, a glass of wine, and a single serve ramekin of 35 second chocolate cake.
August 22, 2011
Zoya 'Touch' Collection
Zoya 'Touch' Collection (left to right: Pandora, Shay, Minka) - $8 each
I love a neutral nail. It's my go-to look for when I want pretty but professional looking nails. In my opinion, the best polish shades for a professional setting are either a classic red/pink or nude. I especially love that neutral shades don't show wear and tear on your nails as easily as a bright polish does.
I think I own more bottles of nude polish than any other shade but that didn't stop me from lusting over Zoya's 'Touch' Collection when it was released earlier in the summer. When I came across all 3 shades from the collection at my local Ulta, I was beyond excited. I used a gift card + a coupon for $3.50 off a $10 purchase. So far, I've used 2 out of the 3 polishes from the collection - Shay and Pandora (which will likely become a new favorite - see below).
I think I own more bottles of nude polish than any other shade but that didn't stop me from lusting over Zoya's 'Touch' Collection when it was released earlier in the summer. When I came across all 3 shades from the collection at my local Ulta, I was beyond excited. I used a gift card + a coupon for $3.50 off a $10 purchase. So far, I've used 2 out of the 3 polishes from the collection - Shay and Pandora (which will likely become a new favorite - see below).
August 15, 2011
Recent Splurge: Tory Burch
Yet another birthday perk that I received via email recently was a promo code for 20% off my next order at Tory Burch (this is my last post about a birthday promo..promise!). A couple of years ago, I set aside a portion of my tax return to purchase a pair of snakeskin Reva flats and have never regretted it. I haven't bought any other Tory Burch items since but browse the website regularly to drool over so many of her creations. When this little perk arrived in my inbox, I couldn't stop myself from browsing the sale section of the website where I found this ocelot print brush roll (originally $85.00).
I know what you're probably thinking. Nearly $60 for a brush roll is still seems a little pricey and I don't disagree. However, my job requires 12+ weeks of travel per year and I have never brought my makeup brushes with me because I didn't have a method of storing them that would allow me to transport them safely. (In the past, I've made do with just 2 retractable brushes that I keep in a small cosmetics bag..a larger one for the face and a smaller one for the eyes.) Finally being able to travel with my makeup brushes + leopard print + Tory Burch = a huge win for me.
The only downside of this little splurge was that it barely leaves any room in my budget for the rest of the month so I'll be relying on gift cards to satisfy any shopping urges for the next few weeks!
(Just in case anyone is wondering, all of my brushes are made by Eco Tools.)
I know what you're probably thinking. Nearly $60 for a brush roll is still seems a little pricey and I don't disagree. However, my job requires 12+ weeks of travel per year and I have never brought my makeup brushes with me because I didn't have a method of storing them that would allow me to transport them safely. (In the past, I've made do with just 2 retractable brushes that I keep in a small cosmetics bag..a larger one for the face and a smaller one for the eyes.) Finally being able to travel with my makeup brushes + leopard print + Tory Burch = a huge win for me.
The only downside of this little splurge was that it barely leaves any room in my budget for the rest of the month so I'll be relying on gift cards to satisfy any shopping urges for the next few weeks!
(Just in case anyone is wondering, all of my brushes are made by Eco Tools.) Missoni for Target
Silk scarves - Missoni for Target (available Sept. 13th)
One of the best ways to score designer items on a budget is to always be on the lookout for retailers who feature designer lines for less. Next month, Target will be releasing a limited edition Missoni for Target line of clothing, accessories, and home goods. (Preview the full line here or go to the 'Target Style' facebook page to view album thumbnails that include price details for select products.)
I noticed as I was flipping through my copy of Nina Garcia's 'The One Hundred' book last week that a Missoni piece is included in her list of 100 items every fashionable woman should own. As iconic as a Missoni print is, I have to admit that all of the crazy colors and patterns are just not for me. However, I did find a few accessories and kitchen items in the collection that I love including the silk scarves ($19.99 each - shown above), this hat ($24.99), and these cup/saucer sets (price unknown).
Target features various designer lines for less on a pretty regular basis. (Unfortunately, they usually don't make it to my local store because I live in a relatively small city.) Here are a few other retailers that are currently featuring or have previously featured designer lines for less:
- Payless (view current designer collaborations here)
- H&M (ex. Lanvin for H&M - released Nov. 2010)
- Loft (ex. Lela Rose for Loft - released earlier this summer)
August 10, 2011
Kate Spade Bangles
It has taken me 28 years to get on board with the bangles craze and now I'm obsessed! I fell in love with Kate Spade's 'Idiom' line of bangle bracelets months ago when I ordered my first one in black (purchase here). Ever since, I've been coveting this same style bangle in other colors and finally added a couple more to my collection at the beginning of the month.
I almost always order Kate Spade items via Piperlime. I find that the promotions are usually a bit better and I also earn points on the purchase by using my Gap Silver card. Plus, shipping and returns are always free (it looks like the official Kate Spade website is currently offering free ground shipping on all orders but returns costs are the responsibility of the customer). For this particular purchase, I used a $15 coupon (another birthday perk I received via email) as well as a $50 Banana Republic gift card. In the end, I paid $3.29 for both bracelets.
Did you know that you can use a gift card for Gap, Banana Republic, or Old Navy interchangeably at any of the 3 stores, plus their online counterparts Piperlime and Athleta? I love having so many options with just a single gift card!
I almost always order Kate Spade items via Piperlime. I find that the promotions are usually a bit better and I also earn points on the purchase by using my Gap Silver card. Plus, shipping and returns are always free (it looks like the official Kate Spade website is currently offering free ground shipping on all orders but returns costs are the responsibility of the customer). For this particular purchase, I used a $15 coupon (another birthday perk I received via email) as well as a $50 Banana Republic gift card. In the end, I paid $3.29 for both bracelets.
Did you know that you can use a gift card for Gap, Banana Republic, or Old Navy interchangeably at any of the 3 stores, plus their online counterparts Piperlime and Athleta? I love having so many options with just a single gift card!
August 5, 2011
July Spending Recap
Let's talk budgets for a few minutes. I definitely think everyone should allow themselves a monthly budget for shopping and/or other things they enjoy, regardless of whether it's $10 or $1,000 (which would be seriously awesome but probably not realistic for most people). It's so important to be in tune with your financial situation and know your limits when it comes to spending.
I've discovered during the past few years that establishing a hard budget value (exactly x amount of dollars per month with no wiggle room) meant I was setting myself up for failure almost on a monthly basis. It was as if having such a strict limit immediately brought on this uncontrollable urge to spend more than what I've allowed for myself which can become a very dangerous pattern. My solution? Instead of allowing myself a particular dollar amount each month, I allowed myself to work within a budget range that is reasonable for my (and husband's) financial situation which, right now, happens to be $50-$75 per month. Each month I aim to stay as close to the low end of that range as possible but it still allows me to go a little over my preferred $50 budget (not including gift card purchases) without having to feel guilty or feel as if I've failed myself yet again. It may not be a method that works for everyone but it works for me.
Here's a recap of my July spending (all totals include tax):
- Ulta - $31.20 (not including a $50 gift card I got for my birthday, mentioned here)
- Macy's - $17.66 (not including the $18.48 I had left on a gift card from last fall, mentioned here)
- Ideeli - $6.37 (after a $25 birthday credit, mentioned here)
- Ann Taylor - $10.34 (the gorgeous sweater pictured below was marked down from $88 to $19.88 plus an additional 50% off the sale price..such a steal!)
I did use portions of a couple of other gift cards that I received for my birthday as well. Husband was kind enough to take me on a birthday shopping trip to the nearest outlet mall which is about an hour and a half away from where we live. I had high hopes at the beginning of the day but left with just this teal 'Jackie' cardigan from the J. Crew factory store which was marked down from $49.50 to $24.97 plus an additional 30% off the sale price. I paid $18.18 using my gift card.
I also made a quick trip to my local Old Navy where I bought a pair of 'Sweetheart' boot cut jeans (no photo but I think they are the 'Chesapeake' wash) marked down from $29.40 to $10.99 as well as these bright colored skinny belts marked down from $12.50 each to $7.49 each. For all 3 items, I paid a total of $27.20 using my gift card.
If it hadn't been for my birthday at the end of the month, I wouldn't have been able to shop nearly as much as I did. I still have a handful of gift cards to use which I'm hoping will carry me through the rest of the summer and into the fall season.
Do you use budgets? I'd love to hear what works well for other people so feel free to share by leaving a comment below!
August 3, 2011
Birthday Haul
Can you believe it's August? I'm not sure where the time goes but I'm amazed that the summer is nearly over already. I turned 28 last Saturday but celebrated the occasion for pretty much the entire month of July. This year for my birthday I ended up getting a few gift cards (Ulta, Banana Republic, J. Crew) and some cash from my mom and husband's family. Since there isn't a nearby Banana or J. Crew store where I live, I immediately ran to Ulta with my gift card and 20% off Friends & Family coupon in hand to do some shopping. Here's what I walked out with:
I'm actually not going to list every item I bought because I think you can see what they all are pretty clearly in this photo but if you have any questions about the products above, leave a comment or send me an email! At the time of this purchase, the Maybelline mascaras were B2G1 and so were the Essie nail polishes (+ the 20% discount on top of these promos..awesome). I'm really happy with everything that I bought but I'm especially loving the Seche Vite 'Dry Fast' Top Coat and the Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips in 'Kitty, Kitty'.
I would definitely rate these nail strips 4 out of 5 stars and can't wait to use them again. If they were a little easier to remove with nail polish remover (I used a non acetone remover..not sure if that makes a difference) I would have given them 5 stars. Each kit comes with 16 nail strips of various sizes to ensure that you'll find a strip that perfectly fits each nail. I keep my nails pretty short so I was actually able to cover 2 nails with a single strip which means I still have a full set of strips left for a future application. I also applied a coat of the Seche Vite top coat (an amazing product!) on top of the nail strip and my manicure lasted for a full week before chipping.
Husband was incredibly generous for my birthday this year and got me this lovely smelling 'Stella' perfume by Tocca Beauty which has been on my wish list for months. He also gave me this Longchamp tote bag in black back in May prior to leaving for our honeymoon as an early birthday gift. I've wanted this bag for a couple of years and I've used it nearly every day since he gave it to me. Love. He also bought me a pair of MICHAEL by Michael Kors 'Nadia' thong sandals in black patent from the DSW in Union Square, San Francisco while we were honeymooning. These sandals quickly became my favorite go-to pair but, sadly, they lasted just over a month before breaking. : (
I had such a wonderful birthday this year and despite the many questions I got as to whether or not I've stopped counting the years yet (come on people, 28 is not that old..ask me again when I turn 30) I think I'm going to have alot to look forward to between now and my next birthday!
I'm actually not going to list every item I bought because I think you can see what they all are pretty clearly in this photo but if you have any questions about the products above, leave a comment or send me an email! At the time of this purchase, the Maybelline mascaras were B2G1 and so were the Essie nail polishes (+ the 20% discount on top of these promos..awesome). I'm really happy with everything that I bought but I'm especially loving the Seche Vite 'Dry Fast' Top Coat and the Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips in 'Kitty, Kitty'.
I would definitely rate these nail strips 4 out of 5 stars and can't wait to use them again. If they were a little easier to remove with nail polish remover (I used a non acetone remover..not sure if that makes a difference) I would have given them 5 stars. Each kit comes with 16 nail strips of various sizes to ensure that you'll find a strip that perfectly fits each nail. I keep my nails pretty short so I was actually able to cover 2 nails with a single strip which means I still have a full set of strips left for a future application. I also applied a coat of the Seche Vite top coat (an amazing product!) on top of the nail strip and my manicure lasted for a full week before chipping.
Husband was incredibly generous for my birthday this year and got me this lovely smelling 'Stella' perfume by Tocca Beauty which has been on my wish list for months. He also gave me this Longchamp tote bag in black back in May prior to leaving for our honeymoon as an early birthday gift. I've wanted this bag for a couple of years and I've used it nearly every day since he gave it to me. Love. He also bought me a pair of MICHAEL by Michael Kors 'Nadia' thong sandals in black patent from the DSW in Union Square, San Francisco while we were honeymooning. These sandals quickly became my favorite go-to pair but, sadly, they lasted just over a month before breaking. : (
I had such a wonderful birthday this year and despite the many questions I got as to whether or not I've stopped counting the years yet (come on people, 28 is not that old..ask me again when I turn 30) I think I'm going to have alot to look forward to between now and my next birthday!
July 27, 2011
Birthday Perks
Philosophy 'happy birthday, beautiful' freebie [via Sephora]
July is probably my favorite shopping month of the year because it's my birthday month. My inbox (and regular mailbox) becomes flooded with special birthday perks and it's the one month where I feel that subscribing for regular emails from 8347569 different retailers is truly worthwhile. Among this year's favorite offers was a coupon for an exclusive birthday freebie from Sephora (shown above), a coupon for $15 off any purchase from LOFT, and a $25 credit for Ideeli which I used to purchase a pair of cute, open-toe flats made by Adrienne Vittadini for just $6.37 after the credit was applied (shown below).
Adrienne Vittadini 'Kaleb' Flat [via Ideeli & no longer available] - $89.00 (orig. retail value)
I also received birthday offers from Talbots (10% off a purchase), Urban Outfitters (20% off a purchase of $50+), Foley + Corinna ($50 off a purchase of $200+), Gap (25% off a purchase), and American Eagle (15% off a purchase). If you don't like to clutter up your inbox with offers from various retailers you might want to consider setting up a free email account for junk mail. Just be sure to pay special attention to your inbox during your birthday month so that you don't miss out on all of the great offers!
Also, check with your local salon or any cosmetic/beauty retailer in your area to see about any birthday specials that they offer. I will be heading to my local Ulta on Saturday morning for a free eyebrow wax at the Benefit brow bar inside of the store. (ID is required and this offer is only valid on your actual birthday.)
Also, check with your local salon or any cosmetic/beauty retailer in your area to see about any birthday specials that they offer. I will be heading to my local Ulta on Saturday morning for a free eyebrow wax at the Benefit brow bar inside of the store. (ID is required and this offer is only valid on your actual birthday.)
July 19, 2011
Turquoise + Gold
Essie 'Turquoise & Caicos' Nail Polish - $8.00
Sephora by OPI 'Only Gold for Me' Top Coat - $9.50
As soon as I saw this post by blogger Emily of Cupcakes and Cashmere, I knew I had to get myself a bottle of this gorgeous glitter top coat and give it a shot. Despite having some minor application issues (watery, streaky polish formula which I think is a little unusual for Essie polishes) the end result was pretty fantastic and I've already received several compliments from friends and colleagues so far this week. I like to change up my polish at the end of every week and I'm definitely going to be sad to say goodbye to this look. I'll try not to get too upset though..I have a delicious bottle of bubble gum pink polish that I've been waiting until the right moment to try. I think a 28th birthday celebration next weekend is the perfect occasion.. : )
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