So how are you doing so far? I've found some weeks easier than others. This week was a good week. I stopped procrastinating and started doing. And by actually doing something I got a few things checked off my to do list. It felt good.
So this week lets do something a little more fun - we deserve a break! I was reading recently that day dreaming is good for you. It helps you relax, focus on your goals, and some people say if you visualize what you want it actually helps you reach your goals. So this week let's take some time to just day dream. Spend five or ten minutes each day doing absolutely nothing but day dreaming.
Good luck. This should be easy.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Random Thoughts... Ukrop's
It hit me today. I'm going to miss Ukrop's. For those of you not from the Richmond-area... Ukrop's is something of an institution here. It probably ranks right up there with my mom's stories of Miller and Rhodes. People look at you funny if you've never been to Ukrop's. It's probably one of the last family run local grocery stores. So when they announced they were going to sell to another company a few months ago you can imagine the outcry. Some people were upset, some people were angry and some people were straight up hating on Ukrop's. I was sad, another local store gone but okay with it. Ukrop's and two other grocery stores are within minutes of my house. I would live.
But today it hit me. I stopped by after work because I need milk (and not because it's going to snow but for the sheer fact I drink a ton of milk - we're talking at least 2 gallons a week)... anyway, so I ran to Ukrop's. I figured I'd stock up on some good lunch meat, a Ukrop's pizza (I got the last one), and some of their fried chicken (I'm not a huge fried chicken person but theirs is amazing). Walking in the store I got a little sad. I'm going to be my mom one day telling my children about the days when we would go to Ukrop's and get dinner or the bakery lady who always gave away free rainbow cookies. I'm not sure when the sale is final and I'm a little rushed on time right now so I'm not googling it, but I'm always sad when something you know and love is changing.
I'm sure the new store will be nice and they claim they are going to try to keep a lot of things the same but you have to think that they want to make their mark on the Richmond market too. So I'm sure eventually things will change and people will start talking about the good old days when the Ukrop's guy would take your bags to your car.
So this post is for Ukrop's. I'm sorry for all the haters - who claim service is going down, things aren't the same, that you're over-priced (I haven't found this to be the case), etc. I'm sorry you're leaving - you'll be missed. But I'm also sorry for myself because I'm going to miss you. I may not have been the most loyal shopper (I shop on convenience and whichever of the three grocery stores is closest to where I am usually wins) but I always came back. And years from now I'm pretty sure I'm going to be telling my kids about going to Ukrop's the same way my mom talks about the tea room at Miller and Rhodes.
But today it hit me. I stopped by after work because I need milk (and not because it's going to snow but for the sheer fact I drink a ton of milk - we're talking at least 2 gallons a week)... anyway, so I ran to Ukrop's. I figured I'd stock up on some good lunch meat, a Ukrop's pizza (I got the last one), and some of their fried chicken (I'm not a huge fried chicken person but theirs is amazing). Walking in the store I got a little sad. I'm going to be my mom one day telling my children about the days when we would go to Ukrop's and get dinner or the bakery lady who always gave away free rainbow cookies. I'm not sure when the sale is final and I'm a little rushed on time right now so I'm not googling it, but I'm always sad when something you know and love is changing.
I'm sure the new store will be nice and they claim they are going to try to keep a lot of things the same but you have to think that they want to make their mark on the Richmond market too. So I'm sure eventually things will change and people will start talking about the good old days when the Ukrop's guy would take your bags to your car.
So this post is for Ukrop's. I'm sorry for all the haters - who claim service is going down, things aren't the same, that you're over-priced (I haven't found this to be the case), etc. I'm sorry you're leaving - you'll be missed. But I'm also sorry for myself because I'm going to miss you. I may not have been the most loyal shopper (I shop on convenience and whichever of the three grocery stores is closest to where I am usually wins) but I always came back. And years from now I'm pretty sure I'm going to be telling my kids about going to Ukrop's the same way my mom talks about the tea room at Miller and Rhodes.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Silver Linings
I'm a glass half full kind of girl. I try to look on the bright side of things. Still somethings get me down. C went to get fixed on Thursday (not that I think anything is wrong with her but I don't really want a litter of puppies).... the vet called to tell me she has a knee problem that is pretty common in small dogs. Basically her knee caps on her rear legs can shift out of place. It comes in four types - 3 and 4 being the worse. Since she was under for the surgery when they found it they don't know what type she has. Some types have to be surgically corrected. I was devastated.
I googled the disorder. I called the breeder. I peppered the vet with questions. How serious was this? Would she be okay?
The short answer is yes. We have to watch it and her. The breeder and vet were pretty optimistic and gave me some awesome answers. In short I went from nervous and upset to ok this is something we can all live with.
And now a few days later, I'm actually looking at it on the bright side. Her breed can get some pretty serious heart problems so if you had to pick one or the other I'd rather deal with the knee thing as horrible as that sounds. And the breeder and vet both knew dogs that did fine with the problem. I have to keep her weight down, she can't jump off things, and we need to start taking her on trail walks (like up and down hills).
So I got to thinking about all these things the breeder and vet said to do. The first two easy - watch what she eats and lift her off the sofa. I can do that. I don't even have to change what I'm doing now. But the trail walks... well I've never been much of a nature girl. I like nature enough. I preferably like it secured behind glass walls or in a nice park. But I did have a lot of fun at my engagement photo shoot where we went out in Bedford to some nature hiking place (I don't remember now) and we walked around doing photos. It was fun.
So I told K. Maybe this is the silver lining. It will get us out of our comfort zone. We can find some awesome trails to take her on and in the end we'll get exercise too. I've already made a plan of things to Google and I for one can't wait until Spring so we can actually take her places.
So I guess the lesson I learned today was look for the silver lining. Maybe things won't be as bad as it seems right away. I mean we all live with things that we have to work on. This is her thing.
Who wants to go on nature hikes with C and I? :)
I googled the disorder. I called the breeder. I peppered the vet with questions. How serious was this? Would she be okay?
The short answer is yes. We have to watch it and her. The breeder and vet were pretty optimistic and gave me some awesome answers. In short I went from nervous and upset to ok this is something we can all live with.
And now a few days later, I'm actually looking at it on the bright side. Her breed can get some pretty serious heart problems so if you had to pick one or the other I'd rather deal with the knee thing as horrible as that sounds. And the breeder and vet both knew dogs that did fine with the problem. I have to keep her weight down, she can't jump off things, and we need to start taking her on trail walks (like up and down hills).
So I got to thinking about all these things the breeder and vet said to do. The first two easy - watch what she eats and lift her off the sofa. I can do that. I don't even have to change what I'm doing now. But the trail walks... well I've never been much of a nature girl. I like nature enough. I preferably like it secured behind glass walls or in a nice park. But I did have a lot of fun at my engagement photo shoot where we went out in Bedford to some nature hiking place (I don't remember now) and we walked around doing photos. It was fun.
So I told K. Maybe this is the silver lining. It will get us out of our comfort zone. We can find some awesome trails to take her on and in the end we'll get exercise too. I've already made a plan of things to Google and I for one can't wait until Spring so we can actually take her places.
So I guess the lesson I learned today was look for the silver lining. Maybe things won't be as bad as it seems right away. I mean we all live with things that we have to work on. This is her thing.
Who wants to go on nature hikes with C and I? :)
Procrastination Ends Today!
If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting off doing it. ~Olin Miller
Why do something today when you can put it off forever? I feel that way about a lot of things. That’s how my house goes from really clean to a cluttered mess. I put it off. I’m too tired to load the dishwasher when I get home, I’ll do it later. The funny thing is, when I put it off and wait until later that task is suddenly a lot harder or seems a lot harder than it really is. If I wait a day to load the dishwasher I suddenly have two days worth of dishes that need to be tackled. If I put things off, in my mind they become massive. I can’t do that now – I don’t have time. It’s an endless cycle of procrastination.
So today, I jumped into my weekly resolution. I was going to tackle something. My first task on my list? I got married almost two years ago. It’s now 2010 and I still hadn’t gotten around to changing my name on a bank account. I mean come on – I would have to call somewhere and fill out forms and fax my marriage license. It wasn’t a big deal. So what it was just a last name….I would just wait.
Not this morning. I was set. I was going to at least call them and figure out what I needed to do. I could tackle the rest later. I went and bought a bottle of water. I tackled my emails. That nagging thought in my head. Change your name. So I logged onto their website, dialed their customer service number and waited…
I was all primed for the representative say “here is a list of twenty things you have to do. Oh and I forgot to mention we need your signature in blood to make this change.”
But surprise, I had waited so long to change my name (and had already changed my name on other things) that all I had to do was inform them of how I wanted my name. Like the quote says “an easy job seem[s] mighty hard”… Wow. I had actually completed my resolution on Monday.
But this first task has inspired me. I can do this. I can tackle my whole long list of projects and maybe just maybe they will all be just as easy. So I'll try to keep you updated on how it all goes. How has your week been so far? Are you still procrastinating or are you doing?
Why do something today when you can put it off forever? I feel that way about a lot of things. That’s how my house goes from really clean to a cluttered mess. I put it off. I’m too tired to load the dishwasher when I get home, I’ll do it later. The funny thing is, when I put it off and wait until later that task is suddenly a lot harder or seems a lot harder than it really is. If I wait a day to load the dishwasher I suddenly have two days worth of dishes that need to be tackled. If I put things off, in my mind they become massive. I can’t do that now – I don’t have time. It’s an endless cycle of procrastination.
So today, I jumped into my weekly resolution. I was going to tackle something. My first task on my list? I got married almost two years ago. It’s now 2010 and I still hadn’t gotten around to changing my name on a bank account. I mean come on – I would have to call somewhere and fill out forms and fax my marriage license. It wasn’t a big deal. So what it was just a last name….I would just wait.
Not this morning. I was set. I was going to at least call them and figure out what I needed to do. I could tackle the rest later. I went and bought a bottle of water. I tackled my emails. That nagging thought in my head. Change your name. So I logged onto their website, dialed their customer service number and waited…
I was all primed for the representative say “here is a list of twenty things you have to do. Oh and I forgot to mention we need your signature in blood to make this change.”
But surprise, I had waited so long to change my name (and had already changed my name on other things) that all I had to do was inform them of how I wanted my name. Like the quote says “an easy job seem[s] mighty hard”… Wow. I had actually completed my resolution on Monday.
But this first task has inspired me. I can do this. I can tackle my whole long list of projects and maybe just maybe they will all be just as easy. So I'll try to keep you updated on how it all goes. How has your week been so far? Are you still procrastinating or are you doing?
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Recipe - Chicken Pot Pie
Ok so I didn't invent this... basically because I'm not a real chef but I do tweak recipes I find. That's part of the fun. The key to my recipes is they have to be easy and they have to be semi-healthy. I usually try to sub in low-fat/no-fat alternatives.
So Chicken Pot Pie....
Ingredients
Pie Crust (make your own if you really want to but I like Pillsbury)
1 lb Chicken (Turkey breast will also work) (cubed)
1 TBSP butter
1 onion or a few cloves of garlic (chopped or diced - I'm not a huge onion person so I never use a whole onion)
salt
pepper
1 small bag mixed veggies (you can go with fresh just cook them first)
1 can cream of chicken soup or cream of potato soup (I buy low-fat/low-sodium, etc).
Preheat oven to 425.
Melt better in pan. Toss in chicken and onion/garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until meat is done or almost done. Stir in soup and half a can of water. Heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in mixed veggies. The original recipe basically said to stir in for a few seconds until everything is mixed. I cook a few minutes.
Heat bottom of pie crust for about 6 minutes in oven. Take out and pour pie contents into crust. Top with top of pie crust. Slit the top. Bake 15 minutes. Should be golden brown and bubbly.
Enjoy!
So Chicken Pot Pie....
Ingredients
Pie Crust (make your own if you really want to but I like Pillsbury)
1 lb Chicken (Turkey breast will also work) (cubed)
1 TBSP butter
1 onion or a few cloves of garlic (chopped or diced - I'm not a huge onion person so I never use a whole onion)
salt
pepper
1 small bag mixed veggies (you can go with fresh just cook them first)
1 can cream of chicken soup or cream of potato soup (I buy low-fat/low-sodium, etc).
Preheat oven to 425.
Melt better in pan. Toss in chicken and onion/garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until meat is done or almost done. Stir in soup and half a can of water. Heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in mixed veggies. The original recipe basically said to stir in for a few seconds until everything is mixed. I cook a few minutes.
Heat bottom of pie crust for about 6 minutes in oven. Take out and pour pie contents into crust. Top with top of pie crust. Slit the top. Bake 15 minutes. Should be golden brown and bubbly.
Enjoy!
Week 4 of the 52 Week Challenge
So how are you doing so far? Did you finish your budget before today? I didn't think making the budget was hard - its the sticking to it!
So this week we'll get off the money topic for awhile and our challenge will be do something you've been putting off. This can be big or small. I have a few things in mind that I need to tackle and this might give me the push I need to just do it!
So good luck and have a great week!
So this week we'll get off the money topic for awhile and our challenge will be do something you've been putting off. This can be big or small. I have a few things in mind that I need to tackle and this might give me the push I need to just do it!
So good luck and have a great week!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Are Sweatpants Acceptable?
So the other night Cocktails with Patrick was talking about whether or not it was acceptable to wear sweatpants in public. I was all set to call in and voice my two cents (which I never do) but I had a meeting to get to... so no calls for me. But that is why I have a blog. I can talk my two cents as much as I want!
So the jest of the conversation was - is it acceptable to wander around town wearing regular old sweats. My thought - unless you are going to the gym - NO.
I don't like looking sloppy and there are plenty of comfy alternatives to sweats.
1. Loose jeans - you don't have to wear your favorite skinnies to go running about town (although they are practically as comfy so I don't know why you wouldn't)... but you could wear a loose fit jean and a nice top.
2. Leggings - I was so anti-legging for awhile but they combine the comfort of a nice pair of tights or exercise pants with fashion. Throw on a longer top or a sweater and a pair of flats - very Audrey.
3. A dress. So overlooked but I think there is nothing more comfortable than a great fitting dress. I often fly in a black sundress - throw a sweater on in the winter (and summer actually if the plane is cold) - and flats. Its effortlessly chic and super comfortable.
Now some don'ts....
1. Sweats - Lets throw out the matching sweat suits and any pants with the ankle band. Ok to wear to the gym but not anywhere else.
2. Cocktails was talking about people wearing PJ's in public. Gross. It makes me think you didn't shower.
3. Big unflattering t-shirts. I'm ok with wearing these to the gym or to sleep in but not out in public under any circumstance.
4. Anything too tight, too short, too young, too old, etc. Look in the mirror before you leave. Did you comb your hair? Is your outfit a bit too Jersey Shore (ie too tight, too trashy, too short) then maybe you should think about giving that outfit away and changing. My biggest advice is to buy something in your size - whether you're an xsmall or an xxlarge. No one is looking at that tag but you! If it bugs you cut the tag out. Hoping you're a size 2 and you're really an 8 will only make you look bigger.
What are you pet peeves? Let's talk comfy clothes for now... we'll do another post on dress/work.
So the jest of the conversation was - is it acceptable to wander around town wearing regular old sweats. My thought - unless you are going to the gym - NO.
I don't like looking sloppy and there are plenty of comfy alternatives to sweats.
1. Loose jeans - you don't have to wear your favorite skinnies to go running about town (although they are practically as comfy so I don't know why you wouldn't)... but you could wear a loose fit jean and a nice top.
2. Leggings - I was so anti-legging for awhile but they combine the comfort of a nice pair of tights or exercise pants with fashion. Throw on a longer top or a sweater and a pair of flats - very Audrey.
3. A dress. So overlooked but I think there is nothing more comfortable than a great fitting dress. I often fly in a black sundress - throw a sweater on in the winter (and summer actually if the plane is cold) - and flats. Its effortlessly chic and super comfortable.
Now some don'ts....
1. Sweats - Lets throw out the matching sweat suits and any pants with the ankle band. Ok to wear to the gym but not anywhere else.
2. Cocktails was talking about people wearing PJ's in public. Gross. It makes me think you didn't shower.
3. Big unflattering t-shirts. I'm ok with wearing these to the gym or to sleep in but not out in public under any circumstance.
4. Anything too tight, too short, too young, too old, etc. Look in the mirror before you leave. Did you comb your hair? Is your outfit a bit too Jersey Shore (ie too tight, too trashy, too short) then maybe you should think about giving that outfit away and changing. My biggest advice is to buy something in your size - whether you're an xsmall or an xxlarge. No one is looking at that tag but you! If it bugs you cut the tag out. Hoping you're a size 2 and you're really an 8 will only make you look bigger.
What are you pet peeves? Let's talk comfy clothes for now... we'll do another post on dress/work.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Think Spring!
So I haven't done a fashion post in awhile and I'm on a roll tonight all creative with the blog posts...
Let's think Spring and what is more Spring then some fun florals. Here are a few of my favorites out now... I'm feeling a shopping trip this weekend. Whose in? :)
www.nyandco.com I feel like they are so hit or miss but I love love love this dress.
Vera's my love of purses began with you. www.verabradley.com I love the slightly old fashion look. The soft brown and green - perfect for Spring.
My other love www.anntaylor.com. I have the pants already so all I need is the shirt - its like adding a whole new look to my wardrobe with one little purchase.
Let's think Spring and what is more Spring then some fun florals. Here are a few of my favorites out now... I'm feeling a shopping trip this weekend. Whose in? :)
www.thelimited.com super cute T with flower details at the neck. I've been eyeing this for awhile - I'm waiting for my coupons so I can buy it.
www.nyandco.com I feel like they are so hit or miss but I love love love this dress.
Vera's my love of purses began with you. www.verabradley.com I love the slightly old fashion look. The soft brown and green - perfect for Spring.
My other love www.anntaylor.com. I have the pants already so all I need is the shirt - its like adding a whole new look to my wardrobe with one little purchase.
Let me know what you're buying!
Democrats, Independents, Republicans - Oh My!
I've debated this blog a lot - why? Well, for starters I'm not big on politics. Not big meaning if I see a politician on TV I feel like my ear drums are exploding and I change the channel. It's always a bunch of yelling anyway. But it seems relevant what with the Massachusetts's elections and all the Democrat/Republican jockeying over the aftermath.
Here's my problem with politics - it's like the cool kids club in high school. 99% of them will say whatever it takes to get elected, its all smoke and mirrors, and in the end no one really wins - its a popularity contest.
I am firmly an independent. Ah the coveted swing voter. Or the indecisive wish-washer who can't pick a party. I stand by being an independent though - I look at as I'm a free thinker - I read up on the candidates and I pick who I think is the least bullshitter. Oops did I say that out loud?
Here's what I can't stand about politics.
1. Democrats (and we're starting here b/c alphabetically they are first) are all about change - what can we do over. It doesn't have to be broken, it's just whatever is this year's token cause. There's no looking at what is going right and tweaking - its lets throw the whole thing out and start from scratch. It's all about being liberal and cool.
2. Republicans are all about we've been doing it this way for fifty years and we're always going to do it this way. They are practically the anti-change. They're the not so cool kids. It's all about tradition and morals.
3. Celebrity endorsements - if you vote for a candidate because Lindsey Lohan told you to - you're probably an idiot. I don't claim to know a lot about politics but I can guarantee I know more than her. If you voted for any candidate because someone told you to - you're probably an idiot. Vote for someone you like, who you agree with. And all the celebrities on their soap boxes can shut up - its so annoying to me. Go back to making movies, cds, writing books, etc. and stop campaigning, shoving your views down the rest of the world's throats.
4. People who vote strictly party lines because that's what they've always done. I'm sorry but I have zero respect for anyone who only votes for someone because its the cool thing to do or because their parents told them to or they always vote a certain way. Hello, check out the candidate. Would you vote for a total loser just because they happened to be on your ticket? Don't answer that.
5. How politicians are expected to solve all the world's problems but can't balance a damn budget. We're in debt. Up to our eyeballs. Stop spending and figure out how to get us out of this mess. Need help with saving and budgeting? Read the rest of my blog.
6. They need to shut up and listen to each other and to the people. It's all about agendas and deals. They can't stop yelling over each other to stop and try to work it out. I'm not voting for this because so and so supports it, etc. Stop acting like kindergartens who weren't invited to play ball and start acting like adults. Listen to each other and here's a shocker - work together.
I think I'm off my soap box. I don't know why I got so worked up about this. I just get so frustrated sometimes and then I'm glad I can use this to vent. Happy Thursday!
Here's my problem with politics - it's like the cool kids club in high school. 99% of them will say whatever it takes to get elected, its all smoke and mirrors, and in the end no one really wins - its a popularity contest.
I am firmly an independent. Ah the coveted swing voter. Or the indecisive wish-washer who can't pick a party. I stand by being an independent though - I look at as I'm a free thinker - I read up on the candidates and I pick who I think is the least bullshitter. Oops did I say that out loud?
Here's what I can't stand about politics.
1. Democrats (and we're starting here b/c alphabetically they are first) are all about change - what can we do over. It doesn't have to be broken, it's just whatever is this year's token cause. There's no looking at what is going right and tweaking - its lets throw the whole thing out and start from scratch. It's all about being liberal and cool.
2. Republicans are all about we've been doing it this way for fifty years and we're always going to do it this way. They are practically the anti-change. They're the not so cool kids. It's all about tradition and morals.
3. Celebrity endorsements - if you vote for a candidate because Lindsey Lohan told you to - you're probably an idiot. I don't claim to know a lot about politics but I can guarantee I know more than her. If you voted for any candidate because someone told you to - you're probably an idiot. Vote for someone you like, who you agree with. And all the celebrities on their soap boxes can shut up - its so annoying to me. Go back to making movies, cds, writing books, etc. and stop campaigning, shoving your views down the rest of the world's throats.
4. People who vote strictly party lines because that's what they've always done. I'm sorry but I have zero respect for anyone who only votes for someone because its the cool thing to do or because their parents told them to or they always vote a certain way. Hello, check out the candidate. Would you vote for a total loser just because they happened to be on your ticket? Don't answer that.
5. How politicians are expected to solve all the world's problems but can't balance a damn budget. We're in debt. Up to our eyeballs. Stop spending and figure out how to get us out of this mess. Need help with saving and budgeting? Read the rest of my blog.
6. They need to shut up and listen to each other and to the people. It's all about agendas and deals. They can't stop yelling over each other to stop and try to work it out. I'm not voting for this because so and so supports it, etc. Stop acting like kindergartens who weren't invited to play ball and start acting like adults. Listen to each other and here's a shocker - work together.
I think I'm off my soap box. I don't know why I got so worked up about this. I just get so frustrated sometimes and then I'm glad I can use this to vent. Happy Thursday!
To work or not to work....
My office was closed Monday for the holiday and so I enjoyed a nice leisurely weekend as a lady who lunches. Actually a lady who does spas is more like it. I was thinking about it yesterday, two days back into the work week... would I be content being a lady who lunches (i.e. no job but excess income to do as she pleases while everyone else works)?
I think in part this weekend was just good - it was one of those just busy enough that when people asked on Tuesday how was your weekend I could answer something other than "It was ok... I don't really remember." Saturday we took down our Christmas stuff (should have been earlier but we both kept putting it off - there is something so magical about having the tree up), then we met up with a work friend of mine and her boyfriend for dinner. It was just a really good time, I felt like everything meshed. I'm always wary of how the guys will get along. Sunday I met up with friends for some wine and dinner. Monday was my spa day. It was just nice.
This has come up in the past with my friend S and I. She just had a baby and we've talked some about whether or not she wants to go back to work. Right now she has it worked out she'll go back part-time. Which in all honesty, I think is the best of both worlds. You're not trapped with a screaming baby all day and get adult conversation but you can still do all the fun stay at home mom stuff.
I think if I won the lottery (which will never happen since I never play), I would stay home. I'd volunteer. I'd travel. I'd write. I'd fine ways to fill my days other than the daily grind. I would be perfectly content doing only what I love.
What about you? Could you ever not work? Hey it's a rainy Thursday, we should discuss something a little light hearted.
I think in part this weekend was just good - it was one of those just busy enough that when people asked on Tuesday how was your weekend I could answer something other than "It was ok... I don't really remember." Saturday we took down our Christmas stuff (should have been earlier but we both kept putting it off - there is something so magical about having the tree up), then we met up with a work friend of mine and her boyfriend for dinner. It was just a really good time, I felt like everything meshed. I'm always wary of how the guys will get along. Sunday I met up with friends for some wine and dinner. Monday was my spa day. It was just nice.
This has come up in the past with my friend S and I. She just had a baby and we've talked some about whether or not she wants to go back to work. Right now she has it worked out she'll go back part-time. Which in all honesty, I think is the best of both worlds. You're not trapped with a screaming baby all day and get adult conversation but you can still do all the fun stay at home mom stuff.
I think if I won the lottery (which will never happen since I never play), I would stay home. I'd volunteer. I'd travel. I'd write. I'd fine ways to fill my days other than the daily grind. I would be perfectly content doing only what I love.
What about you? Could you ever not work? Hey it's a rainy Thursday, we should discuss something a little light hearted.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Quick Budgeting Idea with Envelopes
So this is a quick and easy budgeting tip if you haven't started. Take your paycheck and split it into envelopes. You can use real cash or since that's not super safe having tons of cash lying around write the amounts down on the envelopes. So for instance:
Envelope 1: Mortgage $X
Envelope 2: Groceries $X
Envelope 3: Fun Stuff $X
You get the drift. So you set aside from each paycheck the money you need for all your expenses, savings and then fun extras. You can only spend the designated amount in that envelope so when it's gone you're done!
Envelope 1: Mortgage $X
Envelope 2: Groceries $X
Envelope 3: Fun Stuff $X
You get the drift. So you set aside from each paycheck the money you need for all your expenses, savings and then fun extras. You can only spend the designated amount in that envelope so when it's gone you're done!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Make Up Review Clinique Vitamin C Lip Smoothie
I'm a lip gloss junkie. Open my purse on any given day and fifteen lip glosses in various shades of pinks and nudes will tumble out. So when Clinique came out with the Vitamin C Lip Smoothie I had to try it out. And by try it out, I mean buy 2 of them.
Pros: No messy wands. Not super sticky like some glosses. Beautiful semi-sheer colors.
Cons: You have to twist the bottom of the tube to get the color to come out on the brush. The first time you do this, it takes forever and then a glob comes out. I'm not sure I like the brush better than the messy wand... jury is out on this. Price vs. quantity. At almost $18 a pop that's a little steep (I think) for a rather small tube of gloss.
I picked up:
Pink Me Up - a sheer almost bubble gum pink. I'm scared to say bubble gum because that makes me think 1985 but it is a pretty pinky pink. Goes on fairly sheer though so you're not talking bright grandma lips.
Raisin the Bar - a more neutral brownie-pink.
I like the lip gloss but I don't feel like it does anything dramatically different from my hoards of other glosses. Bottom line - its worth a try but I'm not sure it will land in my all-time must have favorites.
Pros: No messy wands. Not super sticky like some glosses. Beautiful semi-sheer colors.
Cons: You have to twist the bottom of the tube to get the color to come out on the brush. The first time you do this, it takes forever and then a glob comes out. I'm not sure I like the brush better than the messy wand... jury is out on this. Price vs. quantity. At almost $18 a pop that's a little steep (I think) for a rather small tube of gloss.
I picked up:
Pink Me Up - a sheer almost bubble gum pink. I'm scared to say bubble gum because that makes me think 1985 but it is a pretty pinky pink. Goes on fairly sheer though so you're not talking bright grandma lips.
Raisin the Bar - a more neutral brownie-pink.
I like the lip gloss but I don't feel like it does anything dramatically different from my hoards of other glosses. Bottom line - its worth a try but I'm not sure it will land in my all-time must have favorites.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Week 3 of the 52 Week Challenge
So how do we feel? Were you itching for Saturday to be over so you can go on a spending spree? I did cave and spend some money yesterday. I went to dinner with friends and bought a pair of shoes (on massive sale). But I said make room for your must haves. So let's stick with this money theme and for week 3 set a budget. You know what you're spending and saving (if you balanced your checkbook in week one) and you know how it feels to cut back (if you didn't spend in week two).
So make a budget that works for you. Mine is more in my head, a loose number. I did take minute and write down what I make, minus my mortgage and other bills, minus my current savings deduction and come up with a fun money category. Now the fun money for me should cover anything else - unforeseen bills, fun extras, a few extra dollars to savings, etc.
I've seen a friend's budget that was all pie charts and detailed spending analysis. It would spend me into shock just trying to make that in Excel and I know I wouldn't be able to keep it up.
But you need to find what works for you.
Start with how much you make and minus your monthly bills. Now, hopefully you have some leftover. Ideally, from that you should budget an amount to save. The rest is yours to do what you will. I'll try to keep up the savings tips this week or any helpful budget tips I find. Good luck!
So make a budget that works for you. Mine is more in my head, a loose number. I did take minute and write down what I make, minus my mortgage and other bills, minus my current savings deduction and come up with a fun money category. Now the fun money for me should cover anything else - unforeseen bills, fun extras, a few extra dollars to savings, etc.
I've seen a friend's budget that was all pie charts and detailed spending analysis. It would spend me into shock just trying to make that in Excel and I know I wouldn't be able to keep it up.
But you need to find what works for you.
Start with how much you make and minus your monthly bills. Now, hopefully you have some leftover. Ideally, from that you should budget an amount to save. The rest is yours to do what you will. I'll try to keep up the savings tips this week or any helpful budget tips I find. Good luck!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Saving Tip 6
Take a minute and do some research. Surprise, surprise but banks are in it to make a profit so don't think anyone is really trying to help you earn more money. That's up to you. So do some research. How much are you paying on loans and how much are you earning on savings? Typically the online banks (like ING Direct or HSBC) and Credit Unions (a lot have gone community so as long as you live or work in an area you can join) will earn you the best savings rates.
Transfer your money to places that have the higher rates and don't be afraid to move your money around if one place suddenly drops their savings rates on you. You have to make your money work for you!
Look at what you're paying on loans - credit cards, car loans, mortgages. If you're paying more on your loans than you're earning on your savings (which is typically the case right now) think about saving less (I know it's saving week but still) and putting more money towards your debt. You'll pay off the debt quicker and have more money in the end to save.
A helpful hint would be look for a low interest rate credit card with no balance transfer fees and transfer balances from your higher rate card to the new lower rate card. Just be careful, a lot of cards that sound like a good deal (0% for the first year, etc) really aren't when you read the fine print. Find one that really is a good deal - a low interest rate now and later.
And the biggest thing - stop taking on new debt. I know easier said than done but this week is supposed to be making you think about what you really need. I may want a new car but my old car is perfectly fine and I don't want to have to pay a car loan off every month. I may want a new dress from the mall but if I have to charge it and can't pay it off at the end of the month it isn't worth it.
Now, I'm not a financial planner and I don't have all the answers - my tips are supposed to be more common sense help. So do what you will with them. Remember, we have until Sunday to only spend on necessities - how are you doing so far? Has it been easier or harder than you thought?
Honestly, for me it hasn't been as bad as I thought. It actually curbed my spending at CVS (when I went for the birthday cards). I was eyeing a pair of tights and some new chapstick. But I got chapstick for Christmas and there are probably six pairs of tights in my dresser that are perfectly fine so I put them back and only got what I needed. I actually felt proud of myself afterwards. Some other things are harder to turn down - a work friend asked me to lunch the other day. I could have said no and read my book and eaten my Easy Mac but I caved and went to Arby's. A $10 salad later, a nice walk back to work and a good chat and it made my Friday a little easier. Remember, you can't say no all the time - just be more careful with what you're spending. Happy Saturday!
Transfer your money to places that have the higher rates and don't be afraid to move your money around if one place suddenly drops their savings rates on you. You have to make your money work for you!
Look at what you're paying on loans - credit cards, car loans, mortgages. If you're paying more on your loans than you're earning on your savings (which is typically the case right now) think about saving less (I know it's saving week but still) and putting more money towards your debt. You'll pay off the debt quicker and have more money in the end to save.
A helpful hint would be look for a low interest rate credit card with no balance transfer fees and transfer balances from your higher rate card to the new lower rate card. Just be careful, a lot of cards that sound like a good deal (0% for the first year, etc) really aren't when you read the fine print. Find one that really is a good deal - a low interest rate now and later.
And the biggest thing - stop taking on new debt. I know easier said than done but this week is supposed to be making you think about what you really need. I may want a new car but my old car is perfectly fine and I don't want to have to pay a car loan off every month. I may want a new dress from the mall but if I have to charge it and can't pay it off at the end of the month it isn't worth it.
Now, I'm not a financial planner and I don't have all the answers - my tips are supposed to be more common sense help. So do what you will with them. Remember, we have until Sunday to only spend on necessities - how are you doing so far? Has it been easier or harder than you thought?
Honestly, for me it hasn't been as bad as I thought. It actually curbed my spending at CVS (when I went for the birthday cards). I was eyeing a pair of tights and some new chapstick. But I got chapstick for Christmas and there are probably six pairs of tights in my dresser that are perfectly fine so I put them back and only got what I needed. I actually felt proud of myself afterwards. Some other things are harder to turn down - a work friend asked me to lunch the other day. I could have said no and read my book and eaten my Easy Mac but I caved and went to Arby's. A $10 salad later, a nice walk back to work and a good chat and it made my Friday a little easier. Remember, you can't say no all the time - just be more careful with what you're spending. Happy Saturday!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Saving Tip 5
I don't know if you're like me. But my purse ways a ton from all that spare change that gets thrown in the bottom. My advice? Grab a glass jar (hey be thrifty and use an old jam jar - rinsed out of course) and dump the change in the jar. When the jar gets full, roll the coins and deposit the money into savings.
K and I do this and use the money for home repairs or things we want for the house. You'd be surprised how quickly all that spare change adds up! You'll be glad it's not sitting at the bottom of your purse.
And by the way, don't use the coin counters to turn those coins into dollar bills. Most charge a percentage of what you count or a flat fee. Only use them if they're free, otherwise you're paying them to do something that would take you half an hour in front of the TV.
K and I do this and use the money for home repairs or things we want for the house. You'd be surprised how quickly all that spare change adds up! You'll be glad it's not sitting at the bottom of your purse.
And by the way, don't use the coin counters to turn those coins into dollar bills. Most charge a percentage of what you count or a flat fee. Only use them if they're free, otherwise you're paying them to do something that would take you half an hour in front of the TV.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Saving Tip 4 and an Update on Week 2
So let's recap - the challenge this week is to not buy anything that isn't a necessity. How have we done? You're also supposed to be writing down what you do spend. So here's my recap. I've spent $23 in gas and $5.33 on birthday cards. Now, birthday cards aren't necessarily a necessity. I could probably go into Publisher and make some cheese-tastic birthday card that says RAP's Card Shop on the back and my friend S might laugh and be okay with it but since the 2nd card was for my boss - I'm thinking the 5 year old homemade card route won't fly. So two birthday cards and a tank of gas. I'm feeling awesome about this week. I do have some bills to pay though so.... yeah that won't be as awesome.
Saving tip 4... lets talk about freebies a bit.
1. Go to a library. I for one love libraries. K thinks its really dorky and I know most people avoid them like the plague (or high school English) but there is something about all those books. Loves. Anyway... I like to buy books but I love to rent books at the library even more. Plus, libraries have tons of free classes, magazines, movies, CDs. You never have to buy anything. I get free magazines all the time - they have a box that if you leave some you can take some.
2. Arrange to trade with friends. Ok I'll admit I'm probably the worse person at sharing. I hate sharing. I don't know why. I trust my friends (most of them) to return my stuff in one piece but it makes my skin itch and I feel like I'm going to die. A little dramatic. I'm blaming it on two things 1. my mom made me share everything with my sister (hello who wants to do that) and 2. I'm always afraid that for some reason I'm not going to get whatever I shared back. But still it's a good tip. Say you have a party to go to and you need a new dress. See if your friend has something you can borrow - obviously wash it before giving it back - but no one needs to know you didn't buy it. Same goes for DVD's, books, etc. But it's a trade here - if you expect your friends to pony up their movies and new clothes you have to be willing to do the same.
3. Search sites like www.freecycle.org - register for your area and you get tons of ads for things people are giving away. I got a kitchen table and a grill but even if you don't get something that big you can find books, moving boxes, baby clothes, etc.
4. Find free or cheap events in your area. Play tourist and visit your state's tourism site. You can find out about inexpensive or free events going on... concerts, historical walks, etc.
What are other good free things you can do? I'm interested to hear your ideas.
Saving tip 4... lets talk about freebies a bit.
1. Go to a library. I for one love libraries. K thinks its really dorky and I know most people avoid them like the plague (or high school English) but there is something about all those books. Loves. Anyway... I like to buy books but I love to rent books at the library even more. Plus, libraries have tons of free classes, magazines, movies, CDs. You never have to buy anything. I get free magazines all the time - they have a box that if you leave some you can take some.
2. Arrange to trade with friends. Ok I'll admit I'm probably the worse person at sharing. I hate sharing. I don't know why. I trust my friends (most of them) to return my stuff in one piece but it makes my skin itch and I feel like I'm going to die. A little dramatic. I'm blaming it on two things 1. my mom made me share everything with my sister (hello who wants to do that) and 2. I'm always afraid that for some reason I'm not going to get whatever I shared back. But still it's a good tip. Say you have a party to go to and you need a new dress. See if your friend has something you can borrow - obviously wash it before giving it back - but no one needs to know you didn't buy it. Same goes for DVD's, books, etc. But it's a trade here - if you expect your friends to pony up their movies and new clothes you have to be willing to do the same.
3. Search sites like www.freecycle.org - register for your area and you get tons of ads for things people are giving away. I got a kitchen table and a grill but even if you don't get something that big you can find books, moving boxes, baby clothes, etc.
4. Find free or cheap events in your area. Play tourist and visit your state's tourism site. You can find out about inexpensive or free events going on... concerts, historical walks, etc.
What are other good free things you can do? I'm interested to hear your ideas.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Saving Tip 3
So this isn't going to be so much a tip but a piece of advice. I think deciding to save money is basically the same as starting an exercise program or a diet. It makes you feel good - I'm doing something good for myself... but boy is it hard. Those new pair of shoes would be killer with that new dress...
So my advice. Any good exercise plan or diet in my opinion has to have leeway. If you go into it saying I'm going to workout everyday for three hours and only eat celery two days in you may be a Skinny Minnie but you're probably dying for a hamburger and a glass of wine and a night watching bad reality TV.
Saving is the same way. If you go into it saying I'm never buying anything I don't absolutely need ever again you're probably going to go crazy. Most people aren't comfortable using the cotton from vitamin jars instead of buying cotton balls (saw it as a piece of advice on a website).
My must haves: money to do fun extras - vacation, nights out with friends, new clothes (hello I practically live at The Limited). But I know if it came down to it there are things I could give up: cable TV (gasp), Netflicks (although K would disagree)...
Decide what are you must haves and be honest with yourself. Sure I love my cable TV but I don't absolutely have to have it.
Once you have your must haves - figure out a way to work them into your budget. So I can't have a shopping spree at The Limited every week but I can treat myself to something maybe once a month (using my coupons of course). Or if I want to have a huge blow out night with friends then I need to eat in the rest of the week (which will also help your diet).
Now, lets have the tough love and look at what you don't need. Everyone is quick to say they can't save because they don't make enough money. I'm sorry, but I'm not sure this is really a good answer. I think no matter what you make you could save something. I'm talking even $5 people. The problem is people don't want to give up certain things. You have to look yourself in the mirror and say: my starting a savings plan is the same as starting a diet - it may hurt for awhile but in the end it will be worth it.
So, my advice today... you can't spend spend spend but you also can't save save save. Budget a little extra for your must have items.
So my advice. Any good exercise plan or diet in my opinion has to have leeway. If you go into it saying I'm going to workout everyday for three hours and only eat celery two days in you may be a Skinny Minnie but you're probably dying for a hamburger and a glass of wine and a night watching bad reality TV.
Saving is the same way. If you go into it saying I'm never buying anything I don't absolutely need ever again you're probably going to go crazy. Most people aren't comfortable using the cotton from vitamin jars instead of buying cotton balls (saw it as a piece of advice on a website).
My must haves: money to do fun extras - vacation, nights out with friends, new clothes (hello I practically live at The Limited). But I know if it came down to it there are things I could give up: cable TV (gasp), Netflicks (although K would disagree)...
Decide what are you must haves and be honest with yourself. Sure I love my cable TV but I don't absolutely have to have it.
Once you have your must haves - figure out a way to work them into your budget. So I can't have a shopping spree at The Limited every week but I can treat myself to something maybe once a month (using my coupons of course). Or if I want to have a huge blow out night with friends then I need to eat in the rest of the week (which will also help your diet).
Now, lets have the tough love and look at what you don't need. Everyone is quick to say they can't save because they don't make enough money. I'm sorry, but I'm not sure this is really a good answer. I think no matter what you make you could save something. I'm talking even $5 people. The problem is people don't want to give up certain things. You have to look yourself in the mirror and say: my starting a savings plan is the same as starting a diet - it may hurt for awhile but in the end it will be worth it.
So, my advice today... you can't spend spend spend but you also can't save save save. Budget a little extra for your must have items.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Saving Tip 2
Lets try some tips to help us save money when we shop.
Clip coupons. Boring... I know, but you can save a ton at the grocery store. Shop the weekly ad and sign up for a frequent customer card. The cards are typically free and you get special discounts. Also, bring your paper bags back or invest in reuseable shopping bags - most grocery stores will give you a discount for using your own bags (if they don't do it automatically ask - I didn't know Kroger did it until I asked them one day). Hey a .5 cent bag credit is .5 cents you can use elsewhere and you're saving the environment!
Look into getting a membership at BJ's, Costco, Sam's (or whatever is near you). Stock up on things like meat (divide it and freeze it), toliet paper, paper towels, etc. Things that you can easily store and will use often. You'll save money by buying in bulk.
Create a second email address and sign up for emails from stores you frequent. You'll get a heads up on sales, special coupons, etc. and your regular email won't be junked up with random stuff.
When buying stuff online do a quick google search for coupons. Just type something like "Victoria Secret Coupons" into a google search and see what happens. You may have to try a few codes but you will usually find something that works. You could end up with free shipping, a percentage off or extra goodies.
Make friends with the sales associates at stores you frequent. They might be more willing to give you a heads up on upcoming sales or friends and family days.
What shopping tips do you guys have?
Clip coupons. Boring... I know, but you can save a ton at the grocery store. Shop the weekly ad and sign up for a frequent customer card. The cards are typically free and you get special discounts. Also, bring your paper bags back or invest in reuseable shopping bags - most grocery stores will give you a discount for using your own bags (if they don't do it automatically ask - I didn't know Kroger did it until I asked them one day). Hey a .5 cent bag credit is .5 cents you can use elsewhere and you're saving the environment!
Look into getting a membership at BJ's, Costco, Sam's (or whatever is near you). Stock up on things like meat (divide it and freeze it), toliet paper, paper towels, etc. Things that you can easily store and will use often. You'll save money by buying in bulk.
Create a second email address and sign up for emails from stores you frequent. You'll get a heads up on sales, special coupons, etc. and your regular email won't be junked up with random stuff.
When buying stuff online do a quick google search for coupons. Just type something like "Victoria Secret Coupons" into a google search and see what happens. You may have to try a few codes but you will usually find something that works. You could end up with free shipping, a percentage off or extra goodies.
Make friends with the sales associates at stores you frequent. They might be more willing to give you a heads up on upcoming sales or friends and family days.
What shopping tips do you guys have?
Do you know these people?
CNN had the following article on annoying coworkers up on Monday. So good for a few lol's on a Monday. I'm sure none of us know these people or God-forbid are these people! I do have to say I watch The Office and think I know someone who acts just like Andy, or Dwight...
So here is their list (I'm editing for length - you can read the full article above):
Annoying habit No. 1: You give more advice than a newspaper columnist.
Annoying habit No. 2: You can't let go of the good ol' days.
Annoying habit No. 3: It's not HBO. It's an office.
Annoying habit No. 4: You always rely on the kindness of strangers -- and co-workers and administrative assistants and the mail clerk.
Annoying habit No. 5: You have an even better story. You always have a better story.
Annoying habit No. 6: You smell like a walking bag of potpourri.
Annoying habit No. 7: The subject line of an e-mail is the entire message.
Annoying habit No. 8: "K" Why it's annoying: If your entire response to someone's e-mail is "k," then you probably didn't need to respond at all.
Annoying habit No. 9: You can't wait until the day is over. Every day.
Annoying habit No. 10: You heard someone got a really good parking space, so you decide to throw a party.
So here is what I would add to the list:
Annoying Habit 11: You cook really stinky food in the office microwave or leave food forever in the fridge (forever being your food no longer looks like food and is growing a small colony on it). There is really no need to cook a trout in the microwave for lunch. And you wouldn't leave that disgusting half eaten sandwich in your fridge at home so what makes you think I want to look at it?
Annoying Habit 12: You complain constantly. I mean constantly. You hate being at work. You hate doing x. You hate doing y. Get a new job or shut the hell up. No one wants to hear you whine all the time. I get everyone has bad days but if you're having a bad year it might be time to start up the job search.
Annoying Habit 13: You think "it's ok to take a break occasionally" means its ok to do absolutely nothing all day. Show some initiative people and ask for more work. I'm ok with a few minutes to email a friend or checking the news but its annoying if everyone else is struggling to do their work and you're planning a party, playing on the Internet, reading a book, etc. Besides a little initiative might get you from crummy job a to dream job b. If you don't want to ask for more work at least pretend to be busy so the rest of us that are busy don't want to cry and beat our heads in because you're doing a Sudoku puzzle and eating cookies.
Annoying Habit 14: Tattling. I get it if you have to say something because someone dropped the ball on a project but constant running to the boss about every little thing is just nitpicking.
Annoying Habit 15: Talking shit about people you work with at work. Not cool. I know we've all probably done it - probably complaining about someone doing one of the annoying habits but doing it all the time just isn't cool. Number one, other people can probably hear you. And number two, the passerby is probably going to think you're being a bitter bitch.
That's all I can think of right now... what do you find super annoying. I know we can add to this list. I know we've all probably been guilty of some of the things on this list, too... we just won't admit to that! :)
So here is their list (I'm editing for length - you can read the full article above):
Annoying habit No. 1: You give more advice than a newspaper columnist.
Annoying habit No. 2: You can't let go of the good ol' days.
Annoying habit No. 3: It's not HBO. It's an office.
Annoying habit No. 4: You always rely on the kindness of strangers -- and co-workers and administrative assistants and the mail clerk.
Annoying habit No. 5: You have an even better story. You always have a better story.
Annoying habit No. 6: You smell like a walking bag of potpourri.
Annoying habit No. 7: The subject line of an e-mail is the entire message.
Annoying habit No. 8: "K" Why it's annoying: If your entire response to someone's e-mail is "k," then you probably didn't need to respond at all.
Annoying habit No. 9: You can't wait until the day is over. Every day.
Annoying habit No. 10: You heard someone got a really good parking space, so you decide to throw a party.
So here is what I would add to the list:
Annoying Habit 11: You cook really stinky food in the office microwave or leave food forever in the fridge (forever being your food no longer looks like food and is growing a small colony on it). There is really no need to cook a trout in the microwave for lunch. And you wouldn't leave that disgusting half eaten sandwich in your fridge at home so what makes you think I want to look at it?
Annoying Habit 12: You complain constantly. I mean constantly. You hate being at work. You hate doing x. You hate doing y. Get a new job or shut the hell up. No one wants to hear you whine all the time. I get everyone has bad days but if you're having a bad year it might be time to start up the job search.
Annoying Habit 13: You think "it's ok to take a break occasionally" means its ok to do absolutely nothing all day. Show some initiative people and ask for more work. I'm ok with a few minutes to email a friend or checking the news but its annoying if everyone else is struggling to do their work and you're planning a party, playing on the Internet, reading a book, etc. Besides a little initiative might get you from crummy job a to dream job b. If you don't want to ask for more work at least pretend to be busy so the rest of us that are busy don't want to cry and beat our heads in because you're doing a Sudoku puzzle and eating cookies.
Annoying Habit 14: Tattling. I get it if you have to say something because someone dropped the ball on a project but constant running to the boss about every little thing is just nitpicking.
Annoying Habit 15: Talking shit about people you work with at work. Not cool. I know we've all probably done it - probably complaining about someone doing one of the annoying habits but doing it all the time just isn't cool. Number one, other people can probably hear you. And number two, the passerby is probably going to think you're being a bitter bitch.
That's all I can think of right now... what do you find super annoying. I know we can add to this list. I know we've all probably been guilty of some of the things on this list, too... we just won't admit to that! :)
Monday, January 11, 2010
Saving Tip 1
We hear this all the time but eat in more! I'm groaning just writing this. Really? I don't want to eat a homemade salad when the $10 one from the work cafeteria has fancy things like eggs and cheese on it and mine is just a bag of lettuce. Or my favorite excuse - I'm too tired to cook but not too tired to get back in my car and head to the local Chinese restaurant.
Think of it this way. If you eat out three meals a day, not only is that a lot of fattening calories (lets face it restaurant food is never good for you), but you're also easily blowing through $50 to $100 each day!
Now I'm not saying go cold turkey and never eat out again. Your friends will call you a hermit. You might start eating like a five year old - cereal and mac and cheese - because its easy. I'm saying be mindful of what you're spending and maybe cut back.
If you're typically eating out every day for lunch. Start by bringing your lunch two days a week.
If you meet friends for dinner every night after work, start by hosting a cooking party every Friday and rotate houses. Come up with a fun theme and have everyone bring an item. You'll try new foods and it'll be better for you and your wallet!
Happy Saving!
Think of it this way. If you eat out three meals a day, not only is that a lot of fattening calories (lets face it restaurant food is never good for you), but you're also easily blowing through $50 to $100 each day!
Now I'm not saying go cold turkey and never eat out again. Your friends will call you a hermit. You might start eating like a five year old - cereal and mac and cheese - because its easy. I'm saying be mindful of what you're spending and maybe cut back.
If you're typically eating out every day for lunch. Start by bringing your lunch two days a week.
If you meet friends for dinner every night after work, start by hosting a cooking party every Friday and rotate houses. Come up with a fun theme and have everyone bring an item. You'll try new foods and it'll be better for you and your wallet!
Happy Saving!
Week 1 Recap and Week 2 of the 52 Week Resolution Challenge
So I'm a day late but I wasn't feeling great Sunday and still don't feel great today so I'm cutting myself some slack.
Let's recap week 1 shall we... we were supposed to go through our receipts and check our statements and balance our checkbooks. Raise your hand if you did it. Can I get partial credit? I did balance my checkbooks. I didn't go through my pile of receipts. I'm trusting that since I look at my statement and don't see anything odd that the receipts are a waste of time.
So lets start week 2. This week I'm challenging all of you to stop spending money. Yikes! That's hard. We're in a recession because no one wants to spend money. Well, I'm not saying you can't buy necessities and I'll even be nice enough to say you can decide what counts as a necessity. My rule is not everything can be a necessity (do you really need that Starbucks before work? Do you have to go to happy hour?).
The concession is, I am going to make you write down everything you spend money on this week. I mean every little thing. That pack of gum from the vending machine, the $5 you loan a co-worker. I want it all written down and tracked. You don't have to share unless you want to.
The point of this activity is to make you more aware of where your money is going. You may be surprised that you spend $25 a week on coffee. Or that you happen to drop by The Limited and blow through $50 every time you have a bad day. At the end of the week we'll discuss what happened. Feel free to comment along the way.
Today I have spent $0. I'll try to give you tips on ways to save.
Let's recap week 1 shall we... we were supposed to go through our receipts and check our statements and balance our checkbooks. Raise your hand if you did it. Can I get partial credit? I did balance my checkbooks. I didn't go through my pile of receipts. I'm trusting that since I look at my statement and don't see anything odd that the receipts are a waste of time.
So lets start week 2. This week I'm challenging all of you to stop spending money. Yikes! That's hard. We're in a recession because no one wants to spend money. Well, I'm not saying you can't buy necessities and I'll even be nice enough to say you can decide what counts as a necessity. My rule is not everything can be a necessity (do you really need that Starbucks before work? Do you have to go to happy hour?).
The concession is, I am going to make you write down everything you spend money on this week. I mean every little thing. That pack of gum from the vending machine, the $5 you loan a co-worker. I want it all written down and tracked. You don't have to share unless you want to.
The point of this activity is to make you more aware of where your money is going. You may be surprised that you spend $25 a week on coffee. Or that you happen to drop by The Limited and blow through $50 every time you have a bad day. At the end of the week we'll discuss what happened. Feel free to comment along the way.
Today I have spent $0. I'll try to give you tips on ways to save.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Retail Winners and Losers - My Comments
Yahoo must be after my heart. Now when I log in I get the latest news but I also get random entertainment stories. Today it was Retail Winners and Losers where they listed this years top performers and the ones that haven't done so well. Here is my take...
Top Performers:
TJX Companies (includes TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Home Goods, AJ Wright). Basically the article says they're doing well because everyone is after a bargain. I've never been to AJ Wright (not even sure if there is one around here) but the other three are hit or miss. I probably go to Marshalls the most since it's the closest but I have to be in the right mood to search for fabulous deals. My take on these stores is I want an awesome deal on a brand or name I recognize. I'm not going to pay even $20 for a brand I've never heard of... snobbish? Maybe.
Ross Stores - can't comment never been to one. Basically sounds like a TJ Maxx/Marshalls kind of store.
Aeropostale - I haven't been in there in years but used to like it a lot in NJ for fun summer things. I think I've kind of out-grown the whole look though.
Saks - not even sure I've been there - there's one in town but kind of far from me and I'm not looking to to drop $100 on a t-shirt.
Costco - not surprised... not really much to say about buying cereal in bulk.
JW Nordstrom - loves.... which I had a bigger clothing budget so I could just shop their all the time. It's like retail heaven. Awesome dressing rooms, nice sales people, clean, clothes not all shoved everywhere.... I can't say enough good things about Nordstroms...
Weaklings
JC Penney - a little shocked they made the list because every now and then you can score some really cute work outfits for a reasonable price. Items are better made then stuff you find at Kohls (which didn't make the list and I refuse to even step foot in that place). Basically the article said since they are a mid-level retailer they can't get the high-end shoppers or the discount people.
Wet Seal - slightly trashy clothes. I personally think they are a little over-priced for what they are selling but that's just me. I've never been a fan of stores like this, Forever 21 or H&M...
American Apparel - never been there.
Dillard's - not shocked. The one near me is horrible. I don't even go in there unless I see a poster saying Clinique is having a free gift and then its in and out.
Hot Topic - yeah... not really into goth teen clothes so do not shop here and not surprised they made the list as no one should shop here - really unattractive clothes.
Abercrombie - not surprised since it's made the news the past few years how teens aren't really going there anymore. I think they hit their peak in early 2000's and probably are going to start fading fast. I have never really liked their stuff. I think it's over-priced, not really my style, and honestly not all that their fans think it is.
My favs that didn't make the list:
The Limited - I could live there. I love pretty much everything the store.
Old Navy - So you could probably try to throw them in the same category as H&M as far as price but I think Old Navy doesn't try to do a ton of trendy things instead they do a few basics and sell them cheaper than their sister stores (Gap and Banana). I love their jeans.
Ann Taylor (Loft/Factory Store) - I would think they might have done better. I think if you're still shopping high-end then this is a good bet for work clothes. I like they have a whole petites department (something The Limited should add).
Target - hello how did my favorite big box store not end up on the peak performers. I don't really buy clothes here that often but will wander their aisles forever.
Surprised they aren't an under performer...
Macys - a little surprised Macys didn't end up on the under performers just since I read they've been in a bit of trouble. I like Macy's overall - ones up North are way better. The ones in VA are pretty much old Hecht's that they changed the name but never updated the merchandise. I have to be in the mood to department store shop but I like their shoe department.
Gap - I think they are wedged firmly between Banana and Old Navy and are the unpopular one. Do we really need anymore button-downs with khakis. I just feel like their look is so tired.
American Eagle - same thoughts as Abercrombie.
Those are my thoughts. Are you shocked or not that surprised? What's your favorite stores?
Top Performers:
TJX Companies (includes TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Home Goods, AJ Wright). Basically the article says they're doing well because everyone is after a bargain. I've never been to AJ Wright (not even sure if there is one around here) but the other three are hit or miss. I probably go to Marshalls the most since it's the closest but I have to be in the right mood to search for fabulous deals. My take on these stores is I want an awesome deal on a brand or name I recognize. I'm not going to pay even $20 for a brand I've never heard of... snobbish? Maybe.
Ross Stores - can't comment never been to one. Basically sounds like a TJ Maxx/Marshalls kind of store.
Aeropostale - I haven't been in there in years but used to like it a lot in NJ for fun summer things. I think I've kind of out-grown the whole look though.
Saks - not even sure I've been there - there's one in town but kind of far from me and I'm not looking to to drop $100 on a t-shirt.
Costco - not surprised... not really much to say about buying cereal in bulk.
JW Nordstrom - loves.... which I had a bigger clothing budget so I could just shop their all the time. It's like retail heaven. Awesome dressing rooms, nice sales people, clean, clothes not all shoved everywhere.... I can't say enough good things about Nordstroms...
Weaklings
JC Penney - a little shocked they made the list because every now and then you can score some really cute work outfits for a reasonable price. Items are better made then stuff you find at Kohls (which didn't make the list and I refuse to even step foot in that place). Basically the article said since they are a mid-level retailer they can't get the high-end shoppers or the discount people.
Wet Seal - slightly trashy clothes. I personally think they are a little over-priced for what they are selling but that's just me. I've never been a fan of stores like this, Forever 21 or H&M...
American Apparel - never been there.
Dillard's - not shocked. The one near me is horrible. I don't even go in there unless I see a poster saying Clinique is having a free gift and then its in and out.
Hot Topic - yeah... not really into goth teen clothes so do not shop here and not surprised they made the list as no one should shop here - really unattractive clothes.
Abercrombie - not surprised since it's made the news the past few years how teens aren't really going there anymore. I think they hit their peak in early 2000's and probably are going to start fading fast. I have never really liked their stuff. I think it's over-priced, not really my style, and honestly not all that their fans think it is.
My favs that didn't make the list:
The Limited - I could live there. I love pretty much everything the store.
Old Navy - So you could probably try to throw them in the same category as H&M as far as price but I think Old Navy doesn't try to do a ton of trendy things instead they do a few basics and sell them cheaper than their sister stores (Gap and Banana). I love their jeans.
Ann Taylor (Loft/Factory Store) - I would think they might have done better. I think if you're still shopping high-end then this is a good bet for work clothes. I like they have a whole petites department (something The Limited should add).
Target - hello how did my favorite big box store not end up on the peak performers. I don't really buy clothes here that often but will wander their aisles forever.
Surprised they aren't an under performer...
Macys - a little surprised Macys didn't end up on the under performers just since I read they've been in a bit of trouble. I like Macy's overall - ones up North are way better. The ones in VA are pretty much old Hecht's that they changed the name but never updated the merchandise. I have to be in the mood to department store shop but I like their shoe department.
Gap - I think they are wedged firmly between Banana and Old Navy and are the unpopular one. Do we really need anymore button-downs with khakis. I just feel like their look is so tired.
American Eagle - same thoughts as Abercrombie.
Those are my thoughts. Are you shocked or not that surprised? What's your favorite stores?
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Knockout Dress 4
Heidi Klum could probably wear a sack and look like a million dollars. Who else could give birth and strut their stuff nearly naked on a runway a few weeks later? So, Heidi (Miss. Project Runway herself) gets my number four spot for Knockout dress with this Haute Couture by John Galliano that she wore in 2008. Love the color - bold choice for the red carpet. Love the shape - timeless with a twist. Heidi, you're in.
On a side note about Heidi and Project Runway (loves) according to my FB update Project Runway starts next week. I can't wait b/c I was watching Bravo's Launch My Line on demand (for free) and I was dying. Even K, who could care less about fashion, was like "these designers are no where near as talented as Project Runway". He will die that I posted it but I thought it was laugh out loud funny because I had been thinking the same thing. I should explain that since I'm in love with Project Runway he is subjected to it in the same way I'm subjected to non-stop sports throughout the year. So can't wait for next week, when we can dish about all the new fab designers!!!
And by the way in case the above wasn't clear - don't waste your time with Launch My Line. Super lame wanna-be Project Runway. The people can't even design and the challenges aren't good at all. Yawn.
Photo from www.people.com
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
New Year, New You?
So I’ve been trying to follow along with my friend SP’s blog Be Well in 12. Basically she’s doing a fitness (or wellness) goal each month for the whole year. For January she challenged everyone to work out 30 minutes a day for 30 days. Yikes! I read that – laughed and then happily ate a left-over Christmas cookie. 30 minutes a day – who was she kidding – I don’t have 30 minutes each day. I have things to do….
Then I thought about it and was like really what do I have to do that I can’t sacrifice almost an hour (total time to get ready, get to the gym and work-out) a day to working out. I do work out on a fairly regular basis. Regular being as I see fit throughout the year but anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour each time. At my best I go five times a week. At my worse I’m struggling to go five times a month. So for January I’ve made it to the gym almost every day (missed three so far including today) but I do plan to lift some weights today (and I did a work-out DVD last night) and on the first I ran in the yard with C. So basically I worked out everyday.
I think its an awesome challenge though. How many times have we done exactly what I did – laughed at the people proclaiming we need to get regular exercise. Yeah…yeah… I’ll get to it, we think. But the thing is what we do to our body affects us down the road and I don’t want to be 65 and over-weight with a list of health problems.
I consider myself someone that is relatively healthy. I don’t drink a lot, I don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs. I exercise. I try to eat right. I don’t drink soda. I don’t eat a lot of junk (i.e. chips, ice cream, sweets, empty calories). But I don’t diet and I’m not a fanatic about my exercising. I blame this solely on the fact I’m naturally on the thin side. Sure I want to look like Britney Spears circa 2000 with chiseled abs and defined legs and arms but I’m realistic enough to know she has a trainer and a chef that whips her into performance ready shape. Besides if I was going for a stretch but still being realistic I’d rather be like Jennifer Aniston – healthy, toned but not scary fitness buff. Besides which I read once she was 5’4 and 115 pounds so I think that’s doable for me with a little persistence.
The thing is though I truly believe everybody’s body has a happy weight. Crystal Renn talked about it in Hungry. Basically with a little effort this is the weight your body comfortably settles at. This is true for me. I may fluctuate five pounds but ever since puberty I’ve weighed pretty much the same thing. This is regardless of exercise (I don’t say diet since I don’t diet per say – eating healthy but eating what you want is not dieting to me). I'm not using myself as a basis - if I look at family and friend I know some people that fluctuate more but most are pretty much around the same weight constantly. This is both depressing and uplifting for me - uplifting in I don't have to do much work and I'll pretty much weigh what I do now - depressing in that I need to get my ass on the treadmill if I ever want to be 115 (treadmill + starvation = 115 in my mind at this point).
Anyway… back to exercising. So I’m trying to follow SP’s blog. I’m going to try working out more and maybe just maybe I’ll wake up one day looking like Jennifer or Britney but I doubt it.
On the health note though, I was reading a back issue of Prevention (January 2009) and they had a good hint for calorie intake... Because if you’re like me I can never figure out exactly how many I should have - it's always more of a fluid number cheese fries today salad tomorrow. Anyway, they said take your goal weight and multiple it by 10. That number is how many calories you should consume to get to that weight (or maintain your current weight). So for example if you were Jennifer you would take 115 x 10 and you would need 1150 calories a day. I asked my husband who was a fitness major in college and he agreed it sounded about right. This however crushes my dream of having a "realistic" Jennifer body as 1150 calories probably does not include wine and the occasional splurge.
P.S. I did buy a bunch of work out DVDs that I will be reviewing shortly because I can never find good ones that I'm not bored out of my mind in five minutes and thinking if it counts as exercise if I put on work-out clothes and walked downstairs.
Then I thought about it and was like really what do I have to do that I can’t sacrifice almost an hour (total time to get ready, get to the gym and work-out) a day to working out. I do work out on a fairly regular basis. Regular being as I see fit throughout the year but anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour each time. At my best I go five times a week. At my worse I’m struggling to go five times a month. So for January I’ve made it to the gym almost every day (missed three so far including today) but I do plan to lift some weights today (and I did a work-out DVD last night) and on the first I ran in the yard with C. So basically I worked out everyday.
I think its an awesome challenge though. How many times have we done exactly what I did – laughed at the people proclaiming we need to get regular exercise. Yeah…yeah… I’ll get to it, we think. But the thing is what we do to our body affects us down the road and I don’t want to be 65 and over-weight with a list of health problems.
I consider myself someone that is relatively healthy. I don’t drink a lot, I don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs. I exercise. I try to eat right. I don’t drink soda. I don’t eat a lot of junk (i.e. chips, ice cream, sweets, empty calories). But I don’t diet and I’m not a fanatic about my exercising. I blame this solely on the fact I’m naturally on the thin side. Sure I want to look like Britney Spears circa 2000 with chiseled abs and defined legs and arms but I’m realistic enough to know she has a trainer and a chef that whips her into performance ready shape. Besides if I was going for a stretch but still being realistic I’d rather be like Jennifer Aniston – healthy, toned but not scary fitness buff. Besides which I read once she was 5’4 and 115 pounds so I think that’s doable for me with a little persistence.
The thing is though I truly believe everybody’s body has a happy weight. Crystal Renn talked about it in Hungry. Basically with a little effort this is the weight your body comfortably settles at. This is true for me. I may fluctuate five pounds but ever since puberty I’ve weighed pretty much the same thing. This is regardless of exercise (I don’t say diet since I don’t diet per say – eating healthy but eating what you want is not dieting to me). I'm not using myself as a basis - if I look at family and friend I know some people that fluctuate more but most are pretty much around the same weight constantly. This is both depressing and uplifting for me - uplifting in I don't have to do much work and I'll pretty much weigh what I do now - depressing in that I need to get my ass on the treadmill if I ever want to be 115 (treadmill + starvation = 115 in my mind at this point).
Anyway… back to exercising. So I’m trying to follow SP’s blog. I’m going to try working out more and maybe just maybe I’ll wake up one day looking like Jennifer or Britney but I doubt it.
On the health note though, I was reading a back issue of Prevention (January 2009) and they had a good hint for calorie intake... Because if you’re like me I can never figure out exactly how many I should have - it's always more of a fluid number cheese fries today salad tomorrow. Anyway, they said take your goal weight and multiple it by 10. That number is how many calories you should consume to get to that weight (or maintain your current weight). So for example if you were Jennifer you would take 115 x 10 and you would need 1150 calories a day. I asked my husband who was a fitness major in college and he agreed it sounded about right. This however crushes my dream of having a "realistic" Jennifer body as 1150 calories probably does not include wine and the occasional splurge.
P.S. I did buy a bunch of work out DVDs that I will be reviewing shortly because I can never find good ones that I'm not bored out of my mind in five minutes and thinking if it counts as exercise if I put on work-out clothes and walked downstairs.
Week 1 Resolution Update
So you would think I would start the New Year with a bang - lets tackle those receipts and make sure our checkbooks and bank statements are up-to-date... well you'd be wrong. Let's hide them in a pile in the office and hope no one sees them is more like it. Why am I unmotivated? Um... I don't know because it's boring to look at a receipt and make sure the store didn't overcharge you. And at this point if I got overcharged for shoes in June I can't cry about it now anyway. So week one I have three more days to complete... we'll see...
Monday, January 4, 2010
Babysitter's Club Is Back
If you grew up in the 80's I don't think its possible that you didn't read The Baby-Sitter's Club series. I for one loved it. I remember trying to figure out how I could start my own baby-sitters club - it didn't matter I was probably 8 at the time. People trusted me of course I could watch their children!! I did end up baby-sitting (when I was older) - I still do occasionally.
So I was pretty excited that I read on CNN today that they are re-releasing all The Babysitter Club books and they are writing a prequel. Read the article here and here is the official Baby-Sitter Club site. While I am way to old to be starting up a baby-sitter's club now I do not believe I'm too old to put my name on the request list for this book at the library. I've requested more embarrassing stuff than this (Twilight series for one). I for one cannot wait to reminisce about a part of my childhood.
PS My favorite characters were Claudia, Stacey and Dawn. Can you have three favorites? I don't know but I did.
So I was pretty excited that I read on CNN today that they are re-releasing all The Babysitter Club books and they are writing a prequel. Read the article here and here is the official Baby-Sitter Club site. While I am way to old to be starting up a baby-sitter's club now I do not believe I'm too old to put my name on the request list for this book at the library. I've requested more embarrassing stuff than this (Twilight series for one). I for one cannot wait to reminisce about a part of my childhood.
PS My favorite characters were Claudia, Stacey and Dawn. Can you have three favorites? I don't know but I did.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Week 1 of the 52 Week Resolution Challenge
Ok officially the challenges are going to run Sunday to Sunday. We'll see how long I can do this. Like I said I could get halfway through March and decide its a complete waste of my time. Or I could love making myself do things just so I can write about them every week. I'm a little over-eager though and short a blog post today so we'll start a day early.
This week's challenge is: get control of your finances. Wow nothing like starting hard! No... I should break this down... this is going to go over a few weeks. This week specifically, I want you to go through those old receipts, check your bank statements, balance your checkbook. This is all building up to next week's challenge....
I'll admit I work at a Financial Institution (FI) writing educational articles, making marketing promos, etc. I have a budget and I save but I am not good at going through all those receipts. They'll sit in a pile for weeks before I open them. Today in point, I was going through a Macy's bill (I always just pay it off so I never read that junk that comes with it)... BIG MISTAKE. If I read their change in terms correctly, they're charging me interest now from the date of purchase (currently they were charging interest only if you didn't pay it all off). I'm getting ready to get in the shower so I can go pay my bill off and cancel the card. By not reading my bill, I never had a clue. So that's my first challenge. Let's take this week to get things in order so we can hit the ground running with the next challenges.
I don't want to tackle my pile of receipts either but my plan is to go through them every day, one at a time. If I do three or four a day by next Sunday I'm golden.
Now, I for one do balance my checkbook on a regularly basis but if you aren't doing it and you aren't looking at your statements you could be in trouble. If you account was ever stolen you only have a set amount of time to notify your FI and get your money back. Otherwise you could be liable for everything. Not to mention, how can you ever know what you have if you don't take two seconds to add everything up.
So, lets get this thing going and figure out where our money is so by week two we can plot where it's going in 2010.
This week's challenge is: get control of your finances. Wow nothing like starting hard! No... I should break this down... this is going to go over a few weeks. This week specifically, I want you to go through those old receipts, check your bank statements, balance your checkbook. This is all building up to next week's challenge....
I'll admit I work at a Financial Institution (FI) writing educational articles, making marketing promos, etc. I have a budget and I save but I am not good at going through all those receipts. They'll sit in a pile for weeks before I open them. Today in point, I was going through a Macy's bill (I always just pay it off so I never read that junk that comes with it)... BIG MISTAKE. If I read their change in terms correctly, they're charging me interest now from the date of purchase (currently they were charging interest only if you didn't pay it all off). I'm getting ready to get in the shower so I can go pay my bill off and cancel the card. By not reading my bill, I never had a clue. So that's my first challenge. Let's take this week to get things in order so we can hit the ground running with the next challenges.
I don't want to tackle my pile of receipts either but my plan is to go through them every day, one at a time. If I do three or four a day by next Sunday I'm golden.
Now, I for one do balance my checkbook on a regularly basis but if you aren't doing it and you aren't looking at your statements you could be in trouble. If you account was ever stolen you only have a set amount of time to notify your FI and get your money back. Otherwise you could be liable for everything. Not to mention, how can you ever know what you have if you don't take two seconds to add everything up.
So, lets get this thing going and figure out where our money is so by week two we can plot where it's going in 2010.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Book Review: One for the Money Janet Evanovich
This lady at work is always asking me about books - she knows I read a lot and that my friend and I have a book club. I secretly think she wants an invite to book club but I could be wrong. Anyway, every now and then she comes by with books I "have to read". It started with Jane Austen's Persuasion. I dutifully took the book and thought the whole way home, now I have to read this boring English Class book so I can tell her I liked it. I was delightfully surprised. Persuasion is one of my all time favorite books. Next up on her list is the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. She apparently loves them and is always trying to get me to read them. I've been hesitant for awhile (two years) - for one, this is a big commitment there are like 15 some books (at least) about Stephanie Plum (luckily enough the numbers are in the title), and two mysteries aren't really my thing.
I felt bad putting her off all the time so I finally checked out book one (One for the Money) at the library. It looked short and I figured if I read one or two it might make her happy. It's an easy read but not necessarily a good read. I could be bias since I'm not a huge mystery person but I just wasn't that into the story. I didn't think it was that good of a mystery. There weren't enough clues along the way to help the reader figure out what was going on. The ending was a surprise but everything wrapped up so neatly after the big killer's reveal, I was left thinking - what??
Parts of the book are laugh out loud funny (one scene in particular where she is trying to tell someone she is really busy but all she wants to do is buy a blender to score free daiquiri mix). Others are just a little bit predictable.
The basic storyline is that Stephanie has just been let go from her job at a lingerie company. She is broke, behind on bills and needs a job. So, she asks her cousin to let her be a bounty hunter for his bail bonds company. I could be wrong but I didn't think bounty hunting was a job you could just decide to do. Her first case is tracking down Joe Morelli, a cop who is charged with killing someone and skipped his bail. My second thought is, if bounty hunting is a job you can just start doing - would you really start by tracking down someone accused of murder? The rest of the story is about her adventure trying to learn how to be a kick-ass bounty hunter, solve the mystery of whether Morelli is guilty, all while trying to track him down and get him to the police so she can collect her reward.
The book is good for a lazy long weekend. It wouldn't be my favorite book or favorite mystery. I wished for a little bit more substance. The story is easy enough to follow and I'm pretty sure you could probably jump in and read any book from the series and be able to keep up. I did go and get the second book just to see if the story got any better... but that is another blog.
Two or three stars out of five. If you're interested I would check it out from the library before I bought it. I don't think it's something you would read twice.
I felt bad putting her off all the time so I finally checked out book one (One for the Money) at the library. It looked short and I figured if I read one or two it might make her happy. It's an easy read but not necessarily a good read. I could be bias since I'm not a huge mystery person but I just wasn't that into the story. I didn't think it was that good of a mystery. There weren't enough clues along the way to help the reader figure out what was going on. The ending was a surprise but everything wrapped up so neatly after the big killer's reveal, I was left thinking - what??
Parts of the book are laugh out loud funny (one scene in particular where she is trying to tell someone she is really busy but all she wants to do is buy a blender to score free daiquiri mix). Others are just a little bit predictable.
The basic storyline is that Stephanie has just been let go from her job at a lingerie company. She is broke, behind on bills and needs a job. So, she asks her cousin to let her be a bounty hunter for his bail bonds company. I could be wrong but I didn't think bounty hunting was a job you could just decide to do. Her first case is tracking down Joe Morelli, a cop who is charged with killing someone and skipped his bail. My second thought is, if bounty hunting is a job you can just start doing - would you really start by tracking down someone accused of murder? The rest of the story is about her adventure trying to learn how to be a kick-ass bounty hunter, solve the mystery of whether Morelli is guilty, all while trying to track him down and get him to the police so she can collect her reward.
The book is good for a lazy long weekend. It wouldn't be my favorite book or favorite mystery. I wished for a little bit more substance. The story is easy enough to follow and I'm pretty sure you could probably jump in and read any book from the series and be able to keep up. I did go and get the second book just to see if the story got any better... but that is another blog.
Two or three stars out of five. If you're interested I would check it out from the library before I bought it. I don't think it's something you would read twice.
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