Strange & Charmed

No month-long commercial detox would be complete without a quick and dirty lesson in budgeting! If you are not currently using some method of budgeting to help you calculate and understand your monthly expenses, I highly suggest you give this a try. Since I am no financial guru, I can’t get into the nitty-gritty of allotting your monthly expenses, but I can help you get started on a path of personal financial management!

One day soon after I had graduated college, I was watching TV when I came across an episode of The Oprah Show that focused on personal finances. Much of the episode focused on helping couples break out of credit card and student loan debt, neither of which applied to me, however, they showed this great pie chart that they used on the show to give a rough outline of how to allocate your monthly expenses. I immediately grabbed the pie chart from the show’s website and have been using it as a guide for myself ever since

If you have never made a budget before, or if you’re not happy with your current budget, I suggest taking this chart, opening an excel file and starting to calculate how much you should be spending on each element of your expenses based on your total gross monthly income. Then you can compare what you should be spending with what you are actually spending! Make sure to grab your bank statements for the past few months when you do your comparison, because spending habits change from month to month and you need to take a look and see exactly how you have been spending your money over a good period of time. I suggest checking out your last 6 months of spending! While doing this comparison, you may find that you are spending too much on housing or clothing based on the suggested percentages and can begin to work towards finding a better balance in your budget. Once you can see where you’re overspending, it might make it easier for you to temper your spending in that area.

Obviously, if you spend too much on housing, it may not be as easy for you to put that spending back to the proper balance, but over time you can take actions like getting a roommate to cover housing costs or finding a more affordable apartment once your lease expires. In the meantime, you are going to have to cut corners somewhere, perhaps with eating out or personal entertainment, or by finding additional means of employment. I have already covered a variety of ways you can save money in different aspects of your life this month, so if you need to cut back on your entertainment costs, clothing or other personal purchases, click here to see my suggestions to make the most of your money!

Overall, I hope you came to see that budgeting is an important and necessary exercise in your life. Although you may not find that you have trouble covering the bills, taking the time to evaluate your expenses may show you where you are overspending unnecessarily and could be putting more money into savings for the future! Your personal savings is a place you really don’t want to skimp on each month, so the more you can put away the better. You never know when you will have an unexpected car repair or medical emergency that will require you to dip into your savings! Seriously, YOLO is not the financial plan you want to default to, so get your finances together asap!

Do you use a budget to help you keep track of your monthly expenses? Do you find that it helps you to make smart money decisions or is it something you reference after the fact to clean up your bills! Let us know in the comments!

Spending your days trying to find ways to save money is no easy task and for all our hard work I think we deserve a little private time of rest and relaxation! Of course, we can’t just head over to the local salon or spa, so in the nature of DIY we are going to make our own at home spa! At home spa days are easy enough and can still be super relaxing. First and foremost, you are going to need to carve out a bit of time for yourself. Whether you are going to do you at home spa after work or on a weekend, make sure to make it in your calendar and give yourself a good chunk of time to decompress! Turn off your cell phone, unplug your phone, just relax in this time you have set aside for yourself! Next, assemble your tools! All you need to turn your bathroom into your own personal spa are a few items that you most likely already have around the house.

1. Some soothing spa music on Pandora

2. A Lush Bath Bomb

3. A luscious facial scrub

4. A delightful bubble bath

5. A rejuvenating facial mask

6. A moisturizing body lotion

7. Nail polish remover

8. A sexy nail polish shade

9. A simple nail kit

 Relax and enjoy! 

Do you like to indulge yourself with at home spa day? What sorts of products or “treatments” do you like to use? Do you like listening to relaxing music or prefer watching a movie or tv show while you decompress? Let us know in the comments!

Cable television. Most people have it, but do you really need it? I can remember a time when TV was the major form of entertainment in my life. This was before the invention of DVDs and back when you rented VHS tapes from your local Blockbuster! Before computers and the internet could provide you with an endless stream of entertainment. Before cell phones played video. Before cell phones could fit in your pocket! At that time, TV was everything and the shows on TV weren’t half bad either! But times have changed, TV programming is not what it used to be (ahem, reality shows!) and although DVDs remain popular for watching shows and movies, you don’t actually need a DVD to watch a movie these days!

Of course, I am talking about services like Netflix, Hulu and even iTunes and Amazon Prime! Nowadays, you don’t even need cable to watch TV, its kinda crazy and a bargain for those who choose to make the switch from cable to Netflix. Think about how much you actually use your TV and what you use your TV for? Are you watching DVDs that you own or rent? Are you watching shows via DVR or On Demand services instead of watching them live? Do you like to go back and watch previous seasons of your favorite shows? Do you get your news and weather information from the internet or an app? If any of these questions sound like you most of the time, you may not need cable TV.

Let me give you some more food for thought! The average “triple play” bundle from your cable provider costs $100 a month and gives you TV, Internet and Phone service. Most people don’t even have a home phone anymore because they use their cell phones! Internet alone costs about $40 from a standard cable provider. So, let’s say that by switching from cable to Netflix you will save at least $50 a month ($60 from canceling cable – $10 for Netflix per month) and that is at the very least! If you also subscribe to extended cable or premium channels, you could be saving even more! So, how would you like an extra $600 in your pocket a year? What could you be doing with that extra $50 a month?

But wait, you say you really can’t live without TV because you have a few shows you are addicted to and you don’t want to cancel your premium channels because you like to watch new releases? There are plenty of alternate places to find movies and current TV shows. Services like RedBox allow you to rent new releases for just about a $1 a day! You can even subscribe to seasons of your favorite TV shows from iTunes and have unlimited access to episodes after they air live! If you are really looking to save some cash, Hulu has plenty of free TV shows available after they air, and if you use an iOS or android device, most television networks have a dedicated app where you can watch episodes the day after they air as well! If all else fails, your local library is a great resource for borrowing dvd’s of movies and TV shows, although you may not be able to find the new releases, you can definitely find a good flick for a quiet evening at home!

Do you currently subscribe to cable? Do you also use a subscription service like Netflix or Hulu Plus? Do you think you could make the switch from cable to Netflix? Are you really getting your money’s worth out of your cable tv? Is the money saved enough of a motivator, or do you need more convincing? 

Dear Kate Spade & the Beautiful Beau,

As you may or may not know (okay, you probably don’t know!) this month I am partaking in what I call a “Commercial Detox.” Basically, for the entire month of September I am exercising every ounce of self-control in my body to keep myself from making unnecessary or frivolous purchases. I have made it half way through this month, but now, I find myself cracking… because of you and the Beau bag! You have launched a very compelling marketing campaign for your new flagship bag. Not only is the bag attractive as f*@k, but you released an incredibly alluring video on your website in which a beautiful woman runs around NYC in search of her elusive Beau. On top of that, you went ahead and sent some of my favorite bloggers and internet personalities a complimentary Beau WITH a matching little USB version of the bag that is so darn adorable I CANNOT CONTAIN MYSELF! I literally cannot swing the proverbial dead cat without seeing your amazing new bag in one of my social media feeds! Its torture!

So, I began to cave. I started the “pre-purchase” stages of my mental preparation for buying an expensive bag. I checked the balance on my savings account every hour for two days… thinking. “I can afford this bag,” I told myself. “You can make this one exception to your spending freeze,” I negotiated in my mind. Then, I hit an almost miraculous road bump that had the power to completely derail me from this fashion obsession! I couldn’t decide which color Beau I would purchase! The pink and red was so bright and fun! The black so simple and chic! Even the black and tan caught my eye. “I could totally rock the black and tan,” I reasoned.

Aha! This was it, without a clear color choice, I wouldn’t be able to go through with the transaction… that was until I took a browsing around the Kate Spade website! You thought of everything, didn’t you, Kate, my dear! That’s why you included those lovely little vignettes in the rotating header for the Beau! Once I laid my eyes on that beautiful bag sitting beside a roman bust, some zebra’s and a paper fan, my heart melted and I knew my choice was made; it would be the all black bag for me!

Today I am probably going to take my SECOND trip to my local Kate Spade to oogle at the bag! My husband will have strict instructions to keep my wallet while I am in the store and not to return it to me until we leave the mall or I break out into uncontrollable sobbing! Please save me from myself and send ME a Beau! I promise to love it and cherish it all the days of my life! I’ll take pretty pictures of it and post them to instagram using your #meandmybeau tag! Think about it and I will leave you my email just in case you want my home address!

With lots of Love & Admiration,

Alexis

I know, we all get too many emails on a daily basis, but what if those emails you are getting were actually helping you out by keeping you informed, entertained and generally advancing your personal and professional knowledge? If that sounds interesting to you, you’re probably asking yourself how much something like that could cost you. Well, nothing! Except whatever time it takes you to read an email! Yep, that’s right! I have found three amazing and free subscription services that really help solve some of the major day-to-day issues facing busy professionals, students, and anyone else who is interested in learning and growing but can’t find the time to fit in long hours of personal development classes and self-help books! It’s about taking baby steps, and each day getting a little bit more news, information and advice

The Skimm

Who needs to pay for a newspaper when you can have the news delivered to your email inbox every morning, in a short but sweet summarized form that will help you to better understand the days events and discuss them competently? Busy professionals rejoice! The Skimm is just that! A daily dose of news (Monday-Friday) that tells you the need to know headlines, briefly explains the importance of the issues and helps you find ways to incorporate your news knowledge in day-to-day life to impress friends, family and coworkers!

DailyLit

Are you interested in reading more often but struggle to find the time to sit down and digest a complete novel? DailyLit is a free site that will send you short daily installments of books of your choosing that you can read on your computer or mobile device. Read via email or RSS anywhere you have an internet connection and leave you bulky paperback at home!

Netted

Do you enjoy hearing the latest news on awesome gadgets, technology, and apps but find it time-consuming searching through multiple popular technology and gadget websites each day? Try Netted by the Webby’s, a daily email subscription that keeps you up to date on the hottest new sites, apps and technology news. Short and sweet, this email promises its subscribers “better living through the internet” and if you’re reading this and are a fan of my blog I’m pretty sure this is right up your ally!

Do you currently use any email based subscription services? Do you like the opening your email inbox each morning to find something fun and useful instead of the day-to-day dregs of work emails and sale notifications? Which services do you subscribe to? Share them in the comments below!

As part of this month’s commercial detox, I have made it one of my goals not to purchase any unnecessary clothing. After all, I do have a wardrobe filled to the brim with clothes that I already own, most of them sitting unused at the backs of drawers or hidden between garments hanging in the closet. Since it’s now the end of summer as we head into fall, it’s about time to do a wardrobe change over anyhow, and in the process I plan to use the following tips to help me rediscover old pieces that have been hiding out of sight out of mind! The purpose of this exercise is not only to help me find existing items in my wardrobe that I haven’t been wearing, but to also help me create a “new” fall wardrobe by mixing and matching items I may not have normally thought to put together during that morning rush preparing for my work day! I suggest giving yourself a good amount of time dedicated to finishing this project, like two to four hours depending on the number of garments you own, so make sure to clear your schedule and your mind before you begin. I promise though, this will totally be worth it in the end and will almost be like a shopping experience except you’re using your own clothes and don’t even have to leave the house! Your credit card will thank you!

1. Prepare your space.

Before you begin this wardrobe transition, you will first need to have a good deal of space set out for yourself in your bedroom or living room where you can spread out your clothing and give good thought to how you want to style them for the fall season. Once you know the space you would like to use, I suggest cleaning it up a bit by sweeping or vacuuming the floor, making sure there are no other clothes or items that could get covered or lost during the process and generally make the space clear of any objects that might get in your way. This is an important step because your clothes are going to be everywhere during this process and getting them dirty or being too cramped will hinder your creative juices!

2. Grab your camera.

It doesn’t have to be a fancy DSLR, unless that’s what you want to use! Your cell phone’s camera , webcam or even a Polaroid will work fine! The point of the matter is that you need something to visually capture the outfits you are about to create. This is a very important step because you will need the visual reminder later on when you forget about your clothes and get back into your clothing rut!

3. Sort your clothing by color and type.

Now comes one of the hardest parts of this whole exercise. You will need to begin removing all the clothing from your closet, drawers, etc and start sorting them into piles laid out on your bed, the floor, etc. I suggest sorting clothing by the type of garment (blouse, long sleeve shirt, pants, etc) and then group them by color family the way you might do while washing them. I suggest the following color groupings, but yours may vary by the items in your closet: Darks (Black, Grey, Navy, Dark Greens, etc), Lights (White, cream, beige), and Brights (Colors of the rainbow). Once you have completed this step, all your clothing should be in piles around you. Don’t get overwhelmed! The next part can be super fun if you let it!

4. Start “shopping” your closet until you come up with at least 5 “new” outfits.

Go through your piles and take a good look at your clothes. Start putting together new outfits based on different combinations of clothing that you haven’t tried before. Try different techniques like layering blouses and sweaters, mix a few prints, imagine a dress or tunic as a top tucked in and belted! If you’re really lacking inspiration, pull our your laptop or iPad and start searching Pinterest for outfit inspiration. I bet you if you look hard enough at the clothing you have in front of you, you probably have items right in front of you that would create that ideal outfit you pinned last year! Don’t be afraid to swap garments out for one another. So, the look you want includes a henley, use a chambray instead. No short-sleeved blouse to go under your cardigan? Try a well fitted t-shirt instead! You don’t have to own every item you see on a model in order to capture her style. You just need an open mind to find the pieces in your own wardrobe that could act the same way to evoke the style!

5. Snap a quick pic of your “new” outfit.

Once you have an outfit put together, lay it out in front of you and photograph it. It would also help if you gave the outfit a name, like “Edgy Office Look” or “Casual Friday Polka Dots”. The image and name association are going to help you remember the outfit and what your thoughts were for wearing it later on when all your clothes have been put away. Another way to help you remember the outfit would be for you to hang it up as an outfit in your closet instead of separating the outfit into its pieces when you put it away.

6. Clean up and organization.

At this point, once you have all your new outfits photographed and planned out, you will need to start your clean up. If you change your clothing out for the season, proceed with putting last seasons clothing away and replacing the dominant spaces in your wardrobe with the current seasons clothing. Now is also a great time (since your clothing is in color coordinated piles) for you to look and see if you have any unnecessary duplicates, old, worn out or damaged pieces that need to be mended, discarded or donated to your local thrift shop! Slimming down your wardrobe is a great way to keep yourself motivated to wear all the pieces in your closet. Too often we get caught up wearing the same outfits repeatedly and when we get sick of them, the answer is shopping for new. Fight the urge to shop for new and shop your closet first!

Did this exercise inspire you to begin rediscovering your own wardrobe? Do you have more clothes than you actually wear on a regular basis but also find yourself constantly shopping for new? Think about your triggers for buying new clothing and let me know your plans to pare down your wardrobe or start wearing pieces that you had forgotten about! We’d love to hear your stories in the comments below!