Summer Slump

I know it has been a while since I have posted, and will try and get one up as soon as I find some free time.

Until that happens, check out the other sites on my Blogroll next time you need a retail fix or budgeting support!

Charge It

Credit cards should not be associated with the magical powers many people attribute them to have. Yes they allow you to buy pretty things that you could not otherwise afford, allow you to pay bills your bills on time so your power doesn’t shut off, and allow you to buy groceries so you do not starve. Credit cards can also lead to free plane tickets, digital cameras, gift cards, and other presents. Although these present seem to be “free,” they are really incentives credit card companies use to get you to spend even more money with their cards, so they can benefit off of the interest, Instead of thinking of these presents as “free,” think of them as being a job well done for potentially getting yourself into debt.

That being said, it is naive of me to say that credit cards do not have a purpose and are evil, evil plastic beings sent here to destroy the world. Credit cards allow you to buy pretty things that you could not otherwise afford, allow you to pay bills your bills on time so your power doesn’t shut off, and allow you to buy groceries so you do not starve.

When making the commitment to a credit card, you should always know what the credit card company expects of you, as well as what they are giving you in return for your loyal service. Consider annual fees and interest. Cards that do not have any annual fee may have a larger interest rate than credit cards that require you to pay a fee each year to have access to the card. However, if you are going to be able to pay off most-of, if not all of your balance, then the larger interest rate and no annual fee credit card might be the best card for you.

Additionally, if you are going to take the credit card plunge, although the perks are not 100% perks, they should still be considered. Do you get physical rewards, do you get extra spending money, a lower interest rate, a lesser fee? What is your credit card doing for you?

So from now on, before you buy pretty things that cannot afford, pay your bills on time, and buy groceries to avoid starvation, before you say “charge it,” take a moment to remember that sooner or later, you will have to pay for it.

Sunshine and Summertime: Fashionista Style

It has been awhile since I have written a “look-for-less” post (“These Are a Few of My Favorite Things” is a good example,) mostly caused from a lack of inspiration than a lack of desire. With the spring season in full effect and summer not far behind, all-day outdoor activities are only going to increase in volume, and the hot temperatures and high-humidity can make it very challenging to want to put any effort into your daily wardrobe choices.

A recent vogue.com article about how to dress for an outdoor music festival
inspired me to try and apply their beyond-Coachella looks to my own life at an affordable price.

1. Fringe dresses. Although I wish I could afford the Anna Sui fringe sheath dress suggested by the magazine, at it’s $500 plus price tag, it is definitely too steep for my budget. Topshop’s Grey Fringed Hem Dress is a much better budget-friendly option at $56. The solid color allows the fringe detail to not be too distracting, and its tie belt is a great way to accentuate the smallest part of your waist.
2. Flats. Whether it be gladiator sandals, cowboy boots, and hightop sneakers, fashion flats beyond your average flip-flop are a must have during the warmer months. I really like the Romaine by Coconuts sandal available at piperlime.com for $55. Available in three fun colors, they are a great way to add some extra-flair to your footwear.
3. Metal Cuff bracelets. A lot of layers of jewelry and oversized baubles are a must-not this year. Instead, every piece of jewelry you wear should have some intent behind. A simple metal cuff is a great way to add visual interest to an outfit without overwhelming your ensemble or weighing you down. For just under five dollars, Forever 21’s Striated Metal Cuff will make a great addition to your jewelry collection without emptying your wallet.
4. Straw hats and sunglasses. Protecting yourself from the sun no longer needs to be an unfashionable affair. Although I think it is absolutely ridiculous to spend $240 on a straw hat from Madewell, I do think spending $30 for Gap’s Bow Fedora is definitely reasonable.

With these great options, you should have no problem figuring out what to wear for your next outdoor adventure.

Elmo Knows Best

Sometimes it’s important to think about what you really need first,
and then you can go for what you really want.
You prioritize.

– Elmo

Sound advice can really come from any source of information. This week’s post was inspired by some sound advice given by everyone’s favorite Sesame Street furry, red friend Elmo.

In a video segment with New York Times’ writer Ron Lieber, Elmo discusses the importance of spending, saving, and sharing, all of which are topics regularly covered on Sesame Street. One of the biggest lessons to be learned, Elmo says, is delayed gratification, the act of saving for a period of time in order to be able to purchase something. According to Elmo, another important lesson to be learned is knowing when to prioritize and knowing when to do what is necessary first, and then take care of what you want second.

Well, I think Elmo definitely hit the nail right on the head. When you boil budgeting down to the complete basics, you must prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. When it comes down to decide what matters in terms of spending, always put needs over wants.

As daunting budgeting can seem, if a three-year-old fuzzy red monster who loves to be tickled can do it, you can do it too. So the next time I ponder a purchase, I am going to ask myself, “What would Elmo do?”

Moving in Reverse

Recently, I have started to realize that I have been focusing more and more on the fashion and art side of life, and other than a few select posts, have generally ignored blogging about budgeting. This is entire blog is a life-lesson-in-progress; I am learning as I go, doing all of the research myself, and falling flat on my almost-emptied bank account from time to time. I am a walking case study, and although I would personally consider my budget skills amateur at best, the most important thing – I think – is that I am trying.

That being said, I also have come to the conclusion that I sort-of missed a step when writing Guidelines for a Girl Who Likes to Break the Rules. Before I wrote down step-by-step instructions of how to budget, I should have figured out guidelines for what to budget. It never occurred to me that it would be highly beneficial to set a list of priorities when purchasing something, nor did I know how to figure out what my priorities should be.

Well, luckily for me, cnnmoney.com is one step ahead, and has compiled a great set of provisionals for how to create a personalized “what-to-budget list.”

1. Narrow your objectives. As “glass half empty” as this may seem, “go big or go home” is not the scenario you want to take when creating a list of budgetary goals for yourself. Cliches aside, the more goals you set for yourself, the less likely you are to complete all of them. Instead, keep your focus narrow and your set of goals small. Having a clear-cut vision and concentrating your efforts onto budgeting in a specific medium will greatly increase your chances of actually achieving the goals you set.
2. Focus first on the goals that matter. Priorities first, desires second. “Wants” may have to go on the back burner, and as painful as it may be it’ll be worthwhile in the long run.
3. Be prepared for conflicts.Your goals may work against one another at times. Instead of fretting over the tension, ask yourself, which goal is more beneficial, both short-term and long-term? Which goal will cause the greater harm if I let it slip away?
4. Put time on your side. As seeing as this blog is more targeted for younger, less experienced budgeters, worrying about deciding on which long-term investments are right for you isn’t really something that needs to be worried about right now. Never the less, it doesn’t hurt to at least start educating yourself on the subject, for the day to decide to invest long-term will be here sooner that you expect.
5. Choose carefully. Be smart when setting goals. The longer you can stretch the benefits of your savings, the better off your bank account will be further down the road.
6. Include family members. Once again, this tip is less important for amateur budgeters like us, however, it never hurts to create a support system of family, friends, and coworkers to help you stay on track when you feel like splurging unnecessarily. The more support you have, the more likely you are to succeed.
7. Start now. The fresher the goals are in your mind, the more motivated you are, and the more likely you are going to succeed at reaching your goals.
8. Sweat the big stuff. Big purchases always should be carefully considered. How does this purchase help me reach my most important goals? If it doesn’t, does this purchase do more harm than good? When costs outweigh benefits, your best bet is to try to reduce the expense or, if possible, let it go all together.
9. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Do not sacrifice all opportunities for fun and not live your life because your budget is holding you back. Although budgeting isn’t fun, it should not be so tortuous that you are constantly walking on pennies and dimes.
10. Be prepared for change. What matters most now might not be nearly as important ten years from now. Reevaluate your priorities every few years to make sure your budget is still working for your lifestyle.

Just Because You are Wearing Chanel to Starbucks Doesn’t Mean I am Going to Like You.

Another day, another opinion flip-flop about savvysugar.com. I was reading a blurb on the website about how dressing in designer labels make you look better, and it really rubbed me the wrong way, but I couldn’t figure out why.

After letting what I read sink in a bit, I realized that I was bothered by how shallow and superficial the article not only painted the psychological study that collected these findings (guess it’s the double-majoring journalism and psychology student in me,) but also by how it completely ignored the fact that people are not going to like you better simply because of your designer duds.

The article didn’t provide any suggestions for those of us whose bank accounts cannot afford to spend upwards of thousands of dollars on a high-end wardrobe. Dressing in clothes that fit you well, flatter your skin tone, and let your awesome personality shine will be just as affective when turning strangers into acquaintances and acquaintances into friends.

There are times when being extremely polished with your wardrobe selection is important – think interviews, networking events, first dates, cocktail parties, etc. – but you never want to be the girl wearing a floor-length Chanel gown to Starbucks. I do not care how on-trend your wardrobe is, ball gowns are never a necessary accessory when ordering a non-fat, no whip, extra hot, extra shot, grande caramel macchiato in a venti cup.

Channel Your Inner Weekend (Budget) Warrior

So I am saddened to report that I was pretty much unsuccessful in my search to find eco-friendly clothing. Either the clothing isn’t fashionable AT ALL (think burlap sack dresses,) or it isn’t made from recyclable items or with low-energy or all that jazz, just made from organic products. Although I did find some cuter items across a wide variety of websites, the finds were so sparse that I decided it wasn’t worth blogging about.

I did, however, find a great mini-article on savvysugar.com, that encouraged its budget-motivated readers to keep challenging themselves to save money not only during the week, but on the weekends as well. As many people consider weekends to be opportune times “cheat” – on diets, on budgets, on rules they set for their lives – the article provided its readers with five tips on how to stay on-budgeting-track during the weekend.

I was pleasantly surprised with how well-thought-out and helpful the five tips were, considering the last article I read on SavvySugar was less than stellar. But I really that those of us trying to live and shop on a budget, and even those who are not, will really benefit from their suggestions.

1. Go Cash Only. Take out money from the ATM on a Friday, lock your credit and debit cards in someplace safe, and only spend the cash. It just as challenging as it seems, but I think it’s a really good idea. You know if you run out of cash, really nothing can stop you from just going to the ATM for more money, but isn’t proving all of your friends wrong who said you couldn’t go cash only weekend after weekend worth the satisfaction of actually doing it? Start the first weekend with $100. If you go over the limit, either adjust your withdrawals or spending habits accordingly. If you fall below the $100 mark, don’t blow the extra cash, save it for a rainy day, and consider withdrawing less from the ATM the following weekend.
2. Cool off Before You Decide to Spend.If you are like me, and are addictive to shopping instant gratification, this tip is going to really, really come in handy. Before you take your purchases to the register, put them down, put them on hold, walk away from the register, walk out of the store, and go do anything other than shop. Get a cup of coffee, get a manicure, take a jog around the block, anything to clear your head. If your shopping hyperactivity has simmered and you are still dreaming of your items you have on hold, it may be worth spending the money. But if not, you’re better off letting them go to someone else’s closet.
3. Become a High- and Low-End Mix Master. Isn’t this what I have been saying all along people? Buy items of quality when it makes sense, and stock up on the basics. But don’t forget to be reasonable! Spending $100 on a really good pair of jeans that you will get a lot of use out of is a much better idea than spending $100 on a sequined tube top because they are back in style for the season. Buy the tube top at Forever 21, and save the leftover change for a latte, instead of adding debt to your credit card bill for an unnecessary item.
4. Calculate a Purchase in Work Time. I really like this tip. I think although it’s something that is pretty obvious to do when trying to decide whether or not to purchase something, it’s a tool I rarely whip out of my bargain arsenal. If a pair of shoes you want costs $75, and you make $8 an hour, you basically have to work one ten-hour day to afford the shoes, considering taxes are taken out of your pay and there might be tax on the shoes as well. Is one pair of shoes really worth it?
5. Do Something That Doesn’t Require Cash.The simplest answer to staying on a budget seems to be the hardest concept for me to grasp. I think the better approach is do choose activities that require little cash. Instead of going to a double-feature at the movies, spend $2 at Redbox. Instead of going to a five star restaurant, find a five-star recipe online and test out your culinary chops. Just ask yourself if there is a cheaper, yet just as satisfying way to accomplish something. If the answer is yes, go the inexpensive route. Your wallet will thank you in the long run.

All-Natural Beauty

With the weather being as beautiful as it was this past weekend, I couldn’t help but grab my camera and venture out into rural Pennsylvania, which luckily only happens to be a few minutes from my house. While out and about, I stumbled upon this excellent farmers market called Milk House Farms, an honor system, donation-based store (complete with a money drawer instructing shoppers calculate their total, put their payment in the drawer, and make their own change as necessary) that provides its customers with local produce and products such as all natural candles, homemade greeting cards, and earth-friendly outwear (gloves, hates, scarves.)

The earth-friendly outwear really caught my attention for I have never walked into a mainstream clothing store that boasts its merchandise as being all-natural. Yet, here I am, in the middle of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, perusing the hat selection in the same manner I would at Macys. Certainly, this isn’t the only shop in the world that sells all natural clothing, and I imagine as more and more people “go green” the market for these types of items must be increasing. But is there really such a thing as sustainable, accessible, affordable, eco-friendly, fashionable clothing? Is there a department store for the environmentally-minded fashionista? Or, is she also trekking it out to Milk House Farms whenever she wants to add to her wardrobe?

This week I decided to make it my mission to educate myself further on the subject, and will be sharing my findings ASAP.

In the meantime, I wanted to post a few eye candy pictures from my farmer’s market adventure until all of the sustainable clothing puzzle pieces fall into place.

Photograph: Samantha Sherer, 2011

Photograph: Samantha Sherer, 2011

Photograph: Samantha Sherer, 2011

Thrifty Considerations

Shopping in a consignment boutique (“high-end” thrift store) is like finding a $20 bill in your pocket: either the stars align and you find one and everything that day is better because you are magically, mysteriously $20 richer, or you don’t find anything and the world keeps going around exactly the same as it was before, no harm no foul. With consignment shopping, finding the perfect items that are exactly what you were hoping to find at exactly the right price is basically the same as finding that $20 bill: it either happens or it doesn’t.

All items available in a consignment store are usually one of a kind to the store. If you think finding something you love in a small is also going to be available in an extra large, you better get out before you get in too deep. Consignment shopping requires a plan of attack: you have to be willing to dig through the racks, grab and lug any and all items you might want to try on, and be prepared that everything has already been gently washed and worn. The clothes are going to be less-expensive than when they were orginally, but will still dig into your wallet a bit. The higher quality the item, the pricier it will be. If you are looking to buy ten cashmere sweaters for five dollars, you are much better off going to either a sample sale, a blowout sale, or the Salvation Army, where the reused clothing isn’t typically screened for holes, stains, and rips as intensely as it would have been if you found it at a consignment hotspot.

Home on spring break this week, I couldn’t wait to go shopping at my favorite consignment store. Three hours and over $100 later, I left the store feeling so accomplished, and couldn’t wait to compile my recent adventure into five forget-me-not tips everyone should have in their thrift store shopping arsenal.

1. Look for items that have some quality or some extra pizazz to them. Consignment shopping is not the place to get basic tank tops and t-shirts.  Discount general stores like Target and Walmart are much smarter place to do that kind of shopping.
2. Try on everything!!! Try on everything!!! Try on everything!!! Did I mention you should try on everything? As obvious as it sounds, because things are not in perfect condition, the chances that they have retained their precisely tailored shape over the years are slim to none.
3. Before you make your way to the register, make sure you double check the clothing for any rips, tears, small holes, stains, and other imperfections. If it’s not something you think you can easily fix, don’t spend the money on it.
4. Check the store’s return policy. Clothing always looks different in your own home than it does in the store’s dressing room. If the clothing can’t be returned, and you aren’t 100% sure about it, it may not be worth buying it.
5. It’s great to incorporate vintage items into your wardrobe. Pieces with visual interest – whether it be a scarf, blazer, purse, or jewelry – will always give you a more put together appearance. But make sure you stay smart about your selections. A patterned shell to wear under a solid color blazer is a smart purchase. A red blazer with shoulder pads and large gold buttons is not.

Here are some photos of my favorite purchases from the day. I have a small addiction to jewelry and couldn’t resist spending the money these wanted, albeit somewhat unnecessary finds.

Entire jewelry purchase. Photograph: Samantha Sherer, 2011

Metal and stone textured pendant with leather chain. Photograph: Samantha Sherer, 2011

Turquoise and sterling silver ring, vintage ivory bangles. Photograph: Samantha Sherer, 2011

Hand-beaded pearl and crystal necklace with Chinese Zodiac stone pendant. Photograph: Samantha Sherer, 2011

Eye Candy

I am currently writing a new, full-length post for later this week, but in the meantime I wanted to post a little “eye candy” to keep your palettes satiated until then.

This past weekend I was asked to photograph a 5k for a local news publication and even though running isn’t my typical cup of tea, some of the pictures were as drop-dead gorgeous as Anthropologie’s new ready-to-wear bridal collection BHLDN. The key to taking any good picture and turning it into a work of art is to try and capture the same principles designers use when creating a new collection in a single frame to create a stunning image: bold textures and patterns, soft light, sheen, sparkle, and saturated colors.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the race, all of which are great examples of how to turn an ordinary picture into a full-blown fashion photograph.

Haldeman Ford also had a few cars on display, and I couldn't help myself from getting a little sidetracked. Photograph: Samantha Sherer, 2011

This picture is great because it also has a lot of depth and contrast, and shows how something as simple as a few pair of running sneakers can look as stunning as a pair of bedazzled Louboutins. Photograph: Samantha Sherer, 2011

Under the soft-focused lighting of the sun, everyone can look like a high-fashion model destined for the glossy pages of Vogue. Photograph: Samantha Sherer, 2011

Want more examples of how to turn basic items into beautiful photographs? Amazing blogger Emily of Cupcakes and Cashmere has a great selection of examples to browse through.

Brightly colored and glittery macaroons. Photograph courtesy of Cupcakes and Cashmere.