Things that make you go hmmm… Holiday Spending

So, now that the holiday season is almost hear, many people are dancing and leaping into debt. NOT CUTE!!!

I hate to be this candid but I must ask why? Why would we (in the name of G-D, holiday cheer or holiday spirit) wanna go into debt? Why would you wanna be happy for one day, 12 days or 7 only to be crying the next year?

I, for one, just worked very hard to dig myself OUT of debt. Personally, it feels good to have money in the bank “just in case”. Now, this isn’t a plea to get people to believe one thing or another. It isn’t a religious or moral rant about what you should or shouldn’t believe.

 *(Some don’t celebrate ANY holidays. Some celebrate Christmas. Some Hanukkah etc.)*

My point? IF YOU’VE GOTTA SPEND THIS SEASON, BE WISE!!! And remember the season of 70% off starts December 26th. 

Here are some ways to save BIG for the holidays.

HOLIDAY STYLE…LACE

Now is the time of year you can spice up your wardrobe no fuss. Got fur you are dying to wear? Chandelier earrings you wouldn’t normally put on? A low back dress that would be inappropriate for just dinner and a movie? 

Just recently I became a fan of lace and have done some research to see which pieces were good picks for holiday dressing.  Lace is a way to add sophistication and a little sizzle to most any special occation. I’ve viewed a tonof lace clothing and posted my fav of the bunch.

Some key things to remember about dressing in lace. 

• Keep accessories simple.
• Don’t go head to toe lace. (Got one lace piece? It’s enough)
• Know lace doesn’t have to be fussy. (Check out some of the pieces below. Ballet flats, tops and pieces with only lace accents.)
• Lace doesn’t have to be black. 
• Have fun!!! 

You know the drill… We’ll showcase both higher and lower price points.

What’cha Know About… Yourself

More often than not we take time to build, and or, take care of everything (or everyone) other than ourselves. A wise man once told me that if I am a mess I can’t be of service to anyone else. I believe this is very true!

While I truly do believe we have a purpose that extends FAR beyond ourselves (and circles),  I also believe that we will NEVER fully reach our potential until we step back and work on us.

Are u satisfied with your life? Do u know why? If not you should take time to get to know why. I journal. Don’t be afraid of what you see. You are who you are and will never progress until facing facts.

BROKE DON’T LOOK GOOD ON YOU III

BROKE DON’T LOOK GOOD ON YOU III

There are a lot of fun and easy ways to start building wealth… Or @ least to have enough money for the gas fiasco we are facing. Ha! I opened a high intrest account via ING DIRECT. I love it! My current intrest (yeilded) is 5.00%, it’s secure and easy to use. U can get the money directly deposited from your employer paycheck or a checking account from your bank. This way it is automatic. You get used to not having the money “in hand” and thus create a spending plan without it.

COME BACK, COME BACK… WALK INTO THE LIGHT CAROL ANN…

Seriously not to bore you. Financial planning can be fun. No one can dictate to you how much to save, how often or for what. It is entirely up to you but if you don’t want to join the ranks of the increasing young, fab and broke than man up. Do something for you. A couple of great reads are THE YOUNG FABULOUS AND BROKE by Suzie Orman, THE AUTOMATIC MILLIONARE by David Bach, RICH DAD POOR DAD by Robert Kiyosaki and A GIRL AND HER MONEY by Sharon Durling. No I haven’t read all of them (I have read a couple on that list) but I know from friends, some family and other money makers that they all hold valuable advice in their own perspectives. YOU CAN AFFORD TO SAVE For Some strange reason people (especially young people) are tricked into believing they can’t afford to save. Truth is you can’t afford not too. With the trend of higher intrest rates (on everything from credit cards to cars), souring gas prices, medical expenses and lay offs saving should be becoming a priority for most. However with the influence of pop culture, the green-eyed monster and the gottahaveitnow syndrome people are duped into living it up and living pay check to paycheck. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE shopping, eating out, going to theathe and the nines but within reason. See you put that stuff within your spending plan. You treat saving like a paycheck to yourself and with intrest! Your money builds over time but with it being out of sight/mind the time creeps up on you and you’ll be moving toward thousandare statis in no time. Gotta love it. I will be blogging about various financial challenges, posting good financial links and advice and in the near future doing interviews with some financial experts. Check out the Don’t Say Budget and Don’t Break The Bank segments to find practical advice on budgeting, saving and styling on any income.

Clearance + Style = Bargain Stylist

There is nothing like a together woman. Poised, confident, fly… What more could u ask for? Perhaps a rare combination, I am as finance conscious as I am fashion conscious. (Take that Prada!) I love making sure that I, and the women around me, are looking our very best. I marvel @ the opportunity to help my clients look their best and stay within a reasonable budget. For instance taking $300 and coming out with 3-5 outfits or at least 3-5 pieces to greatly enhance their wardrobe. It is really doable!

One of the ways to do it right is to hit the clearance racks up! Depending on your style, price point and what your wardrobe needs this can mean different things. For me it means a really great pair of shoes, coat and accessories. ( U can change a whole look by changing your outerwear, shoes and accessories)

Many stores keep a clearance rack most times of the year and depending on how the excess will have items within that season on sale.  If I were shopping I’d start there. This way you can get the best value first and save the “big” spending for items that you can’t find on sale or for pieces that are worth the extra money.

Over the coming weeks I will be giving some insider shopping advice. Here are some tips for shopping clearance:

WHAT’CHA KNOW ABOUT… MONIF C? PLUS SIZE DESIGNER

www.monifc.com

So I must showcase this fabulous woman who is also (like Elena Miro) doing something for the plus-sized market in the fashion industry.  I have been following her line since it’s Debut in Fall 2005. I especially loved the Brown Sugar collection. In an industry where (again) big is NOT viewed as beautiful, it is good to see a woman who not only flaunts it but helps other women flaunt it too.

I respect her both as a designer and fellow black woman of power! I’m sure she had to overcome many obstacles and challenges to get where she is. Yet she’s doing it! Getting recognition from the likes of What Not To Wear, Essence, MiMi, Glamour, Latina, Jolie and WWD, she is well on her way to becoming a household name. 

She and other women in the industry like Tyra Banks, Emme and companies like Lane Byrant and Dove are bringing it and I’m glad to see it! They are paving the way for a niche within the fashion industry that will help those of us who are next keep up the heat! If Beyonce can model a line based on her body type why can’t we? Hmmmm… MY FAVORITE PIECES AFTER THE JUMP

WHAT’CHA KNOW ABOUT… Rachel Roy

www.rachelroy.com

The wife of music Mogul Damon Dash. Mother. Fashion designer. Did I say fashion designer? I love Rachel’s line. It’s sophisticated, clean and retro. It has sex appeal without being revealing or trashy.  It’s a nice mix of bohemian glam meets ’60’s care free. Her clothes are fuss free, easy to match and can add some serious style to what you already have in your closet. Her Fall/Holiday 2006 collection is very romantic. Gotta love it.

Take a look! You can also find her clothing @ www.shopbop.com . bE oN tHE lOOKOUT fOR mORE rACHEL rOY iN fASHION rEWIEWS aND dO yOU oNE bETTER… A FEW OF RACHEL’S PIECES AFTER THE JUMP…

UPDATE… DEREON HOODIE (FROM IRREPLACIBLE)

NEW UPDATE (DEC. 8TH 2006)

So, this is my final update about the hoodie. Bee-yonka ain’t paying me no royalties to keep up with this info… Status? SOLD OUT!!! Sorry ladies!!! The good news? You can now purchase these on Ebay for the overprice of $355 (more than TWICE the original $79 price.) Don’t worry, don’t worry… I’m sure that mama Knowles is scrambling to produce more, OR gonna hail this as a “Dereon Exclusive”.

THE GOSPEL… Israel (Houghton) and New Breed

www.newbreedmusic.com

 So, Israel Houghton (with the hat on) is my favorite gospel artist of all time! (Kim Burrell and the Clark Sisters are right behind.)

Blessed with the anointing of God, this young man and his group New Breed, bring to us the message of salvation and peace through Jesus Christ infused with his own experiences, worship and jazzy twing. I really can’t say there is a project I’ve heard that I don’t like.

My boy has done it again, and this time with A Timeless Christmas. For those of you who celebrate it, this would be a great album to own. Jonathan Butler, Lela Hathaway and Israel’s own daughter Mariah lend vocals to this project. A cute surprise included is an interlude with Israel’s son singing his own version of a Christmas song. CHECK OUT SOME VIDEOS FROM ISRAEL AFTER THE JUMP.

BROKE DON’T LOOK GOOD ON YOU II

BROKE DON’T LOOK GOOD ON YOU II 

So how many of us twentysomething’s are saving or investing? How about the thirtysomethings? Fourtysomethings? The good news is that the earlier you start the better. Also good news it is never too late to start. Before this  year (2006) my financial profile was a little shabby. What I earn is comprable to others in my field, however, I was not very wise with what I was bringing home. In November last year I opened a 401(k) account. I started out by saving 7%. In Febuary I increased the amount to the max (for my company) of 15%. It feels great. I am in my twenties and I now know that I am preparing for my future.

I didn’t actually start saving on my own until March this year. I goofed up a couple times.  I’ll be honest enough to say that I saved money but there was money I spent that could have been put away.   In all there has been about $1600 wasted this year. Perhaps more. But you know what? By the end of this year I will have more than that in savings.

We need to wise up people. NEVER and I repeat NEVER think that just because you are “young” you don’t need to worry about your money. I will reinerate, the sooner the better!

BROKE DON’T LOOK GOOD ON YOU I

BROKE DON’T LOOK GOOD ON YOU I

So, I know that I’m not the only fashionista on this blog. I know because… well I just do okay? Anyway, fashion isn’t a bad thing… Broke is! Most of the twenty-fourtysomething women I know LOVE clothes and aim to style, but at what (or should I say who’s) expense?

It’s never stylish to be broke. More specifically to go broke trying to be stylish. For this reason I will do a segment Don’t Break The Bank in which we will talk about looking and feeling great about your style and finances.

UPDATE…DOLMAN SLEEVE SWEATER

oKAY y‘ALL,

i‘VE oRDERED tHE dOLMAN sLEEVE sWEATER fROM wALMART (A.K.A WALLY WORLD) aND i mUST sAY i aDORE iT!  

  

WHITE SAG DOLMAN SLEEVE SWEATER

*Available in 3 colors*

iT iS vERY wELL mADE aND iT hAS tHE lOOK & fEEL oF cASHMERE. aCTUALLY iT’S sOFTER tHAN sOME oF thE cASHMERE i’VE fELT tHIS sEASON.

*** nOW oN sALE @ http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5291607 fOR $6.00 tHERE iS nO eXCUSE nOT tO lOOK aND fEEL fABULOUS.