Lifestyle – Page 18 – shemakescents

{Style Cents} Best Renovations for Resale Value

Published on February 26, 2013February 26, 2013 by Danielle YB Vason1 Comment

This may seem random, but I sometimes read up on home remodeling and staging tips from professional stagers all the time. I’m not looking to sell my home, I just LOVE to see what’s new in home decor trends and how I can make my house even more visually appealing. Below is a cool infograph from eLOCAL to help homeowners and prospective buyers decide which remodeling projects will give the largest bang for their buck in the end. Even if you are like me and just looking to keep your home looking magazine ready, it’s great to understand the rate of return on your renovation.

Source: eLocal.com

What Improvements Have You Made to Your Home?

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{Financial Cents} Say No Social and Yes to Finances!

Published on February 23, 2013June 30, 2020 by Danielle YB Vason4 Comments

During the infancy of She Makes Cents, I started reading Shoo…Jimmy Choo by Catey Hill. This, I admit, was another book I picked up because I like the title. In it, Hill goes beyond the standard advice to create a spending chart and record everything you spend your money on in it. She adds the recommendation to also include additional information such as who was with you and the motivation behind your purchase. I did this for about two months and learned that I often spent extra money when I was with one particularly close friend. I usually spent money on expensive lunches and after reviewing the spending chart, my motivation behind my spending was purely emotional. I didn’t realize that was I was spending a great deal of money simply because I missed hanging out with her like I did when I was in college. Fast forward almost two years later where I started repeating the pattern of emotional and socially inspired spending. With my current job, I got back into the habit of frequently going out to lunch with the girls. I didn’t want to miss the great conversations but most importantly, I didn’t want to appear anti-social.

At the start of the year, something clicked for the Mr and me. Our view on how we spend money as a couple and individually has narrowed. We have become super serious about saving and making better decisions on how we spend our money. Does that mean no lunches with the girls? Absolutely not! It does mean that I won’t be going with them EVERY DAY for lunch or drinks after work, though. Instead, I am cooking more at home and packing more lunches. As much as I hate to decline a social invitation, I would hate it more if the collective whole of my socially motivated financial decisions were the reason I wasn’t truly living a fabulous debt free life. I am proud of myself. I find that I’m eating better and cleaner. I also becoming a better cook, which is always a plus, but more importantly, I have learned to say no to social and yes to finances!

{Financial Cents} 4 Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund

Published on February 20, 2013February 4, 2016 by Danielle YB Vason2 Comments

Have you ever gotten your tax refund and thought to yourself, it’s time to go shopping? I have. Growing up, my mom would take a large part of her refund and she and I would go on a shopping spree…even if it meant driving from mall to mall to find a wider selection or hanging out on a school night. That is how I grew up thinking about refund checks… like some sort of magical windfall of new shoes, purses, and dresses. Now fast forward to the present, I now know it’s better to try to break even than to get a fat refund. In reality, if you are receiving a large refund then you are paying too much in taxes throughout the year.

Divide and Conquer Your Money

If you are like me and you know you will be getting a refund of some sort, it is important to find a better way to spend your money than blowing it on a new tv or handbag. Before you even receive your refund, you should already have an idea of what you may be getting back. Take this time to divide your money, so when you actually received it, you will be less likely to blow it recklessly because you have already decided where it is going. For some, this will take some serious financial discipline, but in the end, it’s worth it! I plan to make my money work for me by using these four categories below to get me started.

Fund your funds. If you don’t have an emergency fund of at least $1000, now is the time to start paying yourself. You should think of this fund like those Chinese finger traps that kids used to pay with- it’s easy to put stuff in and difficult to take things out! If you already have at least a $1000 Emergency fund, then you should take a percentage of your refund and put aside for your savings account.
Pay Down Debt. This is the time to give your “snowball” effect an extra boost. Putting a portion of your refund toward your debt with the lowest APR (annual percentage rate) or lowest balance will help you pay get out of debt faster and feel good about your accomplishments. Remember, you don’t have to have thousands of dollars all at once to start getting out of debt. Every payment above the minimum helps you get closer to your goal.
Take Care of Things You Have Been Putting Off. If you have been meaning to call the plumber over to fix that leak you can’t find (raises hands) or get the brakes on your car checked out (raises hands) or even get the shoes with that weird heel repaired (raises hands) then take this time and money to do it. These are things that people put off because they don’t have the money or time. You now have the money, so make the time.
Prioritize Fun. When budgeting your money, you have to remember to prioritize for things that bring you JOY. Set a goal and when you accomplish it, tap into this category and unleash your fun fund. This could mean buying those shoes you have had your eye on, a spa day, or planning that impromptu weekend with your loved one(s), girlfriends, or even by yourself! It doesn’t have to be big, but it does help if it is something that brings happiness and drives you to work toward your goal.

How Do You Divide Your Refund?

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{Book Cents} 3 Books I Can’t Wait to Read!

Published on February 17, 2013October 31, 2017 by Danielle YB Vason6 Comments

I Like Big Books & I Cannot Lie!

I can be somewhat weird about books. Rarely do I lend them out because I’m afraid people won’t take care of them as I do. I don’t write or mark in them unless I have to; and when I do, I usually buy another clean copy. Weird, right? I haven’t even told you how I pick out books. I am very loyal to authors I like, I’m open to recommendations, but more often than not, I pick out books because I think the title is interesting. While I’m currently reading the Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, I am always on the search for more books. Below are three that I have on my list to pick up.

Check them out!

Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office by Lois P. Frankel, PhD

Cupcakes and Cashmere by Emily Schuman

Bubbly on Your Budget by Marjorie Hillis

How Do You Pick Your Next Read?

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{Fashion Cents} Budget Friendly Fashion Statements

Published on February 15, 2013July 2, 2020 by Danielle YB Vason3 Comments

Wait… what does her bag say???

Years ago, the fad was to show people “how” many things you could afford, as people would brag about how much they spent on this or that. While this is still true in many cases, I am noticing an even cooler trend that is fun, witty, and fashionable. What is it, you ask?- Fashion Statements! No these aren’t the statement shirts and bags that were super popular in the early 2000s that had quotes from people like Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. These are fashionable acknowledgements of the times, with phrases like, “Can’t Afford a Birkin” and “My other bag is Louis Vuitton”. Occasionally, I would see someone with a bag like this and I would always chuckle a bit at the boldness of these women. I guess I was just surprised by the fact that these women were the opposite of the masses I see rocking fake labels, act like they are real, and suddenly make others feel bad for not having what they have. I mean seriously, no one believes your Birkin is real on a $22,000 salary and it doesn’t even come in that color, and having a purse doesn’t make you better than others…I’m just saying. I think the problem is that sometimes great style is confused with a name brand. Trust me, not all designer fashion is stylish, but the examples of these awesome, budget friendly, designer inspired fashion finds below, are.

Below are a few of my favorite “Statement Looks” :

Photo Credits: Skreened, If You Seek Aimee Fashion, & Style With Benefits

Which look would you rock?

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Fashion Cents} Brand Loyalty or Brand Validation?

Published on February 4, 2013April 19, 2013 by Femi HillLeave a comment

Danielle and I have discussed how the psychological obsession with expensive products and luxury labels can lead to financial trouble. While setting up shop for the most relaxed SMC meeting ever, we discussed our favorite brands. Danielle likes O.P.I. nail polish and has a shoe game that would blow you away. I, however, have recently recovered from a serious infatuation with True Religion brand jeans and the both of these are pricey for the types of products they are. Sometimes within one’s own living circumstances, it makes no sense to step out of one’s’ budget for the sake of feeling validated by a brand. So why do so many people do it? Which has more value, brand loyalty or brand validation?

Let’s begin the conversation by defining these terms. Brand Loyalty is your devotion to a particular brand because of its proven usefulness. This is a tried and true product or brand that has won you, the customer, over for its merit or quality. (THINK: I’m loyal to Charmin tissue because of its thickness.) Brand validation, as its name suggests, is when a product’s mere reputation trumps the importance of its merit; thus fueling one’s desire for the label more so than the product. Yep, we let a brand validate us without proving itself worthy of its cost.

Brand names and their reputations are impossible to evade. Because of this, it is almost too easy to get lost in a particular brand so much so, that we allow it to eat out our pockets. The place where both brand obsession and financial logic intersect is where I am in my journey to financial freedom….SMC too, since she has repeatedly admitted that Chanel makes her feel pretty. In no way am I discouraging splurging for yourself or investing in expensive products that will hold you down in the long run. I, for one, own expensive jeans that have lasted years. When operating on a budget, though, it is imperative to think critically about the items you choose to spend your money on, and why. Are you loyal to your brands because they actually fulfill their purpose, or are your brands validating you while nipping away at your money? Granted, there is no cookie cutter way to address the issue of our obsessions with luxury brands. However, acknowledgment of this issue is a surefire way to begin searching for smarter ways to shop for the things you love…while staying within a budget, of course:)

Have you ever allowed a brand names to validate your purchase?

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{Broke is the New Black} Are You Paying for the Fake Life with Real Money?

Published on January 21, 2013December 22, 2016 by Danielle YB Vason9 Comments

Welcome to the Good Life!

Over the past few years, social media has become a game changer. Its created jobs that did not exist even ten years ago, helped people connect who may not have had access to each other, and became a major catalyst for our cultural need to document everything. But what exactly are we documenting? – The life we live or the life we want people to think we live? All too often, I see people around me going into debt trying to rock the same fashion piece that they saw on one of the Kardashians. I asked this question a few months ago and I will ask it again, whose lifestyle are you funding? They can afford it, can you?
Fashion writer, Suzy Menkes called 2009 the “end of the statement bag” in a blurb for the 2009 autumn edition of H&M Magazine. She adds, “Insane shoes that mangle your feet, laughably expensive bags that no-one can afford; who can afford such extravagances in times of [financial] crisis?” If 2009 was the end of the expensive statement bag, then this must be the year of the appearance of luxury, where people are funding a fake life with real money. The reality is, even four years after the “fall of the statement bag”, we are still in a financial crisis.
Don’t get me wrong, I love fashion and will spend money when I have it, but I refuse to waste money staging a lifestyle for the world to see. I’m am not one of those people who are offended by the finer things in life, rather I feel sorry for those who mishandle their responsibilities in hopes of material possessions. This is not just a twenty-something problem either, as I witness people of all ages spending in excess to portray the good life…and for what? Public validation? Likes from Facebook, Twitter, and most notoriously Instagram from people you don’t even know in real life? Be yourself, rock what you love, but don’t go into debt doing so. Trust me, none of the people who “liked” your photo of those oh-so-fly out of your budget shoes, will help you save for that house you have on your vision board.

Let’s Connect!

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{Money Challenge Remix} How to Save $1300+ On Any Budget

Published on January 18, 2013January 3, 2016 by Danielle YB Vason28 Comments

Click here for the updated 2016 version!

Okay, so we are just 3 weeks in and I started falling behind for my 52 week money challenge. I decided at the start of week one to try this challenge in reverse. That means I will be saving more money at the beginning of the year and less the closer we get to the holiday season. In my mind, this worked well. In reality, it could work well. So far, though, my results haven’t been all that great and the fact that the fiscal cliff has chopped a chuck out of my check, hasn’t helped. I thought to myself…”Danielle, how can you find a way to honor the challenge in a way that will not hurt you financially?” Then I came up with the idea to create a “bingo” style format. At the end of the year, I would still end up with the same amount of $1378 and if I am having a tough financial week, I can pick a lower amount to save. I crossed off 52 on week one, and I will cross of 5 and 4 to represent weeks two and three. I decided to share this to maybe motivate someone who may have been thinking about “giving up”.

{What’s Your Preference} Numerical Order, Reverse, or Bingo Style?

Email me if you want my handy Bingo Style Sheet!

{Fashion Cents Cheat Sheet} How to Accessorize Popular Necklines

Published on January 16, 2013January 18, 2013 by Danielle YB VasonLeave a comment

Thanks Charming Charlie for this Cheat Sheet!

{Friday Ramble} One Reason He Hasn’t Put A Ring On It!

Published on January 11, 2013February 7, 2014 by Danielle YB Vason2 Comments

The Ring Didn’t Mean A Thing!

I wonder does former Real Housewives of Atlanta, Kim Zolciak, still think that after she got hers two years ago? In fact, he put a ring on it after she stopped living off someone else and started bringing in the big bucks from Bravo. My inspiration for this post, however hits a little closer to home as it comes from a girl talk with a girlfriend of mine…let’s call her “Christine” for anonymity sake. Christine and I were catching up the other day laughing at a prediction gone wrong. You see, at the beginning of last years, either she or I made the prediction that her boyfriend would pop the question in 2012. During our girl talk, she revealed that she asked her boyfriend the money and relationship questions discussed in the post 5 Financial Questions you Should Ask Your Significant Other Today to open up lines of communication about money and their future as a couple. Our conversation then led to people who lie about their finances to a significant other.
Sure, like Christine, you and your boyfriend could have talked about marriage, but that doesn’t mean he has been secretly studying up on Tacori, now does it? If being engaged in a certain period was a similar goal and that didn’t happen, let’s examine one major possibility… a.k.a. your financial situation. While I am very open about my personal financial situation with you (SMC readers), my family, and the Mr., I know that everyone is not so comfortable talking about money. Many people were raised to think that frankly, discussions of money are just plain rude. Although I must agree with financial journalist, Jean Chatzy, who advised in article for the Winter 2013 edition of Martha Stewart Weddings that you should “never STOP talking about money”. People list money as the top reason they fight and they confess hiding financial information from their spouse, but if you are planning on a successful marriage and not just a wedding, then you should be able to talk about anything- especially money!

Things to Consider:

Know You Before He Can Know You. This is the epitome of money and relationship advice. On the financial side, you can’t share accurate information about your finances, if you don’t know your current situation. Check your credit score. Keep track of your debt. He can’t know your debt until you know it, just like he can’t fully know you until you know yourself.

Be Open. You may be fluent in your love language, but how is your financial fluency? One thing I had to learn with the Mr. is to truly engage in communication you have to be willing to talk as much as you listen. Give as much as you ask and be prepared to hear things you may not like. Relationships thrive on open lines of communication. Again, if you plan on jumping the broom, you have to be ready to talk about everything, including those stupid financial decisions you made in your early 20s that you are still paying for…literally.

Great Expectations. The 6 carat dream on the .25 carat budget. I have another friend whose boyfriend told her, he was not proposing to her because he couldn’t afford the rings she was pinning on Pinterest. Does she really expect a celebrity ring? No. Does her boyfriend have a point? Yes…well, maybe. Yes, he has a point because he doesn’t want to disappoint you. Maybe, because Pinterest is like an online vision board of awesomeness where you group images that you like that lead to articles that you love (follow SMC on Pinterest). Why not pin pretty things?

Tick Tock, Gotta Beat the Clock. I’ve heard women say, including myself, that they want to be engaged to be married by [insert date/age here]. For many, the race is more so against the clock than against the Joneses. How many of you put a similar emphasis on paying off student loans, credit card debt, protecting your investments, or living debt free? Maybe he is not ready. Maybe you both aren’t ready as you think you are. I will say that you need to make sure your ducks are in a row. Wouldn’t it be lovely, when the time comes, to go into a marriage with no financial surprises. In my opinion, that is WAY better than a ring…but that’s just my two cents.

Let’s Connect!

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