She Makes Cents – Page 22

{Money & Relationships} 5 Money Questions You Need to Ask Your Significant Other TODAY!

Published on November 27, 2012March 14, 2016 by Danielle YB Vason3 Comments

Okay…so a while back I was researching ideas for the Mr.’s 30th birthday gift, when I came across an article about things couples should discuss before taking it to the next level. I read it, thought about discussing it with the Mr., and lost it. Oh well, I thought to myself, until a similar yet more thorough list came across my Pinterest feed. It’s a list of 100 questions from a book called Don’t You Dare Get Married Until You Read This! The Book of Questions for Coupless by Corey Donaldson. Let me now add the disclaimer that I get paid to design andwrite about weddings and other special event, so this type of stuff pops up in my inbox all of the time. This list, however is the most comprehensive I’ve come across, and it includes questions about MONEY. One of the major killer of marriages is MONEY and a couple’s individual and collective attitudes regarding spending, saving, and basic money management skills. One easy example is Teresa Giudice from the New Jersey Housewives, who once famously said, “her money is her money and his money is her money”. If you are in a serious relationship, I recommend you talk through these five questions and the others in the book, which I plan on purchasing today!

CHECK OUT SOME OF THE MONEY QUESTIONS BELOW:

1. What justifies going into debt?
2. What are all your current debts?
3. How should we prepare for a financial emergency?
4. Do you feel that lack of money is a good reason not to have children?
5. At this point in our relationship (pre-marriage), would you be comfortable transferring all of your money into my bank account?

What do you think about these questions?

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{Every Woman Should Know} How to Write a Killer Thank You Note

Published on November 8, 2012January 19, 2017 by Danielle YB VasonLeave a comment

You can call me old-fashioned, but I am still one of those people who buys fun stationary and sits down to write a thank you note. Sometimes, though, I find that when the time comes to actually sit down and write one, be it for a gift, job interview follow-up, or thanking someone for a kind deed, the words aren’t there. In this instance, check out this lovely “cheat sheet” for a thank you note that the recipient will be happy to receive.

1. Clearly address the recipient of the thank you: For example, “Dear readers of She Makes Cents..”

2. Next state what you are thankful for: This is where you explicitly state the gift, invitation, kind deed, or whatever. For example, “thank you so much for not only following She Makes Cents, but engaging in thoughtful conversation about finances, lifestyle, and your personal goals”.

3. Now explain how you plan of using the gift & how it made you feel to receive it. For example, “it makes me feel good to know that it is okay to engage in conversations about money so that I can become better educated and I can help to educate others on financial matters.

4. Send out your thanks again and seal the deal with your autograph: For example, “my sincerest thanks to everyone who has supported and continues to support this website. All my love, Danielle.

Dear readers of She Makes Cents, Thank you so much for not only following She Makes Cents, but engaging in thoughtful conversation about finances, lifestyle, and your personal goals. It makes me feel good to know that it is okay to engage in conversations about money so that I can become better educated and I can help to educate others on financial matters. My sincerest thanks to everyone who has supported and continues to support this website.
All my love, Danielle

It’s easy…it’s free… and it’s something every woman should know how to do.

info@shemakescents.com | Instagram @shemakescents

{High/Low Makeup Comparison} Can You Tell the Difference?

Published on November 5, 2012April 30, 2013 by Danielle YB Vason1 Comment

Last week I pinned a picture of an awesome lipstick color! I followed the link to the tumblr account of Makeup Lovers Unite who has a complete page full of “makeup dupes”. The page consists of a list of comparison of high-end makeup products to their drug store counterparts. If it’s the color you love, why not get the look for less?

Check out other Makeup Dupes at Makeup Lovers Unite

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Email SMC: shemakescents@gmail.com

{Let Me Check My Calendar} Fabulous Day Planners for Less!

Published on November 2, 2012January 2, 2013 by Danielle YB Vason1 Comment

Let me check my calendar is a phrase I use quite frequently in both my personal and professional life. Working in an industry that causes to you to plan months in advance, has me used to planning…well, months in advance. With the end of the year steadily approaching, this is the time I usually find myself on the hunt for a new planner. If you know me personally, you know I don’t leave home without my iPad and my planner. I must admit, I completely LOVE my 2011-2012 myAgenda that I purchased last year. It’s chic, handy, and functional. Last year I purchased this gold one from The Container Store for about $50.

This year, I decided to stay with this style planner, so I went directly to the site and ordered this a feisty leopard one plus had it personalized with my name for less than what I paid last year…BIG Ups to me. Now that I purchased and signed up for their rewards program, I can share a 10% off code with up six people. If you are interested, please email me for the code.

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Email SMC: shemakescents@gmail.com

{Kiss & Makeup} I Should Have Tossed My Old Makeup…When?

Published on October 22, 2012July 1, 2020 by Danielle YB Vason3 Comments

I am getting a head start on my “out with the old, in with the new” in preparation for 2013. Admittedly, I am a beauty product junkie. I love trying the latest colors in nail polishes, textures in foundations, and scents of the newest perfumes, which is probably why I love Birchbox so much! I’m sure I have plenty of makeup that needs to be replenished and it’s a project I take on when I’m in one of those “toss everything” type of moods, otherwise I feel like I’m throwing my dollars spent on these products…right down the drain. Trends change, peoples taste change, however, the number one reason why this beauty product purge is so important is purely scientific. Like food, the components that makeup everyone’s favorite beauty products eventually goes bad. For those brave enough to continue to use old products, beware…

How long should I keep makeup in my kit?

Mascara: is a must for everyday wear! “This is the makeup item you should be most vigilant about: As the brush is taken out, applied, and put back in the tube, it brings with it any bacteria that has collected along the way”, explains cosmetic chemist Jim Hammer in an article for Allure Magazine. Can you say eww? Don’t wait until your mascara is clunky and hard to get back in the tube, at that point you are risking pinkeye and sties.

Lip gloss/Lipstick: Lip gloss is my second must for everyday wear. On a basic level, I rock the CO Bigelow Mentha lip shine EVERYDAY!!! They run about $7.00 a tube, however I wait until the after Christmas sale from Bath and Body Works and I get the holiday gift set of about 10 tubes for $7.00. I usually grab two packs and they last me about a year. Good thing the shelf life of lip gloss and lip stick is ONE YEAR!

Eye shadows: Without looking in my vanity and makeup kit, I know I have some eye shadows that are in dire need of being tossed. For whatever reason I keep them because I LOVE the color or it reminds me of ….idk, something, or I again, feel bad about throwing away a $20 eye shadow I may have only used twice. But when you think of all the gross bacteria that over time accumulates on your products, it is safe to say that after 3 months, they should be tossed. If you are still feeling bad about tossing eye shadows, check out this alternative for tossing old eye shadows from the blog Never too Much Glitter. This blogger takes recycling to a whole other pretty level. I bet you never thought you could turn eye shadow into nail polish, did you?

Foundation: I only wear foundation on my face for special occasions and when I want my face to be one consistent color. I do, however, use it almost every day as a base on my eyelids. This should be replaced every 6 month to a year. If you wear creamy foundation, you should stay more on the 6 months side of the timeframe.

Nail Polish: Guess what, nail polish does not attract bacteria. You can keep it as long as it is not thick and chunky!!! Whoo hoo!

Operation “Kiss & Makeup” starts this week for me, how about you?

What products do you need to toss TODAY?

{Neiman Marcus + Target} Preview the Holiday Collection NOW!!!

Published on October 19, 2012 by Danielle YB Vason3 Comments

Words cannot express my excitement over the 2012 holiday collaboration between retailers Neiman Marcus and Target which will launch on December 1st (for more information, click here)! Based off the amount of views I got when I first announced the collaboration, I know I am not alone in my excitement. This is the ultimate shopping opportunity to use your “cents” to live the fab life! Click the picture below for a sneak peek of the goodies to come!

{Looking for Money} Simple Suggestions to Start Saving Money TODAY!

Published on October 10, 2012April 19, 2013 by Danielle YB Vason2 Comments

If I walked in a room and asked everyone who is completely debt free to raise their hands and someone did, I would truly be surprised. It’s not because I’m unaware of the fact that debt-free people do exist, it’s just because I see an abundance of people from all walks of life trying to get their finances in a better place. I myself am one of those people. The inspiration for this post comes after sitting down and looking at my finances for this month. A wrench was unexpectedly thrown into my financial pattern when a mistake was made on one of my checks (hey, it sucks but it happens). This caused me to take a closer look at my money. Where is it going and could I save more?

Here’s what I found:

I started the morning trying to pay a bill online that I have already paid. What can I say, at the point in the day, I hadn’t gotten my Starbucks fix. Once on the site, though I saw something about saving money with a FREE online Energy Audit from GA Power, so I followed the link. It took less than 10 minutes and it showed me how the changes I have made over the past year have saved me money in a monthly comparison of 2011 to 2012. It also provided some suggestions for home improvements that can increase comfort while lowering monthly bills. According to Energy Star, “a home energy audit is often the first step in making your home more efficient. An audit can help you assess how much energy your home uses and evaluate what measures you can take to improve efficiency.”

After the Energy Audit, I checked out my credit card balance (insert sad face). Just to give a little background, a few years ago I paid off my credit card by paying a set amount ($200 a month) instead of the minimum payment. During that time, I saw the decrease in the balance move rather quickly. Now, after living off of my credit card for one year + span of not working, then a complete career change with a different kind of salary, my credit card balance hit an all time high. I’ve been working to pay it and the balance is moving in the right direction, but it’s not moving fast enough. So, I decided to input my information into a credit card payment calculator to find out the timeframe of being credit card debt free. I added a credit card calculator on the right panel of SMC, but I really like this one from the Consumer’s Alliance because it reveals just how much that credit card is going to cost you, or how you can pay off your existing credit card debt a bit faster. Now, i have an exact goal date and I understand better how a few dollars can make a big difference in the end.

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{September Update} Confessions of New Year’s Resolutions

Published on October 1, 2012July 2, 2020 by Danielle YB VasonLeave a comment

This post is dedicated to Audrey at Just Add Paris…hey girlie! Back in April, I posted an update to my New Year’s Resolutions. As we approach the final leg of 2012, I thought I owed Ashley an update since she asked me to write one over a month ago. So…here goes:

Start Putting Money Away for Emergencies

January 24, 2012: Since I’m being honest, I might as well go all in. Currently, my emergency fund looks like the sad little piggy pictured here. That’s right, even She Makes Cents, has to get her own finances together sometimes. I almost depleted my fund when… an emergency came up. I am so glad that I got myself into the habit of saving for the unexpected because life would have been so much harder without one.

April 4, 2012: I have started my emergency fund again and I must say it feels good. I really hope it will be a long time before I have to tap into it since there isn’t much in there and two, no one likes emergencies.

September 30, 2012: I’m still going strong putting away money into my emergency fundJ How are you doing with your emergency fund?

Cook More, Eat Out Less

January 24, 2012: The Mr. and I love trying new restaurant spots; consequently, we have gotten in the habit of going to restaurants multiple times a week. Sometimes, I even eat out multiple times a day. While examining our finances, we both concluded that we can’t save if we are constantly spending on dinners out every night, plus tips for the servers, plus parking. Do you see how quickly it can add up? Not only are we spending too much, but also it is counteracting to my bangin’ body goal.

April 4, 2012: Well…we still eat out, but we are now more conscious of it. Using the envelope system has really helped with this one. I set aside a certain amount of money per check for non-grocery food expenses. For example, I stopped at Smoothie King this morning for a Pineapple Surf and used my “restaurant fund” to essentially…fund it. The envelope system, regarding eating out, has also forced me to really think about my motivation. Am I really hungry? Am I going to be social? Now, I need to work on the “cook more” portion of this resolution.

September 30, 2012: We are still working on it. I have actually set a new goal for myself to eat at least 10 home cooked meals a week. I might actually like cooking a little more. Did I mention that I made my first lasagna from scratch?

Bangin’ Body 2012

January 24, 2012: I think this one is a little self-explanatory. I will just let these swimsuits be my inspiration. I say show it while you got it…so I have to get mine tight. Get it right, get it tight 2012!!!

April 4 2012: I am pleased to announce that I am actually starting to see a difference in my tummy. I started jogging, stretching, and taking the dog out for longer walks. I am also trying to eat a little better, so once swimsuit season officially begins; I hope to have accomplished my goal of losing 2 to 3 inches. As of yesterday, I’m already down an inch.

September 30, 2012: I actually just started “The World’s Fastest Workout” and let me tell you it is NO JOKE! I now have a goal to be healthy first and then the bangin’ body will follow.

Reduce Impulse Shopping

September 30, 2012: I am finding that my urge to impulse shop has significantly reduced. I am happy about it and trust me, so is my wallet!

See the World

April 4 2012: So my Dad and I are getting our passports updated this week. This is very necessary since I will be celebrating the Mr.’s 30th birthday in Germany among other places. Overall, I would say that I’m not too far off of my goals for 2012. While I could be doing better in some areas, I could also be doing A LOT worse. In fact, as I accomplish my goals, I will start replacing them with new goals.

September 30, 2012: I got my passport and I am back from Germany and Czech Republic. This was both of our first international trips and we are already planning the next one. It was an AMAZING experience and now I want to see more of the world. We toured castles and beautiful Cathedrals, kissed under the fake Eiffel Tower, shopped, tried foods, celebrated the Mr.’s Dirty Thirty in style! I even found a TK Maxx over there, which was their version of TJ Maxx! Yep, I was shopping smart even 4,000 miles away.