The Lies of Sales

Sales lie to us. And thus - we lie to ourselves.

Let's take a normal girl conversation:
Girl #1: Cute Shoes, Girl #2!
Girl #2: Thank you, I got them at NordstromRack
Girl #1: I heard they are having a sale!?
Girl #2: Yes! It's great! I saved $50 on these shoes - they were only $250!
Girl #1: Wow, that is a great deal, you saved a ton!

Does no one know what "Save" means anymore!?

From a dictionary.com:
save ¹

v. saved, sav·ing, saves

v.tr.

1.

a. To rescue from harm, danger, or loss.

b. To set free from the consequences of sin; redeem.

2. To keep in a safe condition; safeguard.

3. To prevent the waste or loss of; conserve.

4. To avoid spending (money) so as to keep or accumulate it.

5. To set aside for future use; store

v.intr.

1. To avoid waste or expense; economize.

2. To accumulate money:

Where does this say "Spend $250 at Nordstrom Rack"? Granted, I am just as guilty of this. Any girl is proud of themselves when they save money. But let's not kid ourselves - we aren't saving for a rainy day when we spend "less than the tag price" on a pair of shoes. Odds are we took that money that we "saved" and spent it on a pair of flats anyways. Either that, or we wouldn't have spent the full amount. Therefore we just got NICER shoes for the same that we would have spent....

Maybe everytime we make a "save" by spending less at a store than expected, we should take that money and put it in the bank. Then at least we are lowering our shopping addiction and increasing our bank account - the way we SHOULD be saving. Anyone game to try?

Porches get hit too

I think most 20-somethings know the feeling. The "I would look really great driving that car" feeling. The "I work hard and deserve a nice car" feeling. Why is there such an association with nice cars = success? (besides to obvious fact that you can't buy a nice car until you have plenty of money to throw into it?)

I would look great driving a Porsche Cayenne. That cute little cross-over. Probably a white exterior. Or perhaps a pearl? (Not that either colors are practical since I would have to also budget in a weekly car wash). I would ride in style and arrive in style. I mean, first impressions are everything right? It is amazing how we can justify material possessions. I'll give you a few of my own justifications:

• I work hard everyday, I can afford to treat myself to a luxury item
• I drive to work everyday. If I have to drive that much, I should enjoy the ride
• I mean, someday I'll have kids and have to have a "Mommy" car. I deserve this.
• A car doesn't go out of style as fast as a pair of shoes would
• But, (Insert Name Here) drives a Porche/Lexus/Beemer/Audi. I should too!
• It's an investment. (It's really not....)
• I can finance it....
• I live in Dallas - isn't a luxury car more of a need than a want here?
• If I had a nice car, I would take better care of it.

Pretty good, huh? (Tempted to stop writing this post and go get myself one instead). But I don't drive a Porsche Cayenne. I drive a 2004 Toyota Corolla. It a couple strips of ducktape on the front bumper from an "instance" a year ago. It has a post-factory radio system that the previous owner installed which is nearly impossible to use. It has shiny "rims" which lends itself to the name my coworkers have lovingly given the car, "Ghetto Whip". (Or just GW for short). So what keeps me in my little Toyota Corolla?

Porches get hit too. I just picked up GW from the shop today. This time it wasn't my fault (impressive, if you know my driving record). A tornado put soft-ball sized holes in my back windshield. When you think about it, the tornado doesn't care if I was driving a GW or driving a Porche. Weather doesn't discriminate. That 16-year-old texting? They don't avoid a Porche just because it cost more. Infact, someone might hit me just BECAUSE I drove a nice car. If I get side swiped in the parkinglot? That sucks. But it would suck way more if I drove a Cayenne. 

DON'T IMPULSE BUY anything that costs close to your salary.  Be happy with what you drive. Be happy that it gets you from point A to point B and even has working A/C. (If you do drive a nice car, be happy and don't take it for granted.) If you want to drive a nice car, then do it... but take into consideration what your budget will no longer allow as a result of an expensive car purchase.

Need more help with those justifications? Try these:

• Work hard everyday? Treat yourself to a $3 frozen yogurt instead.
• Need to improve your drive to work?  Download some music off iTunes
• Did you even remember the maintenance costs on that type of car?
• Oh yea, and you can't buy the "cheap" gas anymore.
• Want to invest? Buy a house. Or some mutual funds.
• What if I move to New York/Boston/Chicago and no longer even need a car?
• I would be terrified to leave my car in the garage... or park close to a store
• Easy target for criminals (No one messes with the Ghetto Whip)
• (Feel free to fill in your own)
• Most importantly? Porches get hit too.

Moral of the story? Love the one you're with. Car that is.

Ode to Online Shopping

Ah, let's get back to the basics. Shoes. (and shopping)

It's been awhile since one of these posts. Here is the thing, with the holiday season just now over, it is hard to rebuild our savings (if we had to dip into for holiday presents/parties/trips) and treat yourself. Oh, but in steps the solution.

My Ode to Online Shopping:

(1) Affordability- That's right, you can price shop all you want at the tip of your fingers! Have your heart set on some new boots? Check out the same style at 6 online stores in less than 5 minutes (thank you google shopping). See where you can get free shipping, and suddenly you have saved more money than if you spend $10 on gas and 3 hours of your life driving to different stores. It's a blessing to be part of this online-generation, take advantage of it!

(2) Convenience - Seriously? I can shop in my sweatpants from the comfort of my living room while watching TV? Almost too convenient if you ask me...

(3) Variety - So I can visit 12 stores in an hour? That's physically not possible. PLUS many places carry clothes that they don't carry in stores (this is even more relevant if you live in a small town without a mega mall or outlet stores)

(4) Sale Items - Many stores carry more sale items that they don't carry in the stores. For an added benefit, you get to find sale items without digging through the huge bins for 30 minutes before discovering they don't have your size anyways.

(5) Shipping - You have your package in a few days show up at your door step. A little present to yourself.

(6) Crowd-less - If you don't like people (or even just crowds?) no worries. No one can push you out of the way or cut in the check out line. Sounds good for stress levels if you ask me!

(7) Easy Gifts - Need to send a gift to a friend out of town? Easy! They do the shipping for you. That is one less hassle!

Thank you internet for providing me with the wonderful world of online shopping. And with that? I am signing off to visit a few good friends (Amazon.com & Overstock.com)

Happy (Online) Shopping!

The New Approach: Enter into the world of realistic shopping

"Window Shopping". We are all guilty of doing it. Sure its fine to go shopping and not buy anything, but how often do we find something that we simply CAN'T live without and make it our personal mission to buy it? We justify it and reason why we deserve or need it (I mean, I could wear it out at night and during the day... it completely makes an outfit.... I will bring my lunch to work for a week) or just chalk it up to a "impulsive buy" and purchase our good. (in my case? it tends to be shoes.. but everyone has their vice)

The other problem with unrealistic shopping is increased expectations. It's the same thing we have been doing to ourselves since we were in middle school. We would hang posters on our walls from Teen People of amazingly built actors and drool over the abercombie bag models.We then go to school the next day and hit with the realization that boys in middle school are not much more than "scrawny" at that age.

If you spend all day staring at Michael Kors, your DSW and Payless shoes are going to much less of an appeal. Why look at $4000 apartments "just for fun" only to make your 600 sq foot mini-place feel even more subpar.

This is probably a harder task than it seems, but I have to admit, realistic shopping might just have its perks. Be happy with what you have and don't always want that beautiful pair of stilettos in the window....

Help! I'm binge shopping!

Retail therapy. We have all heard it and most of us have participated it in. (If you haven't, please shoot me a comment as you are my new idol) It really works too. Sometimes it starts small (that extra lip gloss at the checkout counter) and then grows into more (running next store for some new shoes).

If we have a good day? We reward ourselves with some shoes- or whatever your vice is. If we have a bad day? we make ourselves feel better the same way. Neither of these will help us have a good day when our credit card bill comes in.... or out checking account drops to single didgets.

So the question comes. What do we do now?
(1) Acceptance. The first step in any problem is admitting it. Should be easy, most of us are pretty guilty.
(2) Find your trigger. Try to remember times you have been binge shopping and remember what events or emotions triggered the shopping spree. A break up? A hot new date? A bad day at work? and the next time those events or emotions come up try to catch yourself going to the mall.
(3) Catch yourself in the act. Shocked that you just spent $100 at Banana Republic when you didn't even need anything to begin with? Don't walk into the next store! Go home. Or better yet? catch yourself before you get the the cashregister. (sure you can always return things, but that's just easier said than done!)
(4) Find other ways to reward or cheer yourself up. Whether its working out, spending time with friends, or laying out by the pool (it is summer right?) If you feel you MUST spend money- splurge on some ice cream with a girlfriend. $3 is much easier to squeeze into your budget than $300.

Yes, I know.. it is easier said than done. Is there anyone else who wants to join my support group?

Appearance is Everything

Dress for the part you want. Yes, we have heard that saying over, and over. Many good sayings come from truth.

I am about to buy a new suitcase (I know, its a weekday.. but I took the day off and I desperately need a new suitcase. Cool way to spend vacation huh?) I really need a midsized suitcase and a smaller "carryon". Seeing as I didn't budget for both this month, I can only buy one. Although midsized suitcase is probably more practical for my family wedding in Detriot this weekend, I know my job will potentially have me travelling quite a bit in the future. Lets be honest, no self-respecting business person is allowed to travel for a week a check their bags (trust me, I've been though the teasing). Instead of purchasing the suitcase better suited for a family trip, I intend to buy the carry-on. Gotta practice sometime right? Even if my colleagues weren't to tease me, if you act the part of a good traveler (or whatever part you are looking for) you soon assume the role.

Same applies at everyone's job. If you want more responsibility, volunteer for it once and you will soon be the go-to-gal for the job in the future. (On the flip side, if you DON'T want a responsibility, be careful not to volunteer too quickly... or you might be ordering dinner for the team EVERY night)

I think this saying applies beyond the work place and into your personal life. A good friend of mine (who will remain nameless at this point) was told "If you act immature, you can't be surprised by the type of girls you attract". Not that you should change for a person that you haven't even met yet- but if you want a certain role in the future, you better play the part now.

And with that I'll close with another cliche. "Fake it til you make it". Happy Dressing.

The Dollar Test

Smart shopping is good shopping. You deserve new shoes, new clothes, and new accessories... but how do you know if you will really get your money's worth?

I have this fabulous jacket from Banana Republic. I love the jacket. It is fashionable and dressy and I feel like a million bucks when I wear it. Does that mean its worth a million dollars, because that is how I FELT when I put it on in the store? No. Is it worth the $150 original price? Is it worth the $60 that I paid for it?

I am going to be honest now. I have worn that wonderful jacket maybe 4 times. It isn't something you can wear every week and isn't exactly practical to wear to work often at all. It is too dressy to wear to brunch with my friends... it screams "Fashionable WORK outfit".  Which leads me to the question: Is it worth it?

I have always followed the Dollar Test. It is a 100% original theory that I have lived by for several years. (Or at least believed was original until a conversation today with a coworker, Katie, who has a very similar theory. It goes like this: For every dollar spent on an item, you should wear it one time. So $50 jeans? better wear them 50 times to make it worth it. $20 shirt? get 20 wears out of it and you are golden.

Katie has been in the real world a few years longer than I have. She has the same theory but applies different numbers for different clothing types. For example, that formal dress? You probably wont wear it 100 times, so formal dresses should have a $50/time limit. Underwear? 50cent/time. The two of us sat there and named different types of clothing and put a "Dollar/time" limit on it. (Yes, we have the very exciting job of being accountants, so this is how we spiced up the afternoon). Everything for the most part had a $1-$5/wear limit.

The more practical way to organize your shopping? Have a budget. "I can spend 100 a month on shopping". This alone might keep you from blowing $60 on a jacket that you will only wear 4 times. For those of you who throw your budget out the window like last year's fashion? try to find a reasonable "Is it worth it" method. Maybe The Dollar Test will work for you?

The Boyfriend Fund

I had a serious boyfirend in college. We broke up. I had left my stylish, although uncomfortable stiletto boots in his car days earlier. (No, I did not walk around barefoot, I had flipflops) True to breakup form I could not see him to get the shoes back, so I instead discovered retail therapy. I DO NOT reccomend this to anyone. I am a believer in budgets and this is not in anyone's budget. (although if you see a break up in your future, it wouldn't hurt to add that line in a few months prior)

What I did realize over the next few months was actually the amount of money I saved. Think about it. Birthdays, aniversaries, christmas, new years, that new dress for date night, random presents, valentines day, etc. I decided that if I wasn't spending that money on him, I should spend it (or some of it) on me. Just because I didn't have a boyfriend didn't mean that I didn't deserve to be spoiled from time to time.

According to the National Retail Federation the average American spends $103.00 on valentines day. ($14.1 billion dollars for the entire nation) For those of you who are in a relationship? I hope you start planning RIGHT NOW to save this kind of money for that big day. For the rest of us? I don't need to spend $100, but surely I can treat myself to a $30 massage and a cocktail with my best single girl friends.

For those of you singles out there wearing black and sitting in self pity- Get up. Treat yourself to something- maybe buy yourself some jewlery? (you will probably like it better than that 6 foot stuffed animal in the long run anyways) and celebrate the extra savings in your bank account!