Author: Danielle YB Vason
She Makes Cents (SMC) delivers personal finance to empower a community of goal-setting women to use their "cents" to invest in their money and lifestyle goals.
From money diaries and personal stories by Atlanta-based personal finance blogger, Danielle YB Vason, to money weekly check-ins from members of the SMC Money Tribe, the SMC community aims to remove the taboo surrounding money conversations- one money convo at a time.
{Women & Business} Breaking the Glass Ceiling
Check out this interesting infograph about women in business and the stats about breaking the “glass ceiling”.
designed by Jonathan Patterson
{Wise Words} Be Cool!
{Eat on the Cheap} Healthy Eating on a Budget
I got this question in from a reader who connected with me through my about.me!
Hello there! I am curious, I am wanting to start using the envelope method but I’m wondering how to go about spending the amount given for me in the grocery amount when on a diet. Diets are super hard to stick to especially when you are on low budget. Any advice?
MyKudos to you for making two great decisions eating clean and trying not to go into debt doing so. The envelope system, by Dave Ramsey, is such a wonder tool that has helped me reshape how I think about money. Truthfully, it may take a few visits to the grocery store for you to figure out exactly how much goes into your grocery envelope. My latest goal that I have implemented into my own life is to set realistic goals. Once you figure out how much is realistic to spend for your budget, lifestyle, and family size, then you are really to maintain a consistent amount every check.
My second recommendation would be to plan your meals on a weekly basis and make a grocery list based on the meals you plan to cook. There are a number of sources that provide recipes to help you eat cleaner by planning your meals in advanced. Pinterest is a great free source that is filled with thousands of recipes from people across the web who share similar tastes and goals as you. Once you have an idea of what you want to prepare for the week, then it is time to make the all important grocery list. I recommend never stepping into a grocery store without a completed list.
Other tips to consider:
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Never shop on an empty stomach…it often causes people to over shop and over spend.
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Wear your most fabulous heels to the grocery store: Look good, feel good, right? Well, yes… but wearing your most fabulous heels (which often ends up being the ones that hurt the most) will force you to stay on track so you can get exactly what you need and get out of there so you can get home to more comfy shoes or…no shoes at all. It may sound crazy, but I keep my heels on after work ONLY on days when I have to run errands where I may be tempted to spend!
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Get a shopping/accountability buddy: My good friend and I used to make our grocery lists and go shopping together. It made the experience fun, we used that time to catch up, and we helped each other stay on target and budget.
What is your favorite budget shopping tip?
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Email SMC: shemakescents@gmail.com
{Money & Relationships} 5 Money Questions You Need to Ask Your Significant Other TODAY!
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 Couples
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?
shemakescents{at}gmail {dot}com | Instagram @shemakescents | #SMCmoneytalks & #shemakescents
{Neiman Marcus + Target} Preview the Holiday Collection NOW!!!
December 1st is right around the corner….are you ready?
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!
{Every Woman Should Know} How to Write a Killer Thank You Note
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?
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
Let’s Connect!
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Email SMC: shemakescents@gmail.com
{Let Me Check My Calendar} Fabulous Day Planners for Less!
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.
Lets Connect!
Email SMC: shemakescents@gmail.com
{Kiss & Makeup} I Should Have Tossed My Old Makeup…When?
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?
shemakescents 