What I like Wednesday

Nude Flats. I am obsessed with a good nude flat. They are a classic for me. You can wear them with any color and with anything, from jeans to dresses. I always feel like I look more polished when I wear my nude flats. The only problem with nude flats is that I usually have to buy a new pair once a year since they lose their luster when you wear them so often. First world problems, I know. Therefore, while I want to buy a good quality flat (leather, comfortable, simple construction), I do not want to spend a fortune on a pair. Here are a few great options for you if you are in the market for some nude flats.

Vince Camuto Ellen - I own these in black and red and they are very comfortable

Lucky Brand Emmie - I own these in nude! So good!

Steve Madden Klaraa - I have had these in the past!

Do you know of any good quality nude flats out there? What are some shoe staples for you?

Saving $ on the FLY

One of my most proudest buys in recent memory were two flights on Etihad courtesy of an error sale on Christmas 2014. I scored roundtrip flights from Chicago to Abu Dhabi for a little over $200 each. These flights typically go for $1000-2000 a piece. I was beyond impressed with myself...and it made up for the grandma slippers I received from my husband for Christmas... Now, a deal of this nature is really only a deal if you have plans to travel that direction...and I did (don't ask...). Otherwise, you are creating a massive trip without much planning and thus will likely result in significant cost.

So here are ten tips to save money on your travels...

1. Airfares are generally lower during the shoulder season - the period of time between high and low season. Any season can be a shoulder season, depending on where you go. Europe's high season lasts from May through September, but head to places like Paris, London, or Rome in October and you will find fewer crowds, comfortable temperatures, and cheaper airline ticket prices. Mexico and the Caribbean has great weather in late April and May, but prices for flights drop during these months as they fall after spring break and before summer vacation. 

2. Airlines typically post new airfare sales midweek. To save yourself some time, research travel sites, such as Skyscanner, and sign up for e-newsletters that list the best deals (we particularly like The Flight Deal). When booking a flight, arrange your travel for Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, if possible, because these days are generally the cheapest times to travel. As an added bonus, airports tend to be less crowded on these days.

3. If you will need to check bags on the flight, find out how much you will be charged before purchasing the fare. Most airlines and travel sites offer this information online. To compare rates side by side, visit Airfarewatchdog.com's baggage chart, which lists baggage rates for different airlines, including fees for overweight and oversize bags. It is also a good idea to double check fees on a airline's website since policies do change (damn them...*shakes fist*). 

4. If your departure and return dates are flexible as well as airport (perhaps fly out of or into another airport nearby), use airfare search engines, such as Google Flights, to play around with dates and airports. They will search the web for deals, covering hundreds of sites in a matter of seconds and thus saving you the time of clicking through each site on your own. 

5. Up for an adventure and do not mind where you go? Check out Skyscanner's Everywhere tool or explore the map option on Google Flights and Kayak to find the cheapest flights from an airport. This is how my family ended up going on a trip to Germany recently...

6. Bring your own food on board! So much cheaper...and better. Just be mindful of how much your food smells. And bring an empty water bottle too - fill up at fountains as you travel! 

7. Weigh your luggage before you leave home. I always share one bag with my son, even when we visit family for over a month, and thus I often push the weight limit. One experience shifting items between checked and carry-on bags to get to the right weight (all with same small child needing tending to...) and you learn to always check the weight of your luggage before you go to the airport... Or just be ready to pay for overage charges. 

8. Back in the day, two one way tickets were a lot more than a single roundtrip ticket, but not so nowadays. Today, buying a one way ticket can be much more cost effective AND you might find better flight times. Some online sites already mix and match flights, but they frankly do not show you all the available combinations. 

9. A non-flight tip: Eat like a local. Not only is tasting new foods part of the adventure, but you will likely eat far better and save money when you eat like a local. Our family always makes the best of our hotel's breakfast, gets lunch and snacks at local markets, and then eats dinner at a well recommended but affordable restaurant (Need one? We often use TripAdvisor). 

10. Another non-flight tip: Use ATMs to withdraw cash. You almost always get a better deal, even with the fees, withdrawing money using your debit card from an ATM than exchanging cash at a foreign exchange counter. Also, withdraw enough to last you a few days - the more withdrawals you make, the more fees you pay. But having a lot of cash on hand is worrisome for many, including yours truly, and thus do what makes the most sense to you. Why cash over card? We like using cash on our travels to help us stick to a budget. 

What travel $ tips do you have? Please share in comments. 

Things you are wasting money on

We are all guilty of wasting money in one way or another. No one is perfect. Here is a list of ten things we should think twice about before spending our hard-earned dollars. I am not saying you should never splurge, but I am saying you should give your spending habits a good review in order to see where you can cut back. 

1. Expensive coffee. I love Starbucks about as much as the next gal, but that crap adds up. So make it at home or give yourself a weekly coffee budget. 

2. Cars. Cars are not a good investment, especially new ones. While they have a nice smell, they drop in value the moment they leave the lot. Buy used and drive it for several years (at least until it is paid off). Personally, I love Toyotas and Hondas because they are very reliable and hold their value. Maybe not the sexiest cars, but I have money in the bank! 

3. Food. Did you know we waste about 25% of the food we buy? When food spoils or we simply throw it out, that is money down the drain. Think about it - You spend $100 on groceries and about $25 of that is wasted... That adds up! Some tips to waste less? 1. Plan ahead and stick to a list. 2. Do not shop when you are hungry (My #1 food buy when I am hungry: Milk Duds). 3. Keep tabs on your food in your house (Never eat that kale in the fridge? Stop buying it!). 

4.The latest tech gadgets. Is the next iPhone really going to be that different from the current one and make your life so much better? Do not fall under the marketing spell of rushing to buy the newest model of every gadget.

5. Not taking advantage of a 401K. If the company you work for offers a 401K match, take advantage of it. Yes, that will mean money deducted from your paycheck, but you will be leaving money on the table if you do not sign up. 

6. Brand name products. Go generic whenever possible. Unless you are Oprah or Bill Gates, you have to prioritize because you cannot have the best of everything. And there is often no difference between generic and brand name items (Do not believe me? Check the label!). Areas you may be able to save money on include food, clothing, and toiletries. 

7. Credit card interest. ATM fees. Late fees. Tickets. Irresponsibility is just damn expensive. 

8. Cable. I hate cable companies. They are expensive and rude. So why deal with them? Be done and stream Netflix, Hulu, whatever instead. TV is bad for you anyway. 

9. Bottled water. Why buy bottled water when you can drink water from your tap for free? We here in the Pacific Northwest have amazing water - get yourself a cute water bottle and just fill it up. Elsewhere? Get a Brita or something and skip the plastic bottled stuff. 

10. Eating out. Eating out adds up. $50 for a family of four dinner out or groceries for a few days? One of those fancy $25 martinis or all your lunches for the week? The occasional meal or drink out is really great, but the more you make at home, the better off your wallet will be. Plus, you tend to be healthier at home than out. Do not like to cook much like me? Cook large quantities on the weekends so you will have leftovers during the week or stick to simple recipes (my family loves baked salmon and salad - so easy!) or get yourself a damn Crock-Pot (put your ingredients in there, turn on for several hours, and you are done!).

Did we miss something? Share something we are guilty of wasting money on in the comments.

Thrifty Thursday

I love me a good thrift store. In fact, most of my clothes come from thrift stores. "I love your shirt, Jade, where did you get them?" Thrift store. "That dress is so cute, where did you get it?" Thrifted it for $3.99. "That jacket is so nice, where did you get it?" Thrift store on a 50% off day. I have scored many amazing deals during my thrifting adventures. Here are ten tips for buying clothes at a thrift shop.

1. Check the label. The very first order of business is to check the label. This is your first test to see if it is worth buying. Look for well-made clothes with a reputation for hardiness. 

2. Shop in the right area. More affluent areas mean more people with money and thus better odds of finding quality stuff. Some people consider thrift stores and used clothing shops nasty, dirty, unorganized places. Some are, most are not. Explore your community to find the best shops. Once you find a goodie, you will be hooked. 

3. Check the quality of the material. This is connected to #1. A high quality fabric will stand the test of time over a cheap fabric. 

4. Look for additional discounts. Is there a certain color tag or type of item on sale? Is there a sale day coming up? Who does not love saving even more money? I particularly love 50% off days. That Banana Republic dress that costs over $100 new just a season or two ago with a tag for $9.99 is now $5. ThankyouverymuchIwilltakeit.

5. What to avoid:

- Clothes with lots of embellishments - First, they are hard to maintain anyway, but nearly all clothes with sequins, heavy stitching, etc. have a shelf life and likely ended up at the thrift shop for a reason...

- Damaged clothes - Check for holes! Check for stains! If you do not have the ability to fix it yourself, do not waste your money. So examine your items thoroughly. 

- Trends of yesterday - Tracksuits. Crocs. Giant belts. Jeggings. You know...stuff you should not be wearing.

- Shoes can be hit or miss - everyone's feet wear differently. I only buy shoes if they are new or practically brand new. 

- Underwear. Come on now...

6. Make sure you launder your finds properly. Always check each item's laundering tag and give them a good refresh. 

7. Now this might seem obvious, but if you do not wear it, do not buy it. You do not save money buying something that just sits in your closet. 

8. Thrift shops are the place to buy kids clothes. It is crazy to buy a baby nothing but brand new clothes since they grow so fast. My son might wear a onesie once or twice before he outgrows it. Therefore, he wears mostly thrifted finds. I do not feel so bad about him wearing a onesie or pants or something a handful of times if I paid $1 for it. Plus, many times his clothes end up with the day's "leftovers" on them...

9. Regardless if you thrift or not, one of the best fashion tips anyone has ever given me is to get a good tailor. If you wanna look exceptional, it must fit just right. What a tailor charges for minor alterations depends on where you live, but it is almost always worth it considering how much you paid for the item. If you got the item for a steal and add $20 for tailoring, you now have a perfectly fitted piece of clothing for a fraction of what you would have paid new. 

10. Thrifting is a great way to recycle someone else's items, but if you go shopping without an idea of what you are looking for you could end up spending much more than you planned for...or looking around forever. Maybe that is part of the fun, but having a couple items in mind will focus your outing more. Related to this, one thing I do - to keep myself from becoming a hoarder - is I must bring a bag of items to donate when I go thrifting. Stuff in, stuff out. 

Have fun!