2009 October | Well Heeled Blog

How To Practice Safe and Responsible Credit Card Use

Written by WellHeeled on October 30, 2009 · 9 Comments

Wait, you mean you never had a credit card education class in school? Okay, me neither. The quality of education these days!

safe credit card use How To Practice Safe and Responsible Credit Card Use

But there’s no reason that high schools or colleges shouldn’t offer a class like this. After all, credit card education isn’t an awkward topic like the other type of ed we had in our adolescent years, so there’s no reason to be bashful on talking about the practice of safe credit card use.

Why you should practice safe credit card use:

Credit cards are a tool that can make your financial life (and by extension, your non-financial life) better or worse, depending on your actions.

If you practice responsible and safe credit card use, you increase your chances of having a healthy and productive relationship with your credit cards, credit report, personal budget, and all instances in which you will have to apply for loans (mortgage, car loan, private education loans, etc.). If you don’t practice safe credit card use, well, then you will catch a nasty case of CTD – credit transmitted disease. Symptoms might include feelings of fatigue (I’m so tired of all these bills), anger (why is the company charging me a 29% APR?!), and in the worst case, bankruptcy, which can do a real number on your credit profile.

How to practice safe and responsible credit card use:

1. Recognize that credit cards are a method of payment (much like cash, checks, electronic transfers, etc.), not a source of funds for payment. You can read more about this philosophy of credit use at my BlogHer post.

2. Pay off your balance in full every month (the safest way!), or at least always be sure to pay the minimum payment. This will help you avoid the hefty late fees and finance charges. However, if you are a good customer and you run into these charges, many credit card companies will waive them for you.

3. Keep track of your spending – it doesn’t have to be down to the dollars and cents, but have an approximate guideline of how much you can put on your credit card. This will also help you from coming too close to your credit limit.

4. Keep your friends close, and your credit cards closer. Make sure you always know exactly where your credit cards are. This way, if a card is lost or stolen, you will notice and can report the fraud quickly.

5. Use virtual account numbers when you shop online, especially at a site that you’re unfamiliar with. Some cards offer virtual account numbers – which are numbers generated specifically for a short period of time (say, a few days). This way, the online merchant does not have access to your real credit card number if a hacker breaks in the system or if there are other security breaches. This feature helps protect you in the Wild Wild West of online credit use.

6. Limit your number of credit cards. Most experts recommend 2-4 credit cards. More credit cards means more cards, more credit limits, more due dates, to keep track of.

7. Don’t share your credit with just anyone. Remember, you worked hard to build and maintain a good credit history. Think long and hard before you become joint account holders / cosigners with someone else. If you become a joint account holder / cosigner, you might become 100% liable for the debt that is accumulated on that account if your partner turns out to be less than sterling credit user. Please do your own research, understand the consequences, and honestly evaluate if that person would be a good credit partner.

8. Last, but not least, enjoy your credit cards! Responsible credit card use can be a beautiful thing. I use my credit card rewards points to get Sephora gift cards. Perhaps you are an avid traveler and can get air miles on your card? Or you own a small business and receive cash back on your business account? The possibilities are out there – safe credit use help you avoid credit-related diseases and enjoy a happy, healthy relationship with your credit cards.

Civility Doesn’t Cost A Thing

Written by WellHeeled on October 29, 2009 · 8 Comments

Some going-on’s in the PF blog arena reminded me: I’d like to take a moment and say a big thank-you to all of my readers, who have been positive and encouraging 99.9% of the time I’ve been blogging. (Even my spam comments paid me a compliment!)

I’m sure many of you read a very popular personal finance blog, Krystal At Work. Krystal has gotten some comments on her decision to purchase a new car. Whether or not a reader agrees with her decision, there are civil ways and not-so-civil ways to express one’s opinion, and well, civility doesn’t cost a thing, so there’s no reason to be stingy with it.

The blogosphere can be a wonderful place to share ideas, build communities, and even make friends (A handful of blog buddies have become great real life friends / colleagues).

But it can also be a place where people forget that there are real men and women behind the screen names, that there is a lot of information that a blogger choose to withhold for whatever reason, that there are real lives behind blog posts. Anonymity shouldn’t be a veil for rudeness or personal attacks – I’ve read blogs where the comments can become truly vitriolic. So I think I just lucked out with such a great bunch of readers. (Or perhaps I just don’t inspire anyone to such, er, “passionate” opinions? Good thing I don’t post about religion or politics!)

So to all the readers of my little blog: Thank you for making blogging such an awesome experience for me. Thank you for your kind, thoughtful, and civil comments. I truly appreciate it.

How Much Are You Willing To Pay For Handbags?

Written by WellHeeled on October 28, 2009 · 21 Comments

prices and bags1 1024x307 How Much Are You Willing To Pay For Handbags?

I love my new leather satchel that I’ve purchased a month ago. I can really tell a difference in quality in that bag’s material and construction versus the faux leather purses that I’ve bought in the past. Considering that those purses often cost $20-$40, I consider the extra cost money well spent.

But I am ALSO glad that I didn’t pay over $100 for my leather bag.

As I’ve used the bag 2x – 4x a week, I notice little scuff marks or scratches on the leather. I try to be careful, but wear and tear is bound to happen. If I had a really expensive bag (say, $500+), I would be scared to set it down!

Also, I believe that the higher you go up in the handbag scale (i.e. from a $20 Payless purse to $50 Nine West to a $500 Coach purse to a $1,500 Prada bag), the marginal improvement in quality decreases and the percentage of the incremental cost that goes to the “brand” increases.

For completely illustrative purposes, this is how I think of it: the $30 difference between Nine West and Payless might be allocated 80% quality ($24) and 20% brand ($6), whereas the $1,000 between a $500 Coach bag and a $1,500 Prada might be allocated 40% quality ($400) and 60% brand ($600). The quality will still be better every “step” up in branding you go, but you will be paying a proportionally greater differential for the brand.

This is not to say that paying for brand is wrong or unwise. In fact, with a designer brand you are usually buying good design, superb construction, innovative styling, cache, a special purchasing experience (i.e. if you purchase the bag at Neiman Marcus instead of at a sample sale), recognition, etc. If those aspects are important to you and you can afford it, then more power to you! (And the economy thanks you).

I just don’t think I can take the psychological pressure of carrying around a bag that costs more than my rent. Which just goes to shows – I shouldn’t be owning such a bag. Right now, I think ~$200 / bag is my limit.

Investment advisers have counseled clients to see if their asset allocation pass the “sleep test” – I think material possessions should be viewed in the same way. If the thought of losing a $2,000 bag makes me break out in hives (or a $40,000 car whose every dent will be like a dagger to my heart), then owning these things probably won’t bring that much joy to my life. I’d worry too much!

The Cupcake Craze

Written by WellHeeled on October 28, 2009 · 8 Comments

Even though the cupcake craze has swept the nation in the past few years, I haven’t been wholly impressed by most of the cupcakes I’ve tasted. Some of them were too sweet, some too dense. Others were good, sure, but nothing that made me think oh-my-this-is-GOOD.

Instead of paying $3 a cupcake from pricey boutiques, I have to believe that I can make cupcakes that are just (if not more) delicious than store-brought ones. And so… I present to you my vanilla cupcakes with lemon zest cream cheese frosting.

0021 1024x768 The Cupcake Craze

Cupcake Recipe (makes 1 dozen cupcakes)

4 oz. stick butter
3/4 cups sugar
1 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk or evaporated skim milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites

preheat oven to 350

1. soften butter in the mixer
2. put the sugar in with the butter and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes
3. sift flour, baking powder, and salt together
4. measure out milk and vanilla extract, then combine the two
5. add the flour mixture and milk mixture to the butter/sugar in 3 parts alternating between flour and milk and beating well after each addition
6. set aside flour and milk mixture (should be in batter consistency by this point)
7. in another bowl, beat egg whites on high until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes
8. fold egg whites into cake batter until incorporated
9. scoop batter into the prepared cupcake pans (I like to use foil baking cups)
10. bake in the 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes depending on your oven (use a toothpick to poke the center of a cupcake – it’s done if the toothpick comes out clean)

Frosting Recipe

4 oz butter
8 oz cream cheese
2 tablespoon lemon zest (my motto was “the zestier the better!” so I added 2.5 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-2 cups confectioner’s sugar (depending on desired sweetness – I used 1 cup)

1. combine softened butter and cream cheese with mixer on high speed
2. add about half of the confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice and zest to the butter/cream cheese mixture and beat on high speed to combine
3. add remaining confectioner’s sugar in stages until desired consistency and sweetness is achieved

Putting It Together

After cupcakes are done, set them on rack to cool. When the top is cool, the cupcakes are ready to be frosted.

If you don’t have special frosting piping tools, you can construct a makeshift one with a small ziploc bag. Just put frosting in the bag, make sure all the air is out, push the frosting towards one corner of the bag, zip the bag close, then make a small cut at the corner of the bag. Then just pipe the frosting on the cooled cupcakes.

Final, But Most Important, Step

Enjoy the cupcakes of your labor. I like mine with a glass of milk.

Virginia Woolf: Personal Finance Blogger?

Written by WellHeeled on October 27, 2009 · 5 Comments

If the incomparable Mrs. Woolf had grown up today, perhaps she would’ve been a personal finance blogger.

In fact, 80 years ago, Virginia Woolf wrote series of speeches that turned into a slim volume called A Room of One’s Own. Her writing is luminous, not at all like the dry and dull writing most people imagine financial expositions to be. But the ideas contained within that tiny little book have much in common with the personal finance bloggers and financial advocates of today.

Virginia Woolf is one of my favorite authors (I love Mrs. Dalloway), and discovering A Room of One’s Own (and reading it through a personal finance lens) just made me love her more.

In the book, Virginia Woolf posits that for a woman to achieve success in her art (a female Shakespeare, for example), she “must have money and a room of her own to write fiction.” I would argue that in fact, Virginia Woolf would have felt the same about any pursuit that requires creativity and dedication.

Women. Financial security. Freedom to pursue one’s art or ambition. Mrs. Woolf said it best, and she said it 80 years ago. But her central tenets are just as relevant today as they were in 1929.

We still need a room of our own.

Passports and Americans

Written by WellHeeled on October 26, 2009 · 13 Comments

I went on my first international flight when I was nine, so the little blue book has always been a part of my life. There were a few instances where I thought I had lost it – those were harrowing moments, indeed!

Dog Ate My Finances’ latest post got me interested because “only 10% of Americans have a passport” just seems really low to me. And I don’t always agree with what she says, but her posts can certainly be interesting (usually) and controversial (sometimes)!

I did some googling – while I can’t find any precise numbers, a January 2007 NY Times article indicated that according to the State Department, an estimated 27% of Americans carry a valid passport as of that date. Since that time, the government has implemented rules that require a passport to travel to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and Bermuda, so I imagine the percentage of Americans with passports would have increased.

So what are some reasons that more Americans don’t have passports? I can think of a few that might be the reason:

1. the expense of international travel

2. America’s distance from other countries (which makes travel logistically and financially more challenging than, say, a British citizen traveling to another European country).

3. lack of interest in other countries (? – It’s easy to make fun of the stereotypical I’m-only-interested-in-myself American, but I don’t think this is case, at least not the primary reason)

4. the plethora of vacation destinations available within the country (America is huge, and one could argue that New York and Texas are as different as two different countries. )

5. short vacations (especially when compared to European countries) – 2-3 weeks of time off per year doesn’t leave a lot of time for traveling.

I really enjoy living in California, but I also want to live abroad in my life. In fact, when I was younger I thought it would be amazing if my kids would be expats and become one of those super-lingual genius babies who can become native speakers in 3-4 languages.

Apparently, there is now a Passport Book (what we traditionally think of as the passport) and a Passport Card (a single identification card used for travel by ports-of-entry to Canada, Mexico, Caribbean and Bermuda, but cannot be used for international air travel). Because my parents have always paid for passport expenses, I never realized how much this documentation cost.

The U.S. State Department publishes a fee schedule for passport costs. Adult renewals passport book cost $75. Considering that a passport is valid for 10 years, it’s certainly a more than fair price (though expedited services often cost much, much more).

Unfortunately, I haven’t been out of the country since Spring of 2007. I am working on an overseas business idea. Who knows, perhaps my passport will be getting a new sticker in a few months.

The REAL Benefit Of Cooking At Home

Written by WellHeeled on October 26, 2009 · 8 Comments

Is that you can make a dish full of expensive ingredients, and STILL have the cost come out to be much much much lower than a restaurant’s.

Exhibit A: this morning I made an omelet stuffed with smoked salmon and an entire half of an avocado, and topped with more avocado and a generous handful of crumbled goat cheese.

009 300x225 The REAL Benefit Of Cooking At Home

It. Was. Delicious. And probably cost me less than $3.

From Austin With Like

Written by WellHeeled on October 25, 2009 · 4 Comments

So I went to Austin for a few days this past weekend. I checked out UT Austin on Friday, then hung out on the weekend. Unfortunately, I didn’t have too much time to see the city, but I did make time for an all-important cupcake tasting at Hey Cupcake (see picture below) on Congress before I had to go to the airport.

Based on my very limited view of Austin, I’ve come to the conclusion that I like the place and the people, but I’m not smitten (ducks and covers!), which I had been expecting to be after all the wonderful comments about the city. But I wouldn’t be surprised if like evolves to love if I come to live in Austin for extended periods of time.

The real highlight of the trip was the new friend that I’ve made. She is wonderful, and I am so happy that we met in person and had the chance to hang out for a few days. It still blows my mind that she was willing to take time out of her very busy schedule to help me out with transportation, host me at her apartment, and, just, well, being awesome.

Speaking of apartments, I’ve realize what a low cost of living Austin has. The apartment I stayed in was absolutely GORGEOUS and in a great downtown location. It would’ve gone for $400 to $700 more had it been located in a metropolitan area in California.

One of the really interesting thing I saw was that traffic lights are hung horizontally in Austin instead of vertically as in California. Very cool.

Happy Halloween Costumes

Written by WellHeeled on October 22, 2009 · 11 Comments

Halloween’s almost here! Given that the holiday falls on a Saturday this year, I am even more excited about dressing up. I don’t like to buy pre-made outfits, though, so I’ve decided I’m going to try my hand at one of three costumes (see the details on this BlogHer post). This year, I’m deciding between a Black Widow, a Cowgirl, or a Ballerina (specifically Odile – the black swan – from Swan Lake).

In my Halloween’s past, I’ve been a witch (all through out middle school and high school), a baby (middle school), a very covered-up belly dancer (elementary), a political bride protesting domestic violence (I dressed up in a white gown and had a sign that says Love Shouldn’t Hurt – college), a princess (college), and a leprechaun (last year).

I’ll be assembling my own outfits because commercial offerings can be quite expensive ($40+), and because I am just not adventurous enough to wear some of those outfits! I might send some pictures of my costume to my grandma, and, well, I don’t want to make her blush!

Who / What will you be this Halloween?

Cost of Alcohol: The Price of a Lush Life

Written by WellHeeled on October 21, 2009 · 14 Comments

wine shop 300x189 Cost of Alcohol: The Price of a Lush Life I’m not a big drinker (for the most part I prefer to eat my calories ). But I do have an appreciation for liqueur and wine.

Walking into a BevMo (Costco of alcohol), however, I am struck by how expensive alcohol is. My weakness is Godiva chocolate liqueur, but that drink goes for $30+ a bottle. Never mind at restaurants and bars – I’ve read that restaurants make most of their markups on alcoholic beverages, and I can certainly believe that from a quick glance at the menu.

A quick tally shows that I spend maybe $10-$15 on alcohol a month – that usually includes a bottle of Moscato or Prosecco, and maybe a sample bottle of Bailey’s or Chambord from BevMo. If a friend is having a party, that sum will go up because I’ll usually bring a pack of beer from Trader Joe’s (~$8) or a bottle of wine (~$10-$15 per bottle).

The reason that sum’s so low is because I almost never order alcohol at restaurants (even though sometimes I really want to – the drink concoctions look so beautiful in pictures!). On the occasions when I go to bars, I’ll order a Sprite or Coke unless I have a designated driver. Living in an area where cars rule the road and being a petite person, I have to be very careful about (not) drinking and driving. A bigger person might be able to have a couple of beers, sit for a few hours, then drive home.

How much does alcohol cost you a month?

Spamalot: The Creativity of Spammers

Written by WellHeeled on October 20, 2009 · 9 Comments

Like most blogs and sites, this blog gets a lot of spam. Layers and layers of it. I’ve noticed that spammers have been making an effort to try to get their links through. It’s gotten to the point where I just want to shake them by the shoulders and say, look, you’re spam. Man up! Don’t hide behind false flattery or pretend questions or facetious advice. Just. Admit. It.

I offer you some examples:

1. The Pretend Question:

I’d like to know where I could get good ringtones for the iphone other than creating them on itunes. Is it possible to get them directly from AT&T like you can with any other phone? Is there a 3rd party website where you can get them from at good quality? The problem is that i’m having trouble with the itunes “create a ringtone” feature so I’d like to find another alternative. Please help!

________________

buy unlock iphone (link disabled)

Okay, this sounds like a legitimate question, but not if you already have the handy dandy answer at the very end of your comment! And definitely not if your email is a nonsensical combination of letters and numbers.

2. Attempt at humor:

have a nice joke. Why do bicycles fall over? Because they are two-tired.
___________________________
ciagra generic Houston (link disabled)

Ah hahahaha. Because you are so hilarious I am going to let you spam my site. Wait, no. (Although, I like corny jokes, so, um, I might bust this one out sometime).

3. The Flattery Angle:

Are you a professional journalist? You write very well.

Wow! I’m excited a reader thinks so highly of my writing… but.. wait a minute! I see your website. Spammer!

What’s In My Bag: Jana

Written by WellHeeled on October 19, 2009 · 5 Comments

What’s in my bag???

jana bag 1024x768 Whats In My Bag: Jana

The bag itself: Etienne Aigner, via Marshalls, $20 on sale

In the outer pocket: Key for House ($272,000 and now worth $100k less due to economy…), Key/remote for ’99 Chevy Suburban (about $38,000), Key/remote for ’05 Chevy Malibu Maxx ((hand-me-down car that my wonderful Dad “traded” me for my old ’97 Honda Civic (orig purchased used for $3800), when he got a new vehicle))

Camera, Cannon Powershot Digital Elph, Gift from my Dad

In the inner pockets: Cell Phone, Motorola W490, free w/ 2 yr Tmobile agreement

Sunglasses, via Marshalls but don’t remember brand, $5 on sale

Lipstick, Mary Kay dusty rose, $5, via half-price sale

Lipstuff, Carmex, Target, $1.19

Gum, Eclipse Polar Ice, Target, $.63/sheet of 12

The wallet: Liz & Company, JCPenney, $7 on clearance

The sub-bags: Blue check pattern, Gift from my MIL (carries my 3 yr old’s stuff):

Holds:

Emergency Pullup, Target, cost per after sale/coupon $.27

2 Single-package Diaper wipes, free w/ package wipe purchase

Granola Bar, Quaker Chewy Chocolate PB, Target, cost per $.25

90% Real Fruit Aw’some Fruit Stik, Target, cost per $.22

Miniature plastic toy dog, Target, $2.99

Disney Cars Mini-Carrying Case, Toy store in mall, $1.99

Lightening McQueen Racecar, Target, $3.59

4 Misc plastic toy figures, Toy store in mall, about $1.00 total

Floral pattern, Fossil, Dillards, $5 on clearance

Holds:

Hand Lotion, Eucerin 1 oz, Target, free w/ larger size purchase

Sunscreen, Neutrogena 1 oz, Target, free w/ larger size purchase

Stain remover, Oxi-clean spray 1 oz, Target, $2.99

Makeup Stick, Maybelline, Meijer, $5.49

Aspirin tube, Bayer 12 ct, Meijer, $.99

Black hair tie-back, Walmart, cost per $.37

Bright pink, Meijer, part of a 3 bag set that cost $8.00

Holds:

My MP3 player, Creative Zen, Best Buy, about $125 after rebate

Misc pens and notepad, coupons

Wow I carry a lot of stuff! Is your shoulder tired yet just thinking about it?!?

Voting guidelines

If you want to vote for an entry, leave 1 comment in the comments section. You may vote for yourself and you may vote for more than 1 entry (you can even vote for everyone if you want, although that will just cancel out your vote).

Voting will be open until Tuesday, October 27 at 12 noon PST.

What’s In My Bag: Little Miss Moneybags

Written by WellHeeled on October 19, 2009 · 7 Comments

My purple bag is a street vendor find! I got it from a guy with a table on 32nd Street for $10 a few months ago.

littlemissmoneybags bag 768x1024 Whats In My Bag: Little Miss Moneybags

Inside is:
Amazon Kindle and case (free; beta testing for school)
Book, A Fortunate Age (free; advance reader’s edition)
Staples notebook (Staples, 3 for $8)
Ikea tupperware (no clue how much it cost, it was my boyfriend’s before we moved in together)
Work ID and metrocard in holder (holder was free from work, metrocard was $89)
Sandisk thumb drive, BestBuy $9.95
Chapstick, Duane Reade, 3 for $4.99
Revlon Colorstay lipstick, $1.99 at Cosmetics Warehouse on 39th Street
Hair clip, Duane Reade, 6 for $3.99
Generic cheap sunglasses, street vendor on St Marks Place, $5 (and they’re awful, but I always break or lose sunglasses)
Covergirl compact, $2.50 at Cosmetics Warehouse
Wallet, $9.99 at TJ Maxx (I’ve had it for like six years and love it!)
iPhone ($199, AT&T) and case (generic, $7 from street vendor)

As you can see, I do a lot of shopping at street vendors!

It’s weird, isn’t it, that I carry a Kindle AND a regular book? I’m reading Gone with the Wind as well as my school books on the Kindle, and I’m starting to transfer work stuff to it, but I got really taken in by A Fortunate Age and I just couldn’t leave it at home. I like to have lots of reading options, in case, I don’t know, I wind up with hours and hours of free time and finish Gone with the Wind.

I also still carry a paper notebook despite having an iPhone to make notes and to do lists on. There’s a pen in the Kindle case.

What I’d buy at TJ Maxx or Marshalls if I win:
New sunglasses
A fun clutch
Body lotion gift sets–I love those!

Voting guidelines

Voting will be open until Tuesday, October 27 at 12 noon PST.

What’s In My Bag: Revanche

Written by WellHeeled on October 19, 2009 · 13 Comments

revanchegs bag1 1024x768 Whats In My Bag: Revanche

revanchegs bag2 1024x768 Whats In My Bag: Revanche

Let’s see…. the wallet was a gift from the Coach outlet …. the planner was a work planner from Staples? Office Max? One of the two, anyway …. the notebook was a free convention giveaway… the make-up bag was from E.L.F., the charger = Apple Store, and the bluetooth was also a gift from the Apple Store. Phone, same.

Pretty boring!

Oh, inside the makeup bag? Lessee, that’s got a lip gloss from Victoria’s Secret, a Vaseline tube from ..eh… Target or CVS or something like that. Extra bobby pics because you never know when you might need one, hair ties, a little mirror, a pair of tweezers and bandaids. Because you never know when you might need one!

And of course, all of this is featured inside the beloved leather bag that I bought NOT on a budget at all. But let’s not talk about that, shall we?

Voting guidelines:

Voting will be open until Tuesday, October 27 at 12 noon PST.

What’s In My Bag: Carmen

Written by WellHeeled on October 19, 2009 · 19 Comments

carmen bag Whats In My Bag: Carmen

My purse is a big slouchy bag I found at TJMaxx ($14.99!), which goes with virtually everything–a major plus because I never seem to have time to switch purses. Now I don’t have to! My wallet was a Christmas gift (free via my mom) that has room for all my credit cards, receipts and business cards. (My mom even picked out one for herself–in mustard yellow. Good taste, huh?)

I love to take this CD with me everywhere–it’s my husband’s EP “Still I Believe” by Michael Sechrist ($4 via iTunes or Amazon). (Yes, I’m proud to say I landed a ‘sweet and sensitive’ type who serenades me at home for free! Check him out: www.myspace.com/michaelsechrist.)

My favorite lip gloss is Burts Bee in “Fig” ($4 via Target) and my cuticles are always in need of some TLC so I keep this cuticle stick ($3 on sale at Bath & Body Works) on hand. I also keep a tiny bottle of GermX ($1 via WalMart) to keep my hands squeaky clean!

Now that the weather’s starting to turn cold, I like to keep a soft scarf tucked in ($9.99 via eBay) so that I can wrap and warm up at a moment’s notice. To keep my eco wear-and-tear low, I carry a steel water bottle with a beautiful damask print ($14.99 via Barnes & Noble, surprisingly enough) and a reusable shopping bag (free via Marshalls).

I’m always brainstorming ideas, so I keep a tiny notebook (free, a perk from my last job) and pen ($1 via The Dollar Tree) with me to jot down to-do lists or shopping needs. And of course I carry the staples that get me from here to there: my cell phone, my GPS (lovingly known as “Cynthia”; $150ish via Staples), and my keys (which bear a hand-me-down leather strawberry keychain that belonged to my grandmother).

Voting guidelines

Voting will be open until Tuesday, October 27 at 12 noon PST.

What’s In My Bag: Clare

Written by WellHeeled on October 19, 2009 · 5 Comments

Let’s start with the bag… Carmel colored, faux croc satchel (Elle brand at Kohls, $28) which I’ve carried pretty much every day since I bought it. It’s big enough to hold a file or two if I have to take work home, but is considerably more fashionable than my previous “take work home” bags. Did I mention the carmel color…love it.

The current contents include:

Two books for reading on lunch hours, while waiting in line, or *gasp* while waiting at stoplights. Both books are on loan from the library (free) where I’ve become a very regular customer.
Bright blue coupon/gift card file (Meijer, $4). If these aren’t already in my handbag, I’ll never remember to take them with me.
Knock-off designer clutch, fabric. (Christmas gift, cost is unknown). Perfect grab & go size. It fits ID, cards, phone & even some lip gloss when demanded.
Bright blue umbrella (Target, $25). Best feature is the automatic opening/closing — great for all those times when only have one hand (which is often for me). Plus the color perks up even the dreariest of days.
Pink notebook (Rite Aid, $3). For all those momentary thoughts…
iphone 3GS in black (Apple store, $199 with AT&T contract which we already had). Huge splurge (seriously, who needs a $200 device to make phone calls), but its more mini-computer than phone.

What’s missing: Lip gloss mentioned above — Estee Lauder (Macy’s, $25) in a berry shade. Love it, but haven’t been able to find it since my wedding day.

Voting guidelines

Voting will be open until Tuesday, October 27 at 12 noon PST.

What’s In My Bag: Stacking Pennies

Written by WellHeeled on October 19, 2009 · 10 Comments

stackingpennies bag 924x1024 Whats In My Bag: Stacking Pennies

Bag - Typically I buy small bags, but I’ve been loving this bag for the past few months and have been refusing to switch to a more “winter” style. White House Black Market, late summer sale, $30.
Lunch - scrounged up with whatever we had around: sunchips, grapes, cheese, and an energy bar. Albertson’s, no clue of the price!
Mittens – fingerless, mostly for my cold office. I can wear gloves while I type away! I have been loving goldish-yellow colors this fall. Target, $15
Cheapo sunglasses – I just can’t get behind $100 sunglasses. Target, $15.
Wristlet - I use this as my wallet, or I take it solo when I want to travel light. Coach. It was a gift, free!
Planner - I picked it because it had a month view in addition to the day/week pages. Hopefully it’ll help me keep my life straight the next few busy months! From CVS, $8 or so.
Notebook - I don’t always carry this but it happened to be in there that day. I imagine it was only a dollar or two.
Lipstick - Petal Attraction, Maybelline, about $8.
Lipgloss - Sephora. It was technically free gift, but I spent a lot to get that free gift!
Hand lotion – Burt’s Bee’s. I don’t know the price of it since it was part of a little gift pack.
Chapstick - Burt’s Bee’s. I always have an assortment of chapsticks in my life and I put whatever one I find first in my pocket or bag. I think this stuff is about $3.
Phone - LG. I’m not a phone geek, so it is pretty basic, but I swear by LG. I think I paid $50 or so after rebates and such. Or maybe free?
Pen - Comes in handy for my occasional ATM deposits. I hate going to see actual tellers. Free!
Hair tie - You just never know when you’ll need to pull your hair back. Very cheap!
Water bottle - Not only do I use this to stay hydrated… when it is really cold in the office I fill it with hot water and use it as a mini heater. I’m so weird. Kleen Kanteen, free because I stole it from T (he got it as a gift)
Key’s – I wanted to point out my kind of awesome little carabiner keychain I got for a few dollars at REI. I used to take my car key off my key ring to take when I went running (less jingling), and now it is a much easier task.
Book - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. This is misleading — I don’t always carry a book these days, because I don’t take public transit or often find myself with long periods of waiting around. But I started this on my plane ride back to LAX last month and have been itching to find time to finish it. This was also free, I borrowed it from my sister.

Voting guidelines

Voting will be open until Tuesday, October 27 at 12 noon PST.

What’s In My Bag Contest Entries

Written by WellHeeled on October 19, 2009

Edit: The results are in! The winner is Carmen – congratulations!

Thank you to everyone who entered in the What’s In My Bag contest! The winner will receive $25 TJ Maxx gift card and $25 Marshalls gift card. Who gets to decide the winner? YOU do!

The individual links to contestant posts are listed here for your convenience:

Little Miss Moneybags
Jana
Revanche
Budgets Are Sexy
Stacking Pennies
Clare
Serendipity
Carmen

Voting guidelines:

If you want to vote for an entry, leave 1 comment in the comments section of the individual posts (see links above). You may vote for yourself and you may vote for more than 1 entry (you can even vote for everyone if you want, although that will just cancel out your vote).

Voting will be open until Tuesday, October 27 at 12 noon PST.