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Rebecca Minkoff Beau Clutch: Yay or Nay?

Written by WellHeeled on September 10, 2011 · 15 Comments

Remember these previous Yay or Nays when you guys talked me out of unnecessary / unflattering items? Well, this time I am in need of your advice again. I see this Rebecca Minkoff Beau Clutch for $150 at a local Nordstrom Rack. In real life, the bag is a little bit more orange-toned than it appears in the picture. I like the size and the length of the strap (it’s a bit shorter, good for petite gals), and the leather seems to be very nice quality.

Do I need it? Of course not. Do I want it? Well, yes, yes I do. I love red purses and clutches, and I’ve heard good things about Rebecca Minkoff.

Yay or Nay, what says you?

photo credit: Zappos.com

The Ice Cream Prescription

Written by WellHeeled on June 26, 2011 · 15 Comments

I just had my last wisdom tooth pulled out. Fortunately, because it wasn’t impacted and was already halfway out of the gum line, I was in and out of the dentist’s chair in 30 minutes. The best thing about a wisdom tooth removal, however, is the dentist’s orders to actually EAT ICE CREAM. (The coldness helps with the swelling).

Can you imagine? I don’t know any other illness when you’d be prescribed ice cream. So of course I had to follow his orders and promptly got a carton of Starbuck’s Vanilla Bean Frappacino ice cream and another of Haagen-Dazs Strawberry ice cream.

If patient compliance is a test, I am passing this one with flying colors.

The best part? My ice cream “prescription” only cost $7.

Galapagos Fund at 50%!

Written by WellHeeled on April 19, 2011 · 29 Comments

Today marks a milestone:

The Galapagos Fund has crossed the $5,000 line. We are officially 1/2 of the way there to our $10,000 goal.

I can’t believe it has already been a year since we first started the fund. The $10K goal was daunting from the get-go. When I first wrote about this goal, it was a 4-5 year plan. Then I thought, heck, life is short. I want to go see the turtles NEXT YEAR.

So the new goal is to go to Galapagos in Spring or Summer of 2012. Which means we have just about a year to save up the remaining $5,000.

Here’s how we got to the first $5,000:

April 5, 2010: We open the account and fund it with $500.
May 31, 2010: By the end of May, with measly interest and some of my freelance money, the balance has grown to $1,031.30
June-September 2010: We didn’t put any money in. We get about $1 a month in interest. By the end of September our balance is $1,035.08
October 31, 2010: $300 of freelance money + $1.01 in interest means we now have $1,336.09
November 30, 2010: Thanks to CB’s overtime (and the $1-plus in interest), we break the $1.5K mark to reach $1,587.41
December 31, 2010: HUGE month for the Galapagos Fund thanks to a sudden burst of saving on CB’s part and a work bonus on mine. We end the year with a cool $3,500.00
January – February 2011: Just interest. Balance at $3,508.54
March 31, 2011: More freelance money goes into the pot. Pot grows to $4,168.48
April 19, 2011: $5,613.48! Thanks to CB’s tax refund and my side hustle, we are half way to Galapagos, baby.

We are not as good about eating at home as we could be (understatement of the year), or else this fund would be much plumper. As you can see, we try to put in a few hundred at a time, and sometimes we don’t add to the fund for a few months at a time. But slowly, the money is adding up.

I am so excited about this trip – I don’t even know where I first HEARD of Galapagos. Ever since I started reading about the islands, though, I can’t get them out of my head. I am afraid that I’ve built it up to be so great that the actual vacation can’t possibly match my expectations. In fact, I googled “overrated” and “Galapagos” to try to gauge the experiences of those who were unimpressed with their trip. But I guess I’ll see when I actually go. I’ve also got bitten by the safari bug (see Madame X’s post about the glorious trip she took to Botswana) and have begun to hound CB about going on a safari after Galapagos.

Another $5,000 by April 2011… can we do it? I certainly intend to! It will be so fantastic. I can’t wait to go on this adventure, and I can’t wait to blog all about it.

1. Do you have a travel goal you are saving for?

2. Also, if you have visited the Galapagos, did you think it was worth the time, money, and energy? Would you consider it a “overrated”? I can take brutal honesty!

photo credit: James Preston via Flickr

Fitness: Knowledge vs. Action, and a new $200/month expense

Written by WellHeeled on November 21, 2010 · 21 Comments

I have signed up for a fitness boot camp near my apartment. It costs $200 for a monthly membership, which is the highest fixed expense I would have other than rent. I am still ambivalent about if I want to spend so much money, and obviously I can get in shape by myself, or get an exercise DVD, or even join a gym, a very nice gym, for a fraction of the cost.

$200 per month is significant chunk of my budget, but I think I need to spend this money. First, some background…

The Longest-Running New Year’s Resolution

Getting physically fit, lose weight, or develop a more healthy diet are probably the most common New Year’s Resolutions. And for the past, oh, 12 years, one of my New Year’s Resolutions was to get healthier, get more exercise, become more toned, eat more veggies, etc. But the fact that I am talking about those things tells you how well the past 10 resolutions worked out (not very well).

The Big “It’s Not Going to Get Better” Realization

From the outside, I don’t look unhealthy. I have coasted along life on a small frame, fast metabolism, and general good health. But this is going to catching up to me. Last weekend, CB and I climbed up six flights of stairs. Now granted, these were very high stairs, but I was winded by the third flight. Winded. After we got to the top I had to take several minutes to catch my breath. It was clearly the most exercise than I have given my heart and muscles for a long time.

At that moment, I realized – I am in my mid-20s, and I am already winded by a few flights of stairs. This is not going to get better. A magic wand won’t appear when I’m 30 to make me fitter and stronger and trimmer. Not if if I don’t take action, right now. After reading about Single Ma’s posts about how she has developed better eating and exercise habits (and lost 60 pounds in the progress), I was doubly inspired to make a change in my life.

In personal finance we talk a lot about how much easier it is to start early – with retirement saving, learning to live on a budget, figuring how to develop a healthy relationship with money. It’s the same thing with health and exercise. My lack of action doesn’t have so much to do with knowledge or ignorance of that knowledge. I know this. I know that eating more broccoli is good for me. I know that I need 30 minutes to an hour of exercise a day. Like SS4BC has written in a recent post, knowing the consequences of our action doesn’t necessarily mean we will take action.

I know that later on in life I will have problems with bone density, slower metabolism, knee problems, and muscle loss because I did not eat and exercise as I should have. I know that when that time comes, I will think, why didn’t I start when I was younger? I know all this. So WHY am I not living it right now? This discrepancy between knowledge and action is obviously something I need to address.

The $200/month Fitness Boot Camp

When 2011 comes, I don’t want to make another useless New Year’s Resolution about getting in shape. So I am starting my actionable plan, right now. That’s where this boot camp comes in. For $200, I can attend an hour of class (rotating between cardio, strength training, pilates, yoga, etc.) every weekday morning. I’ve realized that what I need is instruction, routine and accountability. At this point in the game, I don’t have the discipline to provide that for myself.

I have already attended two classes at the boot camp (getting up at 5 in the morning to do so). It’s hard to get started exercising, but it felt good afterward. I am doing something good for myself, first thing in the morning. In my financial life, I always try to pay myself first, so why shouldn’t I do it in my real life as well?

A new $200 expense means I will have to move things around in my budget. No more buying $300 dresses! But I’ve decided that if this boot camp will keep me motivated and focused and set me on the road to a healthier lifestyle, the money will be absolutely worth it.

Michael Greene & Company

Three Cups of Tea: Power of One Man and One Dollar

Written by WellHeeled on September 13, 2010 · 1 Comment

When you look at a dollar bill, what do you see?

Do you see 1/4 of a Starbucks latte? 1/3 gallon of gasoline? your current interest from a $100 savings account? (personally, I see $1 = 4 quarters = 1 load of laundry). But after I spent the weekend devouring Three Cups of Tea, one dollar come to mean something far more powerful. Three Cups of Tea, if you haven’t heard of it already, is about the story of Greg Mortensen and his quest to built schools for the children of Pakistan and Afghanistan. It’s incredible to think one person can have such an effect on thousands of children, just as it is jarring to think that ONE dollar will educate a child for one month in Pakistan or Afghanistan. $12 will educate a child for a whole year.

I know I am blessed, especially compared to the world at large. I know that what I have managed to achieve and accumulate is partly the result of my efforts, yes, but also – probably much more – due to sheer luck that has made it possible for me to work hard and for that hard work to bear fruit.

Giving to Central Asia Institute

One of my goals for this year was to make “giving” a much more prominent portion of my finances. When I found out about Greg’s Central Asia Institute, it became crystal clear where I want to become a regular contributor. His charity combines everything that I am passionate about: education, women’s economic development, breaking the cycle of poverty. So I decided upon $20 a month commitment, which according to CAI’s calculations, should help educate 240 girls per year. Where else can I get that type of “charitable bang” for my buck?

If you are interested in supporting CAI and girl’s education in Afghanistan and Pakistan, I encourage you to take a look at CAI’s website, and then check out their ratings on Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, and Better Business Bureau. As you will see, there are concerns about CAI’s transparency and heavy reliance on Greg Mortensen, the co-founder. I chose to donate despite the concerns because I think CAI is going through a somewhat bumpy expansion / transition process as it grows from a one-man shop with limited exposure to a well-known organization because of Greg Mortensen / Three Cups of Tea’s recent rise in popularity. I will continue to monitor the reviews, but for now I am comfortable with my donation.

Guilty Financial Pleasure: keep your hobby on a budget and make money from it

Written by WellHeeled on June 22, 2010 · 5 Comments

This guest post was written by Go Banking Rates, bringing you informative personal finance content and helpful tools, as well as the best interest rates on financial services nationwide. Follow them on Twitter at @GoBankingRates.

Living for the moment is a rule that some people love to live by. However, since the onset of the recession, many people became serial penny pinchers, determined to hold money in their bank accounts until the banks crumble with their money inside (well at least it’s insured, right?).

Despite the choice many have made to tighten their financial reins, some people are still working overtime for their guilty financial pleasures, refusing to let high expenses stop them from nurturing their favorite hobby or interest. But is this an acceptable thing to do? How can we know whether we should always penny pinch or whether it’s okay to go ahead and dive headfirst into our guilty pleasures?

Determine Whether Your Guilty Pleasure is Worth the Money

Obviously there are tons of benefits to saving money, just as many as there are downfalls to spending too much on something that doesn’t necessarily benefit you. So if you’re spending an arm and a leg on your guilty pleasure, it’s good to at some point ask yourself if it’s actually worth the money you’re paying.

For instance, if you love to purchase stamp collections because you love the way they look, you may have to ask yourself if spending $1,000 here and $5,000 there is worth it, especially if you are left trying to figure out how to pay your mortgage.

The same goes for the love you may have for fixing up cars or purchasing the latest cell phone every time one is released. Just because you see it and want it doesn’t necessarily mean you should spend your hard-earned money on it. So before you throw money away, it’s good to make sure what you buy is actually worth the money.

Turn Your Guilty Pleasure into Profit

What’s one way to determine whether your guilty pleasure is worth it? It helps to see if your hobby can offer you a profit. For instance, we all know that stamp collections can be very valuable. But if you are spending hundreds of dollars on stamps that aren’t worth much then your pleasure is not worth the money.

To make your hobby financially worth it, you could conduct plenty of research on the stamps you choose to gain knowledge of what’s valuable. That way, you would know that your stamps are actually making you a profit.

Same goes for fixing up your cars or even purchasing the latest cell phones. You could fix up your cars then enter them into car shows with cash rewards. And as you buy cell phones, you could blog about all of their elaborate upgrades and rake in money through advertisements for offering your expertise.

After you’ve collected your money, you could open one or more high interest savings accounts or looking into some investment strategies that could help you grow your money even further.

Create a Budget that Loves Your Guilty Pleasure

If you are engaging in a guilty pleasure that you can’t seem to turn into a profit. then it’s good to consider making sure that your budget accommodates your hobby. Many people find that they have drained their checking account because they spend haphazardly on what they love.

However, if you place your hobby into your budget, you could find ways to make spending work without breaking the bank. Adding your guilty pleasure to your budget could help you:

Organize: By taking a closer look at your budget, you have the opportunity to look at how much you’re bringing in and need to spend on bills. This could help you determine just how much leeway you have to spend on your hobby.
Make adjustments: Working on a budget helps us take a closer look at items we spend money on unnecessarily. For instance, you may have five subscriptions to magazines that you don’t read. By cutting those loose, you might be able to create space for your guilty pleasure.
Become financially responsible: The key to good money management is learning to restrict your wild spending. By adding your hobby to your budget and allowing yourself only a certain amount to spend on it each month, you learn the value of money and what it means to be financially responsible.

There’s nothing wrong with having a guilty pleasure. For many of us, it makes us feel that we’re actually living our lives to the fullest. However, if your pleasure is causing you financial pain, it’s good to take a look at how it could be budgeted into your finances — or even turned into a profit — so that you don’t go broke having fun.

Sushi: An Expensive Culinary Habit

Written by WellHeeled on June 9, 2010 · 30 Comments

I am far from the suavest of sushi aficionados (try as I might, the most adventurous I get in terms of raw fish is with tuna sashimi, and I love rolls). Even at a more pedantic level of enjoyment, however, sushi is an expensive culinary habit.

Case in point: Last Saturday night CB and I went to a new sushi restaurant that had gotten rave reviews from my friends. The place did not disappoint and was entirely reasonable for a nice Saturday evening meal. Still, for two people, with no drinks, the total tax & tip came out to $50 for three specialty rolls (with all of my favorite ingredients – spicy tuna, unagi, crab, roe, avocado, cucumber, tuna, and salmon), and a bowl of green tea ice cream. The food was beautifully presented and delicious, the service was friendly, and the atmosphere cozy.

It was a wonderful dinner, and I view our $50 bill as money well spent. After all, sushi are truly works of art – it costs money to prepare the labor-intensive dishes and to purchase high-quality fish and other seafood. At some other restaurants, the cost of sushi can go as high as your wallet will expand (or is it contract?). I doubt that I will develop the sense of adventure or sophistication necessary to truly enjoy sea urchin, squid, or octopus sashimi. I do know, however, that I’ve graduated from $5 spicy tuna rolls at the mall sushi shops, and I don’t think I can go back. We’ve all heard of lifestyle inflation. This might be the very first step on my road to sushi inflation.

How often do you eat sushi? Are you willing to spend more on sushi than on other meals? What is your favorite dish?

Personal Finance is Not About Money Obsession

Written by WellHeeled on May 12, 2010 · 24 Comments

Today’s New York Times had an article on people who closely track their net worth and then publicly disclose the figure online. The article was titled Net Worth Obsession. Many personal finance bloggers would fall into this category. I keep track of my net worth to have a rough picture of where my finances are at any one point in time. I try not to compare myself to other people, but I recognize that the human tendency is to compare.

I was a little surprised by the negative comments on the NY Times Bucks Blog… many people seem to equate the net worth trackers as people with misplaced priorities and judged the individuals featured in the article as poor souls who don’t really understand that the wealth of life comes from friends and family. Or perhaps they take issue with the fact that people have publicly disclosed their net worth. The article (and the comments) gave me much food for thought.

Previously, I’ve shared my net worth on this blog (although I don’t think I will continue). I’ve started with a negative net worth, and now I have a positive net worth. When I take on more debt to go to graduate school, my net worth will decrease. But neither I, nor do I think the other personal finance bloggers that I know, believe that we’ve gained any value as a human being simply by virtue of our debits and credits. It’s a little jarring to think that others might look at this blog and peg me as “money-obsessed.” Because I don’t think personal finance is about the blind pursuit or accumulation of money, at all. Net worth is an important financial measure, and as such it’s a good idea to know your general net worth and reasons behind its increase or decline.

My mother knew her net worth and all the ins and outs of her money, but you bet your bottom dollar she knew exactly what money means and what it doesn’t.

Let me tell you a story about my family. My grandmother (my mother’s mother who essentially took care of me when I was young) fell ill with Stage 3 lung cancer in 2004. She lived overseas and was thousands of miles away from us. My grandmother bravely underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatment, but eventually the cancer metasized to her brain. (Incidentally, she has never smoked a day in her life. We figured it might be the second-hand smoke from my grandfather, who quit after smoking for 35 years and never got lung cancer).

My mother took off several months within the space of two years to take care of my grandmother, see her through the medical treatments, and coordinate the in-home care that she needed. The only reason my mother could take off those months, unpaid, was because 1. she saved enough money so that she didn’t have to worry about paying the mortgage or my tuition bills while her income was on hold, and 2. the U.S. law allows unpaid leave for family care (while preseving a job for her to come back to).

Some might look at the way that my mother live and say that she is too frugal, or that she doesn’t know how to enjoy life. My mother doesn’t care for a big house or new cars. She is still driving the 1993 Honda Civic with a broken AC and manual windows. One of her greatest pleasures was reading newspapers in bed. She is very clear on the state of her personal financial situation – she knows her assets and liabilities inside and out.

My grandmother passed away in 2006. To this day it’s still difficult to think of her passing without tearing up. I would have loved to have her live a happy and healthy life, filled with friends and family (she was so loquacious!), and be there to see me walk down the aisle or toss my graduation cap off into the air. But I am comforted, more immensely than I can put into words, by the knowledge that my mother was there by my grandmother’s side through the end, and that they were able to spend those last months together. What a gift to give my mother has given to her mother, to herself, to her daughter, and to her family.

Sometimes I worry that writing (and by extension, thinking) so much about finances will render me too concerned with money or net worth or numbers that say very little about who we are as people. But then I think of my mother and my grandmother, and it becomes very clear. How we spend (and save) money is a large part of how we live our lives. How we grow (or not grow) our net worth is an important aspect of our financial situation. So I reject the notion that concern over one’s finances translates to obsession with money or that by keeping track of net worth we are conflating a financial measure with our self worth.

Caring about money, understanding money, and wanting to grow one’s material wealth do not mean that one forsakes the wealth of friends or family. My mother is not money-obsessed. She simply has made the decision that by taking control of her finances, money will never be the arbiter of the most important decisions in life. That’s what I want. And that, I think, is what we all want.

5 Year Travel Plan: Making Your Travel Dreams a Reality

Written by WellHeeled on May 4, 2010 · 61 Comments

I’ve been struck by a bad case of the travel bug lately… I haven’t been out of the country since 2007, which seems like a long time. CB and I are saving for Galapgos, but we also want to travel quite extensively in the intervening months before our Big Galapagos Adventure.

Plenty of people have a 5-year plan for career and educational goals. So why not have a 5-Year Travel Plan? Two years ago, I posted on my Big Ticket Travel Dreams – since then, I’ve accomplished 1 dream on my list (Disney World). Most of the destinations overlap. Here are the destinations on my 5-year Travel Plan (the 5-year mark also coincides nicely with the entrance into my 30s).

New York City:

I’ve been to NYC quite a bit in the last few years, but CB has never gone. NYC is lovely in May/June, so perhaps we will plan for a Labor Day weekend 2010 or a Memorial Weekend 2011 trip. I’d like to stay at least 5 days and 4 nights and squeeze in a Broadway show. A back-of-the-envelope calculation puts our budget at about $1,500.

Japan:

CB really wants to go to Japan. I’ve been to Tokyo and Osaka for a short while several years ago, but I’ve never been to Kyoto, the former imperial capital and arguably Japan’s most historical city. I’m not sure how much a trip to Japan would take in terms of both money and vacation days – $5,000 for two including airfare? 8 days? (2 days for travel, 6 days for play). Debt Hater booked a 4-night stay in Toyko & airfare package for only $1,200 in 2009. This will be a 2011 or 2012 trip.

China:

CB lived in Beijing for several months while I’ve spent time in Southern China. My aunt and uncle work and live in China, so we can stay with them when I’m in their city. For the rest of the trip, CB and I will be on our own (although my uncle can probably wrangle some travel discounts for us). Plane tickets will be around $1,600 for two, with another $1,000+ in lodging / meals / travel within China costs. $4,000 for two for 2 weeks - doable?

China is so huge and there are so many things I want to see that I’d like to devote at 14 days to this trip (2-3 days will be lost to traveling to & from the US / overcoming jet lag). I would like to go to China next year, which would push Japan to 2012. Or, I could try to squeeze China and Japan into two weeks, which would use up all my vacation for the year. 2 weeks is a little short for these two countries, but at least we’d do the bulk of the overseas flight in one go.

Australia and/or New Zealand:

CB has proposed these destinations for a potential honeymoon trip. If it were to be a honeymoon trip.. I want it to be at least 10 days! Budget: no idea. I expect it to be fairly high because of the travel costs (round trip tickets to Australia will be at least $2,500 for two) and because we’d probably want to splurge. So… $7,000?

I would want plenty of snorkeling, relaxing, and eating. And of course, indulging in the world-class culture that Sydney or Melbourne offers.

Greek isles:

Oceans the color of lapis lazuli and beaches as white as sugar – sign me up please! I’ve been dreaming of the Greek Isles ever since I saw my first picture of Santorini. I’d like to spend a day or two in Santorini, but also visit the other, less well-known islands in the area (Paxos – doesn’t the picture look enticing?). Budget: no idea. I assume this trip would also cost a pretty penny (or $2,500 to $3,000 for a week?).

France / Italy / Spain:

I would love to do a tour of Western Europe. Sunflowers of Debt Chronicles estimated that her 15-day London-Paris-Germany tour cost $8,000 to $9,000 for two, so I expect that’s about the range CB and I would be look at. Maybe we can shave $1,000 off if we got really good deals or stayed in hostels, but I think a trip of this magnitude would cost at least $7,000. Perhaps this trip will get pushed off until we are older, however.

Galapagos Islands:

Say hello to the dream! People don’t tend to equate savings with romance, but CB and I are committing our financial resources for a future adventure together – what can be more romantic than that?

The cost of trip will be $10,000 to $12,000 for two. We are basing our budget on Lindblad Expeditions. Not sure that’s the operator we will select, but I know that I want a company that offers small groups, safe and comfortable ships, great food, knowledgeable biologists and scientists as tour guides, and a reputation for respecting and protecting the fragile ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands. For operators of similar caliber, I assume that the high prices will be here to stay. I want to do this trip in 2013, before I head to business school.

Thinking about all these travels have really put things into perspective for me – perspective on how much money we’d need to save! New York, Japan, China, and Australia alone will cost almost $18,000. Galapagos will be another $10,000. At the risk of being discouraged, I think this is a good exercise – I don’t want to keep “talking” about how much I want to go to Galapagos or Japan or Greece but never taking the steps to make those dreams a reality. (To be honest, I have no idea how I’m going to fund these travels and max out my retirement accounts at the same… I guess that’s all the more incentive to make sure I perform well enough at work to get the full bonus and refrain from needless purchases).

image source: (1) wired.com, (2) finnair.com, (3) travel.nationalgeographic.com, (4) textually.org, (5) greece-holidays.sunvil.co.uk, (6) photos4travel.com, (7) gliving.com

Share your 5 Year Travel Plan destinations in the comments! Or, if you have advice / feedback about the places I’ve listed here, I’m eager to hear your thoughts.

Clothing Alterations Are Expensive!

Written by WellHeeled on March 26, 2010 · 25 Comments

It can be a challenge to find off-the-rack clothes that fit well, especially if you’re a “special” size in the eyes of the retail industry (i.e. petite or plus). I’ve come to realize that it’s worth the money to invest in good clothing alterations.

Last year, I purchased a great olive green vest from Banana Republic, despite the fact that it was about 2 sizes too big for me (don’t ask me why). The vest only cost $19, but I’ve never worn it because it just looked so shapeless on me. Yesterday, I finally headed to the tailor with the vest and a too-big Lilly Pulitzer skirt. The vest needed about 3/4 inch taken in from both sides – $25. The skirt needed 3/4 inches taken in from the back – $20. My $19 vest just became a $44 vest, while the great $30 skirt is now $50.

My trip to the tailor made me understand how expensive clothing alterations can be. Now I am looking through my closet with a critical eye – if I really like something, but it’s ill-fitting, I’m taking it to the tailor for some fabric nip/tuck. It’s going to be expensive, yes, but this process has taught me some really valuable lessons:

Fit is paramount. Without fit, there is no style (thanks, TLC’s What Not To Wear). Even when the skirt was held in place by pins, I can see that it looks so much better – the waist is fitted at the waist, and the hem hits at my knees instead of below.
Invest in quality clothing and a talented tailor. It’s not flattering to wear cheap, ill-fitting clothing. There is no point in spending money on alterations to make cheap clothing better-fitting (i.e. I won’t be bringing a polyester shirt to the tailor). I need to make sure that that article of clothing will be with me for a long, long time – which means buying what I love (within budget, of course), instead of springing for what’s on sale.
Don’t forget the costs of alterations when considering a purchase! Had I realized that the vest alteration would cost another $25, I might not have made the purchase. This will definitely make me think twice about those “oh this dress looks so great, it’s just a tiny bit off…” moments.

I’ve also found some wonderful fashion blogs for petite ladies: Alterations Needed, Really Petite, Extra Petite and Style Pint. I can’t stop reading their blogs – unfortunately they are giving me the shopping bug.

The Black Suit: What Every Woman Needs

Written by WellHeeled on March 23, 2010 · 24 Comments

The perfect black suit is a staple in any professional woman’s wardrobe. This weekend, I bought a brand-new black suit from Banana Republic. It cost quite a bit ($140 for the blazer, $55 for the pencil skirt, and $55 for the matching shift dress, and that’s including a 30% in-store coupon). However, I’ve had my current suit since 2004, and I figured with all the interviews I’ve been having that it’s time for a new ensemble.

Why the perfect black suit?

Although there are many great dark neutrals (charcoal gray is one of my favorites, navy can also be very chic), it’s a rare woman who cannot benefit from a well-structured black suit. Black is sleek, versatile, and professional – it’s a stylish body of armor in which we are prepared to take on the world. When I put on a black suit, I am ready to do battle get the job, close the deal, make the case.

With that said, here is my guide to buying the perfect black suit for women:

1. What to buy: If possible, I’d like to buy all 3-4 pieces of the black suit in the same fabric: the blazer, the skirt, the pants, (and possibly the sheath dress / tank dress). I didn’t buy the pants this weekend because I have a pair of pants in the same wool at home. Having a variety of matching pieces will help you mix-and-match to get the most wear out of your suiting.

2. Fabric: I prefer a lightweight wool suit that is suitable (pun intended!) for three seasons of the year. Wool is considered the most professional and conservative fabric choice for a suit. Even though there are many cute options in cotton satin or linen, wool is a far “safer” and more durable choice. Avoid blends with too much polyester. I like my suit to have a hint of a stretch, so I find the 4% Elastane in the Banana Republic suit appealing.

3. Style: Classic is the way to go for a professional black suit, especially if you only have one. Of course, if you get a second suit you can be a little more adventurous with the styling.

Blazer: Classic means a 2-button or 3-button blazer (2-buttons are more flattering on petite ladies), long sleeves (no 3-quarter sleeves), and single-breasted with a notched lapel. Mandarin or cut-out collars are very stylish, but might be too casual for a formal environment or an interview.
Skirt should be pencil or a slight A-line, with a slit in the back for movement.
Pants can be flat-front or pleated, although I’d say for 99.999% of women (who are not 6′ feet tall models) flat-front is infinitely more flattering. The leg should be straight or a slight trouser cut.
The sheath dress can be sleeved, sleeveless, or with capped sleeves (like the one I got). You’d want it to look professional enough to wear on its own in the office. Make sure the style flatters your body type. For example, I am quite petite, this means I have to make sure the bottom hits just above my knees -but not any higher- so that I don’t look frumpy.

3. Fit: This is the most important aspect of a suit. If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t look good. It can be a challenge buying blazers for me – most of the time I get that unsightly gap under my arms because the armholes are cut too large. So I was very happy when I found a blazer in my size – and no tailoring needed! That made paying $140 a little easier. But if you need a tailor, go get one. The money will be well worth it. Tailoring = looking like a million bucks.

4. Where to buy: I’ve seen nice black suits for reasonable prices at Banana Republic, J.Crew, Ann Taylor, and Ann Taylor Loft (use coupons liberally, if you can). If you have the budget to splurge a bit, I’ve heard very good things about Theory or Tahari. Those who want a more feminine cut cannot go wrong with Nanette Lepore (although I’ve seen the prices. And they scare me).

The Chocolate Budget

Written by WellHeeled on March 21, 2010 · 23 Comments

If you are not a fan of chocolate like I am, you might be slightly confused by the concept of a chocolate budget… but if you love all things chocolate (like I do), then I’m guessing you understand where I’m coming from.

(Doesn’t this picture pluck at your heartstrings taste buds?)

My love for chocolate is quite democratic. I love artisan chocolates garnished with exotic or unconventional ingredients such as sea salt, bacon, or pepper, but I also will happily munch on peanut M&M’s or Hershey’s Kisses.

Every time I wander by a Godiva store, I am compelled to go in… it’s almost as if the Mother Ship is calling me home! I try not to buy anything, though, a small box of two truffles cost almost $5. Still, every month a bit of my budget goes to chocolate-related goodies: hot cocoa mix, candy, cupcakes, ice cream, or yogurt… you get the idea. Most of the times I head to Trader Joe’s for its offerings.

That’s why today was such a happy day. Last month, I gave my boyfriend a AAA membership for Valentine’s Day. To thank me for purchasing the gift membership, AAA gave me the option of a certificate for a free 1-pound box of See’s candies or… something else (I stopped paying attention after I read that chocolate is one of the choices).

So today CB and I went to a See’s store and picked out a customized 1-pound box filled with goodies (my favorite is dark chocolate so the dark nougats and the dark pineapple butter cream were especially delicious). Now I will try my hardest to make the entire box last longer than 3 days. No promises, though.

How much money do you spend on chocolates and chocolate-related goodies a month? And what is the one chocolate maker that I MUST try?

image source: flickr.com

Taking Debt to Fund Once-In-A-Lifetime Trip

Written by WellHeeled on February 23, 2010 · 16 Comments

Most people would say “no” to borrowing money for a vacation.

But what if the circumstances were slightly altered? What if this trip wasn’t purely a vacation but a visit to the place of your birth? What if the travel isn’t for you but for your elderly parents, who might not have the opportunity to make a similar trek in another 5 or 10 years? What if this really IS a once-in-a-lifetime chance?

This is the difficult situation that The Asian Pear is facing. Most of the commenters said that they would go into debt to fund the trip for their parents in those circumstances, and I’d have to say I would do the same for my parents too.

Because even though there are good “rules of thumb” when it comes to saving and spending and how you should (or shouldn’t) fund travel, it’s impossible to make a decision based purely on financial considerations. Especially when it comes to family.

How to Find The Right Tango Teacher

Written by WellHeeled on January 31, 2010 · 6 Comments

So.. you want to learn tango?

I’ve been dancing 2-5 hours a week since last September, and I’ve found a handful of great teachers and practicas that I like. Finding a great teacher is so important for one’s development and enjoyment of tango. If you are a beginner who is just starting to get into the dance, and you want to know how to find the right tango teacher, here are my suggestions of what to keep in mind:

1. Argentine tango is a different animal than ballroom tango. They are two separate dances – different music, different techniques, different steps (I am partial to Argentine tango, although I love watching both types of dance). If you want to learn Argentine tango, don’t go to a ballroom dance teacher! My personal preference is for teachers that teach Argentine tango exclusively.

2. Google – many big cities have websites with long lists of tango instructor and classes. (See New York, Los Angeles, Austin, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, D.C.). This might be your first stop. Make a short list of classes that work with your schedule and check out at least 3-4 teachers when you first start.

3. Ask around. Once you begin going to classes and practicas, you can ask the other students there who they study with and which teachers they like – some teachers are wonderful at teach big, complicated, flashy dance moves, but other teachers are master technicians. If you are starting out, I’d recommend the technicians. The big flashy moves will come later if you have good fundamentals. I found my favorite teacher by asking a student about his experience.

4. Try it out. I’d suggest going to each teacher at least twice to get a feel of their teaching style, and just as importantly, the type of students they have in their class. It’s important to feel comfortable with the instructor and your fellow students, especially when you’ll be dancing in such close proximity.

5. Costs: It doesn’t have to cost much for you to get started in tango. Classes will cost $10-$20 each, and usually runs from 1 hour to 1.5 hours. Most classes are pay-as-you-go, some instructors offer discounts for buying classes in bulk. Tango shoes cost $150+, but you can hold off on getting the shoes until you are certain you want to stick to the dance. In the meantime, heels with stable straps for the ladies and leather shoes with slick soles for the men should suffice. Otherwise, all you need for your first class are breath mints / gum and a smile!

image source: flickriver.com

Jewelry and Gift Giving

Written by WellHeeled on January 18, 2010 · 17 Comments

This Christmas, I received a pair of gorgeous ruby earrings (and separate gifts for my birthday). They sparkle like a vampire of the Twilight variety.

These are “created” rubies, i.e. stones with the same chemical properties as naturally-occurring rubies, except these stones were made in the laboratory instead of dug from the ground. This means that rubies of exceptional color and size which previously were only available to royalty and the ilk can now grace my earlobes. I think it’s a brilliant (pun intended) idea.

Jewelry is a funny thing. I’ve heard of ladies who would dislike to have their engagement ring purchased at Costco, or ladies who would prefer “natural” gemstones to lab-created ones. (I think the Costco aversion is funny because Costco carries really high quality stock – CB and I looked at their jewelry selection one night for fun and everything is expensive – though likely less expensive than they would be at other retailers).

We imbue jewelry with whatever meaning we want, a meaning that is usually culturally-sanctioned and historically-promoted. Some say that jewelry might be a cliche gift (Sarah Haskins does a hilarious parody of jewelry commercials), but, well, I guess I’m mainstream because I love my earrings!

It’s also extra special because I’m fairly tightfisted when it comes to buying jewelry for myself. The most I’ve ever spent is $20 on a necklace. Whenever faced with more costly pieces, my thoughts always turn to whatever else I can be using the money on instead. But to receive nice jewelry as a gift is wonderful. I don’t feel guilty over spending money on something that’s – let’s face it – purely an adornment, and instead I get to bask in the glow that CB picked out a thoughtful (and beautiful!) present for me.

I believe in valuing experience over stuff, and at the end of the day a ring or necklace or bracelet is just made of sparkly rocks with little intrinsic value of its own beyond what people are willing to pay for them. Still, I hold that the act of wearing jewelry from someone who loves me is an experience after all.

Do you like giving – or getting – jewelry as gifts?

image source: overstock

Disney World Recap

Written by WellHeeled on January 5, 2010 · 15 Comments

I realized that I haven’t really talked about my Disney World adventure (aside from the Dining Plan review) on this blog yet… and well, that oversight must be rectified! If you have any specific questions about Disney World, please ask away and I’ll do my best to answer.

We Got To Disney World…

CB and I went to Disney World for 5 days between Christmas and New Year’s. It, was, in a word, FUN.

We took a red-eye from the California to Florida on Christmas Eve, and we were both so excited that we couldn’t sleep on the plane. We landed in Orlando at the crack of dawn on Christmas. Then we took the Magical Express (Disney’s bus line between airport and the Resort hotels) to our hotel. We were the only ones on the bus, which made it extra cool.

Our hotel was All-Stars Sports, a Value Resort (read: the cheapest). It was comfortable and roomy with two double beds, a big TV, and a small sitting area. The bathroom was a bit small, and thought the room itself was plenty big for the two of us, it would be tight for a family of 4. The bad thing about Value Resorts is that they are situated farther from the parks, but the bus rides are really convenient (they come around every 20 minutes), and it was a relief not having to worry about car rentals or directions or parking.

And Visited ALL the Parks…

We spent two days at Epcot (really a day and a half because we just had to take a nap after a night of not sleeping on the plane), and a day each at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios.

Magic Kingdom was absolutely magical. The Magic Kingdom is very similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, but it just seemed… even more magical. Cinderella’s Castle was bigger, and at night, the entire castle was aglow in lights. Then at night, it started “snowing” – small bubbles that floated down from the sky and made you feel as if you were in a winter (but still not too cold) wonderland. We saw so many shows and fireworks at all the parks, including Hollywood Studios, where we caught an extreme stunt show and saw the big fireworks show Fantasmic.

Animal Kingdom is what your zoo would be like if it had billions of dollars, hundreds of acres of land, and the Disney marketing machine at it’s disposal. It’s the park that is most unlike any of Disney’s other parks. It’s also the largest park in terms of sheer size. CB and I did pretty much everything in the park in one day, but a family with young children who really wants to see all the attractions might be better off spending 2 days here.

I loved the Kilamanjaro Safari ride – we saw real animals (rhinos, giraffes, ostriches) lounging about. The experience made me want to go on a real African safari (like Madame X did). Better start saving! We had buffet dinner at Tusker House – it was okay. Probably the least memorable meal of the trip, although the food was good enough. We also went on the Dinosaur ride – we were sent off to retrieve a dinosaur and of course run into all sorts of adventures on the ride. A nice lady just gave us her FastPasses because she couldn’t use them, and so we zipped through the lines in less than 10 minutes.

How to explain Epcot - it’s a huge park, made up of two areas FutureWorld and WorldShowcase. It was CB’s favorite park. The FutureWorld portion is devoted to space travel / technology themed rides. We went on the Test Track ride and Mission Space ride (where CB swears it’s at least 4 G’s). It’s so fun to just walk around and see the small buildings of each nation in WorldShowcase. The Mexico spot was house inside a giant pyramid, and we took a boat ride that featured Donald Duck as a singing caballero.

You can buy wine at Italy and France, beer in Germany, and sake in Japan. We saw many adults holding plastic wine glasses… the funny (though not unexpected) thing is, they were mostly the harried parents of young children. Disney offers something for everyone! Epcot also has the best restaurants of any of the parks. There are several excellent sit-down places, especially at the France, Italy, and Japan spots.

At night, over the large lake in the middle of the park, is a fireworks show called IllumiNations. On Christmas Day, we watched the fireworks from our table at a French bistro in “France.” Then CB whipped out a pair of beautiful brio earrings. It was a Christmas present – he had went back to the store by himself after we looked at it in the store because he saw how much I loved the earrings. There, you see, Disney World can be tres romantic!

For our last proper sit-down meal at Epcot, we went to Teppan-Edo. It was most entertaining meal I’ve had at Disney World. Our chef was a petite Japanese girl – she was hilarious. I ordered sirloin steak and shrimp – both were grilled to perfection. Then CB ordered a ginger chocolate carrot cake and I ordered green tea pudding. Both were good, but the green tea pudding was exceptionally rich and creamy. It was so so delicious that CB kept stealing bites.

Where We Ran Around Like Kids…

Disney World has a lot of romantic and picturesque spots, but aside from the romance, it’s just fun to act like kids for a while. We even took pictures with many Disney characters – Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald Duck, Stitch, Buzz Lightyear, Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger.

Plus, if you are only in a party of 2, you can zip through everything quickly. It’s easier to get everyone up and ready and be the first ones in the park in the morning (when you can get through 2 rides in less than an hour), and for many attractions you’ll be sitting in front because a party of 2 is the easiest number to slot in different rides. We sat in the front on 5 or 6 rides and have skipped over 10+ people on a few rides because they all had larger parties and there were 2 seats open.

And For That We Paid A High, But Not Unreasonable, Price…

Aside from our package costs, we really didn’t buy anything else while at the park. We purchased 2 rain ponchos for $16 total our first day there because it was raining (it was an oversight on our part, we could’ve gotten the ponchos for much cheaper at home). Then in Italy, CB bought us two small chocolates for $2. We spent ~$70-$80 on tips (you have to tip, even at buffets).

We probably spent another $20-$25 on magazines, snacks, drinks for the trip and at the airport. So Disney World is expensive, but it doesn’t have to be unaffordable, especially if you consider that we went during THE most expensive time of the year (between Christmas & New Year’s) and our cost included $1,200+ in airfare for the two of us.

But It Was So Worth It…

If you go during less busy seasons, or if you live closer to Orlando, you can easily knock off $400-$800 per person. But I have to say that nobody does Christmas like Disney World does. The lights were amazing. The whole place was just infused with this sense of – cliche to say – holiday magic. Plus, Orlando in December is nice and cool, and there is no threat of hurricanes!

We took thousands (yes, literally!) of pictures during our 5 days there. Now we’re in the process of culling the pictures down to a more manageable 200 or so that we can put together in a photo album. One more thing – if you can avoid checking any luggage, do so! It was great breezing through check-in with only our carry-ons when there was a huge line for all the passengers checking luggage. For the 5 days, I basically lived in 3 pairs of pants and 2 jackets / sweatshirt.

Bottom-line, I had an absolutely wonderful time at Disney World.

We are already talking about going back! (In ten years, when hopefully we can afford to stay at a Deluxe hotel. CB likes the Contemporary Resort while I would love to check out the Wilderness Lodge).

A lot of people think of Disney World as primarily a family vacationing spot. It’s true, Disney really goes out of its ways to make things easier for parents and more memorable for young children, but Disney World is also a really good place for couples. It’s the perfect place for our first big vacation together. Once you’ve paid for the trip – especially if you buy the Dining Plan, you don’t have to worry about anything. You’ll eat pretty well and with A LOT of food. Everything is taken care off – transportation, meals, all the entertainment within the parks. Disney Resort is a well-oiled machine!

image source: babble.com

Disney World’s Money Magic: What We’ve Spent So Far

Written by WellHeeled on November 11, 2009 · 14 Comments

Disney World promises to deliver the magic – what’s also magical is how effective Mickey & Co is at getting money out of my wallet. Our Disney adventure has already cost us $3,198.56, and we haven’t even set foot in Orlando yet.

Costs Already Paid

$1,828.16: Disney package including 5-day base ticket, 5-night stay at a Value Resort, 5-day basic dining plan, and travel insurance.
$1,370.40: Plane tickets including cost of $300 to change flights.

Costs Planned But Not Yet Incurred

$50: Tips. We will be having 4 sit-down dinners (and one buffet). Assuming an average of $30 per sit-down dinner per person, and 20% tip, our total amount for gratuity should be ~$50. (Disney dining plan does not cover tips).
$50: Miscellaneous food items / airport items, etc. We’ll try not to spend this much, but things happen.
$65: 2 photo books of our magical memories from Blurb or Shutterfly – one for me and one as a gift for CB.

Costs We Don’t Plan To Incur

Checked luggage: United charges $15-$20 for the first item you check. Not unreasonable, but just not something we’ll be paying for. 2 pieces of carry-on should be enough for me for a 5 day-trip. I just have to make sure I bring good walking shoes and a jacket and sweater.
Souvenirs: Mickey Ears, stuffed animals, sweatshirts, etc. – I’ll be happy to forgo these items so I can save money to do the photo books.

Given that we are going to Disney World during what is arguably the most expensive time of the year (the week between Christmas and New Year’s) and the scheduling snafu, I think we’ve done the best we could in keep costs down.

And on the “bright” side – all those holiday lights and decorations will be at the Resort! I’m guessing it will be – oh what’s the word – magical.

The Ordeal of My Disney World Vacation Planning

Written by WellHeeled on November 3, 2009 · 8 Comments

Wait. You mean this isn’t a Disney movie?

Okay then, well, let me tell you how planning really went down.

Planning Take 1

The first steps were really smooth. I searched for our plane tickets through kayak.com and bought a pair of United tickets. CB and I did our own research, pricing different options, including staying off-Disney Resort at a Downtown Disney hotel.

Then I got an online quote from Small World Vacations, a specialized Disney-certified travel agency that were recommended by MouseSavers.com. The SWV quote came out to be a few hundred dollars lower than anything comparable we could’ve cobbled together. So I booked my trip through the agency. Best of all, the service is free.

I have never worked with a travel agent before – but I am SO GLAD I did this time (you’ll see exactly why in a few moments). There are so many different types of vacation packages, dining plans, ticket options that I wanted to have a professional in my corner. My agent was friendly and knowledgeable. She didn’t try to upsell us. There was no pressure, just a lot of helpful information. I liked that.

Planning Take 2

Then, today, after our tickets and packages were booked, CB called me to let me know that he got his vacation dates mixed up by a week. *blink* So that’s when I went into the Rescheduling Mode. United charges $150 a person to change / cancel a flight (not to mention their automated voice recognition system annoyed the heck out of me). I managed to rebook us on a flight that is cheaper than our original flight, but with the change fee the flights came out to be around $70 more than our original cost.

Then, the package cost more too, because of the difference in dates. So, the grand total of our vacation will come out to be $3,400. CB very nicely offered to pay for the change fees, so I think my part will be slightly less at $1,600. The trip is still doable, and I’m still excited. This was just a snafu that fortunately got resolved with some (but not insurmountable) mental stress and financial pain.

Why I Am Glad I Worked With Small World Vacations

My agent at Small World Vacations was great. She immediately called Disney and rescheduled our package and managed to get the $50 Disney change fee waived. Having a professional Disney planner working with me helped me stay calm. I don’t want to imagine trying to navigate the Disney system on my own. Now that all this planning is done, I am going to start daydreaming about the lovely sit-down dinners we’re going to have.

Moral of the Story

Make sure of your vacation dates before you book. And I highly recommend Small World Vacations. At least one good thing came of this change in schedule – we’ll be spending Christmas Day at Disney World!