One of the best "feel good" quotes I have heard in my life is that being wealthy is the absence of worry. Or something like that. But I think you understand the spirit of the "quote" even if I didn't get it exactly right. Now for me, removing financial worry was a process. And it was a process because I had accumulated a lot of debt and did not have a savings strategy. So today I want to share my process and how I started on the path to removing financial worry and in turn, how I began to feel rich.
I, like most people I'm sure, am trying to find a silver lining to being at home ALL THE TIME. I have done (or instructed my husband to do) many at-home projects. But one of the biggest things I miss is the variety that eating out provided to our lives. So to add back some variety into our meals, I have been actively looking into expanding my standby recipe list.
Now I have to say that my husband cooks 70% of all of our dinners. I usually just handle the weekend and special occasion cooking. But with me not commuting back and forth to work, I have picked up a few nights during the week as well. We have our standby recipes that we know off the top of our heads. My goal is to add 5-10 more recipes to my repertoire. So I have been on the hunt.
My first plan was to find some ready-made sauces and marinades. I wanted something that would be fast and that I could store in my pantry. First I went to Amazon, of course, to look for some Indian jarred curry sauces. I picked up the Kashmiri Curry and the Butter Masala. They were both under $7 and mild aka toddler friendly. I have since tried the Kashimiri and it was a hit. First, I just took some chicken legs and browned them in a cast-iron skillet. I then dumped in a bunch of frozen vegetables, sauteed a bit, and then poured the curry sauce over the top. I popped the whole pan into the oven to finish cooking the chicken. It was so successful that I think I will buy the Trader Joe's Thai Yellow Curry as well.
We built our home back in 2016. It was truly a labor of love as we took on the role of general contractor once our builder went out of business and was nowhere to be found. So we quickly went from having professionals taking our vision and making it fit within not only our budget but within the restrictions of our lot, to a place where we were completely on our own.
We made the choice back in 2016 that we would focus on the interiors and leave the landscaping very minimal until we could settle on a design and budget we were comfortable with. And that time has finally come! I started going back over all of my idea boards for our backyard and I ALWAYS go back to this picture.
I have loved the idea of having a white pebble patio with a large covered area centered by a white fireplace since seeing this picture in AD back in 2017. My husband has made the request that the center be a pizza oven instead of just a fireplace. And the idea of having such a beautiful space with brick oven pizzas during the spring, summer & fall is an absolute dream. Here are some more of my inspiration pictures below.
For quite a while, working from home was a perk given to a few as an enticement and to show employees that the company cared about work/life balance. And I loved it! Having one or two days a month where I didn't have to commute was perfection. However, with the current state of things, EVERYONE is home. Not just the big people, the little people (aka the little terrors aka the loves of our lives aka the people we want to hide from so we can go to the bathroom alone).
In the beginning, it was extremely uncomfortable for me to work from home and watch my daughter. Uncomfortable bordering on impossible. But once I sat down and really thought through things and fully accepted that we are all in the same boat, I came up with boundaries and strategies to remain productive at my job while taking care of my toddler.
Mother's Day is creeping up on us and it is promising to be a very unique Mother's Day indeed. I love showing my appreciation to my mother as much as possible, and Mother's Day gives me an opportunity to spoil her without her telling me I should not have spent so much on her. (My only other opportunity to do this is on Christmas).
Mother's Day gifts are not so tough for me since my rule of thumb is to ALWAYS buy my mother something that she would NEVER buy for herself. So every year, I think outside of the box and collect ideas of items that would be special prized items that she would just never think was necessary but absolutely loves it when she receives it for a gift.
The first thing I look for are ramped up versions of things I know she loves. My mother loves lipstick, and if your mother is the same, there are some beautiful options available as mother's day gifts. Guerlain has some great options that come in over 20 variations. And the cases don't break the bank. However, my two favorite lipstick case favorites are by Bond St. and House of Sillage. The cases are definitely collector's items. The Sillage versions are enamel accented with Swarovski crystals.
The next category is fragrance. Now I know fragrance is very personal so my picks here are my personal favorites. But Creed and Jo Malone are my usual go-tos for a fragrance that just smells like success and leisure. The packaging is luxurious and the overall feel of the products is just special. If your mother does not wear perfume, a nice Jo Malone reed diffuser or a Diptyque candle are good options as well.
Leather goods are always a great choice for my mother. She absolutely loves bags. For Mother's Day 2020, I have my eye on a YSL pouch and a few Coach handbags. Coach quality always impresses me.
(Quick Rant... Now that only a few of the luxury fashion houses actually still make handmade bags with attention to craftsmanship, I don't see the value of paying huge amounts for trendy bags anymore. If the bag is machine-made and trendy, I feel like it should be under $500. I will only pay up for classic bags that I know will get used. Of course, this is just my opinion. Back to the Mother's Day Gift Guide, lol)
Coach has a good mix of high quality, value for money, and classic aesthetic. I really like three styles they have out now: the Cassie, the Hutton, and the Dreamer
The last category is jewelry and you just can't go wrong with David Yurman. I absolutely love adding to my mother's David Yurman collection. The quality of the pieces is exceptional and they are absolutely gorgeous. They are definitely heirloom pieces for sure. I am particularly smitten with the Renaissance Collection and the pendants.
The time has come again to stock up for the year on all of our most loved products from Sephora. I usually treat the sale as a restocking time AND a time to try one or two new items that are in the "splurge" category.
Since 2019, I have made a change in how I purchase skincare and makeup. I buy one or two items of each category and use it completely. Doing this not only helped me cut down on waste, but it really helped me realize the benefits of a lot of my skincare. It was so satisfying to completely use my serums and moisturizers. I had thrown away so many expired products in the past. Sometimes, I hadn't even used the product once.
My Sephora picks are very skincare heavy. During the summer, I tend to just apply eyeliner, mascara, concealer, a light powder foundation, and gloss. Most of these items I still have from the last Sephora sale so I will not be repurchasing. However, I have added in the standout makeup items in my routine. The Sephora baked powder foundation is absolutely amazing. It smooths out your skin and adds a filter effect. And the shade range is awesome.
See my VIB picks below. What are your must have items?
As time goes on and I get older, I find it more difficult to find books or advice that pertain to my particular circumstance. I guess that's a normal thing as we all get older and make different choices that lead us to different circumstances. Some self-help books just become books of encouragement and not a how-to.
I tend to be a person that has a lot of drive and desire, but if I don’t have a starting place, I am paralyzed. I don’t start for fear of starting on the wrong foot. I look for inspiration and examples but most of what I find is people saying “just start” and “be persistent”. I need a bit more than that. Those are nice sentiments of course, but for someone like me, it’s not quite enough.
Elie Tahari is having a Spring Sale where everything is 50% off! That is a very generous discount. There are many Spring sales happening now with discounts around the 15 to 25% off range. 50% is getting into the clearance category. The one drawback of this sale is that all sales are final (like a clearance sale). So please be sure to pay close attention to the sizing charts.
Eli Tahari is one of my favorite brands for women's office workwear. The pieces are well made and made of quality fabrics. All of the pieces I have in my closet have lasted for years. For workwear fashion, I tend to only purchase classic, tailored pieces at this price point so I know I will get a good cost per wear. (I do my trendy shopping at Zara, Mango, or H&M.).
See my picks for the 50% off Elie Tahari Spring Sale below. Code: Spring50
