tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27430428637965571222024-03-12T19:54:45.602-07:00Simple DivaSarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.comBlogger646125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-16832762689451042692014-03-12T07:49:00.000-07:002014-03-12T07:49:26.592-07:00It is time to write, and renameMy friends and readers - I have realized I no longer identify with the name of this blog. It simply isn't who I want to be. I love the goal of simplicity, and I love the fabulousness of the idea of being a diva, but somehow the name feels inauthentic to who I ultimately want to be. I want to be fabulous - I don't think I am a diva. (I just google searched diva - these are not the images I think of for myself. I was expecting fabulous women and mostly saw those girls that hold up signs at wresting matches. Maybe my google search is bonkers, but it just doesn't feel like me. I mean Beyonce is a fabulous diva, but do i really remind you of Beyonce?)<br />
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I also want to write and not liking my blog name is creating writers block (or just another excuse for it, if you look back at the 4 years of this blog I have a bunch of posts on writers block, maybe I am just lazy). Anyway, I want to write. I am taking on the task of an intentionally "low" budget wedding and I want to share that adventure and everything it means to me to both be engaged and be careful about celebrating in a responsibly extravagant way. I am halfway through my CPE program and I want to share everything I am learning from being in a multi faith setting surrounded by faith leaders who teach me so much. I have about 2 months left of my no purchasing of clothes for a year and I am happy to say I only cheated once and it was a $15 cheat to keep me warm in Italy over Christmas. Did I mention that I got engaged in Italy?<br />
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I am pretty sure that most of the people who read this talk to me often enough that you don't need a blog to tell you about my life, but in recent weeks I have realized the much of my creative energy is getting lost to the ether and <b><i>I</i></b> might need a blog as a tool to keep me engaged.<br />
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So, please join me in the next few weeks as my blog and I go on an identity seeking adventure. Hints on the new name are welcome.<br />
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be blessed,<br />
SarahSarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-20318857113006666832013-07-11T22:31:00.000-07:002013-07-11T22:32:37.392-07:00Day 64: Yesterday was Free Day at the Zoo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So, considering how AMAZING SF is, the SF Zoo is kind of, well anti-climatic. It isn't bad and after 5 and a half years I am glad I finally went. I went alone and was instantly surrounded by children off from school for the summer. Overall the place made for a fun stroll an some good photos. </div>
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I have been being a HUGE slacker on the outfit photos- but I haven't been buying clothes. So, I win.</div>
<br />Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-12998462559822766602013-07-02T22:42:00.001-07:002013-07-02T22:42:40.536-07:00Day 56: Free Museum Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I love that I live in a city where I can do so many wonderful things for free.</div>
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Today was free admission at The De Young, The Legion of Honor, and the Conservatory of flowers. My bike lock is missing and I wasn't in the mood to be on the bus- yes, I am that lazy, so I skipped the Legion of Honor and stuck to the De Young and The Conservatory of Flowers. </div>
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I love the De Young and go less often than I would like, but often enough that 30-45 minutes roaming the permanent collection is just enough to bring joy to my heart and allow me to be inspired by beautiful art.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my favorite piece. Grape Juice and Sandwiches.<br />It was inspired by the artists time volunteering with the homeless.<br /></td></tr>
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Despite my LOVE for the white building that is the Conservatory of Flowers, today was the first time I went inside. My love for the building has grown, even if it is a bit suffocating. </div>
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I wore a vintage red dress, but the light was bad when I wanted to take a photo.</div>
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<br />Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-86987041944700440332013-07-01T17:54:00.002-07:002013-07-01T18:03:18.671-07:00Follow on BloglovinIn case you didn't notice the billion emails from Google Reader letting you know they were shutting down- umm, you were supposed to switch to <a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/" target="_blank">bloglovin</a> yesterday, but I just did it today, so maybe you can too!<br />
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<br />Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-40567259427070137592013-07-01T14:07:00.002-07:002013-07-01T14:10:42.087-07:00Day 55: Bangs & ShampooSaturday morning a glorious thing happened- I got my bangs trimmed for free by my friend Hannah. She is an exceptionally talented stylist, as in: she is the first person ever to be able to give me front bangs that don't fly in random directions and don't insist on being swooped. If you are in SF looking for someone to cut your hair I have 3 friends I can recommend- Hannah is the one that has most recently been willing to cut my hair for free and I am so grateful for her generosity!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also, worth noting along with my bangs are my vintage earrings from <a href="http://www.shoptantrum.com/" target="_blank">Tantrum</a>.<br />
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Speaking of hair, a few months ago I was in Houston staying with a friend and she had bulk containers in her shower in the place I expected shampoo and conditioner to be. When I asked her about them she said that she uses baking soda and vinegar mixes instead of shampoo and conditioner- with a rotation of shampoo and conditioner mixed in every few weeks. She also told me about washing her face by simply massaging the right kinds of oil into it. She has great hair and great skin. Before you think she is hippy and granola- she works in a corporate office, she is working on a law degree, she has amazing tastes in all areas art, food, culture- she does cares deeply about the environment. She also is clearly doing this for reasons other than being broke (see corporate job and law school above).<br />
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Her reasons: it is better for her hair and better for the world. Using these DIY products creates less waste and uses less chemicals.<br />
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I was already on board for using less shampoo- a few years ago I took on a <a href="http://simplediva.blogspot.com/2011/01/shampoo-simplicity.html" target="_blank">Shampoo Simplicity Challenge</a> inspired by <a href="http://www.good.is/posts/the-good-challenge-give-up-soap-and-shampoo-for-a-month" target="_blank">GOOD</a> and it worked out <a href="http://simplediva.blogspot.com/2011/03/shampoo-simplicity-update.html" target="_blank">pretty well</a>. I still only wash my hair every few days but I am always excited to find ways to consume less. (In general the less we consume the less we participate in global markets of exploitation- and sadly if you are not intentionally purchasing fair or community trade items it is likely that the farmers sourcing your goods are not getting a fair wage for their work- that includes your personal hygiene items.)<br />
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So, today I made the little shampoo mixture and washed my hair with it. Because all of the ingredients are things I had in my house- baking soda and water- and I used an old dish soap bottle the whole things was free, but most importantly: It works!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One table spoon Baking Soda per one cup water = clean hair.</td></tr>
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<b><i>I am currently collecting a list of DIY home and body ideas on <a href="http://pinterest.com/sarahrochelle/home-made-cleaning-body-and-home/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>. I would love to hear your ideas.</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>Finally the daily outfit post:<br />
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Day 55</div>
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<br />Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-57308232284118890902013-06-30T21:57:00.000-07:002013-06-30T22:08:11.627-07:00Day 54: A post about hiking on Friday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is Pride weekend and if I was a good San Franciscan I would have photos of Pride. However, I don't love crowds, especially not crazy ones. I also really wanted to go to church today and it was my friend Elaine's baby shower.</div>
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Since I skipped the Pride festivities, I have instead chosen to share some pictures of my hike of <a href="http://mntsutro.com/hiking/" target="_blank">Mt. Sutro</a>. My friend Christy (often named here as the giver of clothes) and I went hiking on Friday. I was inspired to hike more by Oh Happy Day's post on <a href="http://ohhappyday.com/2013/06/3-urban-hikes-in-san-francisco/" target="_blank">urban hikes</a>. We kind of did the Historic Trail but ended up following other trails along the way. Depending on the path you follow it can be fairly flat, but we had to hike uphill to get to the park. We both wanted the challenge of the inclines so we did choose to wonder from the Historic Trail and climb some hills. </div>
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Steep inclines and descends aside, the best park of this hike is that it is beautiful! I loved being in the city and so far from homes and paved streets at the same time. The woods are just dense enough that you really don't feel like you are in an urban area. It looks like you are in the woods. It felt like a much bigger adventure than it was and I was grateful to spend my Friday pretending like I wan venturing into the unknown. When we did come upon civilization it was unexpected and fun to look up at Sutro Towers from beneath it and then view it again from the top of one of the twin peaks.</div>
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I also get pretty excited about any view of the Golden Gate Bridge and this one was really fabulous.</div>
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There were multiple warnings about poison oak, and that meant I couldn't take my dog. Luckily, I didn't get poison oak. Overall the trail was amazing and I think I want to try to go running there as I start to train for a 10K trail run this fall.</div>
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In the next few weeks I plan to try out <a href="http://sfrecpark.org/destination/mt-davidson-park/" target="_blank">Mt Davidson</a> and this week I am back-packing on the <a href="http://www.everytrail.com/guide/the-lost-coast" target="_blank">Lost Coast.</a> I am loving that hiking and camping can be pretty inexpensive ways to enjoy life.</div>
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As for the outfit update, it has been fabulously sunny and I have been living in dresses. </div>
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Day 53: I wore this yesterday as I sat in the sun at Dolores Park.</div>
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My dress today was also amazing- I sadly forgot to take a photo of it in good light. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A4AAeOxF_eQ/UdEDguWyjxI/AAAAAAAAJH4/vim3bNVOXpE/s640/photo-8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A4AAeOxF_eQ/UdEDguWyjxI/AAAAAAAAJH4/vim3bNVOXpE/s320/photo-8.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-85621653463566079702013-06-26T14:30:00.002-07:002013-06-26T14:31:10.530-07:00Day 50: Tennis Lessons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today marks the beginning of my third effort to learn to play tennis.<br />
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Once upon a time in High School I discovered that despite being in the top percentage of my class, I was not going to graduate because I was short a PE credit. So, I gladly dropped my AP German class and signed up for tennis.<br />
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After my first six weeks I received a B in the class. I was livid! I march up to the coach and expressed my anger and he informed me that only real athletes deserve to receive an A, and real athletes are not in PE they are in the athletics class. Needless to say I stopped participating and received the same grade the following six weeks. I also failed to learn how to play tennis.<br />
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In college I was again faced with the need to complete PE type electives for the purpose of graduation. I wanted to say some money and pay $40 for my PE class instead of $400, so I signed up for a class at the community college.<br />
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Each day of class my instructor would rail on about how community college students are slackers and a total waste of time to teach. A few weeks in I walked over to the registrars office, dropped the class and filed a complaint on the instructor. I then ended up paying way too much to take 3 PE classes at the university I was enrolled in and again did not learn how to play tennis.<br />
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Somehow despite these two experiences, a few weeks ago after running past the tennis courts at Golden Gate Park I felt the urge to ask Facebook if anyone had an extra racket and the desire to teach me to play tennis. My good friend Tom messaged me that he both had a racket and would teach me.<br />
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This morning I had the most helpful and patient tennis lesson I have had in my life! I obviously have a long way to go before I am not a terrible tennis player- in fact we didn't even get to the part where I played tennis, but it is so exciting to learn. I am also so grateful for someone who will teach me for free and I am that the game is free and almost every city in the US has free courts.<br />
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Once I am any good I think I am going to make it a goal to hot up all the courts in the city.<br />
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<b><i>What is one thing you have tried and failed at before, that you wish you would try again?</i></b><br />
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This is what I am wearing today:<br />
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Day 50</div>
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The sun is out in SF</div>
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And one last thing before I go: </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I am so proud to be in SF right now and so HAPPY that the SCOTUS overturned Prop 8!!!</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span></span></div>
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Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-73096976386183588392013-06-25T17:47:00.003-07:002013-06-25T17:48:08.159-07:00Day 49: Part 2 What I actually Looked Like<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In order to not be cold I ended up wearing this. </div>
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Scarf: Gift from Mom while she was visiting, Jacket: Gifted by Jenny</div>
Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-31771856894945554662013-06-25T13:31:00.000-07:002013-06-25T13:49:22.026-07:00Day 49: A summery of my parent's visit: 48 hours, 4 adults, $25 on entertainment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am proud to say that my parents came to town and the only thing we spent money on was food, 2 decks of cards, and parking. The level of cheapness was made possible in part by the fact that my parents splurged on a car rental- we could not have pulled this level of site seeing off in just 48 hours on public transit.<br />
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My parents 48 hour tour of SF started with lunch at <a href="http://www.porkstorecafe.com/" target="_blank">The Pork Store</a>, followed by drive through Golden Gate Park taking a moment to look at my favorite building in all of SF, the <a href="http://www.conservatoryofflowers.org/" target="_blank">Conservatory of Flowers</a>. If you follow me on <a href="http://instagram.com/sromontoya" target="_blank">instagram</a> I post a picture of it nearly once a week. We found some good street parking of JFK and walked to the <a href="http://deyoung.famsf.org/" target="_blank">De Young</a> viewing tower (free). Then we headed over to the De Young cafe and walked around sculpture garden (also, always free). We hoped back into the car and drove down JFK looked out of our window to view a beautiful GGP waterfall and a few pretty ponds, then headed down to where the buffalo are.<br />
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At that point we had to head to the mission to pick up the BF. While in the mission we drove down Vermont Street the actual most crooked street in SF (Lombard is the prettiest crooked street, but Vermont is definitely more intense.) We then walked down <a href="http://www.balmyalley.com/Welcome.html" target="_blank">Balmy Alley</a> to view the famous Mission Murals. Then hopped back in the car headed to the ocean to see the 1 of the 2 Dutch Windmills, Sutro Baths, and did a drive by viewing of the Legion of Honor. From there we lost my dad in <a href="http://www.greenapplebooks.com/" target="_blank">Green Apple Books</a> (at this point in my life I should know that you cannot 'stop in' to a bookstore with my father), and we had dinner at <a href="http://www.burmasuperstar.com/" target="_blank">Burma Superstar</a>. After dinner we headed to my house and upon realizing I don't own card I headed off to the liquor store to buy 2 decks. We spent the evening in playing hearts- my mom won, but it was an accident- does that even count as winning when you don't mean to??<br />
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Thursday was a full day starting at 7:30 am. We drove over to the Inner Sunset and started our day by hiking around Stow Lake, then headed to 9th and Irving for brunch at <a href="http://www.chowfoodbar.com/" target="_blank">Chow</a>. From there we headed back to the mission to visit <a href="http://www.missiondolores.org/" target="_blank">Mission Dolores</a> (okay, so not actually free but we only spent $15 for 3 of us each, and my dad got in free because he was wearing his preacher clothes). We did lunch in Japan Town then went over to <a href="http://www.gracecathedral.org/" target="_blank">Grace Cathedral</a> to walk the Labyrinth. The stop at Grace could have been free, but I really didn't want to drive around forever looking for parking. The lot at Grace is $2.50 per 20 minutes and for this particular trip to the church, it was worth the $10. The evening was less free: we went to the Do Good Lab happy hour at <a href="http://dearmomsf.com/" target="_blank">Dear Mom</a> and dinner at <a href="http://www.oldskoolcafe.org/" target="_blank">Old Skool</a>. (I already <a href="http://simplediva.blogspot.com/2013/06/day-48-food-budget-3-week-update.html" target="_blank">posted</a> about how I spent a bit too much money there, but it was worth it.)<br />
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We ended the visit with a trip to the <a href="http://www.japaneseteagardensf.com/" target="_blank">Japanese Tea Garden</a> (Free before 10 am on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) and a final drive through the park so we could see the other Dutch Windmill.<br />
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I have to say I think I live in one of the best cities ever. <span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">All told we spent less than $30 on entertainment and all the rest of the money went to food and my parents treated me to some fantastic meals. This trip might not fit everyone one who visits SF. We did spend most of the trip in Golden Gate Park and I know many people come to The City to spend time in the city. For us the combination of old churches and gardens was </span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">perfect. I would recommend that anyone traveling to SF on a budget take advantage of the park. I know that we could have saved more money by skipping the restaurants, but the food here is just too good for that non-sence. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b><i>If you were planing a cheap tour of SF where would you go? I know I left off some great places, but my parents will be back. Ideas for their next journey?</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Today's outfit: </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Day 49</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Scarf: Bought with Coupon from <a href="http://scoutmob.com/san-francisco" target="_blank">ScoutMob</a> from The Mission Statement (sadly, I walked by the store the other day and it is gone) Dress: Hand-me-down from Rachael, Tights: Hue, Boots: Hunter Rain Boots- I wanted them in hunter green for AGES but couldn't justify $100+ for rain boots. Luckily, I found these on sale for $70 a few years ago, and I still love them</span></span></div>
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Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-52917776960120687862013-06-24T14:36:00.000-07:002013-06-26T09:52:00.794-07:00Day 48: Food Budget 3 Week Update- Learning <div style="text-align: right;">
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By some crazy miracle, I finished the first 2 weeks of the <a href="http://simplediva.blogspot.com/2013/06/day-24-june-and-july-food-spending-goals.html" target="_blank">food budget challenge</a> with $2 left over. The miracle came in the form of generous people in my life. Week 3 sadly was an all out fail, but I knew that it would be hard going into it. With that in mind I will call it a week of learning about myself and my food spending- I don't regret the experiences that came with the spending, but I think I could have easily spent less, but it would have hurt my pride just a little bit.<br />
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Here are the challenges with trying to hold myself to intense (for me) spending rules-<br />
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<li>I think there are valid reasons to break my own rules (good-bye parties and guests) </li>
<li>I sometimes use that as an excuse to spend money when I can have the same experience not spending it (ordering more expensive food than I need) </li>
<li>I am really bad at communicating my need to spend less.</li>
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Recapping week 3: First, there was the dinner that cost me my entire weekly budget so I could say good-bye to a friend, followed be another good-bye dinner that I justified over-spending on because I had babysat that day. Then, I was great at not spending money, because my parents were in town and covered all but one meal and I insisted on paying for that meal. (Did you notice the theme that for all 3 weeks, I had other people spoil me? I did, and I am grateful for them. I am grateful, both because they spoil me and because it challenges me to recognize that I have everything I need.)<br />
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The good-bye dinner for Christie was well worth it. Moments like that are an experience I would rather allow myself to enjoy than freak out about. We went to <a href="http://www.cha3.com/" target="_blank">Cha Cha Cha</a>, a reasonably priced tapas place- the issue I need to figure out is how to be polite about the reality that I don't want split a check on a family style meal when I can't eat half the food on the table (I am gluten free). I have read other budget bloggers take on the <a href="http://andthenwesaved.com/the-social-side/" target="_blank">social side of budgeting</a>, but it is still crazy awkward to announce "sorry, I can't do this because I can't afford it" especially when it isn't an over priced request. My friends are very responsible spenders and spending the money didn't put too much of a dent in my bank account it just prevented me from meeting my arbitrary goal of $25-35 per week.<br />
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In the post linked above one of the best tips she gives is not treating it like I am missing out. The truth is: I could have ordered a salad, skipped the sangria and still enjoyed a wonderful meal with amazing company. I wouldn't have been missing out. I mean it is kind of like being on a diet. Sure you eat less amazing food, but you feel better, you're healthier, and you are less stressed. After all I am talking about learning to live on a healthy budget, I am not trying to go on a hunger strike. </div>
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The actual finical fail was the next day- at a table of 3 good friends I need to learn to be responsible for myself and just order one taco and load up on chips- seriously if there are free refills on chips there is no reason for me to spend extra money. Plus, I need skip the margarita already! They would have all been super supportive of me ordering less and spending less and I would have enjoyed the same experience with less food and no alcohol (even if <a href="http://tacolicious.com/" target="_blank">Tacolicious</a> has the best tequila in the city.)</div>
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Buying one meal for my parents while they were in town I think is extremely valid. I am an adult and they were my guest. They paid for so many great meals while they were here so I really can't justify not buying them one dinner. In fact, I have a hard time justifying the reality that it was the only meal. (I know they enjoyed their time and were happy to pay, but still one of the reasons I want to get out of debt is so that I can afford to be a host.) The meal I paid for was very reasonably priced. Dinner was just $80 for 4 people- we even had wine and desserts for that price! I also chose a place that I really love. If you are ever looking for a great meal that helps the community you need to check out <a href="http://www.oldskoolcafe.org/" target="_blank">Old Skool Cafe</a> in the Bay View. I do some volunteering with them and I love their mission. They employ low-income youth, empower them to run the restaurant, and help them develop the skills they need to find jobs in San Francisco. Sharing a meal with my parents at a place that has meaning is worth the budget cheat. The wine and the dessert, however, was something that I could have skipped. I justified spending a bit more for the experience, when I could have had the same experience without the wine.</div>
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In conclusion, Cheers to the learning experiences! Succeeding in the first 2 weeks tells me I can do it, and I probably should do it more often. It also helps me feel better about 3 meals that were out of the budget challenge. Nonetheless, it is a humbling moment when I feel like I am going doing so well on my spending but I look at my bank statement and realize my little cheats are adding up.<br />
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<b style="text-align: left;"><i>If you have any tips or stories to share I would love to hear how have you handled dieting or budgeting while celebrating people who matter in your life? or if other thoughts pop out from this post, let me know!</i></b></div>
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Oh, and my outfit for the day:<br />
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Day 48 </div>
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It is a typical Summer day in SF</div>
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cold, wet, and foggy</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Scarf: Free not sure who gave it to me, Top: Vintage from my grandma's closet, Jeans: Gifted by Christy they are Mossimo and can be found at Target (They fit me better than my $200 jeans. I might need to rethink where I buy my jeans when I am allowed to buy them again. But I don't like the way they are faded, so I might be experimenting with fabric dye soon, and that makes me happy.) Shoes: Izod on sale for $16 from a store on Haight Street.</span></div>
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Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-18422724274161971282013-06-23T16:22:00.001-07:002013-06-24T15:13:53.851-07:00Day 47: Updates on what I haven't been blogging aboutI missed over 2 weeks of blogging. The whole staying at a friends while <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1077206" target="_blank">airbnbing my place</a> is a bit distracting from blog time/organizing my life in general. I did complete 2 guests blogs and 2 client stories, but I still need to write 1 more client story for <a href="http://www.oldskoolcafe.org/" target="_blank">Old Skool</a> and one more guest blog for <a href="http://femgineer.com/blog/" target="_blank">Femgineer</a>- I am not sure how I am so far behind.<br />
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But for a recap of what I have been up to in the more than 2 weeks I missed of blogging- I ran a half marathon, got almost an entire wardrobe for free from a friend, went on an Alcatraz night tour, helped Old Skool win a shrimp and grits cook-off, went to Napa, had a mild credit disaster, <b>paid off my highest interest rate credit card</b>, completed my first three weeks of the <a href="http://simplediva.blogspot.com/2013/06/day-24-june-and-july-food-spending-goals.html" target="_blank">food spending challenge</a> (the last of 3 weeks was a fail, but that is another blog post), had my parents visit (also its own wonderful post with great photos to come), booked a venue for the <a href="http://www.do-good-lab.org/" target="_blank">Do Good Lab</a> Gala, and one of my dearest friends moved.<br />
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Photo highlights:<br />
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<a href="http://styleaesthetic.com/" target="_blank">Bethy</a> and me at the <a href="http://www.seejanerun.com/" target="_blank">See Jane Run half Marathon</a></div>
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Creepy photo of the hospital at <a href="http://www.nps.gov/alca/index.htm" target="_blank">Alcatraz</a>. They only open it for the night tour and it is really intense. Also, we went the same day as the race, so I was ready to take a nap on this table.</div>
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The view from the back yard in Napa.</div>
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Clearly over more then 14 days I wore a bunch of outfits, these are the ones I felt like posting.</div>
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Left: Top: Mod Cloth (bought with gift card) Jeans: Indi, custom made, Shoes: Gifted from my parents. I wore this to my friends house for her clothing give away.</div>
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Middle: Necklace: Vintage hand-me-down from mom, Top: Calvin Klein Gifted, Jeans: Gifted, Shoes: Gifted. I got most of this at the give away.</div>
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Right: Blazer: Gifted by Jenny, Top: Boutique in Austin, Necklace: Boutique in Houston, Jeans: Gifted from Christy. I wore this to <a href="http://daydreamsandrainydays.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Christie</a>'s goodbye dinner. :( </div>
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Left: Blazer rom Anthropology, Top: Hand-me-down from Rachael, Jeans: The Loft Gifted by Christy, Shoes: Ambiance, Scarf: H&M. I wore this on a day when I felt like I had dressed like a slop for ages, but I still wanted to be comfy. It was a good writing outfit.</div>
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Right: Blazer Anthropology, Necklace: Sunset Craft Fair, Shirt: <a href="http://gravelandgold.com/shop/" target="_blank">Gravel and Gold</a>, Jeans: Gifted, Shoes: Bass. I really don't remember why I wore this, but I absolutely love the necklace (see below). </div>
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Tune in tomorrow for more outfits and other random updates. </div>
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Side note: considering this blog is mostly motivated by my desire to face my debt I probably should have focussed more on the part about paying off one of my cards. The babysitting and airbnb thing are proving to be worth while side gigs. So, please do a happy dance in my honor. Thanks!</div>
Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-63403024012412381132013-06-04T15:18:00.003-07:002013-06-26T09:53:05.967-07:00Day 26 & 27: My other side gig (Babysitting)I am babysitting in Napa and the view from my room is pretty AMAZING. One of the first things I did when I lost my job was let my friends with kids know that I would babysit- the extra money has been so helpful and this week's gig takes the cake. I am spending 2 nights in a gorgeous home watching one of two boys while the parents are downstairs in meetings all day.<br />
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I also posted a profile on <a href="http://care.com/">Care.com</a> but I haven't received any requests and I haven't applied for many jobs. With my new program in the fall bringing in a smaller paycheck than I have had and my need to get out of debt, I am hoping to find some extra income watching tiny humans.<br />
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Back to the Napa recap: this place is breathtaking.<br />
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Some fun pics of the actual kid. He is seriously too cute to handle. He is two and bossy, but so much fun. If being a mom only consisted of days like today, I swear I'd be on that.</div>
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Obviously the day ended with wine by the fire pit. </div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">As for the outfits; there were a few because kids are messy. Also, the selfies were more fun because this house has a ton of fun mirrors:</span><br />
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Day 26</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Started out in a Scarf: Free, Cardigan: Banana Republic Hand-me-down, Dress: Old Navy $20 (bought with Groupon) The dress got soaked playing with the boy by the pool and became a swim suite cover when I realized I hadn't packed on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">After pool time I wore: Top: Hand-me-down, Tank under top: Old Navy, Shorts: Gifted The LOFT (Isn't this kid the cutest! he is wearing a train shirt and he loves being in photos)</span></div>
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Day 27</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Top Layer: Hand-me-down, Top Second Layer: Seamless T on sale $18, Shorts: Anthropology (on sale $30)</span></div>
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I realize I am so fabulously lucky to have friends that needed a sitter in Napa during their work retreat. If you are not in the same boat, but want to travel and babysit simultaneously I found some websites that have some babysitting/nanny gigs. I have not used them, but I think it sounds like a good idea.<br />
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<a href="http://www.escapenormaljobs.com/adventure-jobs/">Escape Normal Jobs</a><br />
<a href="http://www.workaway.info/14599494144b-en.html" target="_blank">Work Away</a><br />
<a href="http://www.aupair.com/">Aupair.com</a><br />
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One last thing: THIS PLACE HAS CHICKENS!!<br />
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<br />Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-90749429722117751452013-06-02T23:36:00.001-07:002013-06-03T17:24:22.487-07:00Day 25: Sunday Simplicity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Day 25</div>
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Scarf: Hand-me-down, Top: J Crew via Buffalo Exchange (and yes it is super wrinkly- we can just pretend that is part of the Sunday casual look), Jeans: GAP gifted by Christie, Shoes: Gifted by my parents, Sweater (in hand): Vintage</div>
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Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-51772945543085582112013-06-01T15:46:00.000-07:002013-06-02T12:49:47.712-07:00Day 24: June and July Food Spending Goals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Spinach, Heirloom Tomatoes, Almonds, Chunks of Aged Cheddar, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic salt</span></div>
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In the scheme of goals I set and blog about, this one is one of the ones I am most scared of posting. I am pretty terrified I will fail and everyone will see that when it comes to yummy things- I have no self control. Still, I need to take on my fear of failing at this and instead hope that just maybe I will succeed.<br />
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I spent this much on food in these months:<br />
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<b>January $0</b> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(This according to my bank statement, and I think I was in shock from loosing my job, so it might be true. I mean I had to have eaten something, but I have no idea what. Also, I know that I spent a good amount on my bf's birthday dinner, so I am thinking it is wrong.)</span><br />
<b>February $133</b><br />
<b>March $263<br />April $530<br />May $551</b></blockquote>
As you can see the numbers are going up too much in the past few months. So, with the beginning of June I am committing to spend less. MUCH less. It is so hard, because to be honest I was feeling good about how much I was eating at home and not spending until I looked at my budget review. I love food, and I love eating with people in fun places. It is my biggest budget vice (much more than clothes). Close to $200 of this past month was spent buying some things bulk in order to save and in order to support fair trade, but still that keeps me at $351 and that is excessive for one person who isn't making much money and needs to pay down debt.<br />
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The goal is the keep the number at $190, in general, but I think I might need to aim lower for 2 months. As in I want to eat on $25-35 a week. To be clear I am starting the 2 months off with pasta, rice, quinoa, and a bunch of other staples. I also have multiple gluten free mixes for pancakes, corn bread, pizza dough and such. Mostly, what I need is produce to make these food items into a meal. With so much in season in the summer I am planning to hit up the cheapest farmers markets and save some money while supporting local farmers.<br />
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I also need to limit what I spend eating out. For the most part any meal out in the city will kill my $25 for the week in one sitting and more likely take the following weeks money as well. I am also just not going to drink. I love wine and a good cocktail but I need to save the money (plus cutting the calories can't hurt.)<br />
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There will be 2 exceptions to this budget that I need to figure out: My parents and my older sister. I cannot have my family see the city for the first time, and not feed them AMAZING food. So, I will need to find some extra money for that.<br />
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As for today's outfit, here she is:<br />
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Day 24 </div>
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(I couldn't decide on the photo, so I posted both)</div>
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Sunglasses: Buffalo Exchange $10, Earrings: Random store in Texas Hill Country $5, Scarf: Hand-me-down, Jumper/Romper (not sure which title is best): Scavenged from a stack of clothes left over from a fashion show = Free, Bag: Hand-me-down, Shoes: Gifted by my parents</div>
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Yesterday I wore this to the theater: </div>
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Day 23</div>
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I went to see Arcadia at ACT- it was so good!</div>
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Necklace: Gifted from my mom (She wore it when she was my age), Dress: Gifted by Jenny, Belt: no idea I have had it forever, Shoes: Ambiance (I wear them more often than I should)</div>
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<br />Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-33800521901628133592013-05-30T19:44:00.000-07:002013-06-04T22:47:12.085-07:00Day 21 & 22: On Day 21 my BF Surprised me with tickets to Mumford and SonsI woke up full of anxiety and energy yesterday.<br />
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As I blogged about on <a href="http://simplediva.blogspot.com/2013/05/day-20-my-new-side-gig-airbnb.html" target="_blank">Tuesday</a>, I set up an airbnb account. After a evening run I got home and found a request for the Wednesday! The very next day! I have no idea what inspired me to say yes. My bed is broken an although my room had the appearances of being clean, it was not. Also, I had known for over a month that my BF had a surprise planned for me that night, and all I knew was that I would be outside for a good deal of the evening. So, I was super excited about that, but it meant I had to fix my bed and finish cleaning my room, buy new bedding, pack to hang out in other people's apartments for 4 days and look amazing by 4 pm. <br />
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First: I fixed my bed that has been broken for months, using random boxes I found and filling them with old magazines creating a lift to support the broken beam. I feel resourceful and proud of the accomplishment.<br />
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Then I made an expensive trip ($188, and that was after I put 3 items back!) to Target for new bedding and such. I am going to do a room before and after post. This image is just a tease.<br />
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Now for the fun part. I had no idea what to wear for my surprise because I didn't know what I was doing. I wanted to wear pants because being outside implies sitting on the ground. I wanted warmth, because SF is crazy chilly at night, and I wanted slightly elegant in case it was someplace outside but nice. </div>
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Day 21 (going out) </div>
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my errand outfit wasn't bad, but I was too busy to take a photo</div>
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Top: Converted Dress from Modcloth (it is a dress but it is so short I can NEVER really wear it that way) Layer: hand-me-down cardigan, Jeans: Earnest Sewn (they are my have, I love how they fit!) Shoes: on sale at Ambiance, only a few months old and they already have a hole</div>
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Surprise time!!! He kept acting like he didn't know where we were going and I could pick the next bus stop and my surprise was that there was no surprise, but as we got off the BART in Berkley I was pretty sure there was a surprise and a good one, because we never leave the city on BART. So, when the bus driver said next stop The Greek Theater and I almost squealed. I did jump across the aisle between us and kiss him.</div>
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MUMFORD!!!!</div>
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He had gotten us tickets to Mumford and Sons, they are my favorite band. The show was so good, even the concession nachos (that I should not have spent money on, but I had to because I forgot to eat during that list above) tasted better than normal nachos. There were songs that almost brought tears to my eyes. They closed the show with two harmony pieces that really were phenomenal. The audience was mostly amazing, in that we all sang along and such. It was so fun having the sunset during the show. Overall, I just think they are actually talented and they do a great show and their songs inspire me. And it is cheesy how much I love them.</div>
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Nonetheless, the best part: BF doesn't even like Mumford, he doesn't listen to them except that they are overplayed on the radio, and I hadn't even hinted that I wanted to go, and there was no special occasion- he was just being awesome.</div>
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Day 22</div>
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Top: Vintage fabric made into super flowy top, Necklace: Hand-me-down from mom, Jean: Levi curvy $70ish 2+ years old and loosing shape, Shoes: Bass and one of my fave pairs</div>
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You can't really follow up the best day ever, but today happened anyway. I took Ella on a long walk, and bought some apartment improvement stuff. Mostly, I just thought about how much I loved last night. </div>
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<br />Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-83964355155344230002013-05-28T15:07:00.001-07:002013-05-28T15:08:12.289-07:00Day 20 (again) Selling Shoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As I mentioned in my last post I am trying to purge my apartment. I found some beautiful tennis shoes. They are new, not my size, and not my style. I am selling them. I posted them on Copious. You can buy them through the link.</div>
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<a href="http://copious.com/listings/creative-reaction-shoes" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O5Bgi8uhfQo/UaUo7W5_XVI/AAAAAAAAI7I/aFYenKEewhU/s320/IMG_1346.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://copious.com/listings/creative-reaction-shoes" target="_blank">buy them here</a></div>
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<a href="http://copious.com/listings/nike-glow-in-the-dark-shoes" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sbfyQu4whaU/UaUo6EC-2GI/AAAAAAAAI7A/u6xbcltqeXU/s320/IMG_1348.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://copious.com/listings/nike-glow-in-the-dark-shoes" target="_blank">buy these here</a> </div>
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<a href="http://copious.com/listings/nike-shoes" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A_ty06sSPfI/UaUo8Uly9nI/AAAAAAAAI7Q/zaO1QRmycv8/s320/IMG_1350.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://copious.com/listings/nike-shoes" target="_blank">buy these here</a></div>
Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-20988020678828804992013-05-28T13:17:00.000-07:002013-05-28T13:17:17.479-07:00Day 20: My New Side Gig (Airbnb)I found this post yesterday: <a href="http://andthenwesaved.com/15-side-gigs-to-make-more-money-today/">15 Side Gigs to Make More Money Today</a>. I think it has some really great ideas. (Side note: I am stalking this woman's blog. I think it is full of great advice and I need to tell her that soon.)<br />
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Speaking of side gigs- the photographer from <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/" target="_blank">airbnb</a> just left my apartment. I am posting my room for rent a few nights a week/month while I am doing some roaming this summer to cut down on expenses. I live in the heart of one of the most touristy parts of San Francisco, so I figured why not let some people enjoy my space while I bring in some cash?<br />
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I stayed at an airbnb apartment in Paris and a shack in Austin during my last vacations. Both experiences were perfect in their own way. I loved having an apartment to share with my travel buddies on both trips. The Paris place was on the 6th floor with no elevator, but I got to sip wine with my legs out the window sitting on the roof. The Austin shack was in a sketchtastic neighborhood, but the back yard gave access to the river and it was beautiful! (Also, it might have taken us a day to find the AC, and in the Texas heat that was killer!) I really liked that both places had some cons mixed in with their pros- it made the experience more real. Our Paris place wasn't in a neighborhood where travelers stayed, and it was nice to leave the tourism and just be in the city each night when we got home. As for Austin, I have spent so much time there before that trip I just wanted to be in the city and avoid the suburbs or anything that felt too much like being a tourist in a place that feels like home. All told: I think <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/" target="_blank">airbnb</a> and <a href="https://www.couchsurfing.org/n/places/san-francisco-california-united-states" target="_blank">couch surfing</a> are the best ways to travel. Hotels are great and all, but there is just something lovely about being in a neighborhood and staying in a home. (Confession: I have never been a couch surfer, but I have hosted one. He was a great guest and oddly enough we have run into each other multiple times since he stayed with us.)<br />
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If you are interested in my place here is the link to my listing:<a href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1077206" target="_blank">Private Room in the Historic Haight</a>.<br />
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An additional plus: the whole thing has me excited because my room is actually kind of clean, and so is my apartment. It is fake clean and I need to now go through all my storage and odd hiding places to purge my apartment of random excess, but I am so excited to continue simplifying my space!<br />
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As for my clothes: With all the cleaning and such I have been pretty lazy about my clothes. I most likely will wear a work out outfit today (I need to run 6 miles) and the same outfit as yesterday for the rest of the day. I have a meeting tonight, but it is in my kitchen- hence no reason to dress up.<br />
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Sweater: Hand me down from Rachel, Top: Striped T-shirt that was woven with no seams (supposedly making it fit better, but I think really just creating a great pitch for the price to be silly high, but I bought it on sale for $17), Jeans: Gifted from Christy, Shoes: Wedged Ankle Boots bought on sale from ShoeBiz- they got holes in the almost instantly and ShoeBiz wouldn't allow me to return them... </div>
Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-70030213106126649842013-05-27T14:04:00.002-07:002013-05-27T14:04:52.709-07:00Day 19: Credit Transfer vs Personal LoanI made the very exciting decision to start a program in the fall to train for becoming a hospital/hospice chaplain. I am thrilled! I am also aware that this is the opposite of my plan to find a job that pays me more than I was making. This makes my need to be budget conscious a much more intense goal.<br />
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As I mentioned a few posts back I created accounts on <a href="https://www.mint.com/t/007d/" target="_blank">Mint</a> and <a href="https://www.creditkarma.com/" target="_blank">Credit Karma</a>. From what I can tell I have a few options and things I need to consider. I need to reduce the interest I am paying on my debt in order to get it paid back in a reasonable amount of time. I also want to lower my payments, and oddly my credit score should improve if I take out more credit (not more debt) and diversify my credit in order to reduce the percentage of credit I am using and prove my ability to pay back multiple forms of credit.<br />
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For months/years I have received pre-approved offers for personal loans and credit transfers. I am working on determining the pros and cons of these two options.<br />
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Credit Transfer:<br />
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<li>Zero interest for 6-18 months feels like a great deal</li>
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<li>Con- if I can't pay the full amount in 18 months the interest come back to get me</li>
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<li>pro- I could possibly do a follow-up transfer of the remaining amount before the interest kicks in</li>
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<li>Con- the market could change in 18 months and I might not be eligible for the second transfer</li>
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<li>Con- if I use the card for anything else, the payments I make will go toward the new balance not the old, so I can't use the card at all </li>
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<li>pro- I don't plan to use the card and I have other cards I could use if I NEED to, but only if I need to</li>
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<li>Con- balance transfer fees</li>
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Personal Loan:</div>
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<li>More time to pay but has interest the entire time</li>
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<li>Con- interest</li>
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<li>Pro- much lower interest than I have now</li>
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<li>Con- It is a set amount, I can't save money by paying it faster, it is what it is once it is set</li>
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<li>the interest is lower so the set amount is lower in the long run</li>
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<li>Pro- it diversifies my debt</li>
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<li>Con- I have never had a personal loan and new things scare me (that is a fake con- me being scared isn't a valid reason to not make a wise financial choice)</li>
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<li>Pro-it moves me to only paying one payment each month (less payments to think about means fewer chances for me to miss a payment)</li>
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Things to think about:</div>
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<li>How much can I afford to pay?</li>
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Even though I really love the idea of zero interest I am leaning toward having more time to pay and diversifying my debt. Also, the zero interest plan does require I pay a transfer fee and that might end up being really close to the interest I would pay with the loan.</div>
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Now, for todays photo: <span style="text-align: center;">Today is a dreary day and I need to spend all of it indoors cleaning my room. Therefore, there will be no selfie. I am wearing 9+ year old velour pants and an overpriced striped t-shirt, but my dog is really cute all wrapped up in my blankets.</span></div>
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This is Ella, she is my favorite. </div>
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Please note: I am not a credit councilor, and I am not giving you advice. I am talking about what I am doing to figure out my credit/debt situation.Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-25812316910894684372013-05-26T22:43:00.000-07:002013-05-26T22:47:01.426-07:00Yesterday was Day 17 and I went on an adventure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The day started with a trip to the <a href="http://www.treasureislandflea.com/" target="_blank">Treasure Island Flea Market</a>. It was amazing, but definitely challenged my not spending goals. It is such a fun place to roam and see all kinds of old beautiful things. I didn't need anything so I didn't buy anything, but my lovely man bought me a jewelry box. I am pretty excited about it. </div>
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From there the adventure involved shopping used furniture type places looking for helpful pieces for his apartment. </div>
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First he took me to <a href="http://www.buildingresources.org/index.html" target="_blank">Building Resources</a>. They are a non-profit that sells reusable and recycled parts of houses that were remodeled or demolished. It is basically a beautiful junk yard. We didn't find anything we needed but find some lovely randomness.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SuZQzombuUk/UaK2RzcOq8I/AAAAAAAAI2U/rL4ECmpvpa4/s1600/IMG_1272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SuZQzombuUk/UaK2RzcOq8I/AAAAAAAAI2U/rL4ECmpvpa4/s200/IMG_1272.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>
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(freebee selfie in the old window reflection) </div>
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From there we googled furniture places and found a lovely gem of a warehouse tucked away in an ally in Bay View. The <a href="http://www.richardgervaiscollection.com/" target="_blank">Richard Gervais Collection</a> is AMAZING. I took so many pictures, but I am only posting a few.<br />
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(I am kind of obsessed with the chandelier.)</div>
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Our last stop was <a href="http://www.scrap-sf.org/" target="_blank">SCRAP</a>. I love SCRAP and haven't been in nearly a year so I was very happy to stop in. I found this old school desk and wanted it desperately, but lets be real- I have no room for such nonsense.<br />
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As for the outfit:<br />
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Dress: $3 at a garage sale on Valencia- it is one of my favorite dresses and I almost didn't even want to pay the $3 for it when I got it 3+ years ago, Slip under dress: flash sale purchase was $120- I paid $40, Bracelet: purchased in India last one of a set of 5 I bought, Belt: hand me down, Purse: Hand me down, Shoes: purchased at Ambiance on sale $27</div>
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As for today, I was lazy all day and only wore workout clothes, except for the few hours I had on jeans and a T-shirt. </div>
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Happy Memorial Day Weekend!</div>
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<br />Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-78887982146107964042013-05-25T00:20:00.001-07:002013-05-25T00:21:00.915-07:00Day 16: I killed a pink leopard and found pretty fish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Head Band: gifted, Hippster hair: the result of going running when I was supposed to go meet friends and not having time to shower, Scarf: H&M pink leopard print for $10, Sweater: hand me down from Rachel, Top: hand me down again from Rachel, Leggings: Spanx- overpriced, I have worn them 4 times and they are already on the verge of having a hole, Shoes: Street find- yes I am wearing shows I found on the side walk. I have had them for years and still don't have a foot fungus.</div>
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So, I spent all day in my house watching West Wing. I am so excited that I know what I am doing in the fall (!!!). It is so great to not be crazy about the job hunt anymore, but today I was epically lazy. I didn't leave the house until 5 pm, but at that point I did run 5 miles. I then met up with people in the Richmond and ate at Q (Q is kind of awesome, even if they make their Sangria by putting OJ in wine and calling it a day). As we were walking we found some beautiful fish, living in the WORST pet store ever. They were so pretty, but they were not living in pretty homes. Someone should go rescue them.</div>
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<br />Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-29420929660996556612013-05-24T13:28:00.000-07:002013-05-24T13:28:06.460-07:00Day 15: Flash sale boots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Once upon a time, when I thought I had money, I received and opened tons of emails a day informing me of flash sales. (Sales that last for about 12 hours) I bought way to much stuff because it was just too easy to find sales when they just show up in my inbox. As I move toward self disciplined spending I am unsubscribing from all of my sale emails. </div>
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Boots: bought on a flash sale for $20ish. I never wear them but I am going to try to wear them more.</div>
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Also, look at that wood floor! It is so beautiful.</div>
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Cardigan: Target 5+ years ago, Top: J. Crew gifted by Christie, Jeans: Indi custom denim, Boots: Flash sale.</div>
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Same as above: except Shorts: Clearance at Anthropology </div>
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I wore them most of the day, but I had to change to jeans before the evening so I wouldn't freeze in my lovely chilly summer city. </div>
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Also, the painting behind my head in most of these photos was purchased in India. It is painted with ground up stones on silk. I love it.</div>
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<br />Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-6173156607776811032013-05-22T22:13:00.001-07:002013-05-22T22:14:33.296-07:00Day 14: brought to you by the color red<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Scarf: Boutique on Mission Street, Cardigan: gifted by Christie, Necklace: gifted, Dress: $8 from the Painted Bird 5 years ago, Belt: hand-me-down from Rachel, Leggings: Spanx- overpriced but at least they are think, Shoes: Izod on sale $16, Jacket: gifted from Jenny</div>
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Confession: I only wore this in the morning. I had to do a mid-day outfit change because I got invited to the Giants game. We were playing the Nationals. I didn't want to show up wearing red. </div>
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Second Confession: The same thing happened with yesterday's outfit. I ended up changing tops before I went out for the evening because it was getting colder. </div>
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Final Confession: I LOVE wearing red. I wasn't allowed to wear it at my old job and I am just so, so very happy that it is no longer off limits. </div>
<br />Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-3378865772097997532013-05-21T10:41:00.001-07:002013-05-21T10:42:26.701-07:00Day 13 and Roses<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am not sure what is happening with my face, and I think my dog is confused as well.</div>
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Top: Modcloth bought with gift certificate I got from them for doing a customer survey, Bracelets: Target, Coffee Cup: Ritual Roasters- Christmas gift from my favorite person, Jeans: GAP gifted by Christie, Shoes: Bass on sale $40ish- such quality shoes! </div>
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I took some time to enjoy the roses in bloom on my run in Golden Gate Park. They match my top, so I thought I would share. (Mostly, Grandma, I wanted you to enjoy them.)</div>
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<br />Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-55590053482729643502013-05-20T16:47:00.001-07:002013-06-04T21:56:49.294-07:00Day 12: Trade as One, Warm weather, and Sutro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My Trade as One box came in today!!! Trade as One has started doing a seasonal box of organic, fair trade pantry staples and have a subscription. I am super excited about the food, for a few reasons. 1) I am not good at planning appropriately for grocery shopping. I don't do well keeping staples stocked. 2) 95% of the box is things I actually need. Rice, oats, quinoa, and beans- 5% is chocolate! I also joined the coffee club, so I get my favorite drink in the world. Plus, it came with lip balm and soap. 3) Everything in the box is helping farmers receive a fair wage- and Trade as One did all the work to be sure I was eating ethically. 4) They have a gluten free box option, so I can eat everything in my box! </div>
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JOY! They sent recipes and some information about the history of rice as well. I am excited! </div>
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Also, my box came with 4 coupons for 20% off your first box. Let me know if you are interested and I will share a coupon with you. </div>
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<a href="http://tradeasone.com/get_involved/change_for_good/contents" target="_blank">See the website for a list of the items in the box.</a> </div>
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Now on to clothes:</div>
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Today has been remarkably warm, so I am going to be brave (or silly) and wear shorts out in my city. I spent most of the day in work out clothes- I was supposed to go on a 8 mile run. I ran 5 miles, but as soon as I got to Sutro Baths I had to slow down and roam the area- it is just too beautiful to not enjoy slowly. So, I walked around then walked the 5 miles home. Over all it was lovely. </div>
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Top: LOFT on sale for under $20, Shorts: LOFT gifted from Christie L (I have 3 Christies in my life and 2 of them give me clothes) Shoes: Gifted by my parents - side note on the shoes, they came with an odd story about how they were designed by a stay at home mom who wanted more comfortable shoes for chasing her kids around. I love them for roaming the city. They are Libby Edelman.</div>
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These are my two fave photos from Sutro today. I also posted them on instagram, but I didn't apply a filter to these two.</div>
Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743042863796557122.post-43046176096527430692013-05-16T19:52:00.003-07:002013-05-26T10:48:15.779-07:00Day 7 & 8 and personal finance tool/options<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
First: I have to admit I often wear the same clothes multiple times in one week, but usually no one notices because I see different people. Well, now that I am documenting my outfits that doesn't work.</div>
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Second (and more importantly): I set up my <a href="https://www.mint.com/t/007d/" target="_blank">Mint</a> account and my <a href="https://www.creditkarma.com/" target="_blank">Credit Karma</a> account today. I was super happy that a) they were both super easy it was to set up b) my credit score is good (I don't know if it is wise to tell the world I have good credit, but I do and I am excited!) c) they both gave me options for how to save money and how to improve my credit score. Overall, I am excited about my endeavor to become financially stable. If you haven't created an account I recommend you do. </div>
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Day 7</div>
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Cardigan: Taget $20, Shirt: Modcloth $27 (wore it Wednesday and Thursday- but I only wore it 4 hours on Wednesday), Pants: Target $20 bought with Gift Card from Candace 4 years ago, Shoes: Izod on sale for $14 (3 months old and I have already worn a hole in the back heal)</div>
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Day 8</div>
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Scarf: Free and I think it was gifted or I got it at a clothing swap, Necklace: hand me down from my lovely grandmother, Blazer: Target $20, Top: The LOFT $25 over 5 years ago, Jeans: Indi custom jeans, seriously you send in your measurements and they send you jeans that fit, but I think they went out of business. (You might notice that I bought 3 pairs of $200 jeans in the past few years. All of them were on sale for $80-90. I am still unsure if these were a good or bad choice. I think all three of them fit better than less expensive jeans I have bought in the past, and I am not planning to buy more jeans anytime soon.) Shoes: Ambiance sale $27</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">I chopped my head off in the posts, and that is unfortunate because I wore an awesome braid today. </span></div>
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Freebee selfie</div>
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I just posted this because like this and think it is more fun than the actual selflies, but you can't actually see the clothes.</div>
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Sarah Rochelle http://www.blogger.com/profile/11909963508750194949noreply@blogger.com0