Do You Wear Too Much Black?

Hi Beautiful!


So I've been inspired to clean out my closet today, as I do every 3 or 4 months....because I'm kind of obsessive about my closet that way.  Everything is color coordinated and is in it's proper section.  As I was donating the things that are cute, but too sheer after being washed 1 too many times - I realized that many of my darker pieces are still in good shape.  Probably because I tend to wear bright colors, so the poor black and brown clothes are neglected in comparison. 


Chances are you have too many dark colors in your closet or drawers as you read this.  Admit it: you were sucked into the black looks good anytime and makes you look slimmer mindset, right?  So now you are faced with a sea of black every time you go to put something on.  What's a girl to do?  I'll tell you what a bargain shopping, glam mom would do-



What other things can you do to brighten up your basic black?  Leave your comments below.  As always, wishing you a glamorous day!


Warmly,


Kirin

How to Instantly Look Younger and Fresher

Hi!

Oh yeah, I went there.  The truth is, besides having children, there are so many things that we women do that instantly age us (is it just me or do our kids, bless their hearts, give us premature gray hair?).....and most women don't even realize they are doing it.  I've been guilty of a few of these things myself, so know that you are not alone. 

I like quick fixes and fast results because busy moms like you and me don't waste time.  I'll tell you about the 3 top things you can do to look younger and instantly freshen up your look.....these tips work any time of year.  Love that!

Taa Daa!



Now go out there and start with just ONE of these things.  You really will notice a difference. 

Leave a comment below to tell me about your experience.  And know that I believe in you!  You can do it!

Warmly,

Kirin

How to Become Debt Free

Hi!  Okay, so what the heck does being debt-free have to do with being glam?  Easy....when you don't have debt, you don't have stress, and when you are free of stress, you look more glamorous!  Taa daaa!  (My former philosophy professor would be so proud of me for coming up with that logical thread!)

So here is something that I posted on a forum recently and the response was crazy huge.....so I thought I would share it here as well.  A few months ago I submitted this to Redbook for an article they were doing about "Success with Money." The cool thing was, they almost used it, and perhaps you will find it useful too.  Enjoy!



I'm a full-time mom, wife, and owner of several businesses, who grew up with a single mother struggling to make ends meet. Because funds were tight, she'd put some necessities (and non-necessities) on credit cards and ended up with HUGE credit debt (and is currently on the fence about filing bankruptcy). Contrast that with the fact that my husband and I recently celebrated being debt-free (only our mortgage is left to pay off)! Yes we are business owners, but we built our business from scratch - all we had was an idea. So you can see just how far I've come!

Here are some of the tips I've used to become debt free:

1) Don't shop at discount warehouses or big box stores without a list. This is easy. Every time I went to Costco/Target/Walmart I spent at least $200 when I only needed a few things. Now I simply DON'T shop at Costco at all! And if I absolutely have to shop at Target/Walmart, I come armed with a list and I stick to it.

2) Is it a WANT or a NEED? Yes, you NEED food, clothing, and shelter. But you DON'T need food at expensive restaurants, designer clothes or more house/apartment than you can afford. Live below what you can afford so you have extra to do fun stuff.

3) Pay off everything early. Even if it's an extra $10/week, pay it! We are so much farther ahead than our peers because we paid everything off early. The experts tell you to pay off your highest interest rate item first. I disagree. It's more psychologically rewarding to pay off ANY debt in full - regardless of interest. If you have a higher interest rate and owe $20,000, and have a lower interest rate and owe $5,000, pay off the $5,000 debt first.

4) Once you pay off one debt, use the money towards another debt. In other words, if you paid off a debt that cost you $200/month, put that $200/month towards your next smallest debt.

5) If you can't pay off your credit card IN FULL every month, then don't use it. Even if you can, use your debit card instead. You still get the satisfaction of running your card through the little machine, but you get MORE satisfaction by knowing you're debt-free!

6) Set up automatic withdrawal from your checking to your savings. Do it the day after you get a check. Have both accounts at the same bank to easily manage this.

7) Whenever you get a "windfall" like cash for your birthday or Holidays, or an income tax refund, spend 10% on a WANT, and put the remainder towards a debt. We just got a big tax refund check and used it to pay off our last vehicle we owed on, our 2nd mortgage and another payment. That helped us free up several THOUSAND dollars a month to put towards our last debt, our mortgage payment.

Hopefully you can use this information. I hope it helps you out!  Have a great week.
Warmly,

Kirin

Tough Lesson Learned This Week

Hi Beautiful.

This week's blog has nothing to do with being glam.  But it does have everything to do with taking charge of your life.  You see, I've decided that I'd rather have my tombstone say, "Kirin lived her life with passion and purpose," INSTEAD of saying, "Kirin lived her life with lots of regrets."  What does this have to do with anything?

Because these last few days, well, let's just say have been rife with lessons learned.  Here's what they are:  1) Get off your tush and do something.  Even if it's something that scares the crap out of you.  2) Get off your tush and do something.  Even if it's something that scares the crap out of you.  3) Seriously.  You CAN do it.  So GO DO SOMETHING that you have been putting off.  Even if it scares the crap out of you! 

I know there is something that is holding you back...... I can feel you are afraid.  But here is the deal; Life is short, and you never know when it will end.  I just recieved a call a few days ago.  My Step-Grandma, Rose, died in a car accident.  Yes, she was in her 80's and for all practical purposes lived a long and full life.  But she was just coming back from a hike (because she is....WAS, that active). 

A car ran a red light, and killed her almost instantly.  Even in her 80's we all figured she would die of old age.  No-one expected her life to suddenly end from a horrible car accident.  But it did.  And it's incredibly sad.... and at the same time, a GREAT reminder that sooner or later, one way or another, you are going to die.  This is it.  This is your life.  This is your moment.  What are you going to do with it?  What is it going to say on your tombstone?

I have an idea: Get off your tush and do something. Even if it's something that scares the crap out of you.  This is your time.  This is your moment.  You can do it.

Wishing you a productive week.

Warmly,

Kirin