Classy Not Pricey

“The best things in life are free.  The second best are very expensive” – Coco Chanel How do you define classy?  Coco Chanel had it right in this quote… almost. The most impactful, worthwhile things in life that bring lasting joy are usually free.  What are the best things in your life?  Are they people, places, or experiences?  Are they the little details of life, like the famous lyrics from the Sounds of Music: “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens?" Yes, these are free, and YES we love them!

"He loves me.  He loves me not."  "She loves me.  She loves me not."  Ah, Valentine's Day.  Love it?  Hate it?  What's the verdict? In elementary school I always looked forward to Valentine's Day.  I loved decorating the box that would collect valentines from my classmates during our parent-sponsored parties of heart-cookie decorating and cutesy crafts.  Then I would go home, spread all the valentines out on the floor and read each one - some over and over to decipher whether any of my crushes might be crushing in return...

Last weekend on our way back from a wedding, my husband and I spotted the outlet mall off the side of the highway!  Although plenty ready to be home, we both insisted (actually, I insisted and he obliged) we do some "field research" for Classy Not Pricey by evaluating what the outlets had to offer first hand.  We wanted to know... were they really a great deal?  An excellent way to shop for classy brands at non-pricey discounts? Each outlet mall, of course, has different kinds of stores.  We were thrilled to find ourselves walking through a (truly) premium outlet with fantastic brands that aren't always outlet options.  At the end of our research, we were excited to report not only great lessons to pass along to you all, but also a major success story for ourselves on some incredible Calphalon Unison pots and pans. 

In honor of the wedding (this weekend) of a very special Classy Not Pricey supporter, this post is dedicated to the bridal side of Classy Not Pricey. Sorry, gentlemen readers - this one is focused on the ladies. :) Throwing a wedding is expensive, no matter how you slice that four-tiered cake.  These days, the average wedding costs over $26,000 * !! And this does NOT include the engagement ring or the honeymoon. Yikes. We've received a few requests for suggestions on how to have a Classy Not Pricey wedding over the last couple of weeks. This is clearly no easy task! However, as one who personally planned a wedding in only four months within a budget, here are the Classy Not Pricey starting points I recommend the following three easy ways to bride on a budget...

"How would you like your salad, Ma'am?"  Thoughts swept through my head - what I needed, wanted, and what looked so dang tempting that all logic waivered. "I'll have the Asian Chicken Salad, please."  Sensible, salty and sweet, and, well, that peanut dressing is way too good to pass up. "Oh, and can you add some egg whites to that, please?" I ask, trying to add extra protein in exchange for the sweet indulgence of the dressing.  The man across the glass case gave me a minor grimace (or gag, I couldn't really tell).  "And please hold the wonton strips." Even though they were only thirty cents extra, they were a smart exclusion to stick to great tasting nutrition within my price range.  Voila!  I walked away with the perfect salad for my needs, budget, wants, and tastes. Have you ever thought of your paycheck as something you can customize, like an order at a restaurant?  It may not always feel like it, but every paycheck that heads y

One of my recent articles that received the most attention was " Consignment, Charity, Cash... Classy! "  Part of me thinks it's because my beautiful mom was in a picture with me at the top of the post.  The other part of me thinks that the consignment of high end, designer items was intriguing to you!  So, to cover both bases, here is another picture of me and my beautiful mom :). To the tune of high-end consignment, I recently stumbled upon a relatively new site for consigning designer brands at much reduced prices: The RealReal, Inc !

This calendar year, I earned enough reward points on my credit card to fly myself across the world and back for FREE.  This is not because of lavish spending, but because 60% of the points I earned were bonus points gained from intentionally focusing my choices and buying habits on "exponential" point earning. You can too!  It only takes a few intentional habits, knowledge of the point-earning process, and the right choice of credit card to make it happen.