Posts

Holiday Shopping - when to shop to spend the least without missing out.

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Well before Halloween brings trick-or-treaters to our doors, holiday shopping is already mainstream in the advertising world. Some companies want to capture their holiday sales before Black Friday even begins while others heavily rely on the Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales to make their numbers. There are families that look forward to their tradition of heading out to the shops as soon as their turkey coma has lifted. Others are thrilled to see companies like REI boycotting Black Friday and spearheading campaigns like #optoutside to get people out of the stores and into nature and time with friends and family. Whatever camp you fall into, saving money on items you already plan to buy for the (very expensive) holiday season can be welcome. I recently found a fantastic Wall Street Journal article that goes into research-tested details on the specific days to shop where you will save the most money without risking the item being sold out. Read the details here , but for a summary of

How To Negotiate a Salary Without Disclosing Your Current Pay

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Salary negotiation; one thing we all go through and never like to talk about. Why? Because it's personal, tedious, and sometimes downright uncomfortable!  When you're on the market for a new job and interviewing, how do you make sure you're positioning yourself for what you deserve? Number one rule of thumb: You could set yourself back by thousands of dollars from the start if you disclose your current salary or salary history. Let me explain. A common misconception about the interview process is that money doesn't enter the picture until you get to the offer stage. On the contrary, you have valuable skills that a business knows are worth money to them, so "price" is at the forefront of their candidate search. They are looking for the best candidate that will bring them the greatest value for their investment. Recruiters have a range of salary and bonus options they can use to cater an offer for their candidate of choice. If the role you are interviewing

Wedding Etiquette 101: Common Guest Faux Pas to Avoid

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Ladies and Gents, if you haven't noticed yet it is engagement and wedding season!  Whether your Facebook feed constantly reminds you with status updates and photos, or your bank account is looking wimpy from all the travel and gifts, there's no question this season of love is in full swing. I've had a couple of conversations and questions lately that inspired me to write about wedding etiquette.  It seems, for some reason, many etiquette rules weren't clearly passed along through the generations, and that many of us will never know our offenses until we are the ones getting married!  I myself was guilty of several of these items, and reached into my past after my own wedding to make sure my wrongs were made right. To spare many a bride and guest from a variety of awkward situations, here are some of the most common wedding faux pas and how to handle them.  I will be blunt and to the point so as to be as clear as possible - no hurt feelings intended.  Remem

Born of the Great Depression - One Man's Story of Building Financial Freedom

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Grandpa Ferd enjoying his 90th birthday in Colorado - forever the traveling man! It seems fitting after all this time that I share the inspiration for Classy Not Pricey.  Two words:  My Grandpa. I am the proud granddaughter of a 100% Italian man, the son of an immigrant to New York City from Piacenza, Italy.   Ferdinand, lovingly called Ferdie, was the ultimate survivor.  At 91, he outlived his parents, all four younger brothers, his wife, and two of his three daughters.   He was a child of the Great Depression, although he never realized the state of his family's needs at that time.  Regardless of his financial status, he worked for almost his entire life...

Taxes - How to Maximize Your Tax Return

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Taxes.  Stick with me here... I know that's the biggest turnoff word anytime of day.  BUT, taxes and the processes of filing them each month can actually be a great time of hitting the refresh button and potentially getting back some of your well earned money!  I will keep this article short and sweet (but full of resources) with some tips for making the most of tax season. Do you do your taxes yourself or work with a tax professional? This year is the first year I've enlisted the help of a tax professional.  Previously I did my own taxes for years using TurboTax.com .     It's great!  I saved myself a lot of money, learned a good amount about taxes, saved time in back and forth with a tax pro, and every year TurboTax pre populates some of the minutiae based on my last return.  There's also no cost to try it out if you want to see how it works - you pay when you file.  H&R Block has also come into the online world with its   H&R Block At Home  system.  I

Five Great Ways to Make the Most of Pinterest, and Why We Love It!

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If you haven't gathered already, we at Classy Not Pricey are big fans of being proactive - particularly when trying to build a life that is classy and affordable.  It takes work and awareness to make the most of what you have!  We're all for making dreams become realities using creativity and an openness to unique ways of achieving things. You've also probably noticed lately how much we love Pinterest!  For those of you who haven't yet joined the site or learned about Pinterest, it is a modern-day approach to what used to require magazine cut outs and a bulletin board.  Instead, you can pin web images (or upload your own photos) to different virtual boards and create a collage of photos that align with your interests and style.  Add the robustness of the web (the root of each photo links back to its original source) and suddenly you are able to browse the web, interact with your friends and family, and follow your favorite brands in a visually stunning new way.

Rethinking the Definition of Classy - Did Coco Chanel Have It Right?

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“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!