#47: Estate Planning for Millennials with Attorney Crista Hermance There’s a misconception among young people that there’s no need to do any form of estate planning.As tough as it is to think about our untimely passing or incapacitation, we have to deal with those thoughts and get a plan in place.Estate planning happens in a variety of ways.In this episode, I’m talking with Crista Hermance, attorney and founder of the Estate Planning Mom about what estate planning actually means and how millennials can take action today.Whether you have dependents or not, you have an estate.That means, you need a plan in place to determine what happens to your estate when you’re no longer around or able to manage it yourself.Here’s a glance at this episode:[04:56] Crista breaks down the basics of estate planning, including an answer to the question: What is an estate?[11:20] Don’t forget about your digital assets! Crista shared an example of a family looking to get pictures of their son after he passed, but since he had no plan in place, those assets were blocked.[16:50] Got bank accounts and retirement plans? Make sure you add beneficiaries to bypass the lengthy probate process.[23:45] Every state has a “back up” estate plan in place for people who don’t set a plan themselves. It’s what the state falls back on to determine how your assets are distributed.[27:40] Crista breaks down what the terms “will” and “trust” mean and how they can benefit your estate plan.[41:40] Have assets in multiple states? Crista shares what that means and how to protect all of your assets.Click here to listen!Rate, Review, & Fo … #47: Estate Planning for Millennials with Attorney Crista HermanceRead More »

6 Ways Delayed Gratification Helps Level Up Your Money Let’s be real. We live in a society that promotes instant gratification, not delayed gratification. If we want it, we can order it (with one click) and have it delivered the same day. While this may be a very convenient way of doing things, it doesn’t help promote proper budgeting and money management skills.Now, I’m not saying I don’t take advantage of the instant convenience we’re blessed with today. But, I make it a point to only do it when necessary. Otherwise, I practice delayed gratification.Delayed gratification is the ability to say “no” to current wants so you can say “yes” to your future goals and desires. Essentially, it’s your willingness to practice self-restraint towards the things that you currently want because they don’t help you achieve your future goals.I’ve been practicing delayed gratification for years now and it’s been a total game changer in the success I’ve experienced. I’m sharing 6 ways delayed gratification helps level up your money situation. Also, be sure to check out the CGS Podcast Episode How Practicing Delayed Gratification Sets You Up for Financial Success for more insight!6 Ways Delayed Gratification Helps Level Up Your Money #1 Delayed gratification keeps more money in your accountBecause delayed gratification requires you to say “no” more than you say “yes” when it comes to your spending, it automatically helps you keep more money in your bank account. Directly or indirectly. Directly if the money you spend comes from swiping your credit card. Indirectly if the money you spend comes from swiping your credit card. Either way, the lack of swiping any type of card will help you keep more money in your account.The more money you’re able to keep in your bank account, the more your net worth will grow. A higher net worth takes you to new levels financially. Over time, you’ll be motivated to watch your accounts continue to grow, so it’ll get much easier to say no to spending.#2 Delayed gratification helps you practice restraintAnother way delayed gratification helps you level up your money is by forcing you to practice restraint. If you’re a “yes girl” – meaning you never turn down an offer, then delayed gratification will force you to stop saying yes and start saying no. Practicing restraint can be incredibly hard, especially if you’ve never really done it before.Like anything though, practicing restraint is a skill that can be mastered. The more you practice flexing that restraint muscle, the easier it will be for you to start saying no to things that keep you from reaching your end goals.#3 Delayed gratification makes you think about what really mattersWhen you’re forced to practice restraint and say “no” to most spending events, it forces you to really think about what matters. With delayed gratification, you’re no longer aimlessly spending money. You’re thinking about each purchase and deciding to forgo the purchase if it isn’t in line with your goals.By default, this makes you think about things that truly matter in your life, not just your spending. You start making decisions based on your goals and values. Delayed gratification with your money eventually turns into delayed gratification with all things in your life. The more you make decisions in line with the things that matter most, the more fulfilled you’ll feel in your life.#4 Delayed gratification means you’re in control of your spending decisionsA welcomed side effect of practicing restraint is self-control. When you practice delayed gratification, you’re practicing restraint. When you’re able to restrain yourself from spending money you shouldn’t, you now become in control of the situation.Most people think they’re in control when they’re spending money, even if it’s money that shouldn’t be spent. But, that’s not control – it’s actually a lack of control. The real control comes when you are okay with NOT spending money. Think about that for a second. Spending money isn’t control. Not spending money is control. The only exception being when you’re intentional with your spending – meaning you’ve thought it through accordingly.#5 Delayed gratification gets you closer to your goalsThis is probably obvious to you but hear me out anyways. When you’re not spending money on things you don’t need, you’re able to put more money towards your goals. The more money you put towards your goals, the closer you get to achieving them!Since delayed gratification requires you to say “no” to any spending that isn’t in line with your goals, a direct result will be you reaching your goals faster. If you’re motivated to reach your goals as quickly as possible, delayed gratification can help you do it.#6 Delayed gratification fosters a better relationship with moneyThe final way delayed gratification helps level up your money is by helping you foster a better relationship with money. Everything listed above ultimately requires a shift in how you think, how you act and how you determine your goals. Those shifts are what help you respect the money you do have. When you respect your money, you never want to disrespect it by sending it somewhere it doesn’t belong. More importantly, you never want to disrespect yourself and the things you value. Spending money that isn’t in line with your values is a strong form of disrespect. Delayed gratification helps you build that respect towards your money and your personal goals and values.Related: 8 Ways to Set Yourself Up for Financial SuccessDelayed gratification isn’t always the most fun thing to practice, but the benefits are worth the effort! As you work to practice delayed gratification, start thinking through each purchase. Whether you make the purchase or not, the fact that you’re giving it thought is what will help you eventually say “no” to things that won’t help you in the long run.Do you practice delayed gratification? What helps you stay consistent with it? D … 6 Ways Delayed Gratification Helps Level Up Your MoneyRead More »

#46: The Spooky Reality of Millennials and Money Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! I’ve got Hocus Pocus on repeat (1 and 2 BTW), pumpkin spice lattes flowing, and I’m soaking in the beautiful weather before things turn cold here in Austin. While there’s a lot of good things to focus on during Halloween, I want to share something very scary with you. In fact, in this episode I’m sharing the spooky reality of millennials and money, with some statistics that will truly turn your stomach! Here’s a glance at this episode: [01:45] Nearly 40% of young adults said they spend more of their money on experiences than necessities like paying bills, in part because they want to share it on social media. [04:15] As of May 2022, 58% of Americans — roughly 150 million adults — live paycheck to paycheck. Of those earning $250,000 or more, 30% are living paycheck to paycheck. [06:10] Inflation isn’t just hitting gas and groceries. It’s impacting people’s ability to pay rent or purchase a home. [09:03] An ideal emergency fund amount would be 3-6 months’ worth of living expenses. Click here to listen! Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “ … #46: The Spooky Reality of Millennials and MoneyRead More »

So I’m going to admit that this article is going to be extremely personal for me. I know that City Girl Savings is a safe and non-judgmental space, but even as I’m writing this, I am nervous about expressing my […]

How'd She Do It? Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd “Alexa…play Single Ladies by Beyoncé.” If you’re single and still looking, this article is a fun one. There are plenty of dating apps on the market, some of which you may have heard while others are probably still emerging on your radar. One dating app I’m confident you’ve heard of is Bumble. Did you know it was founded by Whitney Wolfe Herd?For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Bumble dating app, Bumble is a social network that allows you to feel empowered while you make those connections. Whether you’re dating, looking for friends, or growing your professional network. What makes this app different from the rest is the CEO who runs it… Whitney Wolfe Herd.This female boss and her story are as wonderful as the love connections forged – so without further delay, let’s get into it. Before Bumble there was Bamboo..Whitney was born in Salt Lake City, Utah in July of 1989. She attended Southern Methodist University, where she majored in international studies. While studying at SMU, the Deepwater Horizon Spill which is also known as the “BP oil spill” was running rampant in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in an industrial disaster.It was reported that the disaster caused a months-long oil spill, along with adverse effects from the response and cleanup activities, extensive damage to marine and wildlife habitats, the fishing and tourism industries were also affected. Record numbers were shared that marine life continued to die in high numbers. When Whitney caught wind of the issue, she quickly jumped in to provide any support she could.Though she had no marine experience she did not let that stand in her way of her contributing what she could to better the horrifying situation. Whitney pitched the idea of selling bamboo tote bags and proceeds would help benefit areas affected by the spill. A celebrity stylist by the name of Patrick Aufdenkam loved the idea so much they partnered with her to bring the vision to life.The two visionaries launched the non-profit organization called the “Help Us Project”. The tote bags were a hit and they received national press after celebrities were seen photographed wearing them around town.A Tender Heart After much success from that venture, both Whitney and Patrick were interested in partnering on another business venture called Tender Heart. Though not connected to a nonprofit, the clothing line was dedicated to raising awareness around human trafficking and fair trade.Tender Heart’s first collection featured relaxed tie-dyed designs all made in Nepal. The wardrobe was good quality, and most importantly, affordably priced. The clothing line did amazingly well including being picked up by two major retailers, Kitson and Intermix, in the Los Angeles market.What’s Next… By the time Whitney graduated from college at the age of 22, she was hired on by the startup company called Cardify. Though her timeline on that project was not long, she quickly found value in joining the development team for the dating app Tinder (previously known as MatchBox). Whitney served as Vice President of marketing for the project. Through her expertise, she was the creative force to have influenced the name change from Matchbox to Tinder. With her understanding of the lack of connections being made in her age group she has been credited with spreading the word about Tinder on college campuses and growing its user base tremendously.A New Season… Like any season, one ends as another begins and by 2014 she had resigned from Tinder. Though she didn’t know what the future held for her, she took a leap of faith and figured she would give the dating industry one more shot. In due time she would join creative forces with Badoo founder Andrey Andreev in developing a new female-friendly dating app.Originally, they had planned to name the app Moxie, but how fate would have it, the name was already taken so they came up with the next best name, Bumble. By the end of the following year, in 2015 the app had reached over 15 million conversations and 80 million matches. Talk about making some of the best lemonade when life throws lemons at you!Since her success, she’s been named one of Business Insider’s 30 Most Important Women Under 30 In Tech in 2014. In 2016, Whitney was named as one of Elle’s Women in Tech. She was also named to Forbes 30 under 30 lists in 2017 and 2018. Related: How’d She Do It? Alexa von TobelWhitney Wolfe Herd has achieved so many accomplishments in a short period of her life. I’m confident her future looks brighter than ever. She is a prime example of reaching for the sky and falling amongst the stars. Through her remarkable ambition, she’s proven there is always a seat at the table. She is a true female trailblazer.Have you used the dating app Bumble? If so, how was your experience? Like and follow City Girl Savings via our other socials Twitter and IG @citygirlsavings. Also join in the conversations via our City Girl Savings Meta page. If you’re on the go like a true City Girl, then catch an episode of our podcast with CEO and Founder Raya Reaves where financial gems can always be heard. We love hearing from you and memb … How’d She Do It? Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe HerdRead More »

#45: How to Prep Your Budget for the Holidays When it comes to holiday spending, it’s better to be proactive instead of reactive!What I mean is, the earlier you can start planning, saving and preparing for the holidays, the better.I don’t know about you, but I want the holidays to be a fun time, not a stressful, anxiety-inducing time.The best way to make the holidays fun and stress-free is to start planning.In this episode, I’m sharing a few things you can do to prep your budget for the holidays and keep your spirits (and bank account balances) high!I’ll even be sharing a few tips to help you make the most of your holiday spending.Here’s a glance at this episode:[01:52] Saving for the holidays about 8-12 weeks early is my sweet spot for a financially stress-free holiday season.[03:25] Already have automatic savings transfers? Temporarily repurpose that savings to help you cover holiday spending and expenses.[06:10] Old Raya would use Black Friday as an excuse to shop for herself! Don’t let greed creep into your holiday spending plans.[08:30] Going into debt for holiday spending is not worth it. Hide your credit cards as we move into the holiday season.Click here to listen!Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts“ … #45: How to Prep Your Budget for the HolidaysRead More »

5 Ways to Frugally Romanticize Your Life Over the past few months, I have been gravitating towards content that is more aligned with things that I care about: mental health, self-care/self-love, and how to live my best life. I’ve been intentionally trying to curate my social media algorithms to align with those pillars in hopes that I won’t see the content that will make me feel bad or “less than”. I’ve been doing a great job at that (you go girl, Lena) and have been lucky to discover the “soft girl era” aesthetic on YouTube and TikTok (which is a beautiful place haha). One day as I was scrolling on YouTube (probably procrastinating), I came across something called “How to Romanticize Your Life”, and of course I was intrigued and wanted to learn what exactly this meant; does this involve a romantic love? Self-love? What is romanticizing and how do I do this? Is there a cost involved? Do I need romance in my life? My sis would say ‘yes’! Anyways, I remember I ended up watching so many videos on both YouTube and TikTok from content creators on romanticizing your life, which essentially is appreciating the little, everyday, “mundane” things; recognizing how unique and special “being present moment” is. Pretty much, romanticizing your life means appreciating your everyday life and looking for the beauty in each moment. I can truly appreciate this way of thinking and I hope it’s not just an aesthetically-pleasing social media trend. I hope we take this and incorporate it in our pursuits of mindfulness and mental health wellness. The beauty about romanticizing life is that the whole purpose is to not get sucked into spending money, it’s almost the exact opposite, being that it’s truly about being happy in the present moment with what you have. For this reason, I’m going to present to you how you can romanticize your life in the most frugal (most of these are free) way possible! I hope this article “woos” you 🙂 1) Add Journaling to Your Morning/Evening Routine Ok – I may or may not have mentioned this in a previous article, but let me re-introduce myself, “Hi, my name is Lena and I am a proud journal collector!” Y’all…I have so many journals/notepads/notebooks. From my beloved Lisa Frank journals and notebooks to my sparkly/bedazzled journals, and from my planners with note sections to my journals with prompts…I cannot count how many I have or how many I’ve gone through. I LOVE to write and journal. Not only do I love getting all my thoughts down on paper, but I retain a lot better when I write things down. It’s truly an artform for me (I want to take up calligraphy), but there’s also a lot of healing that can go into journaling. If you let it, journaling can be the way in which you allow yourself into your own world that you create. For me, I try to stick to the journaling part of both my morning and evening routines, and they both serve a different purpose; in the morning, I do “morning pages” or essentially, a brain dump of all my thoughts. I include my gratitude list, what I woke up thinking about, what I need to do that day, and any other thoughts. In the evening (if I’m not too sleepy haha), I like to journal or “script” things that I want to manifest in the future. Although this concept is not new, manifestation is part of the self-care era, and as someone who is pursuing the “soft girl” life, I look forward to doing this nightly – it’s a lot of fun writing as my future self and speaking all my desires. Now – just because I have a collection of journals (I’m not normal), does not mean you have to, and there are amazing journals that you can buy at your local discount store. Now, there is something special about a journal that’s been intentionally designed for a purpose. There are a lot of planners/journals on Amazon that are just for manifesting, gratitude, brain dumps, helping with anxiety/depression, specific questions/prompts, updating your budget, etc (trust me, I have them all). In addition, in no way should you bust your budget for a fancy journal either. 2.) Buy Yourself Fresh Flowers This is a habit that I actually want to get back to doing, as I used to buy myself flowers weekly. Now, I am very happy being in my bachelorette/hot, soft girl season, so I do not have a significant other buy me things that make me feel loved, but I can woo and romance myself in this season, and I encourage my fellow single gals to do the same, Hey, even if you are boo’d up, you can still treat yourself to a nice bouquet of flowers. Do you think I go to a fancy florist weekly? Absolutely not – I buy my flowers from my local grocery store on my weekly shopping visits. I know that Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have great flowers as well, but the point is, you don’t have to go to a professional for flowers for yourself. I may spend between $5-$10 on flowers for a week. Plus, I have learned that to make your bouquet last longer, pour in some Sprite or bleach into the water – it works! 3.) Take Yourself on a Date Ok, so we’ve got some fresh flowers, let’s take ourselves on a date! Now, even though this article is about frugally romanticizing your life, I’m not calling us “cheap dates” either haha! Since we’re City Girl savers here, clothes are in our budget, as well as entertainment, fun activities, and eating out…so let’s make a date of it! This can mean different dates for everybody, whether that’s just going for a walk in your local downtown area, making a reservation at the new restaurant in town, or going to an art museum, this all depends on what date you want to have with yourself! Don’t forget, you don’t even need to leave your living quarters! A simple take-out dinner and Netflix and chill is always a vibe! 4.) Indulge and Be Present in the Present Season As I am writing this article, it’s early October 2022, and for some reason I feel like everyone is more excited for the fall season this year. I’m not sure if it’s because we are in the “post-pandemic” world and things are open and active again (schools, concerts, travel, weddings, etc), but I feel like more people were looking forward to fall, including myself which is odd because I do not look forward to shorter days and seasonal affective disorder/depression (SAD). However, in order to combat those luring feelings around SAD, my therapist suggested that I fully appreciate and take in the fall and winter season this year, not just spring and summer. SO this year, I’m going to decorate my place in autumnal, inexpensive decor and I am looking forward to my morning struts and seeing the leaves change color. I know a lot of people look forward to pumpkin spice, the beginning of the holiday season, family gatherings, and seasonal dishes, so definitely be totally present in each season. I’m actually looking forward to the cozy season to refresh and get ready for the new year! 5.) Take an Extra Long Shower Because daily bath/showers are important (I don’t care what certain celebrities say), take some extra time for yourself, or wake up a bit earlier (if you take showers in the morning) and take your shower/bath routines to a new level! In the shower, get some delicious-smelling shower gel, a nice body exfoliator, a good loofah/exfoliating gloves and really indulge in your shower. Imagine the water from the shower “washing” away the day or any negativity. If you’ve read my articles before, you already know I love my “goddess baths”, but I know that baths are just not realistic everyday for a lot of people, including myself, sometimes we just have time/energy for a quick shower. That’s why it’s important to look forward to those times where you can take your time in your showers. Related: 8 Simple Self-Care Habits to Start Now I hope this article encourages you to take some time to romanticize your everyday life, and give you something to look forward to everyday, no matter what it is. What about you? How can you incorporate a little bit of romance in you … 5 Ways to Frugally Romanticize Your LifeRead More »

#44: Why You Need to Think About Retirement Now To all my millennial friends out there, the time to start thinking about retirement is now!Actually, that goes for everyone!Trust me, I get it – the younger you are, the further way retirement seems.Who knows what life will look like then?Except, the earlier you start saving and investing for retirement, the more you will have come retirement time.In this episode, I’m sharing why you need to start thinking and saving for retirement now and breaking down some numbers to help drive home my point.Here’s a glance at this episode:[01:35] When I got my first real job out of college, I started contributing to my company’s 401k plan. 11 years later, I had over six figures saved![02:21] Want to know how to be a millionaire at retirement time? I breakdown the numbers to make it happen.[07:00] Being forced to live with your children during retirement can be a great reason to start planning for your own retirement needs as early as possible.[10:34] Can’t save for retirement through your job? I’m sharing some options that are available to you to save for retirement.Click here to listen!Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts“I love Raya and Ci … #44: Why You Need to Think About Retirement NowRead More »

6 Hacks to Finding Your Life's Purpose Do you feel like you’re just going through the motions on a daily basis? Do you want more for your life but feel like you have no direction on where to start? I wish there was something given to us at birth that tells us what our mission on this earth is. Gosh, things would be so easy that way, right?! As much as I would like that, I also think there’s beauty in not knowing. It means that we hold the power. We get to dictate our own lives.Because we hold the power, we can design our own life. We can find our own purpose. If you’re struggling to figure out your purpose on this earth, then I want to share some things that can help. Keep reading for 6 hacks to finding your life’s purpose. We all deserve to live a life we love. We just need to know what that looks like.#1 Travel and see new placesIf you’re an active traveler, maybe you resonate with this: When I first started traveling to distant or different places, it opened my mind to new things. It gave me a bigger perspective and taught me that there’s so much to see in this world. The more I traveled, the more I wanted to travel.I strongly suggest you travel and see new places if you’re looking for purpose and direction. Not only will this spark a desire to continue seeing the world, but it will make you a more well-rounded person. That insight, empathy and open-mindedness will help you see the bigger picture. When you can see the bigger picture, you can start figuring out how you fit in it. Not sure how to fit it into your budget? Check out this CGS podcast episode: An Introduction to Travel-Hacking.#2 Think about the last time you were truly happyWas there ever a time in your life where you were genuinely happy? Maybe it was your high school years. Maybe it was going to college in a different state (this was the case for me). Maybe it was when you bought your first pet home. If you want to find your life’s purpose, start by pinpointing times in your life where you were happy.What about those times made you happy? Was it a person, place, or thing (also known as a “noun” – my English teach would be proud 🙂)? Whatever it was, how can you incorporate more of it into your life? Our life’s purpose should make us happy. With that being said, why recreate happiness when we can leverage it from our past?!#3 Journal on the legacy you want to leave behindI think an important part to finding your life’s purpose is to think about how you want people to remember you. What mark do you want to leave on this world when you’re gone? This can be a tough question to dive into, but it can shed so much light into what matters most to you.Perhaps you want to set your children up for a better life. Maybe you’d like to donate your organs to someone who needs it. What legacy, big or small, do you want to leave behind? When you can identify that, you can start doing things that help put you in a position to leave that legacy. One additional note – it’s okay if the legacy you want to leave behind changes over time. Just continue doing the things that help you make it a reality.#4 Get out of your comfort zoneChange your scenery. Attend networking events alone. Volunteer. Do things that make you uncomfortable, but you know they’ll benefit you in some way. I know it can be scary to charter into unknown territory, but it’s another great way to gain a great perspective on life. Not to mention, nothing great happens from staying safe. No risk. No reward.Every time a new client signs up for 1-on-1 financial coaching with me, I always ask how they feel. Usually, the answer is “I’m nervous, but excited”. I always say that being nervous is a great sign! It means you’re doing something different and getting out of your comfort zone – and that’s where the magic truly happens!#5 Read autobiographiesAt the time of writing this article, I’m reading Sorry Not Sorry by Alyssa Milano. I’m also listening to The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier on Audible. I highly recommend both autobiographies, if you haven’t read them yet. Autobiographies give us insight into how people maneuvered throughout their life, or throughout a particular time in their life. If there are people who you admire and look up to, autobiographies can give you guidance on how they accomplished what they did. Whether their insight can be applied to your life or not is irrelevant. Learn from other people’s experiences and it can help open your mind to different ways of doing things.#6 Set meaningful goalsI leave you with this final hack – set meaningful goals. As you work towards goals that matter to you, you will learn more about yourself. You’ll learn what is worth working for and what isn’t. You’ll learn what is important to you and what isn’t. These are important things to know when you want to pinpoint your life’s purpose.Set goals in all areas of your life. This will ensure you’re looking at every area of your life and getting clear on the direction you want to move in. As you can predict by now, that’s a necessary step in finding your life’s purpose.Related: 7 Questions to Ask to Determine What You Want Out of LifeFinding your life’s purpose is no easy feat. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s not worth the work to figuring it out. Hopefully the hacks above can help get the mental wheels turning! Spend time really thinking through this. Trust me, it matters. Do you know your life’s purpose? What helped you figure it out? Share your comments in the section be … 6 Hacks to Finding Your Life’s PurposeRead More »

5 Winter Money Habits to Make Tax Season a Breeze Be honest. Is this you: Every year when it’s time to file taxes, you’re scrambling like a maniac trying to find everything you need to file by April 15th? Ugh, how stressful! Tax time doesn’t have to be a manic, anxiety-inducing process. In fact, the earlier you start implementing habits to make for a successful tax season, the better off you’ll be.But trust me, I get it. You think you have plenty of time, only for time to fly by and once again, you’re scrambling. Well, let’s vow to be done with those old ways! Winter is the time to be getting prepped and ready for tax time. Keep reading for 5 winter money habits to make tax season a breeze. Yes, it’s very doable!#1 Catching up on your IRA depositsDid you know you have until March of the following year to get your IRA deposits completed for the current tax year? But, why wait and shell out all that cash at once? Make it a point to split your deposits equally throughout the year. $6000 per year means $500 per month. Add this into your budget if possible.If saving throughout the year doesn’t work out as planned, reviewing your deposits in the winter time and catching up while you can will still be beneficial. Again, we don’t want to wait until the deadline to make a large deposit. The earlier you start catching up on your deposits, the better!#2 Doing a donation run (or tracking past donations)If you typically itemize your deductions when filing your tax return, then donations can be a HUGE help. Have you been donating throughout the year? If so, spend some time in the winter months tallying up everything you’ve donated. Trust me, this will come in handy when the time comes to file your tax return.If you have been meaning to donate but haven’t gotten around to it, make sure you do your drop-off before the year ends, so it can be used as a tax deduction. You’ll want to keep tabs on the value of everything donated. Most donation companies have a standard flyer they hand out with their tax-related information – make sure you grab one!Do you typically take the standard deduction? If so, donations won’t help you much with taxes, but you can reduce clutter, lighten the stuff you have and feel good about helping those in need. You don’t have to donate just for the tax benefits. There are a lot of other benefits that come with it.#3 Organizing your financial documentsHave you been meaning to get a financial filing system in place but haven’t gotten around to it? First, listen to this CGS podcast episode: Setting Up Your Financial Filing System. Second, block some time out on your calendar to get it done! Not just for tax preparation but for plain organization!Stressing out and trying to find important financial documents is never fun to deal with. Instead, create a system for organizing your financial documents. If you can create a process during the winter months to get your documents categorized and organized, tax time will be a breeze.Break out a folder and label it to match the current tax year. Start putting documents in that folder so at least everything is in one place. Then, spend some time going through the documents, adding labels or sticky notes to help categorize everything. Your end goal is to have a financial filing system that you leverage year-round, not just at tax time.#4 Thinking about your tax preparer optionsHow was filing your taxes last year? Were you trying to cut costs by using a DIY preparer (like TurboTax)? Was your situation pretty simple but you handed it off to a professional accountant? Instead of relying on what you did last year, especially if it wasn’t the best option, think about your options ahead of time.If you just have W-2 income and you don’t have many deductions, do you really need a CPA? Maybe you took on extra side hustles and things got more complex than ever before, do you really want to spend extra hours figuring things out with TurboTax? My point is to give yourself some time to think about your tax preparer options so you can truly find the best one for you and your current situation.#5 Contributing to tax-free benefitsHave you been meaning to add funds to your H.S.A or F.S.A? What about your pre-tax commuter benefits? If there are any pre-tax or tax-free benefits you’ve been planning to take advantage of, make sure to get it done before the year ends. All of these benefits will help reduce your taxable income for the year. I already touched on IRA contributions, but that’s another benefit to take advantage of.Related: 5 Ways to Prepare for Tax TimeIf you can start incorporating some of these winter money habits into your holiday season routine, tax time will be a breeze! Are there any habits you have to get you prepped for tax time? Have you tried any of the tips above? Drop a com … 5 Winter Money Habits to Make Tax Season a BreezeRead More »

#43: 6 Negative Thoughts Hurting Your Money Situation I’m a firm believer in the power of the mind. Think positive and positive happens. Think negative and negative happens. Whether you believe in the power of positivity or not, a shift in how you think about money or your situation can spark amazing change. With that being said, if negativity is your go-to state of mind, it’s time to change things up. In this episode, I’m sharing 6 negative thoughts that could be hurting your money situation so you can recognize those thoughts and turn them around. Here’s a glance at this episode: [02:11] People have over 60,000 thoughts in a day. Imagine the impact of a majority of those thoughts were negative! [05:40] Do you struggle with taking compliments? This could be a sign you’re negative and don’t even realize it. [07:32] I’m sharing six negative thoughts that could be hurting your money situation so you can recognize and make positive changes. Click here to listen! Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I … #43: 6 Negative Thoughts Hurting Your Money SituationRead More »

5 Ways to Mentally Prepare for the Holiday Season The holiday season can bring joy and love for some, while others are enraged and just plain over it. Holiday seasons look and feel different for every single person depending on where they are in their life. At times people can feel extra pressure to do certain things when the holidays come around. We want you to mentally prepare for the holiday season, so it’s filled with happiness! Making sure you get all your loved ones that special gift. Preparing huge hour-long meals only to be enjoyed and eaten in minutes. Though the holidays are a time to be grateful for family and friends, we can’t seem to shake the idea that society adds an extra layer of stress when it isn’t warranted. Check out these five ways to mentally prepare for this year’s holiday season. #1 Don’t CompareRule number one that should never be broken (during the holiday season or any other time) is to not compare your current situation to someone else’s. This is especially true with gift-giving or decorating. When you compare, it just makes you feel depressed that you couldn’t give as much as your neighbor or other family member during the holiday season. Begin mentally preparing now that what you can do is enough. Your friends and family will love you just the same. Prices are increasing across the board, so don’t let comparison add another layer of stress. As hard as it can be, don’t compare, besides as the old saying goes “comparison is the thief of joy”. Material things will come and fade. The holiday season is about being present and enjoying your loved ones because tomorrow is never promised. #2 Be Realistic During the holiday season, we tend to live in an unrealistic world where overspending is done, and debt is increased. Be realistic with yourself and your pocketbook. To help mentally prepare this holiday season, we suggest pulling from your holiday savings shopping fund. Make sure you read 6 Things to Do Now to Get Your Budget Holiday Ready! Whatever is in your holiday savings account is free to use at your leisure and when it’s depleted do not dip into any other savings. Or worse, use debt. Being real with yourself will avoid any high expectations and let down. If it helps you stay on track, communicate with your friends, family, and co-workers that this year you may not be participating in Secret Santa, or that you may want to celebrate the holidays differently this year. Being honest and realistic with not just yourself but those you are celebrating with will take a major load off your mental because there will be no room for assumptions or let downs. #3 Plan Accordingly There is nothing wrong with winging it and celebrating on the fly this holiday season, though it’s important to keep in mind when there’s no planning involved there’s a higher risk of things falling through the cracks. To give your mental some peace this holiday season, you should plan any celebrations ahead of time. That way everything runs according to plan. If you’re thinking of possibly doing a potluck this year instead of leaving all the dishes to one person, communicate and plan with your party so everyone can enjoy their time. When you plan, you iron out any setbacks that could potentially take place. This helps you get ahead of any issues in a timely manner and come up with a positive solution.  #4 Partner UpDon’t be a superhero and try to handle all the holiday shenanigans solo! This holiday season, partner up with a family member or friend and have some fun. Whether that means hitting up the stores, dividing and conquering the gift purchases, or splitting up which meals are going to be prepared by who. Having a partner makes things fun and less intimidating so round up your tribe and get to going. The holidays can be stressful for many reasons, including financial stress so partnering up could even include going half on purchasing gifts this season. #5 Have Fun Above all else, it’s important to always find joy in things. Having fun with anything not only makes time go by quicker, but it also removes any negativity and mental stress. Throughout the holiday season, be sure to add a little fun flare to whatever you are doing. If it’s creating your list, consider making homemade Christmas cards! If it’s holiday shopping, make a game out of it and count how many Santa hats you can spot people wearing in a store. Or count how often you hear a certain Christmas song? “All I Want for Christmas”, anyone?! Fun suggestions like this helps you realize the joy in the season. Related: 6 Ways to Be Stress Free for the Holidays Although these are just few ideas to earn some extra cash, there are plenty of options out there. Have you tried any of the methods listed above? If so, which one was your favorite and why? Check out our Facebook page and do not forget to join the Facebook group to keep up with all of our newest City Girl fun. Also, follow us on our other social media accounts Instagram and Twitter at @citgirlsavings, we will be sure to give … 5 Ways to Mentally Prepare for the Holiday SeasonRead More »

7 Ways to Save Money on Makeup Before I became a “City Girl Savings” gal, my biggest budget buster was definitely my “Beauty/Grooming” area. I thought it was justified – I went to makeup school for a bit, was occasionally doing freelance makeup, and I thought I could afford it. Well, March 2020 happened, and well, you know what came next. Without going too deep into my “rock bottom” moment (maybe another blog for another day), if I wanted to still be creative in makeup, I had to quickly learn how to cut my beauty category. Keep reading to learn how to creatively save money on makeup! #1 Use What You Already HaveI can only speak for myself, but more than likely you have a mini Sephora/Ulta in your beauty stash and you don’t even realize it! I know it can be hard to try to keep up with all the new makeup releases. From the new “must-have” eyeshadow palette, a new drop from Fenty Beauty (Hey, RiRi girl), or whatever celebrity decides to break into the beauty world.  However, make it a goal to use the palettes you already have and “hit pan”, meaning to use it up until you get to the bottom of the pan! Also, you really don’t need 8 different red lipsticks…I know what you’re thinking, but you really don’t. Keep reading on how you can get creative with the makeup products you already have. Just PLEASE make sure to check the expiration dates on your products!  #2 Buy Budget-Friendly Brands Now I know this may be one of the most obvious tips, and I’ve already written an article about my favorite budget-friendly makeup brands, but please don’t think that your makeup application will look impeccable using only fancy, expensive, department store brands. In fact, some of the best makeup brands are affordable or can be found at your local drugstore. Brands such as Colourpop, Morphe, and NYX are super affordable and have every product you can think of to complete a full face of makeup! Most of these brands do n’t have products that cost more than $20, which is a great buy…and some of these brands arguably provide better application than the expensive brands. #3 Use Less Depending on your lifestyle and the seasons, you can definitely get away with a minimal and effortless beauty! Sometimes we don’t realize just how much makeup we’re wasting by just applying way more than we need. For instance, if you work from home full-time, or even hybrid, chances are you’re not wearing a full face of makeup while you’re working.  Now, perhaps you have a role that requires you to be on camera for meetings, I highly doubt anyone is going to notice your makeup. If I am working from home that day, I have no issue with applying just face powder/tinted moisturizer, lip gloss, and mascara. Aim for looking presentable and use less makeup.  Also – who really wants to wear a full face of makeup in the summer anyways? Less is More#4 Create Your OwnMY FAVORITE MAKEUP HACK!! I believe that makeup should be multipurpose, and I need to get all my money’s worth haha! When I was in makeup school (before TikTok and Instagram beauty influencers became popular), my makeup teacher taught me to never invest in makeup products that couldn’t be used for more than one purpose. Please see my short list of hacks, you’re welcome 🙂 Use lipstick as cream blush Use eyeshadow as blush, contour, and highlighter Use foundation as concealer and concealer as an eyeshadow base Use eyebrow pencils for lip liners and lip liners as eyeliners Mix clear lip gloss with a colored eyeshadow for a new lip color Essentially, as my makeup teacher said, “a cream is a cream, a powder is a powder, a liquid is a liquid, and a pencil is a pencil”. My rule of thumb, as long as you have 1-2 eyeshadow palettes (a neutral and a color palette), you’ll be fine. #5 Be Intentional This was something that I had to learn. I was just buying makeup just to be buying it. There was no reason why I was in Sephora when I was barely able to afford my minimum credit card payment (oh and I was definitely putting Sephora on that credit card too).  It was really bad when I would buy something only to discover that I already had that  product, and guess what – I was so lazy that I didn’t even bother returning it, I would just keep it. I had to start asking myself, “What do I really need from Sephora? Am I just buying because I’m bored? Why am I here again?” No lie, I’m super proud of myself and my progress 🙂 #6 Don’t Succumb to Beauty Influencers Social media and the influencer culture is truly a phenomenon that we really didn’t see coming 10-15 years ago! If I would have known that I can become a millionaire by posting makeup looks, I would have started a long time ago haha! However, social media can be a place where it’s very easy to feel like you aren’t “enough” and it can even affect your budget.  But next time you see a James Charles or a Jackie Aina, or another popular beauty influencer’s new makeup “haul”, always remember that they most likely did not use their own money to purchase those products. They are paid by these companies to give rave reviews so their followers will buy. I’m also willing to bet (in fact, I know so), that a lot of them are not huge fans of the products. #7 Find Your Signature Look Last but not least, you have to find your style of makeup and find your signature look. What’s a lipstick that looks amazing on you? If you don’t like false lashes, don’t wear them! If you think you look like a clown when you wear highlighter, don’t wear it! What I love about celebrities like Gwen Stefani, Taylor Swift, and Jennifer Lopez is that they know what makeup looks work for them and they stick with it. Gwen and Taylor love a bold red lip, so we’ll usually see them with a bold red lip. Jennifer looks amazing in her “J.Lo bronze glow”, that’s her signature look.  Finding your signature look will not only save you time, but money as well because you’re not going to question your makeup stash or feel like you constantly need to update your look. Don’t fix what’s not broken!  Related:5 Easy DIY Milk Bath Recipes Although these are just few ideas to earn some extra cash, there are plenty of options out there. Have you tried any of the methods listed above? If so, which one was your favorite and why? Check out our Facebook page and do not forget to join the Facebook group to keep up with all of our newest City Girl fun. Also, follow us on our other social media accounts Instagram and Twitter at @citgirlsavings, we will be sure to give a follow right back! -Lena The CGS … 7 Ways to Save Money on MakeupRead More »