I always love sharing my favorite blogs with people, so each week I’ll be giving you guys a roundup of the posts I’ve really enjoyed reading.

If you like them, make sure to subscribe and follow these great bloggers on Twitter and Facebook to share the love!

~Heart,

Em

• Stuck in a case of the grumpies? The Rule Breaker’s Club has a great “Good Mood Toolbox” of 20 ways to make yourself feel better.

• While you’re at it, read Zen Habits’ post on smiling in each moment to learn to be happier overall on a daily basis.

• Paying down debt can be tough. I loved My Personal Finance Journey’s post that makes you think twice about how much of a sacrifice it is. It really puts things into perspective!

• Want to improve your financial situation? Check out Young Cheap Living’s post on 5 Things You Can Do This Week to Start Growing Your Wealth.

• Cool free stuff: I was quick to sign up for Take Our Gift Cards’ $100 Kohl’s gift card giveaway. Over at Take Our Stuff, they have an interesting steampunk light bulb flash drive up for grabs.

Are there any great posts you came across recently? Share them with us in the comments!

If you liked this, you might like:

• Blog Roundup (5-10-13)
• Blog Roundup (5-3-13)
• Blog Roundup (4-26-13)

I was a child of the 90s. If you were too, chances are you also have a fond spot in your heart for things like My So Called Life, Blossom (and the styles she always wore!), songs like Motown Philly, and all the other staples of our childhood that still seem just as fantastic now as they did when we were younger.

If I’d grown up in the 80s or 70s, is it possible I’d find that era’s staples just as fantastic? Maybe, but I find it hard to believe. Because the 90s (let’s admit it) were the best.

Anyway, this nostalgic rant is inspired by the fact that I was excited to learn that some 90s styles are making a comeback! That’s right, spring/summer 2013 fashion trend spotters are announcing the return of the following:

• Mixing and matching big bold prints in different colors. Hello, Angela Chase and Blossom Russo!
• Grunge. (Doc Martens, moto jackets mixed with sundresses…)
• Crop top shirts. Why does this immediately make me think of Jennie Garth in 90210? (PS – I loved her!)
• High waisted jeans. Not sure what I think about these. As much as I idolized Kelly Kapowski, looking back on old episodes now, I can’t help but think “mom jeans.”
• Overalls. Again, not sure what I think about this. Does anyone really look good in overalls, unless you’re painting your house? (Or wearing them with one strap down like the Fresh Prince of Bel Air?)

On the other hand, there are plenty of things I loved about the 90s that I wish would make a comeback.  These include:

• Slap bracelets. If you were ever one of those kids in the cafeteria showing off your entire arm full of slap bracelets, you’ll understand. (I was!)
• Stirrup pants. I know, not many of you will probably be with me on this one. But a good pair of stirrup pants, with an oversized T and Keds? Doesn’t that just make you feel like life is simpler?
• Jelly shoes. Sure, they were uncomfortable after like half an hour, but they were so cool! And the clear ones with glitter in them? Don’t even get me started…
• Butterfly clips. Yeah, I was totally that girly hippie chick wearing flowy skirts and sparkly butterfly clips in my hair, in all sorts of elaborate braids and twists and stuff. Maybe even sometimes I put some ribbons in there. Don’t judge…just take a look at my high school photos. I was adorable! (Scrunchies, on the other hand? No thanks…)

What about you? If you were a 90s kid, what were your favorite trends? What makes you nostalgic now?

~Heart,

Em

—–

photo credit:  Laser Burners

If you liked this, you might like:

• Fashion trends I just don’t get

While credit card debt can get people into all sorts of trouble, the truth is that if you’re financially responsible, having a card or two can actually be a smart move—especially if you’re able to pay down the balance in full each month.

For one thing, having a history of creditworthiness can help you get loans like car loans and mortgages. Without a credit history, it can be hard for lenders to know whether you’re a responsible person to lend money to. A good credit score shows that you’re good about making your payments on time, not borrowing too much, and keeping your financial house in order.

For another, lots of cards offer some pretty cool benefits like cash back, mileage points, a percentage off store purchases, and other rewards which, as long as you’re paying down the balance each month, is basically free money for buying the things you were already going to buy anyway.

The question is: which card do you go for?

There are a million and one card companies out there, each one with a million and one different kinds of cards to offer. Over the years, I’ve gotten mailings trying to get me to sign up for cards with my college’s name on them (I’m a proud alum, but not that proud!), cards I can customize with my own images (it would totally be BD and LD), and all sorts of other things that just don’t seem appealing enough to me.

What I go for, personally, is cash back and percentages off. I especially love my Target and Kohl’s cards, because they let me get great discounts on things (groceries, household stuff, clothes) I’d be buying anyway. I just make sure I don’t buy any more than I have budgeted for so I can pay off the balance when the bill comes in. (Otherwise, those savings would be lost in the interest that would build up.) My friend recently got a card from Bankwest and is really happy with it. It all depends on what you’re looking for.

How do you decide? With so many credit card choices out there, how you determine which is the best fit for you?

~Heart,

Em

—–

photo credit:  The.Comedian

If you liked this, you might like:

• The benefits of a cash back credit card
• Are you PF savvy but not math-minded? Then these are for you…
• It’s my money, and I need it now?

I always love sharing my favorite blogs with people, so each week I’ll be giving you guys a roundup of the posts I’ve really enjoyed reading.

If you like them, make sure to subscribe and follow these great bloggers on Twitter and Facebook to share the love!

~Heart,

Em

• I always love ending the week with one of Live Love Work’s posts. It’s one of my go-to happiness booster blogs. This week: 11 Ways to Improve Your Life Today.

• I agree: Bible Money Matters talks about why it’s important to enjoy your life while also being financially responsible.

• This is both a scary exercise and an eye-opening one: Give Me Back My Five Bucks asks, How Many Hours Did You Work to Buy That?

• Putting off spring cleaning your house? How about spring cleaning your personal finances instead, as My Personal Finance Journey shows you how.

• Cool free stuff: If you’re into board games (our group of friends loves them!), then Take Our Stuff has a giveaway for you: 7 Days, 7 Games.

Are there any great posts you came across recently? Share them with us in the comments!

If you liked this, you might like:

• Blog Roundup (5-17-13)
• Blog Roundup (5-3-13)
• Blog Roundup (4-26-13)

We all know I’m not exactly a trend follower. I’m all about having a simple, basic wardrobe I can update each season with a few new pieces to keep things fresh.

Sometimes those pieces are on point with current trends, sometimes they’re not…I tend to go for what I like, more than what the latest trends are. That said, there are plenty of times when I’m more than happy to jump into the latest thing. It all depends on the trend.

This season, I’m loving all the girly touches (floral details, retro bows and polka dots) and bright neon colors (you’d find it hard to believe with all the neutral clothes I own, but little pops of color like earrings are totally fun!).

On the other hand, there are plenty of trends this spring/summer that I just do not get. Here are some of the big ones:

Super-duper fancy nail art. As impressed as I am by people drawing elaborate flowers and branches and stripes on their nails, I can never get nail polish to last on my hands for longer than a day before it starts chipping. I could never invest so much time in creating mini masterpieces (or money paying someone else to do it) only to have my masterpiece destroyed the first time I try to open the cap on my toothpaste.

And don’t even get me started on gel nail polish. Just the ads in magazines, with the special heat lamps and whatever else, confuse me.

Ombre. I didn’t even know what this was until I’d heard enough people use the term on Facebook and Twitter to decide I needed to investigate. Here is what it is…basically just darker hair at the routes fading to lighter hair at the tips.

Am I being an airhead (my hair is only blonde), or has this not been a thing for a while now? With all the streaking, and highlighting, and color blocking, and everything else people do to their hair, has no one ever done this style before? I feel like it can’t be that new…

Hair feathers/chalk.  Unless you’re a 13 year-old or a pop singer, no. Just no.

Mini, snakeskin, and transparent purses. More than a few of my friends are sporting these, and I just don’t get them. First of all, while I don’t need a “mom bag” that can fit three days’ worth of emergency supplies, I would like to be able to fit more than a Chapstick and my keys into my bag. Second of all, whatever is in my bag is not pretty enough to be a fashion accessory itself, so no one needs to see my purse’s contents just because clear is “in.”

Third of all, snakeskin? I will never get snakeskin. I don’t like the look, I don’t like the feel (am I supposed to be Western?), and I just think they look too “old lady.” Give me my choice of nice, cheap bags (I love the pink one with the flower halfway down the page!), and I’m set.

What fashion trends do you love/hate? Can you defend any of the above?

~Heart,

Em

—–

photo credit:  Monica Lara

If you liked this, you might like:

• No related posts just yet (sorry!)

I have a confession to make: while I’m a PF nut, I’m not a big numbers gal.

I hate math, actually.

So while I love the idea of things like comparing loans for the best terms or crunching our budget so we can put aside for certain savings goals…and while I know these things are necessary…when it comes down to actually doing the math, most of the time I give it to The Hubby. I just don’t have the interest or the skill to do it myself (and know I’m doing it right).

Which is why I was super-excited when I found out that The Financial Mentor has a whole page of 80 of the best financial planning calculators. I actually called The Hubby in to take a look at it. I can’t tell if he was smiling because he knew he’d have to do less number work for me, or because he thought it was cute how excited I was getting over calculators. J

Whatever math you need help with, these calculators have you covered. You can browse by category (retirement, loans, debt payoff, etc.) or by specific questions like “How long until I pay off my credit card using various strategies?” or “How long until I reach my savings goal given the amount I’m currently saving each month?”

I see myself using these in so many different situations. I’ve actually gotten some ideas for new comparisons I can run for our financial planning, just by browsing the questions. I think these are the coolest PF tool I’ve come across since Mint.

Are you PF savvy but not math savvy like me? How do you handle the numbers games?

~Heart,

Em

—–

photo credit:  401(K) 2013 by 401kcalculator.org

If you liked this, you might like:

• How do you choose a credit card?
• It’s my money, and I need it now?
• EXTREME!!! frugality isn’t the answer

I always love sharing my favorite blogs with people, so each week I’ll be giving you guys a roundup of the posts I’ve really enjoyed reading.

If you like them, make sure to subscribe and follow these great bloggers on Twitter and Facebook to share the love!

~Heart,

Em

• Some of Modest Money’s 6 Buying Behaviors to Break Now are things you may already know, but some may not be. (Have you heard of spaving? Because you might be doing it!)

• Lately I’ve been getting more into natural beauty, so I was happy to see Money Crashers’ post on 10 Beauty Products That Are a Waste of Money and Natural Alternatives.

• I’m always in need of tips like this, haha…Uncluterer discusses ways to keep yourself from always running late.

• I am a big fan of this philosophy: Live Love Work argues that we should Stop Taking Work So Seriously!

• Cool free stuff: Take Our Stuff is giving away a retro 8-track player with 8-track collection for those of you who love music and/or vintage things, while Take Our Gift Cards is giving away a $100 Safeway card. (We don’t have one in our area, but if we did, you’d better believe I’d be entering for it!)

Are there any great posts you came across recently? Share them with us in the comments!

If you liked this, you might like:

• Blog Roundup (5-17-13)
• Blog Roundup (5-10-13)
• Blog Roundup (4-26-13)

I found this while searching for pics of people playing on smartphones. Totally random, but way too cute not to use!

I have a confession to make. I’m addicted to online games.

I’m not a huge video game fan. The Hubby is a casual gamer, and he’s tried to get me into it, but I just can’t sit still long enough to play a game all the way through. I loved Little Big Planet (if you haven’t seen it, it’s the cutest game ever), but I’d play around on a level for like twenty minutes and then be done. And spending weeks and weeks on a game like Final Fantasy (the Hubby’s fave)? I just can’t. I’d rather be reading or playing outside with BD and LD or…well, pretty much anything else.

But for some reason, computer and smartphone games totally get me hooked. I think it’s because you play them in such small doses, so it’s easy for me to keep my attention on them. And they go by so quickly you think, “Well, I know I can do better than that!” and suddenly you find you’ve wasted an entire hour playing two minute bingo games or launching angry birds at things.

I remember when Snood first came out. I spent so many hours on that game it’s of embarrassing to admit. Now there’s FarmVille and Mob Wars and Plants vs. Zombies and more than I can keep track of.

Personally, my latest obsession is Scramble with Friends.  I don’t have the patience for Words with Friends (there goes that attention span again!), but Scramble is just quick, two minute games that make you race to find as many words as you can, and I am completely addicted to it.

Ask any of my friends who are still speaking to me. I have like 27 games going on right now.

What are your favorite online time wasters…I mean, games?

~Heart,

Em

—–

photo credit:  Articulate Matter

If you liked this, you might like:

• No related posts just yet (sorry!)

Have you seen those commercials? People screaming from rooftops and apartment windows about the cash settlements they have coming to them…but apparently not fast enough.

First of all, who are all these people waiting on legal settlements that it’s a big enough market to warrant these commercials? Is America really that litigious a society that people with lawsuit winnings coming to them (but not fast enough) are a demographic big enough for whole companies to go into business to service their needs?

Apparently so.

Anyway, it made me think of the whole concept of getting funds you “need (or want) now” but don’t currently have. We all get into situations sometimes where we could use more money than we currently have on hand. If you’re smart about your finances, you should have some stashed away in an emergency fund you can tap into, or be able to find a way to slash your budget to free up some extra cash. But what if you don’t? Or what if your savings isn’t enough?

There are plenty of ways to get your hands on some extra cash in an emergency, but some are better than others. Here are some of the more popular ones, and the pros and cons of each:

Cash advances on your paycheck. Depending on how understanding your employer is, you may be able to explain your situation and get an advance on your paycheck. This is good because you’re not borrowing money at an interest rate, but risky because you won’t have that money to use in the future on the things you’d normally spend your paycheck on…groceries, bills, etc. So you’ll have to be careful about how you cut back on your budget for the rest of that month in order to avoid going into even more debt.

Cash advances on credit cards. If you’ve got a decent credit history, you probably get plenty of offers in the mail for cash advances on your credit cards. (They look like little checks you can make out to yourself.) This is good in that you’re not taking money out of your budget like you are above, but bad because now you’re setting yourself up to incur interest charges. So think about how quickly you’ll be able to pay those advances off to avoid as many extra charges as possible. That said, depending on your card, you may be able to get these advances at a promotional rate that’s a lot better than consumer loans, so that’s something to consider.

Personal consumer loans. Many banks and local credit unions offer small personal loans to consumers for a number of purposes…home improvement, debt consolidation, medical expenses, and other major purchases. Secured loans (where you put something like your house or a boat up for collateral) can get you better interest rates, but then you risk losing that collateral if you can’t keep up with the payments, so consider that option carefully. Unsecured loans can be easier to get, but come with higher interest rates. Weigh your choices, and keep in mind that you usually need a decent credit score in order to get these loans in the first place.

Vehicle Title Loans. I hadn’t even heard of this type of loan before, but just recently came across it. If you’re having trouble getting funds through more traditional loans or advances, getting vehicle title loans is a way to get your money (when you need it now) by putting up your car as collateral. In order to secure the loan, you sign over the title to your vehicle (it has to already paid off so you own it free and clear). This lets you get money much faster and usually with much less of a background check and paperwork that other loans. However, you’re putting your car up as collateral. So make sure you’re absolutely clear on the terms of the loan. Some companies will try to work out payment plans with you if you’re having trouble paying them back, but others may not be so kind. Make sure you’re 100% confident you can pay back the loan within the given period, or that the company will work with you, to make sure you’re not gambling your car.

Borrowing from family. This can be a touchy subject, and one that some of us can’t even consider because our families don’t have extra funds, either. But, in a pinch, sometimes your family can be your best bet. They’re not going to start a collections proceeding on you if you have to miss a month’s repayment because things are tight (hopefully). They’re not going to charge you interest (hopefully). Just make sure not to take advantage of the family connection…try to pay them back on a regular schedule just like you would any other lender, and show them that you’re using the funds they lent you wisely. Loans can cause huge rifts in families if you don’t handle them responsibly and gratefully, so be extra nice to Mom and Dad if you go this route, and respect them just like you would a big national bank.

Have you ever needed to explore one of these options? Which one did you go with? What were the pros and cons you found?

~Heart,

Em

—–

photo credit:  Tax Credits

If you liked this, you might like:

• How do you choose a credit card?
• Are you PF savvy but not math-minded? Then these are for you…
• EXTREME!!! frugality isn’t the answer

[This is a guest post by Cecily Kellogg. Think you’ve got what it takes to be a guest poster? Contact Em at em [at] blondeandbalanced [dot] com to learn more about becoming a guest poster yourself!]

I was 16 years old before I got my first pair of contact lenses. Back then, they were very expensive, requiring a series of crazy equipment that also cost money (anyone else remember the contact lens cooker?), and each pair was meant to last six months to a year. I can still remember walking out of the store the day I got my lenses, stunned at how much better they corrected my vision than my glasses did. The trees! I could see the branches way up high! It was love at first sight (literally).

Thankfully, times have changed, and now you can buy contacts that are only meant to last a week or two (no more cooking!), plus they are far more comfortable and easy to replace than they were 30 years ago. But you can still find yourself paying a fair amount for lenses if you’re not careful and smart about buying them.

So how do you go about getting the lenses you love but continue to practice frugal living, and save money on your contact lenses? For starters, you can enter the giveaway to win a pair of contact lenses from Replace My Contacts! (See details at end of post.) However, even if you aren’t the lucky winners, here are some great tips everyone can use for saving money on contact lenses.

Buy Your Lenses Online

There is no better way to save money on your contact lenses than purchasing them online. Buying your lenses online (with a prescription and examination done by a licensed optic professional, of course) can save you literally hundreds of dollars a year. Buying online is perfect because not only do you save money, but you get the lenses delivered right to your home. Online contact lens sources offer a full range of brands and styles, so you are sure to find your perfect lenses.

Manufacturer Rebates

Another bonus feature of ordering your contact lenses online is the fact that sites track contact lens manufacturer rebates and pass those savings directly on to you. These rebates can range from as little as $15 to big savings of $65 or more.

Insurance Coverage

It can be easy to overlook your insurance provider as a way to help you with saving money on your contact lenses, but it’s very likely you have some type of vision coverage as part of your plan. I know I was shocked to learn that my plan allowed me to order a full year’s worth of lenses fully covered—as long as I ordered them from an online source and not the optometrist. (I could only get six months of lenses directly from my eye doctor.)

Need help finding your insurance form?  Here is a list of insurance forms to help you find discounts for buying your lenses.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to save money on your contact lenses. Personally, I’m incredibly grateful that the option to buy my lenses online exists; I’ve been working harder to stay within budget these days and practice living a frugal life. Buying my lenses online really helps—particularly when, after 30 years of wearing lenses, I have to switch to the bifocal version of my favorite brand. Ouch!

Giveaway Details

Prize: A pair of contacts from any of these brands:

• Acuvue Lenses
• Air Optix Lenses
• Biofinity Lenses
• Freshlook Lenses

Rules:

• You must be a U.S. resident to enter.
• You must have a current contact prescription.
• If you’re chosen, you must provide your address and contact information so your prize can be shipped to you.
• To enter, simply leave a comment on this post telling us which brand of contact lenses you’d want if you win.

It’s that easy!  The contest will be open through Monday, May 6th at midnight. I’ll choose a random commentor the next day to be the lucky winner, so get your votes in now. Happy commenting!

Cecily Kellogg is a writer, blogger, and content strategist. She’s also a social media junkie. You can read more from her at uppercasewoman.com.

Photo credit:  ☺ Lee J Haywood

If you liked this, you might like:

• EXTREME!!! frugality isn’t the answer
• Being a one-car household: Could you do it?
• T-shirt giveaway!