vintage revivals by Carmen Henry

, by Carmen Henry

A Former Shopaholic's Guide to Saving Money

As a teenager, I was never good at holding on to money. I was constantly spending the little money I would get on trendy clothes at the mall and fast food. The thrill of spending money gave me a false sense of empowerment. It wasn't until recently that I was tired of not having a safety net. I rarely would have money for unexpected expenses or for spontaneous dinners with friends. I knew I needed to make a change before I landed myself in extreme debt. This is why I actively made a change to start saving. Below are three ways that any shopaholic can use to manage money.

1. Making A Budget

Set aside the time to give yourself a tight allowance is the first step. I calculate how much money that I typically earn each month along with estimated my expenses. Right now I'm using the 50/20/30 rule. Which means I set aside 50% of my monthly income for fixed expenses, 20% for savings, and 30% for flexible spending. If my income is $1,000 in January, I can assume I will earn around $1000 in February too. Which means I'll set aside $500 for bills and subscriptions, $200 to be saved, and $300 set aside for groceries or small trips to Sephora. Physically seeing my limitations has helped tremendously with staying on track. The 50/20/30 can always be adjusted to fit your lifestyle. Ratios like 60/10/30 or 70/10/20 can work as well.

2. Shopping Smarter

I can't even lie, I will always be a shopaholic at heart. I just really love retail therapy. These days, I just make better decisions before I swipe my card. Whenever I shop for clothes or makeup, I buy things that are actual investments and will benefit me in the long-run. Questions like "Is this dress really worth the $100? Do I actually need another foundation? Do I really need two platters of sushi?" run through my mind before I blow money on things I don't even need. This is why I shop for online deals whenever possible.

Shopping online allows me to contemplate all of my options from multiple stores at once. I have the chance to look for quality dupes for super trendy items and look at product reviews. I highly suggest signing up to your favorite store's newsletters so you can always know when their sales are going, when free shipping is available, and for countless coupon codes. Unidays.com is great place to find codes for student discounts as well.
Another thing you should think about before going shopping is finding cash-back opportunities. There are so many cash-back or frequent shopping apps/websites that you can use to earn money while you spend money. Currently, my favorite apps to use are Ibotta for stores and Ebates for online.

3. Automated Savings

To avoid the pain of actively taking money out of my checking account into my savings sccount, I like to use automated savings. Recently, I have been using Digit.co to help me save small amounts throughout the week. The website measures your spending habits and saves money accordingly when you connect it with your checking account. The money is stored in a separate FDIC-insured account and can be withdrawn and deposited at your discretion with easy text instructions. I've been using Digit for about one month and I have only experienced quick and reliable customer service.

For more money savings tips, I highly suggest checking out Tonya Rapley's blog My Fab Finance :)

Photo Courtesy of Google

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, by Carmen Henry

beauty

Onya'e Naturals

Onya'e Naturals is an emerging skincare line on Etsy with 100% handmade and natural ingredients. The line was launched in 2014 and has grown drastically since I stumbled upon their feed on Instagram. The aesthetics and brand's overall feel made me want to know more. Recently, I was lucky enough to get in contact with the young female entrepreneur who is behind the brand and below is our dialog. Also, we teamed up to give away something special so go ahead and enter down below :)

Owner of Onya'e Naturals, Jasmine Kelley

Tell my readers about yourself and where Onya'e Naturals is based?

My name is Jasmine and the name "onya'e" is my middle name and I've always wanted to use it to its full advantage. I felt that naming my business after my middle name gave it a personal touch and a friendly reminder to myself for starting my own business. I am also a photographer and graphic designer.For my second college thesis I created a skincare line for graphic design all from scratch. And it inspired me to turn it into more of a real thing. Then two years after that I finally took it to the next level and started my own business. Onya'e Naturals is based in the Napa Valley, specifically in a small town called Angwin.

What was the inspiration behind Onya'e Naturals?

It bothered me that there was so much GMO problems with our food and then I realized "what do they put in our skincare items"? So that was a big inspiration for me. I wanted to continue making clean and natural products that are all handmade and I wanted people to be able to know what went in their items and being able to pronounce it.

What are your favorite ingredients to work with?

My top 3 favorite ingredients to work with is Sweet Almond Oil, Geranium/Sage Essential oil, and Shea Butter.

Which products would you suggest using in the colder winter months?

I highly suggest the Whipped Body Butter, Clay Mask and Lip Balms. Each are moisturizing and keeps the skin very soft. The mask lifts all impurities out of the skin which is beneficial for Winter because our skin can become so drying.

How have you established an amazing social media presence?

I have always been such a fan of social media. Since I am a photographer, Instagram is my #1 favorite and then Twitter. I understand that the quality of photographs and captions matter and is more believable than bad quality photos. People like to see how you do your work and they want to be able to build that connection with their buyer. I always want my customers to feel comfortable with messaging me anytime and sharing photos that they take of my products. Using the right hashtags help too. There is a fine line with hashtags, you don't want o write like 20 or people will not waste their time. Keep it minimal and straight to the point.

What sets this brand apart from other skincare brands?

That's a good question! There are so many other natural skincare companies out there and for me what I feel sets me apart from the others are my prices, the look and feel of the brand, along with the personal touch that goes along with it. Also, I do everything alone and that is mostly because I am new to the scene. It's nice knowing that I am capable of working by myself and with my own ideas.

What advice can you give to other female entrepreneurs?

Some advice I would give is that even on bad days, it doesn't mean you are failing. Having your own business doesn't come easy, work hard and never give up. It gets better each day the more creative you become and the more time you put into it. A profit doesn't happen overnight either, so make a list of financial goals and stick to it and come back to it often. Stay on top of each category of your business and don't be afraid to make some bold moves and remember that it is okay to say "no" once in a while. Don't cheat yourself, keep your health in check and take breaks once in a while.