Life & Lessons

Create Your Own Planner for the New Year (That You’ll Actually Use)

Caroline — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 01:46:12 +0000

If you’ve ever bought a planner in January only to abandon it by March, you’re not alone. The problem usually isn’t motivation — it’s fit. A planner only works if it works for you. That’s why creating your own custom planner using a refillable system is one of the smartest, most sustainable ways to plan for the new year.

Instead of forcing yourself into someone else’s layout, a refillable planner lets you build a system around your routines, priorities, and personality. Whether you’re goal-driven, habit-focused, or a creative list-maker, this approach gives you total control — and makes planning feel fun again.

Below, I’ll walk you through how to create your own planner, why refillable planners are a game-changer, and how to combine structure with personality using just a few key inserts.

A5 Binder||A5 Paper Refill Set – Tabs & Monthly Calendar Spreads||100 Sheets Pink Bow A5 Refills Paper for Planner Inserts Binder||Monthly Habit Tracker Planner Insert Refill

The above are the peices I chose to build my planner, but I have different categories on Etsy linked below.

Why a Refillable Planner Is the Best Way to Start the New Year

A refillable planner (especially in A5 size) is flexible, customizable, and future-proof. Instead of buying a brand-new planner every year — or worse, every time your needs change — you simply swap out inserts.

Benefits of a refillable planner:

You only include pages you actually use
You can change layouts mid-year without guilt
It grows with you as your goals evolve
It’s more sustainable and cost-effective
It feels personal, not generic

This is especially perfect for the new year, when motivation is high but clarity is still forming. You don’t have to have everything figured out on January 1 — your planner can evolve with you.

Step 1: Choose Your Base — The A5 Binder

Your planner starts with the foundation: an A5 binder.

A5 is the sweet spot for most people. It’s:

Big enough for real planning
Small enough to carry daily
Easy to find inserts for
Not overwhelming

A binder format lets you open rings, move pages around, add sections, and remove anything that stops serving you. This alone makes it more functional than a traditional bound planner.

Pro tip: Choose a binder you love looking at. If it sparks joy, you’re more likely to open it every day.

A5 binders here

Step 2: Add Structure with Tabs & Monthly Calendar Spreads

Next, you need structure — but only the kind that supports your life.

This is where your planner becomes a planning tool instead of just a notebook.

Monthly calendar inserts help you:

See your month at a glance
Track appointments, deadlines, and events
Plan ahead without daily overwhelm

Tabs are equally important. They help you divide your planner into sections like:

Calendar
Habits
Notes
Goals
Personal

You’re creating a system that feels intuitive to flip through — no digging, no clutter.

A5 planner inserts here

Step 3: Make It Personal with Cute Note Paper

Function is important, but aesthetics matter too. If your planner feels boring or clinical, you’ll avoid it.

I suggest some note paper for:

Brain dumps
To-do lists
Meeting notes
Journaling
Random thoughts and ideas

Cute paper adds personality without disrupting function. It gives you space to be messy, creative, or emotional — which is often where the real clarity happens.

Important: Not every page in your planner needs a purpose. Some pages exist just to hold your thoughts.

A5 note paper inserts here

Step 4: Track What Actually Changes Your Life — Habits

Goals are great, but habits are what move the needle.

Habit trackers let you:

Visually see consistency
Notice patterns (good and bad)
Stay accountable without pressure
Focus on progress, not perfection

Instead of tracking everything, choose 3–6 habits max. Examples:

Movement
Water intake
Reading
Skincare
Budget check-ins
Morning routine

The key is choosing habits that support the life you want — not what social media says you should track.

A5 habit tracker inserts here

How to Arrange Your Custom Planner

There’s no “right” order, but here’s a simple setup that works beautifully:

Monthly Calendar Section
Habit Tracker Section
Notes Section (cute paper goes here)

That’s it. Simple. Functional. Adaptable.

As the year goes on, you can add:

Weekly layouts
Goal-setting pages
Reflection prompts
Budget inserts

Your planner doesn’t need to be finished on day one. It just needs to be started.

Why This System Actually Sticks

The reason this planner works is simple:
It’s built around you.

You’re not fighting against layouts you don’t use. You’re not ignoring sections that don’t apply to your life. You’re not feeling guilty for “wasting” pages.

Instead:

You only see what matters
You enjoy opening it
You trust the system
You come back to it

That’s the difference between a planner that looks pretty on a shelf and one that becomes part of your daily routine.

Final Thoughts: Your Planner, Your Rules

The new year doesn’t need a complete reinvention — it needs intention. Creating your own planner with a refillable A5 binder lets you design a system that supports your goals, your habits, and your real life.

Start simple. Keep what works. Remove what doesn’t. And let your planner grow with you throughout the year.

Because the best planner isn’t the most popular one — it’s the one you actually use.

Check out what I'm loving right now on Amazon!

Some of the links on The CaroLøve are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. There might also be sponsored content on my blog. All opinions are my own and all product reviews are honest- I'll let you know if a product is a gift! Thank you for supporting the brands that support The CaroLøve!

3 Tips for Using Your Skills to Discover a Career

Caroline — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 14:57:41 +0000

Everybody’s good at something, do you know what you’re good at? Sometimes, you don’t need to have some revolutionary business idea or something that’s going to change the world. Sometimes doing what you do best, and doing something that you love to do can be more than enough.

It is true that finding out what you’re good at isn’t always the easiest task. But once you do find it, you do have a higher chance of making a long fruitful, and very satisfying career ahead of you. Start by trying to forge some skills together or at least what you enjoy doing.

Office Decor

Discover your skills

Discovering what you’re good at is far from being an easy task, but it can be a very fun task. You may be good at a lot of different skills, if you are, then you’ll want to have a sort of checklist. This checklist can include

How profitable could this be
Is it stressful?
Am I good at this skill?
Is this something I could easily get tired of?
How enjoyable do I find this?

You can put anything on this list, but the end goal is to find something that you can enjoy that you can turn into a profit. You may want to figure out what you’re good at first. You can think back at what you enjoy doing, you can ask friends and family what you’re good at, and you can even just mess around and try your hand at stuff. If you’re a really good cook, you can try your hand at selling sauces.

If you have a good following on Instagram then you may have the skills to become a social media manager. If you love photography and have all the right equipment and skills, then a photographer may be a job for you. When you’re discovering your skills, just be sure to have fun with them.

Think about the path that you want to take

It’s so important to think about the path that you want to take. Even if you have a skill that you excel at, if you take the wrong path, there’s a chance you’ll develop a distaste for the skill and your career. Choosing the right career path is a challenge for everyone. Anybody rarely gets it right the first some time, even by the second time you may not even get it right. This is a part of life and there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Now more than ever, there are so many options for people to take when it comes to their career path.

Are you someone that loves to work at home? What about being surrounded by coworkers? Are you someone who loves corporate culture? It’s also important to think about the location that you currently live in and whether or not this could help or hurt your career trajectory. It’s so important to think about all of this and have it put into consideration. If you’re someone who is against corporate culture and you like to be yourself then building your own business with the skills that you’ve honed may be ideal, especially if you’re after achieving freedom within your career.

Finding any career path is going to be challenging and very stressful. If you don’t know what you can do or you don’t know what you want you can look online for free resources to improve your skill set and you can even read books or blog posts from other people about finding a career that may be best for you. Having a career isn’t some size fits all, you can have multiple career paths if you feel like that’s where you’re going to get the most fulfillment.

Begin taking action

Once you decide what you can do and what you want to do, you can then be taking action. You may need to do some studying, practicing, networking, building a portfolio, or even look into a virtual payment terminal if you’re going to begin an online business. You don’t need to be perfect with what you do and what you’re trying to set up. It’s just far more important to try to get things prepared.

For example, if you decide that one of your best skills is in photography and you want to become a product photographer, then you’ll need to start up a portfolio. This portfolio will be an online web platform (such as a website) and you’ll build onto that portfolio by taking photos of products and models with products. Afterward, you can then begin applying to jobs or reaching people who are searching for product photographers.

For me, personally, takinf action meant starting grad school. I went to undergrad for documentary filmmaking, realized that probably wouldn’t give me a carreer I could live off of, and entered the corporate world sort of by accident. After working in accounting and then transitioning to admin, I realized that I actually love doing Human Resource-type tasks, so I’m in grad school to hone my skills there and make myself more marketable. You just kind of have to figure out what direction not only that you want to go in, but what actually makes sense for your path.

Check out what I'm loving right now on Amazon!

How To Prioritize Your Savings Goals And Maximize Your Savings

Caroline — Tue, 06 Jul 2021 17:12:11 +0000

How serious are you about your savings? If you don’t have regular savings, or you don’t have savings goals, then it can be difficult to find the motivation to save.

By prioritizing your savings goals, you’ll stand a better chance of growing your savings and getting your finances in order.

Take a look at the following advice for prioritizing your savings goals and ways you can maximize your savings.

Violet – Clear Wallet

Emergency savings

One of your main savings goals should be to build up some emergency savings. These should cover from 3 to 6 months of expenses in case you’re left unable to work, or you need to take some time off (such as during maternity leave).

Getting started with your emergency fund is easier than it may seem. Once you set yourself a target, you can work towards it by putting a portion of your savings into your emergency fund. Even when you’ve hit your target, you can keep adding to it. Your emergency fund can also cover large, unexpected expenses like emergency home repairs or legal fees. If you ever dip into your emergency fund, make sure you make a plan to replenish your savings again.

Retirement and beyond

As well as your emergency savings, you should think about your long-term future. Planning for your retirement is important, and you can start by saving small amounts of your paycheck at the beginning, increasing the amount as you get older. You will have a lot of different options to help you save for your retirement, and you may wish to speak to a financial adviser to help you work out your options.

As well as saving for your retirement, you should also consider other types of future savings. While people can feel a bit uncomfortable thinking about later life care and funerals, these are all costs to consider saving for as they can be considerable. From paying for a service to items like funeral urns, the cost can soon add up. If you don’t save now or put a funeral plan in place, it could be your family who are faced with this bill at what will undoubtedly be a stressful and upsetting time for them.

Short-term goals

With your longer-term goals prioritized, you can now think about short-term goals. Your savings could cover things like vacations or things you want to buy like a car. This could also include big life events like a wedding, buying a house or paying for your kids to go to college. These savings pots typically have a goal attached to them that you can work towards within a certain time frame.

Saving for short-term goals can be a great way to get into the habit of saving, making it much easier for you to manage your money and avoid getting into debt.

Maximizing your savings

Once you get into the habit of saving, it’s a good idea to maximize your savings, especially your long-term savings. Investing your money can help it grow, instead of having it sitting there in accounts earning no interest.

Investing your savings

Investing your savings can help you grow your funds to increase the amount you have. Some of the best places to put your savings include high yield savings accounts and bonds. Many people invest their savings into properties and other types of investment too.

Getting started with investing can be a daunting topic, but by seeking some expert advice, you could get some valuable advice that will help you invest your money with confidence.

How to save more each month

Want to reach your savings goals quicker? There are different things you can do to grow your savings to help you grow your funds. Some top tips for boosting your savings include:

Create a budget to help you stay on track

Creating a budget is important for helping you manage your income and outgoings. It can make sure all of your bills are paid, but it can also help you set aside a certain amount for your savings each month too.

As you create your budget, you may find that there are some areas you can make cutbacks, including unnecessary memberships or cutting back on how much you spend on groceries or eating out. Small savings can make a big difference, and can teach you to be less wasteful.

Use budget apps to grow your savings automatically

Budget apps are a great way of tracking your savings, and can even help you reach your goals quicker. Explore the different types of budgeting apps that are out there to see if you can find one that’s a good match for you.

Find ways of cutting back

There are a lot of easy ways to save money that will help you boost your savings. From using your car less to cancelling your gym membership for home workouts, you could enjoy some significant savings over the course of a year. You could also have some days where you don’t spend any money to see how much you could save.

Food can be one of your biggest expenses, but by being more organized with your food, you could not only save money, but waste less too. There are also some great ways you can be more economical with your food, including initiatives such as Imperfect Foods. Changing your approach to food can help you make healthier choices but it will also keep your accounts healthier too.

Saving can be tough and it takes a lot of discipline to make it work. Sometimes it will involve sacrifice to make sure you can achieve your goals. Start setting targets that are realistic and achievable, and think of the ways you will hit your target. Once you get into the habit of saving and start seeing the benefits, it will become second nature, helping you to enjoy a more secure financial position now and in the future.

Check out what I'm loving right now on Amazon!

This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

Caroline — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 13:12:37 +0000

“This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” was the song that originally sparked my idea for a Taylor Swift photoshoot. It’s been on and off my favorites on Spotify since it first came out, and I was jamming out getting ready in the morning when…

Here’s a toast to my real friends
They don’t care about the he said, she said
And here’s to my baby
He ain’t reading what they call me lately
And here’s to my mama
Had to listen to all this drama

… hit me like a bus.

When I was starting to tell friends about the end of my marriage, one of them actually warned me that I might lose people in my life who didn’t agree with my choices. I thank God every day that I did not. If anything, my friendships became stronger because a) I was coming out of a fog and turning back into Caroline again and b) I leaned on my sweet friends so hard and felt so extra loved.

And here’s definitely to my mama who’s had to listen to all this drama because getting divorced is the longest, most drawn out thing EH VER and I will probably be complaining about it until I can change my name which is taking forever because I need the certified decree of divorce and, of course, the courts are backed up because of, you guessed it, Covid. I will never stop thanking my parents for physically and emotionally taking care of me during all of this.

I’m not going to lie, part of me wanted this to be more of a revenge type post because, I’ll say it, I’m still angry at him. But I’ve said from the beginning that I didn’t want to use my blog to air my dirty laundry or talk shit.

And the thing is, the happy and hopeful outweighs the angry. I’m thriving planning my future. I’m going to ride this high and and keep moving forward like I have my whole life in front of me.

Because I do.

SLATE & WILLOW EMBOSSED STUDS LEATHER JACKET||Betsey Johnson Mismatch Black Bubble Heart and Gold Bow Drop Earrings||MANER Women’s V Neck Gradient Sequin Dress Sparkle Glitter Bodycon Club Party Tank Dresses||Steve Madden Amulet Boot

photos by Arielle Lewis Studios

Check out what I'm loving right now on Amazon!

Me!

Caroline — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 10:00:19 +0000

Even before my life went totally upside down in 2019, I was completely and totally obsessed with “Me!” by Taylor Swift. Regarded by many Swifties as maybe the worst Taylor Swift song ever (too saccharine, etc.), I’ve come to think of it as kind of my theme song. I mean, since when have I cared about anything being too sweet or poppy?

Never. Never is this answer.

Ask anyone who has ever known me, I’d always wanted the fairytale. The husband, then the house, then the kids. I’d been planning my wedding since pre-k, with my parents inspiring me to believe that if you work hard enough, marriage could be a forever thing. I mean, they’d lost a child and worked through the insane circumstances surrounding that, coming out on the other side even stronger. Not that I was expecting to have to go through the same things, I just always believed that once I got married, had the wedding of my dreams (and I did), that no matter what, Kendall and I would survive, and one day, thrive.

This is so stupid, but I heard a quote on Bojack Horseman that kind of sums it up: When you look at someone through rose-colored glasses, all the red flags just look like flags.

First of all, a cartoon has no business being that profound.

Second of all, wow. That is exactly what happened. I was so used to being, “it’s fine I’m fine everything’s great”, that I had convinced myself that it was all sunshine and rainbows while I was really just sad all the time, especially towards the end.

When we finally agreed to separate, I felt like I could breathe. Really, I had made the decision before we made the decision, but I didn’t want to be the one to crack it open. I didn’t want to be the one who left. I am supposed to be the one to keep it together and make it work.

I look at pictures from my first summer home and it doesn’t even look like me to me. Separating myself from what was a toxic situation, compounded with therapy that addressed trauma from my childhood as well as the divorce – I feel more like me than I have in years.

I’m standing up for myself and other people much louder than I used to. While I still struggle with self-confidence, it’s a lot easier than it used to be. I feel like I have more direction than I’ve had since graduating from college.

I wanted to have a party to celebrate my divorce finally being final. But, obviously, Covid. I decided to do a photoshoot instead. I feel like this is a like a debut to welcome myself back. It’s not a sudden thing, it took a lot of hard work and will be ongoing work, but I’m getting there!

Something kind of funny happened the morning of my shoot. I NEVER take off the bracelet with my sister’s initials, but the rose quartz bracelet I got for myself the last time I went to NYC was looking a little ratty, so I wanted to take it off. It has been on my wrist since December 2019. It shattered and beads went everywhere. I immediately texted my Tiffany, who was with me when I got it. She asked me what intention I had when I bought it. I told her it was to attract love. We think it broke because I no longer needed it. I have all the love I could ever need – from my family, my friends, and, most importantly, myself.

One of my favorite words is awesome. And I feel awesome.

And you can’t spell “awesome” without “me”
I promise that you’ll never find another like

Me-e-e

Thank you Arielle for bringing my vision to life!

Check out what I'm loving right now on Amazon!

Jesus Be Knowin’

Caroline — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 10:00:20 +0000

Jesus Be Knowin’ is an apparel and accessory line that allows you to share your love for Jesus and everything He’s done for you without speaking a word.

Grabbed a front row parking space at Targét? Jesus Be Knowin!
Received a surprise check in the mail? Jesus Be Knowin!
The kids went to bed on time? Jesus Be Knowin!

Whether big or small, it is a great reminder to us and others as we go throughout our day that Jesus is always looking out for us.

You’ve seen JBK on my blog/Insta before in my grace tee, which I bought ASAP since it was my word of the year for 2020. (Did you catch my word of the year for 2021 yesterday?) As soon as I saw this green version of the OG JESUS BE KNOWIN’ design, I knew I had to have it. I was trying not to buy stuff for myself, so I entered a contest to win it, and what do you know? I WON! (Jesus be knowin’.)

I wore this comfy sweatshirt the day after Christmas with Mother Shivaun’s sermon from Christmas Eve still fresh in my mine. This year wasn’t the Christmas we wanted, but perhaps it was the Christmas we needed, just like the first one.

The whole year wasn’t the year I wanted, but it was the year I needed.

I fully realize that this comes from a place of privilege that I had a safe home to come home to and regroup during my divorce, and for me to be able to stay here because of the pandemic. I was forced to slow down in a way that I’ve never had to before, and I ~~think~~ know that I’m a better person for it. I’m living more intentionally, setting myself up for success, and realizing things about myself and others to form healthier relationships.

I have been able to do things like consider grad school (I’m applying to get my Master of Science in Management from Catholic University), I’ve joined the community investment team at work, I’ve raised my credit score about 100 points, paid off my car, and I’m just about set up with everything I need when I move back to DC. It’s now looking like I might be able to do that in spring!

I know that folks have lost loved ones, jobs, and opportunities in a way that I have not. I know this year has been so hard on everyone and that I’m blessed to have been able to make progress in the way that I have. I tried to use this year to grown where I’ve been planted, and I hope that it shines through.

I’m wishing everyone a much better 2021, filled with hope and health.

Check out what I'm loving right now on Amazon!

Word for 2021 – CLEAN

Caroline — Mon, 28 Dec 2020 10:00:42 +0000

My word for 2021 hit me like a ton of bricks. I was actually in the shower, listening to one of my favorite songs this year, “Clean,” by Hey Violet.

It was one of those songs I loved from the first time I heard of it then listened to it on repeat for, like, a solid week, earning it a spot on my Spotify top 100.

The chorus hits so close to home for me, with what will hopefully be the finality of my divorce coming in less than a month.

Don’t know how I came out (Clean)
My conscious is (Clean)
I broke it off (Clean)
I’ve washed my hands of you (Clean)
I wiped the slate (Clean)
There ain’t a trace (Clean)
I’ve washed my hands of you
Like Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
I saw the light (I saw the light)
Like Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Made it to the other side (Clean)
Clean (Clean) Clean (Clean)
I’ve washed my hands of you

This time last year, I still felt guilty about walking away. This time last year, I still had so much healing to do. I’m not saying that everything is perfect and that I feel 100% OK about my marriage and divorce (I had a big cry fest about a week ago) but I’m getting there! It took a lot of hard work and learning about myself to get to this point, and I’m proud of myself.

I think clean is a pretty universal word for 2021 as well. My friends and I all danced our way into 2020, not realizing what was ahead. I think we’re all cautiously optimistic about what’s in store for 2021. With the approval and beginning of the distribution of vaccines, there’s hope on the horizon.

Like Hallelujah (Hallelujah)
Made it to the other side (Clean)

In the meantime, continue to wash those hands.

I’ve said this before, but I could not have gotten through 2020 (or 2019 for that matter!) without my amazing safety net of friends and family. And I know that there are women who are not so lucky. I created a collection in my shop to celebrate my word of the year, and the royalties from the CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN collection will go to DASH – District Alliance for Safe Housing, to help other women with their clean start.

DASH is an innovator in providing access to safe housing and services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their families as they rebuild their lives on their own terms.

We envision a culture where safe housing is a human right shared by everyone.

No matter what the situation, we meet survivors where they are and strive to eliminate all barriers that prevent them from accessing safe housing. We work to ensure that all survivors have the tools and skills they need to be exactly who they choose to be and to create and maintain safe homes.

We support partner agencies in the national capital region and throughout the United States in increasing their capacity to assist survivors in accessing safe housing. DASH educates policy makers and service providers nationwide on the principles and best practices of successfully assisting survivors of domestic violence in recognizing that they are empowered and whole.

If you’d like to donate to DASH directly on your own, you can do so here.

Do you have a word of the year? I’d love to know what is driving you to have an awesome 2021!

Check out what I'm loving right now on Amazon!

Just put those colors on, girl

Caroline — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 09:24:18 +0000

I have a ridiculous habit of taking pictures of myself when I’m crying. For some reason it calms me down. I’ve done this since college.

I’m not shy about the fact that I went through a lot of therapy in the past year or so, nor do I think I should be shy about it. Therapy is great, I think everyone should go, and I’ve come out a stronger person with the tools I need to help me navigate some big life changes and life in general.

One big thing I’ve learned is that feelings and logic do not always exist on the same plane, and that you should always try to feel your feelings first and maybe understand them later. I used to think it was easier to pretend that the feelings weren’t there. I’ve learned that this is a form of self-neglect, so I allow myself to feel angry and sad, even if it’s not convenient. Even if I’m trying to run out the door in a fab Tory Burch set to meet my friends for a patio brunch at MercyMe.

I wholly appreciate that that people in my life not only put up with, but encourage me to feel my feelings. Before I left, I had a long talk with my mom about what was bothering me. Me from before would have held it in and stayed quietly sad and angry (so tempted to say “upset” but my therapist has also encouraged me to use specific language and “upset is for apple carts) all day rather than just letting it out. What it all boiled down to, for anyone feeling nosey, is that I’m entirely frustrated that my divorce isn’t final yet. That’s really all I can say, for now. And I’m entitled to those feelings. And YOU are entitled to your feelings.

I honestly have to say that the world has been brighter since I stopped trying to hide how I feel. I know it can be hard to face your feelings, but it feels so much better once you do! It’s not easier to run from them, because the running doesn’t really happen and the feelings are still there.

TORY SPORT CONTRAST RIBBED TURTLENECK ||TORY SPORT CHECK TECH KNIT SKIRT||Reebok Men’s Classic Leather Fashion Sneaker

Check out what I'm loving right now on Amazon!

Money with Albert

Caroline — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 09:58:37 +0000

The following post is not sponsored. However, if you do sign up for Albert using my link, I’ll earn a “friend bonus”.

Wealth & Abundance: financial planner

One of my biggest challenges is money. Money in general. I honestly think this comes from a place where I have never needed or wanted for anything in my life, so it seemed like money is just readily available to me. I recognize my privilege, ignorance, and feelings I’m having to reprogram because of that.

I have worked since college. I was lucky enough that my parents were able to cover the cost of my college education, but I worked in the admissions office to cover the fun stuff-mostly sorority related. I was responsible for all of my dues and any activities surrounding Greek Life, and I’m proud of that. In the summer, I worked six days a week and/or two jobs at a time, one summer balancing an unpaid internship as well.

The first time I really felt a money pinch was during film school. I was working at Pier One making, minimum wage when I started, making $2.00 more per hour when I became a shift lead. It’s nutty when I look back on it. Minimum wage, or near it, is not enough to live on, but that is a conversation for another day. Again, I am incredibly lucky that all of my needs have always been met and exceeded, but I was either at work, at school, or on the metro. I maxed out my first major credit car in a month with commuting alone. My biggest issue is that I saw credit as emergency money-and not a loan that needs to be repaid with interest. I’m unlearning that thought pattern now.

In a recent discussion with my therapist, we went over my finances and current thoughts about shopping/money. I read somewhere once that you were probably a shopaholic if you shopped to both celebrate and soothe yourself. I told her that I used to get myself a lot more “treats” because I felt like I had earned them because I was basically financially responsible for my household in Glover Park, when instead I should have been more conscious about money. I had a turning point this summer when I ordered a whole bunch of crap from SheIn that I didn’t even remember ordering and returned almost all of it because it was cheap crap. It didn’t make me happy.

Stuff at this point doesn’t make me happy. What makes me happy is that I have resources to build up a healthier financial situation. What makes me happy is that I’m safe and loved and healthy, as are those around me. What makes me happy is seeing that I’ve paid down SO much debt since I moved home. This is, again, is thanks to my parents letting their adult child come back, rent free, although I have offered to contribute financially to the household.

Before I get into saving with the Albert app, here are the things that have worked the best for me to get into better financial shape:

Have friends to keep you accountable. Thank you for Dani and Ally for recently telling me “no,” I do not need whatever it is I think I need. (usually a novelty purse)
Make a spreadsheet, or some kind of other visual for your finances and update it DAILY. This has been the best thing for me because I used to ignore my accounts if I was afraid to check them. It’s so satisfying to watch the numbers go down (or up, depending on the column! Love to see my credit score go up 15 points in a month!)
Consider past purchases and usefulness of what you want to buy. My recent DO I NEED THIS is a clutch that looks like a bowl of cereal. Ok, cute… but I already have an insane collection of bags and my last novelty bag purchase has never been used. Once.
Consider smaller, weekly budgets. I treated myself to the special edition Taylor Swift album last week because plans were canceled to meet a friend for dinner after work.
Follow The Financial Diet. I share them on my stories at least a couple of times a week. My friends have started following them and weighing in if they thing I’m eyeing a purchase I don’t need. They’ve helped me examine my money habits, including a saving one that I’m about to explain below.
Consider your goals. This leads me to Albert.

Albert is an all-in-one financial app. I first started using it to keep track of credit cards, and while I prefer using my spreadsheet for that particular function now, it is still connected to most of my cards, including my debit card, and it tracks my spending. It’ll tell you what percent of you’re budget you’re spending on major categories, and how that stacks up to their other users. I joke that it would yell at me for going to Starbucks too much or taking too many Ubers, but it’s actually interesting to see. For example, in this past month, personal care was 4% of my spending. It’s 2% of their average users’ spending. I haven’t really been shopping, so it makes sense that my Amazon subscriptions for shampoo etc. would be higher.

The function that I like the most about Albert right now is the ability to set up savings accounts. You can set up whatever you like for however much money you’d like and the app basically sneaks into your bank account to see what is prudent to pull into your Albert savings, small amounts at a time. After reading this older article about multiple savings accounts, I decided to tweak their suggestions and make them my own. With PNC, I actually have three accounts in place already. One is my regular debit account, one is SAVINGS, and the one in between, which was my “rent” account before, is an account for money to accumulate to I can pay off larger amounts of debt at once.

So what am I saving in for in Albert? I used the list from TFD to start my own.

For me, this is mostly to keep my eyes on the prize. If there’s something foolish I want to spend my money on, I have this great little list to remind me of what’s important to me. Even though the money actually going into these savings accounts are small amounts, the money is still working towards my goals. Basically, it’s an interactive wish list.

A final note about Albert-there’s a semi-new function where you can actually invest! I’ve been using it to teach myself about the stock market, $5.00 at a time.

What tools and tricks do use use to keep yourself financially healthy? I’d love to know!

Check out what I'm loving right now on Amazon!

Shine like the sun

Caroline — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 09:21:02 +0000

First of all, I am ABSOLUTELY THRILLED that Jammin Java has EXCEEDED their goal for their fundraising efforts for their employees. While I still plan on sending my royalties from the Please Wash Your Hands collection to their GoFundMe, I thought, especially since they hit their goal, I would also start a new project!

There’s a story behind the Shine Like The Sun collection. I’ve shared this on Instagram but my friend Sam, who is now a nurse, really helped take care of me when I was feeling so lost and depressed my freshman year of college. Two times in particular:

Halloween was always a big deal in my house growing up. When I was really missing Candace and home around Halloween, Sam got me a cute little ghost to put up in my dorm room. It stayed in every room I had all through college.

When I didn’t make the dance team, after dancing for my entire life, I had an existential meltdown. I don’t think I left my room for two days. When I finally did emerge to meet him for lunch on the patio of Daly’s, our main dining hall, I was wearing a Hellogoodbye t-shirt, St. Andrew’s sweatpants, and lovely white goggle ass fake Dolce & Gabana sunnies. He said something to the effect of, “well look at you looking all CUTE.” Friends, I did NAHT look cute. But I still remember that random moment because it was the first time in days where I felt human and good about myself, and it was because of Sam.

Sam and I didn’t even go all through college together. He left Rider but before he did, he gave me his Old Navy Shine Like The Sun sweatshirt because I wouldn’t shut up about. It was worn at that time, and now it’s been over 10 years. I still wear it when I want to feel cozy, and I’ll never forget the little things my buddy did for me to make a really hard time in my life a little brighter. While we haven’t kept in touch as well as we should have, I’ve been trying harder since he’s one of the countless nurses working for us on the front lines.

They don’t have the supplies they need and they’re working around the clock. There are a ton of people making and donating masks right now, but as I said in my Look for the helpers post Kelly Dempsey and I have been keeping in touch. She’s organized a whole crew to make and send masks to hospitals. Indefinitely, I’ll be sending my royalty proceeds for the Shine Like The Sun collection to her directly to help cover supplies and shipping for her efforts.

Thank you for helping me to support in this worthy cause!