Saving money on the unnecessary - Cars

There are several little things I like to do in order to save money and avoid the hassle of maintenance.  Yes these require to spend more money upfront, but you will save money in the long run and like I said it's maintenance free.

One of the objects we need to constantly maintain is our car. There are so many little things that need to be done to our cars that I become exhausted just by thinking of them. So why not shorten the list, right?

1. Invest on windshield wipers. It raining season and my husband and I like to purchase some that cost around $50.00 that have a 5 year warranty, meaning you won't have to replace them for 5 years!  Not only do you save money by not having to replace them every opposite season, but they work better that the normal ones. They don't have the metal arm like regular windshield wipers do, instead they mold to your windshield. So when it's summer and the windshield bends because of the heat, the wipers mold with it. The same happens with winter, when the windshield expands so do the wipers. 
2. Invest on a washable air filter. My husband bought an air filter that is washable so you never have to buy another again.  The price can go from $50 and up, but your car performs better and it gives you better gas milage.  
3. Always buy insurance on your tires. How many times have I heard the story, something happened to my tire and now I have to buy a new one. That's because you didn't have insurance on them. The insurance can cost a little more but I rather pay the small fee than risk having to buy a complete new tire, plus the insurance also cover little thing like small wholes that keep your tire flat. 
4. Rotate your tires. This tip doesn't cost you a dime, that is if you were smart and bought tires with insurance and at a place where they will rotate them from free. Rotating your tires will make them wear out roughly at the same time, getting the maximum amount of use, they will perform better, and if you do forget to rotate them you will void your insurance. Don't worry it's not an additional maintenance you need to worry about or schedule. The rule is you should rotate the tires every 6000 to 7000 miles, meaning every other oil change. How much easier can it get?

I hope some of these tips were helpful.

XOXO,
            Bianca 

Jewelery

Jewelery has to be one of the most precious objects a woman has. I love to see everyone's jewelery pieces since it reflects their style and taste. My favorite piece of jewelery (besides my wedding and engagement ring) are watches. They come in some many different styles and colors and can easily finish the look of your outfit.

I haven't started collecting watches until a couple of years ago when my husband bought me a guess watch for our anniversary. I stopped buying watches because I always though I had bad luck with them, since every single one I had  would brake. But to my surprise my guess watch has lasted me over 3 years and still look intact! Why did this watch last so long? Because the quality is good. The watch was pricey, around $115 at Macy's  but that is nothing compared to some watches that are out there and like I said, it is still intact. Of course the much higher-end watches can cost more, and I don't agree with paying that much money for them because you are paying for the name more than the material itself.

So I've been on a hunt to buy a white watch and a gold watch. As you may have seen on the right side of my blog, there is a Michael Kors watch I want that cost $250.00. Of course I would never spend that much on a watch, but I do like the combination of the white and gold and both colors are so hot right now.

So after months of waiting for the watch to go on sale but never did, I went to TJ Max to look at what they had (for those of you who don't know, this is a store that sells name brand items at a low price). I found a Michael Kors watch very similar to the one I want for only $130.00! I loved it and of course since mothers day is this weekend, I put the watch on hold so hubby could come "look at it" (that's my little code for buy it). I thought it was an awesome price, almost half the price of the original tag and it's a designer watch, but after a couple of hours the price still seemed a little to high for me. Just in case, I went to check out a couple of other stores and among them was Nordstrom Rack. Bingo! I found the same watch for $89.97. Are you kidding me!!!!! This is amazing! So I had to get it, especially since it was the last one.

So know I'm a happy woman who loves her watch and saved her hubby $160.00. Amazing! Like I said in my previous post, have patience and always shop around to find the item you want for the right price. There are many stores like TJ Max and Nordstrom Rack who sale designer items for a fraction of the price and are well worth the money, especially if it's a piece you will use forever. And how awesome is it that you can put the items on hold? Great way to shop around without worrying that someone else will buy it before you go back. But once you purchased your awesome money saving bling, please be polite and call the stores you put item on hold and tell them you won't be buying them anymore. They appreciate it soooo much and you may be doing a favor to a fellow money-saver such as yourself.

WISH LIST ITEM

MK- 5145
Price $ 195.00

CHECK LIST

Watch bought in yellow gold

MK - 5379
Current Price $250.00
Bargain Price $89.97

Designing a space

Design. People make it more stressful and complicated than what it really is. Their is no wright or wrong with design, only improvement and satisfaction. The space you create is for you to live in, use, and enjoy. Don't stress yourself to try and design a space for others to look at; if you are happy with it then it, then that feeling will be expressed when people walk into the space and get to experience the atmosphere you've created. 

I understand why people get frustrated when design a space, it takes patience and practice in order to achieve your goal.  However, there are some simple rules I like to follow in order to make the process easier. Hopefully they are helpful to you all.

1. Pick a single room to design; your ideas can get confused if you focus on more than one space. This also help if you are on budget, because it's more likely you will finish the chosen space, rather than dividing the current budget you have to several spaces. 
2. Do research, get inspired and think about the feeling and look you want achieve. 
3. Set a budget and divide you budget into categories, e.g. furniture, accessories, accents, etc. 
4. Make an inventory list. List the item you would like to keep in the space and list the items you would like to donate or move to another room. This way you don't over buy or over spend.
5. Measure the space you are going to design and make sure the objects you will buy will fit in the room. 
6. Before you purchase anything, shop around to make sure what you are purchasing is the one you really love and worth every penny. 
7. When shopping don't get excited over the different variety of things the stores sell. Focus on your objective and what it is you want to achieve. If it helps, take inspiration pictures you have with you or maybe a list. Getting distracted can cause a variety of styles to come into the space. This can be good if if you have an eclectic style, but if you don't then it's most likely the room won't have harmony. 
8. Don't get turned off by the price. Some objects may seem expensive because you can get them cheaper somewhere else, like ikea and other cheap places, but look further than the price. Look at the quality of the material and if it's a timeless piece. Pieces that will last you decades are totally worth it and they can be found on sale or even clearance. 
9. Do not buy things just because they are cheap (unless of course you absolutely love it).  Have patience with designing and decorating. The right object is out there and not only will you love it when you find it, but you'll save money too! How many of us have bought crap because it was cheap and ended up throwing out?
10. Have patience with designing. Many of us what to get the space over with, but if you are not patient then you will end up buying a bunch of stuff that you are not crazy  for just to fill the room. Like I said, the right things are out there waiting for you to find it. There is no rush or time frame with designing your perfect space (unless it's your job).

Welcome

My Nicky (a.k.a best friend Nicole Bless) convinced me to start writing a blog again. The question was, what am I going to write about? I can't be one of those people who write about their family! I am guilty of once having a blog like that once,  but to be honest who the h*** cares about my family? The people who I care about get a phone call or visit from me because I love them and want to spend time with them. And I know I may not call or visit everyone very often but try my best to stay in touch. Which means I don't need ignore them and read their lived over the internet (not to mention the creepy stocker and sickos that are out there). So after thinking for a while, I decided I would write about something that can be beneficial to the strangers or friends and family who will read this blog. 

I will post tips on how to live a life of luxury without spending as much money as a "rich" person would. I mean even if you are rich, I'm sure you would like to save money, right? And if you are not, then I think you will benefit from my advice on how to stretch your dollar. Now don't get my wrong, I don't claim to be an expert or a professional but the tips I will give have worked for me and all I want to do just want to spread the the love.

I hope you enjoy the read and of course, welcome to my blog.

Bianca