I'm super excited for my casual NYE this year! Planning on a sushi date and back on the couch before midnight! If you're still looking for a last minute outfit, I'm sharing some below. Most of you voted for casual outfits, however, I wanted to share a few dressy looks if you're planning on a big night out. I also linked a few other fun items at the bottom of this post.
I love this skirt from American Eagle! I preferred a size down for a better fit. I feel like this outfit can be casual or dressy.
I love these leggings because I feel like they can also be dressed up or down. I may be wearing this option on NYE!
Or, I may wear this option! I feel like sweater dresses are very versatile to dress up or down. I sized down in this one size.
This is my favorite dressy option! I love jumpsuits and they have great colors for the holidays. Good fit too- size down one.
I really love New Year's because it's like a fresh start to look forward to. Kinda silly, since it's really just a new month but there is just something great about a new year and setting new goals. The last two years I've tried really hard to work on my savings and control where my money goes. The same goes for this year. I’ve found a lot of different ways to achieve some of these goals and I’m sharing a few below if you need some help!
The most important part of saving for me is to set a monthly budget and use cash for things like groceries, fun money, etc. When the cash is gone, it's gone. I know I can easily get swipe happy with a debit card so this helps me. Seems simple but a lot of people don't do this, including my past self, lol. Then I can budget for my saving.
Look into Dave Ramsey! A lot of my own tips I learned from him when a friend suggested him to me a few years ago. His book, "Total Money Makeover" is my favorite and he is a little hard core but I 100% agree with what he talks about if you're in debt.
Set a budget for vacations, big expenditures, etc. For example, set your Christmas budget ahead of time by listing who you are buying for and how much you can spend. If you need to, spread this out over a few months so you don't end up living off Ramen for all of December. I set mine in September to make sure I had a few months to stretch it out if needed.
Shop on Poshmark! I have found the best gently used designer items on Poshmark (like my Hunter boots) that I love. I've also sold on here and the process is super easy. Honestly, I do not care if something is gently used if it saves me money. If I really want something, I will hunt for a deal.
Speaking of selling.. it's always a good time to clean out your closet and make some extra cash!
Download all the coupon apps like the Target app with the Cartwheel feature that lets you scan items for savings in store and Retail Me Not where you can search certain stores for coupons. There are also good cash back sites like Ebates and I really love wholesale memberships if you have a family and plenty of storage for bulk items.
Simple, don’t buy what you don’t need! Easier said than done in this world.. but still a good reminder.
Work on having somewhat of a good size savings for emergencies so you don't reach for a credit card.
Watch the small buys like a cup of coffee every morning, they add up.
Personally, I like to avoid convenience buys like paying for someone to deliver my groceries. It sounds super awesome but I can do that myself and save money. #aintnobodygotmoneyforthat
Set rules and stick to them. Lately I've been telling myself if I want a new piece of clothing that means I have to donate or sell one of my own. I do not need to keep everything I don't wear.
Some of these points are small but I’ve found they help me a lot in the long run!
For all of you last minute shoppers (I'm guilty, I have a few things I still need) I decided to do a gift guide for all from my favorite store. Everything is under $50!
MEN
PJ Pants- who doesn't love a good pair of pajamas in the winter
Roku- I think this is a great price for a streaming device and I like the Roku
Watch- I really like the wood accents on mens watches because they can be dressed up or down
Corn hole set- A fun gift for an active guy and you can customize it with his favorite football team
Putting green- For the golfer in your life
Lunch box- or beer cooler, works both ways and always good to have
WOMEN
Water bottle- I love these because they're affordable, good for on the go, and I can track how much water I'm drinking
Makeup bag- very cute and we are always in need of these
Cozy jacket- have this, love it!!
Faux fur scarf- dressier option
Earring gift sets- very pretty and a good stocking stuffer
Blanket scarf- These are great for day to day and so soft!
Plush sweater- so cozy and can be dressed up or down (can you tell I'm into being cozy)
KIDS- tried to go for various ages here, as for teenagers I'm at a loss
Legos- these are always great gifts for both genders because they're fun and interactive
Toy tractor- how cute is this!
Shopkins- I don't understand these but they're popular right now!
Shopping basket- this is Mia's favorite toy right now (she's 15 months)
Interactive puppies- they have a boy and girl puppy and they're cute and have a lot of learning capabilities
Bath toys- Mia also loves these, makes bath time fun
Scooter- these were the bomb when I was a kid and they are a good price now! (are these still cool or am I old?)
Leapfrog Scribble & Write- I love the Leapfrog toys I feel like they're good learning tools for young kids
Target is having a buy one get one 50% off sweater sale so naturally, I tried them all on! Sharing some of my favorites below. I added some different accessories that I would style them with as well. This post was a fun one!
Sized down one in this
This was true to size and good quality, could be dressed up or down
TTS and good for work
I love this detail! TTS or go one size up if you want it a little longer
I really love this one, TTS but you'll need a tank underneath.. may have to go back and grab this one
Lately, I’ve been very into protein shakes for breakfast! They’re quick and easy to make and they keep me much fuller, longer (protein is key here). If you’ve been following me for a while now, you know that I can’t have whey protein (sad day) because it’s too heavy and bothers my stomach. So, I have one plant protein that I love and it’s super inexpensive! It’s brown rice protein and while it’s not as tasty as whey, it’s not as disgusting as most plant based proteins. I’ll link it here. I wanted to share a few breakfast shake ideas that I love, and hopefully you will to! I use the cheap version of the Nutribullet to make these because it’s so much easier than a blender and you can take the cup to go. Walmart version I use tagged here.
-PB & Bananas: Easy as it sounds, I put one part ice and one part banana (1/2 banana) in the cup then add a scoop of protein and a TBSP of peanut butter. Pour in almond milk to the top and blend.
-Berries and Almond Butter: For this one I use frozen berries and do a full cup of frozen berries. Then a scoop of protein and a TBSP of almond butter (yum, my fav) and top it off with almond milk then blend.
-Iced Protein Coffee: for this one I do one part ice and one part banana (1/2 banana), a scoop of protein, a TBSP of almond butter, and then fill the cup with cold brew coffee and blend. Almond butter tastes better with the coffee and sometimes it’s nice to have both your shake and coffee together.
If I come up with more shake ideas, I will add them! Enjoy!
December is here and it's time to finish up Christmas shopping! I love doing gift guides so I'm kicking them off this year with an under $30 for her gift guide. Enjoy all the cozy, festive items.
Black Friday Week sales are here! I'm not exactly a fan of the Black Friday starting on Thanksgiving idea but I do love a good sale. Luckily, most stores start offering deals online a week ahead of time so you can save and grab some Christmas gifts without having to get stuck in a crowd. I've linked a few of my favorite stores and items below. I will be updating through Cyber Monday. On Black Friday, most of these deals are the same in stores!
American Eagle
40% off and free ship, no code and 50% off sweaters.. It's really bugging me that you can't see these images below but I'm leaving them here for you to click because they're too good!!
Express
50% off everything and free ship, my favorite jeans are from here- great for curves!
Since I am traveling today, I figured I would share some of my favorite travel items from Sephora that will be on sale this weekend! Sephora rarely has big sales so I usually take advantage of this time to stock up. All VIB members can get 20% off with code VIBBONUS from November 9th-12th. Any beauty insider can shop 20% off using BIBONUS from November 16th-19th.
You guys know I love sharing item reviews so I was VERY excited to test out and share my review of the cariPro Electric Toothbrush, especially because I've only used a regular toothbrush.
I always thought I was diligent about my oral health up until I was pregnant with Mia and had gum issues (common with pregnancy but unpleasant). My dentist told me I needed to floss more and probably needed to invest in an electric toothbrush. I did start flossing more often (you're welcome, dentist) BUT I had a hard time coming to terms with buying/using an electric toothbrush. Most of the electric toothbrushes out now are over $150 and the replacement heads can be up to $50. When reviewing the cariPRO, the first thing I liked was the $119 price point with $13 replacement heads. Hello budget friendly! The $119 package is their individual package with the cariPRO toothbrush, charging dock, and two electric toothbrush heads. Then you can order two, four, or eight piece packages of replacement heads up to $43 (yes, under $50). Also, my observation before trying the toothbrush, was that I loved the look of it since it would be sitting out charging in my bathroom. Minor, but aesthetically important things.
This last week I used the cariPRO all week long twice a day to get a good feel for it and I can say that I will never go back to a manual toothbrush! My plaque build up between brushings was very minimal and the toothbrush was very easy to use. My dentist was right, you get a much better cleaning from an electric toothbrush and you can feel it! I love that the cariPRO has five modes: clean, white, massage, gum care, and sensitive. I need all of the above but I really like the gum care one, because that is often forgotten about when brushing. The cariPRO is also completely waterproof and has a 30 day battery life which I love for traveling. It's also very light weight, which again, makes it great for traveling.
I am so glad that I was able to team up with Smile Brilliant to review the cariPRO and my dentist will be equally as glad that I'll never use a manual toothbrush again. I would also like to share a coupon code for 20% off with my readers, just use the code: breakfastatkatielynns20 -you can find the shopping links below. AND you can enter to win your own cariPRO here.
If you have any questions you can read their FAQ here, or you can reach out to me :) Happy brushing!
I have a few favorite, affordable stores and Old Navy is one of them!! They've been having some pretty good sales lately so I stopped in and did a little try on for ya'll! I'm also tagging some of my other favorite items at the bottom. Enjoy!
Same top, so many good colors! TTS
Love a good henley, size up
I'm obsessed with this dress and would probably wear it with tall brown boots, TTS