Have you ever thought, “I’ve got to get my spending under control?” If this hasn’t happened to you before, today is a different matter.

Coincidentally, that’s what I was thinking on a Saturday morning while going over bills. Somehow I’m always surprised at how all those little purchases add up. I’m 63. You’d think I would have figured this out by now.

My book, Retirement Basics: Help for Broke Baby Boomers, even has a section on how to save. I know what to do. So why do I have so much trouble?

Retirement is coming, and I know that if I ever want to stop working, my lifestyle has to change. But knowing and doing are two different things. I haven’t been very successful at saving so far. Today I decided I would take action. I’d start a spending challenge.

The Challenge

My challenge was that I wouldn’t spend money for an entire week – no cash, no credit cards, no checks. I’d live with what I had from that moment forward. I had gas in the car and some food in the fridge. I’d have to make do with whatever was on hand.

The Temptations

Milling around department stores and malls never appealed to me. It was draining and always left me dragging, but online shopping? Now that I can do. It doesn’t help that once I click on an item like a sundress for the summer at Nordstrom or cute new shoes from Zappos, I’m relentlessly bombarded with ads. They’re on my computer, my email, every site I open and now, even on my phone.

Buy with one click. Whoever thought of that was a genius. It makes it so easy to separate you from your hard-earned money. I quickly removed my credit card number from Amazon, my nemesis. If I wanted something – and Amazon has so many things – I’d have to enter the number manually. How archaic!

Amazing, but those few extra seconds gave me time to rethink the purchase. Even though there was Free Shipping, I stuck to my guns.

The mountain town where I live has a grocery store, but everything is sold at resort prices. The supermarket is 20 miles away. Not convenient. I live alone and don’t keep a lot of food, so a daily stop at the grocery store, though expensive, keeps me in fresh food. Not this week!

Breaking with Routine

As I took stock of my provisions, I saw there were several organic frozen meals. There was pasta and sauce and a couple of bags of chopped salad. I could make do. Not going to the store was tough. My car drove there after work as if on automatic pilot. I had to make a conscious effort to steer it home. Even though I knew the savings would be substantial, it was hard.

Working 9-5 kept me occupied most of the day, but the nights were painful. On the way home, I would usually pick up a snack or something to munch on while reading or watching TV.

I hadn’t stocked up on anything like that and had to forage in the back of the pantry. There was some old Jell-O and packets of low-cal chocolate pudding from a long-ago diet plan gone awry. Yuck!

Diet Coke is a big weakness of mine, a real habit. I’d been meaning to cut it out for a long time. This could be my downfall. Diet Coke was more than just a beverage to me; it was an event and therefore tougher to give up.

When I’d stop by the store, I’d pick up a Diet Coke. Stop for gas, go in and get one. It was my biggest challenge, but at about $2 a bottle, the savings were adding up.

Resisting The Allure

There’s no mail delivery in my town. It’s rural. We have to go to the Post Office every day to pick up the mail. The grocery store and the Post Office are in the same building. As I walked by, I could see the fresh baked muffins in the glass case at the front of the store. Pistachio, hmmm my favorite, and right behind was a cold Diet Coke just waiting. It was killing me, but I kept going.

Success?

When the week was over, I was grateful. I was also pleased. I had done it. I rose to the challenge. My spending could be controlled when I wanted. I could see just how many things I buy that I don’t need. It was a relief to see I could save so much.

I was proud that I didn’t run right out and buy the things I had done without. At the supermarket, my spending habits were changed. I didn’t buy any Diet Coke. No club soda, no bottled water, in fact, no beverages at all. Tap water would do just fine.

I was thoughtful and contemplated each item. Did I need it? I went to the deli counter and thought, what could be the difference between the $10.99/lb and the $6.99/lb ham? Turns out, not anything I could discern. Did my dog really need the treats made with all natural, human grade ingredients? I don’t think so.

My grocery bill was notably less. I didn’t buy any clothes and made not one purchase on Amazon. What it took was a change in priorities, breaking of habits and some will power.

There was a goal. I wanted to quit my job and travel, and if I couldn’t control my spending, it was never going to happen. I saved money but came away with so much more. Self-discipline brought with it confidence and the feeling of independence. Now that was fun!

Will I continue on this path? I think so. I have a different perspective about money. I can see how a few small changes can make a big difference. Awareness makes all the difference in the world.

I have to admit though that when I saw Sea Salt Caramel Gelato on sale, I went for it. After all, what’s life without a few little pleasures?

Have you ever given yourself a similar spending challenge? What little items do you buy that add up? Do you have trouble saving money? How do you keep yourself on track? I’d love to hear your suggestions.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

You know those beauty filters on Instagram stories or Snapchat where they give your cheeks an overly blushed hue and your lips so much pout, you look like you received injections? Somehow, they always make lashes look perfect. They have a body, length and richer color to them that seems unobtainable. Given that it’s a filter that portrays unrealistic beauty standards, you’d think everything it does is impossible, but I think I found a mascara that actually outshines the false appearance.

It’s Maybelline New York’s Lash Sensational Mascara, a drugstore product that’s garnered more than 71,000 perfect ratings on Amazon. Reviewers credit it for transforming the appearance of their lashes thanks to a unique spoolie head that has a curved design to it. The semi-circle shape allows the mascara to act as an eyelash curler and makeup product all at once. It shapes and elongates lashes in just a few strokes, while the washable black coat defines them.

“This mascara checks ALL the boxes!” wrote one five-star reviewer. “Best on the market! Trust me! You will love it as much as I do! I can’t say enough just try it!  Don’t get lash extensions before you try this!”

Dozens of shoppers have compared the effects of this mascara to that of eyelash extensions. Regardless of if their natural lashes are thin, straight, unruly or fragile, each reviewer seems to agree that this mascara is “magic.” Usually, it retails for $11, but you can get it on sale for just $7 this Amazon Prime Day. Just remember that Prime Day deals are only available to Prime members. No worries if you don’t have a subscription, you can get a completely free trial and all of the benefits today at this page here. It’s that easy! 

Courtesy of Maybelline.

“If you are reading this, you have just stumbled upon the BEST MASCARA in the entire universe!” exclaimed another reviewer. “I hardly ever write reviews but this mascara deserves it. It lasts all day long! I never have to touch it up! I never find annoying black flakes under my eye since using this! AND this is a waterproof mascara that is actually waterproof!”

There’s nothing better than a fan-favorite buy, especially when it costs just $7 a pop. Think about all of the other pricier mascaras that you’ve tried only to be disappointed by. This one and its 4.5-star average rating basically comes with a guarantee that it’s worth the minimal purchase.

The spoolie head clings onto each individual lash to layer over them with jusssst enough product so that the hairs are highlighted and heightened, but not clumpy. Each brush head has ten layers of bristles that fan out lashes in an incredibly dramatic and impressive way. Those who often get eye irritation or tears when they use a mascara can rest assured knowing that reviewers with similar experiences dub this product A-OK to use.

“I have SUPER sensitive eyes and a love for mascara. I’ve tried so many mascaras over the years (drug store, high-end brands at Sephora, natural brands) and all of them have either underperformed, started really bothering my eyes or often both,” wrote one reviewer. “This mascara has a surprisingly clean ingredient list on EWG cosmetic database (more so the $25 tube of mascara I had been using for 5+ years before it started bothering my eyes). For such a cheap mascara, it has really surprised me on how clean it is, good it feels on my eyes so far and how amazing the look is.”

For best results, layer the product on a few times for a noticeable change. This mascara is so effective that a single swipe will make a difference, so if you’re into more of a natural look, consider this your one-stop solution.

More Prime Day 2022 Deals to Shop: 

• Le Creuset Cookware Is 29% Off at Amazon for Prime Day
• This Is Not a Drill: AirPods Are on Sale For Prime Day & They’re at The Lowest Price We’ve Seen
• This $9 Firming Collagen Moisturizer Is So Effective, Shoppers Have Stopped Getting Botox—& It’s on Sale For Prime Day
• This Simple Hack Keeps Your Refrigerator So Tidy, You Won’t Have to Clean It Ever Again & It’s on Sale For Prime Day
• Shoppers Are Ditching Their Flat Irons For This $20 J.Lo-Approved, Anti-Frizz Spray That Makes Their Hair Feel ‘Like Silk’

At this point in my life, I
like to believe that I pretty much know what
I think about professional reinvention. As a veteran of several career
changes, I’ve given a lot of thought to not only how – but when – to embark on
a midlife career makeover. 

But sometimes, the learning one
does along the way isn’t so much about adopting new tactics, as it is about
discovering new mindsets. Moreover, as someone who’s frequently asked for
advice on the subject of midlife reinvention, I find that different messages
land differently with different audiences.

In light of that, it’s always great
to have some new frameworks for inspiring others in their own professional
development journey.

In the last week, I’ve come across
three new mindsets for professional reinvention which I thought I’d share
because they really spoke to me, and may also speak to you.

Don’t Get Trapped in the “Paralysis of Analysis”

I got a nifty idea from an interview I heard on the wonderful Second Act Stories
podcast, which is all about showcasing people pursuing “second
acts” of various sorts in later life.

The interview was with a woman
called Jane Canapini, who – after spending 20 years in advertising – decided to
launch a business devoted to her life-long passion, travel. The business is
aimed at a mature audience and is (appropriately) called Grownup
Travels. (Great concept!)

Based on her own experience, Canapini
was trying to suggest that you don’t necessarily need to over-think career
change in midlife. Sometimes the thing you ought to be doing is staring you
right in the face, because it’s what you were doing in your spare time anyway
(in her case, travel).

I wholeheartedly endorse this
principle. I am, by nature, a highly analytical person. I spent the better part
of a year inside a
self-styled chrysalis reflecting on my next career move. But there is
something to be said on listening to your gut – or your heart – rather than
your brain, in selecting your next move.

If you find that you’re lacking
ideas, think about three things you would do tomorrow if you had nothing else
planned. Or remember what you did as a child. (I stole both of these ideas from
the amazing Elle Luna, by the way.)

Chances are, those are your
passions and the answer to “what’s next?” lies somewhere in there.

Sing Your Unsung Song 

A former colleague of mine who now
runs the learning and development program at a large British company told me a
story about a restaurant he’d recently toured that had received incredibly high
ratings for its line management.

He was there to see what tips he
could glean to inspire managers in his own workplace.

The secret? All managers in this
restaurant were required to ask their direct reports what they most needed in
order to develop either personally or professionally – even if it wasn’t related to their
jobs.

In one case, a 21-year-old waitress
was empowered to pursue her love of photography, which she was on the verge of
giving up because the class she wanted to take conflicted with her waitressing
duties.

So her boss flexed her schedule to
enable her to take the course. He was banking on the fact that if she could
feel more fulfilled outside of work, she might come to feel more engaged at
work.

He was right. Subsequently, she
proposed doing a photo shoot for a charity event at the restaurant. The
proverbial win-win for employer and employee alike.

This woman was only 21, yet she
already had an “unsung song.” By the time you hit 50, you might have
several of those. As we age, we all yearn for something we didn’t do – the proverbial road not taken.

That might be the novel we always
meant to write, the sport we always dreamed of playing, the island in the Mediterranean
where we secretly hoped to spend all of our summers.

You may not be able to make that
“song” 100% of what you do. But you might be able to work it into a portfolio
career, pursue a side-hustle, or engage actively in volunteer work.

Give Something Away for Free

Finally, I’d like to explore a
mindset that comes from a wonderful little book a friend gave me called The
Go-Giver. The basic premise of the book is that you don’t succeed in life
because you take more away; you succeed because you give back.

The lesson for career change is
that if there’s something you really want to do, give it away for free. Set up
a blog about your unsung song. Give an unpaid speech. Offer free advice or
services.

If your eventual goal is to make
money off of this passion, you obviously can’t give it away for free forever.
But you may find, paradoxically, that if you build it, they will come.

More importantly, you will feel
that you are not just thinking about, but actually realizing, your unsung song
(see point one). And that’s a great feeling.

What are your secrets for moving
forward in a midlife career change? What unsung songs do you shelter in your
heart? Are you ready to start engaging them in some way? Please share your
thoughts with the community.

Kristin Cavallari’s Brown One Shoulder Dress on Good Morning America

Kristin Cavallari 2022 Instagram Fashion

Kristin Cavallari was on Good Morning America the other day wearing a very cute brown one shoulder dress. Which means now it’s a good morning for us because we found where to get it. *Spoiler Alert* the stock is pretty low. But it’s still available in black/beige and of course we have the Style Stealers below that are very Cavallari cute too.

Sincerely Stylish,

Jess

Click Here to Shop Her The Sei Dress

Click Here to Shop it in Black

Click Here to Shop it in Beige

Photo Credit: @kristincavallari

Originally posted at: Kristin Cavallari’s Brown One Shoulder Dress

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

It’s hard to believe — because I don’t feel that old — but I’ve been going to the hair salon for highlights for more than 20 years. Since I was a teen, I’ve favored bright blonde highlights on my medium-brown hair. And that’s not all I subject my strands to. There are the hot tools and the tight ponytails and the purple shampoo. The result? Dry, brittle hair that craves moisture. One of the reasons I still have hair at all is thanks to Redken’s All Soft collection. As a teen, I stole it from my mom, who also highlighted her hair. And I’ve been using it for healthy hair since.

You see, my hair isn’t the most manageable to begin with. It’s fine but there’s a lot of it. It’s wavy and frizzy and consistently craves moisture. Adding bleach to that texture just makes it that much more difficult to deal with. Redken All Soft has a pH-balanced formula and an argan oil-infused moisture complex to soften strands. And it really works. The shampoo cleanses but doesn’t strip my hair and the conditioner hydrates without weighing down my fine strands.

Redken.

If you have dry hair like I do, you’ll especially love the conditioner’s consistency. It’s thick — one of the thickest I’ve ever used. My hair drinks it up without any heavy or greasy feeling left behind. I’m able to get those voluminous Dyson Airwrap waves that don’t fall flat in an hour. I can style my hair faster, too. Because there are less tangles, it’s overall much more managable — with a bit of leave-in conditioner, of course. And the shine post-blowout? It can’t be beat.

There’s also the smell. You know how certain scents transport you back to a specific time? I can smell the All Soft fragrance from a mile away. Usually I’m not a fan of scented hair products but this one is fresh and yummy, almost like honey. I’m obsessed with the subtle scent it leaves behind. So you can imagine how thrilled I was to discover that Redken’s All Soft Shampoo and Conditioner are 30% off for Prime Day. The salon-quality hair products don’t exactly come cheap so you can bet I’ll be stocking up during this two-day sale (if you don’t already have a Prime membership, sign up for one here so you can take advantage of this limited-time deal).

Redken.

Because I’ve been messing with my hair for a long time, I can usually tell when it’s craving a bit more than moisture. When I’ve gone blonder and the texture is more brittle than just dry, it’s time for a strengthening treatment. Luckily, Redken has its Bonding Treatment for Damaged Hair Repair that’s easy to use with the All Soft collection. And yes, it’s also 30% off for Prime Day.

Redken.

The brand’s “Bonding Care Complex” is formulated with citric acid to reinforce weakened hair bonds and repair strands. It’s a pre-shampoo treatment so I apply it to wet hair in the shower. I leave it on for about 5-10 minutes — however long it takes me to shave my legs — and rinse it out before shampooing. It also promises to help prevent future breakage so I can continue to use the hot tools I love so much. Because realistically, I’m going to keep being tough on my hair, and luckily with these products, my hair can take it.