Sometimes you can become an “expert” in an area of life by learning from the School of Hard Knocks versus a real brick and mortar educational institution. That is the case with my topic this month as I share some healthy advice about loaning money to family and friends from Beth Terry, CSP (with her permission), speaker, author, and coach.

Turning the Table

I am often sharing with women the best ways to “tell your assets where to go” via account titling and beneficiary designations. This month, I am turning the table to talk about when someone else is asking for some of your assets.

Whether you have ever felt like the Bank of Mom and Dad or found yourself deciding if your generosity will be a gift or a loan, we have all likely been approached or at some time at least considered this subject during our life.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Beth has found that if you are in a position where you have some discretionary funds and someone you care about asks you for a loan, there are some questions you need to ask yourself before responding:

#1: Am I absolutely, positively, 100% sure that I will never, ever, ever, ever have a downturn, an emergency, a disaster, or an unexpected huge expense that will require a significant chunk of my resources? (Have you compiled an inventory of your financial resources? Download My Net Worth Summary)

#2: Am I willing to risk losing this friend or family member over this loan if they fail to, refuse to, are unable to or forget to repay me?

#3: Am I willing to treat this like a business transaction – with a loan document, compound interest charged, regular recaps of the loan amount provided and a statement in writing that being in arrears with this loan will be cause to report this person to collections and/or a credit agency?

#4: If this person is a good risk for ME, why is he/she not a good risk for the bank or credit union?

#5: Other than making me feel heroic for a moment or two, what is the upside (benefit) for me to loan this money?

#6: What is the downside to saying no? Is my friendship with this person so fragile that refusing a loan will be cause for ending the relationship? If it is, then why would I loan him/her money in the first place?

#7: What is this person’s history with me as far as keeping promises, being responsible, and staying responsive to my requests?

Once you have honestly answered these questions, she suggests you will likely come to the same conclusion each time… your answer is “no.”

Breaking the News

Here are five ways to say No:

• “I would love to, and I can’t.”
• “I’ve already earmarked that money for another project.”
• “That money is already invested, and I shouldn’t pull it out.”
• “That doesn’t work for me, I value our friendship too much.”
• “I don’t have as much extra as you think I do.” (Best not to gloat about your financial status and you might not find yourself in this position in the first place!)

Be firm. Be loving. Brevity is your friend. Never offer to loan money to anyone unless it is money you are sure you don’t need and you will be okay financially and emotionally if you never see it again.

If You Said Yes

Loaning money to friends and family is the surest way to end those relationships. Not only is it dicey to collect, it makes you suspicious and you may find yourself questioning every purchase they make until they pay you back.

For whatever reason, if you do find yourself loaning money, Beth has found that you must stay on top of the payments — require they pay you something every month, even if it’s only $10. And send them a recap on a regular basis.

Final Thoughts

Finally, if you value your friends and family, don’t borrow money from them either!

Disclaimer: These tips are based on personal, very sad, stressful, resent-filled and frustrating experiences with loaning money to friends/family “for one year – PROMISE!” Then, years later, the loaner either saw it paid back in dribs and drabs (with the borrower renegotiating the interest rate without notice) or not at all.

For other articles related to women and money, I invite you to visit my website Mind, Money, Motion. And while you’re there, feel free to comment on other topics you would like to read about.

What experiences have you had with loan requests from friends and family? Any thoughts you would like to share with our community on this topic? Let’s have a discussion.

Is there anything better than getting your hair cut and/or colored, leaving the salon and feeling like a supermodel? No, we don’t think there is. But because of the current climate, seeing your hairstylist might not be as easy and getting your split ends cut off or your roots done might just be a quick in-and-out appointment without all the fun. That’s one reason why we’re so obsessed with actors and influencers who switch up their look on a dime. We’re jealous, sure, but it’s also aspirational AF. So, we’re rounding up the best celebrity hair makeovers of 2021 as they come so you can drool with us.

Though, it’s not just about drooling over these looks. Saving this page and referring back to it at the hair salon can help you decide if curtain bangs or a bob is right for you. Hairstylists actually love when you show them photos because they can get a real feel of the vibe you’re looking for and can adjust the look into something that suits your wants and needs. This goes for color, too. Did you ask for balayage when you really meant a shadow root? It’s easier to just give examples of what you want.

Some of these celebrity looks aren’t permanent. Stars love to play around with wigs, extensions and faux bangs. But there’s nothing wrong with that. Real or faux, we’re taking inspo from our favorites to figure out our next look for 2021 and beyond.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Instagram.com/sophiet.

Sophie Turner 

Just a week after debuting piece-y bangs, the Game of Thrones star went fully red! She shared a cute mirror photo wearing Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour merch.

Source: Instagram

Ciara

“Pelirroja,” Ciara wrote on Instagram. (Pelirroja is Spanish for redhead.) The singer is looking stunning with long ginger hair giving off a bit of a sexy princess Ariel vibe.

Instagram.com/sophiet.

Sophie Turner 

“Ya gal’s bang’d up,” the Game of Thrones star wrote on Instagram stories over the weekend. The choppy, piece-y style is different from the blunt bangs we’ve seen her rock before. We love this low-key fringe for summer because it’s easy to pin back or grow into curtain bangs.

Source: Instagram

Kim Kardashian

We’ve seen the media mogul try just about every hairstyle but the lob will always be our favorite. This one has a gorgeous curled-under ’70s vibe.

TikTok.

Charli D’Amelio

We’re obsessing over D’Amelio’s new chop with ’90s-style layers that feel so fresh for summer.

Source: Instagram

Miranda Cosgrove

She’s back, baby! Hairstylist Clayton Hawkins gave Cosgrove pretty blonde highlights for the iCarly revival.

Instagram.com/kimkardashian.

Kim Kardashian

Look who’s blonde again! But it was only for a few hours. Kardashian was shooting an upcoming campaign either for KKW Beauty or Skims. She actually did get her eyebrows bleached and we actually loved the look with her naturally dark hair. But then when they put the blonde wing on it was like, whoa. Right before she left the studio, she snapped a photo showing us she’s back to brunette again, including the brows.

Source: Instagram

Sabrina Carpenter

Say goodbye to curtain bangs and hello to ‘Bardot bangs!’ Hairstylist Laurie Heaps gave Sabrina Carpenter piece-y bombshell bangs inspired by the iconic French star Brigitte Bardot. We’re obsessed.

Source: Instagram

Selena Gomez

In an Instagram photo promoting her beauty brand, Rare Beauty, in April 2021, Gomez showed off her newly dyed blonde hair. The picture saw the former Disney Channel star light blonde tresses and dark roots. She most recently dyed her hair blonde in 2017 in a color dubbed by her hairstylist Nikki Lee as “Nirvana Blonde.” Gomez’s 2021 color was also done by Lee and Riawna Capri. “We’ve been doing Selena’s color for over a decade now. She typically keeps it pretty natural, but this time she went for a big change. This blonde is unique to her as we had to make sure there was an equal balance of cool and warm for her skin tone. It’s an edgier look and perfect for summer,” the hairstylists said in a statement.

https://twitter.com/eolsenarchive/status/1372591228886396930

Elizabeth Olsen

At the virtual launch of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier miniseries, Olsen debuted a totally different look from her usual copper-blonde hair. The bangs! The darker color! So chic.

Source: Instagram

Chrissy Teigen

We love how Teigen is playing around with wigs lately and experimenting with hair color. Although she only kept the silver shade for a day, we hope she brings it back. It looks amazing on her.

Source: Instagram

Kristen Bell

It seems like Bell is dressed up in character to film a TV show or movie but we’re loving these piecey bangs on her and we hope she keeps them up IRL.

Source: Instagram

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

While filling us in on the Covid-19 relief package, AOC showed off her adorable new haircut. When followers commented saying they loved the chop, she replied, “Let’s not start another national crisis over it, right?”

Source: Instagram

Gigi Hadid

The model mom returned to the runway, walking in the Versace fall 2021 show. Hairstylist Panos Papandrianos wrote “Ginger for Gigi” on Instagram, making us believe he really did dye the model’s hair this gorgeous red shade for the occasion.

Source: Instagram

Olivia Rodrigo

The ‘Drivers License’ singer jumped on the curtain bang trend thanks to hairstylist Clayton Hawkins. They’re subtle but make a big difference in her look. One interesting note: Sabrina Carpenter has them too.

Source: Instagram

Lana Condor

The actress looks so great in this pastel pink wig, maybe she’s considering doing it IRL? “Get ‘Anyone Else But You; to 5 mil streams and I’ll keep it,” she wrote on Instagram. Though, she told STYLECASTER last year, “I don’t know that I’d ever dye dye my hair. I think my mom would kill me, you’d know?”

Source: Instagram

Ashley Graham

The model had everyone thinking maybe she got a pixie cut but her hair is actually the result of new growth post hair loss. “Postpartum baby hairs come through!” she wrote on Instagram.

Source: Instagram

Emma Roberts

A new color and cut for the birthday girl! “Emma always looks and feels her best blonde,” said her hairstylist and Nine Zero One co-founder Nikki Lee. “We decided to keep her a warm blonde and went for a ’90s supermodel vibe. With a new baby and a big birthday, we went out with a bang! Lisa Satorn added extensions for length and fullness. I kept her haircut free and flowing with piecey layers around the face.” Lee keeps her client’s hair healthy with the In Common 3 Step Treatment System ($105 at In Common).

Source: Instagram

Katy Perry

Why not start with one of the biggest hair chameleons? Though she’s been ultra-blonde for a while, we can’t help but miss a brunette Katy Perry. It’s classically chic and fits her personality. So, when we saw these photos of backstage at Jimmy Kimmel Live, we were so excited to see the long brown hair. But it seems it’s a wig and she’s already back to blonde.

Kristin Cavallari’s Tortoise Sunglasses, White Dress and Star Sneakers

Kristin Cavallari Instagram Fashion

We reality TV fans love a crossover—even more so when it takes place off-camera—so we of course had to get the deets when Kristin Cavallari popped up with some of the Southern Charmerers this weekend in Charleston. And while the Instastories weren’t quite as wild as the ones that we saw the last time she hung with the SC boys, we at least got a good look at her tortoise sunglasses, white dress and star sneakers visiting Craig Conover’s flagship store, which left us feeling sew cool.

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

Click Here to Shop her Krewe Collins Matte Tortise Sunglasses

Click Here to Shop them in Black (from photo #1)

Click Here to Shop her Natalie Rolt Poppy Mini Dress

Click Here to Shop her Golden Goose Sneakers

Photos:@KristinCavallari

Originally posted at: Kristin Cavallari’s Tortoise Sunglasses and White Dress

If you were a teenager in the ’90s, chances are you gave the “Rachel” haircut a try. Jennifer Aniston’s iconic hairstyle from Friends was the trending look for more than a few years. It seems even Mariah Carey rocked the “Rachel” haircut. “A sad attempt at the Rachel hairdo,” the singer wrote on Instagram, sharing an adorable stage photo from the ’90s. “Sad?” Where?!

Carey could not look better with curled-under layers and a chic black headband. Her black-and-white tank dress is peak ’90s, as well. The “Rachel” haircut generally has a ton of bouncy layers that give the whole hairstyle a bit of a square shape. Carey’s hair is a bit longer with less volume on the sides so hers is a more low-key version of the trend. We absolutely love it and we aren’t the only ones.

Carey’s celebrity friends and fans are going crazy for the throwback photo. It evokes so much nostaglia.

Source: Instagram

Rachel Greene herself commented, “LOVE IT” with a fire emoji so that basically solidifies it. “Nailed it!!!” wrote Kerry Washington, who for sure had a similar style back in the day. The girl never gets any hairstyle wrong. “SAD? this one of my favorite hair looks!” sad a fan. And we couldn’t agree more.

Over on Twitter, fans shared even more iconic Mariah Carey looks.

https://twitter.com/mimiunleashedd/status/1398283065777065984

You’re probably already following the singer on Instagram but you should definitely follow her on Twitter, too—especially during Pride month. Her fans have been posting photos with her Pride merch and Carey responds in the cutest way possible. She’s not called an icon or nothing.

Though Y2K styles are trending a bit more than ’90s ones are right now, the Rachel haircut will always be a good throwback to try since choppy layers are back in a big way.