Fun Things for Friday

Hurray for Friday! My brain is looking for a break, especially after writing that epic post about blogging and taxes, so how about a little recap of what's new, what I'm loving, etc?

Budgets are Sexy shirt, navy Toms, Loft striped sweater jacket, Gap jeans

First up is something that's at the top of my birthday list. So what if my birthday isn't until May 1. It gives you plenty of time to talk amongst yourselves and figure out who will get me a Budgets are Sexy's t-shirt. I'm thinking a ladies size medium in white. Or maybe pink. I'm sure you'll all figure it out. And yes, I will proudly wear this shirt as it's the epitome of fiscally chic :)

It's one of the last Fridays in Lent and this discovery couldn't come any sooner. We're loving Trader Joe's chicken-less tenders! They really do taste like chicken. And the mandarin "chicken" nuggets were perfect with stir fry veggies. Bonus points go to the dark chocolate almonds with sea salt and turbinado sugar.

Remember how I was all excited that our rose plants were starting to sprout? Well, spring is definitely here! Look how big they're getting! And our oregano plant somehow managed to survive the winter, which means we've already added fresh oregano to pizza and salads.

Meet the latest addition to our homebrewing arsenal...fresh hops! We planted Cascade and Chinook hop vines and they've already started to pop up. Growing hops seems to be the cool thing to do these days as one of our favorite STL breweries, Urban Chestnut, also planted a mini hop farm this spring.

Last, but certainly not least, one of my pillow covers was on Etsy's front page on Tuesday! There was some major "happy dance" action in my cubical that day :) And don't forget you can get 10% off through 3/31/12 using coupon code LUCKY10.

What are you up to this weekend? Anything big going on? We're going to see a school musical with friends on Saturday.

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Blogging and Taxes

It's that time of year again! Time to file our taxes!

Is this how you feel about doing your taxes? It's OK. Accounting and monkeys aren't everybody's favorites.

Since many of you lovely readers are also bloggers, and it's approaching the tax filing deadline in the US, I thought I would share a few tax tips for bloggers. Keep in mind that everybody's tax situation is different, so you should consult with your accountant or the IRS regarding specific questions.

Reporting Income

First up, you should be reporting all sources of income from your blog. It doesn't matter whether your blog is just a hobby or your full time job. (More about that at the end.) The IRS wants to know about everything. I previously wrote about monetization, so you might want to swing by that post to jog your memory of different sources of income.

Unless you're rolling in the dough, like greater than $10 million of average annual gross receipts worth of dough, you'll be reporting income and expenses using the cash method. So when you receive payment, it's income. When you pay for something, it's an expense. Capice?

Blogging Expenses

On the postive side, you can offset your blogging income with blog-related expenses. The following are several examples of blogging expenses. However, if some of these expenses are also used for personal use (like Internet access) you should only deduct the portion that actually relates to blogging. For example, unless you're a fashion blogger, time spent online shopping shouldn't be deducted.

Internet-related Expenses
Blogging requires the Internet, duh! And while having a blog is fairly inexpensive, there are still some items you can expense:

• Hosting fees through Bluehost or Go Daddy. I'm just on Blogger, so I don't have hosting fees.
• Domain name registration fees. For example, when I purchased fiscallychic.com
• Internet access fees. This could be your Internet at home, access through your iPad, paid wireless hotspots at the airport, etc. 
• Font, photo, or music downloads for your blog. I know of several photography websites that have music playing in the background.

Equipment

Blogging also requires a computer (or something to access the Internet)! Think about deducting a portion of:

• Your computer, iPad, or iPhone 
• Your fancy new camera. Or even your point and shoot. And don't forget web and hand-held video cameras.
• Software such as Photoshop or TurboTax.

Making it Pretty
You have a computer, the Internet, and a blog. What about making your blog pretty? If you hired someone to create a logo, header, or custom design for your blog, you might have a deduction.

Promotions
Now that you have a blog, it's time to get the word out! There are several potentional blogging expenses that relate to promotions:

• Purchasing ad space on another blog.
• Having a self-sponsored giveaway on your blog. Like when I purchased and gave away a $50 gift certificate to One Sydney Road.
• Giving away some of your products or services on another blog. For example, I gave away two pillow covers on Stephanie's blog.
• SEO services.

Learning, Travel, Meals, and Entertainment
These days, there are all sorts of great blogging conferences and ways to learn about blogging. I went to the Financial Blogger Conference this past year or you may have been to Alt Summit. If so, you can deduct some of the following expenses :

• Blogging conference, e-book, or online class fees. Also keep track of books, magazines, and online subscriptions that relate to your blogging topic.
• Transportation to said blogging conference. Or going to a local blogger meet-up. This could be on a plane, train, or automobile.
• Hotel charges while at said blogging conference.
• 50% of dining charges that relate to your blog. Think about dinners while at a conference, coffee dates, etc.

Office Stuff
Did you buy new things for your office? How about getting a new desk, chair, or light? Don't forget to keep track of the little stuff like business cards, file folders, letterhead, envelopes, Post-it notes, etc.

Professional Stuff

I'm a CPA, so I keep up my Illinois license and am a member of the AICPA. Several other industries have professional associations and licenses. If fees for these organizations relate to your blog, they may be deductible.

Other Stuff

This is a great blurb I read from 6th Street Design School's Alt Summit recap: "Caroline Devoy spoke [about tax and accounting for bloggers]. Basically you can write off what you blog about if you feel it is promoting your business or is a business expense. You need to be careful though as to how you label things. Make sure you call them 'Creative Supplies.' "

Here are some other one-off expenses:

• Hiring a photographer for headshots or to take pictures of your products
• Postage to mail invitations to blogger events or to ship items to a giveaway winner.
• Post office box (if you use one solely for your blogging business)  
• Professional services. Maybe you hired a lawyer or accountant to create a LLC or file your tax return. 

The Bottom Line

The kicker is how much you can deduct. If your blog is just a hobby, losses from blogging may not be used to offset other income (like your full time job). So if you earned $500 through blogging and spent $700 on blogging expenses, you can only net to $0. $500 would be reported as hobby income and $500 would be claimed as an itemized deduction on Schedule A.

But if your blog is considered a business, you can report a net loss on your tax return. Using the example above, you can report a net loss of ($200). Sole proprietors file a Schedule C.

But what's considered a business by the IRS?

• Does the time and effort put into blogging indicate an intention to make a profit? Do you treat your blog like a business? Tracking your income and expenses, creating a separte bank account, and registering as a business are all ways to show your intention of treating your blog as a business
• Do you depend on income from your blog?
• If there are losses, are they due to circumstances beyond the your control or did they occur in the start-up phase of your blog? Think about your initial design, domain name registration, purchasing Photoshop, etc.
• Have you changed methods of operation to improve profitability? For example, have you increased ad prices? Or found other ways to monetize your blog?
• Do you or your advisors have the knowledge needed to carry on the blog as a successful business? If you write about fashion, are you a stylist? Have you taken additional blogging classes to improve your blog?
• Have you made a profit in similar activities in the past?
• Does your blog make a profit in some years? The IRS presumes that an activity is carried on for profit if it makes a profit during at least three of the last five tax years, including the current year.
• Can you expect to make a profit in the future from the appreciation of assets used in the activity? In laymen's terms, are you growing your readership, creating new content, and/or creating new products (like an e-book) related to your blog?

Keep in mind that these are all considerations of whether your blog is a business or just a hobby. One question will not make or break it. Think about your responses to all of the answers before making the distinction.

Also, your blog might not be a business on its own, but it might support another business of yours. If you sell a product, your blog might be used as a way to promote that product. So blog related expenses might be part of your overall promotional expenses.

I hope you found this helpful! I know that everybody's tax situation is different, so you should consult with your accountant or the IRS if you have specific questions. And if you don't think you'll be able to file your 2011 taxes by April 17, 2012, you can always file an extension!

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What I didn't do this weekend

This weekend, I didn't see The Hunger Games since I didn't read the books. And I didn't see the season premier of Mad Men. I haven't watched any of it.

Instead, John and I saw the movie October Baby.

It was incredible.

I laughed and I cried. OK, I cried a lot.

October Baby is an extremely beautiful and powerful movie about the beauty of life and forgiveness.

Plus, the producers of October Baby have assigned 10% of the profits of the movie to the Every Life is Beautiful Fund, which will distribute funds to frontline organizations helping women facing crisis pregnancies, life-affirming adoption agencies, and those caring for orphans. Love it.

We saw the movie after hearing a recommendation by a friend and now I'm recommending October Baby to you.

Go see it!
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Billiken Pride

Jess LC FLEA striped earrings, SLU sweatshirt, Gap jeans, J. Crew striped ballet flats

Admittedly, I'm not a huge basketball fan. So when my alma mater, Saint Louis University, made it to the NCAA tournament this year, I was totally hopping on the bandwagon.

I swam in high school and college and that was always the same season as basketball. So the newspaper and athletic departments always favored basketball. To make matters worse, LeBron James was in high school the same time as me, and the Cleveland media looooved him!

Regardless, I'm still proud of the way the Billikens played this year. They made it to the third round of the tourney, the furthest they've been since 1998.

So what is a Billiken??

A Billiken is a symbol of good luck who represents "things as they ought to be." In the early 1900's there was a huge trend in the United States around the Billiken.

Per SLU's website, "Before [the Billiken] was Saint Louis University's mascot, he was a national sensation, a figure who was turned into dolls, marshmallow candies, metal banks, hatpins, pickle forks, belt buckles, auto hood ornaments, salt and pepper shakers and glass bottles. Though they look a little different in each version, Billikens always possess cheery personalities, broad smiles and rotund bellies." To buy a Billiken was said to give the purchaser luck, but to have one given would be better luck.

One more exciting thing! This morning I reached 50 sales on Etsy! To celebrate, I'm offering 10% off all purchases through March 31, 2012. Just use coupon code LUCKY10. And don't forget that 10% of sales are being donated to the Appalachia Service Project through April 8, 2012.

Have a great weekend!

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Words for Thursday

I feel like I'm in the middle of a duel with God.

Deep down, I know He'll prevail.

I'm just too stubborn to give in quite yet.

This morning's tweet by Jon Acuff was exactly what I needed to hear.

Maybe my heart is turning.

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Do Clothes have an Expiration Date?

Over the past few months, I've noticed that some of my clothes are looking "tired." Or a little beat up. A black T-shirt from college (I graduated in 2006) is now a strange shade of black-brown. And a few long-sleeved button downs from when I started working in 2007 have started to tear around the armpits (yes, my muscles are that big....ha!)

At the same time, I have some favorite pieces that have treated me really well as I've taken good care of them. My perfect 2006 black pencil skirt from The Limited. The silk cashmere top I wore on our first date in 2005. And how about the flirty skirt I bought in 2007 while on vacation in Boston and Rhode Island with my family?

It hit me last week when I wore all three of those pieces: I've done pretty well filling my closet with classics that have managed to stand up to the rigors of accounting. Oh, and fashion :)

But eventually these pieces will also start to fray. I'll probably never get rid of the first date top, but when do you know it's OK to say "goodbye" to a favorite and replace it with something new? Even though I've received years of use from something, it's a little hard to let go of that item and buy its replacement. For example, it takes time to find something like the perfect black pants.

I've since replaced the black T-shirt (thank goodness for the Gap!) and will eventually buy a few new button downs. Until then, I'll keep Joelle's list of classics for a lady's closet in mind as well as my list of considerations when adding to my wardrobe. Both important lists now that spring fashion is in full swing!
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St. Patty's Day and Spent Grain Pizza Crust

Jess LC FLEA earrings and bracelets, SeaAndStoneStudio shibori scarf,
Spendid Tee maxi dress, Dolce Vita Bagley T Strap sandals

Happy St. Patrick's Day weekend! The weather has been beyond amazing in Chicago lately and it's still officially winter! I'm talking 60's, 70's, and almost 80's!  That's why this week's Friday's Fancies outfit looks like it belongs in the spring or summer. I'd love to wear that easy breezy dress while enjoying the sunshine and vitamin D.

St. Patrick's Day also means we're in the middle of Lent. If Ash Wednesday didn't give it away, then all the commercials for fast food fish sandwiches did. Does anybody eat a fish sandwich during the rest of the year? I don't. So why doesn't McDonald's advertise the Filet-O-Fish as "back for a limited time" instead of the McRib? I don't see people lining up for a McRib.

If fish doesn't sound good, how about some cheese or veggie pizza? Unfortunately, everybody else had the same idea when I went to the grocery store at the beginning of Lent. All the cheese and veggie pizzas were gone! Good thing I like making pizza crust from scratch.

This recipe is for pizza crust using spent grain from our homebrewing, which makes for a nice multigrain crust. You can omit the grain, but then may have to increase the flour.

Spent Grain Pizza Crust
Adapted from Draft Magazine (September/October 2011)

Makes 1 thicker crust pizza or 2 thinner crust pizzas

Ingredients
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 package highly active dry yeast (I used Fleischmann's RapidRise)
1 cup spent grain
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
¾ cup lukewarm water (105-115 degrees)

Directions
Whisk flour, highly active yeast, spent grain, and salt in a large bowl. Mix sugar with the lukewarm water and add to the dry ingredients. Stir until combined. Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Or use your stand mixer with the dough hook.

Place the dough in a large bowl coated with oil, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size. This is about 10 minutes to an hour with the RapidRise yeast.

When ready to make a pizza, roll the dough out on a floured surface and place on a pizza stone or tray. I like to line a pizza pan with aluminum foil and then dust it with cornmeal. Top the crust with your favorite cheeses, sauces, veggies, meats, etc. We used pesto we had saved from the summer! 

Bake at 425* for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted.

Note

To make the dough ahead of time, cover and refrigerate the unrisen dough for up to 1 day, or tightly wrap the unrisen dough in oiled plastic wrap, freeze for up to 3 months, and defrost the dough overnight in the refrigerator. Let the dough come to room temperature before rolling.

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My New Favorite Word and Other Sundry Items

Who wants to balance all the finance talk with something personal? Yea, me too.

And thanks to Marie for the digital kick in the pants. Life it too short to sit around and count dolla dolla bills. How about we talk about fun things?

my bearded pigeon hangry pillow cover

Like this pillow cover. And my new favorite word: hangry. I don't remember which I discovered first, but I'm a huge fan of decor with a sense of humor. And wordplay. Oh, and puns. If you're wondering, yes, I get a little rage-y if I haven't eaten in a while.

As proud as I was sewing my own curtains, the colors just weren't right for the green walls in the back room. Hanging as curtains, the fabric seemed dull and blah. I've come to realize I'm more of a brights and whites kind of person. I want bold color in the house. Like our new Ikea curtains. Every time I see them, I smile. I don't know what I'm going to do with the yellow curtains yet. Maybe sell them or use them in another room.

Speaking of brights, I also really love this new Marimekko fabric I'm working with. It's colorful. It's happy. It reminds me of sunny, summer weather.

Speaking of warm weather, our rose plants are starting to show signs of life! We never got around to pruning them during the fall, so I'm glad to see that we haven't killed them yet.

I've been falling behind on my plan to workout three times a week. But this week is on track because I went to Zumba on Saturday and ran outside on Sunday. 4 miles. In shorts. I seriously can't remember the last time I ran outside or for 4 miles....yikes!

I've been informed by my aunt that I need to share recipes other than desserts. Good thing I have some tasty pizza to share. The crust is from scratch using spent grain. Recipe to come soon. You're welcome, Aunt Mary.

So that's what's new with me! What's new with you? Anyone adding bright colors to their house? Or getting outside to enjoy the warm weather?
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Think of the Savings: Our Refinance (Part 2)

Do you ever have those days when you think it's another day? Last week I thought it was Thursday or Friday on a Tuesday. Throw in a bit of Daylight Savings Time and it's more than fitting to share my Friday's Fancies post on a Sunday.

This week's Friday's Sunday's Fancies is a fun one because I'm finally sharing how much we saved by refinancing :)

By lowering our interest rate from 4.875% to 4%, our required monthly payment is $142 less! With fees of $1,850, that means the refi will pay for itself in 13 months. We have no plans to move in the next 13 months, so the refi made sense/cents :)

[A quick word on fees vs. closing costs. Closing costs will actually be higher than the refinancing fees. Fees include items like the appraisal, recording fee, application fee, and title insurance. Closing costs include those same items as well as property tax, prepaid interest, and principal payments, as applicable.]

More importantly, we're going to save a truckload of dough in the long run! Even if we only made the required monthly payments, our savings are about $51,000!

That's pretty impressive, but we were already paying $100 more towards principal each month. With the 4.875% rate, that resulted in savings of about $34,000. So for a more apples to apples comparison, I calculated how much would be saved by paying that same amount each month. In essence, $236 in additional principal payments with the 4% rate.

Are you ready? This is big. Huge!

Almost $63,000!!!

Or $97,000 in savings when you compare the 4.875% minimum payment to the 4% minimum payment plus $236!

My jaw dropped....

So, what are we going to do with all this extra money? Something really responsible like saving for retirement, future kiddos' educations, donating to our favorite charities, and buying a new fridge when our 1980's model finally dies.

But wait a second? Isn't Friday's Fancies about having a little fun and dreaming big? Yes. So what would I (not John) like to do with the savings if those grown up financial goals were already covered?

Travel! I have the travel bug and haven't been outside of the States since our honeymoon. I could go for a trip to Europe or even the West Coast right about now.

Pastry school! I would love to take off work and perfect my buttercream frosting skills.

Quincy iPad case



Buy an iPad and a corresponding Jess LC iPad case! I'm not a very techy person, so it doesn't have to be the iPad 3.

How about you? What are your big dreams at the moment?

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An Investing Confession

It's "Saving & Investing" day of Women's Money Week, so I thought I would step outside my comfort zone and talk about investing. There are all sorts of saving tips on Fiscally Chic, but nothing about investing. Except that you should do it.

Why? Partially because I find it a tad dry and boring to write about. Traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA? Helpful to some, but snoooooze to me. My biggest excuse is that I find investing a bit intimidating. Particularly picking the right investments.

The market has been so volatile the past few years that I don't want to mess up my retirement. Remember when the market starting tanking in 2008 and AIG went under? We got married that weekend and saw it all over the news while on our honeymoon. Makes enjoying a fruity drink that much more enticing.

Long tangent aside, I know I have a long time frame until I retire, but what if the market tanks again when I'm looking to use that money?

So what have I done? Unfortunately, not much. I'm really good about contributing to my 401(k) through work, and maximizing the employer match, but I need to do better with my investment elections. And yes, I contribute to an IRA, but only around tax time when I need a larger deduction (doh!) It's so easy to set up an automatic transfer to my IRA, but I'm too tapped out by the end of the day to think about it.

Further proof I need an investing intervention? I rolled over a 401(k) from a previous employer to my IRA, and it sat in a money market for close to a year! Sure, it didn't lose value, but it sure as heck didn't make money. I'm kicking myself for not investing during the 2011 stock market slumps in mid-August through early October.

John and I considered hiring an investment advisor, but any additional gains would be eaten up by the advisor's fees. And we're not millionaires (yet...haha), so we wouldn't be getting any special treatment.

We did the next best thing and consulted with a friend who is a CFA. He offered this helpful advice on picking investments:

1. Buy an investment when it's on sale. I've heard the adage, "buy low, sell high" so many times, but it didn't click until he phrased it as "on sale." So many people want to get in when the market is up and think it will continue to improve. As we've seen the past few years, that's not always the case. Therefore, identify your investment and pounce when the price is down. Then you can sell when the price is through the roof, gaining you a pretty penny.



2. Ideally, invest in something that pays dividends. These are guaranteed payouts, either a set about per share or a percentage of the share price. So even if the stock price is down, you'll still get something. You can either receive the payout or reinvest the dividends and purchase more stock.



3. Invest in a company with hard assets: buildings, machinery, hard capital. These assets are more likely to hold their value if the overall market tanks.



4. As Warren Buffet says, "invest in what you know." We know beer, so we're looking to invest in Sam Adams. You might work in the medical industry and know those trends.



5. Use free resources like Morningstar.com to help you pick investments. They have all sorts of analysis and reports about different industries and investments. Use their ratings (4 or 5 stars) as a guideline whether to invest or not.

Overall, if you're in your 20's and 30's, you're investing for the long haul. There may be slight hiccups in the market, but if you're continuously investing either through your 401(k) or automatically in a brokerage or other retirement account, you should be able to weather the storm. Also, invest with a low fee brokerage service, like Vanguard. That will keep more dough in your pocket.

Now if only the market will go down a little bit so we can buy a few stocks on sale!

Do you have any other investment questions you'd like answered? Or you do you have some investing tips to share?

This post is a part of Women's Money Week 2012. For more posts about Saving & Investing, see Saving and Investing Roundup.
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Launch Yourself!

Hey there! How was your weekend? Mine was pretty chill and fantastic. Perfect for recovering from a hectic work week. John started a new batch of homebrew (a Dortmunder if you're wondering) and we have a week of meals planned around using the spent grain. First up was homemade veggie burgers and they were alot better than we were expecting. They blew the frozen veggie patties from the grocery store out of the water.

In other exciting news, this week is going to be jam packing with personal finance. Not just on Fiscally Chic, but all around the Internets since this week is the inaugural Women's Money Week! So for those of you that can't get enough of personal finance, or need to brush up on your money skills, there are all sorts of amazing bloggers writing about the following topics:

• Monday March 5: Entrepreneurship / Making Money 
• Tuesday March 6: Relationships & Money 
• Wednesday March 7: Saving & Investing 
• Thursday March 8: Budgeting 
• Friday March 9: Money in Your 20s/30s/40s/50s/Retirement 
• Saturday March 10: Debt
• Sunday March 11: Goals / Taking Action

So without further ado, here we go!

As you may remember from my 2012 goals, one of them is to create more moolah. 2011 was a pretty good money year with my new job, opening my Etsy shop, and slowly monetizing Fiscally Chic. But I didn't know everything about everything when I made these moves.

I worked with a recruiter on landing the new job and followed Ramit's advice when negotiating a 10% increase from my previous job. If there's one takeaway from earning more money, it's that everyone needs to negotiate! Negotiate a raise. Negotiate a new salary. Negotiate prices. It doesn't cost you anything to ask.

In the job world, part of the reason women don’t get paid as much as men is because women generally don’t expect to get paid as much as men. Women are told to be appreciative and not be greedy. But it seems like this line of thinking can cause women to undervalue themselves. And this thinking will cost women thousands of dollars over their professional lives. According to Forbes.com, “By not negotiating their salaries, many women sacrifice more than half a million dollars by the end of their professional lives.” That’s serious money.

Even before I interviewed for my current job, I worked with Michelle to help identify several career options. One was what I ultimately did: continuing to work in the accounting world, but leave auditing and work for a company that jives more with my interests and values. We also discussed freelancing, an Etsy shop, and more.

When starting my Etsy shop and continuing to grow Fiscally Chic, I tapped into lessons learned throughout my life, in business school, and around the blogosphere. But what if you're just starting out and didn't go to a business school? You might not have the time to search around the Internet for the answer to every question.

Women's Money Week is the solution to your conundrum! In addition to compiling amazing content from over 100 female bloggers, they're offering a massive sale! And you know how much I love to think of the savings :)

Women's Money Week created the Launch Yourself sale, which includes 22 products from 21 women worth a total of over $1,813. (Seriously, if you went to their sites now to buy them, this is what it would cost). And all of these killer courses are part of the sale:

• Partnership Playbook by Pamela Slim and Desiree Adaway ($199) 
• The Art of Earning ($25) and Email Marketing Kickstart ($97) by Tara Gentile 
• Attract Clients Fast: Ten Easy Steps to Fill Your Professional Practice by Jan Marie Dore ($97) 
• How to Build a Part-Time Social Media Business by Alexis Grant ($24) 
• Write Your Mess by Allison Nazarian ($97) 
• Reclaim Your Life by Anastasiya Goers ($37.95) 
• Disobedient Directory and Site Snapshot by Jackie Purnell ($175) 
• Make Sh*t Happen by Jenny Blake ($47) 
• To Whom it May Concern: Or, How to Stop Sucking At Your Job Search by Jenny Foss ($39) 
• Sticky Ebook Formula by Kelly Kingman ($27) 
• Location Independent Lifestyle Guide ($37) and The Naming eKit and Workbook by Lea Woodward 
• Business Goddess Starter Kit by Goddess Leonie Dawson ($49.95) 
• Power to Your Message by Michelle Barry Franco ($33) 
• Operation: Creative Career Cheer by Michelle Ward ($37) 
• Build Your Online Business by Natalie Sisson ($37) 
• 52 Weeks to Awesome by Pace and Kyeli Smith ($52) 
• Building Online Relationships that Work: A Bottle of Wuffa Dust by Sarah Robinson ($89) 
• Quit Your Job and Travel the World Bundle by Christine Gilbert ($19.99) 
• Discover Your Money Map Number ($497) + 1 Month of Eyes Wide Open Coaching ($97) by Alexis Neely 

I completed the "Operation: Creative Career Cheer" workbook by Michelle Ward when I was going through my job uncertainty (remember this video?), so to be able to get everything else for only $60 more is an amazing deal! And did you see Tara Gentile on the list? She's one of my business idols. You know how I said that many women don't understand their value and worth? Tara is all about smashing that misconception and helping women value themselves, earn more money, and feel good about it. She says in one of her recent blog posts, "I’ve learned one thing: it’s impossible to “earn what you’re worth” until you know your own self-worth." Amen, sister!

If that wasn't enough, Women’s Money Week is donating 25% of the profits to Women for Women International and Global Fund for Women. Which is timed perfectly to coincide with International Women's Day on March 8.

Launch Yourself is something you can use to grow your business, create more weath, and change your life. But you better hurry. The sales page is only live from 5am EST March 5th until March 6th at midnight. That means the sale is just 37 hours long. 

If you're wondering, yes, Launch Yourself is an affiliate. I told you one of my 2012 goals is to create more wealth :)

This post is a part of Women's Money Week 2012. For more posts about entrepreneurship and making money, see womensmoneyweek.com.
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It Takes Two to Tangerine Tango

Vera Wang Lavender Label orange snake flats, Fiscally Chic tangerine striped pillow cover, CB2 clock,
Gap ruffle top, EcoShag KNOTS cotton jersey scarf necklace

Happy Friday! If you're curious to read more about our refinance, you'll have to wait until next week. My brain and calculator need to take a break.

Plus, I've been waiting to pull together this post! In honor of the 2012 Pantone Color of the Year, this week's Friday's Fancies post is all about Tangerine Tango. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to wear an outfit devoted to orange, so I picked a few pieces I might use to jazz up an outfit or around the house.

In other news, I picked up some new tangerine hued fabric that I'm deciding how to use. The likely answer is pillow covers, but should the stripes be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal? Or do I piece it together to make a "V" pattern?

What do you have going on this weekend? We're all out of homebrew, so that means it's time to brew something new!

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