When we found out our friends were getting married across the Atlantic, I, forever the maximizer, thought to myself: while we’re in the UK, might as well hop to another European city, right? After the wedding, instead of heading straight home to New York City, we’re stopping in southern Portugal to relax for a few […]
Saving Money Isn’t About Saying No–It’s About Saying Yes
It started with a picture of a red motorbike. Then a waterfall that looked straight out of Jurassic Park. I casually mentioned to my husband that I’d just discovered this relatively unheard-of area of Laos, where you can rent motorbikes and drive around looking for waterfalls. He was playing online chess, his favorite game, but […]
Iceland Summer Packing List: A Stylish Week in Iceland, Carry On Only
When I started researching what to pack for my summer Iceland trip, it felt like I read a million blog posts and was left just as confused. The same three items kept popping up on every packing guide: hiking boots, waterproof pants, three jackets. OK, guys, but I don’t have any of that stuff. Will […]
How Luxury Can Be a Dangerous Game (and How Not to Get Sucked In)
The other day I wanted to buy $3,000 for two plane tickets from Italy to NYC. One-way plane tickets. For a 9-hour flight. That might not raise red flags for you, but I’ve never spent that much on plane tickets before. A roundtrip ticket to Asia, sure, but that’s for twice the amount of flying […]
My Favorite Budget Travel Tips for People Who Don’t Want to Travel Hack
Travel hacking is not for the faint of heart. I recently booked first-class seats using my points for “free”, but make no mistake, it definitely wasn’t free. It cost me my time. I spent at least 10 minutes every day for several weeks searching for those seats. While I think it was worth it, not […]
My Weekend Money Diary #9: A Frugal-Luxe Anniversary Trip to Miami
What happens when someone who’s “good at money” tracks their spending the old school way? With a pen and paper and not using an automated system like Mint? Inspired by the Man Repeller and Refinery29 money diaries, I thought it’d be fun to see what happens when I track my spending for a weekend. Although I’m conscious about my overall […]
My Weekend Money Diary #6: Four Days in LA Without a Budget
What happens when someone who’s “good at money” tracks their spending the old school way? With a pen and paper and not using an automated system like Mint? Inspired by the Man Repeller and Refinery29 money diaries, I thought it’d be fun to see what happens when I track my spending for a weekend. Although I’m conscious about my overall […]