Today I was cleaning out my email box and I came across an email I sent to my Dad on December 19, 2006. I was on winter break before going back to my last semester in college. This is a classic.

Dad,
Guess what I got in Accounting? A "B!"
And it's not even a low B, it's a HIGH B! I scored an 87 on the final
exam! Woooo-hooo!
I went out more than ANY OTHER SEMESTER and I'm making TERRIFIC GRADES!
Especially given the fact that this was ACCOUNTING class.
Just thought I'd share that with you!

Emily, Your Daughter
CPA

The truth is, this email was probably an assurance to good ole' pops that his checks were being put to good use. Also, for those of you questioning my intelligence and my priorities, let's clarify something. First, I always got A's in all of my classes...except for math classes. Math just stumped me (but I'd love to see what some of my former teachers think of the PPW theory, now that's relevant math in action). Plus, I partied like a rock star my last year of college. So I think I have reason to be proud of this achievement!

You've gotta' love coming across a paper trail highlighting one of your finer moments.

I spend a latte on lattes. There’s no denying that $4.00 here and there certainly adds up (for more on that, click here). However, I recently discovered a lower-cost alternative to my afternoon desire for an iced latte. The solution? Starbucks Via (instant coffee) dissolved into cold water with ice and a splash of milk or cream.

The coffee flavor is rich and robust, plus, a 3- or 6-pack of Starbucks Via is a small fraction of the cost of a latte. I can get a 3-pack for $2.95. That equates to around $1.00 a beverage! That’s quite a PPD (Price Per Drink). The good news? I don’t even have to leave my office. Click here to check out more information about Starbucks Via or check out your local Starbucks to grab a pack of Via and try this penny-pinching trick yourself!

Here’s to my girls who are to be pretty, poor and packed with caffeine!

This is just not fun. I don’t need to shop, but I sure like doing it! I’m going nuts. It’s like I’ve hit rock bottom. And I’m certainly not saving any money. The money I’m saving on shoes, purses and clothing is going towards expensive cocktails and elaborate dinners. So is this little experiment saving me money? Not at all.

Yesterday, I picked up three books so I could use some of my spare time to read. Plus, I find that reading’s a good escape for me…but not as good of an escape as spending money. Right now, I find that if I’ve learned anything from this little experiment, it’s that shopping isn’t all that bad. It’s a habit…but it’s not the worst habit I could have. And I’m responsible in my shopping: sometimes I splurge, sometimes I shop on sale, sometimes I shop vintage. It all evens out. And I give stuff to charity. I’m not a hoarder or anything.

March 1st can’t come soon enough! This week is packed with fun activities to keep me busy so it’s sure to breeze by! But when the new month of March comes rolling in, I’ll be rolling out to Nordstrom.

This weekend I sat down at a bar (I wasn’t alone, I was with friends). Within a few moments a guy came over and asked if he could sit next to me. I naturally told him that he most certainly could, then we proceeded to have a friendly conversation. Within a couple minutes into the conversation I had lost interest and I could tell that he, too, had no interest in talking to me. He looked at me and said, somewhat offensively, “You’re a strong female aren’t you?”

I said, “I’m sorry, what?”

He shook his head and replied, “You’re a really, really strong female, I can just tell….”

Then he got up and walked away. Because apparently, something about being a strong female is not attractive. (PS: Neither was his face. But I try not to judge people right away.)

So I guess I should take this opportunity to apologize to all the single men who may initially show interest in me (only to lose interest after finding out that I’ve got purpose and direction in life). I’m sorry for being fabulous. I’m sorry for having a job that’s more important than yours. I’m sorry for supporting myself. I’m sorry for not being clingy. I’m sorry for looking pretty and put-together. Sorry for being strong. And most of all, sorry for not really needing a weak guy to justify my existence.

So ladies, raise your glass to being “a strong female.” And gentlemen, if you can’t stand the heat, then I strongly suggest you get out of the kitchen.

One of the things keeping me busy during my Month Of No Shopping is the Winter Olympics. Good timing, huh? I go home every night dreaming of all the fun Olympic activity that will take place in Vancouver. I personally think the Olympics are one of the most exciting times in the world. For some reason, the Olympics make me feel like the worlds is a very small place. And that’s warm, cozy and comforting in times when not everything is certain. Here are 10 reasons I love the Olympics!

10) I get to hear Morgan Freeman’s voice at least 10 times an hour. Those Visa commercials are pretty unbelievable! (Are they not?) They capture the Olympic spirit—the triumphs, the tribulations, the wins and the losses. And I cry in at least 75% of them. For someone who usually doesn’t show emotion, this is a significant achievement.

9) I enjoy scoping out hot athletes. For example, Dale Begg Smith who represented Australia in men’s moguls was hot in a mysterious way.

8) My family gets bigger. For two weeks every two years, I feel like my family expands significantly. I basically feel like every member of Team USA is connected to me in a very real way. We laugh together. Cry together. I’m there when they win. I’m there when they lose. And at the end of the day, I kind of love them unconditionally.

7) Bob Costas. Who is this guy? And who turned him loose with a microphone? Sometimes the guy can be such a downer I find myself gasping or laughing at his commentary. At the end of the day, he’s a talented newscaster. But there are times when I sure wish he’d pop some happy pills.

6) Judgment. Who likes to judge people? Okay, now you can put your hand down. The Olympics is the one of the few times when it’s perfectly okay to judge people. “Eh, I’ll give it a six. It was subpar. The landing on that triple Salchow really could have been better.”

5) Two words: Johnny Weir. He’s like the Lady Gaga of figure skating. The costumes. The glitz. The hint of diva. Oh, and he’s talented. I can’t get enough of this guy and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us.

4) The McDonalds Commercials. I probably eat more Chicken McNuggets during the Olympic games than at any other time in a two-year interval. The sight of Olympic heroes dipping crispy, fried pieces of chicken into limited edition sweet chili sauce always makes me hungry for nuggs.

3) Hope. Sometimes you hear a story of someone who was born with something terrible, told they couldn’t do something and then, low and behold, they’re on the podium getting gold. As cheesy as it sounds, the Olympics make me believe that anything is possible. And it’s that kid of hope that keeps me going everyday.

2) Ralph Lauren. Nothing says classic American style like Ralph Lauren. I’m so glad he designs the official apparel of Team USA. I always love checking out what the team is wearing on opening ceremony night and throughout the games. Leave it to a preppy-girl-at-heart to appreciate a good polo, the big pony logo or a cable-knit sweater.

1) Total patriotism. Call me lame, but there’s something very powerful behind the act of an entire country rallying around a few people. The flags. The anthems. The sprit. It makes me happy when people stand behind something and every two years, people have a very real reason to stand behind their country. It’s cute.

I love the Olympics for a lot of reasons! What are yours?

I’m at a point where I just need to get over the whole not shopping thing. It’s been 16 days! That’s more than half a month. And yeah, I’m pretty much over it! And in 13 sweet days I’ll be able to hit the mall a happy woman. So far, the most surprising thing to come out of this whole experiment is the fact that I’ve been able to entertain myself for days…weekends, even… without shopping. And I haven’t really missed it. I’ve replaced most instances of shopping with purely social activities such as eating out and drinking out. But I’ve also managed to contribute a large part of my weekends to helping with some community-based activities (such as helping a high school speech team at their weekend tournaments) and using my social media knowledge to help not-for-profit organizations reach their fundraising goals. As long as I’m keeping my brain busy, I don’t miss the retail therapy.

But I know that Godiva missed my business last Sunday.

Here’s to another two weeks of abstaining from my shopping habits!

So what’s new with me? Absolutely nothing. I’ve bought nothing. Shopped for nothing. My life has been reduced to a pile full of nothing.

That’s quite the exaggeration—I’ve actually got a lot going for me. But I’m finding that shopping really helps me channel my creative energy. I like the constant discovery that I embark on when I shop. I like learning about new things. I like exploring. Shopping inspires me! And right about now, I’m feeling terribly uninspired.

I’ve made it over a week without buying shoes, clothing, beauty products or an accessory. For some that might be protocol, but for me it’s a real testament to self-control. Now, you might think I cheated when I bought that pair of tights at Walgreens last week. But even then, one measly pair of tights is nothing for me.

So as I roll into the weekend I have some obvious concerns.

#1: Valentine’s Day. This holiday is usually marked by me visiting the Godiva store, loading up on high-end chocolates, and buying myself some shoes and maybe some new lip-gloss. This year, however, I’ll be buying no such things. I guess I’ll be making my own fun. Or keeping my fingers crossed for a really nice gift from someone else.

#2: Valentine’s Day. The perpetually single girl celebrates this holiday by buying herself stuff. If I can’t buy anything, this could be the most agonizing Valentine’s Day ever.

#3: Valentine’s Day. I’m sure that 90% of my friends will post things on Facebook that say, “Just received the most beautiful flowers from my wonderful boyfriend/husband/fiancé/secret lover.” While I would like to post something along the lines of, “Just received the most beautiful Prada clutch from my wonderful self,” I guess I’ll be biting the bullet and selecting the “like” button when I see their status updates this year.

Here’s to a month with no shopping. And absolutely no fun!

Monday and Tuesday of this week were interesting. And its days like Monday and Tuesday that lead me to believe this shopping thing could get interesting. Monday was fine: I worked, went home and watched The Bachelor. But I passed a Target on my drive home and thought to myself, “Gosh, how much fun would it be to go to Target and buy some random stuff I don’t need?” I got giddy at the thought of it, but since it was snowing and the roads were in shambles, I maintained a straight course and arrived home without breaking my vow to not shop.

Then there was yesterday. I was seriously under the weather and not feeling so hot. I rested and worked from home to help preserve energy (maybe my soul is withering and dying because it can’t do what it was meant to do: shop). At one point I called my mom and had the following conversation.

“Mom. Hi. It’s Emily. I just thought of something that I might need your help with.”

“Okay,” my mom replied. “What’s up?”

“Well, you know how I’m not shopping for the month…” I asked.

“Yeah,” she said.

“Well, I’m going on a ski trip at the end of the month and I just remembered that I need new snow pants. But I can’t necessarily just go buy new snow pants. So maybe you could go do the act of buying me a pair and I’ll pay you back and stuff but I won’t actually be shopping…it will be like an exchange of money for snow pants.”

“Emily,” she snapped back in her sharp southern accent. “You are unbelievable! Surely you don’t think I have time to go find you a pair of snow pants.”

“Oh come on, mother. You’re always going to places that sell snow pants. Just buy me a pair for snowboarding. Please. I need help.”

You would have thought I’d asked my own mother to get me a bag of cocaine. By the end of the conversation I had at least convinced her to keep her eyes open. I’m currently deciding how to solve this dilemma in my head. I can’t just go snowboarding without snow pants. And I’m not canceling a ski trip just because I decided I wasn’t shopping for the month. But maybe, just maybe I can slip my little brother a nice, crisp Benjamin Franklin and see if he can smuggle me some snow pants…after all, he’s young and impressionable.

It was the weekend. And what do I normally do on the weekend? I shop. Like it’s my job. But this weekend was oh-so different.

First, I’d like to reveal the shocking conclusion to the black tights dilemma I posted about on Friday. I ended up going to Walgreens after work to pick up a prescription (FYI: buying medicine is so not shopping). However, Walgreens just so happened to have black tights. So I picked up a pair. It was medicine and tights. Simple purchase. Not shopping. Here’s why: the tights were a necessary purchase that I bought at a drug store. I didn’t get to sift through racks of fabulous designer tights. These were $2.99. And did I enjoy buying them? Don’t think so. I don’t think this is cheating. Let me remind you again that the goal here is not to purge spending from my life—the goal is to see if I can go a month without any frivolous shopping (i.e. those after work trips to Neiman Marcus).

My roomie was very concerned about my tights, though. When I arrived home and started getting ready to go out on Friday night, she said, “Oh, Emily, I see that you found some black tights. What did you end up doing?”

“Well,” I replied. “I had to go to Walgreens for meds. While I was there, I just bought a pair of black tights.”

“Yeah,” she said. “I was gonna’ say they look absolutely fine.”

“Well they’re no Betsey Johnsons!” I dramatically screamed as I tugged at the waistline.

But I can’t complain, because my problem was solved. Thanks to everyone who suggested I mend my tights—that was funny. Mend is practically my middle name. Not. Me + Needle + Thread = Disaster. But, it was a worthwhile, very thrifty suggestion and I appreciate all the comments.

On Saturday I went to the grocery store with my mom, then I went out for margaritas and Mexican food. I passed out around 10. No shopping—just tequila.

Then, on Sunday I decided to drive to Iowa to keep from shopping. And it worked. I actually went to Iowa on a mini road trip with my family. But nonetheless, if you want to get away from consumerism you might as well just drive to Iowa (sorry to all my Iowa readers…but I think we can both admit that your state isn’t the forerunner in shopping).

In this race against shopping I think I’m winning. It isn’t fun. And I really want a new pair of jeans. But I’m being tough, I’m being brave and I’m bringing it.

Coin purses, wallets and wristlets are very handy-- especially if you're a girl on the go. So if you're looking for the perfect gift for your best girlfriend, your hip mom or someone special, this adorable Rebecca Minkoff coin purse has Valentine's Day written all over it. While it's perfect for the fast-approaching holiday, it would be something stylish and sassy to whip out at any time of the year.

Because the sad reality is, money really can't buy you love! But it can buy you lots of shoes, purses, clothes and make-up to fill the void.

It’s Friday. And I went an entire workweek without shopping, which is pretty astonishing. However, today I am faced with a dilemma. Here it goes.

Tonight I am going out. I have the perfect accessories, shoes, dress—everything I need is right there in my closet. The thing is, I have successfully ripped all of my black tights (I’m very uncoordinated, we have established this). I have to wear tights. Going without them is not an option—I live in Minnesota. It’s snowing here today and my skin would literally peel off my legs if I wandered into the night without tights on my legs. So, would it be considered shopping if I wandered into Target, bought myself a two-pack of tights and left? I promise I wouldn’t look at anything else. And this purchase isn’t necessarily a fun purchase, it’s a purchase that’s needed to survive the temperatures. Or am I completely delusional?

I don’t want anyone thinking I’ve broken the rules or buckled—I just want to make sure my legs don’t freeze off. This is quite the conundrum. I don’t know what to do! I play by the rules. So I’m asking you, what’s a girl to do? What are your thoughts?

Here's Valentine idea that costs NO MONEY and could really brighten someone's day! In fact, it could brighten a lot of lives. Avenues for Homeless Youth, a Minnneapolis-based organization that provides support and housing options to homeless youth, partnered with Target to do a Valentine's Day promotion. It's easy. All you have to do is send a Valentine to a friend from their website. When you do, Target will donate $1 to Avenues (up to $10,000). You'll make a friend smile and help enhance a young person's life.

Go send some Valentine's! It's cute. It's fun. It's free. And it WILL make a difference! And hey, giving back is always in style.

My Mom and Dad used to buy me really cool Valentine’s Day gifts when I was a kid. I guess they knew I was headed for years of single Valentine’s days so they were just trying to cushion the blow and amp up my self-esteem at an early age.

These days, I’m probably too old to receive legitimate Valentine’s Day gifts from my parents. But I’d happily accept them. (Mom, if you’d like to send a Burberry bucket hat like the one you sent me on Valentine’s Day at age 18, I’d happily accept one. Or anything Burberry for that matter. Those were the good ole’ days.)

But these days the Valentine’s Gifts are few and far in between. As a matter of fact…I don’t think I actually receive Valentine’s Day gifts…unless of course they’re sweet somethings from my wonderful girlfriends.

But if I were actually expecting some Valentine’s Day Gifts, I’ve decided to share with you all the things I might want. I’ve also included my thoughts on what the sentiment behind them may mean! I’ll feature new ideas every day until Valentine’s Day.

Wrap You Up In My Love

This lightweight Burberry wrap is the perfect transitional accessory as we move to spring. Plus, it’s pink (Valentine’s Day, duh). And Burberry is an established brand that’s been around for ages—which can only mean that your love is classic and lasting, too. This is a scarf any girl will have around for years to come. And hopefully, she’ll think of the handsome hunk who bought it for her each time she drapes it around her neck.

I almost messed up today. While driving home this evening I thought to myself, “Hmm, what will I wear for all my social activities this weekend?” I immediately started thinking of my wardrobe. Then I thought, “I should stop and pick up a cool new necklace or some standout earrings to jazz up some of my favorite dresses. There’s a great jewelry boutique on my way home.” Then, I turned up my radio and carried on. It wasn’t until ten minutes later that I realized what I was thinking was totally off limits. And then, for the first time since I banned shopping from my life, I felt a pang of anger shoot through my body.

I drove home instead of going to get myself a cool new necklace or pair of earrings. And that was the end of that. We’re four days in and I’m starting to believe that this could get genuinely interesting.

I’ve found the perfect alternative to shopping: working. It fills the void, keeps me busy and gives me puzzle after puzzle to solve. Since I’ve given up shopping (all three days of it), I’ve found myself working pretty long hours. But that might actually be a coincidence. I don’t really know. Anywho, I’ve barely had time to shop because I’ve been tied up solving the worlds marketing problems (which is actually very fun to me. Nerd, I know).

So day numero tres has been easy-trapeezy. We’ll see what surprises the rest of the week brings.

I am dominating this no shopping thing. I mean, it’s only the second day but I’m doing fine. No problems here. Last night I immersed myself in work and The Bachelor. I didn’t even have time to think about making frivolous purchases when I was busy analyzing the most sick and twisted television show of all time.

I did, however, overhear a conversation between my roommate and her boyfriend in which she told him all about my vow of no shopping. Their conversation went a little something like this.

Roomie said: “Well, Emily is giving up shopping for the entire month of February.”

BF said something like: “Oh, that’s not hard. I go months without shopping all the time.”

Roomie said: “Yeah, but this is Emily we’re talking about. She stops at Macy’s on the way home from work and treats herself to stuff all the time.”

I got a kick out of it. It was pretty cute. And it made me realize that shopping was pretty much embedded into my normal daily activities. Which is fine…I think. And then someone else harassed me last night about my shopping abstinence. He pointed out that I had a ski trip planned this month and that I’m still planning on buying alcohol this month. I kindly explained to him that a ski trip was not shopping (not at all)…and that alcohol is one of my main food groups. And I decided yesterday that I’d keep buying groceries . So I’m keeping vodka on the list. After all, I’ll need it more than ever during this difficult month of no frivolities. I'm not necessarily trying to save money...just not shop!

So. There you have it. All is well in the land of no shopping!

I'm all about standing out in a crowd-- individuality is definitely something I value. Maybe that's why I wear such flashy clothing. Maybe that's why I love diamonds. Anyway, this quote from a classically sassy lady hits on just how I feel.

"It is better to be looked over than overlooked."

~Mae West, who probably got a look over or two in her life. So with that, I encourage you to live your life doing (and wearing) things that encourage looks (but let's aim for good ones)!

Let’s be honest, I watch most awards shows for one reason: the clothes. The Grammys boasted some good looks and some not so good looks. But in the spirit of focusing on the positive, here are the five Grammy looks I love and what you can learn from them.

Heidi Klum
This was my absolute favorite look of the evening (I would wear this every day). It was dressed-up, yet playful. The embellished Emilio Pucci shift dress was the perfect way for Heidi to show off her toned legs and lovely ladies up top. Take note, readers: shift dresses can be extremely flattering and forgiving. Read more on those, here.

Jennifer Hudson
After popping out a baby, J-Hud is eager to get back into shape. She picked just the right look to convey confidence and show off her best assets in this Victoria Beckham dress. The fun cut and couture lines make this a great look. And we can all take a lesson from J-Hud, too. Play up your best assets and pick pieces that strategically conceal the “problem areas” you might have. She looks great!

Pink
While I didn’t like her performance (enough with the trapeze moves already), I can say, with confidence, that this was one of the best gowns of the evening. The detailing is amazing. The color scheme is fantastic. The crystals? Sign me up. Great choice, Pink. Lesson to be learned: sometimes going with something more traditional can pay off in a great way.

Lea Michele
This look is classy and sassy, which is always a fabulous combination. In this feathered Romona Keveza dress, Lea Michelle demonstrates that you can have fun when you wear something (that might be a little wild) with the right attitude and a simplified arsenal of accessories. I love the look. It’s playful while serious—a fun mix in the fashion world!

Lady Gaga
Of course I had to include my favorite leading pop princess on this list. She constantly outdoes herself, and even though this is something I couldn’t wear to work every day, it reminds me of a bucket of diamonds…and for that I commend her. Sparkly, glittery, cool and complete eye candy, Gaga’s Armani number reminds us that when you take risks and wear things suited to your very individual style, it pays off.

Which one is your favorite look, and why? Share you Grammy fashion rants and raves in the comments section!

It’s February. And I’ve decided to ban shopping from my life this month. One of my friends pointed out that picking February was kind of cheating since February was the shortest month. That’s not cheating. I planned that. Duh. Still, 28 days without shopping? Cut a girl some slack. I’ve been toying with this decision for quite sometime and I’ve decided to act upon it. Here are the rules.

:: I can buy things like toilet paper and deodorant. That’s technically shopping, but it’s not fun and let’s be honest, you wouldn’t want me to smell.

:: I thought about banning shopping for food—kind of like a new diet I could try—but then I thought that’d be sending the wrong message (kind of like my post about getting the stomach flu last year). So I’ve decided that I can purchase groceries. But who knows? Maybe I’ll be so depressed after weeks of no shopping that I’ll lose the will to eat.

:: I can’t stop by Macy’s after work. I can’t randomly decide that I need new shoes. I can’t buy myself a present for “doing a good job at work” (like I did last week). I can’t splurge on Chanel lip-gloss because it’s a great color on me. No shoes. No clothing. No accessories. No beauty things. No trips to the salon. None of this “diamonds will make you feel better” mentality. Everything I purchase must be an item I need to live. This month is about getting in touch with the thousands of outfits I already have.

So ladies, and gents, let’s give this experiment a go! I’ll be chronicling my challenges, my victories and my borderline psychotic behavior (because I have a feeling that will happen). And for those of you who’d like to throw a pity party for me, I’ll be accepting presents.