The Savvy Life

Jason Wu, made famous by designing First Lady Michelle Obama's inaugural gown, is now launching a line exclusively for Target.

Since Isaac Mizrahi first made it cool in 2002 to partner with Target, high-end designers have been following his lead, some more successfully than others.

The launch is scheduled for February 5^th, but Fashionista.com has published photos of the line.

It reminds of the whimsical style of Zooey Deschanel, but that those of us outside of Hollywood could actually wear.  If the dresses are a bit too short for your comfort zone, the purses and scarves may better suit your wardrobe – a perfect infusion of spring.

I’m very excited about this line and look forward to visiting my favorite Target store in Foster City, CA when it officially launches.

According to Fashionista.com, nothing in the line is priced over $59.95 so you have an opportunity to add classic pieces to your wardrobe at very affordable prices. 

If you like what you see, grab it quick. Most designer lines at Target are for a limited time only and rarely go on sale.

Growing up, I only saw my mom's fine china a handful of times.  Now, she brings it out on a regular basis, in celebration of "ordinary days".

You don't have to break out the china on a daily basis, but striving to make each meal special can transform your eating experience.

Food is a major part of our culture.  Take the time to add a touch of ceremony to your meals by making them look as nice as possible.  It's a small thing that will make a big impact on your "ordinary days".

This Wednesday, January 25th, I will be giving a one hour teleseminar focused on Savvy Travel and Entertainment.  The seminar is hosted by Ameriprise Financial and is free of charge.  If you're looking for tips on how to have fun in 2012 without going broke, you don't want to miss this free event!  Details are listed below...

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
12:00 noon to 1:00 pm

Ameriprise Financial invites you to join us for a special presentation by Melissa Tosetti, author of the financial lifestyle book Living The Savvy Life.

Hosted by Roman Quisol III, CFP®, ChFC®, CRPC®
Financial Advisor with Ameriprise Financial

During this complimentary presentation, the following topics will be addressed:

• How to entertain at home for less.
• Where to find admission discounts for museums, movies and more.
• How to plan ahead for dining out.
• How to use restaurant coupons.
• How to budget for vacations.
• Where to find those great vacation deals.

Space is limited. Please call 650-288-3977 or respond to this invitation to make a reservation by Monday, January 23rd for you and your guests.   A toll free number will be provided to you a toll free dial in telephone number.

This is an informational seminar.  There is no cost or obligation.

MB Austin of the blog Bite Size Green compares the Savvy way of life to the Green way of life. 

Is Living The Savvy Life good for the environment as well as for your finances?  Find out in her article Does Savvy = Green?

During a radio interview yesterday, I was asked about the savvy lessons I learned from my grandmother.  The question was prompted by the fact that I mention her quite a few times in Living The Savvy Life. 

Today is her 88th birthday and if I look half as good as she does on my 44th birthday, I'll be grateful!

Going back to the lessons I learned from her, the list is long, a few of which I've included below.  Some relate to Savvy Living and others I think are just unique and interesting enough to include.

• Take care of what you already own to make it last as long as possible.  In other words, take care of your cash once it transitions to a possession to make your investment last as long as possible.
• Always wear a hat outdoors and gloves while gardening.
• Take care of your complexion.  Grams is an avid and lifelong user of Oil of Olay products.
• Always feed the animals before you eat because they're not capable of feeding themselves.
• I learned to cook from both my mom and my grandmother - but Grams taught me the power of pancakes for breakfast!
• She taught me how to sew and the true meaning of a stitch in time saves nine.
• Clean up while you cook so you don't have a big mess waiting for you after the meal.
• Be kind to everyone.  How someone is dressed is no indication of who they truly are.

I am so grateful to have my grandmother in my life and to be able to continue to learn from her.  Many of the habits and personality traits I like most about me, stemmed from lessons I learned from her.

Happy Birthday Grams!

Whenever I speak or teach, I always ask if the audience was taught about money as a kid.  I am never surprised when only a few hands are raised.

The majority of us, myself included, were not taught about personal finance either by a parent or at school.  We have suffered for it and our economy has suffered for it.

I have the most amazing parents in the world, but it just didn't dawn on them to teach me about money.  Consequently, I was sent directly to the School of Hard Knocks.

Financial education is still not taught and that is one of the reasons we created the The Living The Savvy Life Online Program.  The program brings the international bestseller to life, guiding you day-by-day, step-by-step to help you create your own Savvy Life.

Through daily emails and a membership site that houses articles, videos, forums and more, you will be guided toward creating a strong financial foundation.

The program then focuses your attention on the areas where you most often spend money such as your Home, Food, Wardrobe, Beauty, Travel and Entertainment.

The beauty of the online program is that it takes just minutes a day to implement the tasks.

The program is just $19.95 per month and you can cancel at any time. Subscribe now!

By Melissa Tosetti

I am so excited to announce that The Savvy Life now has its own personal shopper!

We are teaming with Mandy Kendall of Shop.com who is hosting The Savvy Life Trend Shop. 

Each week, Mandy will find the best deals on essentials that fall in line with The Savvy Lifestyle including items for:

• Home
• Wardrobe
• Beauty
• Cooking
• Travel
• Entertainment

What I love about Mandy is that she “gets it”.  She is a long time reader of The Savvy Life and understands the nuances of living savvy.  She recognizes that Savvy Women want classic, quality items at affordable prices.

Like eBates, there are major benefits of using Shop.com including great deals, cash back, e-gift registry and more.

Registering with Shop.com is simple:

1.       Start by visiting www.shop.com/mandykendall. 

2.       Click on Sign In at the top of the page, and follow the New Customer prompts.

3.       Be sure to visit The Savvy Life’s Trend Shop each week to see the new items Mandy has picked out exclusively for you.

This week, The Savvy Life Trend Shop features beautiful and classic winter coats.  I am head over heels in love with this vintage-style piece from Milanoo for just $98.

To see all the coats Mandy has picked out, visit The Savvy Life’s Trend Shop now.