Category: Dope Deals

10 Gifts to Get Your Pregnant Friend

1 Comment

At this point in my life, lots of people are getting pregnant which means I’m in the market for baby shower, pregnancy announcement, and post-baby gifts. Obviously it’s not necessary to get a gift at each stage, but I really do love buying presents so I can’t always help myself.

But as much fun as it is to buy baby clothes and adorable soft patterned swaddles, mom-to-be also need some love! From my experience being pregnant, here are some small thoughtful gifts that expecting moms will enjoy:

  1. Slippers. I honestly have never been that into slippers but for some reason I have been wearing them nightly since being pregnant and post-partum.
  2. Soft, cozy robe. The hubs got me a robe/pj dress set for our anniversary a few months into pregnancy and I basically wore the robe every single night. Perks of a maternity dress – it can double as a super convenient whip-the-boob out for baby nightgown.
  3. Stretch Mark Lotion.  My mom gave this to me in a goodie bag after we found out we were pregnant and I love it. It dries fully and doesn’t leave me feeling greasy (I am not a lotion person). This one is dermatologist approved, hypoallergenic, and free from mineral oil, parabens, and phthalates. I’ve also been using it post-partum.
  4. Bath bombs, bath bubbles, bath salts. For relaxing of course!
  5. VertigoX Aromatherapy Oil. While I never got drastic morning sickness, there were a few times that I did feel woozy at random times, especially with certain foods like chicken, in the first trimester. I also had some nausea bouts in third trimester so this came in handy more than once. I carried this oil with me everywhere and would rub it on my wrists and neck which totally helped.
  6. 32 oz BPA free water bottle. Mamas-to-be need to drink more water than normal so having a cute large water may help remind them!
  7. Beauty products free of parabens, sulfates and phthalates. On a budget – Burt’s Bees. Splurge – Bare Minerals. Both have a lot of options. I especially like the Burt’s Bees tinted chapstick and Bare Minerals 30 SPF face moisturizer and matte lipstick.
  8. Comfy maternity clothes. Think leggings, pj sets, lounge pants, sports bras (one size up), and nursing bras for sore, expanding boobies.
  9. Amazon Echo. Matt got this for me (us) for 3rd trimester so I can be lazy all I want and tell Alexa to what to do or need to know. Still working on figuring out how to fully use it outside of having her turn on music…
  10. Motherhood Maternity or Amazon giftcard. If you’re not totally sure what to get, giftcards are a safe bet. Motherhood Maternity has tons of sales so it’s easy to get good deals on maternity clothes. Amazon Prime has come in handy more times than I can count (as per usual) so you really can’t go wrong there.

 

ClaudettesCorner

11 Beauty Product Must-Haves Without Breaking the Bank

Leave a comment

I’m all about finding good deals and beauty products are no exception. Here are my favorite budget beauty products that I’ve tested and trialed and absolutely LOVE!

  1. Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate. For matte lipstick lovers, this is the BEST. It seriously stays on all day, it’s hydrating, smells good AND it’s only $4.99 at Target or Walgreens. My go-to color is 104.
  2. Nailtiques Formula. My mom heard about this through a friend so we tried it out together. My nails have always been a little weak and brittle, but after using this for a couple weeks, they were not only growing like crazy, but also growing out strong! Now, I only need to use it every few times I paint my nails.
  3. Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish. Obsessed. I am an avid nail painter as all of my past roommates know, and I have to peel off everything and repaint anytime there’s a chip. While this isn’t as good as getting a real gel manicure, it lasts way longer than normal polish…about a week on fingers (without any chips) and up to a month on toes. Get it from Target since it’s $3-4 cheaper than other stores.
  4. Rosehip Oil. This is seriously a miracle product. I was searching for something to get rid of my melasma on my forehead and have tried both crop serum and lavender oil to no avail. I came across this formula and after about 3 months of using it fairly regularly, not only is my melasma almost gone, but I also have totally noticed that any small wrinkles I had are gone. Just a few drops a day does wonders for your skin and also makes it smell oh-so-good.
  5. Loreal Future-e Day Lotion with SPF 15. I’ve been using this for years because it doesn’t make me feel oily like a lot of other moisturizers I’ve tried. I apply this after the rosehip oil every morning. I only wish it came in SPF 30!
  6. St. Ives Blackhead Clearing Green Tea Scrub. I love this scrub because it totally keeps blackheads at bay but also keeps my face really soft and smooth. Get it at Target for less than $4.
  7. Benefit Gimme BROW. For someone who just wants a little extra brow definition, this stuff is great and easy to use.
  8. Shikai Color Reflect Platinum Shampoo. Perfect for anyone with blonde hair or blonde highlights that wants to keep that blonde nice and bright. Your stylist has probably used purple shampoo on you before and this is a cheap way to do it at home a couple times a week! Don’t worry, it’s not going to turn your brown hair blonde…it’ll just focus on the blonde parts.
  9. Shea Butter and Coconut Oil Hair Mask. For $4.99 at Trader Joes, this stuff is seriously amazing. My hair was instantly silkier and I ended up stocking up on more tubes because we all know that sometimes our favorite products may go out of stock for months at a time.
  10. Explore Naturals Deodorant. After trying out multiple different natural deodorants, this one is my favorite thus far. It leaves no smell, goes on smoothly.
  11. Loreal Ever Pure Shampoo/Conditioner. I looked for a good sulfate and paraben free shampoo and conditioner for awhile and tried out many different shampoos and conditioners. I have pretty fine hair and all of those I tried tended to leave my hair very flat, while this one leaves the volume but doesn’t come with the toxic ingredients.

What are your favorite beauty products? Comment below!

ClaudettesCorner

15 Budget Red Wines Under $15

2 Comments

img_0199-1

Between the sugar hangover and the bloated belly, I can’t bring myself to drink sweet whites or really any white wines for that matter. Since my Chardonnay days ended towards the end of college, I’ve become more of a dry-full-bodied-red-wine-with-an-oaky-base kind of gal. So if you like sweet Pinots, this post isn’t for you.

I am all about finding a nice & affordable, yet delicious full-bodied red. People say there’s a huge difference between expensive wine and cheap wine. Maybe if you can afford a $70 bottle of Caymus Collection for a 2 glass Friday night, then there’s a difference. But $30 vs. $15? I beg to differ.

Matt and I started taking notes on every bottle we drink because we always seem to forget which ones were just “eh”, especially if they have a cool label. I included some of our notes below.

Here are my top choices for bargain reds, so you can afford to split a bottle…or even 3 on a good night…without breaking the bank. P.S. Some of these are usually priced higher, but I get them at a lower rate by buying 6 bottles at a time at places like Ralphs.

1. Trader Joes Coastal Merlot – $4.49

I’ve tried the Cab Sav in this collection and I’m not a fan. But WOAH MERLOT. TJs, you win with your new-age $2 buck chuck.

2. Trader Joes Growers Reserve Merlot – $4.99

We note this one as “smooth & dry AF”.

3. Arrow Creek Merlot – $4.99

“Warm & full-bodied”.

4. La Finca Tempranillo – $3.99

Getting out of our cab/merlot comfort zone with this one. “Spicy and unique”.

5. The Original Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon – $8.99

Matt calls this one “slutty”.

6. Bogle Cabernet Sauvignon – $8.99

I haven’t found anyone who doesn’t like this signature cab.

7. Carnivor Cabernet Sauvignon – $9.99

8. 7 Moons Red Blend – $9.99

“Easy drinkin. Medium-bodied, with a smooth after taste.” Table wine for any occasion.

9. Robert Mondavi Merlot – $8.99

“Delicious” – 5/5

10. Josh Cabernet Sauvignon – $11.99

Oh, how I love Josh. He’s a constant in my life and every time he’s around, I’m overcome with delight. Don’t try to find him at a commercial grocery store or he’ll be over $20. Trader Joes sells him at a casual $11.99 and my heart is happy.

11. Robert Hall Cabernet Sauvignon

Hands down favorite. My mouth waters just thinking about it. You can get it for a good deal at Ralphs when it’s on the buy 6 bottles sale.

12. Raymond Merlot – $13.99

Dry, smoky and extremely delicious.

13. Gnarly Head Merlot – $11.99

“Bold, sophisticated, & smooth.”

14. Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon – $14.99

Pretty much have realized we like any red wine that has a man’s name in it. I’m not sure how it’s worked out like that, but it has.

15. Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon – $14.99

See?

16. Chateau Ste Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon – $13.99

Classic favorite of ours. “Warm, smooth, no after taste”.

Have a favorite I’m missing? Comment below – I’d love to try it!

 

ClaudettesCorner

 

Tips for Wedding Planning on a Budget

1 Comment

img_1278

Last September, Matt & I got married in Sacramento in my mom’s backyard and celebrated with 125 of our closest friends and family. I originally thought we’d be able to coordinate our wedding for $10K…psych! Even having it in my parent’s yard came with its own additional costs: table rentals, linens, lighting, etc. We had to figure out absolutely everything since nothing was included with the venue. While we were able to get our budget down to under $20K, I was shocked by how fast everything adds up.

Still, we were able to come in almost $2,000 under our budget and I was quite happy about that! After months of planning, research and very meticulous attention to my budgeting sheet (I love Excel), I came up with a few tips to help my fellow brides out:

Make a budget spreadsheet. I hear a lot of people say they have no idea what they spent on their wedding. Of course, the goal should be to spend less than your max budget and the only way to know if you’ve accomplished this is to log ALL wedding-related expenses on your spreadsheet throughout the planning process.

Our budget consisted of columns for “budgeted”, “projected” and “actual” costs. “Budgeted” should have very rough estimates and the max you will spend on specific line items in order to fit within your max budget. “Projected” should have more specific estimates and the “actual” column will have the final amount spent. If you are having a DIY wedding, you likely won’t be able to fill out a portion of these until after the wedding, but at least you’ll have an idea beforehand.

Get multiple quotes and rough estimates before setting your budget. I had no idea what certain things would cost, so I collected basic info about various costs and vendors in order to create my “budgeted” column. This gave me a better understanding on what things would cost and where I would need to cut back.

List out what’s most important to least important to you. Determine a few things that are crucial and that’ll be where you splurge or focus more of your budget on. While hand carved nameplates on quartz slabs might be amazing to have at your wedding, it might not be a crucial item, which means it may need to be cut from the decor plan. For me, awesome photos, a huge cheeseboard and good music were most important, and therefore things I didn’t want to skimp on.

Find a venue that allows BYO. Many vendors require you to use their caterer or preferred partners. If you’re lucky, you can find the perfect spot that will let you bring in your own booze and/or your own food. That way, you can get quotes from various catering services and ultimately find something more affordable. To see my list of Orange County venues, what they cost and include, click here. Having more control over your wedding takes more planning, but also saves you money.

Easily find vendors within your budget. Use www.thumbtack.com to set your budget for a specific need and you’ll get quotes back from a few vendors within 24 hours.

Avoid telling vendors it’s for a wedding. A lot of vendors upcharge for weddings. Sometimes you can’t get away with NOT sharing this *tiny* detail, but do your best. “Oh I’m just having a big party…for like 150 people”.

Utilize your resources! A lot of times, your friends or family will be someone or know someone who can help and will do an amazing job. If you’re willing to work with a vendor who doesn’t necessarily do their trade full-time, it’s likely to be a lot more affordable (or free!). My aunt worked on calligraphy, my coworker created our table numbers & printed graphics, my friend’s friend made our bouquets last minute, and a family friend who DJ’s for a lot of charity events became our awesome DJ!

Paul’s Rustic Oven

Huge thanks to all of our amazing vendors!

Photographer: Rachelle Photography
Pizza: Paul’s Rustic Oven
Day-of Coordination: Events by Christina
Hair: Meghen Lord
Makeup: Kelli Renault
DJ: Greg Andrews
Florist: Ahnalise Draper
Calligrapher: The Lovely Hue
Graphic Designer: Joy Shows
Videography: My grandad
Dress: Isolde by Anais Anette
Dress Shop & Alterations: Love & Lace Bridal Boutique
Shoes: Betsey Johnson
Jewelry: Kendra Scott

 

ClaudettesCorner

June’s Dope Deals

1 Comment

H&M

H&M has a TON of reasonably priced & cute sandals online. I got lucky and found these gems on sale for $7. Not only are they super summery, they’re surprisingly comfortable. They were practically begging me to buy them.

IMGP1837

Old Navy

It’s not the hippest place, but I love it. And their sales are amazing! I recently bought this whole outfit during their 40% off sale (minus shoes and jewelry) for under $50!

img_9126
Shorts – $14.99

Cardigan – $17.99

Tank – $14.99

TJ Maxx

Since we have one only a few minutes from work, I find myself here more often than not. Sometimes I go with something in mind. But again,more often than not I’m finding things I probably don’t need, but are too good of a deal to pass up. Here’s what I’ve scored over the past couple weeks.

Summer Dinner Place Settings

Since Matt and I are super mature (said mut-ooer to be fancy), we can now have a more stylish dinner party with these bright and cheery place settings.

IMGP2126.jpg

Place mats – $9.99

Napkins – $14.99

Comfy Basics

All women know it’s tough to find a pair of jeans that fits exactly right, so when you do, it’s an absolute necessity to buy them – even if you already have another eight pairs.

IMGP1842
Black tank – $9.99

Jeans – $24.99

Dress – $14.99

 

Where are your favorite places to shop for deals? Comment below – I’d love to hear!

 

ClaudettesCorner