Here's to 2008

Well it's been a year since I have been blogging, six months on Yahoo 360 and six months here on Blogger. I have had a ball; I have met some interesting people, made some good friends, read some wonderful and interesting blogs and learnt a lot. To think two years ago I didn't even know what a blog was and now it is a huge part of my life. I would like to thank everyone for stopping by my page and leaving great comments. More of all I would like to thank all my blogger mates for creating such wonderful blogs that are rich with creativity, originality and passion. That is what is so great with this genre that people are free to create a space where they can express themselves. I hope you had a fantastic Xmas and here to a wonderful 2008.

How to be a Budget Fashionista

2007 has most certainly been the year of the fashion/style book. This year we have seen countless titles hit the bookshelves written by celebrities, journos, fashionistas and general Joe Bloggs that cover the experience of fashion. One book that caught the imagination of the public is How to be a Budget Fashionista, written by Kathryn Finney. You could say this book is very fitting considering the recycling craze that the nation has succumb to. Kathryn is a series fashionista who dies for her art and after moving to the East Coast to study she found herself flat broke. This experience inspired her to launch a blog in 2003 called The Budget Fashionista which gave women tips on how to look fabulous for less while learning a few things herself in the process. The success of her blog led to her getting a book deal and How to be a Budget Fashionista was born. This title has created a name for Kathryn Finney as she is now regarded as an expert savvy shopping and has appeared on shows such as Martha Stewart, NBC’s Today’s Show and Good Morning America. I set to task to ask Kathryn a few questions.

Describe the concept of The Budget Fashionista (TBF) in a nutshell?
The Budget Fashionista teaches women how to be fabulous for less. It's not about how much you pay, or your clothing size, or where you live, but it's truly about how you wear it.

So what made you decide to create the blog?
TBF was created out of a love of fashion, but a lack of cash. It was one of the first fashion blogs on the net.

We live now in a buy now pay today society, how do you think people can be more savvy with money?
Think before you buy. Ask yourself, is there at least three places I can wear this to? If you can' think at least three places then leave it on the rack. Look at clothes as more of an investment that just something you buy.

What advice would you have for someone who is in debt and does not know where to turn?
1. Stop spending
2. Take a deep breathe
3. Get your bank statement and record everything that you spent so you can have a complete picture of what's coming in and what's going out.
4. Take stock of what you can cut out (do you really need cable? Or that morning latte?)
5. Take stock of what you can sell
6. Look at other ways to make money - like a second job

Fashion blogging is huge now; fashion bloggers are even getting invites to Chanel headquarters. Name some of your favourite blogs.
Well definitely The Budget Fashionista. I'm also a big fan of The Fashion Bomb, because she really writes well for women of color, on the tech side I like Tech Crunch, and on the design side I like the Oh Joy blog because it's so beautiful.

Describe a typical day for you?
There isn't a typical day. This month I spent everyday inside, working 16 hours a day to get our Simply Good network up. Next month, I'm in LA working on a TV project.

What authors do you admire and why?
So many. I am a big reader... I love Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Amy Tan, Toni Morrison, and so many more. I have a lot of books and I loan them out to my friends.

Where did you do most of your writing? Garden, desk, coffee shop?
At my desk, while jamming to my iTunes.

What advice would you give to a budding author?
Don't talk about it, be about it. Start to write, even if it's in a journal.

What other projects do you work on?
Working on a TV show, my next book, and partnership deals with other internet companies...

Before you leave give me three tips on how to be fashionable on a budget.
1. Know thyself. Be honest with yourself and where you're at in your life. Don't buy a 16, if you really wear an 18. Don't buy a pair of uncomfortable shoes, if you're on your feet all day
2. Leave the credit cards and debit cards at home. you would be amazed about how much money you save when you do that.
3. Follow the cost per wear. The cost per wear is the cost of an item divided by the number of times you think you'll wear it in a given period. So if something costs $100 and you think you’ll wear it 20times, then your cost per wear is $5 everytime you wear it. Try and shoot for a cost per wear of less than $3.

How to be a Budget Fashionista is out now!

The Fashionista Diaries coming to the UK

2008 looks like being a very hot year in terms of TV entertainment. Not only have ITV 2 snapped up the rights to screen the fabulous, Gossip Girl. Rumour has it that Five are to broadcast a UK version of The Fashionista Diaries. Set in New York, the slick reality show followed the lives of six twenty something fashionistas taking on traineeships in companies such as CosmoGirl, Flirt Cosmetics and Seventh House PR. Roll on the New Year!

Love is Not Enough

Christmas is upon us where the nation eats and drinks to galore with no thought for tomorrow. People bombard the shops like they are possessed in search of the wonderful Christmas present for their loved ones. Then comes January when the credit card bills hit the carpet and people become aware of how much they have indulged themselves. With interests rates sky high and increasing number of home owners defaulting on mortgage repayment, it looks like 2008 will be a rocky year. If you are a woman then it is even more imperative that you get your finances under the control. More and more women are living alone and taking out mortgages in their name. There are also thousands of single mothers out there who are working hard to support their children. This means that women need to be on top of their game when it comes to their cold cash and a new book that has just been released has just the formula to do it. Love is Not Enough is a guide to personal finance written specifically for women, topics that are covered are how to reduce debt, invest with confidence and get onto the property ladder. Merryn Somerset Webb is the Editor of MoneyWeek and she writes this book with flair, imagination and with lots of chutzpah. By the time you have read the book, you will be so clued up on finances that you will also be able to write a book about it. I caught up with Merryn so she could give me some inside tips on money.

What inspired you to write the book?
I found that I was becoming increasing worried by the lack of thought women give to their long term finances. We are good at earning our own money these days but bad at leveraging our earnings into long term financial independence. I wanted to show in less than 200 pages just how easy it is. The financial industry has a huge vested interest in making money seem complicated and difficult (the more confused we are the more they can charge us) but it isn’t. It is very simple and the sooner we all understand that the better. I was also concerned about the connections we make between money and happiness. Lack of money can make us very unhappy but having money can’t actually make us happy – this was a theme I wanted to look at in more detail.

Why do you think some women are reluctant to talk about money easily like men do?
Education and upbringing. Fathers don’t talk to daughters about money and nor do mothers. Financial sections of the papers are generally written by men for men.

Your book is very frank and cuts to chase, which I find refreshing. The title is very emotive, did you come up with it?
Thank you! Too many women – subconsciously I think (I hope) - are relying on a man to finance their long term future. They can manage the here and now but in most of their fantasy worlds a man is financing them as a family. But you can’t rely on this.. Men aren’t always all that with money and even if you find a good one you’ve a 40% chance of divorcing and being alone anyway. Love is not enough.

Ok I am a woman in my 30s who has gotten to grips with my finances but I want to go to the next level of stocks and shares. What would be your advice on getting into this area?
There’s a chapter in the book on it – read that and you should know pretty much all you need to know!

You did an MA in Japanese studies, how did you get into finance?
I was hired by a stockbroker in Tokyo when I finished my Japanese course there and things moved on from that.

Give me five tips on investment.
I have to refer you back to the chapter on investing in the book for this one but the key is to recognise that it is not complicated and to not be scared of markets.

How did you land your book deal?
My agent Rupert Heath contacted me after he read some of my columns in the Sunday Times and asked it there was a book I wanted to write. There was. I wrote a proposal and he sold the idea to Harper Collins. Simple as that.

What authors do you admire and why?
I have almost no time for leisure reading, any more which is awful.

The life of a writer must be a busy one. Can you describe a typical day?
My day job is editing Moneyweek magazine so most of my time is spent in my office there. I get the baby up and leave home at 8. Into the office for 8 hours of talking, writing and editing and then home at 6 to give the baby her bath and reading before bed. No glamour I’m afraid!

Where do you do most of your writing, desk, garden, coffee shop?
Garden and coffee shop sound lovely but sadly not. My freelance columns are written in my tiny study at home after the baby has gone to sleep and the rest is done in the office at Moneyweek. That said I did write the book at my mother’s house in the South of France just after the baby was born so that was rather better!

What other projects do you have in the pipeline?
I’m pretty busy. I’ve got Moneyweek to do plus columns in the Sunday Times, the Evening Standard, The Sunday Post and Saga and a few other bits and bobs. I’m also doing increasing amounts of radio and TV work which I love. But I am hoping to do another book in the next year or so – I’ll keep you posted.

Harper Collins have given me five copies of Love is Not Enough for five lucky readers. All you have to do is email me your details and you will get a copy in the post.

The paperback issue of Love in Not Enough is available in January. You can check out Merryn Somerset Webb's website here.