Budget Thursday: Karmen Pump
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If you’ve been on the main site, you’ll know that I’ve been recommending the Karmen pump for years, in part because the readers have been recommending it for years. Payless filed for bankruptcy in April and has closed many stores (check on yours here), so if you like this shoe or if you haven’t tried it yet and need a very affordable pump (with a 3″ heel), do give it a try. You can pop into your closest Payless store (er, if there’s still one around) and pick up a pair there, or you can buy one on Amazon, which has 10 colors in sizes 5-13 (including some wide sizes). Comfort Plus by Predictions Karmen Pump
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Sales of note for 1/16:
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – Cashmere on sale; AllSaints, Free People, Nike, Tory Burch, and Vince up to 60%; beauty deals up to 25% off
- AllSaints – now up to 60% off (some of the best leather jackets!)
- Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your full-price purchase; extra 50% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles with code — readers love this blazer, these dresses, and their double-layer line of tees
- DeMellier – Sale now on, free shipping and returns — includes select options like Montreal, Vancouver, and Venice
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; extra 50% off all clearance, plus ELOQUII X kate spade new york collab just dropped
- Everlane – Sale of the year, up to 70% off — reader favorites include their scoop tee, Dream Pant, ReNew Transit backpack, silk blouses and oversized blazers! New markdowns just added
- Hannah Andersson – Up to 30% off all pajamas;
- J.Crew – Up to 40% off select styles; up to 50% off cashmere
- J.Crew Factory – 40-70% off everything
- L.K. Bennett – Archive sale, almost everything 70% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Tag sale for a limited time — jardigans and dresses $200, pants $150, tops $95, T-shirts $50
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Semi-Annual Red Door Sale – 50% off + extra 20% off, sale on sale, plus free shipping on $150+
And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- The concept of “backup care” is so stupid…
- I need tips on managing employees in BigLaw who have to leave for daycare pickup…
- I’m thinking of leaning out to spend more time with my family – how can I find the perfect job for that?
- I’m now a SAHM and my husband needs to step up…
- How can I change my thinking to better recognize some of my husband’s contributions as important, like organizing the shed?
- What are your tips to having a good weekend with kids, especially with little kids? Do you have a set routine or plan?
SEP and Solo 401(k) plans were mentioned in the comments on the main site and it got me googling.
We pay our nanny on the books and are registered with the State as a “sole proprietorship” with a state tax ID number. Does this qualify us to start a SEP plan or a Solo 401(k)?
Just curious as to everyone’s experiences. When did you stop using a stroller with your child? Was it your choice, or your child’s? Reasoning?
Ugh, I’ve posted about my job dilemma before, but I’m posting again because I’m discouraged and need to vent. I was really excited about a job at possibly the most interesting public interest place in my town (medium city) and certainly one of the only ones where I could see a job materializing… and I’m realizing that I’m not sure I like the people there. Or at least two I’d be working with closely really rubbed me the wrong way, and I generally like most people.
I guess, commiseration? I really want to get out of biglaw into the public interest sphere and am willing to take a huge pay cut, but I’m having trouble finding somewhere. I have great credentials (I really do!), so it’s frustrating.
But there’s no state or federal government where I live, local never hires and basically I should have gone to a local law school for the network. I’ve been networking while working in biglaw and it hasn’t gone anywhere. I really want to go somewhere mission driven, I just don’t know if I can find anyone to hire me!
This job should be a perfect fit. I might still take it if they offer. It just doesn’t feel good.
Kiddo came home from school and announced that she is “done” with sandwiches. Apparently that means rolled up sandwiches as well as bread + filling sandwiches. Any suggestions for easy, make-ahead entrees with protein? Today I sent her with leftover dinner (reheated in a thermos), and yesterday I heated up some meatballs and put them in a thermos, but heating food before school is not always an option. I’d love something I could just scoop into a container the night before and pull out of the fridge the next morning.
Unfortunately, kiddo doesn’t do beans or fish. Her favorite proteins are peanut butter, deli meat (but not in sandwiches!), chicken and sausage.
No question, just a… doozy of a morning. Husband travelling for work. Kid woke up late so it was rush rush rush out the door, but not till he peed one last time and tried to open the finger paints so now his shirt is decorated with extra colours. I have half a pancake in my purse from his breakfast. I clean lost a hair tie on my walk to work. Apparently it fell off my braid (which is clipped up with a claw clip) and rolled away. And I walked in to work…and realised I wasn’t wearing a single thing on my face. No moisturiser. No sunscreen. No tinted lip balm. And definitely no makeup!!
This week 15 month old (who admittedly has never been a great sleeper) has gone from STTN pretty reliably to waking up at 1-2am, standing up in her crib and screaming at the top of her lungs. It takes a long time to calm her down and get her settled unless I bring her to sleep in our bed. Awesome, right? I know she does not have an ear infection since we were at the ped a few days ago, my mom claims it could be teething, sister says could be night terrors (?!). Either way, I am losing my mind. We never did CIO…is it time? Looking for any advice!
What do people do about clothes sizing post-baby? I realize now that I have been incredibly blessed my whole live to have a very standard bust-hip-waist ratio. I am supposed to be in a wedding 3 months PP and the consultant recommended going with whatever size my current bust is, plus one more size up to accommodate future growth of the girls.
Obviously since it’s a bridesmaid dress I’ll get it tailored, but that measurement puts me 4 sizes up from my pre-pregnancy size! What if my waist goes back to even remotely close to my old size – does that mean I’ll need to get all my clothes tailored??
I don’t know why this never occurred to me, and now I understand what all my large-chested friends have been complaining about for years. I guess the answer is you use resources like thiss1te to find clothes that are professional and accommodate nursing b**bs.