In the world of Save. Spend. Splurge.: Freelancer who billed $432K so far this year gives some tips

1. Making bank

This freelancer is writing infomercial scripts, making $50K per project. His tips are spot on actually, and very useful if you are going to be a freelancer. Freelancing also takes a different kind of mindset in dealing with work and how you see yourself.

2. Kitsch

This clutch is nothing I would ever buy, think of buying, but yet I cannot stop looking at it. It’s so kitschy, it’s perfect. It’s so weird and yet not weird at all. It’s undefinable for me, and totally a fun piece if I had you know, that kind of money to burn on a piece that will only sit on display in my closet and never get used. I am way more likely to carry this gorgeous, MUCH MUCH CHEAPER handmade leather satchel for $45.

3. Lies!

Employers are saying they need employees in the office for “productivity”. I questioned that years ago, and frankly, I feel like I am being proven right – some of us do not ever need to be in the office. I mean, yes, I would like to go in once in a while – I think 2-3 days a week in the office would be great, but not full-time. And if need be, I can work from home 100% of the time as well.

So I feel rightly vindicated in reading this article debunking the “productivity” myth; really, employers just want to see your face and what they’re paying for. The work from home life is perfect for exactly these reasons – I can go to the bank in the middle of the day, I can choose to nap quickly before a big meeting, and I can boil water for my pasta for lunch while I am on a call. It’s just making my life way more efficient. I only wish that Little Bun could go to school safely, and it would be PER-FECT.

4. Leafing through

I am usually not a bed linens sort of person, but I am a sucker for leaf prints. This organic cotton set is so pretty and moody. It comes in different colourways, and I think linens can really add an accent to the room that isn’t so permanent. Rather than painting the walls deep teal, you could have it in the bed linens! And change it out, or turn them into curtains later (something my mother used to always do).

5. Privileged

This money diary sparked quite a furor online. It follows a marketing intern who lives in NYC, working at a PAID internship (unheard of in NYC), and being pretty much bankrolled by her parents and grandparents. On the one hand, people are saying there’s nothing wrong with it if it’s generational wealth and she’s able to live that way because of her family. On the other hand, people are saying it’s a troll account that sounds totally made up to get on Refinery29, and NO ONE is that privileged and unaware of it.

Me? I just found it to be decent enough reading to spark all the feelings of slight envy, to thoughts about how I am going to help be the same kind of provider to Little Bun in the future. I mean, at the end of the day, true or not, it’s her and her parents’ money, not ours. She can spend it how she wants. I think what kind of really hit a nerve with everyone however, is how unaware she was of her privileges .. having rich friends for instance, who has personal vegan chefs cook for them, is not something that a “normal” intern would have access to. Good food for thought.

6. Sunrays

I bought these Ray-Ban tortoiseshell glasses a while ago, and they are quite a perfect neutral to every outfit. It has nosepads (CHECK!), it is tortoiseshell (a favourite of mine), it has a cute little flair on the edges of the lenses, and it looks classic and timeless. They look like these Clubmasters, but rounder and curvier. It really does make a difference, the shape of a lens on your face.

7. Inspo

I am lately, really into DIY inspiration and gathering fodder for my future home/garden/closet/office. I am thinking about how things should look to feel comfortable and yet practical (no high maintenance grape vines for me please, I will take kiwis instead or something similar to provide shaded greenery), so when I saw these DIY hacks, I was .. well, inspired. I wouldn’t do all of them, but I think hacking an Ikea TV stand is within my realm of skill. Just need a few cute legs to attach, some paint, and hardware.

8. Panama-bound

I have been looking for what I called a “Coco Chanel” hat, and I realized the style is “Panama”. I found a hat that fits the bill! I usually wear fedoras (I like the shape), or very wide brimmed sunhats, so this is kind of in between the two – structured but still wide-brimmed and flat, perfect for keeping the sun off my face, now that I am trying to be sunscreen free to save the marine life and coral reefs.