Same Butterfly, different price

I kept my promise, I did look up Dogeared in several sites. Take a look at the different prices for the same Dogeared "Butterfly Kisses" necklace.

$48 at Revolve Clothing

$46 at Rain Collection

$39.98 at Ladyabbies

$33.60 at Shop Ashiya

my new project

I'm a fan of simple jewelry. I just found an amazing brand!!

...DOGEARED!!

i checked out its website. Some of its items are pricey, no worries though,
I'll hunt through the web for several stores that sell this jewelry for a lower price.
I'll keep you posted.


wish me luck. :)

LBD

If there is anything I have learned from my mother is that I should at all times own a LBD, a little black dress. I have been looking through several stores searching for a LBD to add to my collection.

Shop Ashiya, $31.50
I love this dress.
The front of the dress gives a perfect fit for the bust.

Forever 2, $22.80



Charlotte Russe, $28.99
I disliked this dress.
The material is a bit weird and did not accentuate my body.

Nine West

Fortunately, my presentation was postponed for the upcoming Thursday. I went shopping yesterday for shoes to match with my attire. I bought myself some black Nine West heels similar to these:

Nine West, $49.99

Fleur de lis

When I attended my college orientation, all the incoming students were given a Fleur de lis pin.

At the moment, I thought it was pretty, but didn't know the meaning of it. Ever since that day, I have seen this symbol a lot, especially in jewelry.

My new dress

This dress just arrived at Shop Ashiya. I bought it yesterday and I'm already thinking of when I should wear it. Perhaps Ill wear it next week. Its too cold today for a dress. Id rather my comfy jeans :) .

Wal-Mart....really?!

Last night I was surfing through Wal-Mart.com and I was astonished. I had no idea that Wal-Mart carries class rings!! I knew that it sells jewelry, but I would have never imagined that it sells class rings. When I graduated from high school, I bought a ring that I was able to design myself. I was content with the outcome, but looking back, it was a bit pricy.

(sorry the pictures are a bit dark. new camera, still learning how to maneuver it )

I found these customizable rings on the Wal-Mart site.

Ring 1, $149-214

Available in Silver Plus, 10kt and 14kt yellow or whitw gold

Ring 2, $125-300
Available in Valadium, Silver plus, 10 kt and 14 kt yellow or white gold.

Ring 3, $50
Available in Sterling Silver

Ring 4, $49

Not for me

I turn left and right. All I see are girls wearing the 'gladiator sandals'. I found a few. Some are nice, others not so much. I'm not a big fan of them, not my style.

Vogelzang,$60

RANFORD, $50

FARILDOR, $60

CARROWAY, $90

The shoes presented are from www.aldoshoes.com

R.I.P. Bulova

My Bulova watch and I are inseparable. I received it as a X-Mas gift 2 years ago and treasure it! But, now, I have decided I want a more casual watch to wear. Its time to give my good-old Bulova a rest.

Bulova, priceless

I found this simple, leather strap Guess watch.

Guess, $85


.....For 10 more dollars I can get this

The same watch from the picture above in a Leather Strap Boxed Set!
Guess, $95

Business Casual

so.... I have a presentation coming up, its on March 17. The attire must be 'Business casual'. I had originally planned to continue with my tradition of wearing green for St. Patty's day, but I'll have to dress in more conservative colors. I found these nice suits I liked:

Inspired

I just finished watching 20/20 on ABC and they raised a very good point. Are we educated in knowing what to do when we do not receive the customer service we deserve or when we receive a defective item? I have witnessed several people being mistreated and ignored! My aunt, for example, paid for a 160 GB PS3 and received the 80GB. Unfortunately, she let things be and did not fight to get the PS she paid for. Although I encouraged her to do so, she felt that it would get her nowhere. I've done some research on how to file a complain efficiently, here are some tips that I have found:

1. Write To The Senior Person Responsible
   It is important that you get the name and detailed mailing address of a very senior person responsible for the product or service that you are complaining about. I generally try to write to the V.-P. level. Never go below Director level if you want a serious response. Name and address information can be obtained from the organization's Web site or by calling the company and asking for the name and title of the senior person who you should write to.
2. Don't Send An E-Mail
   When it comes to sending a serious complaint to a company, don't send an e-mail, regardless of what it may say on their Web site. E-mails are usually handled dismissively by low level "customer service" people. If you want serious attention and action, the formal written complaint letter is the only way to go. (yes, by snail mail!). When it arrives in the V.-P.s office, it triggers a bureaucratic process that ensures that the right people will see your letter, and will act on it.
   
   
3. Keep It As Short As Possible
   Preferably no longer than one page, two at the most. When drafting a complaint letter there can be a tendency to go on and on just to make sure the recipient gets the point. Keep it as short as possible, but without diluting the facts of your message too much.
   
   
4. Give It A Heading For Easy Identification
   Place a heading at the top of the letter with information that the company or agency will relate to, such as your account number or customer number. Make it easy for them to find you on their computer filing system.
   
   
5. Clearly Explain The Situation
   Make sure that you give all of the specific details needed so that the company/agency can verify your claim without you having to get into an endless game of telephone tag with them. Include specific dates, times and places, as well as the names of people you dealt with. If you're not sure of these when composing the letter, call them back and ask for the specifics. (You don't have to say it's for a complaint letter).
   
   
6. Use A Positive and Respectful Tone
   I have found that the best approach is to use a positive upbeat tone. Remember, you are writing to a senior person who probably sympathizes with what happened to you. Your tone should convey the message that you are the innocent victim and you understand that the company wouldn't have done such a thing deliberately.
   
   
7. Send Copies If Appropriate
   There can be cases where it is wise to send a copy of the letter to other parties just to make sure that you will get some serious action. For example, in a case where you have been told to write to a Regional Manager of a program, it is often a good idea to make sure that someone in head office also gets a copy. I sometimes send a copy to customer services or customer relations, offices at the national level.
   
   
8. "Shame" Them As Much As Possible
   Companies that claim and advertise high levels of customer focus and service do not like to be criticized in those areas. If you have a strong case that makes them vulnerable in one of these areas, use as much ammunition as you can to embarrass them in these sensitive areas. Modern marketing terms such as: customer relationship management (CRM), one-to-one marketing, most valuable customer (MVC), and customer-centric focus, all tend to get their attention. Also, using such terms makes you sound like an authority.
   
   
9. Imply You Might Take Your Business Elsewhere
   I always do this near the closing. Companies don't like to lose customers, especially long-time customers. Senior marketing people are well aware that study after study has shown that it costs five to seven times as much to recruit a new customer as it does to hold on to an existing one.
   
   
10. Ask For An Early Reply
    In the closing paragraph of your complaint letter, state specifically that you are expecting an early reply. Make sure that you follow-up by phone or e-mail if you have heard nothing in three weeks. Some companies will send you an acknowledgement letter stating that they are working on your case and will get back to you within a week or two.

Courtesy of http://www.writinghelp-central.com/article-complaint-letter.html

Build it

Stores are getting very creative and coming up with new ideas constantly. I had heard about Build-A-Bear, the store where kids can create their own plush animals. I also know about Dell's option of designing your own laptop. Last year in August I purchased a Dell laptop and designed it myself. I had complete control about what properties I wanted my laptop to come with.

How awesome does 'Build Your watch' sound? FOSSIL allows you to either select a watch from its variety or to create your own. I had some fun designing a few. These are the two that I came up with:

(left: $70, right: $75)

Although I thought the idea was pretty cool, FOSSIL didnt have many styles to choose from and the watches are extremely overpriced.

Fiancial Advice for Young Adults

With a shaky economy and the decrease of job availability, it is important to manage your money efficiently. As a college student, I know firsthand how tough it can be to stretch a dollar to pay all the expenses. College is demanding and energy absorbent that going to school full time and working crazy shifts to get the complete 40 hours is insane. I came across a very insightful article that brings up good points about how to save money. I would like to pass on this information so that people can improve their saving habits. Here are the eight tips I would like to share with you:

1. Learn self control NOW, not later
It is important to grasp the idea of delaying gratification. It is essential that you purchase necessary items when you have saved up the money to buy it. Although it can be easy and t tempting to purchasing something on credit, it is the wrong way to go. Credit card interests are high and paying back an entire amount can take quite a while.

2. Don't put your financial future in someone else's hands.
Do not at any moment, allow someone else to manage your money. Treat your money as a treasure and only you administrate it. You do not want to give people power over your money. They can easily mismanage it. Instead of going to others so they can take care of your money, take the time to educate yourself on personal finance.

3. Pay attention to where your money goes.
At the beginning of the month, create a budget for yourself so that you are aware of where your money goes to. Recording your expenses allows you to see clearly how your habits are affecting your pocket. Then, you will learn that making a few changes can increase your
saving in the long run.

4. Start an emergency fund.
Regardless of all the expenses you currently have, save a few bucks every month for your
emergency fund. No one knows when you'll need, but when the time comes, you'll be
prepared.

5. Start saving for retirement now.
The earlier you begin to save for your retirement, the less principal you will need to invest
to obtain the necessary amount to retire.

6. Get a grip on taxes.
Since there will be deductions on every paycheck you receive, you must inform yourself
about how income taxes work to prevent any surprises when you receive your paycheck and
realize that the amount is lower than what you had expected.

7. Guard your health.
When choosing a heal insurance provider, seek to find the lowest quote. Dont settle for
the first insurance you come across. Do your homework and research different possibilities.

8. Guard your wealth.
Take steps to protect your money. You earned your money through hard work, protect it.

Warm and Sunny

I am really looking forward to sunny, warm days. I cannot wait to go to the beach and enjoy a great outing with my family. Last year, I bought some sunglasses and I've been thinking about replacing them with some new ones. These Ralph Laurens sunglasses caught my attention:

AND

Smooth transition

It is once again that time of the year that teenagers prepare for their transition from high school to college. For some teens, their transition includes living in a dorm. Here are some everyday-use essential things that new incoming college students need. Lively, colorful things will give a dorm a cozy atmosphere!

For Bed and Bath:







For Storage:

Problem Solved

I recently bought some boots, BUT they aren't just any boots. After many indecisive visits to the mall, I finally settled on which ones I liked the most. I wanted some boots that were stylish, yet different. I bought the Kettle Black Koolaburra fringe boots! I love them!

These were some other boots that were also appealing to me:

AND




I truly believe I have made the right choice!