Happy New Year - Spend in Style!

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    Along with New Year's Day comes the realization that—oy vey!—maybe you should have laid off the champagne a little last night. And oh dear, all those New Years resolutions you made! They seemed reasonable enough at the time. Why do they seem so unattainable now?

    Whether you resolved to save money, spend more wisely, or both—what better year than this to actually stick to a resolution (for once)? Good thing these resolutions don’t involve giving up your favorite food, or attending a gym, or anything crazy like that.

Saving: Get out those piggy banks and start packing them full of all that loose change—and maybe a couple of those credit cards while you’re at it! Saving your precious earnings can feel like a pretty big deal. Maybe not as serious as somebody stealing your first born, but your second?

    Let’s face it; shopping is the whole reason some of us work in the first place! So for those of you who can no longer decipher whether you shop to live, or live to shop, this could be one of those life-altering changes. For the better, of course. Not only are you learning how to practice self-control, you’ll be pleased at what a couple months savings can add up to.

Spending: Now grab a hammer. It’s time for a little therapeutic piggy bank smashing. Get ready to reap the benefits of a bursting bank.

    What better way to start a New Year fresh than with new duds at freshly reduced prices? In every mall from La Jolla’s UTC to Downtown’s Horton Plaza, you should be able to find a sale at each and every store—especially department stores like Nordstrom, Macy’s and Robinson’s May.

    You’ll be able to walk into stores such as Neiman Marcus or Saks Fifth Avenue and not wince when you look at the price tags. And instead of settling for cheap knock-offs, you’ll be able to splurge on actual designer fashions! Buyer’s remorse will soon be a thing of the past, like a bad dream. You’re spending only on items you love, items you’ll continue to love even into next season—and then some!