Capsule Wardrobe Sandals with Tevas

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It seems unbelievable to say, but summer is finally here. Days spent outdoors, exploring nature, laying out on beaches, barbecuing in backyards drinking lemonade – these are the things I imagine when I think of my favorite months of the year. Which then seems suitable that I talk briefly about a summer sandal option that allows for all of that and then some in a sustainable, eco-friendly way.

Prior to today, my beach sandals were rubber-soled Birks that I bought in college at $25 a pair. They are scuffed, falling apart, and many many years old. But as I travel around the sun for the thirty first time, I was gifted with a new pair of sandals that are more suited to my personality and lifestyle. You heard that right. A new pair. As in, just one.

I’ve already said my fair share about curating closets and shoes but today I want to talk about why this pair checks off all the boxes on the list when it comes to summer sandals.

I like to have only one pair of jandals, as kiwis call them. It simplifies the act of dressing up. I prefer to have a sensible color, so I don’t have to worry about whether or not the outfit makes a good fit. I know exactly what I will choose to wear shall my feet volunteer themselves to a bit of sand or a plunge in water. However, the problem with water-proof options is that they are hard to come by made in sustainable ways.

Introducing The Original Universal Teva sandal. Teva has committed to using 100% recycled plastic for the straps that tie your feet oh-so-comfortably to the sole of this shoe. Over 9 million bottles are kept out of landfills, broken down into tiny plastic particles that the ocean never dost see, and then transformed into yarn that is used to form the webbing for your feetsies. The initiative to use 100% recycled PEVA to make ALL straps for this sandal began just this year.

On top of that, they are working closely with their partners to reduce water usage since 2017, thus saving 380 million gallons of water. If you are interested in other sandal options, they are also offering vegan friendly sandals by partnering tanneries certified by Leather Tanning Group and supporting the Better Cotton Initiative. Lastly, they are dedicated to using less packaging, and since 2017 have reduced their weight of packaging by nearly 4.6 million pounds. It was nice to actually unwrap a gift sans plastic.

As if this jargon isn’t satisfying enough, I must say that the sandals are extremely comfortable on the feet and stay put for other, more strenuous activities such as hiking, crossing streams, scrambling a few rocks… Honestly though, you’ll more likely find me wearing these guys to brunch paired with a plain black T-shirt dress or a white summer frock. In the Spring and Fall, I would likely pair these with my Levis jeans and a crewneck tee or cozy sweater. It’s as no fuss as it gets – a perfect, practical addition to any closet, curated or no.

Below, I list a few other sustainable sandal options, if you are searching:

+ Mohinders – For another beach friendly shoe, I would turn to Mohinders. These handmade slides are great for walking in the sand. I also love their clogs which are perfect for wearing around the house. Mohinders is a show company that works with 3rd and 4th generation shoe-making families, and the quality of their small batch shoes is undeniable.

+ Nisolo – Nisolo is undoubtedly my go-to shoe company. While most of their leather goods aren’t suited to bodies of water, I do stand behind their huaraches for other summery activities such as barbecues and picnics in the park. I own this white pair of huaraches and my sister-in-law owns the almond and my roommate owns the brandy. It’s a well-made, well-loved shoe. I also own the Isla Slide in a Brandy color that they no longer make, but this black version is a great alternative.

+ Bryr Clogs – For the dressier occasion, Bryr clogs provide great sandal options to pair with formal dresses for cocktail parties, baby showers, and weddings. I’ve got my eye on this pretty number, myself.

Frugality: Paint Thine Walls

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If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times: There’s nothing a can of white paint can’t fix. I love white walls, and I’ve fervently written about them, that’s for certain. While there isn’t a foolproof recipe for how a minimalist home shall look, I’ve found that having a clean canvas sure helps me. Any decor is left in the details – minuscule additions that help with frugality, but also, accounts for frequent mood swings. To me, white walls are the basis of a fresh, clean home. In order to avoid sounding redundant, let’s jump right to the topic of this post which is, if you’ve got a hankering to turn your walls white, I would suggest painting thine own.

In our house, there was one room that hasn’t been painted white. Our bathroom, the smallest, most closed off space in the loft, has always been a charcoal gray. It made the space feel cramped, dark, and dingy. All emotions you don’t want in the room that’s meant to be restorative. It didn’t help that there were no windows to let light in. We decided to (finally) paint it to match the rest of the home.

I did consider hiring a painter to do the job in order to save us time and effort, but I am so glad I didn’t. The total cost of the project was $90. We went to Sherman Williams to match the Egret White walls that we already had in a semi-gloss finish. We also bought a single paint roller, some foam, and a few brushes. We had the paper to lay on the ground and blue painters tape already sitting in the garage. My parents brought over the extension rod for the roller and a ladder. It was a whole birthday affair. Having a painter do the job would have probably run us another $300+.

The amount of time it took was 6 hours – including taping the edges, painting the corners, and applying two coats of paint. Mike and I did the majority of the taping the night before. We also prepped by painting the trimmings. My mom and dad swung by the next day and did the majority of the painting. It took them about two and a half hours, while leisurely conversing and taking breaks. It definitely is no more than a two person job. It was a situation of having too many chefs in the kitchen, so Mike and I were pretty much kicked out left to cheer on the sidelines. To be fair, my parents were professionals. Having moved ten times before high school and growing up with a mom who was very into design, I would say that they’ve had their fair share of practice. It may take a newcomer another hour to figure things out.

Regardless, it was surprisingly very easy to do. We had enough time to clean up, put the bathroom together, and have a lovely dinner and cake.

I think that for a room or two, painting thine walls isn’t bad advice. It saves you a decent amount of money, and it’s a fun event when you invite others to join. All you have to do is play live music on the speakers and call it a party.

Now that the bathroom is finally white, there’s more to be considered. For today, it’s enough of a miracle, but I’ve definitely got a wishlist going…

Shower Curtains: From Parachute, Coyuchi, or The Citizenry.
Bath Mats: From Coyuchi, Jenni Kayne, or The Citizenry.
Towels: From Parachute or Coyuchi.
Hampers: From The Citizenry.
Details: Jenni Kayne Bars of Soap, Notary Ceramics Soap Dishes, Coyuchi Bathrobes, and Jenni Kayne Slippers.

Finance: High Yield Savings Accounts with Marcus

What is a High Yield Savings Account?

A high-yield savings account (HYSA) is something worth looking into. It is the same as a savings account that you would normally have at your financial institution (aka bank) but it yields higher rates (as the name suggests). A savings account at Chase bank will likely lead 0.01% interest per year, whereas a high-yield savings account can yield 5.5% with my referral link! (This post has been updated as of 2/15/24). That’s 500x more than a traditional Chase account! This may not seem like a lot, but let’s take an example to demonstrate what a difference this can make.

Let’s say you have a financial goal of saving for a home. You currently have $20,000 in the bank, sitting idle waiting for a few more pennies to roll in before house searching.

If it was sitting in a Chase account, you would make $2 over the course of the year. But, let’s say you put it in a high yield savings account such as Marcus which is currently earning 5.5% per year. Then you would get an additional $1,110 by the end of the year for doing nothing other than choosing a different place to store liquid cash. That is almost an extra $100 a month!!

Related Posts:

About HYSAs

There are many options for HYSAs. Some offer you a sign-up bonus, and I know of a friend who treats HYSAs like credit card travel hacking. He signs up to get the sign-up bonus, then transfers the money to the next HYSA. This wasn’t on our checklist of requirements, however, below I detail what I would consider to be a good HYSA.

There is no fee associated with putting in or pulling out money from high-yield investment accounts. You can transfer directly from your bank or financial institution. There is no amount of time that you are required to leave it in the HYSA, although the funds may not be available for the first few days that you transfer it. Regardless, it starts earning interest on the day you transfer. And there is no minimum deposit. If possible, you want to choose an FDIC insured institution.

One should always remember, however, that the interest you gain is a taxable amount. Anyone who gains more than $10 in interest from a savings account will file Form 1099-INT which your bank will send you to include into your tax filings. So if you are gaining interest and pulling out your money, do make sure to set aside a little bit of that interest to cover the taxes. You are only taxed on the interest earned, not the contribution (aka the money you put in).

Shall I Always Put my Extra Money Into My HYSA?

The short answer is no.

Typically, you would want to invest in long-term investment accounts to get a higher rate of return. However, if you have short-term goals that you are saving up for, using a high-yield savings account is a great strategy. You don’t want to do active investments that are high-risk if you want to buy a home. It would be a shame to save up all that you need for a down-payment and then lose it all in an active investment. Plus, active investment isn’t our choice of investment strategy anyways. I wouldn’t recommend it, not because I have a low risk tolerance but because I honestly believe that no one can consistently beat the market. On the flip side, everyone can consistently make smart financial decisions that would earn them more money. More on this a different day.

Using Marcus HYSA In Our Student Loan Repayment Strategy During COVID-19

We just recently opened up our own high yield savings account with Marcus by Goldman Sachs. Prior to COVID-19, we did not have such an account because we were funneling all of our money towards my student loan, which had an interest rate of 6.5%. The more we paid it down, the less interest we would pay over time.

However, since COVID has reverted the interest rate of public student loans to 0%, we reduced our monthly contribution to my loans from $6.5k to $1k. We then funneled all the extra cash we had into a high-yield savings account to earn interest. Before the student loan forbearance period ends on September 30, 2020, we will funnel all that money plus the interest earned into the debt.

It was a smart decision because when the COVID stay-at-home mandate started, everything was up in the air. We wanted to keep liquid cash in case of an emergency or a drastic change in income. We did not know if we would both be without jobs, or the extent to which the economy would be affected. Although we already had an emergency fund, the world-wide response to this pandemic was new to us and we did not want to take any chances. We approached it from a defensive stand-point. Surprisingly, it has worked well for us.

If you are paying down student loans, I would say there is still time (three and a half months!) to open a high yield savings account and earn a little interest passively. Then, without missing the deadline, make sure to funnel what you would normally (and then some) towards your student debt by September 30, 2020.

Also, some may ask, “Why do you still pay $1k?”. My minimum monthly payment is just under $1k normally, and although forbearance was granted to everyone without having an effect on your credit score, what most people don’t know is that forbearance still shows up on your record. It won’t mess up your record, technically speaking, but it can affect you financially. If you buy a home in the near future, for example, the mortgage lenders will see that you entered forbearance in 2020 and even though your credit score is 800, it may still affect their decision to lend to you. I didn’t want that on my record so I continued to pay it as if nothing happened. I simply stopped being aggressively paying my debt for the time-being.

Why Did We Choose Marcus by Goldman Sachs?

There are a couple things that we liked about Marcus.

They are an award-winning savings account that provides a rate that is 4x the National Average. They have no fees and minimum deposit. They allow same day transfers of $100k or less to and from other banks. They link other bank accounts for incoming and ongoing transfers which makes it very easy for me to simply log in and send money. You can open a personal account and/or joint account. And the savings are FDIC insured up to $250k (per person when considering joint accounts). This means that Mike and I can have up to a million dollars in their high yield savings account that is FDIC insured. How?

Mike opens a personal Marcus HYSA – $250k is FDIC insured.

I open a personal Marcus HYSA – $250k is FDIC insured.

We open a joint Marcus HYSA – $250k is insured for Mike, $250k is insured for me.

Lastly, we chose them simply because our roommate, Kirsten, used to work for a Goldman Sachs company. It is a reliable company and we trust our money with them. Simple as that. I know it’s a bias, so if you wish to shop the market, you can always shop the options here. I know of many people who have been happy at CIT Bank, if that helps. If you happen to choose to open a Marcus High Yield Savings Account using my referral link, you can receive an additional 1% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) from what everyone else receives on your Online Savings Accounts for 3 months.

Bottom line. I think it would behoove everyone to open a high yield savings account because many of us do save for short-term goals. We are all about earning passive income. I like to call it, free money. If you are looking to learn more, these resources are a great starting point.

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Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Must-Have Products You Will Actually Use for Bread Baking

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To say that I live in a bakery is kind of an understatement. Even though the operations of Aero have gone from our home, we still churn out sourdough loaves, baguettes, cookies, scones and teacakes weekly – if only for ourselves, friends, and family. I have easily baked a thousand loaves in the last three hundred and sixty five days. On top of bread and pastries, discarded starter has gone into pancakes and breakfast items. This is why I wanted to take a moment and share our top, must-have products that you actually use for bread baking!

Even now, as I sit and type this post, I am getting up every thirty minutes to do bread turns. Mike stands behind me making flour tortillas from scratch and I can hear the squeaking of our tortilla press. He’s even wearing a linen baker’s apron! He has gone down a different path from bread, experimenting with ramens, noodles, and tortillas. Still, these are things that I can get behind.

I may have let go of the bakery but the bakery never let go of me.

Far from getting tired of our kitchen floors being covered in flour dust, what we have as a unit (roommate included) is an equal appreciation of jam, butter, and avocado toast, which we connect over cups of coffee in the mornings. We share the justification of munching on teacakes by going on group runs. Japanese ramen and Mexican dishes run rampant on our weekly menus.

There was a time when we were the only ones dishing out gluten products from scratch. But during these troubling months, I’ve seen more and more people turn to bread baking and I can’t help but rejoice on the inside. Visiting the grocery shelves these last few months has shown me that people are hanging onto bread flour and active yeast lately. Hopeful me is standing by the sidelines with jubilee cheering on a healthier reformation around carbohydrates. For those who haven’t jumped on the bandwagon, here’s a bit of pretend. Or for those thinking of starting, a worthy wish list to consider.

Must Have Products That You Will Actually Use for Bread Baking

+ A mill to get the freshest quality flour.

+ A Cast Iron Combo Cooker that’s affordable but also quality stuff.

+ A reliable rolling pin to ease the process (if you know, you know).

+ A linen apron, so that you can do turns right before work.

+ A Kitchen Aid Mixer, a.k.a. a baker’s best friend.

+ A tough bread knife that can cut day old sourdough (arguably the best kind).

+ A decent cutting board.

+ A bread box, for those who don’t freeze their bread (we do).

+ A marble pastry slab to keep dough cool while rolling.

And of course, jam, decent butter, and market avocados.

Any questions regarding bread baking, I’d love to help. Say hi on my Instagram.

Small Space Living

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Tip 12: Introducing Color

For the past few years, I have been quite averse to introducing color into my life. Not that my life has been any less colorful. It’s just, I learned through my de-cluttering of closets that a minimalist earns more success by sticking to a neutral palette. And it’s true. I’ve lived a simplified life that has allowed me to blossom in other, more prioritized aspects by sticking to a curated few guidelines: Less is more, clutter-free is productive, and neutral reigns supreme.

Prior to my minimalism journey, I was a person in love with color. My closet was an exploding rainbow tucked into drawers. My duvet cover was a painting printed on fabric, and I myself painted and hung up my art on the walls. I had a hodge-podge of jewelry and accessories and my signature bag was Kate Spade – the funky kind. But when I graduated from dental school with a huge student debt, I found all of that to be overwhelming – which is what initially led me to de-clutter, whittling down all I owned to nothing but white, black, brown and grey. And for three years, that decision and lifestyle carried me through some very tough times. For that, I am grateful.

After what I would consider to be a wild success with my loan repayment journey, we are finding ourselves entering a new stage in life – one wherein I do have a little more space to allow a tiny bit of myself back in. And when I turned to making the house a home these past few months, the items I was attracted to had, well, color.

Which is what this post is about. Introducing color is absolutely scary for me. Mostly because, I have found that color tires the eyes. It disrupts the space. It can be loud and encroach on the mind. And to be honest with you, I will get sick of a color after a while. That’s just the way it is. Unlike whites which last forever (especially with the help of bleach), colors will likely only be loved for a few years. They will fade, both physically and metaphorically. And for a very long time, this fact is what stopped me from introducing color back into my home and my closet. Because I didn’t have money to waste on a few year’s worth of joy.

But what I’ve learned is that, life without joy is not really living. I keep re-learning that intentional living is as much the frivolous little things as the journey to get there.

There will be many a blog space and minimalist person chanting the pros of an all-white space. I mean, Jenni Kayne has certainly proven the timelessness of blanched walls and bleached linens. And small spaces can appear larger with white everything. But the truth of the matter is, we all have a calling to certain colors. Who’s to say that a formula fits all? There are colors that, for whatever reason, are subconsciously reminiscent of a previous lifetime – and for every person, these colors are different. In fact, for the same person, these colors change over time. Whatever the science is behind all of this, I am going to say that as a small space occupant and minimalist writer, I am giving permission (mostly to myself) to introduce color.

Everyone’s tolerance will be different, and one should aim for the amount of color that works for their particular space, but if you are like yours truly and are hesitant (or afraid), may I suggest the following guidelines that have helped me?

Start with a section of the color wheel.
Begin with smaller items; Accessories in blue rather than a full-on velveteen couch.
Choose “color neutrals”, as coined by my dear friend when speaking about this Parachute bedding of ours. An undoubtedly terra cotta color, but its closeness to brown makes it more neutral. Other color neutrals would be seashore blue or dusty rose, a pale yellow or olive green.

Start not necessarily by adding color, but by knowing your emotions toward certain colors. Which ones are exhaustingly loud? Which are depressing or make you moody? Which ones give you energy?
Don’t choose a color because of a trend. Trends will change come next season.
Before making the purchase, find similar examples online and check-in on how they make you feel.
Lastly, follow your gut reaction. You know more than you think.

For the curious, the wool pillows are from Territory Design.

Gift Guide: Father’s Day

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I have always had a close connection with the celebration of Father’s Day. One reason is that I share the date with my birthday every six years or so, and my dad and I would always celebrate together. The second reason is perhaps related to a similarity to my dear pops and the close relationship that results. When I used to work down the street from my parent’s home, one of my favorite moments of the week was the hour prior to my workday when dad and I used to stand around the kitchen island sipping coffee and talking about whatever. When I first graduated from dental school, I invited my dad to breakfast at his favorite diner and over eggs and a cup of joe, I asked him for finance advice. And when there is trouble brewing between myself and my mom or my sister, guess who the first person I talk to is. That’s right. Dear old dad.

I know there are different types of dads out there, but mine in particular is the great listener type, and provides good, practical advice. He is my number one sounding board. I’m sure many daughters can relate. Still, there are fathers who fill other roles – the errand running type, the babysitting type, the cook for large gatherings type, the adventurer type, the handyman type, the chillax type … well you get it.

For those wishing to shower their fathers with gifts this year, I put together a collection of ideas which can all be ordered online. Just make sure to account for the extra time it takes to ship during these times.

+ A dutch oven for the dad who loves to cook or bake (or anything else from this list.)

+ The most versatile coffee mug and a coffee subscription to match.

+ A pair of sneakers for the errand-running, dog-walking, on-the-go type of dad.

+ A new tumbler for dads who love a good workout.

+ Packing cubes for the frequent flyer or backpacking adventurer.

+ Blue light blockers for weekdays and sunnies for weekends.

+ New speakers for music and movie loving dads.

+ Organic undies for carefree, lounging dudes.

+ Finally, a good night’s sleep, which every dad deserves.

These are my personal picks that I imagine different types of fathers would enjoy.

I hope you find one that suits you.

Simple Things: Art

A simple life is an imaginative life. Sometimes, you have to make do with what you’ve got, and when that happens, you best give way to creativity lest you fail to maneuver a solution out of thin air. When it comes to decorating the home with artwork, I think that sticking with what you’ve already got is best, especially from a frugal standpoint.

Our perception of what constitutes as “good” art is lacking in credential. We’ve oft walked into a museum of curated work and commented to each other that a kindergartner can do the work. Obviously, this isn’t true. We definitely lack a certain appreciation of what professionals consider masterpieces. But I just can’t justify the expensive prices tacked onto most art pieces. Add this to my short span of appreciation for any piece of work and you’ve spelled out trouble for this art buyer.

So I stick to what works for me – that being simpler art solutions in the form of magazine clippings, posters, or in this case, printed work on a reused Aritzia bag. Free stuff, dorm room style. Transient things that I can throw away in the end without a worry. Things that I actually like hanging up on my walls.

This past weekend, our dear friends swung by to drop off a gift for my birthday – a pair of latte mugs and wooden coasters from GoodiesLA. It was wrapped in a reused Aritzia bag with a few bundles of tissue paper. The bag, however, had two different prints on either side on what I would consider quality paper. I decided to cut out both sides, leaving a white border around the image. In lieu of a picture frame, I taped the two images using paper tape with a leaf print on it.

Thus, new art hanging in our kitchen wall.

I know it seems a bit tacky for some. But I enjoy this way of decorating. I am able to spruce up the home without spending money or stressing about whether I’ve made the right choice. Let’s face it. Paying for pricey masterpieces leads met to a long trail of anxious thoughts. Did I make a worthy purchase? Does it match the space? Will I like it tomorrow? Am I a crazy person? (Mayhaps).

This is a happy life for me. Truth be told, there’s something about embracing what you lack. This life stage of mine where I can’t pull the trigger on an expensive art piece is how I’ve always lived – stuck in the perfectly imperfect. It’s nice to know that, even now, I’m still growing up, still tied to my early twenties somehow.

A good birthday gift all around.

How I Made $331.14 in May 2020 Blogging from Home

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more. I started blogging right after graduating from dental school without ever thinking I’d earn money from it. At the time, I turned to this blog as a place to record my daily life. Ever since teenhood, I have kept some sort of journal or diary, which has evolved over time from paper to Xanga to Melodramatic, and now onto WordPress. For almost twenty years, I’ve processed information through writing, but never once did I think I would earn money from it. It’s been three years since owning this site but I am happy to say that it is now getting a little bit of traction and has started to earn me a little income. If I wasn’t working as a dentist during the day, I could see how this could become a steady day job. Still, even with my day job, it had turned into a fun side-hustle for me. I decided to log my earnings for my own personal tracking but also to share publicly how much one can make blogging from home. Now that remote work seems to be in the near future for many, I do think that blogging is a good option for people who wish to work from home. Likewise, it is an opportunity to be your own boss and have your own space. Since you are writing your own content, you have the flexibility to work whenever you want to, which I know can be a good or bad thing. Of course, you can always practice habits that will separate work from home. Lastly, this is a great hobby or job for creative people. You have autonomy over how to execute your ideas and thoughts, making this a very freeing experience for those who don’t quite fall neatly into a traditional work environment or big company hierarchy. But first, how did I start to monetize the blog? If you are new to blogging, you may not know that you can earn income from owning such a space. I certainly didn’t. But then I took this course called Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, and it changed my life. Related Posts:

What is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate Marketing is working with brands that you love in order to spread the word about their products and in return receiving commissions for any referred patrons. Sometimes these are physical products from almost any company you can think of. Other times, they are intellectual products such as courses or services that help improve other people’s lives. The best part is that you don’t have to “sell out” to do affiliate marketing. You don’t have to scheme or cheat people. For me, it’s really just promoting companies that I believe in. For example, the companies I choose to partner with are those that promote sustainably sourced products using fair trade and ethical factory conditions. I like to promote small name businesses trying to create social or environmental impact. I try to keep it to an exclusive few even though I’ve been approved for over 2,000 different companies (so far). There are a few nuances to affiliate marketing and I didn’t know much about it prior to the course. But the course helped me to learn A LOT and it’s just another case of “you don’t know what you don’t know.” You could learn it all yourself, but it’s hard to without a guide to get you through the basics. I highly recommend this course if you wish to monetize your blog but don’t know where to start.

Extra Income Report

Now, onto the numbers. In June 2020, I made $331.14 in extra income. Of that, this is the breakdown:

$301 is from sponsored posts. I count the monetary value of products that I receive and review as “income”. I do not accept products for review without first learning about the company and product. As a minimalist, I also only look for products that we currently need. I am honest in all my product reviews and list both pros and cons because I want to be as helpful to the consumer and the company, both.
$31.14 is from affiliate links. This means that people clicked on a link I wrote about and I earned commission for referring a consumer.

I know it seems like not much, but as something I do for fun, I think it’s a nice little additional income. Over time, I hope to continue posting more income reports. Maybe it will help others looking for a side-hustle get a feel for whether blogging could become an alternative for them. As always, my goal with this blog is to promote intentional living. Writing is a way to create a lifestyle that is in tune with what you want to do. Sure, it may not be the perfect job, but if working from home and having flexibility help allow you to live your dream life (one that includes traveling the world or becoming a stay-at-home parent), then I hope this space brings you that value. If you are interested in starting a blog, I use WordPress. Feel free to sign up using my affiliate link. If you already have a blog, I want to refer you to the course that helped me monetize mine. It’s a really great starting point. It’s called Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing.