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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 190 Comments · by

Frugal Friday’s TPS Report: Long Sleeve Wool Ruffle Blazer

The Personal Shopper (TPS)

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Charter Club Jacket, Long Sleeve Wool Ruffle BlazerI've noticed this boiled wool blazer before at Macys.com, and I think with the right outfit it could be really cute — I like the bright color, the almost origami-like ruffles, and the shawl collar. I'd wear it with dark gray pants and (for February) perhaps a super pale pink long-sleeved tee or sweater. The jacket was $89, but is now marked to $59, with an additional 15% off with code LOVE. Charter Club Jacket, Long Sleeve Wool Ruffle Blazer Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-2)

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Comments

  1. Ellie

    I think the red and pink combo would be a little too Valentines-y for me, especially in February. I’d stick with orange. But good find, and great price!

    • Ellen

      I FULY agree! I do NOT like it when peeple think I am just a pretty face. I have a BRAIN ALSO. FOOEY!

  2. anon

    very charming.
    i like the pale pink idea, or perhaps cream – the white with this seems too stark. and i love red with dark grey.

  3. s

    If anyone is still looking for an express coupon code for yesterday’s pants, i just got an e-mail today. $30 off of $90 and $50 off of $150, promo code is 1056.

    • j-non

      thank you! I have been coveting a jacket there, but couldn’t justify $100 on a red pleather jacket i would wear only occasionally. $70? That i can justify!

  4. Tired Squared

    Oh, I like this blazer! The ruffles probably have to lay flat like they do on the model, though … I wonder if it would look the same on us larger-chested women?

    • Blonde Lawyer

      Those are adorable. Beans has an amazing return policy so if they ever wear out, you can get them replaced. If you don’t love them, find them uncomfortable, etc., you can return them. You are looking for justifications right :)?

    • Monday

      I love those. My one concern would be the suede wrapping on the heel. In my experience, heels get nicked almost immediately if you do any walking at all. Suede is prone to showing dirt too. Winter wear might be especially precarious. But again, I love.

    • Supra

      I adore those boots, but at barely 5’3″ I can’t speak to the heel height. FWIW, I would love to be taller. Also, supermodels and wanna be supermodels seem to wear heels all the time and look graceful and gorgeous. Also, the bootie type seems to work best with looooong legs as the shape kind of cuts off shorter legs.

      I would wear the orange ones with dark, skinny jeans, tucked into the boot and a loose cream colored blouse.

    • Kady

      super cute! would you get the orange or beige (me, I’m rooting for the orange)

    • spacegeek

      Love the boots–you are making me consider them too! And I had no idea that LL Bean had an upscale site! These look like my “degree” of dressiness (business casual, somewhat tailored, could be funky–like those boots!) Anyone purchased from LL Bean Signature? Fit and quality reviews??

      • cbackson

        I love it. Everything I’ve gotten has been high quality. Fits are a smidge large on dresses, but not enough for me to order down.

      • Anonnny

        It looks like they’re offering 15% off and free shipping right now with the code BOOT15.

    • Godzilla

      Scaring off insecure men and potential criminals are selling points, not detractions . GO ORANGE.

      • Tired Squared

        This!!

        And if a potential criminal ISN’T scared off, then you’ll do an awesome high kick to scare off in a more physical manner…

    • Jr. Prof

      Wow! When did LL Bean get so fashion-y?!?!!? Before I clicked over, I thought you’d be contemplating a pair of orange duck boots. These are awesome! Great find.

    • Amelia Bedelia

      Buy them!
      Now!
      and then let me know how fabulous they are and convince me to buy them!!!!!!

  6. momentsofabsurdity

    This is a little twee for my taste. Oh well, shawl collars seem to broaden my (already broad) shoulders.

    So I had my raise negotiation with my boss — scary! I asked for a LOT of things because I am trying to decide whether to attend a prestigious graduate program (I already have the acceptance) or defer and work another year here. I’m in the enviable position of having all good options – but good god, it’s scary! I’ve never had to negotiate with a list of criteria of things I’m looking for and fairly little flexibility. I didn’t leave myself a lot of room for him to come back with a different proposal – because as I explained to him, every year I stay at my current company at my current salary is a year I am potentially giving up making six figures (average starting salary out of this graduate program is high five/low six figures).

    Now my boss needs to present my proposal to the majority shareholders, which he is doing today. It’s scary! I am hoping he will let me know some time next week but this waiting game is killing me.

    • ELS

      Be advised as well that the “average” starting salaries for graduate programs, like law schools, are often not a good snapshot of what your actual options will be.

      For instance, my particular law school (low Tier 1 – meaning in the 40s) had an average starting salary of around 89K per year. What actually happens with graduating classes (once everyone is employed) is that a lot of people make between 50K and 65K, and a lucky few make 160K and skew the number upward. The mean salary, when calculated, would probably be closer to 65K. However, that number isn’t usually reported.

      I’m obviously not telling you not to go to this program (and congratulations!), but simply pointing out that sometimes admissions/career services math can be deceptive.

      • momentsofabsurdity

        Oh absolutely! I have definitely done research into this. I’m lucky enough that this school is the top 1-2 for my degree and that the median salaries reported are in line with the mean and even the 25th percentile figures are in the high five figures pre-signing bonus. Of course, I may not make quite as much but there’s a better-than-good chance I’ll be making a LOT more than I am now.

        • ELS

          Oh, good. It sounds like you’re much more prepared than I was when I took the grad/law school plunge. I’m constantly wishing I could go back and tell my 22 year old self what I know now about admissions and the job market, despite the fact that we’re comfortable and I love my job. Accordingly, I try to warn people as much as possible about the pitfalls of the current salary reporting systems, which sometimes makes me a bit overzealous.

          Good luck to you, whichever decision you make! I’m sure either way you’ll be happy and have great opportunities.

          • momentsofabsurdity

            Thanks! I know, getting a graduate degree in this climate is really scary and there is another article out every week, it seems like, about someone who went to school, did well, and still can’t find a job. Anything can happen, but I’m hoping I’ve hedged my bets enough re: school choice and degree choice that I’ll be in a good position coming out of school – and also with my longterm career opportunities.

      • Red

        Same with my school. 81k average, but they also let you know the median is 65k (these figures are just for law firm.) They also break down starting salary at law firm’s based on size. I do give my school props for having good information. They also provide salary information for grads going into clerkships, government, industry etc.

    • Another Sarah

      If you decide to do the graduate program instead of continuing to work at your company, make sure you don’t burn bridges. From your post it kind of sounded like you said, “My earning potential is WAAY more and YOU are keeping me from this! So give in to my demands or I walk!” I’m sure you didn’t, but you said that you didn’t give them a lot of flexibility, which makes me (and maybe them) think that you’ve already made up your mind and this is really just an empty “negotiation.” If this company was in the same line of work as what you would do with your graduate degree and you were thinking that you may want to return, maybe frame it more as “This will be a great step for me that I’d like to take, and I will use the great experience I got here to be a great foundation for my continuing education” or something like that.

      What field is your graduate degree going to be in? I’m sure you’ve thought of this already, but is it in-demand? The starting salaries may be awesome, but can you actually get a job in the field right out of school? In many, many fields, this is no longer the case, so this is another thing to evaluate. Just some things to think about.

      • momentsofabsurdity

        Oh I didn’t mean it to come off that way but I totally could see how it could be read that way. It definitely not is a “screw you you are keeping me from this great thing!” but rather “You want me to stay but I have this other great option – in order for me to stay, I need your offer for me to stay to be competitive with this other offer I have.”

        It’s more framed that way in my own mind – not give me my demands or I walk, but, you need to make this make financial sense for me. Personally, I would love to stay and gain the experience, but I’m trying to balance that with my own desire not to fall into a NGDGTCO trap and accept “Well the experience is just SO good, it’s okay that I’m underpaid!” and instead ask for what I feel (and have researched, market rate, etc etc) I’m worth.

        I definitely have not burned any bridges here – I think I’ve done a really good job here and my feedback from my boss on my work product (and my boss’s feedback about what I’m asking for, when I spoke to him) is very positive. I’ve made some mistakes along the way, of course, but I tried to ask for things that are very reasonable (I’m being paid well below market rate right now, so I need him to bring that up to market rate, etc) after a ton of research and discussion with my own desire to see the startup grow/want to plow the money back into the businesses with my own attempts to be a better self-advocate.

        The graduate program is an MBA and (trying not to *totally* out myself) it’s in the “Big 3” of H/S/W for MBAs. 90+% of students are employed 3 months post graduation. I have done a ton of research on whether this degree at this school is really worth it (especially in this economic climate) – and all of the feedback, on all ends, is that yes, it is. Maybe not this degree elsewhere, or even maybe not this school for another degree, but this degree at this school is worth it and likely to lead to improved job prospects for me in my career.

        • Red

          Well good luck, congrats on your admission. I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, you’ll know in your gut what to do!

        • Tulliver

          It must be a slightly terrifying situation because you’re putting yourself out there in a big way, but it sounds like you are handling it really well — upfront and clear about your position, but without being nasty. Congrats on your admission to H/S/W!

    • Canadian

      But it seems like this problem was replaced with way more “Posting too quickly”

  9. botox curious

    What age is too young to get botox? Is there such a thing? I am very self conscious about the fine lines around my eyes and on my forehead. Also, how much should I expect to pay for botox from a top-notch doc in NYC? DC?

    • Marge

      I have been reading these recent botox posts with some interest, since I am thinking about getting it done myself. However, the fact that there aren’t many responses (much less from women who’ve undergone the procedure) makes me think that perhaps not that many Corporetters have actually done these sorts of injections. Which is maybe good news, because I feel less like I need to do it to keep up with the Ms. Joneses…?

    • anon

      I’m 51, and just recently had botox for the first time, on my crows feet. I am thrilled with the results, and wish I had started sooner. Not in NYC or DC area, so can’t recommend anyone, but make sure you go to someone experienced. I don’t go to a board certified plastic surgeon, but an M.D. who’s a board certified vascular surgeon who treats spider and varicose veins, and does botox and some laser treatments on the side. I made sure he has plenty of experience with botox, I think board cerfied plastic surgeon for botox is kind of overkill, but some people prefer it. I wouldn’t feel comfortable going to a non-MD.

      I read somewhere that there is more risk of complications with the forehead shots (droopy eye?), so I went with the crows feet, figure I can cover up my forehead with bangs. Now, though, after seeing the results from the first session, I’d like to have it everywhere. I had seriously bad crows feet when I smiled. Botox is like catnip for middle-aged women.

      • anon

        Yes, please go to an MD.
        There are a lot of beauty/day spas offering botox these days, usually administered by someone who took a multiple-day course in it and is now certified. I would avoid.

      • mamabear

        I think the droopy lids potential complication is for forehead shots higher up – not to treat the eleven between the eyes, but the shots that treat horizontal lines across the forehead.

        I’m interested to hear where the shots are for crows feet, and whether you notice any loss of expression. I haven’t ventured there – I’m currently only treating the eleven, which is six shots across the brow line.

        • mamabear

          PS, your catnip comment cracked me up. I know exactly what you’re talking about!

    • anon

      To the OP and to Marge: it’s not about age, or about what other women do, it’s about how you feel and what you want. If you’ve already started noticing clear lines, getting botox earlier will probably prevent them from getting a lot deeper. I’d think that anyone over 24 could benefit from it if they really want it, although most women who get botox are over the age of 30 and probably over 40. (I started a year ago, at 34.) I think the average age of corporetters is late 20s (?) so that might explain it.

      Botox is priced by the cc (or by the syringe, which carries a certain amount of cc’s). The number of cc’s you get depends on how many lines you’ve got and how deep they are and what you want. For your first time, and since you don’t sound like you need very much, I’d guesstimate that it will cost you around $200-300 and possibly less.

      • anon

        Wow — I’d assumed the cost would be closer to $500-600. Now I’m really considering a consultation. Just in the past year, I’ve been bothered by a frown line between my eyebrows. It makes me look constantly annoyed.

        • anon

          I needed 25 ccs in my crows feet, and it was $200, but they were running a special of $8 per cc at that time. It’s usually $12 per cc at the place I go, so it will be $300 next time. But, the manufacturer sent me a $50 coupon, so it will only be $250. Obviously, if you do more than one area, it will be more. I was told I would need about 25 ccs in my forehead, if I wanted to do that too.

        • mamabear

          The frown line between the eyebrows is the easiest to treat. I’ve paid between $260 and $350 for mine, and it has lasted 4 to 6 months.

      • Westwood Mom

        Really, I think it is ridiculous to reccomend that someone still in their twenties get botox. Enjoy being young while it lasts, there will be plenty of time later for cosmetic procedures. All you need is retinoids and a really good sunscreen.

        • mamabear

          Westwood Mom, I am pro-botox, but I think you’re right about starting too young.

          • Anonymous

            I’m actually pro-botox for myself, but I turned thirty more than a few years and several children ago. I just hate to see the beauty industry convince young women they are somehow not young enough. There’s plenty of time for that later!

        • anon

          OP, make your own decision. Your biological age doesn’t need to be a deciding factor one way or another. Everyone ages differently and has different feelings about what to do about it.

    • L

      Haven’t had it personally, but my derm (DC – Dr. Stolar) does it on a friend. She loves it and is in her mid-thirties. Because she’s young, she only has a few spots she gets tweaked which I guess helps prevent you from getting deeper wrinkles in the future. No idea about the cost, but they’re really up front, so I’m sure you could call and ask.

  10. mamabear

    I believe I tried this jacket on at the store, but in purple.

    Boiled wool jackets and sweater-jackets have been my mainstays this winter in my freezing office.

    I think I rejected this one because the ruffles were too much for me – they did not lie flat as shown in this photo. The fit was also a little boxy, but I probably could have remedied that by going down a size.

    Truth be told, now that I’ve lived another month in my freezing office, I think I could have put up with the ruffles.

    • ks

      I do not have this exact jacket but another boiled wool one that is virtually the same (slight difference in the sleeves). Once it’s been hanging in the closet for a bit, the ruffles flatten out somewhat of their own accord – unless this one is really thick boiled wool, I’d suspect it may do the same. As for the boxiness, I’ve found belting mine (yes, it works even over the ruffle) with a 1 inch black belt helps reign things in and restores my waist.

    • SF Bay Associate

      I wonder if you could stitch the ruffles down, maybe in the middle of the ruffle, so that the ruffle still has that floaty ruffle edge, but it’s now anchored to the jacket in the middle of the ruffle instead of the top of it, so it floats less. I don’t know if I’m explaining it well, but it seems like boiled wool would accept a few stitches nicely.

    • Aspen

      Thanks for the info — I was unsure about how the ruffles would lie myself.

      Sorry to hear about your office being so cold!

  11. To Godzilla

    Godzilla–you posted yesterday about a derm. in NYC to remove some stuff on your face. I don’t live in NYC so I can’t help on that front. But, have you considered going to a plastic surgeon instead of a derm?

    I only let plastic surgeons remove stuff from my face (usually moles) because they’ve been trained to make finer stitches, which will leave smaller scars/no scars. (A nurse in my derm’s office first told me to see a plastic surgeon when I asked her about having the derm remove a mole from my face). This sounds like a particular concern for you if you’re concerned with keloids.

    –SunnyD

    • Batgirl

      I’ve asked about this in the past–I have these two moles I’d like removed. No one notices them but me but they bother me. Do you usually need a referral from a dermatologist to go to a plastic surgeon for this sort of thing?

      • SunnyD

        I just called up a plastic surgeon who was recommended by a friend (no derm referral). Insurance has covered the last three moles I’ve had him take off (YEAH!!!). The first two I had to pay for out of pocket because I was on my law school ‘insurance’ through the school–they clearly didn’t pay (although I went to one of the vainest schools in the world so it’s stunning they didn’t cover plastics).

        The process has been: make an appointment so the doc can see the mole. Then get another appointment to get it removed (takes about 30 minutes). Come back a week later to get the stitches out. Return a few weeks after that to make sure it’s healing properly.

        The only physical limitations I’ve had is that I can’t swim laps for about a week or so after getting the mole taken off. I’ve gone running the next day without any problems.

        Like you, I was the only one who noticed them, but I’m still so glad I’ve had them taken off. And will go again when new ones grow–which I’m sure they will!

        • Batgirl

          Thanks for the info! Do they usually grow back in? How long does that take to happen? (Shudder!)

          Did it hurt at all or were you numbed up? Is it something that people will notice–i.e. did you have a big bandage on your face? Thanks!

          • SunnyD

            Oh no, they don’t grow back (the doc removes the root). I just grow new ones in fun places–defective genetics, I guess. It doesn’t hurt at all–he injects the site with numbing whatever, let’s it sit for a few minutes, and then starts carving away. I think he puts one or two “deep” stitches in (these dissolve) and then puts in 2-3 stitches on the surface (these get removed the next week). I think the site was covered by a bandaid for the first two days (the little round ones) and after that there were just two stitches exposed. People could see them, but they aren’t really obvious.

      • LJ

        Years ago, I had a few moles removed from my face/neck by a doctor who used some sort of liquid. Once the liquid dried, the moles peeled off. One of the moles was rather large and on the bridge of my nose; there’s still a bit of dark undertone for that mole, but no scars for the other, smaller moles. I should mention that he was an orthopedic surgeon, not a plastic surgeon, so I imagine that this type of liquid is relatively easy to come by. And I went to see him because he was a family friend.

    • Godzilla

      Yo SunnyD, thanks for responding!

      I had considered initially considered going to a plastic surgeon after many posts on Corporette about the difference in plastic surgeons and dermatologists removing stuff. I spoke to my sister about it, who’s in medical school, and she said keloids are very different from other skin issues that warrant some sort of a procedure. With skin that’s prone to forming keloids, cutting the keloid actually makes the scar WORSE. I need to do more research and figure out different ways with dealing with the specific scars that are bothering me – if injections or scalpels are better. I figure I can at least speak with a dermatologist.

      • Jane Fairfax

        Have you tried silicon scar sheets? My son recently had a playground accident that left him with 15 stitches–right in the middle of his forehead. I was looking online for something that would minimize the scarring and I came across a few sites that recommended using silicon scar sheets to minimize scarring and treat keloid scars. They claim that they can even minimize the appearance old/already healed scars. They are kind of pricey, but I figured that we’d give it a shot since it costs less than seeing a plastic surgeon.

        If one more person tells me: “Hey, don’t worry, chicks dig scars.” I will scream.

        • January

          If it’s any consolation to you, I had a similar accident when I was three or four resulting in stitches (and later, a scar) near the middle of my forehead. I don’t think my scar is very obvious anymore (i.e., people usually tell me that they didn’t notice it unless I point it out to them). I do believe a plastic surgeon did the stitches; I don’t remember if my parents did anything to try to minimize the scarring. I did have bangs for awhile as a kid.

        • Batgirl

          Those silicon scar sheets do work well! They’re pricey but they last a while. I used them after surgery and they definitely reduced scarring. It’s also good to massage the area so that the scar tissue doesn’t clump together.

        • Famke

          Jane: here’s another minor consolation. My husband ran through a glass window as a kid (ouch!!) and has a scar on his face and two more on his arms that most people don’t see unless they look at him really closely. I think scars tend to heal better on young kids.

          Not to make you scream, but on the “chicks dig scars” point: I had a cyst removed from my face a few years ago, when I was in my early thirties, and have a fairly substantial scar. I was definitely worried about how this would affect my attractiveness. But I don’t seem to be getting any less (or more, for that matter) attention.

    • anon

      I recommend going to a plastic surgeon. A good plastic surgeon has a lot of experience doing major surgeries – reconstruction from cancers, accidents, post-op work for other major procedures, plus cosmetic work – and by comparison, removing two moles (etc) and without leaving scars is like second nature to them. A good dermatologist spends a lot of time evaluating skin conditions and the like, but relatively little time with a knife, actually performing surgeries – so the same procedure, while they are fully qualified to do it, is not as routine for them.

      Personally I’d rather go to the doctor who has done dozens of similar and more difficult cases in the past two weeks than a doctor who only does these procedures a couple of times a month, if that.

      • Godzilla

        I’m totally open to plastic surgeon recs in NYC. I’m just not sure what a plastic surgeon would do about keloids when cutting them would just exacerbate the problem.

        Keep the info coming, ladies, I’m eating this all up.

        • anon

          A good plastic surgeon should be able to provide injections or topical treatments as well as surgical options OR a rec to a dermatologist if that’s what is needed … sorry I don’t have any recs for NYC though.

        • Anne-on

          I’d also suggest going to see a plastic surgeon. I’ve got a great derm who has removed a few moles before, but they definitely left a very noticeable scar. Friends who go to this derm reported the same issue. The dermatologist did offer to laser the scar afterwards – which made it much smoother and more flat – but I feel like a plastic surgeon would have done a cleaner job to begin with.
          FWIW – even this dermatologist said she refers patients with facial (or very visible) moles to plastic surgeons.

        • mamabear

          I had a scar worked on by a plastic surgeon. It was at the beginning of forming a keloid. First, he treated it with a series of cortisone injections to stop the more scar from forming (this was immediately post-injury.) I think the injections were a week or two apart. After I had maximum improvement from that, I had one laser treatment. It left a grid-like pattern on my scar, and about two days later the skin got weepy and peeled off. When new skin grew back, it was and is much smoother.

          I could have gone back for two more laser treatments but they were expensive and I decided not to. I’m reasonably happy, though not thrilled, with the results.

        • Anon

          Constance Chen in NYC – she removed a mole from my face and there is only a minimal scar. She used to affiliated with Keris Dermatology, but she recently ended the association and I have no idea where she went (but they might be able to tell you!).

          • Seattle Lawyer Mom

            You should definitely see a plastic surgeon. My dad is one and one of his main research interests is how to heal wounds on keloid-prone people without creating keloid scars if at all possible. Ask and get references for a very good plastic surgeon with experience healing keloid-prone people. (If you were hiring a lawyer, you’d hire the best one for the speciality you need, so same thing for a doctor!)

  12. ADL

    Question for all, but mainly for HR people: how do you feel about a 2 page resume? I’m 10 years out of college with my 2nd employer and my volunteer activities speak to a large portion of experience of a job I’m looking at. My resume is on one page, albeit with 10 point font. I’ve always been a stickler for 1 page and snark at people who have more than that (especially those right out of college). But sometimes I feel I should just break the rule and go to two pages (which also means I could use 11 or 12 point font). Would love opinions. Thanks.

    • R in Boston

      My understanding has been that you can have about a page for every 10 years of work experience, if you have enough to justify it. So at 10 years out, if you’re running out of room, I’d go on to two pages. That being said, I’m not in HR.

      • Dorianne

        My boyfriend is a HR Director and he uses a two-page resume. His rule of thumb is that if you have experience that you need to fit in to justify why you are a good fit and you can’t do it without minimizing the font to so small your eyes hurt, just go to two pages.

        People don’t care as much as you think, as long as there is a reasoning behind it.

        • Research, Not Law

          Friend in recruitment says the same thing – 2 pgs is all good so long as it’s justified and not filler.

    • Former MidLevel

      I’m not an HR person, but I am something of a resume-formatting ninja and *strongly* in favor of one-page resumes.

      Even though I haven’t seen your resume, I bet there are areas you could cut and still get all the important info out – maybe cut down or forego work descriptions if you want to emphasize skills from your volunteer activities. Or use paragraph descriptions instead of bullets (huge space-waster!). Or condense the line spacing (in MS Word, set line spacing to”exactly” your font size or smaller).

      And FWIW, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with 10 point font, although 11+ is better.

      • Jeanie

        I use Garamond for my resume, and it takes up less space than Times New Roman. You may want to play around with fonts and/or margins (especially the top margin, where your name appears in big letters. Also, if your contact info is something like:

        street
        state
        phone
        email

        You may want to shift to something like:
        street [insert symbol to split up the items] state [s] phone [s] email [s]

    • mamabear

      One page, please. Just make what you say about each job and each activity shorter. Resumes should be like bullet points, not paragraphs. They should make me want to interview you to find out more about each bullet.

    • SAlit-a-gator

      Simple – nobody’s going to read 10 point font. Go to 2 pages. I’m not in HR, but work for a small firm and had to review resumes recently. Most decision makers are older, and will honestly not be able to read 10 point font as easily as 12. Go with 12 point font and to two pages if necessary.

      • Tuesday

        Agreed. 10 point is much too small. There’s nothing wrong with 2 pages — I don’t know where this bias comes from. Focus on readability — that’s why people (should) use bullets. White space is important. Nobody wants to read dense paragraph after dense paragraph, especially when your resume is one of zillions received for the opening.

    • Blonde Lawyer

      I had a two page resume right out of law school during the downturn. I got a surprising number of interviews compared to my peers and I was always asked at those interviews why I had a two page resume. I had a prior “career” (two short to really call it a career) in a law enforcement like field that gave me many transferable skills. All three of my jobs in those careers were relevant to the jobs I was applying for. They distinguished me from the other “right out of undergrad to law school” types and were really unique so people wanted to ask me questions about them. I also went to undergrad in the city I was applying for jobs in but no longer lived in. While in undergrad, I was very involved in volunteer work in that city. The firms I applied to valued “connection to that community” so I wanted to make sure they saw that I had those connections, even though they were old. The city I was trying to get to was small but near two bigger cities so they wanted to make sure you weren’t trying to get into the firm just to transfer. I also worked through law school in a law firm so I thought that was important to highlight. I was a student attorney and on trial team so I wanted to discuss that. Lastly, while I didn’t do a journal, I wrote three scholarly articles for seminar classes that I was trying to get published. (One became an ethics opinion in 2 states.) So, needless to say, I felt everything was really important.

      I think I structured mine: Legal Experience first (law school job, clinic, etc.), Work Experience (law enforcement jobs) Education, next page, Scholarly Articles, Community Involvement. I made it clear in my interviews that the articles were not yet published and no one had an issue with that. Anytime I explained my rationale for two pages the response was “that was smart, I’m glad you mentioned x, y, or z.”

      Now that I’ve been practicing law for awhile, my resume is back to one page. I don’t need all the other stuff to distinguish me anymore, though I still keep one law enforcement job on there because everyone likes to talk about it.

      • Blonde Lawyer

        I’ve noticed I frequently screw up to, two, and too on here. I do know the difference. I just don’t proofread my posts because I’m on here way too much as it is! Forgive my typos please.

    • momentsofabsurdity

      I don’t have much stake in the 1 vs 2 pg resume debate but the biggest resume mistake I’ve seen is the guy who just recently sent me a resume in PDF form formatted for legal sized paper (in the US — we are not a law firm). If I have to load special paper into the printer to get your resume – there’s a good chance your resume won’t get printed.

    • Anonnny

      See AskAManager.org – she says to ignore the one-page “rule” unless you’re fresh out of school with no real experience. I haven’t been able to fit my resume onto one page in years, and I get callbacks for interviews all the time so I don’t think it’s hurting me.

    • Nonny

      I’ve seen this reference to the undesirability of 2-page resumes on Corporette before and am actually really surprised. It must be a US thing. Here in Canada, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a one-page resume – we get 2-pagers all the time from articling applicants and laterals, and that is considered normal. My own resume is 2 pages of standard resume stuff plus another 2 pages of representative experience, and it has never been a problem – it’s been past headhunters, BigLaw HR folks, etc. and no-one’s ever questioned me on the length. If I had to reduce my resume to a single page, I’d probably end up in a quivering mass of jelly in a corner somewhere.

      • Clueless Summer

        Yup, it’s a US thing. I can’t imagine giving a 1 page resume out in Canada – people would think you’ve never done anything! How do you fit anything beyond school and the last job or two?

      • Jas

        Same here. I don’t know how I’d fit my resume onto one page, and I’m recently out of school! But two pages are the Canadian standard, so it’s fine.

  13. Midwest

    I like this a lot! What is this brand’s sizing like? I’m between a medium and a large, depending on the shoulder width and sleeve length.

    • Anonymous

      LOVE Pinterest. Although, I admit, I am a snob and often am baffled at the pics for “wedding hair”, casseroles, and cheezy shots of hot dudes.

      Come to think of it, the casseroles often have a lot of cheese in them too.

      • CA Atty

        Ditto the love. I would like less “wedding” since it’s not a subject I’m interested in at all (and I’m supposed to be “concepting” my own these days!) I like the recipes and crafts though. I always thing “I could do that!” Before realizing I absolutely could not.

        My favorite are the pics of places though, either I’ve been there and this is a view I can relate to, or I want to!

      • SF Bay Associate

        I wish I could block all the wedding pins (though they were somewhat helpful when I was planning mine), but the thing that most disturbs me on Pinterest are all the “thinspiration” pins, either of very athletic and fit women in sports bras and shorts, with lots of comments from pinners that if they just ate less and worked out more, maybe they could look like this woman someday, or of unnerving sayings along the lines of Kate Moss’s “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” with comments like “I should tape this to my fridge!” Totally, totally creepy.

        But aside from that, it’s great for keeping track of recipes I am interested in trying – somehow it’s more inspirational to see a pretty array of pictures on my board and think “hmm, that looks good” instead of flipping through many recipe books. It’s also been handy in my present search for a new briefcase, and planning our next vacation.

        • Kanye East

          Thinspo, endless Carefree White Girl “fashion” pics, and cupcake p-0-r-n are all over my Pinterest feed, to the point where I almost never use it anymore (though I try to unfollow those boards to save my sanity).

          I overcompensate by making ridiculous boards. Yesterday I made a board of 20th Century dictators making funny faces. (There’s a lot of Kim Jong Il.)

      • Research, Not Law

        Totally addicted to pinterest. I lost three hours there one evening this week. ::blushes::

        I mainly am looking at craft, sewing, and kids activities via search function rather than browsing, so I think I avoid most of the wedding, casseroles, random guy pics, and thinspiration pins. I absolutely agree that thinspiration is creepy and disturbing, but I actually get a kick out of periodically reviewing the bizarre hairstyles, clothes, etc that get repined hundreds or thousands of times!

        My pet peeve is the notes that just say “love this!” because I’m an OCD scientist who wants key words for my searches ;)

    • Amelia Bedelia

      I have refused to check it out . . . because I know I will be addicted!!!

      • anon

        This was me. Resistance is futile. (Though lots of what I see horrifies me, so it’s not as addicting as I might have feared.)

        • goirishkj

          I’m signed up but have yet to “pin” anything. I’m scared of what will happen when I start :)

    • Littlest Attorney

      I’m not sure how I lived before Pinterest…my addiction is that bad.

    • eaopm3

      My name is eaopm3 and I am a Pinterest addict. I agree that the food pins make me soooo hungry if I look at them in the morning, but I usually use them as inspiration to make a grocery list and hit the store after work. I also love all the little things I have learned: clean a fan blade off using a pillowcase? Genius. I am starting my first Pinterest home remodel project this weekend and I am pretty stoked about it! Here’s hoping it’s not a total disaster…

  15. Louise

    Quick question – I have been asked by a firm I am interviewing with to provide them with the names and contact details of people who could provide references on my behalf.

    Can I go ahead and send them the details of said persons or is it better etiquette for me to first ask the individuals if they are hapy to provide references for me?

    I’ve had a close relationship with all individuals concerned and one of them has provided a reference for me in the past.

    Thanks :)

    • a.

      I would give a heads up and/or ask again, so they don’t sound surprised when the firm calls them. It’s just more polite.

    • ks

      ALWAYS, ALWAYS ask your reference first!! Cannot state this strongly enough. As one who has been on the very awkward end of a reference seeking call on behalf of someone who never bothered to tell me they were job seeking, I can say with confidence that I did not do the jobseeker any favors by being unprepared for the call. Not even sure I would have agreed to give a reference in the first place (she used to work for me), but my surprised stumbling and stammering surely didn’t help out the job-seeker’s cause. Don’t put people (even those you are close to) in that position.

    • emi

      I don’t need to ask all of my references for permission to list them, because a few of them have given me a “you can ALWAYS list me as a reference” — but I still email them to give them a heads-up when I list them as a reference.

  17. a.

    My morning: I was scheduled for a phone interview at 9. (If anyone remembers, in the last weekend open thread I vented about how my request for a phone interview was rejected. They called me early this week to say they’d reconsidered and would be happy for me to phone in.) I went to a quiet place with good cell reception…and waited. At 9:20, I called my contact to see what was going on. She didn’t answer. At 9:30, I went back to the office, because I couldn’t see how sitting in my kitchen getting progressively more annoyed at my silent phone was helping anything.

    They called me around 10. Which, I mean, was good, but my office has HORRIBLE cell reception (hence why I was in my kitchen) so there were a couple of times when they had to ask me to repeat things. Argh. I don’t think it went too badly, since I’d done my homework and they didn’t ask me anything super-wacky, but still, that was frustrating.

    At least I feel like I look like myself today. I’ve liked what I’ve worn this week, but it’s definitely been extremely buttoned-up and conservative in style. Today I’ve got black skinny jeans (yay Friday), a quirky printed cardigan, and big earrings, which is a lot more representative of the style that I actually have.

    • Bunkster

      I hate this. I schedule my phone interviews for 4pm and then head around the corner from my office to a little winebar to conduct the interview. But if I wasn’t at the bar, I’d be in the middle of my commute.

      So I tell myself that if they don’t call by the time I finish my glass of wine, I’m heading home. I can’t take calls on the T so they’re out of luck. Yesterday’s caller was 10 minutes late.

      • Red

        I love that you have wine with your phone interviews! I hope I’m not in the position of applying for jobs anytime soon, but I will do that next time!

        • Bunkster

          I find it’s a lot easier to talk about myself when I’ve had a drink.

      • a.

        I wish I could do that! There was a bottle of wine on my table that I was staring at with great longing, but it was just a little bit too early…

  18. Maru

    Dear ‘rettes,
    I’m in need of a confidence boost. I’m fairly certain I’m going to be offered a job this afternoon at my current company in a different office. I will likely accept the offer if the company agrees to a couple of terms including 1) paying for the move; 2) a modest raise; 3) setting a one year trial term for the position rather than setting it up as an indefinite move. The office head has asked me to give him a call to discuss.

    Here’s the thing: I’m absolutely terrified. Important phone calls make me really nervous, as does asking for what I want and negotiating, so I am a shaking mess. Any tips, advice, confidence-boosters?

    Thanks!!!

    • anon

      write it down, write it down, write it down. have a script.

      1) Thank you so much!
      2) I’m very interested and would appreciate X days to think it over.
      3) I would also like to know/inquire about A, B, and C.
      4) Thank you so much!

    • momentsofabsurdity

      Deep breaths! Meditation exercises, if you do them ever. Have a glass of water next to you. Take a sip whenever you feel yourself start to shake and recenter yourself. Good luck!!!!

    • conbrio

      I get shaky when I get nervous too, so I have a prescription for a beta blocker called Propranolol for those moments. It comes in 20 mg tablets, and I break it in 4 pieces then crumble off a little bit so that I have about 4 mg – that little amount is just right for me. It just smooths me out and takes away the shakiness so that I can get through whatever meeting, speech, performance, first few dates with my SO (!), etc. is making me nervous. It’s really a life-saver.

    • Maru

      Thanks guys. I’m already working on a script, and I’ll make sure to have a glass of water next to me. That sounds like a good way to remind myself to relax. Fingers crossed!

      • PM

        I had to do a nerve-wracking negotiation last week and was not in my own office. Right before the call began, I became very self-conscious about the crinkly sounds of my plastic water bottle, so I poured some water into a ceramic cup on the desk I was borrowing. About halfway through the call, I realized that I was drinking out of my colleague’s pencil cup. So, I would recommend not doing that. Also, for me, it helps to stand during the call because I sound more in control then when I hunch over my notes. Good luck.

    • Blonde Lawyer

      Remember, they can’t see you so you can let out all your nervous energy through other physical bad habits. Close your door and then feel free to rock your chair, tap your fingers, play with your hair, wiggle your legs, whatever you wouldn’t want to do in person. Just make sure the nervous tics are silent and you sound confident, excited, professional, etc. You will do great! Doing this by phone is much better than in person. It is much easier to fake!

      Read more: https://corporette.com/2012/02/10/frugal-fridays-tps-report-long-sleeve-wool-ruffle-blazer/#ixzz1m011lcfT

    • Me

      Have some justification for each of these things — that you’ve done something in the past year to warrant these, your stats/hours or whatever measure you use in your field are high, etc. Plus, that will help you feel more confident in asking if your’e able to sing your praises while you’re asking.

    • TCFKAG

      Maru! Maybe it will help if you jump in a few boxes before the call. :-) I know it helps your cat counterpart.

      Good luck.

      • Maru

        I prefer to slide. But sometimes I am too fat and I get stuck. And then the world implodes with cuteness.

  19. SunnyD

    Need advice from the cold weather ladies (I live in Texas–not a lot of cold weather). What do you guys wear for casual (jeans/cords casual), but warm pants? I’m going to visit friends in Colorado where it’s going to be snowy and cold–as much as I love jeans, they’re just not that warm. I’ve seen flannel-lined jeans at LL Bean, but they’re granny jeans (and I’m only 31! not ready for granny jeans).

    What pants do northern ladies wear on the weekends in the winter to stay warm?

    • Red

      Just wear long johns or other base layers under your jeans (my brother lives in colorado they all do this). You may need to buy a pair of looser jeans if you don’t have any. I usually just go to ski, but at night or when I go out during non skiing days I just wear jeans with nothing under them and am fine, but I always wear warm socks and boots. Keeping your head, neck, hands and feet warm are more important than warm pants, IMO.

    • anon

      I wear thick tights and knee socks under my jeans when I’m in Colorado or NM in the winter. Still cold, but not unbearable. Tried forever to find tights that had a lower waistbad so the waistbad wouldn’t come up too far past the waistband of my jeans, but have never seen any, so learned to live with it.

    • zora

      you put stuff *under* the jeans/cords!! long underwear, wool or silk. My favorite are high quality wool liners, like Smart Wool (you can get them at REI or backcountry dot com) because the really good ones are so warm, and not itchy at all. But some ppl like silk better. You can get them from outdoor stores, too, or order from Winter Silks.

      And also, really warm wool socks in your boots. Those are the keys.

      • soulfusion

        agreed – silk are the best because they will fit under pretty much any pants. However, I agree with a couple of other posters that unless you are spending a lot of time outside then you may be able to skip the under-layers (which can’t be easily removed) and just wear thick, knee-high socks and warm boots and layer up in thicker sweaters and scarves.

    • nona

      MN here – I just wear regular jeans. Smartwool socks, and layer on the top (shirt/sweater) and a scarf. I only break out the silk underwe*r if the highs are below zero. Unless you are going to be outside a bunch (more than just walking from the car to a building), and that’s a whole other ball of twine.

      • SunnyD

        If the highs were below zero, I wouldn’t get out of bed!! You’re much tougher than I.

        • nona

          Shrug – it’s still at least 65 degrees inside. :) And if it’s that cold, it’s usually really sunny so it balances out.

      • nona

        Come to think of it – I don’t know anyone who actually owns flannel lined jeans – neither parents or grandparents. Granted, Gpa does have his insulated Carhart coveralls he wears to go feed the cows (from the cab of his big yellow frontloader). So he doesn’t really need the flannel layer…

    • Mountain Girl

      Unless you are planning to be outside for an extended period of time you don’t need pants other than jeans or cords. You’ll want to wear socks that extend over your calf. You don’t need bulky, wool socks but something that covers more than just your ankle will be important. I have also found over the years that my feet stay warmer in shoes that tie rather than slip on. I know that sounds funny but loafers are not winter shoes for me. If you have boots that would be the best choice. If you can layer your top with a sweater/turtleneck, etc and keep your neck warm that will help quite a bit. Keep your hands and head warm when you go outside and you’ll be fine.

    • Godzilla

      A long coat (knee length or longer) and warm socks, coming up to my knees, with jeans or old-school sweats.

    • Blonde Lawyer

      Remember, they can’t see you so you can let out all your nervous energy through other physical bad habits. Close your door and then feel free to rock your chair, tap your fingers, play with your hair, wiggle your legs, whatever you wouldn’t want to do in person. Just make sure the nervous tics are silent and you sound confident, excited, professional, etc. You will do great! Doing this by phone is much better than in person. It is much easier to fake!

    • SpaceMountain

      I wear jeans or cords almost every day to walk my kids to school in the Chicago area. As long as you have a coat, hat, & boots, you’ll be fine. If you wear long underwear, you’re going to be too hot every time you go inside.

    • KK

      If you don’t want to invest in silk underwear just for a brief vacay, just wear leggings under your jeans. I do this all the time, especially with suit pants (which are often so thin!) and it makes a world of difference. Also, it’s completely undetectable, even with skinny jeans.

    • Anne-on

      I like skinny jeans (with knee high wool socks ideally) tucked into ‘cute’ snow boots. Your definition of cute snow boots may vary, but I generally find having something with a real tread to it to be invaluable in snow towns.
      As long as you’ve got a good warm coat, gloves, scarf, and hat you should be fine with regular jeans. If you’re really going to be outside for a long time (ie – winter sports) obviously I’d suggest you go for snow pants with under layers.

      • GRA

        Knee socks or tights, skinny jeans, and leather boots on top. Layer, layer, layer!

    • mamabear

      I live in the non-snowy SF Bay area, but we head up to the Tahoe area once or twice during snowy season (and if we ever get a snowy season this year, we will again.)

      I agree with others that you don’t need to buy a separate wardrobe. I wear my warmest tights under jeans or corduroy pants, and I’m fine. I’m not knee-deep in snow so I don’t wear snow or ski pants and see no need to own them. My kids have ski bibs because they like to play in the snow, and that’s why we head up there. I probably wouldn’t even need the tights under pants if I were only outside briefly, but usually I’m standing out there for hours watching my kids sled and build snowmen.

      If you have boots with some tread to tuck your pants into, and you waterproof spray them, you should be fine.

    • Lynnet

      If you’re coming to the Denver area, our weather’s been pretty warm this winter. It hasn’t been below 20 during the day in about a month, and we’ve had a lot of high 40s/low 50s weather. Granted, this weekend it’s supposed to be in the low 20s. I just moved here from the midwest and it’s been consistently 10 degrees warmer here than my hometown.

    • Jas

      Definitely jeans, with long underwear/leggings under them if it’s really cold. You probably won’t be spending much time outside, and if you do, you’ll be doing something that involves moving to warm you up.

  20. Anonnette

    I need of some advice: I’m a third year associate in my first job out of law school. For a variety of different reasons I’m currently looking for a job in a neighboring city in the same state. My problem is that most jobs require you to list references. I obviously can’t list my current employer, my boss from my first year summer never responds to my emails and has dropped off the face off the earth, I was no-offered my 2nd summer so I can’t list that employer, and I have not other substantive job experience.

    Sooooo….can I list a professor who will strongly recomend me and make the rest of the references friends from law school who will also give me a good recommendation? I feel silly listing a professor and friends, but I don’t think I trust anybody else to provide a solid reference for me at this point. What would you do? Should I just tell them I’ll provide references from my firm after they get me an offer? Will not providing referneces in the beginning of the application process when requested kill my chances?

    • SunnyD

      Have any partners or senior associates left your firm since you’ve been there–people you did work for or worked with? When I changed jobs, I used several partners and associates who’d moved to other firms/gone in-house/gone to work for the government as my references.

    • TCFKAG

      I find that saying, “References provided upon request” is totally acceptable and employers will understand.

      • nona

        As long as your putting in on an application and not your resume. I’ve been specifically told NOT to put that on your resume, mostly because everyone already/knows or expects that.

    • Anonnette

      The job postings specifically state to submitt resume, cover letter, and references.

    • soulfusion

      In the law firm world, especially for those searching for their first lateral move, no one expects to contact your references until after an offer has been extended. You can provide the name of the professor and indicate current employer references to be provided if/when offer is made or just “upon request.” No one should realistically expect you to provide a reference from your current employer before an offer is extended (although I grant there are exceptions for government and other positions but law firms the norm is to wait).

    • Westraye

      I asked a senior associate I trusted (who had supervised me directly) to be a reference, and to be discreet. I also asked an associate the year above me that I had a good working relationship with to be a reference. When I provided these as my references, I indicated that I was prepared to ask a partner for a reference only if I was offered the job because I didn’t want to jeopardize my current employment. FWIW, they only called the senior associate.

      I was in Biglaw though, where it’s accepted that you will be looking around after a few years so your situation might be different.

    • a.

      I got mine at Whole Foods. They seem to have a decent selection every time I go in.

    • Jr. Prof

      Get a stainless steel tiffin – great for leftovers. Or a stainless steel lunch set and a Built tote – reusable, washable.

    • Hollis

      My family uses easylunchboxes, which we bought on amazon. I pack 5 lunches every night so I can’t bother with too many pieces. If it were just me, I would get a cute tote like Built, but now I just throw my easylunchbox in my regular (huge) workbag and run out the door.

    • MsZ

      Built NY totes! They’re neoprene so you can throw them in the washing machine or dishwasher, and stretchy so they can accommodate a wide range of containers/fruits.

      • Research, Not Law

        Another vote for Built! I have the Gourmet Getaway Lunch Tote. It’s large (and stretchy) enough to handle breakfast and lunch, but light enough that I don’t mind taking it for just a snack. Love that it’s stretchy and machine washable. Very durable; I’ve had it for a couple of years and it’s still as good as new, and not because I’ve been gentle with it. I seriously love this lunch bag.

  22. sadie

    Have a script.
    Practice your lines, e.g., “That sounds like a great opportunity. Let’s talk about some of the terms to see if we can make it work for everyone. Will you be providing relocation assistance?” or whatever.
    I always do better on the phone when I face away from my computer, stand up, and SMILE.
    Good luck!

  23. too desperate?

    I sent out an application to a relatively large firm yesterday after I got home from work. A partner from the firm called me later in the evening to set up an interview. I’m a little concerned that a) he called that fast and b) he called after business hours. I was upfront that I would not be available for a few months, and he was still eager. I graduated in 2009 and let’s just say that behavior is unfamiliar to me. I think it is probably some awful sweatshop. Thoughts?

    • MissJackson

      How late are we talking? Calling the same day is certainly unusual, but business hours at a large law firm are…. well, certainly not 9 to 5. If it was later than 9:00pm, that would seem odd. Otherwise I would not worry about it.

      There could be a million reasons that they got back to you so quickly — maybe an unanticipated associate departure left them in a lurch and they need someone immediately. Maybe they really think you are the perfect fit.

      Anyway, go to the interview and check it out. I wouldn’t make any judgments about the place based on this.

    • CA Atty

      It could be an awful sweatshop, but you never know till you try it. Honestly, I went into a pretty awful sweatshop situation my first job out of law school and ended up staying for 3 years because a) there wasn’t much else out there, b) the other jobs I was offered didn’t pay even close, and c) I had TONS of client contact and responsibility.

      This January I started an ideal non-sweatshop job that I would never have been considered for if I didn’t have the client contact and responsibility from the previous place.

      I also don’t think it’s weird to call later in the evening, I did almost all my job searching both times later and would talk to my now-former and now-current boss up until about 8pm.

    • Former MidLevel

      Agreed. The quick response may say more about the partner than the firm.

    • Nonny

      A lot of partners who are involved in recruiting do so off the side of their desks, in addition to their regular practice. If they are busy, they aren’t normally going to deal with recruitment matters until the end of the day. When I do recruitment work, I quite regularly call candidates at 7:00 or 8:00pm (more likely to catch them at home, for one thing). So I wouldn’t think anything of it. Good luck!

    • another anon

      I agree with the others that you shouldn’t read too much into this. For all you know, this firm is very flexible about business hours, and this partner has an arrive late/work late schedule. Or maybe you are a perfect fit for them and they wanted to get back to you right away. I would just keep an eye out for red flags when you interview (e.g., associates that seem unhappy).

      • anon

        This – I would be super stoked to get a call back from the partner so quickly! The time would not have crossed my mind unless it was, say, 9pm and the time was not arranged previously.

  24. Runner's World

    I need some recommendations for running tights: warm, but not break-the-bank price. I think I saw this question posted somewhere earlier this week but can’t find it for the life of me in the comments threads. Thanks ladies!

    • MissJackson

      There was a thread on this yesterday — I think in the TPS post.

      If you have a D*cks Sporting Goods nearby, try the Reebok tights. They go on super-sale all the time, making them about $25-35 (wait for a sale, do not pay full price which is $45 or $50). I’ve scored some at $20! I prefer them to my CWX tights that cost me some serious bank (the Reebok tights don’t provide the “compression” support of the CWX, but they are warmer and more comfortable at the waist).

      Lots of people yesterday also recommended Under Armor, which I like but I have never been able to find at much of a bargain and I don’t like them any better than the Reebok ones.

    • another anon

      I have some fleece-lined ones from Athleta that are pretty warm. I don’t recall how much they were though.

    • Fiona

      Check TJ Maxx and Marshalls, too. They often have name-brand running tights for cheap. I’ve gotten good Nike, New Balance, and Mizuno tights there.

  25. JennyJo

    Do any of you use the Upromise credit card to help pay down educational debt? No one I personally know uses the card and I’m very curious about it. I have a lot of debt from law school and any little bit would help… But I have debt rooted hatred for Sallie Mae so I’m a little leary about it. Thoughts?

    • CA Atty

      I have used it for a while and I like it. I’m still trying to maximize my use of it, it’s a constantly changing process as this or that retailer has a 5% kickback this month or next month (Wallmart this month!). You do have to use it online quite a bit, but I don’t mind that as it’s easier for me to shop online. You also have to be careful and compare prices, for instance, you get great kickbacks if you use, I think Hertz rental cars, but even WITH the kickback you’ll spend more than if you just got a crappy car through Dollar.

      I used to travel a lot for work and it was great because I would put hotels, airline flights, rental cars on it, then get reimbursed but still get my kickback. I travel less now, but I still like it, since I just know every time I pay off the card that some of that is going back on my loan.

      The only final thing that I realized recently is that the payment from Upromise to SM is NOT principle only. I always thought it was, so I don’t know if this is something that changed. I figure it’s almost as good because the payment will reduce my interest for that month and then my regular payment puts more on the principle.

    • Westwood Mom

      I have used it for probably 15 years, since shortly after it was started. However, I use it to save for my kid’s education. Not sure how it would help pay back current debt, as any money saved wouldn’t have a chance to compound.

  26. mamabear

    You guys, I just ordered greige shoes so that I can glide down the hallways like a venemous asp.

    Has always been an aspiration of mine.

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