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Frugal Friday’s TPS Report: Ribbed Flyaway Cardigan

Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Ribbed Flyaway CardiganEven though they've been around for a few years, I still like a good flyaway cardigan — and this ribbed acrylic one from New York & Company looks flattering at a price that's hard to beat. I'd wear it with a structured/fitted piece (pencil skirt, sheath dress) for the office. It's available in black, blue, and white for $29.97 (was $49.95). Ribbed Flyaway Cardigan Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line. (L-2)

Sales of note for 12.5

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

196 Comments

  2. I PASSED THE BAR!!!! SO Excited and relieved!!!! Congrats to all others who passed!!!

    Also, Victor on Project Runway made a leather jacket almost in this shape and I loved it! If anyone knows where theres a similar one I might consider getting it as my self congratulatory gift!

    3. Congrats!!! Now you know you’ve taken the last standardized test you’ll ever be required to take in your entire life.

    6. Congrats! For the jacket, Vince makes (or used to make) a very similar style. They’re expensive (~$1k) but I don’t know what your bar-passing budget is :)

      1. oh how i wish it was $1K lol if I had that I’d be snapping up a Chanel bag to treasure forever. If I can find the right jacket I might do that or the Pippa bag (I’m slightly obsessed with it!)

        1. There is also a decent (and very well-priced) version of this in the Macy’s INC line but it is not entirely leather (there is a knit fabric incorporated but I can’t remember if it was the back, sides, or sleeves — terrible memory). On a separate note, I have the Pippa bag and it is fab!!

    1. I agree. I bought a lovely mallard green flyaway cardigan (cashmere) that Kat recommended and love it. I jut wore it to San Francisoc opera with black pants and a white silk sleeveless blouse with a lot of fluff down the front. I thought it was a great outfit for the occasion, but will not wear it to the office, except as outwear that comes off when you arrive at work. In my law office it would not look right.

  4. Cat update! He is doing much better. We left some dry food out while we were at work and when we got home the bowls were empty. He still ate enough wet food to get his insulin that night. I left some of his rx diabetic dry food (not very tasty) out overnight and he ate that too. He must have his appetite back! I still gave him wet food this morning to make sure he would eat and get the insulin. I also found a big poop in the litter box. It was thread free! Hopefully that means he didn’t eat the thread and not that he did and the thread is still in there but either way things are moving!

    1. That is such fantastic news! I know a lot of people on here have been hoping for good news for your kitty!

    4. So exciting, thanks for the update. This got me thinking of what my threshold would be if my dog got sick and needed surgery; I don’t know what it is exactly but there’s definitely a top dollar amount.

      1. One suggestion (that I wish I had thought about earlier)…pet insurance. It looks to me like it’s about $30 per month (for dog), and would cover surgery up to a specified dollar amount. I don’t know the major players in the industry, and it’s too late for me since my pet has a pre-existing condition, but I think next time I may pony up the relatively small premium per month in exchange for peace of mind.

        1. Agreed. I’d also like to put in a plug for my vet’s chain pre-paid plan. We went with our vet because locally she has a great reputation. She happens to be affiliated with Banfield, a chain vet clinic in Pet Smart. Not all Banfields are created equal so this is a know your location situation. However, if you have a reputable Banfield in your area, they have plans where you pay a monthly amount (there are 4 levels) that covers twice yearly physicals, all routine vaccines, 1 dental cleaning under anesthesia per year, one or two sets of blood work and x-rays if they need it, and all other office visits are free. Of course the tests or surgeries performed in the other office visits cost you still but you get 20% off all the other services if you are on the level 3 plan. The price works out to about $500/year which I think is a steal. It shows how much you have saved to date on the plan every time you check out and we have saved $2500 so far! There is no pre-ex issue with these plans. They are just pre-paid care. The only downside is if your pet passes early in the year, you still pay for the remainder of the year because you likely already used your services.

    10. Hooray! My cats are family, and I had to make the gut-wrenching decision two years ago to put a seven-year-old cat down who was suffering from congestive heart failure. He would need daily medicine, regular appointments with a (pricey) specialist, and was suffering – and had already cost almost $1000 in the cat emergency room. It was so hard because I was told he would be able to have long periods where he would be okay with daily meds, but that the meds WOULD stop working and he would crash and have to have the meds adjusted, and this cycle would repeat.
      This was a cat that originally belonged to my grandfather, which I inherited when HE died of congestive heart failure. I’d gone through the slow process of watching him die, and I couldn’t do it again. You have been in my thoughts, I’ll continue to be crossing my fingers for his recovery.

    11. sounds great, so happy for you… I think if it had been the thread that would have been clear by now and he wouldn’t be eating, so hopefully he is just on the road to recovery and will have a nice stable bunch of years ahead of him.

    12. Hooray! I’m so thankful to hear it. Enjoy giving him kitty cuddles this weekend. And hopefully he’ll be back to 100% very soon.

    2. Hugs. I’m so sorry. I don’t have any advice for this disappointment, but there are ladies on here who have been through this and survived. Please be kind to yourself as you regroup and decide your next move.

    3. That sucks; I’m sorry. I’m sure you’re still a wonderful and intelligent person, though, with people who care about you.

    4. Take the weekend. Be miserable if you want. Then, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and realize you are still a smart, intelligent person, who CAN do this.

    5. So sorry. It’s ok for you to be upset and angry and give yourself time this weekend to sulk. Just remember that you are a smart person and would not have gotten to this point in your life if you weren’t. This is just a temporary setback.

    6. I’ve been there, too, and it really does suck. It’s hard to see it now, but someday you will look back and it will be a blip on the screen. What state are you in? If you are in southern Calif., I can recommend an amazing bar tutor/mentor who kept me sane.

      1. Virginia unfortunately, on the other side of the country.

        I’m just so frustrated after all that studying, it didn’t pay off.

    7. Too bad! (and *hugs*). I’m not a lawyer, but failed a similar test about a decade ago. Resiliance from failure turned out to be ten times more important than that the first exam result.

    8. Too bad! (and *hugs*). I’m not a lawyer, but failed a similar test about a decade ago. Resiliance from failure turned out to be ten times more important than that the first exam result.

      1. I’ve been there, too.
        At first it was horrible, especially when you have to tell everyone that you’ve failed. I spent about two months feeling really awful.
        There were several things that really helped me get through that time and also helped me pass the bar the second time: looking at my score broken down to see where I had missed a lot of points and focusing on that for the next time, changed test prep books, spoke with my law school (who offered an “I failed the bar” Saturday course) and spent the time between failing the bar and taking the next bar being a law clerk / intern. I also acknowledged the role that test anxiety played and contacted a mental health professional, who prescribed me a minor anti-anxiety medication.
        I passed the second time and I’m sure you will, too! Like others said, in time you will look back and see this as a minor setback.

    9. I’m so sorry. I know it seems like the end of the world, but you will get past this and it will just be a small blip on your career path and not even that in your life story. Hugs!

    10. Just found out I failed the bar, too.
      Awesome.
      I am living in Maryland. If you want someone to restudy with (ha, or just complain with?) let me know. Email me at treehugginglawyer@gmail.com. Don’t worry – we will rock it next time.

  7. For all the runners on here- any advice about blisters? I’ve taken my running up a notch and the result is painful blisters on the sides of my toes and midfoot. I tried a corn protector that slips around the big toe but it always ends up shifting during my workout. Same with bandaids. Is there a special bandage for this? Thanks in advance!

    1. Are you wearing the right size shoe? Many people have to size up 1/2 to a full size in running shoes. Also try a different pair (brand/style) of socks to see if that helps. For marathon training I like the WrightSock brand because the (thin) double layer is designed to prevent blistering. Otherwise, try smearing on some Vaseline or one of those anti-chafing sticks (like a deodorant stick – you can find it at any running store) on the blister-prone spots, although those are of course only a temporary solution.

      1. Also, if you’re getting blisters between toes, make sure your toenails are clipped very short; in the summer I see a lot of women sporting longer lengths that simply don’t work for runners, they’ll rub & tear up the sides of the longer neighboring toes.

    2. Congrats on upping your distance! A few thoughts (learned from the school of hard knocks): BodyGlide or vaseline on your feet before running. I’ve also used liquid bandage a few times in a pinch where I already have a blister forming.

      I can’t find the name now, but I also have some socks that are meant to reduce friction (there are two layers to the sock so just because the sock is rubbing your shoe it won’t do the same thing to your toes). I’ll try to post them in the weekend thread.

      Also, take a look at your shoe size — my hubbie constantly had blisters and was losing toenails, and it turned out sizing up a half size made a huge difference.

    3. Moleskin. You can cut it in a long thin strip that wraps all the way around your toe so it won’t move. It’s really cheap at any drugstore.
      (Also, make sure you’re wearing good quality running socks. That can really help with blisters. I like DryMax. You may also want to re-evaluate — or have a professional fitter re-evaluate — your running shoe choice.)

    4. Moleskin. Cut it like a doughnut, with a hole in the middle to fit the blister. Second the recommendation for double-layer socks and going to a running shoe store to check your fit.

      1. Or, instead of moleskin, duct tape. My 3-year-old stepped on a burning briquette and had a quarter-sized blister on the bottom of his foot. The ER doc told me to wrap it in duct tape and let it stay there until the duct tape fell off (a matter of weeks). Duct tape is now in my emergency kit and bug-out bags. Use the silver tape – the fun ‘fashion’ colors don’t seem to have the same adhesive powers.

    5. The socks are key. Make sure you are wearing actual running socks (I like Balega socks myself), and not some generic “athletic” socks from Target or something. You definitely don’t want cotton.

    6. I’ll start with the obvious, so forgive me.

      Are you wearing wicking (read: non-cotton) socks? They seriously make a huge difference in blister prevention.

      Some people swear by coating their feet with deodorant or BodyGlide (special chaffing preventative stuff — available at sporting goods stores) for blister prevention.

      As for treatment — have you tried second skin? It’s like a bandaid but you “paint” it on. My experience is that it stings a little when you put it on, but then it doesn’t rub off, and really does stay put.

      Have you been fitted for running shoes professionally? If you’re getting blisters and you aren’t running major mileage, have you considered whether you need a wide width? I don’t wear wide width shoes normally, but my running shoes are wide width (just like they are also a large size), and that helped a lot.

      Having said all of this, I find that no matter what I do, I get some blisters when I really ramp up the mileage. I’m talking 15+ miles for a long run. Less than that, and I’m usually fine. If you’re running substantially less mileage and still getting blisters, I would try switching footware (shoes and socks) until you find something that works well for you.

      Good luck!

    7. Wow! Thanks for all these helpful tips! I love the running community on Corporette :)
      I appreciate all these suggestions. I AM wearing basic cotton socks and will pick up running socks today. Never heard of the vaseline/body glide thing either so will try that. There is a good chance I am wearing the wrong size running shoe so I’ll look into that as well.

      Thanks and happy running everyone!

      1. Also re socks–I swear by the toe socks. That’s where I get blisters (even with the correct size shoes!) I had just resigned myself to ugly toes. When I switched to toe socks (iniji is the brand I always get–not sure if there are others), the blisters went away. And, the socks come in fun stripes!

        Definitely go to a specialty running store and get fitted for shoes. It makes a world of difference. Happy running!

        1. By toe socks, I assume you mean the kind that are like gloves for your feet–each toe gets its own little sock compartment. I wear these on a lot of long runs and think they are great. Bought mine at a specialty running store and highly recommend them. A lot of these running socks are expensive, but totally worth it.

          1. Yup SCS those are exactly the ones I’m talking about! They do get pricey but REI has a really good reward program so I tend to group my purchases to get free shipping and buy the socks at that time.

      2. Similar to what others suggested — white medical tape works well too for some areas.

      3. GO TO A RUNNING STORE to get fitted! Seriously. Makes a lot of difference and you don’t end up paying much more. Your feet will thank you.

      4. MissJackson is right on all points! I also love balega socks, but for a long time I used Wright double layer, when I did my first few marathons and had lots of blister trouble.

        I also took a small tube of chapstick with me on long runs and applied it to my feet like Bodyglide if I had too much pain–works wonders.

        I went up a full size in running shoes. That helped tremendously.

        Good luck. I think it may just be a matter of something you go through when you first start doing long runs!

    8. I have found tremendous success with using black electrical tape for prevention. It is somewhat stretchy and flexible, and it comes off easily when you’re done. If I already have a blister, I would put a thin layer of guaze over it under the tape. This was more mid-foot (and I wrapped the tape around my foot several times) than for a toe though. Not sure how well a small piece would stay put.

      Bandaid’s friction block on/between toes is good too.

    9. Agree with moleskin and really good socks. Also, try changing the lacing of your shoes — that really helped some of my blister spots. My running shoes are much more comfortable when I lace backwards (so the bow is by my toes).

    10. I have really gross advice if you need immediate relief from a blister to get through a race or to walk the next day, etc. However, I’m not sure how safe it really is and I wouldn’t recommend doing it all the time. If you have any friends or family in the army, I’d have them show you how to do it themselves.

      I once went on an 8 mile hike with an army friend. The next day I had blisters so big under my foot that I literally couldn’t walk. He whipped out his army first aid kit and did his unit’s standard protocol. Heat up a needle under a flame so it is disinfected. Get medical thread straight from the package and sterile. Put a stitch through your blister only on the top layer of skin. So in at one end of the blister, thread is inside the blister, back out the top. Leave about a centimeter of thread exposed and trim the thread. Cover in medical ointment, wrap, and let it drain via the thread. The next day, carefully pull out the thread. You should be able to walk on the blister pain free.

    11. On the subject of running, I have to wear an ankle brace when I run and even though I wear it over a long sock, it tears up the bone on the side of the ankle. Moleskin doesn’t stay on there very well. Suggestions?

      2. I do moleskin and then wrap medical tape over that to ensure the moleskin stays put. I find that this work for other parts of the feet too, but YMMV depending on how much your feet sweats.

      4. I have to use the specific brace that I received from my doctor but will definitely try putting medical tape over the moleskin. Thanks!

  8. Semi Threadjack: anyone have any recommendations for a “regular” cardigan (no ruffles, flounces or unusual styling, just straight lines with buttons up front)?

    I’ve looked at Talbots, Nordstroms and AT and just did not see anything I loved. Am also looking for a little pop of color instead of regular grey, black, tan. Thanks in advance!

      1. I second Lands End Canvas. They are not too pricey and have a wide range of colors. I picked up a bright pink, yellow and red a few months ago.

        1. Third. They are excellent. No pilling. No stretching. Great colors. Nice texture and neither to thin nor to heavy . My beef with JCrew’s cardigans is how thin they are. Lands End Canvas is how I go if I’m not springing for BB. As an aside, a BB black merino wool cardigan that was a replacement for a six year old one that I lost dropped a button the first time I wore it – before I ever got out of my closet. Hmmpff.

    2. I was in Target this week and they had several plain, but brightly colored, cardigans. The felt soft and seemed like a good weight (not to thin, which I often find with less expensive items). While the quality might not be good enough to last it would hold you over until you could find a better quality version of what you wanted. And you never know, every once in a while I buy something from Target and it holds up beautifully.

      1. Just bought one last month and have been wearing it once or twice a week. I can attest to the fact that it won’t wear out immediately, which is a good sign since the last few J Crew sweaters I bought seemed to pill within a couple of wears! I’ve also had good luck at TJ Maxx for cardigans.

      2. Second (or third) the Target rec. There’s free shipping today with a $50 purchase. They have both plain and baby cabled plain cardigans by Mossimo in an array of colors. (also, 3% back if you go through ebates)

    3. The J Crew Jackie cardigan is a regular cardigan that comes in a variety of colors.

      I have the basic Target cotton cardigans mentioned and they’ve actually lasted a few years. The ones made with other materials seem like they pill immediately, so I wouldn’t recommend them.

      1. I second the JCrew jackie. Also I just got some cashmere cardigans from Lord & Taylor (their own line), and they are exactly what you’re looking for (if you’re looking for cashmere).

      2. Third the Jackie. I have 7.

        They are light though – not good if you are looking for something to keep warm.

      1. Ooh. Interesting. My company just announced they have special coupon deals for Lord and Taylor through the 24th.

        1. I keep clicking that link and it tells me “You’re too early. Come back at 12 noon (ET).” I’m on the East Coast and it’s 12:15 here.

        2. I’m so glad you said something about this – my email from L&T ended up in my spam folder. Hooray for cashmere (at a discount)!

        4. Finally. Bunkster the link I just posted should work it includes now instead of too soon.

    5. This is my continuous quest. I’m one of those long armed, broad shouldered gals too so here’s my analysis of regular cardigans:

      1. Talbots: shortest arms I’ve ever encountered on a regular sweater. I looked like a giant outgrowing things. And didn’t really fit well, as if I wasn’t supposed to have boobs or arms. Will never try again.

      2. Target: They are great for a cheap sweater, but will fade when washing and need to be replaced after a season.

      3. Ann Taylor loft: EVERYTIME I wash this brand sometime within 2-3 months of wearing there are holes in the seams. WTF. I just gave up on this brand after the third cardigan I got from them randomly got holes at seams.

      4. Lord and Taylor brand: THE BEST. They fit well. The arms are long enough. I can button it over my boobs.

      5. Brooks Brothers: Also made for gals with short arm. Look nice but I pass.

      6. J Crew: overpriced for the quality. If between J Crew and Lord and Taylor, I chose lord and taylor. Besides, I hate J Crew since their bottoms never fit me and I see way too many people wearing the same stuff from them all the time.

      1. Most of my clothes come from Talbots. The sleeve lengths vary; those short ones may have been intended as 3/4 length.

        Marshalls may be worth a quick look. They have some basic cardigans and shells in bright colors.

      2. Boden … I find they are lasting more than one season without pilling. I don’t splurge on their cashmeres, but am usually tempted.

    6. Brooks Brothers Merino Cardigan. They are very basic and high quality. I have several in a bunch of different colors and I’m very happy with them. The color selection is better in the stores than online.

    7. For a relatively low cost option, I like the August Silk cardigans. You can find them in the discount stores for really cheap, or at Macys. They come in a lot of colors, and wash up really well. I own several, and they look better than my much more expensive cardis after a lot of wears. I “discovered” them on a particularly frigid day in the office where I ran to Macys in desperation and not wanting to spend much.

      The only downside is they are not as warm as cashmere or merino.

      1. I second that suggestion. I just bought a bunch of them at Nordstrom Rack for $22 each.

    8. I really like the merino ones that Ann Taylor has right now in all different colors. Fit me perfectly (I have long arms) and not itchy at all. I have them in 3 colors! They are $78 right now, but there’s always some sale – right now there’s a 40% off one item code.

    9. I love the Halogen crew neck cardigan from Nordies. its only 44 bucks and comes in like 12 colors.

    10. I really like the Halogen 3/4-sleeve crewneck cardigan at Nordstrom. I have a few and they wear well. I just looked at the website and they’re $44 and come in 16 colors. Now I’m lusting after the Rose Slate color!

      1. Banana Republic has a lot of cardigans right now, a number of which seem like they’d match your description!

      2. I also have this in a few colors and it does wear well. I particularly like it though because it has some shape and doesnt feel boxy. you can wear it open or closed or belted and it makes you feel put together.

  9. Since I can’t tell anyone I know, must share my excitement somewhere — as of today I have less than $10K of student loans left! Assuming a good bonus this year, I’ll be student loan debt-free in January if not before!

    4. Wow! Congrats! May I ask how long this has taken? (I would never ask someone that in person, but I figure this is an anonymous blog, so it isn’t too nosey, right?)

      1. I started with just north of $70K and have been paying them off for 2 years now. 90% of my hubbie’s and my bonuses go to the loans, plus extra payments every month (whatever we can left over that month, sometimes $300, sometimes $3000).

        1. That’s what I did. I started with $70k and put 90% of my bonuses, double loan payments plus whatever extra I had that month. Killed them in 2 years. Best feeling EVER.

    7. I have a related question. I am dying to pay off my loans as quickly as possible, but I also know I need to build up my emergency savings. I am thinking I should pay the minimum on my loans until I have six months of living expenses saved up, and then hit it hard on the loan front. I would love to throw everything I can at these loans, but I feel like savings are more important at this point. Thoughts?

      1. I think the need for emergency saving depends on how secure your job is. I.e., do you work for the government? Smaller emergency fund. A law firm? Larger. Are you married and does your spouse have a job? Smaller. You get the picture. It’s really to help support you, in addition to unemployment/severance, if you lose your job. Personally, I’m biased toward cutting down debt, since savings accounts pay zilch these days. Prosperity to you!

        1. I don’t know what government you work for, but I’m in FL and working for government here is hardly more secure than the private sector. We’ve had a reorg person at my agency for a few months now and people know layoffs are coming.

      2. It depends, how are your interest rate? I would prioritize high interest rate loans but not lower rates. How secure is your job and do you have a partner with a secure job? Do you rent or own, do you have kids?
        You can always split your money to pay off some loans while saving some for emergencies, it is such a personal decision what you prioritize and how you like to treat multiple goals. Some people would rather attack goals 1 by 1. I, personally, would want to start paying off loans with perhaps a 3 month emergency fund but YMMV. Honestly, both options are much better than spending all your extra money on trips and handbags, you are choosing between 2 good options.

        1. I agree with Sutemi. This is a pretty personal decision.

          You definitely want to have some emergency fund before you go full tilt on loans. From there, it depends on your personal situation whether you feel like you need a full six months or not.

          I decided to start aggressively paying off high interest loans before I had a six month emergency fund. Once I had a “reasonable” emergency cushion in place (for me this meant enough money to handle run of the mill “emergencies” — big car repairs, major appliance replacement, etc.), I worked on both goals at once. This obviously meant that I reached my emergency fund goal slower and also paid off debt slower, but I got satisfaction of seeing my savings account grow while seeing my loan debt decrease. I put $1,000 into my emergency fund every month, and put every other penny toward my loans. That allowed me to reach my emergency fund goal on a timeframe that I thought was reasonable (in other words, I thought that there was very little chance of me losing my job over the same timeframe), while also allowing me to pay of a serious amount of student loan debt over the same timeframe (saving me a bundle in interest). I had one loan at 8.5% (GradPlus) and two at 6.8% interest, though, all of which I paid off in full before I hit my six month emergency fund. If all of my loans had been at 2.11%, I probably would have focused on the emergency fund first.

        2. It also depends on health–I’ve got some chronic health issues that sometimes flare up, which requires extra treatment and sometimes hospitalization. I have a much larger emergency fund than is recommended because it stresses me out too much not to have that cushion in case I get really sick. Probably irrational, but just illustrating that everyone’s set of circumstances is different which plays in to the calculation to pay off loans early vs. save up an emergency fund.

        3. It really depends on the interest rate. I always look at student loan payments as a VAT on your life. If you are locked in at a low interest rate and can make your money work for you through an investment portfolio earning a higher rate of interest than your loans charge, it doesn’t make financial sense to use the extra money to pay the loans off. I am also a huge proponent of cash saving in case of an emergency. If you are sacrificing a safety net to pay off your loans, what do you do in case of an emergency?

      3. I would definitely save up a cushion before attacking the loans. The cushion is so important if something happens to avoid putting those expenses on a high interest credit card.

        When I had super high loans, I still maxed out whatever tax-advantaged savings I had like 401k and HSA. In the biglaw income bracket, it’s the only tax savings available.

        Now, my school loans are at less than 2% interest but my mortgage is at 4% so the mortgage is being attacked right after I replenish my emergency fund (I like to have a year of “normal” expenses in savings–if I need to, I could stretch it to 18 months by cutting certain expenses) and make a few changes to my house.

        To hit loans really hard, it’s so important to keep expenses low–especially big expenses like housing and car payments. It kind of sucks being a big-time attorney but still living at a student level but being loan-free is so worth it.

      4. I am in the camp of starting with the emergency fund, then moving on to paying higher than minimum payments on the loan. If something happens to you/your job, you will just plain need cash to address that situation. You will be accumulating some additional interest on your outstanding loans, but it is very likely to be at a lower interest rate than if you, say, need to use credit cards to get through an emergency. One thing to consider is whether your loans have hardship forbearance. If so, keep that in mind in terms of how big your emergency fund needs to be. That is a huge chunk for me, so taking that off my monthly “nut” changes my 6-month requirement significantly.

    8. Wow! I don’t think I’ll be student-loan free until I’m about 80. Congratulations!

      1. Ha! Same here! And the worst part is, I got myself out of my ugrad loans in 10 years, had a few, loan-less blissful years, and then ended up in worst debt going to LS. Pbbbbthhhh!

        But I’m always happy to hear about others digging out of the hole.

      2. I mentioned this yesterday, but I graduated law school in 2010 with $190,000 in loans. After one year in biglaw I’d reduced that to just under $150,000 and built up a 6 month emergency fund which could possibly be stretched longer depending on where I lived and if I could find any work at all (even something like retail). But now I’m clerking and won’t make nearly as much progress. Its a little disheartening especially when I consider I’m nearly 30 and have next to no retirement savings, don’t own a home, and still have $150,000 in debt!

        What do people think about the urgency of saving for retirement for someone in my situation? My loans range between 5.55% and 7.75%. Should I save for retirement and pay off my loans less agressively? If I go back to biglaw and go back to paying my loans off at the same rate as before I figured I would be loan free within 4-5 years of graduation. Should I delay that and save for retirement or continue to throw every penny I have at loans?

        1. This is something you might want a financial planner to wargame for you. Sorry to be a downer, but personally, I would be worried if I were 30 and had next to no retirement savings. Compounding interest and average returns in the stock market do you the most favors if you start young… since you’re clerking, do you fall into the Roth IRA income range? I would at least try to max that out every year before you pay too much extra on your loans.

          1. Sadly, because I was at biglaw most of last year I make too much for a Roth IRA. I will likely qualify for 2012.

            Also on my clerkship salary just paying the minimum on my loans is about 60% of my after tax income some I don’t really have much money left over to save for retirement this year. I will try and contribute 5K if I get a tax refund. It was more with an eye towards getting ideas for next year when I hopefully return to biglaw.

            I do worry about having next to no retirement savings (I have just under 10K). But I don’t know what I could have done differently. I have no debt from undergrad, worked for 2 years and managed to save about 6k in 2 years and that was decimated to about 4k by the stock market. Went to law school with no scholarship (likely the problem), worked public interest 1L summer, paid most of the interest on my loans with my 2L summer associate money, started at biglaw and lived with roommates to save money and pay extra on loans and contributed 5K towards retirement, and built up my emergency fund, and saved to buy a car (which is a necessity where I’m clerking because there is no public transit of any kind).

        2. I would start contributing to your retirement savings as soon as possible, and contribute at a minimum the amount your employer will match. This should be a priority because the more you save when you’re young, the more it will grow.

          1. I’ve never worked for an employer that matches. My understanding is that it’s rare at firms.

          2. I don’t know if it’s rare or not to have an employer that matches, but all the jobs I have had where a 401k was an option all have employer contributions. The firm I am with now contributes 3%, regardless of what I contribute.

  10. We are dealing with a big project at work. I have attempted to train someone to help on the project in the past, but he’s just so slow with it that I usually end up giving up and going back to doing it all myself. There’s really only this one person who has time to help, but I have a feeling that by the time he’s really trained to do the job well, the project will be complete. Has anyone dealt with this problem in the past? Any advice.

    In other news, The Skirt is available in a few lucky Petite sizes on the Rack for $24.97.

  11. Following up my post from the other day about shoulder surgery: Thank you everyone who replied! Your comments were so helpful. Trying to deal with the recovery has been a major factor delaying my getting the surgery. I work like crazy, have a periodic long commute, and am usually living on my own (logistics). I didn’t realize just how long my arm would be immobile. I had thought a little bit about daily personal care (I’ve had surgery on my wrist before) but I had 100% live in help at the time and could still move my arm. Also, I didn’t realize I basically won’t be able to wear any of my clothes for quite a while. A colleague had a pretty serious surgery on his leg and nobody blinked an eye about him hobbling around in shorts and generally casual clothes during his recovery. I guess I could do the same — maybe I’ll get on the cape trend. :) I considered the weather factor but, unfortunately, if I do the surgery it will be Feb/March (insurance issues) so too chilly for no outer layers. I’m just not sure how to make this work — sitting at my desk getting work done appears to be the least of my worries in view of just trying to get bathed, dressed, drive any where or even carry work or my computer to and from work pretty much on my own. :( Maybe I can get my parents to come visit and take care of me (so sad). I don’t want to hijack the wall to be about this but if anyone has suggestions for websites where people discuss this kind of thing — I have no idea what kind of website that would be — I’d appreciate it.

    Also, thanks for bringing the reality of the pain and recovery to my attention. Medical professionals never seem to really convey this to you. I’m good about PT but I didn’t realize how intensive recovery was going to be. Maybe I should just face the reality that being on reduced time is going to be necessary next year.

    1. I’m the poster who had rotator cuff surgery.

      1) I’m single and live alone. I imported my 87-year-old father to help me. He stayed for a 1.5 weeks and after that I was okay alone. I needed him to help me in/out of the sling, cut my food (!), and clean the litter box. If you had someone / friend stop by 2x per day, you might be okay.

      2) It was about 3 weeks before I could wash my own hair (arms above head). Supercuts-type places will do a wash only for around $8-10.

      3) Practice, um, personal “maintenance” choices with your opposite hand prior to surgery. Invest in the disposable toilet paper wipes and dental floss sticks.

      4) The long ribbed tanks from Target – function as bra alternatives, you can shimmy into them on your on, even with the sling. And get zip or snap front men’s shirts or sweatshirts; I stocked up at WalMart. Lets you layer and adjust yourself.

      Good Luck!

      2. Thank you for replying again! The hair washing suggestion is a really good one. I have long, fairly straight hair and someone suggested a wash & wear cut but that’s what long hair is for me — anything shorter and I won’t be able to do anything with it and will look like a moron. I was considering investing in a couple hats. :) After your suggestion, I feel better about the option of having the parents visit. We don’t see each other enough, and I could actually see them being up for it. The 4th point about the clothing options is a bit confusing. For the tanks, are your referring to ones with a shelf bra? I tend to find those a bit of a struggle to get into normally. If not, do you mean going sans bra? I didn’t consider that — I am busty enough for this to be embarrassing. For the men’s shirts, do you recommend them just because they have a roomier cut? Would you still wear them normally or overtop your sling? Thanks!!

        1. The tanks are long and loose (no bra at all) and yup, you sag. But there was no way I was having my father fasten a bra for me! The tank gave me enough coverage and it’s not like I walked around a lot… And the shirts covered things up.

          The shirts were because I had my surgery in March and the weather was cold and I was cold. Men’s cuts (especially XXL) were roomier and I could feed my repaired arm in, use my good arm to grab the other sleeve and get into it, and the close or leave open as needed for warmth. Plus, the sling ended up rubbing holes in the shirts, so I was glad I didn’t wear my nicer stuff. I wore the sling over the shirts.

          And for the record, I have long-ish hair too and my father could NOT make a ponytail at all. My hair flopped all over the place and I often looked like Pebbles Flintstone on crack. But he tried… ;-)

        2. I’ve thankfully never had this kind of injury/surgery but since you *know* what your restrictions will be, why don’t you buy/borrow a sling now and do a trial run? You’ll figure out what clothes you can wear, how to navigate the bathroom, feed yourself, etc.

          1. First time responding, and I know this thread is a couple of days old, but I had rotator cuff surgery in 2004. My mom came down to help for about 3 days, but after that, I mostly managed by myself. I had long-ish, straight hair that didn’t get much styling for about a month, but I was able to wash it. The hardest thing was putting on a bra! I did hire someone to clean my house for a month or two.

    2. My best friend broke her collarbone roundabouts the time I was moving back to her city and looking for a job. She had a sling too. In what can only be described as a win-win, I moved in with her. She needed help with hair, dressing and carrying things. It was also really hard to drive her stick-shift car, so I did that too. We lived in SF and it was February, but she made do by borrowing giant Hawaiian shirts from her brothers and slipping them over her head. She could still do her own bra up.

      I would think that parents, a really close friend, or even hiring a home care nurse for a week might be a good investment. My best friend was _very_ immobile.

      Also, don’t underestimate how the pain meds make you fuzzy at work and how pain can interfere with sleep, compounding things.

      I also had a lot of teammates in college who had rotator cuff surgery (I played an aquatic sport). Since we were in dorms, it wasn’t hard to get someone to help care for you. But they still needed it.

    3. Thanks all! Again, really helpful. I am definitely going to try and put a lot of these suggestions into action. Practice and Dragon are in order forthwith. Sadly, I tried using my mouse with my non-dom hand for a little while and it was pretty pathetic. I understand the tank/big shirt combo now. If I’m going to wear big shirts, I may reinstate my 90s grunge look and get some plaid going on. I was thinking hats but maybe I should be thinking “trucker” hat. lol That would be [a] super hawt [mess]. :)

      1. I’ve had surgery on both of my shoulders, one included a fraying rotator cuff. The first thing i’d recommend is talking with your surgeon about whether you will get an ice therapy cuff put on your shoulder in the operating room. This makes a huge difference in pain control and recovery, as it reduced inflammation and keeps pain controllable. It has two hoses that attach to an ice chest filled with ice, which circulate water from the slowly melting ice around your shoulder. This will require someone to help you refill it twice a day and, perhaps, help you move it from room to room.

        Otherwise, it is surprisingly easy to cope. The pain, with the ice therapy, isn’t that bad, and as long as you have one arm, you’ll be able to do most things. I could wash my very long hair with one arm, albeit perhaps not as well as with two, and frozen food worked well too. I’ve also had 4 knee surgeries, including one that kept me on crutches for 8 weeks and that was much worse from a coping standpoint.

  12. Speaking of bar exams- I have a friend who took the Massachusetts Bar in July. Does anyone know when the results will be posted?

    1. They say mid november, but the last few years its been last weekend in October (yes I have been obsessively checking)

  13. As someone waiting SO NERVOUSLY for results from the NY bar, I really, really wish that the folks exulting in a pass didn’t need to use this forum for it. Anyone with me?

    1. No, not really. I don’t see why other people can’t share their happy news (be it wrt the bar, a promotion, an engagement, a pregnancy, etc) just because there are other people out there who are either anxiously awaiting news regarding any of the above, or disappointed in news recently received.

      1. Frankly, I think announcing “I PASSED THE BAR” is really gratuitous in a forum where you know that some people are suffering as hard as you’re celebrating that day. I’m really nervous that I failed, and I’m sure that some corporette readers WILL fail the NY bar. So if I’m happy-great–I’ll tell my best friend and let her buy me a drink. If I’m sad–pretty much the same.

        1. I agree with Anon at 12:18. It’s just as ok to announce “I PASSED THE BAR!” as it is to annouce a new job or promotion, or a fat bonus. There are many who are looking for a job, and many who are financially strapped, but just because they will be wistful/sad at hearing someone else’s good news doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t discuss those topics or celebrate successes. So congrats to the poster who passed and a big hug to the poster who didn’t. Yes, More on Bar Exams, maybe you failed and maybe you passed. It is not the end of the world if you didn’t. One of my smart, hard working friends failed when we took the bar. She passed the next time and is kicking booty at her biglaw job.

          For those waiting for results, especially those in CA who will be waiting until the FRIDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING, fingers crossed for all of you, but not talking about passing/not passing is not going to do a whit to change how you did. We are a supportive, open community regardless of topic, and I’m not about to start supporting censorship.

      2. Agree completely. Sorry you are waiting SO NERVOUSLY (along with literally thousands of our peers), but that doesn’t mean other people can’t share their news. It’s not like the women on this site who are TTC ask the women who are knocked up to keep it to themselves. If you don’t want to read something, don’t read it. Don’t expect other people not to write it for your sake.

        1. Man! As a long-time lurker, I had thought of this as a fairly supportive community. But this is some grade-A b*tchitude–did you really need to mock my post (SO NERVOUSLY) to make your point? Now I know to look at the pretty clothes and not comment.

        2. As can be seen from posts above, you can get equal support from someone saying I passed or saying I failed. This is a forum to share – good news or bad. I think asking people not to share their good news — like asking people not to share bad news — is unreasonable.

          More on Bar Exams, you should take comfort from the fact that most people, esp. first time takers, do pass the bar exam and — if you cannot force yourself to just skip those threads that deal with the topic — let it to remind you that passing is not all that impossible, even if you think you failed. FWIW, many people I know thought they failed and they all passed. And, if you should fail, take comfort knowing that many tremendous people out there have failed and gone on to have great careers.

          1. I agree with everything that AIMS said above. Everyone gets support – for the good and the bad.

    2. No, not really. Passing (or any other type of happiness) isn’t a zero-sum game.

    3. You aren’t alone. I cringed when I saw the post and I’m not even waiting on bar results. Just felt bad for all the nervous people and people who failed.

    4. I’m sorry that my post offended you. I come here for good advice and celebrate in others good happenings. For example I don’t have a job yet but I was thrilled for Little Lurker when she got hers as she’s shared so much of her struggle with us. If I could take the post down to not have it upset you I would but I don’t think that’s allowed on here (or if it is I can’t figure it out). Again I’m sorry if my post offended you or anyone else, I just knew I had seen other such posts on here and I was excited to finally have some good news in my life (the first bit in about a year). Best of luck to you on the NY exam.

      1. Oh, SeaElle, the last thing I’d want to do is pee on your parade!! This is a great day for you, and I hope you enjoy it thoroughly (and get an amazing job post haste).

    5. I’m the Anon from earlier this morning who posted about failing, and honestly reading these “I passed” posts makes me feel super happy for the people who passed, and it also serves as a reminder that I’ll maybe be able to do it too…

      2. Second. Everyone I know who didn’t pass the first time out (last year) is now a licensed attorney. I know it sucks right now, but you can and will do this.

        1. Third! Of course you can pass the bar! Don’t doubt yourself. A good friend of mine was in your situation this time last year and he passed on his second try. I’m sure you will too!

    6. You could say the same thing about anything: new jobs, promotions, babies, new clothes, even talking about your significant other could upset people who are unhappily single. We’re all adults and have to take responsibility for our own feelings. Otherwise, we’ll end up chatting about nothing but the weather.

    8. Since one person passing has ZERO effect on whether another person passes, no, I don’t think anyone needs to walk on eggshells. Congratulations to all who get good news today, and a big hug to all who are disappointed – I have many friends who didn’t pass the first time around, and not only are they all lawyers now, they are all employed, and no one knows the difference.

  14. Since you ladies were all so helpful with your running advice to CN today, here is another one for the running community.

    I started to run earlier this year using Couch to 5K and am now up to running about 6K, which I do about 3x per week. However, I usually run after work, and now that it is getting dark earlier, I don’t feel safe running at night. I’ve been trying out a new regime of running on the treadmill at my local gym instead, but I am running into (no pun intended) serious boredom issues. I’ve been listening to my iPod, trying to train myself not to look at the clock on the treadmill, etc., but it isn’t working so well. If I don’t find a reasonable way to get past this, I can tell all my good efforts to date are going to go down the tube. Help! Any tips, tricks or advice? TIA.

    1. 1) Are there treadmills in front of windows facing outside? I used to people watch or focus on random textures and shapes, in a meditative way that helped me lose track of time.
      2) TV monitors? I watched the gym TV w/o plugging in headphones and made up dumb games for myself: try guessing what the commercial is selling before any product words appear (my favorite)! restyle the news anchor! guess what the talking heads are saying or create alternate dialogue for them!
      3) cover the treadmill clock w/ a towel or shirt
      4) cheer yourself on: i am awesome! i am strong! i can run forever! (cheesy but works for me)
      5) interval training also helped combat boredom: up the speed or incline for 1-2 min, then jog slower to recover
      combo of these things got i-hate-running-especially-on-treadmills-me to work up to 10 miles on the treadmill

    2. Are you running specifically to train for a race, or just general health? My workouts are just for health, so during the colder months, I change it up with group classes, elliptical machine, weights, etc. If you’re running specifically for something, put a towel over the clock at the gym, and find a TV that’s playing something half-way interesting. I’ll usually end up running for the length of the program if I step onto the treadmill right as it starts. It’s great motivation to keep going just a little longer, so that I can see the end of the program :)

    3. Maybe consider a running club. They often have set times for runs during the week for evening runs (e.g., different pace groups, different types of runs–distance, hills, etc) and on the weekend. That way you could keep running outside. Alternatively, see if you can develop a gym “buddy.” If you don’t know anyone who is at your gym and uses the treadmill regularly, see if there are some regulars that hit the treadmill when you do and see if anyone is interested in friendly conversation.

    4. I loathe the treadmill, but I certainly understand safety concerns. If you can’t find someone to run with (maybe a local running group, even) or find a well-lit area where you can do a few laps, you can try to do tricks like adjusting your pace every few minutes or doing intervals.

    5. Podcasts. Seriously. I cannot run on the dreadmill without them. Highly recommend “two gomers” (free on itunes). It’s a “running podcast” but it’s mostly just two friends chatting about many things, one of which is running. Listening to them helps me get past the boredom like music cannot.

      I also recommend using a towel to cover your treadmill screan, which will keep you from checking the clock constantly.

    6. Instead of listening to music, try to listen to audiobooks and only let yourself listen to the book when you’re exercising. That way you’ll have to run to figure out the end.

      1. Agreed. Obviously, this is personal, but I’ve found audiobooks help me get through a lot of things, like laundry and housework and running, that I otherwise just quit in the middle. Music doesn’t do the same for me. I use slightly different criteria for my audiobook purchases from what I use for reading book purchases, with the “distraction” purpose in mind.

    7. Can you run the morning? If you’re like me (not a morning person), it will take some time to get used to, and the first week will be rough, but there’s something to be said for getting it done first thing in the morning.

      To beat treadmill boredom, I change up my speed or incline every quarter mile or so. This will make the transition back to the outside (hills, wind resistance, etc) easier in the spring. And I change the playlist on my iPod weekly to keep things interesting.

      Good luck!

    8. What helps me is every five minutes increase the incline or speed for a minute or so. It helps break up the boredom. Whenever I try to make myself not look at the clock, it backfires so I’ve never tried that one. Also, if you are training for something, focusing on the purpose for the run (long run, recovery run, speedwork, etc.) has helped me stay motivated on the treadmill.

      Agree also that if you run mostly for health, group classes are a fun way to mix it up with the shorter days. I love me my spin class.

    9. Thank you all! I will start with podcasts/lectures to try to eliminate my “counting songs” problem, and will cover up the clock, and see how that works. Then I can progress to other things as necessary. I have thought about a running club but have to admit I am terrified about being “the slow one”.

      I’m not really running with a particular goal in mind (my first goal was supposed to be a 5k run at the beginning of October that I couldn’t do due to a conflict), but would like to keep up my running rather than just doing classes so that I can ramp it up and enter a race (maybe 10k?) in the new year. I am too Type A to just let it go. :-)

      I never thought I would even make it this far….I want to see what I can do.

      1. And to BAB: the funny thing is, I *am* a morning person. I just live far enough north that at this point in the year, it would be dark for morning runs too (or I’d be late to work). But you are right, I should keep that in mind for the future.

      2. I also suggest intervals. You can find online training programs online that will have interval workouts in them (you don’t need to follow the plan, I just like to have someone else make up my workouts). I suggest the ones that have a lot of different intervals, not just “increase speed by :15 per mile every 15 minutes.”
        Find some that require you to change it up (both increase and decrease speed/intensity/incline) at least every minute or so – you’ll barely have time to adjust to the current pace before it’s time to move on. You’re contstantly thinking about and watching the timer, but in terms of seconds, not total elapsed time, so it goes by quickly.
        And congrats on your progress!
        (You may want to try running with a headlamp in the morning – I always feel like that’s a lot safer than after dark at night. I guess my mind thinks shady/dangerous people sleep in so they won’t be out when I’m running before work! I also suggest reflective clothing and a red blinky light somewhere on your upper body – see and be seen!)

    10. I second (third?) interval training on the treadmill. You can cut back on mileage if you increase the intensity, and you can add in weight training during the time you would otherwise be running. The interval training will really help your speed in races.

    11. Ugh treadmills. I always cover the clock with a towel if I have to run on a treadmill; I can’t stop looking at the clock either. And I only do intervals; I can’t stand long steady runs with no scenery, even with music or TV.

      Why you don’t feel comfortable running at night– is your area unsafe, or are you concerned about lack of visibility to vehicles / not being able to see your footing? If it’s just the darkness and not the people lurking in it, try running with a head lamp. It looks dorky, but there are very lightweight ones designed for runners that aren’t uncomfortable and stay in place pretty well. I have one with LED lights that angle so I can see the road, and cars can see me. I also wear reflective gear, but I’m sure you already thought of that.

      1. There are a lot of other safety issues when running in the dark. I drive to work through a very safe neighborhood in terms of people, but people run in the middle of the road on curvy roads where cars regularly park on the street. By the time you actually see these people and they see you, you’re practically upon them. I just don’t get why people would do this if there are perfectly good sidewalks or roads with bike paths just a block away! I’m always terrified I am going to hit someone.

    12. Audio books, either the fluffiest chicklit you can find so you can escape to FantasyLand, or interesting and serious nonfiction that you genuinely have interest in (political stuff, scientific, etc) so you have to pay attention to follow.

      1. Personally, I find that audiobooks or TV are not sufficiently motivating when I need to push myself on the treadmill. Only fast-driving music will do that.

    13. I remember the attack on the Central Park jogger, so of course I understand why you have concerns about running at night, especially alone.

      I do a mix of 15 minutes of HIIT (High Interval Intensity Training) on the treadmill, followed by 15 to 20 minutes of steady state exercise on the elliptical trainer. This sequence is supposed to maximize fat burning, incidentally.

      For the HIIT, I will do something like 90 seconds at a slow pace followed by 40 seconds at a very brisk one. I make the fast interval 40 seconds to give myself 10 seconds to change the speed so I’ll have 30 seconds of straight fast work. You can change the intervals any way you want: 30 seconds slow, 30 seconds fast, etc. I would Google “HIIT.”

      I keep track of the intervals with a little interval timer called the “Gymboss.” http://www.gymboss.com

      The ambient music at the gym is usually fine for me during intervals, but for the steady state portion, I must have my iPod, with my “Workout” playlist.

    14. I borrow a dog to run in the dark early mornings and later evenings. I also take one whenever I do trails solo, even in the daytime. I look forward to the day I can adopt my own but, in the meantime, friends, family, and neighbors (especially older ones) are usually happy for their dogs to get some exercise and the sound sleep that follows.

    15. Audible dot com books on tape, if you are going to use a treadmill. Nothing like as boring as music gets on a treadmill. Books will keep your attention much better than music.

      Personally, I run outside in the dark a lot (and I hate treadmills), but you do have to know your community. At first I felt a bit unsafe, but I got over that. If your fears are fact-based, and not just unease, go for the treadmill. I’ve become addicted to listening to books (usually mysteries, but I just finished The Help–fabulous with 3 or 4 different narrators) while running.

      I do not mean to minimize your unease at all. I just know I felt that way at first and quickly got over it. My community has changed a bit in the 30 plus years I’ve been running, and I still run before daybreak and at night but am cautious.

      A running partner is another option, too.

  15. Ugh. 4th day in at my new job, and I realized I messed up a project this morning and had to hurry and fix, meaning I missed my own welcome lunch (it was for me and several other new people, so not too awkward, but still a bummer). Totally my fault. Not a great way to start out. Luckily people seem fine about it, but I’m all flustered.

    1. It happens, especially at a new job and people are sympathetic. The important thing is that you took ownership of your mistake and fixed it yourself. It’s very impressive that you skipped your own welcome lunch to do so!

      1. Agreed. Now put it behind you and project confidence! Only 4 days and you’ve already met and dealt with your first challenge – that’s actually a pretty great way to wrap up Week #1.

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