Suit of the Week: J.Crew Factory

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chino suiting in a bright blue

For busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional. Also: we just updated our big roundup for the best women's suits of 2024!

Cotton suits made from chino material are great for summer because they're breathable — but they do tend to wrinkle easily, so I would not recommend them for a big day.

That said, J.Crew Factory has this classic suit in “sail blue” (pictured) as well as beige and black, and it's such a happy shade of blue that I had to post. There is a matching skirt as well as a wide-leg chino pant — all pieces are below $120 today.

On the more casual side, they also have a matching chino short and a few tops in the same “sail blue.” If you wanted to do a monotone look, they've got you covered.

If you're hunting for colorful suits, note that light blue suits for summer are some of the easiest because you can wear them as you would a light gray suit. As of 2024, we're seeing nice ones at Reiss and Brooks Brothers. On the more affordable side, find blue suits at Ann Taylor (“blue echo,” ojai, “precious sapphire“), Banana Republic Factory, and Eloquii.

Sales of note for 2/7/25:

  • Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 25% off your $175+ purchase — and $30 of full-price pants and denim
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 15% off
  • Boden – 15% off new season styles
  • Eloquii – 60% off 100s of styles
  • J.Crew – Extra 50% off all sale styles
  • J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything including new arrivals + extra 20% off $125+
  • Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 40% off one item + free shipping on $150+

132 Comments

  1. Can we talk about reading? Do you read fun books, literary books, or a mix of them? How many books a year of each kind? How do you find them? Do you feel guilty or shameful for reading some? (What are your thoughts on audiobooks and graphic novels?)

    I read almost exclusively romance books – before I leaned into it I was maybe reading 1-2 books a year, but now read 75+ books a year. Sometimes I feel guilty but I feel like it could get a lot worse like Patterson thrillers. I find them thru social media groups. I’m not a fan of graphic novels but think that they, like audiobooks, are “reading.”

    1. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous to feel guilty about anything you read! That’s just bananas. Reading is one of life’s great pleasures and you should read what you like to read.

    2. For me, reading is about enjoyment, so I read what is enjoyable to me. Right now, it’s a lot of thrillers and romance (a large portion of which is more er@tica). I have zero guilt over what I read. I think that any reading is good, and there should be no guilt involved! I find recommendations all over the place, including social media. I buy some actual books, but I usually buy used rather than new. I check out books from my local library, both hard copies and ebooks. I also use Kindle Unlimited. I also buy Kindle ebooks I want to read that are not on Kindle Unlimited. I don’t really think that audiobooks are “reading”, but I also don’t think that people should feel guilty or ashamed about listening to them over actually reading the book with their own eyes!

      1. +1. If you like the Patterson thrillers, read the Patterson thrillers. Don’t feel guilty about it and read the thing that makes you (want to) sit in one place for 5 hours in a row because you can’t put it down. You’ll end up learning something, or there will be something that sparks a reaction (either good or bad) and those will both be valid. “Reading” is about consuming stories – audio counts. Graphic novels count.

        Reading (anything) puts you in someone else’s perspective. Some people say that goes towards building empathy. If nothing else, every book you pick up is evidence of your willingness to try something new, since you haven’t read it before. Or if you are re-reading, there’s value in having the comfort of a familiar story that might teach you something new because YOU are different from the last time you read it.

    3. Like 95% fun books, mostly fantasy/sci-fi (and yes, I’ve leaned hard into the recent romantasy trend). How much I read varies wildly by year depending on how busy work is (or how much fanfic I’m reading instead of actual published novels), but it’s usually anywhere from 24-50 books a year (which is a lot of pages, because fantasy novels aren’t exactly known for being short). Of those, usually 2-3 are something other than fantasy. And zero guilt or shame about reading them–I’ve been a fantasy reader since I was a kid, and it’s meant I’ve always read a TON because I like it and it’s what I want to read. 100% sure this translated into me being a better student in school, which meant getting into a good college, then a good law school, and well, here we are. Life’s too short to feel guilty about what you’re reading (or to read books you don’t like because you feel like you should).

      1. Oh, would love to hear any recent faves! This is my favorite genre too and I’m always looking for new suggestions.

        1. Fantasy or romantasy? On fantasy, I just finished the Adventures of Almina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty, which was enjoyable (if you haven’t read her Daevabad Trilogy, it’s really good-she published that one as SA Chakraborty). On romantasy, Fourth Wing is worth the hype.

          1. Thanks! I read City of Brass but then forgot it had sequels, will be checking those out!

          2. I just ordered this at the library. I’ve been on a reading spree inspired by this years Hugo nominees, and I have to say that so far most of them has been excellent.
            Although I am never reading another John Scalzi. Life is too short for that kind of insipid fan service.

    4. I read a mix but haven’t been drawn as much to literary fiction recently. I’ve found that so much of it is pretentious af – I’m not into styles like refusing to use quotation marks for dialogue, to name just one thing. I usually read on my Kindle but we’ve also started listening to audiobooks on long drives and that’s been really fun. We usually use old favorites for that (HP, James Herriot books). I also re-read certain childhood favorites every other year or so, like the Little House books. i read 52-72 books per year (one per week at least) and that’s a good level for me. If I’m reading more than that, I tend not to have as much time for other things that I want to do too.

      1. I don’t know what it says about me, probably nothing good, but I don’t even notice style that much. I’ve read three Sally Rooney books and had no idea she didn’t use quotation marks until a friend mentioned it and blew my mind.

    5. I read what I find fun. It happens to be modern literary fiction most of the time.

      I’m not a graphic novel fan generally and have to be able to Vibe with the narrator of an audiobook to enjoy it (no I cannot explain what this means so don’t ask).

    6. I read what I enjoy. It’s probably about 50% contemporary literary fiction, 30% thriller/mystery (lately heavy on spy novels), and 20% non-fiction. I usually read about 100 books a year total. I don’t really enjoy romance novels (although I usually read a few popular PG13 ones each year) and I read very little sci-fi and almost no fantasy. I don’t do audiobooks. I also try to do thematic reading for big trips, so this year we’re going to Turkey and I have a list of about 20 books (fiction and non) to read before that trip. That can sometimes feel like a bit of a slog and is the only reading I have to push myself to do, but I always feel it was worth it when I get to the destination.

      1. Wow – I think this is almost my exact mix (including leaning heavily towards spy novels these days and not enjoying sci-fi or romance). So, hello literary twin!

    7. I read a mix and it almost entirely depends on my mood. I love our local library/libby since I can read like I did as a kid – indiscriminately and often (I was the tween lugging home a dozen books at a time in the summer). I also have no issue not finishing a book if I don’t like it. Life isn’t English class, you’re allowed to read what you enjoy without shame!
      I read almost entirely (90%) fiction since I have to read a ton of business/non-fiction for work. About 60% ‘lighter’ (fantasy, scifi, women’s lit, romance) and 40% heavier stuff (literary fiction, poetry, short stories, plays). I rarely read mysteries/thrillers since they make me anxious but that’s about the only genre I don’t like.

      1. Are you me? I have a very similar taste in books.

        I work in a science-heavy field of business and am alternating between spicy romance and „real“ literature of all kinds.
        I don’t like fantasy but will read some sci-fi if it’s good.

        1. I feel this. I do IR in a FAANG type firm and have to read/edit a TON of highly technical tech comms so my brain needs a break at the end of the day!
          I’ve recently read and loved Tom Lake, Hello Beautiful, the Husbands, Terraformers (more scifi – highly recommend), and Starter Villian (silly but fun by John Scalzi).

          1. I’m nosy and am super curious what “IR” means in this context? I can only think of international relations, but I’m guessing that’s not it…

            The Husbands was so good! The ending, omg. I still get chills thinking about it.

    8. I don’t think you should feel guilty about anything you read, but if you are, maybe you’re just getting a little bored and branching out a little isn’t a terrible idea, now that you’ve gotten back in the habit of reading again. I prefer variety in my reading, so I often have both a fiction and nonfiction book going at the same time and like to alternate between literary fiction and genre fiction (mysteries, scifi/fantasy, and the occasional romance). I don’t do graphic novels, just because I prefer ebooks and the few I’ve tried don’t read very well in that format. I also rarely do audiobooks, as I’m a much faster reader than listener, so I save audio for multitasking time and do podcasts instead. They seem better suited to listening when I’m not always paying full attention- I don’t want to miss important parts of a book. But I have nothing against either if they work for you. I read ~150 books a year.

    9. I read about 80 books per year. I track my reading in Storygraph, which has very fun charts and graphs for all sorts of reading stats. I read about 85% fiction, 15% nonfiction. I read a mix of “fun” and “literary,” though that’s often an arbitrary distinction. I can see from my stats that as the number of total books I’ve read increased, the greatest part of that increase is in “fun” books. My brain is just not going to have the capacity for more than 20-25 literary novels per year.

      I read both historical and contemporary fiction, in several genres – mystery, romance, fantasy, science fiction. I don’t enjoy thrillers, true crime that involves murder (but I love a good heist), or horror. My non-fiction reads are mostly memoirs and essay collections, with an occasional biography or narrative nonfiction. I always have 3-6 books on my “current reads” pile and pick them up at different times of the day and week, depending on my mood.

      I typically find my books through book clubs (both online and in person), podcasts, and family and friends’ recommendations. I love audiobooks – they used to make up about 20% of my reading, but this year, they’re about 1/3 of my reading. In general, graphic novels are not my jam because I focus on the words and miss what’s conveyed in the pictures. Maybe I could train myself to “read” them differently, but I do connect with language more than visual art.

      I never feel guilty or shameful about what I’m reading. It’s fun, and it’s for me.

    10. I read almost exclusively murder mysteries or thrillers – with the occasional historical fiction, autobiography, or romance tossed in. I almost never read literary fiction.

      I have a 3-year-old and 1-year-old…so my reading of actual books skews more towards the board book variety. LOL. My reading these days is almost exclusively via audiobook – because I can listen to books as I do things around the house, walk the dog, etc. If I sit down to read on my kindle, 9 times out of ten I will be asleep in 15 minutes.

      I think reading is much like a lot of things in life – there are seasons. I don’t expect to rely solely on audiobooks forever – just until life calms down. Maybe I’ll find a literary fiction author I love and read nothing BUT that in years to come. Who knows. Point is – enjoy what you read during your leisure time. Otherwise, what’s the point?

    11. I either read literary fiction – not interested in fantasy, sci fi, or mystery – or books about a subject I’m interested in. I am just now reading a book about skincare by Dr Anjali Mahto.

    12. I consider both published books, graphic novels, fanfiction, long articles (the novellas of non-fiction), essays and audio books to be reading.

      I think I average at least one hour of reading every day, and a lot more during summer or other holidays. I don’t keep count of what I read, but any one book is maybe 4-5 hours for a regular pocketback and 8-12 for a more ornery literary novel.

      I find non-fiction books in Waterstone’s and fiction online or by word of mouth.

    13. Oh goodness, life is entirely too short to be embarrassed or ashamed about what a person is reading! My mother exclusively read bodice rippers (and couldn’t even hide them by using a kindle!) and my father read only westerns. They both read up until their deaths, and I think this helped instill a love for reading in me.

      I read just about anything — literary fiction is probably my biggest genre, but I also love sci fi, very specific fantasy, romance, horror, and mysteries. I read a lot of short stories and poetry, too. Every year I try to read at least a couple of classics because I know they often inform modern literature. Last year was War & Peace. This year is East of Eden and Huckleberry Finn (which I read first so I could fully enjoy the new James by Pervival Everett).

      I do think audiobooks and graphic novels are reading. And I have a few graphic novels I love and recommend sometimes! I find a lot of books through the various Book Riot podcasts. My favorite local bookstore also recommends books to me a lot. I use them, the library, and libro.fm for audiobooks. Every now and then I’ll get an audiobook on Audible if I can’t find it anywhere else.

      1. Oh, I also read non-fiction! I tend to like books about one little moment in history or niche topics, like The Feather Thief or The Art Thief.

        1. One of the best ones I read in that category was Chasing the Thrill by Daniel Barbarisi. So fascinating.

    14. I only read like 15-20 books a year because I feel guilty that they’re not “worldly” books. Mostly either Janet Evanovich type lighter mystery books or romance. For non fiction, I really like books like Bad Blood – I’m not sure how to describe them other than “recent and interesting investigative journalism that is also a. Human interest story”. Not anything that’s like a cold case murder (too dark for my taste), and I don’t really like biographies. I’m now reading “Among the Bros” which is about the drug culture at College of Charleston.

    15. I read a handful of books a year, mix of fun books and non-fiction on a topic I’m interested in. I don’t usually read “literary” books.

    16. I have always been an avid reader, but I’m in a tough season of life right now, so I am exclusively reading romance novels (definitely more than 100/year). I used to read “meatier” books, but I’m not in the right headspace for that. I’ll get back to other types of books eventually, but for now I just want lighthearted entertainment. I’m not ashamed of it, and you shouldn’t be either.

    17. My 12 year old really enjoys romance novels, as do I. The other day she said she felt a little embarrassed about reading them and I felt awful for her. I told her that she should never feel embarrassed about what she reads, particularly a genre that celebrates happiness and love and doing what feels good and right. I hope she takes that to heart. (I mean I also encourage her to talk to me if she comes across anything that she doesn’t understand or makes her feel uncomfortable or confusing. We fight about a lot of things, but bond over romance novels.)
      I read a mix- non-fiction tends to be historical non-fiction or parenting books. Then also romance, mystery, literary fiction, and YA, whatever is appealing in the little free library. The biggest percentage is romance because I tear through those pretty quickly. I get through 45-55 books a year, including audiobooks. I find books by browsing the library or Libby or book reviews, ,recs from other people, or genre/ reading specific websites like Modern Mrs. Darcy.

    18. I love to read! I read mostly literary fiction with all sorts of things thrown in. My favorite authors are Sally Rooney, Elena Ferrante, and Amor Towels, but I also devoured ACOTAR, have read every Emily Henry book, and reliably enjoy Elin Hildebrand.

      I read 60-75 books a year and find them through blogs, podcasts, social media, and Goodreads. I mostly read on my Kindle via Libby but I love a beautiful hardcover too.

      I think people should read whatever they want! And audiobooks and graphic novels totally count.

      1. I honestly wish I could find more authors like Elin Hildebrand – her books are smart, not too heavy, well crafted, and not too predictable. It’s a tough combo and she does it really well. Kevin Kwan’s crazy rich Asian’s series was great for this too!

        1. I’m here to bang the Rosamunde Pilcher drum! Smart, not too heavy, and not too predictable.

        2. I’m not familiar with Hildebrand, but for me Ann Patchett, Emma Straub, Curtis Sittenfeld and Taylor Jenkins Reid usually check the “smart but not too heavy” box well.

    19. My goal is to read every fiction Pulitzer winner. There are 97. I’m about 1/2 way through. I only have so much time and so much space in my brain and I don’t want to waste it on junk.

      1. Be warned then, one of those winners keeps describing darkness as “vaginal.” Sometimes junk gets the prize.

        1. This. I’ve ready almost all of the fiction winners since the 90s and some are just pretentious junk. I’m looking at you Chabon and Russo.

        2. This! Although my view of the fiction Pulitzer may be colored by the fact that I personally know one of the winners and she’s an awful person (and writes terrible – imo – books to boot). I’ve always seen the award as meaningful in terms of newswriting and photojournalism, but pretty meaningless in terms of fiction.

    20. one of my good friends started a book club last year and it’s really helped me get back into reading! reading begets reading for me 100%. I have no patience for those who judge what someone is reading.

      I like audiobooks but they’re very different to me. Like, my brain doesn’t get a break from real life in the same way ‘normal’ reading does, it doesn’t give me the same mental boost. I enjoy them for long walks outside in nice weather though!

    21. Re. guilty reading, did anyone else watch the entire Contrapoints review of Twilight?

      1. No but a guilty pleasure of mine is reading negative Goodreads reviews for books I hated. It gives me a thrill to see someone else hate the same things I do.

        1. I love listening to the Worst Bestsellers podcast for this (I totally cherry pick the books I actually didn’t like, but it’s so enjoyable).

    22. I read approx 60-80 books a year, a mix of literary fiction, historical, fantasy, some of what is now called romantasy, a little non-fiction, whatever looks interesting to me, really. I do generally read the Booker and Pulitzer winners every year, and like following the Tournament of Books so will read a bunch of the nominees. And then I’ll mix in a bunch of lighter fare because sometimes I need a brain break. I feel no guilt for that, I spend my workday reading and drafting contracts so I don’t need to constantly be reading things that make me think hard in my free time as well!

      1. This. My workday reading is a lot of wading through highly technical pieces and make them comprehensible to non-experts. Sometimes I just need something light at the end of the day.

      2. Same. I’m in policy research and read a lot of peer-reviewed studies daily. Sometimes I need to read a childhood fave or a comfort read.

    23. I feel zero guilt about anything that I like to read. Like others, I generally subscribe to the “any reading is good reading” perspective. I recall the hand-wringing about both Twilight and Harry Potter (“the kids are reading, but it isn’t GOOD reading”) and thought it was ridiculous then, and still do so. Read stuff! Reading is great!

      I used to read tons and tons of romance, but I’ve been in a more eclectic mode lately. I’m also on mat leave and am taking advantage of that to read a lot. I tend not to read a lot of literary fiction, but I just finished The Guest and really enjoyed that. I have a subscription to Book of the Month Club (highly recommend), and I use that as a vehicle to push myself to try things that are out of my comfort zone. Like I just got None of this is True by Lisa Jewell from BoTM, and it was an interesting read although I don’t think Gone Girl-type psychological thrillers are really my jam.

    24. I read 88 books last year and have read 33 this year already so on track to beat that by a lot now that I’m retired. I read everything — literary fiction, sci fi, mysteries, thrillers, spy novels, a bit of rom com, some nonfiction — you name it. I normally save audiobooks for when I’m in the car or out walking because I can’t just sit and listen,and if I’m doing anything else I get too distracted. Last year I listened to maybe 10 or so audiobooks, mostly nonfiction, and a bunch of podcasts.

      I go in spurts of different genres — I read a bunch of literary fiction at the beginning of the year, then I joined Kindle Unlimited and did a whole bunch of mediocre British mysteries, now I’m halfway through the Three Body Problem series and loving it.

    25. I try to limit myself to only reading authors who are women. I make an exception here and there – I read Trust for a book club (not fantastic), a couple of Amor Towles. But for the most part, there are so many readable writers who are women, it’s really not limiting at all.

      I read probably 20-40 books per year.

      1. I don’t make much effort to read exclusively women, but 95% of the fiction I read is written by women. Amor Towles is one of the few men I read too; also Anthony Marra. Non-fiction (especially if exclude memoirs) is probably majority men though. I need to be more intentional about reading non-fiction by men.

    26. I think far too few people read so anything you read and enjoy is the right book for you. I don’t feel guilty for anything that I enjoy — books, music, art, food, etc. I also feel like the right book shows up when you need it. This is why it’s hard to recommend books or pick favorites. Sometimes a book just clicks with that day or year in life. I do read a lot of romance or “chick lit” but also enjoy mysteries and other general fiction.

      I don’t really get the issues with audiobooks being real reading. I also don’t read plays — I go see them acted. Does that mean it wasn’t real? No. So whatever method engages your brain.

    27. Reading is reading is reading. My last two books were Madeline Albright’s autobiography and 50 Shades of Grey (had never read it before, listened to a podcast recap the first movie and needed to experience the insanity for myself). So few people read for pleasure anymore and it’s so good for you regardless of the genre or quality of the writer!

    28. I have been trying to cut back on my drinking and switched to a reading habit. Not all my books are kindle, many are physical library books, but I just checked and YTD I’ve read 26 books on my kindle. Figure another 10 off kindle?

    29. I have two ways to find books: R*ddit threads recommendation (I like horror and have found tons of great reco’s that way) and through Libby’s “random” browsing function + Kindle “you may also like” threads and recommendations.
      I used to read so much romance but I’m having trouble finding an author + subgenre that really grabs me and holds me. I dabbled in romance writing as an indie self pub’d author and now all I can see is plot mechanics, beats, and line-level writing when reading someone else’s worth and a lot of the fun and escape has gone out of it, sadly.
      The only time I feel even a twinge of guilt is when I re-read my ancient 80s mystery thrillers from my fave author for literally the 50th time rather than my HUGE TBR pile, and/or something expires or becomes due before I touched a single page.

  2. What would you pick as your everyday purse if money were no object? I’m doing the smart, not fun thing with my money today, so I want to live vicariously.

    1. Oh I love purses! Either the small Bottega Andiamo bag in ‘barolo’ (deep red wine color) or the Hermes Halzan in the 31 size, probably also in a purple or red shade.

      1. How do you pronounce that designer? I know I’ve heard it but I never quite get it right.

        1. I’ve lived my whole life pronouncing it low-uh and have never been corrected. How embarrassing!

          1. I honeymooned in Spain and was gently corrected in the actual Loewe store by an employee. Ha!

      2. I’m thisclose to trying to buy a rep for the puzzle bag. but I need to research factories a bit more.

    2. I have a black Chanel jumbo flap that absolutely love and I would wear every day if money were no object so I wasn’t scared of damaging it.

    3. Just the other day I was browsing Mulberry’s site for fun and happened upon the Islington bucket bag. I love it so much that I actually considered spending four figures on a purse. Fortunately, it’s sold out now.

      But if money really weren’t an object then I agree re something from Bottega.

    4. The Row Margaux bag, it’s so capacious! All joking aside, I love a huge Mary Poppins style bag.

  3. In the last year or so my blissfully ignorant bubble about the frailty of human life has definitely been burst and I don’t know that I’m coping with it very well. It’s been one person after another getting seriously ill and dying or coming close to it, and they’ve all been around my age and all have had young kids. I do totally realize some people learn this lesson much earlier than life than I have, but god it sucks.

    1. This happened around me a couple of years ago. It has really inspired me to push back against my husband’s “save every penny and defer all experiences until retirement” attitude and insist that we have some fun while we still can. It was also a big factor in my decision to step back to part-time work during my daughter’s last year of high school so I could be more present with her and also start performing music again after giving it up for a “real adult” career. I got tired of setting myself up for regret.

      1. Yep – you can’t live every day like it’s your last, but no one is guaranteed old age.

    2. FWIW, this happened to me in my mid-20s: within two years, three people my age and my teenage cousin all died. It sucked so hard.

    3. 2022 was the first year one of my early to mid 50s friends just “dropped dead.” I had lost family members and friends to longer term illnesses and that was bad enough. But one of my dear friends seriously just did drop dead. Apparently healthy, no illnesses, exercised and ate well. It has been really sobering and hard to take. And I miss the heck out of my friend.

  4. I love an update so I thought I’d give a shout out to those who helped me! I wrote in a few months ago about a medical bill I felt was inaccurate but had never dealt with an issue like that before. You guys gave me advice on how to appeal and push for a review. It looks 3 escalations but I was able to get the bill from $900ish to just under $300. While I still think its a bit higher than it should have really been, I am happy to just pay it and put it behind me. So thanks hive!

    1. There is something so satisfying about getting an inaccurate medical bill fixed. It always makes me feel like I’ve successfully done battle with a broken system and come out on top, so great job!

      1. I work for a company that helps hospitals get paid from insurers. I find it more satisfying than the not for profits I’ve worked for. It is doing battle with a broken system.

  5. Hi all, looking for some help from NJ/NYC area folks. I work in pharma consulting and am single, childless, & in my early 30s. Pharma requires me to commute to central Jersey where I currently live & work. However, I am looking to move to somewhere in North Jersey that has more opportunities for 30 somethings to make friends & date (breweries, meetup groups, rec leagues, etc.). I would need both decent NYC transit access & to have a car for commuting to pharma companies. Any places that come to mind? I’ve heard Montclair area could be of interest. Morristown potentially too (though I’m worried it’s a bit far from NYC).

    1. Have you thought of Hoboken? That probably has the best singles scene. Morristown is meh. Montclair is a lot of young families who have just left the city. New Brunswick has good transit to NYC, theaters and night life.

      1. You want Hoboken. Montclair and Morristown are great but it’s more family oriented than for singles. There are other great towns with decent downtown areas, like Ridgewood, Westwood, Ramsey but it’s all families. You could also look at Weehawken and Edgewater which are Hoboken adjacent.

    2. Hoboken or Jersey City? I think there are more singles in those towns than Montclair.

    3. Jersey City if you were Meh on frats in college. Hoboken if you were into the Greek scene in college.

  6. Talk to me about multi-generational housing… what should I know as I start researching? In my fantasies I’ll buy a 3-apartment townhouse in Brooklyn somewhere and my disabled son can have his own apartment and a grandparent can have the other.

    1. Depending on how much money you have and what the housing inventory looks like, you can either go duplex, house with an ADU or house with an in-law suite. If there’s a basement, the son can make use of that space. Make sure the in-law suite is on a ground floor, that there are minimal steps to navigate at the entrance and elsewhere in the house, and the bathroom is easy for seniors to get in and out (e.g. shower not tub). Obviously the more space and separation the better but you buy what you can afford and try to get along.

    2. Do you have millions to spend on this? If not, Brooklyn may not work, but I love the idea.

    3. My SIL and BIL bought a property in the country with a studio that they converted into a mini-house for MIL, and a fully separate guest house. (It was designed by DINKs) Other people that have done it well do several houses next to each other or nearby with people having their own space but also kids being able to walk over. Key issue in each set up is making sure that everyone has a way to make coffee on their own before having to see everyone.

    4. Do it! Family friends have done it (in BK) and are living the dream. The grandkids just mosey down to the grandparents’ apartment, hang out and mosey back.

    5. I think about this all the time. I’m in the Bay Area and worry my now young adult kids will never get a toe hold into the housing market.

  7. Tagging along on the “high bill” question – we got a $2700 bill in 12/22 for a 11/21 ear tube surgery. they billed it as “hearing aid,” so my insurance said it wasn’t covered. we resubmitted it and by 8/23 it was sorted again; from the insurer side i think I owe about $600 now.

    I have heard zero about this bill since then – no follow-ups, and the lady we were talking to at the company hasn’t responded to inquiries. what is my duty here? do i have to chase them down to bill me again?

    1. I just had sort of an unsettling experience. It involved a durable medical device, which is essentially rented. My insurance denied coverage, so the provider billed me the full $1000. I called the provider and they said they’d been having billing problems with the Blues (cross, shield) and it seemed to me it was perhaps a coding error. They said my account was on hold “indefinitely” until they worked out the billing problems.

      Meanwhile, because it was bugging me, I filed an appeal with my insurer. It was still under review when I got a new bill from the provider saying they had made and “insurance” adjustment to my bill, and now I owed $400. They also said I was past due, and it would go to collections if I didn’t pay!

      I checked my EOB’s thinking my insurance had paid the $600, but they hadn’t. I called the provider again, and a very rude person in billing said the $600 insurance adjustment is what insurance would have paid. Apparently they just made it up. They also threatened me again with collections.

      Just this week my insurance approved my appeal, and they will be paying all but $100. I’m getting a total sleaze factor from the provider’s made-up adjustment, as well as their telling me I am past due when they told me the bill was on hold indefinitely.

      Not sure what to do about it other than paying the $100, which I’m sure glad isn’t $1000 or even $400, anyway.

    2. Medical providers aren’t shy about following up when they believe they’re owed money, so I’d just wait until you hear from them.

    3. They will send it to collections without even thinking about it. Call them and demand your bill be sent to you.

        1. +2. I’d be really worried it’d go to collections without my being notified. Sure, sure, they “tried” to contact you, and then there goes your credit for years.

          1. Medical debt can’t affect your credit score until it’s been in collections for a long time, at least six months. And believe me the collector will try to get in touch with you ASAP. Having a medical bill sent to collections is not a big deal at all.

  8. Can anyone recommend books (as gifts) for a 13 year old boy who likes non-fiction and has a wide range of interests, and an 11 year old girl who likes fiction stories about girls her age?

    1. American Girl has some mystery novels for older girls that might work for the latter. The original historical fiction books are great too, although I think they skew a bit younger (I believe the characters are 9 or 10, and in my area many girls seem to read them in first/second grade).

    2. John Green is a good author for teens and tweens. What are the 13 year old boy’s interests? Non fiction about his interests is going to be best. My son really enjoyed a book about the Apollo missions at that age, but that was his interest.

    3. Anne of Green Gables (along with DVDs of the PBS versions – the only Anne movies as far as I’m concerned) would be my pick if she hasn’t already read them.

    4. For the girl, it’s hard to go wrong with Kate DiCamillo. She just released a new middle grade book called Ferris, about a girl and her adventures during the summer between fourth and fifth grade.

    5. For the 11 year old – the Flavia de Luce mystery series about an 11 year old amateur detective.

      For the 13 year old – Gulp by Mary Roach about the digestive system, or Storm in a Teacup by Helen Czerski, about everyday physics like what makes a pop corn kernel explode.

    6. I like Katherine Arden’s middle-grade horror quartet, starting with Small Spaces. It’s scary but not overwhelming, I think. The main character is an 11 yo girl. Julie of the Wolves is a classic, too. For the older boy, why not something like a children’s encyclopedia or The Way Things Work?

    7. For the 13-year-old, Laura Halse Anderson books: Fever 1793; Rebellion 1776; or the Seeds of America trilogy. The True Rescue books, too. If he’s a reader, you could go with Lauren Hillebrand books (Unbroken or Seabiscuit).

      For the 11-year-old, When You Trap a Tiger is lovely.

    8. Horrible histories and horrible geographies for the boy, maybe a Shakespeare play with some grounding in history plus take him to see a performance. Or…sports biography plus tickets to a game. Depends how much $$$ but could work with other gifts if there’s a big family or lots of friends buying gifts.

    9. Mom of 13 year old boy here. “What if” by Randall Munroe. My son devoured it (and the second one). I think it’s a book he’ll re-read. Highly recommend!

  9. Will be travelling to the Durham area in North Carolina. Is it possible to explore downtown areas of Durham and Raleigh without a car? I know both are college towns so just thought I would ask since some have bus routes. The visit is to see a friend who will work during the day,
    so I will have some time on my own. thank you.

    1. Downtown Durham is quite small and is indeed largely walkable (though might depend on where you’re wanting to go). Also, should you need/want to take a bus, both the local transit and regional transit routes are currently free of charge. If there are specific /sites you’re hoping to explore, I can try to provide further details. Enjoy your stay with us!

    2. I’m in Raleigh—The downtown core of both, yes, but getting between them or anything outside the core, no (actually, there may be a commuter bus between raleigh and durham, but not sure how good it is post-pandemic)–I’d get a rental car depending on what you want to see (like the NC Museum of Art in Raleigh is good if art is your thing, but it’s not close to downtown).

    3. Definitely get a car. Durham changes a lot block to block (and i used to live in DC and Chicago) that I’d just feel better driving. Plus you can explore more that way.

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