We've talked about clothing budgets before, but not about how you PLAN your clothing budget. So let's discuss! Some questions to consider:

• DO you plan your clothing budget, or just try to stop shopping when you feel like you've spent too much?
• have you had a clothing budget for limited times in your life, like maternity clothes or clothes for a big new job?
• do you differentiate clothes, shoes, and makeup in your budget plan?
• do you save your budget in a special place? (you know I love my automated savings!)
• if you purchase clothes for multiple people (e.g., partner, child, parent), does each one have a budget in your mind?
• how do you plan for big sale events like the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and Amazon Prime Day sales?

{related: not sure what to do first/next in your personal finance journey? here's our money roadmap}

We've talked a lot about clothes and money over the years, including picking the most affordable work clothes, rounding up our favorite low-cost clothing basics, given tips on how to stop shopping and shop your closet, as well as discussing fashion math and thrifting for workwear.

My Clothing Budget Planning

To answer my own questions… I've always been such a creature of sales that I DON'T have a huge plan for clothing budget, and I've found it hard to track since a lot of my kids' clothes and my clothes will come from the same stores, or some stores sell a mixture of clothes with other household items and groceries, like Amazon and other big box stores.

I HAVE kept track over the years of money given to me by the women in my family — the small little birthday checks and so forth that, when added up, can be a big purchase. (This was how I bought my first designer bag!) I've also always loved the idea of going on a shopping vacation such as to New York or Paris and having a budget in mind for that.

Back when I started as a lawyer, I think I did have a budget (and a relatively high one, for me at least) to buy new suits and other workwear — it wasn't my entire summer associate savings, but the money definitely came from there.

{related: financial tips for new lawyers (or other women in their first high-paying jobs!)}

Even for maternity clothes I didn't really have a budget, I just tried to keep costs as low as possible. A girlfriend who was pregnant at the same time as me was buying much nicer maternity clothes, figuring that she wanted multiple children so she would wear them more — but the fashion math is so iffy on those because you don't know how many future children you'll have, or if you'll be the same size in those pregnancies…

I have had a general idea of what is a “good price” for various clothes over the years, though, and tend to stick with it…

In terms of clothing budget planning for others, I suppose I have it easy because I'm buying for my husband and sons, and not one of them truly cares about clothes…

Over to you, readers — I know a number of readers have mentioned over the years that they have explicit clothing budgets. How do you plan your clothing budget, how do you account for other people and for big sales/lucky finds, and how do you keep track and adjust from year to year?

Stock photo via Stencil.

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When you're at a post-work happy hour with coworkers, or another office event that involves alcohol, and you choose not to drink, it can sometimes (sadly enough) get tricky. Readers once had a helpful discussion in the comments about how to fake drinking at work events, and we thought we'd round up their advice today.

Readers, do tell: When you feel it's necessary, how do you fake drinking at work events?

While some readers said they didn't really see the need to pretend to drink when coworkers are imbibing, others commented that they've had colleagues who continue to urge them to have a drink even after they've declined — or try to find out exactly WHY they're they're skipping alcohol (what a pain!).

In fact, one commenter shared that some acquaintances closely monitored her after her wedding for signs she might be pregnant (far beyond just skipping alcohol), while another reader commented, “To those questioning whether this is still a thing for full-grown adults? Yes. Very much yes. Especially in the law firm world of Old Boys.” One reader shared, “I’ve personally been asked many times point blank if I’m pregnant because I wasn’t drinking.”

The tips below can help in all sorts of situations — whether you want to avoid alcohol because you're pregnant (or trying to conceive), or you're cutting out alcohol to lose weight, or you're sober / in recovery. Or maybe you simply don't drink!

{related: 10 great mocktail recipes for Dry January}

How to Fake Drinking at Work Events

Readers shared a ton of suggestions for mocktails and other options to fake drinking and thwart those curious (read: nosy) coworkers.

As one reader noted. “It’s really all about the glassware. You could also do ginger ale in a champagne flute, cranberry juice in a martini glass with Cosmo garnish, etc.”

Here are some drink possibilities from readers:

• Club soda & lime
• Club soda & cranberry
• Cranberry & lime
• Faux Jack & ginger: ginger ale & lime
• Faux rum & coke: Coke & lime
• Virgin mojito
• Virgin Cosmo
• Virgin Moscow Mule — no one will know what's in that copper mug!
• Virgin Bellini or virgin mimosa: “Have the bartender switch soft apple cider for the Prosecco, or lemon soda or something if they don’t have apple cider,” one reader suggested.
• Virgin Sea Breeze: cranberry & grapefruit
• Root beer or ginger beer that has a beer-style bottle/label

{related: Dry January: why I'm doing it again — and what to drink instead}

Readers, please share your favorite mocktails — or any other ways to get nosy coworkers off your back so you can enjoy your nonalcoholic drink in peace.

Stock photo via Stencil.

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With the long weekend coming up, here's an easy question for today: what are your favorite travel snacks? Do you bring them for budgetary reasons, food allergy reasons, general devotion to the food, or something else like being mindful of calories, macros, or more?

My Favorite Travel Snacks

My Favorite Travel Snacks to Bring to Hotels

If we're going on a plane trip/hotel trip, I tend to pack:

Protein bars. These are great breakfast replacements and help me get a bit more protein in than I might otherwise.

Dried cherries. My kids eat these like candy because they're delicious, and they can “count” as fruit in the broadest way.

Liquid IV. If we're somewhere like a theme park we might be walking a lot, and it helps to keep us hydrated.

Folger's coffee singles. Although coffee is usually provided, we have found the odd hotel that doesn't make it readily available — if worst comes to worst (because these aren't great!) then we can usually get a cup of hot water for free and then use these. (I wish I liked caffeinated tea!)

(For some hotels/resorts like those at Disney you can order Amazon Fresh for delivery to your hotel — we usually get things like Siggi's yogurts and drinkable yogurt, as well as Gatorade, milk, and other kid-friendly drinks. For my picky eater we'll get bread, PB, jam, and cracker/cheese snacks.)

My Favorite Travel Snacks for AirBnB-Type Trips

Teas. We like our specific teas and you never know what you can find in stock at the local store.

Spices. We have some small containers with our most used spices — for me that's onion powder, garlic powder, Everything but the Bagel seasoning, Trader Joe's umami seasoning, Trader Joes dill pickle seasoning, and a few others.

Oats. If I'm on an overnight oats kick I might bring dry ingredients for that (and even a small baggie of refrigerated ingredients like chia seeds). If I'm on a savory oats kick I might bring dry ingredients for that. If I'm on a popcorn kick, I've also brought dry popcorn kernels (and a silicone microwaveable popper).

Protein powder/powdered peanut butter and Fiber One. This is a weird “me” thing but I do like my greek yogurt, protein powder, and Fiber One combos.

Food I'm ok to throw away before the return trip. Depending on space and how long we'll be gone, I'll sometimes throw things like the mostly-empty ketchup or mustard bottles into a cooler, as well as any veggies, yogurts, or other easy-to-eat things that have an expiration date approaching soon.

Readers, how about you — what are your favorite little food-related things to bring with you if you're traveling? Do you pack snacks differently if you're staying at a hotel or resort vs an AirBnB or VRBO? Do you pack snacks differently if you're flying vs driving?

Stock photo via Stencil.

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It's safe to say that most of us could stand to cut down on our screen time (no judgment here — damn you, infinite scroll!). While we've discussed reducing screen time before (including specifically for working moms), we decided it's time for an update on ways to reduce your screen time — both on your phone and computer.

Readers, what are the best ways you've found to limit screen time? Please share your favorite settings, apps, and plugins!

Limiting screen time can be tricky because there are plenty of activities on your phone (or on other screens) that are generally beneficial, like listening to podcasts, reading e-books, using meditation apps, messaging with friends and family, and so on. That's why tools that limit your access to certain sites and apps can be more helpful than those that treat all screen time equally.

The following strategies include both options!

6 Ways to Reduce Your Screen Time

Built-In Screen Time Limits

Starting with the basics, if you have an iPhone, Screen Time settings help you tackle your phone use. You can limit time spent per app or app category (such as games) and set certain apps to be accessible 24/7. Adjusting Downtime will block apps and notifications during the time periods you choose. And “turning off” an app removes it from your home screen but doesn't delete it (is this news to anyone else?!).

On an Android phone, use the Digital Wellbeing controls to monitor your habits, like how much time you spend using particular apps, how many times you unlock your phone, how many notifications you get, etc. You can also set app time limits and/or “pause” certain apps.

Focus / Do Not Disturb mode on any type of phone is helpful — and remember, you can make exceptions for certain contacts to reach you no matter what. Also check your settings for individual app notifications — personally, I feel like I spend too much swiping unnecessary notifications throughout the day.

You can limit your computer use by setting limits on your home WiFi — say, starting at your ideal bedtime. This CNET article explains how to do this through your router or using Circle for Netgear.

Display Settings

This tactic not only makes your phone screen look less appealing (and therefore tempting) but also can remind you that it's time to go to bed, or just put down your phone. You can change your color scheme to grayscale to make it look boring, dim your wallpaper and lock screen (iPhone/Android), set to dark mode, and so on.

Here's a quick tip: Although it definitely has its issues (like telling you to add glue to pizza and, uh, threatening blogs like ours), Google's AI Overview feature is a helpful for finding out how to adjust phone settings without having to sort through lots of search results.

Forrest App & Plugin

Forest is a gamification-based app for iPhone, Android, and Chrome that aims to help you “Stay focused, be present.” Forest kind of reminds me of a Tamagotchi — it lets you plant a virtual tree, and while you focus on what you're supposed to, the tree grows. Leave the app before you're done and the tree will die. (Aww, poor little tree.) Otherwise, you can grow your own forest.

{related: how to take a partial social media break}

Morphine Plugin

Morphine is a Chrome plugin that lets you block certain websites, then draw from a balance when you visit them.

Here's an excerpt from Kat's original review:

The idea is that you only “earn” time with the URLs you put in Morphine after you’ve been using the computer for more productive purposes for a certain amount of time. Perfect.

I used to have it set to 1 minute of play time for every 10 minutes of work time, but that left me with far too many minutes in my bank — so I switched it to 1 minute of play time for every 60 minutes of work time.

That was a bit too little. I’ve decided I need at least 3 minutes to look at Facebook, even using the Social Fixer plugin, because when I try to sneak a peek for one minute, and inevitably try to refresh it for another minute more, it would take me at least 30 seconds to find my place scrolling down the page.

{related: are you leaving social media this year (have you already left?)}

Other Apps

Other recommended phone apps to limit screen time are Minimalist for Android (changes your home screen interface to a limited text-only list), Stay Focused for iPhone and Android (blocks apps/websites and can stop you from changing settings / uninstalling), and one sec for iPhone and Android (allows you to “set an intention” before opening apps to halt mindless tapping).

Your Own Rules

If you've got a bit more willpower than me (and don't want to spend time fooling around with settings), set your own screen time guidelines, like these:

1. Don't use your phone in bed, or perhaps while eating (for more mindful meals).

2. If you always reach for your phone immediately after waking up, charge your phone elsewhere, or at least across the room.

3. Delete social media apps from your phone — and keep them off.

4. When you open a time-sucking app, set a timer on your phone for 15 or 30 mins. and then stop when your time's up.

You also might want to check out the reader-recommended How to Break Up with Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life (Amazon/Bookshop).

Readers, what are your favorite ways to reduce your screen time on your phone and computer? Have you tried any of the above?

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A few months ago, when I wrote a Coffee Break about a clothes hamper (after buying it for my son's room), I was struck by one reader's comment: “This hamper may have just solved an issue in my house! Definitely going to check it out.” While hampers aren't something we think about much day to day, switching to a nicer one can make life a tiny bit easier — or just rid your room of an eyesore.

We've previously talked about dry cleaning, washing workwear, and what to do with worn-but-not-dirty clothes — but never hampers, so we're rounding up a few today!

With clothes hampers, you've got tons of choices in terms of size, style, and structure (sections to separate clothing, for example), and wading through what's available online can involve WAY too much scrolling. Here's a cheat sheet of four great hampers.

4 Great Hampers for Your Home

The Container Store

It would seem wrong to do a hamper roundup without including The Container Store. This lightweight, smaller hamper is a good pick if you tend to do laundry frequently or don't have much room for something large. (Plus, having a smaller hamper can motivate you to wash your clothes more frequently … in theory!)

This hamper, which is one of the highest-rated at The Container Store, is woven from cotton and jute and has convenient built-in handles. It's sturdy enough to stand up but is collapsible in case you need to store it. The design and colors (pictured, plus cream/brown) are subtle enough to blend into your bedroom decor.

This hamper measures 16″ wide and 21″ high and is $39.99.

Brightroom from Target

Why aren't there more corner hampers? It's a question for the ages. Anyway, especially if you don't have many places in your bedroom or bathroom that would work for a typical hamper, a corner style like this can be a smart solution. This highly-rated hamper is lightweight and has a woven paper exterior.

If you have cats, this is probably not the hamper for you, as they'd probably gleefully make it a scratching post as soon as you bring it home.

This hamper measures 14″ x 14″ x 22″ and is $35. With the AR feature on Target's website, you can see what it looks like in your room to get a better idea of its size.

{related: the best products for closet organization}

Best Choice

Want to keep your clothes out of sight and out of mind? Here's a two-compartment hamper available in five neutral colors. With its metal frame (and 13-lb. weight) it's sturdier than many other hampers, and it has two built-in handles. No need to carry the whole thing around your home, though — it also contains two removable, machine-washable, linen liners.

The hamper's two sections can either help you pre-sort your laundry or provide separate spaces for you and a partner to toss your clothes. (Fellow cat owners, beware: This is definitely another “Yep, looks like a scratching post to me!” item.)

This hamper from Best Choice measures 12.75″ deep x 24″ wide x 24″ high and starts at $69.99 at Amazon. (Looking for a higher-end version? This seems to be a dupe for hampers like this $269 option from Pottery Barn.)

{related: how to make your clothing last longer}

Colonial Mills

Colonial Mills hampers are definitely worth a look if you're not into boxy styles. The Rhode Island company's hampers are made in the U.S.A. and have a softer look (and feel) than a lot of other options. (They also make baskets and rugs!) This wool-blend hamper is handmade and available in six solid colors, including light gray and teal. It also has handy, er, handles on the sides and lid.

The hamper is 16″ wide and “24” high and is $127 at Home Depot, which also has other Colonial Mills hampers available, including fun striped ones.

Check out Colonial Mills's website for many more hampers (and other items) and a 60%-off-everything sale.

Readers, do you have a favorite hamper? (Why are good ones so hard to find?)

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What is your favorite summer cocktail, wine, beer, or other libation? Do you drink the same thing year-round, or do sunny, warm days make you think of different drinks?

(Psst: In the past we've talked about keeping alcohol in the office, the best mocktails and other non-alcoholic drinks, jobs that encourage drinking, “overachieving women” and drinking, and (way back when) what to drink at an office cocktail party. What is the drinking situation at your office this summer, readers — lots of cocktail parties for interns and summers, or do you feel like it's been dialed back a bit?)

My Favorite Summer Cocktails

For my $.02… I'm not a huge wine person, but something about spring (and only spring) says rosé to me… but if I'm at a restaurant offering a frosé in the summer, I may indulge. When I'm drinking wine a nice white definitely feels more summery than red. Except for Beaujolais, which for some reason I always associate with “fancy picnic wine,” and maybe Lambrusco or sangria.

In terms of cocktails, I love a dirty gin martini and will drink that year round; ditto for an old-fashioned. But if there's a Bee's Knees on the cocktail menu or another fun drink involving lemon, elderflower, or honey syrup, those will often get me also.

My Favorite Low- and Non-Alcoholic Summer Drinks

As far as other libations go, I've never been a huge fan of lemonade (despite my love for lemon, go figure). I'm more likely to grab a lemonade-flavored seltzer or a kombucha than a lemonade. I have been getting into mocktails in recent years, and I really like some of the lighter nonalcoholic beers from Athletic Brewing or BrewDog, and Clausthaler makes an amazing grapefruit-flavored mocktail if you can find it. (I also like Fever Tree's grapefruit soda.)

When I'm feeling extra fancy, I still love to make the grapefruit-elderflower mocktail I shared in our roundup of 10 great mocktails for Dry January… If I'm OK with having a low alcohol drink I'll sometimes add just a splash of St. Germain to seltzer. We're starting to get into a few of the lower-alcohol things like spiked seltzers, spiked kombucha, and ranch water, but we're just starting because it took me a while to get over my Zima/”wine cooler” memories. I'd love to know if you have favorites.

(I also still make “unicorn juice” — hat tip to the readers for that one!)

Readers, how about you: What are your favorite summer drinks like cocktails, wine, beer, and other libations? (What are your favorite seltzers, readers? I'm pretty loyal to Spindrift, especially since you can often find it on sale in large quantities, but I know that brands like Poland Spring and La Croix have a bunch of fun seasonal flavors also…)

Psst: looking to moderate your drinking?

Pictured above, some ideas on how to moderate your drinking: Caloric Cuvee, [sold out] but similar) and Wine-Trax; all $9-$19 at Amazon. I've also talked about how much I love the beautiful cocktail glasses from The History Company because they're generally smaller!

Stock photo via Stencil.

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