Thrifty Wife Happy Life

Favorite Fall Fashion Trends on a Budget

November 2, 2014 by Katie Haller

I absolutely love fall fashion! It’s my favorite time of the year for putting together cute outfits. That’s why I want to share my top 5 favorite looks for fall this year, and also where to find them for a great price!

1.) Denim
I love the denim look in the fall. I’ve always loved a classic pair of blue jeans, but this fall I am going beyond just my jean pants. I’ve been mixing up my outfits with my jean jacket and denim button-down shirt. I am just loving this look!

Left: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohls $10 Top Right: Jessica Simpson, Meijer $10 Bottom Left: Target $16

2.) Button-down blouse with a boyfriend cardigan sweater
I am just loving this layered look for fall this year! You’ll see I have this look pinned over and over again on My Style board on Pinterest. I can’t get enough of it!

Blouse: Target $16 Sweater: Target $16

3.) Scarves
Scarves are not just something you wear in the winter to keep your neck warm. They are a fun way of dressing up any of your everyday outfits.

Left: Kohls $5 Center: Charming Charlie $5 Right: Old Navy $7

4.) Boots
I love boots in the fall. Riding boots, ankle boots or rain boots, it doesn’t matter. I just love wearing boots!

Left: DSW $50 (originally $200) Center: Kohls $12 Right: Target $30

5.) Trench Coats
I’ve always loved a classic double-breasted trench coat. It is a must-have in my closet. I have a black and a khaki trench coat. I get a lot of use out of them this time of the year. They are perfect for any occasion.

Left: Old Navy $15 Right: Forever 21 $30

Where can you find these looks for a great price?

Denim- You can find denim almost anywhere right now. Target, Kohls and Old Navy are my favorite places to find cute denim for a great price. Be sure to check out their sales and clearance sections.
Button Down Blouse- I like to look at thrift stores for blouses. I have found some gently worn button down blouses from stores like Express and Banana Republic, at the Salvation Army, for only $5 or less. It’s definitely worth a shot to look. If you don’t have any luck at a thrift store, there is always the clearance section at Target!
Boyfriend Cardigan Sweaters- Target is my favorite place to buy these sweaters. They start around $19.99, but I like to buy them when they go on clearance or when I see a sale for them. Don’t forget about your Cartwheel app. They often have these sweaters on special with the app!
Boots- Whether you are looking for ankle boots or riding boots, it’s always a good idea to wait until you see a great sale. They run a few sales in the fall, but the closer you get to Christmas, and even better, after the holidays, you start to see boots on sale everywhere. Target, DSW and Kohls are great places to look after the holidays.
Scarves- Scarves are everywhere in the fall. With the winter months right around the corner, stores are stocking up on their heavy winter scarves. Now is a great time to find light weight scarves on sale in the clearance section. I’ve had good luck at Charming Charlie and Old Navy.
Trench Coats- Old Navy is a great place to find inexpensive coats for any season. They always have great sales this time of the year! Forever 21 is also my go to store when I’m looking for an expensive look, with an affordable price.

My best advise for finding the best fall trends on a budget, is to always keep your eyes open. You never know when or where you will find an amazing deal!

Fall Recipes~Apple Crisp

October 28, 2014 by Katie Haller

Since this is my last Michigan fall, I have been indulging in all my favorite fall recipes. The last few weekends I have been busy in the kitchen making all of my favorite fall baked goods. Last weekend, Kevin was home from training for a visit. I wanted to be a good wife and spoil him with a delicious dinner, followed by a yummy homemade fall dessert.

Kevin has always liked my recipe for apple crisp. He calls it “apple chunks”. My mom always made apple crisp as a treat in the fall. The smell of baked apples and cinnamon would fill the house with such delicious autumn sent. I love to make this recipe! It’s similar to an apple pie but much easier to make and less expensive. The ingredients are simple and most likely, you have most of them in your pantry already.

I started out with finding a great sale at the grocery store on locally grown Michigan apples. They were only $.59 per pound. You really can’t beat that price! I didn’t need to buy anything else, because I already had the rest of the ingredients in my baking supplies at home.

My favorite recipe for apple crisp is from my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. It’s the same way that my mom made it as a kid. You should definitely give it a try. It’s the perfect fall treat!

Simple Sunday

October 26, 2014 by Katie Haller

The point of my “Simple Sunday” post is to recognize the little things in your life that make you happy. I believe that contentment is the key to living a fulfilling life. I love sharing the little things in my life that make me happy.

Kevin is home this week for a short time before he heads back to training in November. It’s nice to have him home. We were able to get back into our normal routine this weekend, which was nice. Today we woke up bright and early to get to church at 8:00 am. Why so early you ask? Well, the Lions were playing in London today, and in order for us to go to church and watch football after (not my idea) we had to go to the 8:00 service. I like to sleep in on the weekend, so I was not thrilled about this idea. I ended up being okay with the early wake up when we got home and it was only 9:30 am. I had the entire day ahead of me. I decided I would get outside and enjoy this beautiful day, and that’s just what I did.

Today was the kind of day where I wished I was an artist, so I could capture the beauty of it all with paint on a canvas. The sky was so blue and the colors of the trees were just glowing in the sun light. My pictures below don’t do it justice. I know that days like today are very few and far, so just taking an hour outside made my day. What a perfect Sunday 🙂

Katie’s Closet~ 12 Ways to Wear a Striped Dress

October 25, 2014 by Katie Haller

When it comes to shopping, it’s always important to be a smart shopper. By this, I mean you should always look for the best price, but more importantly, you should buy clothes that you know you will get the most use out of. This is why I like to stick to pretty basic styles. You can always accessories differently each time you wear your clothes.

Here is an example… I found this basic black and white striped dress at Target a few weeks ago. It was in the clearance section (my favorite place ever) and it was only $9. I’ve been wanting a basic dress like this one for a while now, plus I am really loving stripes right now. I knew I could get a lot of use out of it. Once I brought the dress home, I started exploring my closet and playing around with different looks.

Here are 12 looks I put together.

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#8

#10

#11

#12

I can wear this dress once a week, for 12 weeks straight, and never have to repeat my outfit. Sometimes we get stuck on wearing the same outfits because you know you like it, and it’s cute. But that can get boring pretty fast, and before you know it, you hear yourself say “I have nothing to wear”. The next thing you know, you’re shopping for a whole new wardrobe, which basically defeats the purpose of trying to save money.

I’d like to challenge everyone to pick your favorite clothing item in your closet and find a new way to wear it. You will have a brand new look without having to spend any money to get it! Good luck!

Katie’s Closet~What I Wore this Week

October 18, 2014 by Katie Haller

I’ve been working way too much lately. On an average day, I am at work anywhere between 10 and 11 hours. I won’t get into any details, but let’s just say I look forward to making a change when I move. There is one thing I love about my job… and that is finding new looks to wear to work. I literally look forward to getting dressed in the morning. (I know, I don’t have much of a life) I never liked having to wear a uniform to work. I know that some people prefer not having to think when they wake up and get ready, but I like to be creative when I get dressed in the morning. When I’m wearing something cute, I feel confident and ready to take on anything that comes my way.

Here are the outfits that helped me get through this week.

Monday

Black dress- Target

Scarf- Charming Charlies

Cardigan- Target

Boots- Target

Tuesday

Black Jeggings- TJ Maxx

Blazer- Kohls

Shirt- Target

Shoes- Target

Wednesday

Dress- Target

Jean Jacket- Meijer

Boots- Target

Necklace- Aldo

Thursday

Black sweater- Express

Polka dot blouse- Meijer

Black Pants- Old Navy (Salvation Army)

Necklace- Charming Charlie

Shoes- Plato’s Closet

Friday

Sweater dress- Express

Leggings- Charlotte Ruse

Shoes- DSW

Scarf- Charming Charlie

Up in the Air ~Moving West

October 14, 2014 by Katie Haller

Ever since Kevin and I got married, our lives have been “up in the air” about everything. We never knew where Kevin’s career would take us. He’s had job interviews overseas and has applied to just about every airline in the United States. This is why I have never felt completely settled into our life here in Michigan, despite the fact that we are both from here. I always knew that the day would one day come where we would have to make a big move for his job.

Well, now that day is right around the corner. Recently Kevin started training at a new airline job. We weren’t sure where this new job would take us, but we knew we would be moving out of Michigan. We recently learned that our new home will be in Las Vegas, NV!

When I think about Las Vegas, I think about casinos, hotels, shows, wedding chapels… the movie The Hangover. Well, after doing a lot of research on the area, I am learning that is not the case. Las Vegas actually has some very nice areas to live and raise a family.

There are definitely going to be some great advantages to living in Las Vegas. One is that it’s extremely affordable. We have already looked at the coast of renting in the area we plan to move to, and we are pleased with the prices we have found. Another advantage is the weather! I am definitely looking forward to a warm, dry climate. One more advantage of living in Las Vegas is the location. We both have family on the west coast, so it will be nice to know they are only a short drive and an even shorter plane ride away. We can also spend some time exploring the southwest. (A piece of the country I have not had the opportunity to spend much time in.) Best of all, it’s a tourist destination. Our friends and family are sure to visit and there will be plenty to do!

This is the picture Kevin sent me on his drive to the Red Rocks. A little sneak peek of what we’ll be living by.

Las Vegas may not be our final destination in Kevin’s aviation career, but for now, it will be our future home.

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