Thrifty Wife Happy Life

Helping women love what they wear on a budget

Shopping Finds- Searching for a Bathing Suit on a Budget

by Katie Haller

It may not feel like it for most of the country, but summer is right around the corner.  With this in mind, I’ve been searching for the perfect bathing suit.  I’ve been in desperate need of a new bathing suit for a while now.  Since I don’t have a body like a Victoria Secret model, bathing suit shopping has never been fun for me.  Yet I still love a great swimsuit.  If you can find something that flatters your body, you’ll feel great! 
Now that I’m 30, not 21, I wanted to find a 2 piece that would be flattering and age-appropriate.  I also wanted to find something affordable.  Usually, I’d wait until late summer when bathing suits get marked down, but with 80-degree weather in the forecast for next week, I couldn’t hold off that long. 
Before I buy anything, I always go right to Pinterest to get an idea of what I want.  Here are a few of my favorite bathing suit pins.
Top Left: Victoria Secret Top Right: Victoria Secret Bottom Left: Revolve Bottom Right: Anthropologie

As you can see, I love a black bathing suit.  Black is classic and flattering, plus it goes with everything.  I like that I can mix and match my black tops and bottoms with other bathing suit tops and bottoms that I have in my drawers.  This way I don’t only get 1 new bathing suit, I get 3 new bathing suits.  I also wanted a bottom that would cover my backside and acute top that also had decent coverage.

If money was no object, I’d probably buy all 4 of these bathing suits above, but since I can’t really afford to buy even one of them, I had to look around for a suit in my price range.  I always try to stick to a $30 budget for all my clothes, including my bathing suits.

I ended up finding a cute bathing suit last weekend at Target.  They had a buy one get one 50% off sale going on.  Target bathing suits usually run between $12.99-$24.99 per piece.  Because of the sale, I was able to stick to my $30 budget.

Push-up Halter Bikini Top (Here) Keyhole Side Tie Bikini Bottoms (Here)

This bathing suit is the perfect suit for the summer.  I’ll be able to keep my eyes open for some cute clearance tops and bottoms to mix it up and also some cute beach cover-ups.  Target is still having their BOGO bathing suit sale, so I’d definitely check it out!  They have a great selection and I’ve always had good luck with Target bathing suits.  Happy Shopping and don’t forget, summer will be here before you know it!

Settling into a New Life

by Katie Haller


It’s been a while since my last post.  I don’t like going that long in between posts, but I’m sure you all understand that my life has been a little busy this past month.  So here’s a catch-up!

Kevin and I are settling very nicely into our new life here in Nevada.  When I last posted, I was living out of my suitcase, stuck in the rainy northwest, waiting for my new life to start.  A lot has changed since then!  

I was fortunate enough to get a new job right away.  This was the first job I applied to, the first and only one I interviewed for, and luckily it was my first choice.  I’m back in a classroom teaching preschool.  I couldn’t be happier about that!  It was a bit stressful at first starting my new job because I started working only a few days after we returned from Washington, leaving us very little time to get our lives together here.  We needed to find 2 cars and a place to live and we only had a week to do it.  We learned that Vegas is different than Michigan, and we were going to have to re-evaluate the way we live our lives on a budget.  In Michigan, we had it down. We lived in an older apartment with cheap rent, in a nice safe community.  We drove older used cars with no car payments and cheap car insurance.  Once we started our search here in Las Vegas, we quickly learned that we would have to change our ways in order to save money in the long run.  The apartments were not what we were looking for and were overpriced.  The used cars were junk and Craigslist took us to some pretty shady parts of town. 

After 2 days of being extremely let down with our findings, we had to seriously re-think our plan, or at least Kevin did, I just supported him.  We ended up getting pretty lucky.  After a fire alarm at the, oh so lovely airport hotel we were staying at, (I could not wait to get out of that place) woke us up at 3 in the morning, Kevin did some major searching online for places to live.  He ended up finding the perfect condo for us, in a great area, right in our price range.  We ended up getting the place and moving in only a few days later.  (The landlord was extremely impressed with Kevin’s great credit.) As for our cars, we ended up doing something we never thought we would do.  We went to the Ford dealership and leased 2 of the cheapest, most practical cars they had.  Now we have monthly car payments, but after our horrible car repairs back in Michigan, (we were way to close of friends with our local mechanic) it’s worth it to have the peace of mind of a full factory warranty on our vehicles.  

In no way is moving cheap.  It’s the most money that we have ever spent all at once, besides paying off my student loans.  The thing is that we wouldn’t have been able to do this entire move without our saving these past few years.  We lived small, spent small and saved big.  Now we are finally getting to feel the benefits of our savings. I’m grateful to be married to an over-planner.  

I have to say that our move has had it’s ups and downs, but in the end it’s been a great experience.  It definitely has brought Kevin and I closer together and made us a stronger couple. 



Kevin and I on Valentine’s Day at Red Rock Canyon


As for Thrifty Wife, Happy Life, I’m searching everyday for new ways to save money in my new life.  My wardrobe post will be changing a bit, due to the weather and the casual dress code at my new job, but I still plan to make the weekly post…. once I adjust to my new job of course.  I’ve been really into cooking in my new kitchen, so look for some recipes soon.  Of course, I’ll be shopping soon and looking for some fabulous deals (once I recover a little from the expensive of my move).  There are 3 thrift stores down the road that I can’t wait to check out and  I have all my favorite stores close by, including Target!  I can’t wait to do some shopping  at new stores like Ross and Nordstrom Rack, which I didn’t have back home.  I should have plenty of things to blog about. I can’t wait to share!   

What I Wore~ A Week in Washington

by Katie Haller

 This past week, I tagged along with my husband to Bellingham, Washington.  He had to fly out of the airport up here and since we still don’t have a place of our own in Las Vegas, I had no other choice but to come along.  Let me tell you, it’s been a long week.

  Washington is a beautiful state!  The snow cap mountains and views of the bay are great, but it’s been raining for 10 days straight, so I only got to see a hint of this state’s beautiful scenery.  The rain has definitely put a damper on the week, but I guess that’s what I’ve always imagined the Northwest to be like.  I’d love to revisit the area again when the sun is out!
When Kevin wasn’t working this week, we went on a few scenic drives. They were definitely not as scenic as they could have been with low visibility, but you could still see the beauty behind the clouds.  We also tested out some local breweries, one of our favorite activities.  Besides that, it’s been a pretty uneventful week.
A beautiful lookout on the Chuckanut drives on a very rainy day.

Some local craft beer served on a wooden Washington shaped tray.
Putting myself together in the morning helps me feel normal during this crazy, transitional time.  Here are some of my outfits from this week…
 Top- LC Lauren Conrad (exact)
Jeans- Jessica Simpson (similar)
Sweater- Old Navy (similar)
Boots- Target (similar)

Denim Jacket- Jessica Simpson (similar)
Top- Kohls (similar)
Leggings- Charlotte Russe (exact)
Boots- Target (similar)
Leg warmers- Five Below (exact)
Scarf- Five Below (similar)
Purse- Coach (similar)
 Top- Old Navy (similar)
Sweater- Express-Salvation Army (similar)
Jeans- Jessica Simpson (similar)
Shoes- Toms (exact)
Belt- Old Navy (exact)
Purse- Coach (similar)
 Top- Jessica Simpson (similar)
Sweater- Target (exact)
Jeans- Jessica Simpson (similar)
Belt- Old Navy (exact)
Shoes- Target (similar)
Necklace- Meijer (similar)
It’s been a long week.  All I know is that I’m ready to go home.  Where home is?  I’m not sure.  But what I do know, is that it won’t be long until we are settled into our new life.  When we get back to Vegas, we have plans for some apartment hunting and car shopping.  Plus, I start a new job next week and I can’t wait!  Normal life is just around the corner! 

What I Wore- Living Out of a Suitcase

by Katie Haller

I’m going on week three of living out of my suitcase.  It’s not an ideal situation, but I’m doing my best with wearing what I packed.  I’ve never been great at packing.  I would call myself an over-packer.  I tend to want to bring my entire closet with me when I travel, but we all know that’s not possible.  It wasn’t an easy task packing a month’s worth of clothes into 2 suitcases.  Both needing to meet the airline’s weight policy for checked bags, which is 40 pounds apiece. Luckily, I just made the cut.

I’ve been trying to repeat my clothes as much as possible to keep my laundry load down.  I have a few favorite key pieces that I’ve been getting a lot of use out of.  Some are new, while others I’ve had in my closet for a while.

Here are a few of my favorites from this week…

  1. My Navy Blazer from Target (similar)- I found this blazer at Target online back in the fall.  It was $29.99, which is at the top of my price range, but it was something I had been wanting for a long time, plus I had a gift card.  Since it’s been a bit chilly in Nevada, this blazer has been the perfect jacket to style up my casual outfits. 
  2. My Coral Necklace from Charming Charlie (similar)- I found this necklace a week ago at Charming Charlie on clearance for $7.99.  I just love a statement necklace! It can really dress up any outfit.  As you will see, I’m kind of obsessed with this necklace.
  3. My coral leather Coach purse (similar)- I’m in love with my new purse!  My aunt surprised me with a beautiful new coral Coach leather purse for Christmas this year.  She knows how I have a love for Coach purses, and she also knows I won’t go buy one for myself, so she wanted to get me one.  It’s the perfect size for traveling and the color goes great in the desert. 
  4. My beige top from Kohl’s (Similar)- I found this top at Kohl’s in the clearance section for $6.  It’s lightweight and perfect for the weather right now in Las Vegas.  It’s light enough to layer under a blazer or just wear it on its own. 
  5. My nude ballet flats (similar)- I found these on clearance at Target for $8.99.  I’ve been looking for a new pair of flats for a while and these were the perfect price. 
So here are a few of my looks from the week..
Beige top- Kohl’s
Coral necklace- Charming Charlie
Jeans- LC Lauren Conrad
Flats- Target
Purse- Coach

(Please ignore the hideous carpet of the hotel room)
Beige top- Kohl’s
Jeans- LC Lauren Conrad 
Navy Blazer- Target
Coral Necklace– Charming Charlie
Shoes- Toms
Purse- Coach
Black blazer- LC Lauren Conrad 
Jeans- Target
Tank top- Old Navy
Shoes-Target
Necklace- Charming Charlie

Navy Blazer- Target 

Jeans- LC Lauren Conrad
Shoes- Target
Grey T-shirt- Target 
Green Beaded Necklace- Target 
Necklace- Charming Charlie
Black Sweater- Target
Striped black and grey shirt- Target
Jeans- Jessica Simpson
Boots- Target

Life Update- A New Life in Las Vegas

by Katie Haller

I feel like all I’ve been doing for the past couple of months is talking about moving and thinking about moving.  Well, now it’s all actually happening.  Monday afternoon I left Michigan with my 70 pounds of luggage and headed out to Las Vegas to finally meet up with my husband and see where I will be living.

Somewhere over the southwest
Once I landed in Vegas, I was very disappointed to see that the January clouds of the Midwest had followed me.  I had been looking forward to seeing the sunshine when I arrived, instead, I had rain and clouds.   At least I know that this is not the norm for Las Vegas.

A cloudy Las Vegas

I have to admit that living out of a hotel is extremely weird for me.  Hotels are places I usually stay in when I’m on vacation, so it’s very odd for me to be living this way.  At least I’m with a hotel expert.  My husband is a master at surviving in a hotel.  He amazed me last night with his skills of making plates out of a pizza box and then turning the rest of the box into a small storage container for the leftovers. (This is not a DIY project I’ll be pinning on Pinterest anytime soon, but still, I have to hand it to him, he knows how to be creative.)  He’s been teaching me all his tricks, but I’m still eager to have a home of our own and reunite with all our belongings.
Some pictures from our night out on the Las Vegas strip.
We’ve spent some time exploring the town. The one great thing about Las Vegas is that there is always something to do.  There are so many things to see!   We have had the opportunity to enjoy one of the perks of my husband’s new job… free tickets to Vegas shows!  We got to see Rod Stewart at Caesars Palace this week.  It was a fun way to get out and be entertained for the night, and hey… you can’t beat free!  Now I can only hope he can get free tickets to see Britney Spears 😉

It’s definitely going to take some time before we are settled in here, but until then, I’ll continue to enjoy my time and look forward to all the new experiences! 

The Joys of Moving

by Katie Haller

I apologize for the lack of post lately.  I’ve been extremely busy finishing up my last couple of weeks at work. Besides working, the majority of my time has been spent getting ready for our big cross country move!

I have to tell you… I love the thought of new beginnings, but I absolutely despise moving.  I don’t care if it’s moving across town or moving across the country…I hate moving!  The thing that I dislike the most about moving is packing up everything that I own and then being in limbo.  The last time we moved it was only across town, but there was a month in-between selling our condo and our lease starting at our new apartment.  We had to pack up everything and store it all in my in-law’s garage, while we stayed with them for a month.  This time is not much different, the only BIG difference is that we’re moving across the country to Nevada.  Since my husband has to go straight from training to work, we will be in a transitional state until at least the end of February.  Which means… our stuff will be packed up and stored until we find a place to live.  This is the part I hate the most…parting with all my positions for a questionable amount of time.  I know it sounds silly, but I miss my stuff, especially my wardrobe.

All packed and ready to go! I’m amazed that all of our stuff fit into such a small space.

The good news is that everything is coming together.  Kevin is all done with his training and I have only 1 more week of work left.  I’ll be flying out to Las Vegas before I know it!  I’m extremely excited and nervous all at the same time.  I can’t wait for a fresh start, but I have to admit I will miss our life here in Michigan.  At least I know it’s only a plane ride away.  I will try to keep all of you updated on our adventure!

Oh yeah… one more thing.  I might be slacking in outfit post due to the fact that I just locked up the majority of my closet in our pod 🙁

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