Saving Money | List Producer

A List for the Low-Maintenance Bride

June 9, 2011/2 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Relationships, Saving Money, Saving Time, Weddings/by Paula Rizzo

Shows like Bridezillas give brides a bad name. Just because the bride to be has her heart set on something like Northwood Rings for her big day, that doesn’t mean that her passion for her wedding should be ridiculed. No one wants to be “that girl,” so some new brides play down their excitement and take a more laid-back approach. Others – genuinely aren’t into all the details. It’s OK — some women just don’t have the “wedding planning gene.” As you can imagine…I am not one of those women.

Fun fact: I once had a short-lived wedding planning business with my best friend and fellow journalist, Danielle. The business was thriving until we worked on the wedding from hell and threw in the towel. But we found that planning a wedding is a lot like planning a newscast – and my producing background really helped me pay attention to every last detail. Planning a wedding is not something you can do last minute, so whether you have to get the help of family/friends or click here for website so you can get inspiration for your dress, hopefully you’ll find that it was all worth it. It made planning my own wedding a lot of fun too.

Laid-back brides might view some of these details as “no big deal” – but they are and here’s why they should be on your wedding to-do list:

1. A Planning Binder: I know you think this will make you look like a total nerd but you need one. All of your ideas, invoices, addresses and vendor contacts must be kept in one place. It will save you time and make planning less stressful. You don’t have to buy a fancy wedding-themed binder but you should have a place to keep all your wedding stuff. You can also keep all your questions for vendors in this binder and take it with you when you have meetings. You’ll look smart and prepared. Read more

NYC Restaurant Must-Eat List

June 2, 2011/2 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Decision Making, Food, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Travel/by Paula Rizzo

Photo by: Steve Credo

Through the years I’ve made zillions of lists. One that I return to most often is my “Eating List for NYC.” I give it to friends and family whenever they visit New York and I add to it if I find a truly exceptional place.

I recently had the pleasure of being a guest blogger for a friend I met on Twitter — Marnely Rodriguez is a pastry chef, foodie and writer from the Dominican Republic. She wrote a guest post for me called “Must-Have Baking Tool List.” When she heard about my New York City restaurant list — she was thrilled and couldn’t believe she hadn’t been to any of them yet!

You can check out the list here on her blog “Cooking with Books.”

Being prepared with a list (about anything!) will help you enjoy any activity much more. This is especially true when it comes to looking for restaurants. I make a restaurant list whenever I go to a new city. (Check out my Chicago picks.) By doing a little research beforehand — you end up with a delicious experience!

Shopping for Clothes with a List

May 31, 2011/2 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Boost Memory, Decision Making, Fashion, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

This weekend my husband was cleaning out his closet – so I was inspired to do the same thing. Our approaches were quite different – he was done in 10 minutes after giving each item a quick glance.

I, on the other hand, had to try on EVERYTHING with the right shoes and undergarments. Please! How am I supposed to know if it still looks good without seeing the whole look? This process took me two hours. (I have a lot of clothes.)

Closet-Cleaning Strategy

I made five piles to keep myself organized as I went through my clothes and shoes:

1. Keep: Stuff that I have worn in the past six months and look really good on me.

2. Donate: Stuff that I really loved at one point but no longer fits, I’m tired of wearing or I’ve never actually worn (I know I’m not the only one who has done this! Right?) If you don’t know where to donate your clothes — here’s a list for “Getting Rid of Stuff.” Read more

Checklist for Buying the Perfect Bra

April 25, 2011/13 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Fashion, Guest Posts, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time/by Paula Rizzo

I’ve said it before and I’ll probably say it 100 more times — I don’t do anything without a list. That includes shopping for the perfect bra! I know — I’m kind of nuts. But being prepared when making any kind of purchase is so helpful and makes your life so much easier — why not try it?

A good-fitting bra is arguably the most important garment in a woman’s wardrobe. Lucky for me my good friend, Jené Luciani, happens to be a bra guru and is willing to share her list for buying the perfect bra.

Bra-Buying Checklist

by Jené Luciani

Here are The Bra Book’s top ten tips to finding the perfect bra.

1. Choose a store that has a wide selection of bras and trained bra fitters on hand, like Frederick’s of Hollywood. Measure yourself first as a guideline, especially if shopping online. Read more

4 Lists for Stress-Free Travel

April 18, 2011/8 Comments/in Benefits of List Making, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Travel/by Paula Rizzo

My recent trip to Chicago reminded me just how important having a list is when traveling. I know it sounds super nerdy – but doing a little homework before you leave will guarantee an easy and stress-free journey. I usually start crafting up my lists a week in advance (or more if I’m really excited about the trip!).

These are the 4 travel lists I NEVER leave home without:

1. Itinerary

This is an itemized list of everything you will do on your trip. Run through each day in your mind and visualize what you’ll be doing. Then write down a brief description or note about each event. That way you can prepare by making reservations, packing the appropriate clothes and making the most of the time you have at your destination.

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