Party Do Overs

You don't have to empty your wallet or set up a special savings account just to invite your friends over for the holiday season. Whether you're planning an informal get together or a fancy dinner party, there are more than a few ways to get the job done and have a great time without spending a ton of money. Here's how you can switch things up with your Party Do Overs:

Enlist Your Guests to Bring a Favorite Dish or Drink

The first money-saving tip is simple: Make your party BYOB, or make it a potluck. That doesn't mean you can't supply some of the food or the drinks yourself. It just means that, in the case of booze, just tell your guests to bring their favorite drink and you'll make sure they get it at the party.

Buy in Bulk

If there's ever a time to make sure you get the discounts available by buying in bulk from Price smart now's the time to do it. If you have a membership, that's great, but if you don't, there are ways to get in and get those discounts anyway.

Switch Up the Time of Day

Another way to save a few bucks without sacrificing the party is to switch up the time of day. Instead of having a dinner or all-night affair, consider a lunch or brunch party instead. It may sound a little pretentious, but a few beers or drinks in the afternoon or a pot luck lunch with friends can also be a lot of fun, and it inherently requires less fuss than a massive dinner party or an all-night affair with a stocked bar and tons of drink options. Have a brunch style soiree? Who doesn't love an omelet bar?

Get Affordable Ingredients

If you plan to do most of the cooking, you can save a lot of money by picking the right ingredients, or figuring out what you can make to serve your guests with the things you already have in your pantry. You don't have to plan a pricey trip to the grocery store just to entertain a few people—if you keep a few helpful things on-hand all the time, you're probably in good shape already. Even if you do need to head to the store, save money by buying ingredients that are in-season or on sale.

Remember, you want to be a good host, and if the effort your guests have to put in to the party implies they'd be better off staying home, you might want to reconsider the effort you're putting into the affair. The goal is to have fun with these budget saving Party Do Over.

Let me know what you all are thinking and share your ideas on a cost friendly holiday lime.

Men Fashion Do Over

Menswear 2017 fashion hits the streets, locally you don't only have to wear skinny jeans or joggers. Take a look around the world at the street style as its vibrant as ever, pulling out lively hues, childhood-inspired pieces and a few traditional staples. The hottest 2017 men’s fashion trends that you can incorporate in your man or your own wardrobe are:

1. Bandanas

Bandanas are perhaps the easiest street style trend to pull off, and they are boyishly brilliant. What makes this trend even better? All you will need is a humble bandana that could very well cost you a few dollars. An instant boost to the simplest of silhouettes, neckerchiefs are playful and can be an excellent opportunity to bring more colour to your wardrobe if you are a little hesitant to rock brighter shades. A great cherry red, cobalt blue or monochrome patterned bandana will do the trick, but ensure your knots are neat.

2. Seventies Revival

Not the bell-bottoms, but the element from the seventies trend that emerged from street style was the rich colour palette. Try harnessing a rusty brown or rich Bordeaux as the focal point of your outfits. Loose fitting button downs in gloomy tans or amber oranges are also great. The key to pulling off this trend is to find pieces that pay tribute to the seventies, but also complement your features and colouring.

3. White Out

Head to toe white prevailed as a favoured street style trend that was certainly bold. While most gentlemen that harnessed this trend went for more elaborate oriental-inspired silhouettes, there are simpler ways to channel elements of this trend for your weekend wear. Team white jeans with a humble white t-shirt, but throw on a navy or emerald baseball cap for a more grounded look. Roll up your jeans for a relaxed adaptation of the trend. Throw on some dark sunglasses to bring a bit more dimension to the plainness of all white.

4. Childhood Memories

A more playful trend with childhood references that were emblazoned on shirts, jackets and baseball caps alike. Gents saw this fashion week as an opportunity to play off youthful imagery. Astronauts, spacecrafts, zoo animals, surfboards, and the like were the fun style statements with references from our younger years. To incorporate this trend in your everyday wear, opt for boyish accessories for a simple boost to the simplest of casual pieces.

5. Monochrome Prints

On the topic of childhood memories, the bold, graphic and unusual, if you aren’t as brave, incorporate black and white in more traditional patterns, like bold stripes or ginghams which will read more classic yet perpetually stylish.

6. Light Wash Denim

Light and bright were the denim jackets that will be featured in 2017. The light wash denim trend didn’t stop there, with some guests interpreting their light wash denim in edgier pieces, including light denim short sleeve mechanic coveralls and distressed jeans. The ultimate for casual wear, invest in some slightly baggy denim jackets for easy over the shoulder accompaniments to white t-shirts or striped sweaters.

These fashion trends will add some street style while you’re out. Available online at Zara, Top Man, H&M, Armani Exchange, Tom Ford or check locally at your favorite mall.

Tell me what you think and share what your trend for 2017 will be in the comments section below.

Job Interview Do Over

No need to be nervous on a job interview. Just follow these steps.

I’ve been on countless interview panels, searching for the next employee internally and externally to the organization. There are common factors that take place within all interviews. Want to know some tips for acing a job interview before, during and after? It’s time for an Interview Do Over, so be prepared for an opportunity to move up the career ladder.

Before the Job Promotion Interview

• Pay Attention to the Hiring Process. When you find out there is a job opportunity you're interested in, follow the application instructions. Don't expect to be able to bypass the company's hiring process to get the job. If the company has rules, they apply.
• Prepare for the Interview. Review common interview questions and answers and consider how you would respond, based on your knowledge of the company, your current job and the new position, your skills, and your goals for the future. Review the skills you have that make you qualified for the new job. Also review typical job promotion interview questions that you may be asked.
• Do Your Job Well. Even though you may be moving on, continue to do your current job well, to remind your superiors about what a great employee you are.
• Tell Your Boss. If you get selected for an interview, tell your current supervisor so he or she doesn't hear the news from a third party.
• Explain why are applying and ask your boss for his or her support.
• Prepare for the Promotion. Prepare to pass your current job on to someone else; have all of your ducks in a row. If your goal is to continue moving up in the company, leaving a mess behind can reflect poorly on you. Offer to assist with training and to be available for questions.

During the Job Promotion Interview

• Stay Professional. Even though you know the company and you may even know the interviewer, but do not lose your professional attitude. It's important not to come across as too casual and relaxed.
• Highlight your strengths. Your strengths may include your familiarity with the position/company, the success you have had in your current position, and the commitment you feel towards the company to make it as successful as possible.
• Remember You Don't Know Everything. Be prepared to talk about unfamiliar aspects of the position. Do not assume you already know the in's and out's. You may get caught off guard.
• Don't Be Over Confident. Do not go to the interview presuming that you "got the job" - an over confident attitude can be damaging.
• Ask Questions. If you have questions about the new position, what your role will be, and how you would transition, be sure to ask during the interview. Here are examples of questions to ask the interviewer.

After the Job Promotion Interview

• Say Thank You. Write a thank you note to the person that interviewed you. Reiterate your interest in the new position.
• Don't Burn Your Bridges. If you get the promotion, do not burn any bridges. You will be leaving co-workers behind, possibly becoming their superior, treat them with the same respect you did when you were working together. When the promotion is finalized, let your co-workers know that you are moving on. However, if the company is going to send an official announcement, wait until that is sent before sending a personal email message.
• Don't Have Hard Feelings. If you don't get the job, leave any negative feelings behind and work towards the next promotion opportunity.

Stick to these "Before, During and After" tips and it will definitely help you attain that leadership position you desire.

Keep the comments coming and let me know what other types of topics you're interested in having a "do over" moment.

Promotion Do Over

It’s coming to the end of 2016 and you’re looking around feeling an array of emotions in the workplace. In the age of technological advancements, you have to be juggling a myriad of abilities to get that promotion. Ask yourself: Are you happy professionally?

Too many people think that doing a good job is all they need to get a promotion or an exciting new assignment, but it's unlikely to be enough. Here are some tips to make sure your talent, abilities and knowledge is known for that sought after promotion.

Know your goal

The biggest misconception about promotions is that they naturally occur with time. It's not enough to think you deserve one; you must understand and clearly demonstrate how you meet the requirements. Also, do you want a promotion within your current job or are you looking for a position elsewhere? Be clear on what you want from the offset so you can take the right action to help you get there.

Get your boss on your side

If you are aiming for an internal promotion you need to get your boss on your side. Schedule a one to one review meeting and let him/her know that you want to find out how you can be more effective at work.

Seek honest feedback from your manager on how you match up to higher levels within your company. You may need to learn to take a more strategic rather than tactical view of your organisation. Too many people only see their organisation through the view of their own department or profession. Look broader into IT, marketing and do some competitor analysis.

Help your boss

Set up a meeting with your boss to find out more about their objectives, so you can focus on helping him or her be successful. Volunteer to stay late if an urgent task needs completing - it demonstrates commitment to the job.

Anticipate

You can help your boss by anticipating what they will need. While Fran's boss was on holiday a new project request came in, with a deadline just two days after her boss's return. She collected relevant research and made suggestions for how to work on this. Her boss was very impressed and Fran was taken along to the meeting and was involved in developing future project proposals.

Keep your boss informed

Our bosses are often unaware of the mini successes we have in our jobs each week, so make sure you document them and send your boss a summary each month. If you have people who work for you, give your boss an update on their successes as well. Make sure you are on LinkedIn and start to get recommendations from your boss and the people you work with.

Demonstrate commitment to your own professional development

What courses could you take to increase your knowledge/experience? Make sure people within your organisation know when you have qualified.

Identify trends and look out for new opportunities

In a competitive world your organisation will be seeking new projects, so if you notice a gap in the market make sure to let people know. You can produce an internal white paper based on research you have undertaken. Make sure your name gets known by including your name on the cover and some brief bio data at the end.

Look the part

If everyone else dresses casually you will stand out through being a bit smarter. Sound advice is to dress as if you are doing the job the level above, it helps others to visualise you in a different role. This also can help to increase our confidence; it makes us feel better and thus act better.

Get known

Offer to write or be a part of a committee. Doing so will mean you'll be seen by many people within the company. Get chatting to people from other parts of the organisation and find out about their work and challenges. You never know when this will prove useful, and there is often a need for cross functional project teams, the more you are known the more likely your name will be suggested.

Hope these tips help you in 2017 to get that much sought after position. Look out for useful ways of scoring high in the actual job interview in my next post.

Keep the feedback coming as we continue along these Life Do-Overs!

Men Holiday Gifts Do Over!

What's Santa going to get this Christmas?

It’s that time again, the holidays are right around the corner. And this week is a perfect time to start planning and buying online. You have ALL the specials from Black Friday and even better, Cyber Monday. Isn’t it time for a Men Holiday Gift Do Over?

It doesn’t always have to only be ties and underwear for the holidays so browse my top 10 picks for men and gather some great Christmas gift ideas for all the great men in your life.  If you have a husband, brother, boyfriend, son, father, cousin, grandfather, grandson, uncle or dog to shop for, you’re covered.  Shop for the best men’s Christmas gift ideas ALL available at www.amazon.com

1.      Best Holiday Inspired Cologne:  Spicebomb – Very masculine scent and refreshing for any time of year.

2.      For the Money Saver:  Burberry Blue/Black Credit Card Holder/Wallet – Bulky wallets are a thing of the past.

3. For the Ultimate Face Groomer:  Clarisonic ‘Alfa Fit’ Face Cleaning System for Men – Because it’ll look like years have been taken off his face, plus he’ll basically be able to get the best shave ever after using this!

4.      For the Forever Teenager: PlayStation VR Launch Bundle – For the ultimate virtual reality experience from the comfort of your own home…along with the breaking news that PlayStation’s VR also works with XBOX One.

5.      For the Binge-Watcher:  The All New Fire TV Stick – The latest it finally here! Quickly connect it to your TVs HDMI port and watch over 250,000 shows from Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, HBO GO, and more. Hi Orange is the New Black!  Bye family and friends!  Plus, enjoy Alexa voice control and over 7,000 apps and games.

6.      For the Face:  Kiehl’s Men’s Heathy Skin Starter Gift Set will never be wasted. As a user myself, I highly recommend this product.

7.      For the Bachelor:  Toaster Grilled Cheese Bags – Because grilled cheese in the toaster will forever change his life.

8.      For the Fun iPhone Guy:  iPhone 7 & 7 Plus Cases (Plus iPhone 6 Too!)  – The coolest iPhone 7 (7 Plus and 6) cases we could find.  Check out the retro 80’s music cassette tape, the most realistic football case ever, classic camo, or the hardwood floor case.

9.      For the Organized Griller:  The Official BBQ Briefcase – He’ll stay totally organized when it’s time to grill which, for us, is all year around.  This grill-side case includes 20 stainless steel grilling utensils, which make it easy to grill at home or if you’re traveling for the weekend.

10.   As Carnival is around the corner for the Fitness Guy:  New Fitbit Alta Fitness Tracker: Because now he can track workouts, heart rate, distance, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes and steps. Plus, monitor how long and how well you’ve been sleeping (YES!) and can even receive texts and calls at a glance when you’re on the move.

These gifts vary in price point and will still cost considerably less if bought online. Quick tip: "Aeropost" waived the 7% online tax for shipping for Trinidad and Tobago online shoppers.

So remember these items will put an immediate smile on your husband, brother, boyfriend, son, father, cousin, grandfather, grandson, uncle or dog’s face. Hint: I'd love the Kiehl Gift Set.

Share your top gift ideas for the men in your lives in the comments section below.

Friendship Do Over

 I will first like to thank my avid reader who suggested I write a “Friendship Do Over” post.

Stuff happens... Life happens. Have you ever fallen out of touch with friends you’ve genuinely love? Due to an array of circumstances from work, personal life, location, children, or whatever is thrown your way.

Everywhere in Trinidad is close enough, yet it still feels impossible to see them at the end of a traffic crushing work day. There are just so many commitments and curve balls in life that even when you have the best intentions, sometimes your friendships don't take first priority, as you get older, different things start to take priority.

As someone in their mid-thirties, I am the first to admit, the years of spending whole weekends joined at the hip with friends are reserved for younger people. As everyone starts to get their own lives — mortgages, promotions, marriages, babies — “liming” or hanging out with friends isn’t on your schedule. But it’s in our DNA to be social persons, and at times you need your friends to discuss critical issues, debate serious items or even ask for necessary advice. If you're looking to reconnect with an old friend, here are some ways you can do that.

1. Pick up the phone and make a call

If you miss an old friend and are struggling to catch up, doing so can be as easy as placing a phone call. Lost their phone number? Search them out on the social media websites and send a message.  Reminisce on the fun experiences you both shared together!

2. Be patient

If your friend has been MIA be empathetic and patient when you're reaching out. Don't expect your friend to just jump and drop everything instantly as soon as you come calling. These things take time, and you can't just snap your fingers and hope that your friend is available.

3. Tell them you miss them

Instead of just telling your friend "We should catch up," let them know how important that is to you. It's not just a casual meet up, it's a long overdue meeting of two people who love and miss each other, so make that clear. This way, you can both make reconnecting a real priority.

4. Pick something you both loved to do together

Do you have a favorite restaurant or sushi bar? An activity that the two of you used to do together before life got in the way.

5. Make it all about the two of you

Don't try and fit your friend into an occasion with other friends. Don't say, "Oh I'll be here with these people at this time, you should come." Make it about just the two of you. Set aside time where you can just talk to one another, even if it's only for an hour.

6. Like Nike says, “Just do it”

Don't say you will and then procrastinate over when, or change plans at the last minute. If you want to see your friend that you miss, go see your friend that you miss. Make a time, be decisive, and stick to the plan. JUST DO IT!

Thanks again RA for your suggestion and I hope this helps you reconnect with persons who you miss in your life!

Keep the comments coming ladies and gentlemen and let me know what else should be a do over!

Vacation Do Over!

I’ve been getting a lot of feedback reminding people to be proud of our Trinbagonian treasures. And people have been asking where else worldwide are great places to visit.

Many people are unaware of the many locations you can visit with your updated, valid T&T passport. There are over 104 countries you don’t need a Visa to visit.

It’s time for a Vacation Do Over. We’re so accustom to travelling to the United States, but the world is far bigger than the “States”. Here’s an updated list of locations that’s just a plane ride away:

Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Aruba Austria Bahamas Barbados Belize Bermuda Botswana Brazil British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Chile Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Estonia

Fiji Finland France French Guiana Gambia Ghana Gibraltar Germany Greece Grenada Guadeloupe Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland Ireland Israel Jamaica Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Lesotho Liechtenstein (see Switzerland)

Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malawi Malaysia Malta Martinique Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Montserrat Netherlands Netherlands Antilles Nicaragua Niue (South Pacific island) Norway Pakistan Palau (Micronesian islands) Panama Peru Phillipines Pitcairn Island Poland Portugal

Reunion (Indian Ocean) Slovakia Slovenia Spain St Helena St Kitts & Nevis St Lucia St Martin St Vincent & the Grenadines Samoa Seychelles Singapore Solomon Islands South Africa South Korea Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Tanzania Turkey Tuvalu United Kingdom Uruguay Vanuatu Venezuela Zambia Zimbabwe

But you’re asking yourself: How am I going to afford this? Here are some tips from travelling gurus from around the world:

Look out for free flights

There are so many ways to earn free flights, sign up for a few travel credit cards, collect miles, and then fly for free. Most cards offer sign-up bonuses of 50,000 points, collect miles and hotel points through credit card rewards, online bonuses, category bonuses, surveys, and special offers. Here are some ways you can use:

Austria, no Visa necessary with a T&T valid passport.

Source those great deals

Sign up for all the airline mailing lists. The special bonus offers airlines have on cars, restaurants, and hotels.

Croatia, no Visa necessary with a T&T valid passport.

Shop online at their member stores

All airlines have special offers with all the big stores: Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, Target, etc. Shopping at those preferred stores will earn you 2–4 miles per dollar spent, sometimes even more. If you spend $1,000 a month, you can earn up to 3,000 miles just by going through their websites.

Hong Kong, no Visa necessary with a T&T valid passport.

Credit card is king

Put everything on your card, from bills to groceries. That’s more miles for in your mileage account.

Mexico, no Visa necessary with a T&T valid passport.

Live local

Bypass the traditional travel industry with sharing economy websites and gain access to locals using their own assets and skills to become small tourism companies with cheaper prices. Locals know where to find deals. They know which supermarket is cheapest, which stores offer the best sales, and where to find the best restaurants and bars with the tastiest food at the lowest prices. The top websites include:

• Airbnb (accommodation)
• Vayable (tours)
• BlaBlaCar (ridesharing)
• EatWith (meals)

So, make that decision to see the world with this vacation do over! Share your travelling experiences and let me know where is the next location you will be visiting.