A Dollar Short and a Day Late

As I mentioned in a previous post, I fell in love with the company "Birch Box," a trendy service that sends a monthly box of sample-size beauty supplies and tools to your mailbox. I discovered this while in Chicago and began sharing this knowledge with a dear friend of mine, Lindsay. We would often sit together on the steps near the Sears Tower with our brown bagged lunches and dream about how we can make money and leave our miserable jobs in the financial services industry. As I had "babies-on-the brain" at the time, I told her, "wouldn't it be great if we could take this concept behind Birch Box and mirror it in a different industry - like baby stuff for moms. Afterall, everyone wants to 'try it before you buy it' when it comes to diaper rash or baby hair care." We both thought the idea had legs, we just didn't have the knowledge or experience to lift it off the ground.

Imagine my bittersweet emotions when I read an article on a new service called "Bluum," which offers exactly what I thought of - monthly box of sample-size goodies for new moms for a $9 per month subscription.

What a great shower gift to pamper a new mom for months to come...when the excitement of congratulatory cards and gifts have long ceased arriving at the front stoop.

Check out the pic below, it looks just like my Birch Box in a previous post.

Little Luxuries

USA Today is one of my favorite newspapers to read - the articles are clear and concise briefs covering breaking news and pop culture - I look forward to hotel stays just knowing I may have a free copy waiting at my doorstep in the morning.

So, you can imagine my delight in downloading the "USA Today" app on my android phone. During one of those 4am feedings lately, I read a brief article titled "Shoppers indulge in little luxuries."

With the economy (heading) into (yet another) a recession, people are still finding money to spend on a Halloween costume...for their PET! I will admit I am guilty of having purchased at least one costume for Mr. Cole for Halloween in the past, but come'on - he is the "Halloween Kitten" afterall!

The article read true to me, as it described a common shopper behavior of saving their spend on one large luxury item instead of five cheap items. For example, splurge on a $15 manicure or a $40 blow out to add a touch of confidence and feel good flair.

I personally found my own "little luxury" last year when I learned about Birch Box...a monthly subscription of $10 enables me to receive a fun little box filled with samples of trendy beauty supplies. From perfume samples and full sticks of lip gloss to face scrubs and mascara, Birch Box never disappoints. Consumers can get points for receiving the service, but more importantly for logging online after using the products to provide feedback about the products - this information is invaluable data for the manufacturers. It's a win-win for both beauty queens and manufacturers a like!
Here is a photo of one box I rec'd when I was a subscriber (pre-baby budget days)...