Stilettos & Diapers

by Molly Wey

BlogHer· Finances· Organizing

Sometimes, Don’t Be Fashionably Late.

I happen to be perpetually late. I like to blame this on the kids. It basically takes a lifetime to get out the door with everyone dressed in clean clothes and a bag stocked with diapers, wipes snacks and sippy cups. The fact of the matter is, that I’ve always run on the late side. The kids have just accentuated my problem. And the hubs. Well, he makes me later than the kids. I have often times found myself waiting in the car for him, and well, that makes him impressively late. 

This fall, we’ve found ourselves selling a house, buying a house, moving to a new state, hubs starting a new job and a child starting school. I can say that I’ve feared being that parent that pulls into school every morning, just as the bell rings. I’m proud to say that has only happened the first day. (Probably because his crazy blogger mom was taking too many pictures). It’s been a massive adjustment on us the past few weeks. The hubs is going into an office, instead of working from home. The baby’s nap is thrown off because of school pickup. I can’t stay in my pajamas until noon. We’ve had to implement some new strategies to get everyone up and out the door in the morning. 

1. Pick out your clothes the night before. Not just your child’s. Yours too.


2. Pack lunches and snacks early. I like to make little baggies of snacks on the weekend so they’re easy to grab on the rush out the door. 

3. Organize, organize, organize. I have a planner for family/school and one for blogging/business stuff. I’m trying hard to keep everything color coordinated and make sure I’m not missing anything. 


The fact of the matter is, there is no free time. As a Mom, someone always needs me. I’m creating a business at home that’s begging for some time. I’m keeping our house in order and having healthy meals on the table every night. There’s no time to be late.

One thing that isn’t on my to-do list, is bills. The hubs loves all things numbers, budgeting and saving. He takes care of all the bills and well, sometimes, that doesn’t always work out so well. He’s busy himself and has, more than once, been late on a bill. It’s so frustrating when you budget and plan and end up with a late fee because of sheer busyness. Even worse, is trying to call and beg for the charge to be reversed. You end up wasting so much of your time and we all know that time is money. 

Lucky for us, there is a card that alleviates the frustration of late fees and has no penalty rate. Meet Citi Simplicity. It’s the ONLY credit card that has no late fees, no penalty rate or annual fee. Ever. Late fees are typically $15-$35. That can really add up! 

With Citi Simplicity, you really can save time and money. Features like allowing you to choose your own payment due date and automatic bill payment help you conquer lateness. One of my favorite features of Citi Simplicity is Citi Price Rewind. When you make a purchase and register an eligible item with your Citi credit card, Citi searches retailers’ sites to make sure you got the best deal. Save your credit card receipt each time you shop. If your item is found for $25 less than you paid within 30 calendar days after purchase, you get the difference back, up to $250. The average refund is $80! This can save tons of time shopping around for the best price! Your Citi Simplicity card also offers a feature called Citi Easy Deals, which offers you great discounts on gift cards, restaurants, shops and travel. With over 200,000 offers, there’s plenty of savings for everyone.

Because I want you to be fashionable, not fashionably late, here are some tips for taking control of your financial lateness this fall:

Don’t pay late fees. The best way to do this, is with Citi Simplicity! 

Deposit your checks electronically. Most banks now offer that option and it’s practically a Mom’s dream. 

Take advantage of reminder text or emails. A lot of companies offer this benefit, but if yours doesn’t, set up an automatic alert in your Google calendar. 

Stop procrastinating. Of course paying bills isn’t high up on anyones fun list. So instead of putting it off, get it done. Nothing feels better than completing task that you’ve been putting off. 

What are your best tips for conquering lateness? Let me know in the comments for a chance to win a 16GB mini tablet! 

The Conquering Lateness Sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes”) is open to legal US Residents, age 18 or older. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 5pm (PST) on October 24, 2013. The Official Rules are available here. No purchase necessary.

Only two entries per participating blog per household; if the same or substantially similar comment (as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion) is posted twice, it may only count as one Entry. Eligible persons may enter this Promotion by taking any of the following actions, each of which counts as one entry:


1.   Leave a comment in response to the Promotion prompt on this post.
2.  Tweet (public message) about this Promotion, including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that Tweet in a comment on this post.
3.  Blog about this Promotion (including a disclosure that you have received a sweepstakes entry in exchange for blogging about this Promotion), and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post.
4.  To enter without commenting, follow this link, and provide your email address and your response to the Promotion prompt.


Be sure to visit the Citi brand page on BlogHer.com where you can learn more about conquering lateness!

Comments

  1. Leah says

    My son will automatically slow to a crawl as soon as I start trying to rush him because we have to be out the door now, now, now! So when I'm adding appointments to my calendar, I always put that they start 10-15 minutes earlier than they actually do so that even if we get a slightly late start, we'll still be good.

    Oh, and I really try to do as much as I possibly can the night before. My kids are in daycare, so this includes bottle and pump assembly, picking out clothes, having breakfast ready in a bowl with a lid so my oldest can get it himself, and having the TV already tuned to PBS with the volume low so I don't have to go out and turn it on for him while I'm trying to get the baby ready.

  2. Liz J says

    Online bill pay though our bank has made it so much easier. No more writing checks! Dorky me has a spreadsheet that lines out all the bills and our pay dates. Everything gets paid the day we do so we know what we have to work with until the next paycheck rolls in!

  3. Shell says

    It really is all about being prepared the night before. Outfits are laid out for all of us, backpacks are packed with their snacks, keys are in their spot.

  5. Susan says

    ugh…………I hate being late too, and we don't even have children! I agree about getting clothes ready the night before, making lists, and for certain occasions starting to get things together several days in advance. We were always running late for church, which I hated…………we realized it was because we were taking too long with breakfast and talking too much, now we have to wait until we get into the car to have any live-changing conversations………..lol! 🙂

  6. Jaclyn @ Haute Granola says

    I'm perpetually EARLY, and my husband is a little more loosey goosey on time…to conquer lateness I pack lunches the night before so they're in the fridge, ready to go. I also plan outfits the night before. Additionally, I have a "baby bin" in my car that's got diapers, wipes, snacks in it. If I don't have a chance to restock my diaper bag…I know my box has it covered.

  7. Katie says

    The biggest thing that helps me with making sure bills get paid on time is the fact we only get paid once a month so on payday every bill gets paid no matter when its due and 98% of our bills are done thru online banking. The remaining are automatic withdrawels that happen within the first 10 days of the month.

  10. K. Elizabeth @ YUMMommy says

    I set my clock 15 to 30 minutes earlier than what time I need to get up in order to leave the house on time. We all like to hit that snooze button and before you know it, you're rushing. So, I automatically factor in a few extra minutes of sleep time.

  13. kellyr78 says

    I conquer lateness by setting my phone's alarm and keeping lists of everything I need to get done, so I don't get distracted. I always give myself extra time when possible, in case I get delayed.
    kellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom

  15. Lisa Brown says

    Well, I am rarely late for anything. If I am, it is because of very bad traffic and not because I leave the house too late. Just have to make sure to leave plenty of time for driving.
    jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com

  17. kelly thompson says

    I try not to let anxiety get the best of me so I just always leave with enough time to get to most places 10 min early- only problem is if people are late-then you are waiting for them twice as long

  20. Janice says

    I always prepare my attire the night before and set out anything additional- make-up pouch, tea cup, etc…Every second counts in the morning so this helps

  24. Randa says

    Fall weather makes me want to take things slow so why can't schools cooperate?! I try to combat lateness by mentally checking off everything I'll need for the morning the nigh before. Sometimes it stinks because I'll realize a project hasn't been done so I stay up an hour or two more making sure it's ready to go but it's better than being a messy rush the day of!

  25. Emerson Lane Originals says

    I use my timer/alarm on my smart phone to keep me on task. That way I don't get carried away or caught up in any one thing…I know when it's time to move on, leave the house, meet for playgroup, leave the grocery store, etc. It definitely comes in handy!! Thanks so much for the chance to win!

  27. A Thousand Planets says

    I set my alarm and place it across the room so I am FORCED to get out of bed in the morning! I'm also a compulsive list maker. I've been known to write things down just so I can cross them off and feel a bit more accomplished 🙂

  28. Tiffany says

    I always leave the house 30 minutes ahead of the time I need to be there whether it normally takes me 5 minutes or 20 minutes to get where I'm going.

  31. Claudia N says

    I try to conquer my lateness however having a son with Autism it is not always possible to be in time on appointments, to try to conquer my lateness ,I set a schedule for the day and give my son rewards when he finish one task at a time, the reason of my lateness are unscheduled meltdowns ( cause by sensory overload and going to new places) , and when that happens , what I do is to let the meltdown run its curse , and be patience .

    dealsfan32 at gmail dot com

  37. April G says

    I prep as much as I can the night before, and I always keep a calendar of activities so I know what's going on when and am not taken by surprise! 🙂

  41. Kerry says

    I always set a reminder on my phone to pay each bill that is due. I set it about a week ahead of the date suggested to mail on the bill. I have only been late once in all my years of having credit cards.
    nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

  42. susan1215 says

    I use my timer/alarm on my smart phone to keep me on task and remind me if I have an appointment. I also set my clocks ahead of time so I know I won't be late

    s2s2 at Comcast dot net

  44. ms-texas says

    i schedule my bill payments ahead of time using internet banking bill pay or through automatic payments

    debbiebellows (at) gmail (dot) com

  47. Amy says

    My best tips to conquer lateness is pack my kids and hubby's lunches and snackes the night before. that way, I don't have to rush and forget things to put in there.

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

  49. Mom2HDandDD says

    All my life, I've always run late. One time I decided to try a positive affirmation to help me overcome my tardiness. I would replay over & over in my head (….and aloud, too!), "Becky is an On-Time gal!" It worked beautifully…..until one day I fell off the wagon & forgot to tell myself that I'm an On-Time gal. Now I'm back to being tardy 🙁

  50. sunnysideshlee.com says

    Do big items ASAP and get them out of the way! That'll help manage smaller priorities that pop up! And set your watch a few minutes earlier – that will put a pep in your step!

  52. Nicole Larsen says

    I put reminders on my phone one and two days ahead of time for events. I also leave the house 10 mins earlier than I should leave so that way in case I hit traffic or something comes up i'm still on time or early. My dad taught me it was always better to be early than late or on time!

    [email protected]

  61. Harmony Burmeister says

    With 3 kids Im usually late but I agree with you that getting clothes out the night before or even a few days is a great to to keep up. I try to prepare meals ahead too. njharmonyg @ aol.com

  66. gracenpeace says

    I am usually the always on time person who is waiting for the late person so my suggestion is to think of one place/area where you would never dare to be late. Choose one place at a time and make a "no excuses" effort to be on time for that event. Start slow, if you succeed at one, go for another until you build up a healthy habit.

  67. Robin Wilson says

    I am a huge list maker, they help keep me on track and on time. I also set alarms and reminders on my cell phone to help keep me on time.

    zuzu.wilson(at)yahoo(dot)com

  71. Jean Brinkley says

    OK, I'm going to rat myself out. I often tell my husband we need to be somewhere 30 minutes before we actually need to get there. He just thinks I'm getting better about not stressing over being late! I'm also a big believer in planning ahead, laying out clothes, etc.

  74. BrandyC says

    All of my clocks are set fast — and different. It drives my husband crazy because all the clocks will be a couple of minutes off from each other but it helps me. That and I have a ton of alarm reminders of my phone…when to get up…when to get up without having time to dry my hair…when to wake up kids, etc. Great giveaway!

  75. boniface5 says

    Ummmmm!!! Citi Simplicity?!?! Ummazing! What a great product for families!! This is the first I've heard of it and I'm excited!!
    A few things we do to not be late for "life" are some you mentioned…
    – I even lay out middle sons glasses and allergy alert bracelet the night before school bc I can't tell you how many times I've had to rush back home to get glasses?!? Really?! Duh he can't see lol!
    – when my daughter feeds the pups and notices there's a depleting amount of dog food?! I have her write a post it on the frig so we aren't "late" feeding the dogs ha!
    – on sports nights I pre-plan the easiest meal that takes the shortest amt of time so we aren't late for a game andddd… I plan a back up like cold cuts (sandwiches) just in case!
    – we have a calendar that we add all of the teenager tests for the week on so we aren't late studying!! Nothing like forgetting about a test the night before… Guilty!!
    Also set alarms on hubs phone and mine for appts etc ;))
    Thanks for the chance ;))
    – mamab5

  76. boniface5 says

    Ummmmm!!! Citi Simplicity?!?! Ummazing! What a great product for families!! This is the first I've heard of it and I'm excited!!
    A few things we do to not be late for "life" are some you mentioned…
    – I even lay out middle sons glasses and allergy alert bracelet the night before school bc I can't tell you how many times I've had to rush back home to get glasses?!? Really?! Duh he can't see lol!
    – when my daughter feeds the pups and notices there's a depleting amount of dog food?! I have her write a post it on the frig so we aren't "late" feeding the dogs ha!
    – on sports nights I pre-plan the easiest meal that takes the shortest amt of time so we aren't late for a game andddd… I plan a back up like cold cuts (sandwiches) just in case!
    – we have a calendar that we add all of the teenager tests for the week on so we aren't late studying!! Nothing like forgetting about a test the night before… Guilty!!
    Also set alarms on hubs phone and mine for appts etc ;))
    Thanks for the chance ;))
    – mamab5

  79. Betty C says

    I'm usually early for everything but I'm finding that as I get older it just takes me longer to get things ready. I usually try to leave early and fill the extra time with either reading or reviewing my lists for things to be done later on.
    willitara [at] gmail [dot] com

  81. Emily N. says

    I try to have a regular routine for recurring tasks so I'm consistent on when I pay things, when I leave the house, etc. so I'm not late.

  83. Jamie Pickle says

    I try to plan for the day ahead the night before. I take a shower, make my lunch and plan my outfit for the following day. That way I don't have to waste time doing it in the morning. I find that if I get off track early on, I can't seem to catch up.

  84. ape2016 says

    I conquer lateness by marking the appointment time on my calendar 15 minutes earlier than the appointment and then I always give myself 15 minutes extra drive time. I usually arrive everywhere about 20 minutes early instead of 10 minutes late.

  87. Jess says

    I too had been finding myself chronically late despite my best intentions (having two toddlers will do that to you!). So I started mentally telling myself I HAD to be out the door 15 minutes earlier than I actually did. That way, I often end up leaving right on time 😉

  89. Carolina Dhabolt - One Tech-loving mom. says

    I like to conquer lateness by setting up reminders/alarms on my phone. I also write everything down on my calendar so that I'm often behind reminded of events coming up. I like to get my husband's lunch and clothes ready the night before, same with my kids', so that we are not late in the mornings.

  91. angie lilly says

    My biggest tip is to plan ahead to leave early. It is better to get somewhere early and sit in the car or putter around shops surrounding where you are supposed to be than to arrive late. You never know when you will get hung up in traffic or something.
    Angie
    14earth at gmail dot com

  93. Evelyn D. says

    Making my breakfast the night before and going to sleep early. If I am late I just hurry and skip breakfast

    shopgurl101 at gmail dot com

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