My number one style tip
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008If you’ve ever felt like you just have nothing to wear, or returned home to the pile of clothes you left on the bed trying to figure out what works with what, or thought, “Wow, those shoes are so great, but I have nothing to wear them with”, then this is for you.
Tags: Color, Fashion, […]
Spinlash: Skeptic to spoiled
Monday, April 28th, 2008Disclaimer: I did receive a the Spinlash from the company free of charge with the understanding that I would review it. However, the company has at no time given me any type of input in regards to the type of review, I have received no other compensation for this review, and I don’t get any […]
It’s official. I’m shopping too little
Sunday, April 27th, 2008Yes, I’ll admit it. The recession is my fault. I stopped shopping so much and the U.S. economy did a nosedive.
O.k., maybe not. But something almost as strange just happened. My husband just complained to a friend of ours that I’m shopping too little. He says he’s more or less […]
The cost of clutter
Saturday, April 26th, 2008The cost of clutter has never been felt in our household as much as it has this week. The other night, my husband and I have been looking for my iPod. We finally found a buyer for it, but now we can’t find it because for one reason or another, it’s not where […]
Here’s why you can afford to be green
Friday, April 25th, 2008First off, I’d like to thank Green Me for featuring my post introducing FruWiki, The Frugal Wiki, in the Green It! carnival. My husband and I have both been trying to be more frugal and more green. Fortunately, we’ve found that many of the things we’ve started doing are both frugal and green. […]
Festival shout-out
Monday, April 21st, 2008Thanks to The Carnival of Twenty Something Finances and also to the Kids and Money carnival for featuring my post introducing FruWiki, The Frugal Wiki. I really appreciate the link love as I try to get the word out about my new project.
If you haven’t already, please check out both carnivals because […]
Re: Festival of Frugality #121
Thursday, April 17th, 2008Big thanks over to Rather Be Shopping, the host of The Festival of Frugality #121 for featuring my post here introducing FruWiki, The Frugal Wiki. I’ve been reading down the very long list of other featured posts hoping to come up with a list of favorites, but with so many great posts to choose […]
What I’ve been reading
Monday, April 14th, 2008For the past week I’ve been laying low with a nasty sinus infection. It hasn’t been fun, but if there’s one thing that I actually appreciate about being sick is that it forces me to sit back and catch up on light reading.
Here are some blog posts that I’ve been keeping up […]
The Fabulous! Festival for April ‘08
Monday, April 7th, 2008Welcome to the April edition of The Fabulous! Festival, a blog carnival dedicated to looking and feeling fa-bu-lous. I had a great time reading all the submissions, which is why I am confident that you’ll enjoy reading my ten favorites:
Beauty
First off, Tina Su reminds us that beauty isn’t just about makeup, presenting 8 keys […]
Introducing… FruWiki.com!
Monday, April 7th, 2008Drum roll, please!
I’ve been working on a project that I hope you will enjoy. As regular readers know, I’ve been trying to live more frugally — and having some success despite my love of fashion, food, and gadgets. I believe that being frugal is not about self-deprivation, but rather about prioritizing […]
Shop it to me
Sunday, April 6th, 2008This is not a paid endorsement. I have received no compensation for enthusiasm expressed here.
I just wanted to spread the news about a neat service I came across. The site is Shop It To Me. It’s free to sign up, you check the brands you like, your sizing info, your price range, […]
Are you really saving time by not doing it yourself?
Friday, April 4th, 2008I read a lot of blogs on saving money and therefore come across a lot of DIY projects, from how to darn socks to how to refill a brita filter. Regardless of what the project is, there seems to always be at least one naysayer who insists that the time they would lose doing […]
My favorite discount store
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008No, this isn’t a paid advertisement.
I’ve read a lot lately about how people have started shopping in cheaper stores because of all the economic problems we’re having here in the U.S. People who would never set foot in a discount stores are taking a second look at them, even as some still worry about […]
Dating for the frugal
Monday, March 31st, 2008Dating is hard work, but it can be even trickier if you’re trying to save money. For the most part, people still tend to equate having money with being successful — and spending money is seen as the principal sign that someone has it. Of course, that’s far from how things really work. […]
I’m sick of stuff
Saturday, March 29th, 2008Warning, a bit of a weekend rant.
Tags: De-stressing, Giving, Green Living, Home & Garden, Organization & Decluttering, Priorities, Productivity, Saving Money, Saving Time, Spending Money
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Why walking is a luxury and I have a gym membership (2)
Why should you care about what’s “in” this […]
Playing in the dirt
Tuesday, March 25th, 2008Maybe it’s just that time of year, maybe it’s the urge to recession-proof our food supply, but my husband and I have gardening on the brain right now. We recently started a compost pile and have started clearing a corner of our lot for a veggie garden. And while I certainly wasn’t embarrassed […]
Thank you, coupon fairy
Wednesday, March 5th, 2008Thank you to whoever out there left that $2 off coupon on top of the steel cut oatmeal container at the grocery store. I can never seem to find coupons for stuff I actually buy, so I was thrilled to come across one just sitting on top of a container from my favorite brand. […]
The Fabulous! Festival for March ‘08
Monday, March 3rd, 2008Welcome to the March edition of The Fabulous! Festival, a blog carnival dedicated to looking and feeling fa-bu-lous. This month’s submissions were particularly fabulous, with posts on topics from how much should one really spend on a wardrobe to sexy sundresses and burlesque tease. Here are my top ten picks.
Beauty
To maintain […]
Trying to be frugal: Movies and television
Thursday, February 21st, 2008This post is part of a series on the frugal things that my husband and I do — as well as some things we’re still working on. For more background information, please check out the introduction to the series. Other posts in the series will appear as links in the comments section.
My husband […]
Am I missing something about YogaToes?
Wednesday, February 20th, 2008So, I keep seeing advertisements for YogaToes in the back of fashion magazines. They look like a heavy duty version of the toe spacers I use when I give myself a pedicure, but they’re supposed to help with all sorts of foot problems caused by toes being squeezed together in shoes. I was curious […]
My new grocery shopping strategy
Friday, February 15th, 2008I don’t do diets.
However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t care what I eat. I’m trying to save money, loose weight, and eat healthy all at the same time. The result has been that I have been trying to eat out a lot less and pay a lot more attention to […]
Re: Frugal living and cluttered living
Wednesday, February 13th, 2008Over at Frugal for Life, Dawn has posed an interesting question: “In order for us to live a more frugal life and live below our means it requires that we re-use items instead of going out to buy something new. However, does that mean that our frugalness causes us to live in a cluttered house?” […]
Re: Our high, high standard of living
Friday, February 8th, 2008Last year, Philip Brewer wrote a really interesting article on Wise Bread called Our high, high standard of living. I want to share it with you because I’m still thinking about it months later.
Here’s the first paragraph:
In the 1950s and 1960s, a working man could support a family at a middle-class standard of […]
Why do people still read buy fashion magazines?
Thursday, February 7th, 2008
I’ve never really been into fashion magazines. Then again, I wasn’t really into fashion until this year. So, I recently decided to start looking at some well known fashion magazines and see what they were all about.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to spend money on them. I can read them free […]
Trying to be frugal: Drinking cheaper
Wednesday, February 6th, 2008This post is part of a series on the frugal things that my husband and I do — as well as some things we’re still working on. For more background information, please check out the introduction to the series. Other posts in the series will appear as links in the comments section.
The money […]
Trying to be frugal: The series
Wednesday, February 6th, 2008My husband and I have been trying to cut down our costs, so I’ve been reading a lot of frugal blogs and particularly lists of frugal ideas. What surprises me, though, is how many things we already do. It’s easy to feel smug, but a quick look at the numbers shows that we […]
Two morning makeovers: or, why I love makeup and wire cutters
Sunday, February 3rd, 2008I hate mornings.
And by mornings, I mean anything before noon. There are good reasons why.
Tags: Beauty, Fashion, Jewelry, Makeup, Photos, Saving Money, Style
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Your best accessory (1)
You’re never too old to reveal too much (6)
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Work appropriate fabrics (8)
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Re: Festival of Frugality #110
Wednesday, January 30th, 2008Be sure to check out this week’s Festival of Frugality, hosted by Mrs Micah. After all, who doesn’t like saving money?
Of course, I like saving money so that I can spend it elsewhere, but maybe that doesn’t even count as saving.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise then that […]
Re: There’s no shame in not being able to afford it
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008A couple days ago, Mrs. Micah wrote No shame: I can’t afford new clothes, itself a response to There’s no shame in not being able to afford it at Paid Twice.
I want to add my two cents because yesterday I wrote about signalling wealth and I want to be clear that while it’s […]
Interested in participating in a project about middle class debt?
Monday, January 21st, 2008I was recently contacted by Kelly Shimoda, a photographer based in NYC who is working on a project about middle class debt. Her project sounds very interesting, and I appreciate her efforts to shine more light on this subject. Therefore, I’m sharing her information with you all in case any of you want […]
Re: When do the savings kick in?
Monday, January 21st, 2008I just read, When do the savings kick in? at Mrs. Micah: Finance for a freelance life. Then I read the follow-up, Saving the Enron way. Then I read both to my husband.
Mrs. Micah makes a really good point. You can’t save money on something if you weren’t going to […]
Makeover your home for less
Wednesday, January 16th, 2008If you’re looking for ways to update your home without spending a lot of money, then check out Frugal ways to update your home by Fabulously Broke in the City. My husband and I are updating our home, and are doing it in many of those ways. Our ultimate goal is a modern, […]
Spending to save, or why I’m a bit kitchen obsessed right now
Tuesday, January 15th, 2008As a self-described microwave queen, I have to laugh a bit at how many food and kitchen-related posts I’ve been writing. Don’t worry, I still plan on writing plenty of fashion/style related posts here, even though I’m writing a lot on that topic over at The Bargain Queens. However, I’m really excited to […]
Sushi in
Monday, January 14th, 2008Last Saturday my husband and I were supposed to eat lunch out with a couple friends. I was really looking forward to it, but unfortunately our plans fell through because two of us forgot that we had a last minute rehearsal to go to Saturday, right around lunch time. I was disappointed that […]
I stink at not shopping
Saturday, January 12th, 2008So, my husband and I keep saying that we can’t spend any more until his next pay check. And today, I was hoping to not go shopping at all. Sounds easy, right?
Well here’s how we still spent over $400.
Tags: Home & Garden, Priorities, Saving Money, Spending Money
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Yard sale money leads to shopping — but some good […]
Why I kept my tights after all
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008I think footless tights can look really cute on some people. Some people can even rock the mid-calf ones with cute ballet flats. I can’t. I’ve tried, but the proportions just don’t work for me. Maybe my skirts aren’t short enough, or my torso is too long, or my hips are […]
Why walking is a luxury and I have a gym membership
Monday, January 7th, 2008It’s that time again. If you’re like many people, one of your New Year’s resolutions was to get healthy and loose weight. I admit, it was one of mine. I plan to get back to the gym and get something for my money. Yes, I have a gym membership. Yes, […]
The teapot that changed my drinking habits
Friday, January 4th, 2008I’ve seen several bloggers recommend tea makers as a frugal kitchen appliance, but I always thought it was a silly idea. After all, it doesn’t take much to boil some water and steep some tea bags, whether you’re making a single serving or a batch of sweet tea for your family.
Yet despite […]
Dinner in with friends
Thursday, January 3rd, 2008Yesterday, my husband and I were invited to a home-cooked dinner by a couple of our friends. While we’ve eaten out with friends many times, I can’t remember the last time we had dinner at a friend’s place.
Well, it was delicious! More than that though, we really enjoyed the company. […]
How our cats are staying warm this winter
Thursday, January 3rd, 2008In an effort to save some money and live a little greener, my husband and I have kept the thermostat set a little lower this winter. The cats have definitely noticed:
Tags: Green Living, Home & Garden, Saving Money, Weather
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Yard sale money leads to shopping — but some good buys (3)
Wow, we should go for a walk everyday […]
Best of Fabulously Broke in the City
Tuesday, January 1st, 2008One of my New Year’s resolutions is to spread the link love to my blogging friends. One of my favorite blogs is Fabulously Broke in the City, and so I’m really honored that Fabulously Broke comments so frequently here and often links to posts here and at The Bargain Queens.
Well, FB, it’s […]
Why eating healthy for cheap is a complex, and often heated issue
Monday, December 31st, 2007I read a lot of blogs on saving money, and sometimes I even follow their advice. While I usually don’t comment much on those blogs, I often read the discussions and it amazes how heated the discussions can get. There is plenty of judgement to go around and a lot of people think […]
Quotes from my husband: On the recent cutting of my credit card
Monday, December 31st, 2007Last night I sacrificed my AmEx card. My husband didn’t say a lot at first, just “O.k.” and “the shredder isn’t plugged in and I can’t reach the outlet right now.” Then later there were these two gems:
You’ll have to live vicariously through your readers.
Yeah… Please go buy […]
A moment of strength and scissors
Sunday, December 30th, 2007I did it. Despite recently telling people that I can’t believe they’re planning to give up credit cards as their New Year’s resolutions, I willingly handed my American Express card over to my husband to be cut up. But first, I deleted all my credit card information on Amazon. I don’t know […]
Raiding my husband’s closet
Sunday, December 30th, 2007I hate shopping for pants. I don’t really like wearing pants. I have one, maybe two pairs of jeans that fit. However, I occasionally have to wear pants.
A few days ago my band director called me up and asked if I’d mind playing with the university’s pep band at a ladies basketball […]
When going green is classy
Sunday, December 30th, 2007I may be image conscious, but I still like saving money and the environment. Therefore, I love it when I can do both and not sacrifice my style. That’s why I loved today’s post at Wise Bread, When Going Green is Classy. There you’ll find some easy to adopt tips that […]
Introducing the Smiths
Sunday, December 30th, 2007There’s a really good post over at There But For The Grace of God called Introducing the Smiths.
The post is rather long, but it’s definitely worth reading, especially if you’ve ever looked down on others for their spending habits — and haven’t we all? It’s another great reminder that appearances can be deceiving, […]
Pondering on my picky philosophy
Saturday, December 29th, 2007So far this week, I’ve done a poor job of not spending. No, it’s not that I’m an impulsive buyer — not exactly. I make a mental list of what I want/need, I compare prices, I research reviews, I use coupon codes online, and I even sometimes use coupons in person. Part […]
How I’m staying warm for less
Friday, December 28th, 2007Last month the weather was cool enough that we didn’t have to run the air conditioner much at all. As a result, my husband and I finally saw a dip in our electric bill. This month, though, it’s gotten nippy enough that we’ve had to turn on the heat.
Having seen how […]
A new focus for the New Year
Monday, December 24th, 2007In case you haven’t noticed, there’s been a small change on the blog. Under the title there is a new tagline: “High class, low cost”. It’s just a sign of things to come, though.
When I started this blog, I knew that I didn’t want it to be just another fashion or beauty […]
Christmas decorations done and overdone
Monday, December 24th, 2007My husband and I have both been super busy this month, but last night my husband finally got our tree out of the attic and set it up. Tonight we hope to decorate it with our purple ball ornaments and pastel butterflies. We’ve got a few other things up now, some lights around […]
A classy meme
Friday, December 7th, 2007Valley girl from Life of a Valley Girl brought this meme to my attention in her post Getting Schooled and it was too fun not to play along.
Rules:Devise a list of 5-10 courses you would take to fix your life. It’s more fun to be in classes with friends, so include one class […]
Last minute Halloween costume ideas
Friday, October 26th, 2007Check out my post on Last minute Halloween costume ideas over at the Bargain Queen. They’re even budget-friendly!
Plus, while you’re there, check out Sara’s post on Glamor, the great life-enhancer. She quotes from a great article on the importance of dressing nice.
Tags: Links, Saving Money, Special Occasions, The Bargain Queens
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Bargain Queen Posts, 9/17 - 9/24/07
Monday, September 24th, 2007Here is a list of my recent posts on The Bargain Queen. I hope you’ll check them out. You can also check out my profile page there to see my latest posts at any time.
Don’t forget to comment on your favorite bargains over at The Bargain Queen site before September 30th for a chance to […]
Discount stores aren’t just for cheap clothing
Thursday, August 2nd, 2007Today I went shopping with a friend. We hit the mall, then T.J. Maxxx and Ross, two of the local discount clothing stores. All in all, it was a great shopping day. I bought two cute dresses for about $20 each, and another for about $30. I even managed to find […]
Can’t afford to NOT be picky: Looking great on a budget
Monday, July 2nd, 2007There’s a saying that goes, “Beggars can’t be choosers”. For many people who are just plain broke, clothes are understandably their last priority. However, there a lot of people - whether they are broke or just trying to be frugal - who buy truly awful clothes because they think that they are saving […]
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