Save money. Make shit. Merry Christmas!

Google reader and I have a love+hate relationship. Every time we are reacquainted I realize all that I have missed out on. I have a few of my favorite DYI blogs tagged, and last night those posts dusted off an old idea of mine: make everyone's Christmas gifts! I have zero idea where I will find the time, but I know where I will find the money- it should be less expensive to create gifts for my pals and fam- damily, right? My posts for the next two months will be progress updates on this grand adventure to create all my Christmas gifts. Wish me luck. No really, please.

But while I am here, have you ever made a rockin xmas gift? Or received one?

Got Patience?

If you know me personally, you know that I would not be classified as patient. I drive behind cars that look like they will be the fastest, I paint my nails once a year because I always end up doing something to them before they are dry, I always click the spoilers on IMBD... you get the idea. But one thing I learned early on was that to save money one MUST be patient. So how does this look in interweb shopping? I wait for sales. If I know there is a holiday coming up, I wait to make my purchase. If I know a company hasn't had a free shipping offer in a while. I wait. If I fall in love with a swimsuit in June? I wait until it's on sale in August.

Here is my favorite tale to tell when I brag about how smart it is to wait:

My, "you've lost weight (and I haven't)" skinny jeans from Banana: I was far overdue for a new pair of skinny jeans and a coworker recently told me about her love affair with Banana Jeans. So I visited the site. Found a pair I thought would work and went to purchase. But instead I waited. I thought to myself (like always), how can I get this at a discount?  I knew Presidents day was coming up, (that's right, retailers have Presidents day offers), so I made my purchase the day of and saved a lot of green.

 I am working on being patient in other parts of my life, but I for sure have down being patient with my wants (purchases). There are many other stories I could tell to prove that patience must be mastered to save money. Have any of your own?

A little trick my mama taught me.

Although this title may lead you to believe my mother is well... a hooker, she isn't. Not to dog that profession, she just decided to whore herself out to a different set of clients... children (don’t get the wrong idea, she was a teacher.). Anywho- She too can be one savvy little shopper. As a child she taught me about the wonderful world of end-caps. Don't know what end-caps are? Lucky dog. You didn't ever work at Target. Love target, hated working there. See Target does this amazing thing - they make shopping for deals super easy. How so? They place most of their markdowns on the back end of each aisle. True story: every time I go to target I make sure to visit those deal magnets.  Tip: usually my best finds are near the towels, on the end-caps of the home aisles. If I had a home, I can promise you, it would be furnished cheaply by end-cap finds.

So on my last trip to Target I did my normal walk-by- here is what I found: 3 mirrored wall piece, originally over 30, I snagged it for 7 and a lovely silver lamp, originally over 25, for 7 also. (pics to come). I’ve already had 3 compliments on my new bed side lamp, little did they know the shade was more green than it.. smirk.

I am heading there tonight, wonder what treasure I'll find this time...

Just promise me on your next visit to the big red dot you'll visit the wonderful world of end-caps.

Wine and Wall Street

As a very social 20 something I get at least 3 invites to a happy hour per week. And while at first that may sound flattering, my wallet is not a fan. If I had to guess... I'd say that the portion of my entertainment budget that goes towards cocktail hours is... at least 70 percent. (I will actually calculate it for the month of august and get back to you.)

I am now desperately striving to cut back.  For example, this evening... I have readjusted my plans. What was going to be a great happy will now be a night in (that will be great too). Wine and Wall Street (the movie). Lucky me, I now have a roommate that supports my scheme to cut back and also loves cheap wines. Tonight's plans will not include a $20 tab, rather a borrowed flick and a $6 bottle of Riverboat White.

But one can not be a hermit just to avoid bar tabs - Here are some tactics I use to cut back on my happy hour overload:

1.) Always order what is on special, house wine or well anything. When a server asks, "What type of vodka?" I respond with, " Well is fine. It's cute you think I am classy."

2.) Pre-game: perhaps the greatest thing invented by college students. Enjoy a glass or two before heading out. Even a good idea for us grown ups.

3.) Plan the happy hour yourself: Choose a place that you know has a great special the night you'll be heading out.

4.) Meet up later. Grab dinner at home and then head out to paint the town red. Chances are you'll cut your tab in half if you skip dinner.

5.) Pay with your debit card. I swear I tip more when using cash. A dollar a drink always seems reasonable. But if the drink is $4 on special, and I pay a dollar for 4 of them my tip total will be 4 dollars rather than the normal 20% which is 3.20. Saving 80 cents seems small- but small things add up.

6.) Limit yourself to one happy hour during the work week. If the invite comes early enough you can make plans for the rest of the week and already have an excuse in the bag when invited. Plus, I am far less tempted to create or join a happy hour on the fly if my mind is set to doing something else.

7.) Don't be afraid to say no. Once I started saying no because of my budget I realized how many others were also wanting to do the same. Happy hours a friends place are a damn good time too. (SEE: my friend Jessica, and ask about the only time cops have ever visited her apartment.)

Got any ideas on how to make happy hours work on a budget?

"Never before has it been so chic to be cheap"

Today, in my AAF Smart Brief I uncovered this lovely article, "Frugality in Fashion Amid Economic Slump" - translation - cheap is IN.  While reading, my grin extended the width of my very large head. Why? Because I've watched the revolution, in myself and those around me. I once desired big labels and big price tags, not knowing that meant for many, big debt. When reality hits hard, you learn great lessons. And one of those is that you can still be fashionable and be friends with a budget. I only hope, that as my income rises (fingers crossed) my frugality stays in check. I too wish this upon this nation.

This article is a lot of good. And if you read my last post, you'll see that my point is echoed throughout this piece - "Americans are bragging about their rock-bottom fashion finds."

Enjoy this read!

You paid waaaht?

Set scene: AM meeting at my favorite coffee shop with a client and a co worker. Wearing a cute, ruffled around the neck, flowing, ash gray, cotton shirt. Feeling good -  as it flows away from the body (big lunch day) and allows me to run around like a 5 year old child all day long. Oh and it's sleeve-less.. HUGE perk on a 102 degree day. First words out of my clients mouth are, " Love your shirt." While most peoples response would be the proper thank and you, I take no breath.. cut her off from her last word and say, "Ya, and it was only 4 dollars." Side note: I do this all the time, my coworker even called me out on it. Gotta spread the knowledge! Then I share one of my favorite bargain bonanzas: Old Navy 50 percent off sale days - which means, for those that are not already fans, the sale items are half off! I haven't been able to calculate the cycle (when they occur), but I always walk out of there with a bag full of items and only a 20 dollar tab. My last adventure into the Navy included this lovely shirt, a zip up sweatshirt (perfect for after the gym) I had been eying all summer and a great jet blue (too soon?)tailored shirt for work. And... all for under 17 bucks. I am still high from that one...

Why Hello There -

I know I will reference this post more often than all the others. Why? Because it includes this disclaimer: First off-  Jews, please don't be mad, I love you (so much that I've been looking for a while now to fill the position of Jewish Close Friend. Please Apply). And I thank you for already establishing your stereotype of cheapness so that I can use it to build my own. That is my shout out to the Jews - high five. The second part of this disclaimer is to make you fully aware that I am not a writer, and I am sure as heck the furthest thing from an editor. So get ready for terrible spelling and grammar vomit. Hopefully, my cheapness will allow me to save enough so that one day I'll have an editor of my own. Until then, I apologize.

Background info: Well, this is my 2nd attempt at being a blogger. My first blog failed, because it was about dating and relationships. I've been single for 24 years, get it? So I thought I needed to find something I was passionate about and darn good at to keep this one going. So I spent 6 months (or so) in self discovery ( busyness = no blogging) and I discovered in that time, I am my father. I am one cheap _____. I was not always this way, but with age and a small salary that part of my genes came screaming through.

As a self titled "Northern Jew" I jump at any chance to brag about deals I find, sales I hear about, coupons I have in my pocket... you get the idea. I also realized there are people out there that have been cheap their entire lives. So not only do I want to flaunt my finds, I want to find those other cheapsters and share their nuttyness too. And this is my forum...enjoy.