Holiday Hangover

Like many of you, I am suffering from a holiday hangover.. well my bank account that is.  After shelling out tons of money all season long for parties, family and friends gifts and obviously glam holiday attire to wear at all of those holiday parties, you may be thinking you might have to hibernate all winter long to recoup the lost funds.  Well if you happen to receive gift cards to stores or resturants that you could really live without, why not trade them in for cash for the things you really want!  Use websites like plasticjungle.com or giftcards.com to either trade for new cards or sell at a discount for cash.  The more popular the store, the more cash you will get for the card.  Also, something to think about for future gift giving.  If you know you will likely need to buy gift cards for upcoming holidays over the next yea,r why not keep your eye out for gift cards at a discount for future gifts!

Stila Steal!

Great deal this week on Hautelook.com for Stila Cosmetics!  Up to 50% on some of their most popular products.  Could be a great holiday gift for your favorite glam girl! My favorite item featured is the Prime Color Set which are neutral, flattering shades that can be used as eye shadow, highlight, lip color, cheek color or bronzer!  Look like a bronzed beuty for only 10 bucks!    This deal goes through Friday!

http://www.hautelook.com/events#all

To use this site you will have to sign up for an account, which is free and much like many of the online luxury flash sale sites.  You will receive daily emails alerting you to future sales.  I personally have an email that I send all of these types of emails to, so that if I don't feel like sifting through all the junk email I don't have to.

If you're looking for something a little more upscale this site is also currently featuring Diane Von Furstenberg with clothes, purses, sunglasses and shoes ranging from 40 to 300 dollars. 

The Pantyhose Predictament

Just because the temps are dropping as we approach winter, doesn’t mean you still can’t sizzle.  One of the major issues with winter wear here in the New England is sometimes it’s a little too chilly to sport those adorable minis.  In comes nylons and tights.  It seems to me that “pantyhose” are making a comeback.  Kate Middleton rarely shows a bare leg, so I guess if they are good enough for a Duchess, they are good enough for me.  Nylons specifically are definitely a splurge item.  You don’t want to cheap out and get the drug store versions.  They are cheap for a reason, they run and tear like crazy, they are rough to the touch, have inconsistent texture and they really don’t much for your figure (not to mention those awful elastic bands almost seem like an ab workout!)  If you are planning on buying some new nylons for the season, I would definitely recommend upgrading to a designer brand.  Yes they are ridiculously overpriced in department stores, but they are so soft, flattering and give the illusion that you may have recently spent a holiday in the Tropics.   My recommendation brands are DKNY and Calvin Klein.  I recently bought a pair of CK sheers at Filenes Basement for 4 bucks!  Definitely dig around TJMaxx, Marshalls and whatever is remaining in Filenes Basement since it’s liquidation sale started.    It’s not worth spending 30 bucks a pop for nylons, but if you continuously have your eyes peeled for a new pair you can stock up as your encounter them.

As for opaque and textured tights, you don’t need to spend a fortune.  You can get Hue tights (a popular brand known for decent quality, great style and fit) at Filenes Basement and Marshalls.  Also, many retail chains sell opaque tights pretty cheap for around 15 dollars, but I recently bought a pair for 8 dollars, 40% off at Ann Taylor Loft.

If you really need a pair in jiff, why not go bare legged and wear leggings for your commute and strip down when you arrive!

Winter Fashion is Upon Us!

We all know some trends come and go… but there are some looks that are going to last forever!  As you start thinking about all the amazing winter clothes you want to stalk up on this year, maybe you should consider prioritizing.  This fall I have spent a pretty significant amount of time perusing the internet and the stores for the hottest looks.  I compiled a list of my must haves and then divided it into three sections MUST HAVE, REALLY WANT, Passing Trend!  After deciding where each of the items falls I broke them down  by how much I am willing to spend on each.  This lets me know that it’s alright to spend 100 bucks on a solid trench coat, because it will be in rotation for many years to come.  Especially If I buy a version that is super classic, not at all cutesy/trendy.  Though fur vests are super cute… Im not really willing to spend more than 30 bucks on it.. because really… how often can I wear that!?  And who knows if I would even want to wear it next year!  So here’s your task:  do some research… find the things you love and budget for them.. and then leave a little wiggle room for the passing trends… because even though you love them now… god knows they will probably go with the wind (do you remember gaucho pants!?)

Grouponmania!

Are you obsessed with the Groupon phenomenon as much as I am, but maybe overwhelmed with the amount of different groupon like sites and the daily emails?  I am going to weed through the massive amounts of coupons galore and bring to your attention the deal of the week!  Never miss the gotta have deals again!

Check out the Gotta Have Groupons Pages to see what deals are featured this week!

Birchbox!

Do you love high end beauty products as much as I do?  Could you spend hours wandering around Sephora but can’t stand spending 20 bucks for a can of hairspray that you aren’t sure will actually really do anything different the 2 dollar Suave hair spray from CVS?  Do you long to have a collection of products that just scream ‘I love taking care of myself and I deserve the very best’?  Well turns out you can have it all without wasting money on products that really aren’t much better than their pharmacy counterparts.

There’s amazing little site called Birchbox.com.  Birchbox.com offers a service where you receive a monthly box with 4 to 5 deluxe sample size luxury beauty products for a measly 10 dollars(Come on you probably spent more on a cocktail!).  Deluxe is a great way to describe the size of samples.  I have been using the same .68 ounce bottle of Ahava Mineral hand cream for several months at work.  I have a fabulous “sample” of  Laura Gellar Bronzer that will last for at least 6 months.  Most of the products are only made for a couple time use, but usually there’s one that is good for many uses.  It’s also great to keep the products set aside and use them as travel products to make your upcoming vacation feel even more fabulous!

This gives you the opportunity to try out different products without shelling out the big bucks on products you’re not sure you will even like!  I have been receiving this monthly box for the last 5 months and I absolutely love it.  It feels like a special little gift every month with a surprising array of fun new things to try.  Other perks of the birchbox membership: 20% off your first purchase, free shipping on the full-size product orders over $50, and every time you’re buy a product or review a product your earn birchbox points to put towards future purchases!  I have already racked 10 bucks!

If you are a product queen and want to save a couple bucks I would absolutely recommend this service!

Working on my Fitness

I use to go to the ten dollar gyms, you all know them, “The No Judgement Zone” (really who serves pizza at a gym??).  They are fine for the average gym goer, they have all the basics and they are usually packed with a bunch of basic people in them.  The major issue I found with these gyms is that I could rationalize not going because it cost so little money.  Also, these gyms have a complete a lack of variety, which leads to boredom and using the same muscles over and over again, which may stunt your toning process.  The best way to stay interested in your work out is by making sure there is enough variety.  Variety in your workouts, not only works different muscles, but also keeps you engaged and excited to work on your fitness! 

I am now a member of the middle of the line gym, they offer classes and have standard machines, it costs a little too much, but knowing that I have spent 60 bucks on my membership monthly really is the motivator that gets me in there so I’m not wasting my money on something I don’t use. 

If you don’t have an extra 60 bucks a month for a gym with classes, no problemo, utilize the web to help you find short term deals.  If you have the groupon app, they give you not only the regular deals, but the groupon now, which lets you use a deal in a specific time frame the same day.  I have seen a lot of great 5 dollar passes to gyms and 10 dollar classes.  Not only do you get to try out new places, but who knows maybe you will find a hidden gem!  Some of the best classes I went to were just out of the blue at a studio I tried randomly!  Also, many gyms give you a week to try out the gym, no one says you actually have to sign up!  There are enough gyms in this little city that you could probably try a different gym a week for several months!  My no cost go to, on demand!  I love the on demand Exercise TV classes.  It let’s you try out a new fitness craze without shelling out any cash (or embarrassing yourself in a packed class!)

So get ready to get your fitness on, it will make you look even more fabulous in your wardrobe!

Getting my Blog On

So I figured I would step into the new millenium and start getting my blog on!  This isn't my first blog, but it is my first concentrated blogging experience.  Previously as a little teeniebopper blogger, I would tell the world about the exciting life of a small town girl looking to live large.  Now, I am living large in the big city. I am living what alot of the modern women would describe as the Sex and the City lifestyle. I reside in prestigous Beacon Hill, work in Finance, shop til I drop and go out on the town as often as one girl can!  I am pretty much living the life I always imagined I would.  Which brings me to the reason I have decided to start blogging.  Alot of people ask me, how can you afford this lifestyle? Yes I am only 25 and no I am not a secret millionaire.  My secret is budgeting.  I make sure there is more than enough dough for the priorities (bills and other boring stuff), skimp on things that don't matter that much to me (space! living in a tiny apartment isn't so bad!) and splurge on the things I want!  The key to making that all work is getting as many discounts, sales, coupons and deals as I can!  So I am going to give you all my hints and tips to having it all, because we all deserve to live as fabulously as we've always imagined!