Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts

8.03.2015

Shopping Sabbatical Part Deux


Well, I've let my dear friend Corrin talk me into another Shopping Sabbatical.

Don't misunderstand me, I need to do it badly. My pay raise with my new job created a little hysteria in the spending department last month, so I need to reel it back in.  Plus, I need to save to go crazy in Britain next month.

The last time we did a sabbatical, it was three months.  This time it's only one month. Seriously...if I can't make it one month without buying clothes, shoes, or accessories, call Dr. Phil. 

First step: Closet clean-out! I'll tackle this over the upcoming weekend.  Jack will be with my in-laws and I *should* be recovered from last week's surgery.

  • Organize my closet.
  • Take inventory.
  • Donate things I no longer want.
  • Alter items that don't fit correctly.
  • Start wearing everything!


11.13.2013

Black Friday Tips



I used to be a die-hard Black Friday shopper. My mom and I would sit down on Thanksgiving afternoon and pour through the ads from the over-stuffed newspaper and plan what we wanted. There was strategy, item-circling, route planning. It was a major event for us, and one over which we bonded. Over the past few years, especially since the arrival of my son, it's lost its appeal. I can no longer stand to fight the mad crowds and drama that surround it. And thanks to websites like Amazon.com, I can now get great deals from the comfort of my home (and pajama pants).

But, whether you like the hustle and bustle, or prefer to shop from home, here are some great websites and tips to get ready for the big day.

  • Sign-up for emails and/or follow your favorite bands on social media. Almost all major retailers have a Facebook account, and many have moved into Twitter and Pinterest, too. Even when there aren't major events like Black Friday, they often offer exclusive coupons through their social media sites.
  • Visit websites specifically created to help you sort out all of the great sales happening on Black Friday. A few of my favorites: 
  • Many retailers now have online-only sales during the Thanksgiving weekend, and they often start early in the week.  If you're looking for a specific item, you can use apps or websites like http://pricepinx.com to track the price of the item and get price-drop alerts.

8.02.2012

Shopping Sabbatical Wrap-Up

  • Wow.  What a looooong three months.  
  • I wasn't as good as I hoped to be, but I know in the long run I did save a lot of money.
  • I also learned that I had some really cute stuff hiding in my closet as long as I actually started wearing it and got some things altered.
  • Full re-cap
 
On my first day free from the sabbatical, I purchased this adorable outfit from Modcloth:


Morning Noon and Game Night

7.23.2012

Books A Plenty

As my shopping sabbatical with Corrin winds down, I've started reflecting on what other passions of mine have helped to fill the void that my clothing-shoes-jewelry craze has left behind.
  • Clothing for my son - he's always been the best dressed toddler for miles around, and instead of buying myself clothes, I've been buying him more clothes than he can ever wear. I think a 2nd kiddo may be necessary to justify the clothing expenses alone. 
  • Music - my iPod library has grown quite a bit over the past few months.  My new addiction to Rihanna and return to old-school delights such as Paula Abdul have kept my iTunes account very busy.
  • Books - even though I'm still behind on my 2012 Reading Challenge, it hasn't stopped me from buying books by the armful...well, Kindle-full.  To make myself feel better, I will tell you that most of these were free downloads...but not all of them.  Anyone know if you can create folders on the Kindle?  I think I need monthly folders to organize and plan what I'm going to read and when I'm going to read it.  I've been inspired by over at Flavorwire to get organized:



·         How to Be a Woman
o   Moran, Caitlin          July 18, 2012           
·         The Complete Wizard of Oz Collection (With Active Table of Contents)
o   Baum, L. Frank        July 10, 2012           
·         How To Slay a Dragon (The Journals of Myrth, Book1)
o   Allen, Bill      July 9, 2012 
·         The CalorieKing Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter 2012
o   Borushek, Allan       July 5, 2012  
·         Independence: The Struggle to Set America Free
o   Ferling, John            July 4, 2012 
·         Fifty Shades Freed: Book Three of the Fifty Shades Trilogy
o   James, E L     June 29, 2012          
·         Mrs. Robinson's Disgrace: The Private Diary of a Victorian Lady
o   Summerscale, Kate June 29, 2012          
·         The Vincent Boys
o   Glines, Abbi  June 23, 2012          
·         The Girl in the Italian Bakery
o   Tingle, Kenneth       June 23, 2012          
·         Chicken Cookbook (Classic Cookbooklets)
o   Gooseberry Patch    June 23, 2012          
·         Amelia's Last Secret
o   Wilson, Eric  June 23, 2012          
·         Sugarbabe
o   Hill, Holly     June 22, 2012          
·         Fifty Shades Darker: Book Two of the Fifty Shades Trilogy
o   James, E L     June 14, 2012          
·         Carbs & Cadavers (The Supper Club Mysteries)
o   Stanley, J.B.  June 12, 2012          
·         Fifty Shades of Grey: Book One of the Fifty Shades Trilogy
o   James, E L     June 10, 2012          
·         Drinking with Dead Women Writers (Drinking with Dead Writers)
o   Ambrose, Elaine, Turner, AK        June 10, 2012          
·         The Hangman's Daughter
o   Pötzsch, Oliver, Lee Chadeayne    June 8, 2012
·         A Kiss Before Dying (Pegasus Crime)
o   Levin, Ira       June 6, 2012
·         Gone Girl: A Novel
o   Flynn, Gillian           June 4, 2012
·         Still Missing
o   Stevens, Chevy         May 22, 2012           
·         Apron Anxiety: My Messy Affairs In and Out of the Kitchen
o   Shelasky, Alyssa       May 22, 2012           
·         SPOON: Soup, Stew & Chowder Recipes (Spring) (Cooking in Season #1)
o   Herb, Maria, Hay, Dana     May 21, 2012
·         Girl in Hyacinth Blue
o   Vreeland, Susan       May 13, 2012
·         Midnight Cowboy (RosettaBooks Into Film Series)
o   Herlihy, James Leo May 13, 2012
·         The Organized Kitchen: Keep Your Kitchen Clean, Organized, and Full of Good Food-and Save Time, Money, (and Your Sanity) Every Day!
o   Sember, Brette         May 6, 2012

7.06.2012

Pattern for Thrift?

Since my obsession over dresses has yet to subside, I've turned my attention to vintage dress patters + pretty, floral, retro fabric.  Thanks to my mother-in-law for the inspiration on this one.  I'll also thank my aunt in advance who will be the kind one making these for me.  (She may or may not be aware of this *tiny* detail).


Tunic

Tunic

Tunic

Tunic

Retro Eiffel Tower Fabric Red

Pop Garden Wallpaper Roses

Tonic Living,Mandala, Azure,100% Cotton,Retro futon covers, retro...

Tonic Living,Salt Box, Navy,100% 10 oz cotton,Retro futon covers,...

7.03.2012

Month 3 of the Shopping Sabbatical



As Corrin and I kick off month 3 of our shopping sabbatical, I'm finding it hard to recover from my major slip-up last month. 

Finding Polyvore hasn't helped.  It's like a beautiful, colorful, virtual paperdoll-esque playground for grown-ups.

I've had far too much fun putting outfits together over the past few days.  It's only making my current obsession with dresses grow into an ugly monster.

Just take a look at my page and you'll see what I mean.   I think I may have to move out the rest of the clothes in my closet to make room for all those lovely dresses.  Now, if I can find someone to gift me around $2000 to pay for all them...


Sweet


Black Polka Dot

6.08.2012

The Goods - Home Edition

Dear Home Decorating Fairy,
I would like the following slipped under my pillow.
Please.
Thank you.

 

5.25.2012

Money Brain

"I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay
Ain't it sad
And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me
That's too bad
In my dreams I have a plan
If I got me a wealthy man
I wouldn't have to work at all, I'd fool around and have a ball..."
Ah, how wise our Swedish friends from ABBA were.

While the #shoppingsabbatical @corrinrenee and I are taking together is a great thing for me financially, it's starting to wear me down mentally and emotionally.  



Things I've learned over the past month that are positive:
  • I own far more clothes than I need.
  • I really don't like a lot of them and need to donate them.
  • There are several items that would fit if I'd suck it up and get them altered.
  • I've got life pretty good if I can look in my closet and know I could wear a different outfit for each day of the month (at least).

Things I've learned over the past month that aren't so positive:
  • I was spending a lot more money on clothing, shoes, and accessories than I thought I was.
  • I have to avoid my favorite shopping spots all together, or I *will* buy something for myself.
  • Even though I'm not buying for me, the amount of clothing purchased for Jack has increased over the past month. (Gee, I wonder why?)
  • Shopping is far more emotional for me than I thought it was. I use it to make myself "feel better" way too much.
 

5.08.2012

Shopping Sabbatical

At the beginning of the month, my good friend Corrin posted on her blog that she was taking a shopping sabbatical from clothing, shoes, and accessories.  She asked for support and/or for us to join her, so I did.  The reasons are as follows, and in no particular order:
  1. I need to save money.
  2. I have way too many clothes.
  3. I only wear about  30% of said clothes.
  4. I need to bite the bullet and get some items altered.
  5. I hope this will inspire me to lose some weight.
  6. I adore Corrin.

Step 1: Organize my closet.
Step 2: Take inventory.
Step 3: Donate things I no longer want.
Step 4: Alter items that don't fit correctly.
Step 5: Start wearing everything!

4.04.2012

Daily Spending 04.02.12-04.03.12


  • Southwest: Flight booked for Eat, Write, Retreat! Woohoo!
  • Daycare: Self-explanatory (I would hope)
  • Savings: Pigeon-holed some money into my savings account...now to see if I leave it there 'til the end of the month.
  • Lone Star Kolaches - is it bad when the girls know my order before I open my mouth?

  • JC Penney:  5 new dresses.  Already know 2 don't fit and have to be returned.  Very sad.  They were both very cute and very retro.
  • Gas: That's it. I'm parking my Chevy in the driveway and not going anywhere. :-/
  • HEB: Went into to get 2 cans of tomato sauce and came out with 4 cans of tomato sauce, Easter goodies for Jack's classmates, and Texas Eats.
  • Haircut: Check cleared from Saturday haircut. I really don't think Misti charges enough for the badass hair she does.

3.12.2012

The Price of Being a Party Girl

Glossary:
Party Girl - Mid-30 woman, with one child, one husband, and 3 cats, who goes out for 2 girls' nights in a row.
Dragging A** - Aforementioned woman, on Monday morning, after 2 girls' nights and yard work on Sunday.

Seriously.  It's ridiculous that after going out two nights in a row (the first ending at 11:30, the second at 9:30), that I am so exhausted.  I'll blame it on the time change and leave it at that.

Looking back over my spending, it really wasn't a bad weekend, though.  I promised myself that money wouldn't be an object.  Friday night was Gator Girls Night and Saturday was Corrin's birthday - both very important and not a time to be thrifty. *g*

Razoo's:
  • Swamp Thing
  • SoCo & Coke
  • Chopped Salad with Popcorn Shrimp
Gloria's:
  • Mojito
  • Sangria
  • Roasted Quail
Cakeball:
  • Vesper
  • Italian Cream Cakeball
  • Lemon Drop Cakeball
  • Salted Caramel Cakeball
Forever 21:
  • 3 tops
  • 1 dress

3.07.2012

I'm Ready for Summer! (Or at least my feet are...)

Thanks to a great deal from Groupon, I just got all 4 pair of these Okabashi sandals for $36!

 Pretty thrifty, yes?




Daily Spending 03.06.12

Walgreens
  • Potting soil for new flat-leaf parsley and strawberry plants purchased at Lowes
Lowes
  • Gardening gloves
  • strawberry plant (in hanging basket)
  • flat-leaf parsley
  • rain gauge
  • hand-held garden weasel

2.06.2012

Daily Spending 02.03.12

Not gonna lie, that was some baaaad, unadulterated, materialistic retail therapy.  But, I do have a pretty new guest bath, kitchen, and master bedroom from it. *sheepish grin*

1.27.2012

Daily Spending 01.27.12


Ancestry.com - It's a lot. I love the features, but I may have to stop this for a while.

Opensky - Just found this delightful site today.  Had to order:

Cucina Pro Aluminum Stove Top Espresso 9 Cup

Krups Fast Touch Coffee Grinder (2-Pack)

1.24.2012

Daily Spending 01.23.12





I doubted that I would be able to keep up with this little venture. 
I also doubted that it would change my spending habits.
So far, I've proven myself wrong on both.
I don't usually like to be wrong, but I'll let it go.
It's one week 'til payday (monthly for me), and I still have plenty of money in my account AND haven't touched what I put into my savings account. 
That includes my spending in Vegas.
Shaping up to be a good year so far.
Maybe I can save up for a small road trip this summer.
And maybe the girls' trip to New Orleans we keep talking about.

1.23.2012

Vegas Spending

3 days and 3 nights.  I think I did pretty well with my spending.  The only thing I feel guilty about is the $100 blown on slot machines. They were not kind to me...guess I need @laurie_pooh with me for a good luck charm! :)

(Note: Food cost was kept in check because 2 buffet meals were included with the room at the Luxor, and all meals Saturday were covered by my dear husband.)

1.17.2012

Weekend Spending 01.14.12-01.16.12






I guess this isn't too bad for a 3-day weekend.  The only bad, bad thing is Kohl's.  It was clothes for Dustin and Jack, though - things they both really needed. Oh, and maybe two pairs of flops and a clearance winter hat for me.  Totally needed.  Not frivolous at all.

I did avoid buying two new Essie colors at Walgreens - even though the new sparkly top coats are *very* hard to resist.  Everyone needs bling:


Set in Stones
A Cut Above
As Gold As It Gets
Pure Pearlfection
Shine of the Times

Daily Spending 01.13.12