The Cheap Diva

Mirrored Furniture Reflects a Passion for Style

I love using mirrored furniture in my home decor for the  bit of sparkle and glamour they add to the look of a room.  To keep my rooms from looking like a fun house I limit myself  to one or two mirrored pieces per room. 

Mirrored Pedestal Table $235.00.

A mirrored piece of furniture will expand the feeling of the room or double the visual clutter depending on what it's reflecting.  A mirrored chest sitting on a light beige solid colored carpet continues the light open effect of the carpet with little visual interruption.  A mirrored piece of furniture sitting on a busy patterned rug pulls the pattern up vertically creating a busy cluttered look.

Square Mirrored Side Table $149.99

Because mirrored furniture reflects light it doesn't feel as bulky as conventional furniture.  But unlike conventional wood furniture, mirrored furniture doesn't coordinate with other furniture in terms of matching upholstery or wood grain. Using silver accents around mirrored furniture integrates it more into the decor.  On top of a mirrored chest I have I placed a deep plum scarf to protect the mirrored surface and on top of that I have a streamlined music player in silver.  Behind the chest hangs a curtain with decorative curtain hooks in silver.

Like a pair of killer high heels, mirrored furniture pieces are designed for looks not wear and tear.  If the furniture piece is mirrored on top, placing a table runner or something else between objects and mirrored surface prevents scratching.  Arranging mirrored pieces against a wall in a low traffic area reduces the chances of them being scratched or banged up.  If the piece is used for storage, stock it with rarely used items.  Less handling means you won't have to engage in the unglamourous task of wiping off fingerprints as often.

Urban Outfitters Mirrored End Table $200.00

Mirrored Furniture Reflects a Passion for Style

I love using mirrored furniture in my home decor for the  bit of sparkle and glamour they add to the look of a room.  To keep my rooms from looking like a fun house I limit myself  to one or two mirrored pieces per room.

Mirrored Pedestal Table $235.00.

A mirrored piece of furniture will expand the feeling of the room or double the visual clutter depending on what it's reflecting.  A mirrored chest sitting on a light beige solid colored carpet continues the light open effect of the carpet with little visual interruption.  A mirrored piece of furniture sitting on a busy patterned rug pulls the pattern up vertically creating a busy cluttered look.  Read the rest of this article.

No Sweat Sweater Storage

The brightly colored canvas shoes and cute swimsuits already hitting the stores are an exciting reminder that soon it will be time to pack away those bulky winter sweaters to let lighter brighter clothes take their place.  Proper sweater storage insures sweaters stay protected and wrinkle free while hybernating during warmer months.  Howstuffworks.com has a great article on folding sweaters so they don't wrinkle.  Read the rest of this article.

Gitano V-neck hooded sweater $39.99

No Sweat Sweater Storage

The brightly colored canvas shoes and cute swimsuits already hitting the stores are an exciting reminder that soon it will be time to pack away those bulky winter sweaters to let lighter brighter clothes take their place.  Proper sweater storage insures sweaters stay protected and wrinkle free while hybernating during warmer months.  Howstuffworks.com has a great article on folding sweaters so they don't wrinkle.

Stored sweaters should be ready to be worn the minute they come out of storage.  Before stowing away winter sweaters, make sure they don't have any stains that need to be removed or holes that need to be repaired.  For extra insurance against insects, toss a lavender sachet into the storage container.  It's a natural insect repellant.

Gitano V-neck hooded sweater $39.99

.

.

.

.

Sterilite Under the Bed Wheeled Storage Container 66 Qt. $19.99.

A Common Scents Guide to Shopping for Perfume

The traditional way to sample new fragrances is to spritz different perfumes from department store testers on the wrist until you find one that delights your nose or you get a headache. A more strategic approach would save you a few headaches.  If you are heading to the mall don't wear perfume or strongly scented body lotion that would make it hard to distinguish new scents from the one you are wearing.   Read the rest of this article.

Versace Crystal Noir $36.99

A Common Scents Guide to Shopping for Perfume

The traditional way to sample new fragrances is to spritz different perfumes from department store testers on the wrist until you find one that delights your nose or you get a headache. A more strategic approach would save you a few headaches.  If you are heading to the mall don't wear perfume or strongly scented body lotion that would make it hard to distinguish new scents from the one you are wearing. 

Versace Crystal Noir $36.99

Instead of decending on shoppers and spraying they with the latest scent, perfume salespeople are now decending on shoppers and handing them pieces of paper with the scent spritzed on it.  While a perfume will smell different on paper paper than it will on skin, this is still a good way to get a general feel for the overall scent of the perfume, floral, musky,fruity, etc.  It's best to limit yourself to a few scents when spraying them on yourself  and perfume scented paper saves you from having to apply several scents.

After you have spritzed perfume on your wrists, wait at least 20 minutes before deciding if you like the perfume.  It takes time for the perfume to react to your bodies chemistry.  Do not rub your wrists together, this breaks down the perfume.  After a scent that makes you swoon with pleasure, make a note of the name so you can buy it online at a cheaper prices than the department store price.  My personal pick for price and selection is scentiments.com.

What are commonly called perfumes in the department stores are usually alchohol based scents more accurately known as cologne.  Real perfume is oil based and usually very expensive.  To enjoy the rich more complex scent of perfume in sample form,  Luckyscent.com sells small glass vials of perfume for under $5.00.  The samples are perfect for a special occasion when you want the more complex longer lasting oil based perfume but you don't want to invest in a whole bottle.

Credit Cards offer a Rewarding Experience

The only thing better than getting a good deal on a purchase is being rewarded for getting that good deal.  Many credit cards offer some sort of rewards program.  A rewards program with no fees attached to it can be a sweet deal for credit card holders who pay off their bill every month.  Rewards may come in the form of travel points for airline tickets, discounts and special promotions with select business affiliated with the credit card company or a cash back credit that is deducted from your bill.  Cash back or credit on your credit card bill are the best rewards. Who couldn’t use a little cash?

Credit card companies partner up with various business to offer special discounts to their credit card customers.  A list of current promotions might be included with your monthly credit card bill so read you paperwork before tossing anything out that looks like junk mail.  These promotions are constantly changing so pay attention to expiratation dates for any promotional offer.  My most satisfying rewards purchase ever was a desk that I got 5% back on by buying through a certain retailer.  When the 5% was credited to my account I applied my cash back rewards towards the price of the desk to cover the cost.  In other words I got 5% back off of the regular retail price of a desk that I essentially got for free because of the cash back credit paid for the entire cost of the desk.  Read the rest of this article.

Credit Cards offer a Rewarding Experience

The only thing better than getting a good deal on a purchase is being rewarded for getting that good deal.  Many credit cards offer some sort of rewards program.  A rewards program with no fees attached to it can be a sweet deal for credit card holders who pay off their bill every month.  Rewards may come in the form of travel points for airline tickets, discounts and special promotions with select business affiliated with the credit card company or a cash back credit that is deducted from your bill.  Cash back or credit on your credit card bill are the best rewards. Who couldn’t use a little cash?

Credit card companies partner up with various business to offer special discounts to their credit card customers.  A list of current promotions might be included with your monthly credit card bill so read you paperwork before tossing anything out that looks like junk mail.  These promotions are constantly changing so pay attention to expiratation dates for any promotional offer.  My most satisfying rewards purchase ever was a desk that I got 5% back on by buying through a certain retailer.  When the 5% was credited to my account I applied my cash back rewards towards the price of the desk to cover the cost.  In other words I got 5% back off of the regular retail price of a desk that I essentially got for free because of the cash back credit paid for the entire cost of the desk.

Certain promotions are good for specific types of purchases like gas.  These promotions don't limit you to purchasing from a specific company, as long as the purchase falls under a certain category.  The offer might be something along the lines of  getting 5% cash back instead of the usual 1% for a limited period of time. If keeping track of what credit card is offering the best deal on gas this month sounds like a hassle, simply attach a small post it note, that can be removed when swiping the card, to the credit card with a note that reads “Gas” and the date the promotional offer expires.

As far as I'm concerned, airline miles offered by credit cards are a one way ticket to stress city   A well traveled friend of mine went to cash in her airline miles for a plane ticket.  First she read all the micro print from the credit card company about restrictions, then when she called the airlines she got the run around from their voice mail systen and after finally making contact with an actual human, was informed that she couldn't use the airline miles.  She called again and talked to someone else who gave her different information and she was able to apply her airline miles.  She was lucky, imagine what would have happened if the airline associated with the credit card goes out of business before you get to take a trip or if the credit card company cancelled the airline miles rewards program?

Credit card companies like to play a numbers game on customers with reward points instead of cash amounts to impress customers into thinking they are reaping tremendous benefits.   The company will offer the new credit card customer a high number like a thousand points for signing up for a new card with them. If 100 points equals one dollar then 1,000 points translates into $10.00 cash back. Ten bucks doesn’t sound nearly as impressive as 1,000 points does it?

Whatever rewards program you take advantage of just be sure to take advantage of it in a timely manner.  Rewards programs can change terms at any time so don’t wait forever.   The only time to avoid taking advantage of rewards programs and pay with a check or cash instead is if using a credit card involves a processing fee.  For example, if paying for utilities, car registration etc. is going to cost me $4.00 in handling fees and I my cash back rewards for that expense would have been 25 cents then I will pay with a check and save my credit card for more rewarding opportunities.

Project Runway Party

Project Runway The Complete Third Season $19.99.

Sure you could sit home alone and watch Project Runway but why endure the suspense of finding out if the designer whose inflated ego outshines their limited skills are going to get an auf wiedersehen from Heidi but why endure the suspense alone when you could be rooting for your favorite designer in the company of other fashion obsessed couch potatoes?  Luckily a Project Runway Party isn't nearly as difficult as say making a dress from houseplants.  Read the rest of this article.

Project Runway Party

Project Runway The Complete Third Season $19.99.

Sure you could sit home alone and watch Project Runway but why endure the suspense of finding out if the designer whose inflated ego outshines their limited skills are going to get an auf wiedersehen from Heidi but why endure the suspense alone when you could be rooting for your favorite designer in the company of other fashion obsessed couch potatoes?  Luckily a Project Runway Party isn't nearly as difficult as say making a dress from houseplants. 

For the invitation make a photo copy yourself in the most outrageous outfit imaginable with a Project Runway related caption.  For example, wrap a towel around your torso for a top, make full skirt out of a tablecloth or bedsheet then safety pin potholders and oven mitts to the skirt and top, wrap plastic garbage sacks around your head with the their pull ties showing, dangle a large slotted spoon from string around your neck like a pendant and make a large cuff bracelet by wrapping an instruction manual around your wrist then strike a pose.  Under a picture of you in your original creation the caption reads "Sadly for Stephanie, her housewares inspired design did not impress the judges at Project Runway.  Please join Stephanie on (date and time) to find out who does impress the judges."

Be sure to start the party at least a hour before the show starts so everyone is fed and seated by showtime.  Make food preparation cheap and easy by just serving desserts and drinks.  Make it clear on the invitation that you are just serving desserts and drinks so guests make it a point to eat ahead of time.  Take inspiration from Heidi's famous motto at the end of the invitation by writing "Please RSVP to let us know if you are in or you are out."

If you enjoy baking, go ahead and combine your love of baking with your love of fashion by decorating sugar cookies in the shape of hats, dresses, purses or shoes to serve guests.  For a low calorie option, suspend gummi bears (I think they are a traditional German candy) in jello.  As another sweet nod to Heidi's heritage serve German chocolate cake.  Check the frozen dessert section of your local grocer for cheesecake labeled New York Style cheesecake.  Offer a variety of toppings, such as jam, caramel, melted chocolate etc. for the cheesecake.

For drinks serve soda, coffee, tea or for the season finale, champagne.  Toss a cube of sugar into a flute of champagne to symbolize the sweetness of victory, add three drops of bitters symbolizing defeat.  Allow the bitters to soak in then top it off with 4 ounces of champagne.  The sugar actually makes the champagne last longer.

If your party is scheduled early enough get guest in the mood for the show by issuing your own project runway style challenge to guests.  Break guests into groups of two or three, give them 30 minutes to create outfit out of cheap reusable materials like old sheets and safety pins, garbage sacks, duct tape or etc. then hold your own Project Runway style fashion show.  Channel Tim Gunn during this 30 minute by uttering phrases such as "Make it work, Designers can I ask you to all gather around?, Carry on, I don't get it".  After the fashion show have guests do a secret vote for the best outfit, not their own, by writing down the winner on a slip of paper and putting it in a hat.

To keep the party going have a Project Runway trivia contest (visit bravotv.com/Project_Runway for ideas). After the show feel free to discuss such topics as do ratings affect who gets kicked off?   In other words do nice guys finish last while the more confrontational designers are voted through to the next round?  Did the person who won deserve to win?  What would you have said to the designers if you were critiquing their work? 

After a night of fashion friendly company, your guest might take their time leaving.  If guests start to outstay their welcome you can always tell them they are "out" and bid then a friendly auf wiedersehen.

 

Pillow Talk

Pillows are the quick change artists of home decor.  Adding color, texture, pattern and a bit of whimsy when needed, pillows add personality to a room for very little cost, like this 3-Pack Pillow Set for $29.99 from Linens'n Things.  When shopping for pillows think about how the pillows relate to the furniture they are resting on and the overall look of the room.  Because pillows are an accent piece, they can add visual interest to a room  by introducing a strong color, pattern or texture without overwhelming the rest of the decor.  Read the rest of this article.

Pillow Talk

Pillows are the quick change artists of home decor.  Adding color, texture, pattern and a bit of whimsy when needed, pillows add personality to a room for very little cost, like this 3-Pack Pillow Set for $29.99 from Linens'n Things.  When shopping for pillows think about how the pillows relate to the furniture they are resting on and the overall look of the room.  Because pillows are an accent piece, they can add visual interest to a room  by introducing a strong color, pattern or texture without overwhelming the rest of the decor. For a room that already has enough pattern and color going on, solid colored pillows in subdued colors give the eye somewhere to rest amid the more attention grabbing elements of the room.  Patterned pillows that includes colors from different pieces in the room pull a look together by relating these disparate elements to each other.  Toss a statement pillow, one with a witty saying or design printed or embroidered on it, on an otherwise elegant room to show guest that while you take your style very seriously, you don't take yourself too seriously. 

.

Nate Berkus Sequined Rows Pillow $39.99

.

.

.

.

Decorative Pillow Tres Bombshell $28.00.

.

.

.

.

.

Very Diva Decorative Tapestry Throw Pillow $28.00. 

Craigslist ad for blog

My bog, thecheapdiva.com is devoted to frugal fashionistas and design divas on a budget.  Articles on fashion, beauty, home decor, money advice and entertaining show you how to live with style on any budget.

Bracelet Watches do Double Duty as Jewelry

Sure, wearing one watch with everything is economical and practical, it's also boring!  Instead of wearing one watch with every outfit, why not invest in a bracelet style watch or two that has the jewelry like effect of enhancing different outfits and moods?  Stylish bracelet watches aren't always cheap but it's sometimes a better deal to invest in one quality bracelet watch than to buy one cheap watch for function and a cheap costume bracelet on top of that to add style.  For a bolder statement, try a watch with wide bracelet like links like this Circular Link Bracelet Watch with Faux Diamond Accent for $10.49 or a cuff bracelet with a watch face embedded in it.  A watch charm attached to a link bracelet adorned with your favorite charms reflects more of your personality than a plain watch band.  Read the rest of this article.

Bracelet Watches do Double Duty as Jewelry

Sure, wearing one watch with everything is economical and practical, it's also boring!  Instead of wearing one watch with every outfit, why not invest in a bracelet style watch or two that has the jewelry like effect of enhancing different outfits and moods?  Stylish bracelet watches aren't always cheap but it's sometimes a better deal to invest in one quality bracelet watch than to buy one cheap watch for function and a cheap costume bracelet on top of that to add style.  For a bolder statement, try a watch with wide bracelet like links like this Circular Link Bracelet Watch with Faux Diamond Accent for $10.49 or a cuff bracelet with a watch face embedded in it.  A watch charm attached to a link bracelet adorned with your favorite charms reflects more of your personality than a plain watch band. 

.

.

Fossil Women's F2 Dress Charm Bracelet Watch $76.50.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Fossil Women's F2 Dress Watch $67.50

.

.

.

.

New York and Company City Style Watch - Puff Hearts $19.95

Colorful Cosmetics Bags

In the dark abyss that is the interior of my conservative black handbag there is one bright spot.  It's my cosmetics bag.  My brightly colored cosmetics bag reminds me that makeup is supposed to be fun.  Unlike a handbag, a cosmetic bag usually remains hidden thus freeing the beauty junkie in all of us to indulge in something a little wilder or flashier than our more public accessories.  Read the rest of this article.

Fushia Lotus Cosmetic Carla $24.99

Colorful Cosmetic Bags

In the dark abyss that is the interior of my conservative black handbag there is one bright spot.  It's my cosmetics bag.  My brightly colored cosmetics bag reminds me that makeup is supposed to be fun.  Unlike a handbag, a cosmetic bag usually remains hidden thus freeing the beauty junkie in all of us to indulge in something a little wilder or flashier than our more public accessories.   

Fushia Lotus Cosmetic Carla $24.99

.

.
.

Beauty Cosmetic Bag $15.95

The caption reads - Beauty, It's not just a job, it's an adventure.

.

.

Cris Notti Blue Parade Cosmetic Dome $25.00

eBay University Offers Lessons in Commerce

For anyone looking to demystify the whole process of selling on eBay, skip the classes and books that promise to show you how to make a million on eBay with your garage sale rejects, and instead take advantage of the free tutorials offered by eBay and their eBay University program.  On the eBay homepage in the upper right hand corner click on the button that says SELL.  When the drop down menu comes up, click on the Getting Started title.  At this point an entire page listing various topics related to selling on eBay pops up.  I found the How to Sell Tour brief and informative for novice eBayers, offering useful tips without hype.  There are plenty of video tutorials accompanied by a narrator ranging in length from a few minutes to an hour.  In addition to the tutorials on the basics of selling I strongly suggest taking the tutorials on using photographs with eBay.  Many times I have refused to bid on an item I was interested in because the grainy or poorly lit pictures made it impossible to tell if there were flaws that weren't showing up in the picture.   For collectors condition and rarity are the driving factors behind how much we are willing to spend.  Even if you only sell occassionally on eBay, this free education on the phenomenon that is eBay is worth the time.

eBay University Offers Lessons in Commerce

For anyone looking to demystify the whole process of selling on eBay, skip the classes and books that promise to show you how to make a million on eBay with your garage sale rejects, and instead take advantage of the free tutorials offered by eBay and their eBay University program.  On the eBay homepage in the upper right hand corner click on the button that says SELL.  When the drop down menu comes up, click on the Getting Started title.  At this point an entire page listing various topics related to selling on eBay pops up.  I found the How to Sell Tour brief and informative for novice eBayers, offering useful tips without hype.  There are plenty of video tutorials accompanied by a narrator ranging in length from a few minutes to an hour.  In addition to the tutorials on the basics of selling I strongly suggest taking the tutorials on using photographs with eBay.  Many times I have refused to bid on an item I was interested in because the grainy or poorly lit pictures made it impossible to tell if there were flaws that weren't showing up in the picture.   For collectors condition and rarity are the driving factors behind how much we are willing to spend.  Even if you only sell occassionally on eBay, this free education on the phenomenon that is eBay is worth the time.

The Forgotten Woman Finds Style on the Web

One look at fashion magazines or websites makes it clear that the women the magazines and advertisers are primarily interested in are women who are underage, undernourished and tall enough to play professional basketball.  Luckily there are a some style savvy sites and blogs that offer excellent advice for women  want to embrace their uniqueness instead of  moping about the fact that they will never be supermodel material.

Totalbeauty.com has several short videos designed to address specific needs of real women.  Some of the videos feature makeup advice tailored to women of different ages and races.  Personally I was happy to see a video on daytime makeup for women over 40.  The kind of pretty low key makeup that looks good on real women doesn't always get a lot of attention with the fashion media.

Petitefashionista.com shows women that being short in stature doesn't mean being short in the style department.  This blog is produced by a professional stylist and it shows.  There are plenty of useful fashion related tips in addition to posts featuring petite celebrities and shopping advice.

Bomshellbeauty.blogspot.com is dedicated to women with dangerous curves, otherwise known as plus size women.  The blog features mostly fashion articles with a sprinkling of beauty articles thrown in.  The attitude of this blog is that fashion and beauty should be fun whatever size you happens to be.

The Forgotten Woman Finds Style on the Web

One look at fashion magazines or websites makes it clear that the women the magazines and advertisers are primarily interested in are women who are underage, undernourished and tall enough to play professional basketball.  Luckily there are a some style savvy sites and blogs that offer excellent advice for women  want to embrace their uniqueness instead of  moping about the fact that they will never be supermodel material.

Totalbeauty.com has several short videos designed to address specific needs of real women.  Some of the videos feature makeup advice tailored to women of different ages and races.  Personally I was happy to see a video on daytime makeup for women over 40.  The kind of pretty low key makeup that looks good on real women doesn't always get a lot of attention with the fashion media.

Petitefashionista.com shows women that being short in stature doesn't mean being short in the style department.  This blog is produced by a professional stylist and it shows.  There are plenty of useful fashion related tips in addition to posts featuring petite celebrities and shopping advice.

Bomshellbeauty.blogspot.com is dedicated to women with dangerous curves, otherwise known as plus size women.  The blog features mostly fashion articles with a sprinkling of beauty articles thrown in.  The attitude of this blog is that fashion and beauty should be fun whatever size you happens to be.

Benches Provide Stylish Storage Solutions

Storage benches, like this JC Penny Elsa Storage Bench for $149.00, are stylish proof that storage containers don't have to be limited to ugly plastic tubs crammed into closets hidden like some deep dark secret.  A well placed storage bench provides a place to sit and easy access to the things you use every day.  A bench by the front door provides a comfortable spot to sit and take off shoes and an attractive place to store shoes   A storage bench at the end of a bed is perfect for storing things like extra blankets, warm pajamas and sheets and pillowcases.  Whatever style of bench you choose, just remember storage, like anything else you bring into your home should be a reflection of your personal style.  No more plastic tubs!  Read the rest of this article.

Benches Provide Stylish Storage Solutions

Storage benches, like this JC Penny Elsa Storage Bench for $149.00, are stylish proof that storage containers don't have to be limited to ugly plastic tubs crammed into closets hidden like some deep dark secret.  A well placed storage bench provides a place to sit and easy access to the things you use every day.  A bench by the front door provides a comfortable spot to sit and take off shoes and an attractive place to store shoes   A storage bench at the end of a bed is perfect for storing things like extra blankets, warm pajamas and sheets and pillowcases.  Whatever style of bench you choose, just remember storage, like anything else you bring into your home should be a reflection of your personal style.  No more plastic tubs!

.

Prepac EMC-5022 Manhattan Bench Espresso $99.90

.

.

.

.

.

Barcelona Skirted Bench $199.99 comes in Khaki (shown) plus five other colors.

Figure Flattering Empire Waist Shirts

The fitted V-necked empire waist shirt is one of  the few articles of clothing can be described as both forgiving and flattering.  The V-neck is visually lengthening, showing of the neck and framing necklaces nicely.  The area right below the bust  is the narrowest part on a woman's torso so drawing attention to this area has a slimming effect.  A slightly flared cut that skims the over your waist discreetly disguises less than flat abs with style.  Pair this style top with with a narrow skirt or boot leg jeans and you have a figure flattering outfit for whenever you want to look fabulous.  Read the rest of this article.

Kohls Sonoma Life + Style Mock Layer Framed Babydoll Top $24.00.

Figure Flattering Empire Waist Shirts

The fitted V-necked empire waist shirt is one of  the few articles of clothing can be described as both forgiving and flattering.  The V-neck is visually lengthening, showing of the neck and framing necklaces nicely.  The area right below the bust  is the narrowest part on a woman's torso so drawing attention to this area has a slimming effect.  A slightly flared cut that skims the over your waist discreetly disguises less than flat abs with style.  Pair this style top with with a narrow skirt or boot leg jeans and you have a figure flattering outfit for whenever you want to look fabulous.

Kohls Sonoma Life + Style Mock Layer Framed Babydoll Top $24.00.

.

.

New York and Company City Stretch Shirt Twist Front $24.95

.

.

New York and Company City Style Empire Wrap Top $16.95

.

.

.

.

.

JC Penny A.N.A Trapunto Border Tunic $26.00

Cheap Eye Makeup Removers You Already Have

I like using petroleum jelly as an eye makeup remover because it's cheap and can be used for everything from lip gloss to shining shoes.  The ability to be shine shoes is probably not the criteria most women use when picking out an eye makeup remover, but versatility is something to consider when deciding on what to use.  Why buy a product that only does one thing when you can buy a product that eliminates the need for other products by doing multiple things?  Extra virgin olive oil or baby oil can be used in a pinch to remove eye makeup and some gentle face cleansers are safe to use for removing eye makeup.  Read the instructions on the bottle to see if it can safely remove eye makeup.    Fewer beauty products in your medicine cabinet means more money in your wallet. 

Cheap Eye Makeup Removers You Already Have

I like using petroleum jelly as an eye makeup remover because it's cheap and can be used for everything from lip gloss to shining shoes.  The ability to be shine shoes is probably not the criteria most women use when picking out an eye makeup remover, but versatility is something to consider when deciding on what to use.  Why buy a product that only does one thing when you can buy a product that eliminates the need for other products by doing multiple things?  Extra virgin olive oil or baby oil can be used in a pinch to remove eye makeup and some gentle face cleansers are safe to use for removing eye makeup.  Read the instructions on the bottle to see if it can safely remove eye makeup.    Fewer beauty products in your medicine cabinet means more money in your wallet.      

The Benefits of Multiple Credit Cards

Using multiple credit cards does more than make it easy to spend your money, they also make it easy to get a clearer picture of where your money is going.  To keep track of your spending, use two or three widely recognized credit cards like Visa, Mastercard or Discover and assign different expenses to different credit cards.  For example, putting only media related expenses like magazine subscriptions, DVD's, cable, internet, music downloads etc. on one credit card shows you how much of your income is going towards entertainment.    Read the rest of this article.

The Benefits of Multiple Credit Cards

Using multiple credit cards does more than make it easy to spend your money, they also make it easy to get a clearer picture of where your money is going.  To keep track of your spending, use two or three widely recognized credit cards like Visa, Mastercard or Discover and assign different expenses to different credit cards.  For example, putting only media related expenses like magazine subscriptions, DVD's, cable, internet, music downloads etc. on one credit card shows you how much of your income is going towards entertainment.   

If someone steals your credit card information to make purchases, assigning different credit cards to different expenses helps to dentify where the problem probably occurred. If the credit card that was used illegally was one you used only in restaurants for example, you will know after reporting the incident to your credit card company to start eating at a different restaurants or pay cash if dining at a place that probably stole your credit card information is far less painful than doing your own cooking.  Another way to assign different categories to different credit cards would be to use one credit  card for online purchases and a separate credit card for brick and mortal stores

If you have a part time business such as a Mary Kay franchise, don't combine business related expenses such as the costs of buying products, promotional materials postage etc. with your personal expenses.  Have one credit card strictly for business.  To get an idea of how much money you are really making from your business, add up your sales for the month then deduct your monthly credit card charges from your sales.  If a part time business earns enough income to be reported for taxes, then having one credit card used solely for business expenses makes it easier to identify and report those expenses when doing your taxes.   

For all those financial advisers who insist everyone keep one credit card for emergencies and put the rest through the shredder, I would like to point out that no one credit card is accepted everywhere so having different major cards increase chances that one of them will be accepted.

Style Savvy Advice on the Web

My personal pick for this weeks featured financial article is 8 Smart Personal Finance Moves in '08 from Bankrate.com.  Bankrate.com deals with such unsexy topics as insurance, credit cards and checking accounts and has tons of useful articles on financial matters.  Luckily it addresses these topics in easy to understand articles that don't make me want to hide all my money under a mattress because I'm confused about how to handle my money.       

Here's and article you won't find in any glossy fashion magazine bursting with advertisements for beauty products, When Beauty Products Suck from totalbeauty.com.  The article rates a long list of retailers on their return policies for cosmetic products.  Ratings are based on things like how long you have to return the product after buying it and if they accept opened products.

I usually find timeless articles on dressing with confidence and the most flattering styles for your figure more appealing than articles on the latest fashion that you MUST BUY RIGHT NOW before the hype dies down and you realize the style isn't right for you.  The Fashion How-to's page from ivillage.com include too many useful fashion related articles for me to pick just one.  I suggest perusing the articles before your next major shopping trip.

Potterybarn.com offers lessons in style with pictures instead of articles.  Yes I know that they are a retailer, not an online style magazine, but their web site offers more real life design inspiration than a lot of design web sites I have visited.  Because their merchandise is pretty basic, it's possible to imitate the casual chic looks they have created by paying attention to their use of color in fabrics and paint, arrangement of pieces and their unexpected touches on the walls.