The Cheap Diva

Virtual Decorating

This season the Ralph Lauren Mayfair furniture collection offers up some serious old fashioned  glamour.    While there are some unique pieces, the  Ralph Lauren style has more to do with composition, how things are put together, than it does individual pieces.  If you study the featured rooms you will see that they are largely composed of the kinds of classic pieces that can be found at lower price points from other brands.  The web site includes a short video of an elegantly clad woman leisurely wandering about the the stylish settings.  If I was in one of those gorgeous rooms, I wouldn't be in any hurry to leave either.

Domino home decor magazine's web site includes a few design related blogs with its content.  The most entertaining and budget friendly of these blogs is The Deal Hunter by Nick Olsen.  Nick doesn't simply gush over the bargain priced home decor items he likes.  He talks about what changes he would make to the home decor items, like painting them a different color, to make them more stylish.  His wit and sense of irreverence make his blog a fun read even if your not shopping for home decor. 

House Beautiful magazine's web site has a feature called the HB paint brush.  You click on a room, pick an area of that room you would like to see in a certain color paint, and click on a paint swatch.  This program is especially useful for the rooms where you can pick the paint color for the ceiling as well as the walls.  Designers consider the ceiling another wall.  Painting the ceiling a lighter shade of the wall color can enhance the look of a room.  Or you can see how hot pink walls work with a lime green ceiling in your virtual room.  The wonderful thing about virtual paint jobs is that you can be as outrageous as you want to be without the buyers remorse.

Shower Curtains for Small Spaces

The right shower curtain can freshen up and open up the look of your bathroom.  Vertical patterns such as stripes and climbing vines add visual height to the room, distracting attention from the overall lack of space.  Coordinating the the towels with the shower curtain creates a more pulled together look for the bathroom.

.Ladybug Shower Curtain $29.99

A light colored shower curtain set against a background of light colored walls provides a sense of continuity and doesn't create a sharp horizontal contrast against a white tub..

Shimmer Stripe Gold Shower Curtain $24.98

If your towels are a mismatched bunch, investing in a neutral shower curtain, like a subdued metallic silver or gold in a crinkle texture, or some less than shiny texture than doesn't blind you with its reflection, is cheaper than buying a bunch of coordinating towels.   

.

Wamsutta Palace Soiree Shower Curtain $23.99

.

If both your bathtub and walls are white, then this elegant Modern Leaf White Vinyl Shower Curtain $14.99 will practically disappear.  Because the shadowy pattern looks like falling leaves it has a similar effect to vertical stripes in that it draws the eye upward and creates the impression of more height.

Craft Meets Chic on Etsy.com

Mass produced jewelry that tries to recreate the look of handcrafted jewelry usually ends up looking exactly like what it is, cheap assembly line jewelry.  Luckily Etsy.com features thousands of one of a kind handcrafted fashion and home decor related items sold by individual designers.  While a lot of the merchandise looks like it belongs at an amateur craft show, there are many reasonably priced gems like these Sleeping Beauty Hoops $15.00 among the tackier offerings.

.

.

.Handmade DIY Natural Paua Shell Bali Sterling Silver 925 Bracelet Bangle Jewelry $29.99

.

                                     

.

.

Clef Earrings -Garnet $15.00

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Steampunk Vintage Watch Face Dial Parts $55.00

Alluring Coupons

Someone once said something to the effect that a woman's best cosmetic is happiness.  For some of us happiness can come in the form of getting great deals on cosmetics.  In the March issue of Allure beauty magazine there are three great coupons.  There is a $10.00 off coupon for an Patricia Wexler M.D. Dermatology purchase at Bath & Body Works.  Some of the products run upwards of $40.00 so getting $10.00 off is about the only was this bargain hunter is going to try out her line.  Another coupon worth clipping is the $5.00 off any $10.00 purchase coupon good at Ulta beauty stores or Ulta.com.  The $1.00 off any Rimmel cosmetic purchase in the magazine may not sound like that great of a deal until you take into consideration that a lot of Rimmel products retail for around five to seven dollars.  For budget beauty junkies like me, reading the fine print on a beauty coupon is just as much fun as reading beauty related articles.      

The Sunny Side of Savings

Solar power can save you money in a variety of ways.  For starters, using electronic devices that draw their power from solar batteries instead of drawing power from an electric wall socket cuts down on your home's electric bill.  One of the most resourceful uses of solar power I've heard of was a homeowner who bought hanging outdoor solar lights which can be found at hardware stores or the lawn and garden section of mass retailer.  He then hung the solar powered lights in his windows during the day while he was at work.  At night when he came home he put the solar lights in frequently used rooms, never bothering to turn his house lights on.  He repeated the process of putting solar lights in the window to charge every day and dramatically reduced his electric bill.

Aspen Solar Accent Light $89.99

Solar chargers that charge batteries, mobile phones, digital cameras cut down your electric bill and/or extend the life of your batteries. Certain  types solar chargers have the added advantage of being portable enough to take along long road trips.  A fully charged MP3 player comes be a sanity saver when you are out of range of your favorite music station. 

Freeloader Portable Solar Charger $59.95

Solar powered flash lights and calculators are just two examples of solar powered electronic devices that save money by eliminating the need to buy and replace batteries all together.  Solar powered calculators can be found at office supply stores or mass retailers while hardware stores or stores that sell camping equipment are good bets for finding solar powered flash lights. 

Canon LS-85H Portable Display Calculator $13.95

The kind of money saving solar power I am interested in is the budget friendly kind that doesn't require me to  strap surfboard size sheets of metal to the side of my home.  Thanks to solar powered devices that work in my home instead of being strapped to my home, I now have a sunny disposition toward solar power.

Weekly Web Round Up

I'm tired of financial advisers giving examples of how much more money I would have if I had started setting aside more money in a interest bearing account 20 years ago.  Until I find a time machine that lets me go back and correct this problem this financial advice is useless.  For financial advice that doesn't require time travel, Real Simple magazine has a great  article Your Biggest Money Worries Solved.  They tackle common problems like overspending and debt with specific solutions and realistic advice.

For computer savvy crafty chics, designspongeonline.com has plenty of D.I.Y projects including an easy to make laptop cozy made out of felt.  For computer savvy chics who aren't crafty, there are plenty of home decor related articles including before and after pictures and city guides for checking out the design scene in your neighborhood.

You don't have to be a perfume addict to enjoy the perfume reviews at Nowsmellthis.blogharbor.com but it helps to understand the reviews a little better if you are familiar with the different notes in a perfume.  Not being a perfume addict myself, I still found the reviews and articles on perfume, scents for the home, body scents, and articles on scents from unexpected topics like environmentally friendly dish soap, fascinating.  The abundance of well written articles covering a variety of scent related topics is in part due to the fact that there are several contributors to the blog instead of just one. 

Decorating with Clocks for Timeless Style

After hours of shopping for wall clocks that looked like they belonged in the home instead of a dentist waiting room, I found four that combined style and function perfectly.

An interior designer I know once shared her secret to creating an upscale look to displaying her clocks without the upscale price.   She hung all her stylish bargain priced clocks on the same wall with one expensive clock in the group.  Her guests never suspected the collection was full of budget friendly pieces because the one expensive piece elevated the overall look of the collection.  I call this affluent by association.

Pottery Barn Pocketwatch Wall Clock $79.00.

.

In spite of it's bold lines, this Howard Miller 14" Wrought Iron Skeleton Wall Clock for $47.57 is a bit of a home decor chameleon.  The clock consists of an open metal frame that adapts to the personality of the room byletting the wall color behind it show through. 

.

.

.

A Mirrored Wall Clock for $49.00  like this one blends into rooms that normally have  mirrors in it, such as the bathroom or bedroom.

.

.

.

.

.

For an artsy look, this Balboa Oversized Contemporary Wall Clock for $99.99 has the look of a handcrafted wall sculpture without the high price.

Chic Sporty Shoes

I tackled the challenge of finding fun feminine sporty shoes and came up with six winners perfect for spring.  In spite of the fact that the only competitive sport I engage in regularly is shopping for bargains, I still like to include a few sporty looking pieces into my wardrobe mix for the sake of variety.   

These Aurora03 Wedges for $18.99 in canvas fabric also comes in blue, green, black and the hot color for spring, yellow.

.

These  Converse One Star Skimmers for $29.99 available at Target, straddle that fine line  between gaudy and glamourous.  I included them with my favorites because silver goes with everything and I'd rather wear shoes that look like they were dipped in a vat of glitter than wear something boring.  Fashion is supposed to be fun after all.

.

.

The canvas fabric and white and green rubber band around the bottom to the heel give these American Eagle Slides for $19.99 a slightly sporty feel while still maintaining a flirty look with the high wedge and simple strap that exposes much of the foot.  These shoes are available at Payless Shoes on black, white and green.  I strongly reccommend looking at the green shoes in the store since the shade of green in this picture looks different from the shade of green you see in the shoe store.

.

.

The color may be red hot but the cut outs on these Madded Girl Awsome Flats in Red for $19.99 will keep you tootsies nice and cool.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The elegant pattern and brilliant colors in this Qupid Vida37  Floral Turquoise for $34.99 makes for one rich looking pair of sneaks.

.

.

.

.

.

.

These American Eagle Funky Sneakers for $22.99 also come in black and white.  Don't ask me why this shoe is called a Funky Sneaker.  The tapered toe and streamlined design of the shoe make this the one of the most sophisticated sporty shoes I've found. 

Red Hot Lingerie

Whoever came up with the name Victoria's Secret for the famous lingerie chain understood the true appeal of lingerie. Lingerie lets women indulge in their private fantasies, playing the vamp, the glamour girl, the delicate ingenue or a flirt.  I think it's a common misconception that women wear lingerie to appeal to men's fantasies.  I think the appeal of lingerie is that it allows women to indulge in their own fantasies.  So go ahead and spice up your weekly routine by slipping into something that makes you feel sexy, decadent and glamourous all at once.  It'll be our little secret. 

Victoria's Secret Diamante Halter Babydoll $48.00.

.

.

Old Navy Women's Empire Chemise $12.50 

.

.

.

.

.

.

Aeire Satin Dot Nightie $29.50

  .

.

.

   Walmart Women's J'Adore Amour Gown $9.00

Dramatize Your Eyes with H.I.P Eyeliner

When I want to add a little drama to my eye makeup without looking like a drag queen I apply a thin line of brilliant colored eye liner. Right now I am loving L'Oreal's Color Truth Cream Eyeliner in Eggplant.  The long lasting cream formula comes with the small brush that allows you paint on in a fine line along the lids or you can smudge the cream a little with your finger for a softer effect.  The long lasting cream formula also comes in popular neutrals such as black, brown and navy.  Look for it at mass retailers for about $12.00.  I read some reviews for this product on a beauty web site and the one complaint that kept coming up was that it was too long lasting and hard to take off.  My solution to this is to apply eye makeup remover and let set for a few minutes while you wash your face then try removing your eye makeup.

Would You Take Tax Advice from a Guy in a Dress?

News flash, the Statue of Liberty is now sporting a beard and a beer belly larger than her torch!  OK maybe it's not the real Statue of Liberty, it's actually a guy in front of a strip mall wearing a fake pointy crown with a matching aqua colored tunic over his street clothes holding a sign promoting the services of a local accounting office during tax season.  Luckily for me I already had an accountant that I was happy with so I didn't have to ponder the pros and cons of using a service that uses a guy dressed up in a Halloween costume as an advertising ploy.  I was referred to my current accountant by a friend who had so many factors, like operating a part time business in addition to her full time job, had extremely complicated taxes.  If this accountant could handle all the tax issues my friend had, I knew she could handle my taxes which aren't nearly as complicated. 

There were several things about working with my accountant that gave me confidence in her skills and willingness to go the extra mile to make sure I was going to get the maximum tax rebate possible without claiming houseplants and other people's children as dependents.  There are her years of experience to consider.  She told me that at some of the big accounting companies with several branches the people doing your taxes have only one week of training!  To paraphrase my accountant, you can't become an expert at anything in a week.  If you getting you taxes done by a large company or anyone for that matter, find out how long the individual who is actually doing your taxes has been at it.  Just because the company has been doing taxes for years doesn't mean the person doing your taxes has years of experience. 

As a home based business most of my business related travel involves fervently pacing back and forth on the carpet waiting for inspiration to strike.  In spite of this, my accountant pointed out that mileage involved in traveling to some business related classes I took would be tax deductible. My accountant also had me listing things like my electric and water bills since a portion of those might be deductible for my home based business.   In order to figure out what percentage of my home is work space verses personal space, my accountant and I measured every room with a tape measure to give her the numbers she needed.  While I admire her initiative, her suggestion to measure every room had me seriously regretting not doing a more thorough cleaning job.  I thought we were just going to sit at the kitchen table and figure out how to make me look even poorer than I am to the I.R.S.

What impressed me the most about my accountant was when she asked for a copy of my taxes done the previous year.  She wanted to see if there were any deductions I overlooked from the previous tax season.  Looking at tax records for two years for deductions makes me doubly glad I didn't hire a guy in a dress to do my taxes.   

Bold Graphics Brighten up Spring Dresses

Spring fashion arrives with bold prints and colors to officially mark the change of fashion seasons.   Prints are flattering to just about any figure as long as you keep two things in mind.  The print should be scaled to your size.  If you feel overwhelmed by a print, then try a print in a smaller scale or a more subdued color palette.  Prints should be fluid and vertical in design drawing the eye upward like this Kohls apt. 9 Emma Dress $34.99 .  A print with clumps of flowers here and there with blank areas in between for example, makes the eye bounce from one area of the print to another creating a disjointed look and feel for the outfit.

.

JC Penny Smocked Bodice Sleeveless Dress $34.99

This dress is accessorized with plain black shoes.  With so much going on with the dress shoes in a simple style complement the dress by picking up the most nuetral color in the print.  A bright colored shoe would have been too much.

Isaac Mizrahi for Target Geo Print Wrap Dress Pink $39.99 also comes in a blue print.  There is something a little off about the black shoes in this outfit.  The style of shoe isn't nearly as fun as the print of the dress.  The solid black shoes look heavy with such a bright print with no black in it.  A better choice would have been shoes in a deep bronze material that picked up on the warm color of the orange in the print while still remaining neutral.

Project Runway is a Runaway Hit

Project Runway The Complete Third Season $19.99.

Like Heidi says on the hit show Project Runway, your either in or your out.  For me the third season of this fashion reality show is definitely in.  The third season gathers the usual suspects, the prolific designers who amaze me with their creativity and skills while others designers whose technical skill don't match their inflated egos that amaze me in their ability to not get kicked off sooner.  Then there are the nut cases and the confrontational types that guarantee the show will always have more drama than a televised sewing class.  Off the wall twists keep the show fresh and engaging.  There are surprise models, surprise materials and a surprises with the designers themselves.  For frugal fashionistas like me who are too cheap to pay for cable, this DVD entertains while answering such burning questions as "Can you make a cocktail dress from coffee filters?"

Bacteria isn't Beautiful

Friendship is about sharing. You share so much with your friends, it seems only natural to want share beauty products with them.  Don't do it!  When your skin comes in contact with beauty products that interaction introduces bacteria into the beauty product that can be transferred t0 the next person t0 come in contact with the product.  It's possible to give someone an eye infection from borrowed eye product or transfer germs from a borrowed lipstick.  As much as I hate waste, I would rather throw out a beauty product that is fine except that it is the wrong color or isn't quite right for me.  If a friend expresses an interest in a certain beauty product I use I will tell here what it is and where to get it.  If it's a fun pr0duct like a lip gloss or shimmery body cream I make a mental note to include a new package  of it in her next birthday or Christmas gift.  The only products I would consider sharing would be something that uses a pump spray to deliver the product and never comes in contact with my skin.  Even then I would be sure the product was one that hadn't been sitting around so long it might be expired.  Sometimes being a good friend means not sharing.       

Treasure Hunting in Thrift Stores

Thrift stores are best appreciated by shoppers who enjoy the treasure hunt aspect of the whole experience.  The key is to be able to separate the trash from the treasure.  Here are some savvy shopping tips for thrift store shopping.

Check for smells and stains.  There is no guarantee you will be able to get rid of either one of these, so it's better to hold out for clean looking odor free items.

Look for excessive amount of pills on the fabric.  This indicates the item has been worn frequently.

Look for fabrics that aren't ripped, puckered at the seams or extremely limp.  Faded or extremely limp clothing has probably been washed and worn frequently so it's better to ignore these pieces and focus on finding lesser worn items.   

Look at the care label.  If the care instructions are printed, not embroidered on the label and the label is crisp with sharp printing that shows no signs of fading this suggest that the item has probably hardly if ever been washed and worn.

The whole ick factor of wearing used shoes shouldn't prevent you from at least looking at the shoe rack.  Some shoes are donated without ever being worn.  Check for shoes that have no odor.  Also see if their shape is distorted in any way from being worn or if they look like they just came out of a shoe box.  It's a good sign if there are no signs of wear on the bottom of the shoe at all.

When looking at handbags check inside lining for tears, check the outside for scratches and rips in thematerial.  Set the bag on something flat, like a shelf or table an see the shape of the bag has been  distorted through use.

Be sure you are able to try on clothes without a dressing room.  in the summertime wear a long dress or skirt to try onl pants or skirt on under long skirt.  Or you can wear something fitted to try on things over your clothing.

Not all thrift stores accept credit cards so be prepared to pay in cash.  Happy hunting!

Black and White Dishes in Delicious Designs

Dishes in weird impossible to match colors or themed to the extreme dishes, Southwest style with cactus for example, should come with a warning on the box that says "Only buy these dishes if they are on clearance, the novelty will wear off long before the dishes wear out!"  That's why I like black and white dishes for a long term investment.  Black and white dishes are a sophisticated choice when you want dishes that are dramatic enough to stand on their own, but versatile enough to be mixed and matched with other dishes.  Black and white dishes will not only coordinate with other solid colored dishes in black or white, they also complement solid colored dishes in brighter colors when you want to mix things up a bit.

This witty Chandelier 16-pc. Dinnerware set for $49.99 has the silhouette of a spoon featured on the border of the bowl, and a silhouette of a knife and fork on the border of the larger plates.

.

.

.

A bold pattern combined with the sharp contrast of black and white adds drama to these everyday dishes. 

Damask 16-pc. Dinnerware Set- Black/White $41.69 

.

.

.

The playful lines of this Corelle Lifestyles 16-pc. Dinnerware Set- Muse $49.99, shows how a high contrast black and white color scheme can be  whimsical and fun.

My Funny Valentine

Movie double feature - My Best Friends Wedding and The Wedding Planner $17.99

Valentines Day might not be the most obvious choice for a theme when it comes to hosting a girl friend get together, but why not host a My Funny Valentine Movie Night for a handful of gal pals who enjoy romantic comedies?  Send each guest a silly Valentine card as an invitation.  Feel free to ask guest to bring some sort of indulgent Valentines Day themed food.  Anything chocolate works, including chocolate dipped strawberries.  For variety, include different types of cut up fruit as a snack option with chocolate fondue available for dipping.  Accompany all those indulgent goodies with champagne and nonalcoholic bubbly drinks like sparkling water.  To make your budget friendly get together even more thrifty, schedule the My Funny Valentine Movie Night the first weekend night after Valentines Day.  You and your guests will be able to buy Valentines candy at deeply discounted prices.    Keep the upbeat mood going after the movie by encouraging guests to talk about their funniest dating disasters or their favorite scenes from romantic movies.

Red Hot Lingerie

Whoever came up with the name Victoria's Secret for the famous lingerie chain understood the true appeal of lingerie. Lingerie lets women indulge in their private fantasies, playing the vamp, the glamour girl, the delicate ingenue or a flirt.  I think it's a common misconception that women wear lingerie to appeal to men's fantasies.  I think the appeal of lingerie is that it allows women to indulge in their own fantasies.  So go ahead and spice up your weekly routine by slipping into something that makes you feel sexy, decadent and glamourous all at once.  It'll be our little secret.  To see more red hot sleepwear, read the rest of this article.

Victoria's Secret Diamante Halter Babydoll $48.00.

Wake Me up Before You Go, Go!

A bracing cup of caffeine fueled coffee in the morning may be more a effective eye opener than your alarm, but coffee isn't the only way to wake up in the morning. 

Try some simple stretching exercises to get the blood flowing and the brain focused.  This is also a healthy way to release some stress before facing a day that might make you wish you would have stayed in bed.

Burt's Bees Citrus & Ginger Root Body Wash $7.59

Choose a body wash with a stimulating scent for your morning shower.  Look for citrus scents or the word energizing on the label and inhale deeply from the bottle before applying it.  Adjust your shower temperature to a slightly cooler temperature for the last few minutes of your shower.

Play some pop music so upbeat it could be prescribed as an antidepressant.  I recommend "Wake Me up Before You Go, Go!" by Wham.  It's perky to the point of annoying and there is the serious risk that the song may be stuck in your head all day, but hey at least you're up. 

Wake Me Up Before You Go, Go!

A bracing cup of caffeine fueled coffee in the morning may be more a effective eye opener than your alarm, but coffee isn't the only way to wake up in the morning. 

Try some simple stretching exercises to get the blood flowing and the brain focused.  This is also a healthy way to release some stress before facing a day that might make you wish you would have stayed in bed.  Read the rest of this article.

Burt's Bees Citrus & Ginger Root Body Wash $7.59

Save Some Dough When You Do It Yourself

When I hear the phrase Do It Yourself it conjures up images of low budget home makeover shows attacking a room with gallons of paint, a squad of carpenters and a designer with over the top made for TV taste.  I am currently taking an introductory class in interior design and what I have learned is that there are many ways to express yourself by Doing It Yourself that don't involve a power saw or perky TV  host.  If you want to turn your walls into a work of art for example, local paint store sometimes offer faux painting classes for free or for very little to their customers.  It's the same deal with hardware stores.  Check into all of the classes offered by your local hardware store and see if they offer classes for the type of projects you would like to tackle in your own home.  I should note that a lot of professional handymen and carpenters love Do It Yourselfers because a lot of their business comes from fixing the projects the Do It Yourselfers seriously messed up.  By starting off with simpler almost fool proof projects you will save yourself the cost and embarrassment of having to explain to a handyman exactly how your project turned into such a disaster.  Read the rest of this article. 

Save Some Dough when You Do It Yourself

When I hear the phrase Do It Yourself it conjures up images of low budget home makeover shows attacking a room with gallons of paint, a squad of carpenters and a designer with over the top made for TV taste.  I am currently taking an introductory class in interior design and what I have learned is that there are many ways to express yourself by Doing It Yourself that don't involve a power saw or perky TV  host.  If you want to turn your walls into a work of art for example, local paint store sometimes offer faux painting classes for free or for very little to their customers.  It's the same deal with hardware stores.  Check into all of the classes offered by your local hardware store and see if they offer classes for the type of projects you would like to tackle in your own home.  I should note that a lot of professional handymen and carpenters love Do It Yourselfers because a lot of their business comes from fixing the projects the Do It Yourselfers seriously messed up.  By starting off with simpler almost fool proof projects you will save yourself the cost and embarrassment of having to explain to a handyman exactly how your project turned into such a disaster.   

Because craft and fabric stores are basically ware house sized shrines for Do It Yourselfers, they often make a point of having classes geared toward decorating projects.  My personal take is that two of the most useful decorating skills you can learn are painting and sewing.  Paint, whether it's a gold stencil that adds a touch of glamour to a piece or an all over paint job, easily elevates mundane objects into something fresh and interesting.  For anyone who has gasped at the price of a $50.00 pillow or checked out the price of decent curtains, a sewing class geared toward home decor is a better investment than that $50.00 pillow.  The biggest benefit of learning a skill is that you have a much better chance of getting exactly what you want than if you tried to find something that works for you style and budget.  Whatever Do It Yourself projects you decide to tackle, I promise you that the sense of satisfaction from a job well done is even more satisfying than the money you save.

Sites that Save You Money

After a certain number of hours spent perusing the web for inspiration for The Cheap Diva blog, the web starts to look like one big virtual shopping mall to me.  With advertisements popping up all over the place and an profusion of of web sites and blogs so geared to shopping they border on being one big advertisement, it's nice to know there are places in cyberspace to go that are willing to show you how to save money instead of spending it.

The Dollar Stretcher contains countless articles submitted by readers offering advice on frugal living.  The articles cover a wide range of topics that relate to frugal living in general.  The web site doesn't feature pictures of stuff to buy, the emphasis is on a good common sense (or should I say cents?)  tips and articles.   Read the rest of this article.

Sites that Save You Money

After a certain number of hours spent perusing the web for inspiration for The Cheap Diva blog, the web starts to look like one big virtual shopping mall to me.  With advertisements popping up all over the place and an profusion of of web sites and blogs so geared to shopping they border on being one big advertisement, it's nice to know there are places in cyberspace to go that are willing to show you how to save money instead of spending it.

The Dollar Stretcher contains countless articles submitted by readers offering advice on frugal living.  The articles cover a wide range of topics that relate to frugal living in general.  The web site doesn't feature pictures of stuff to buy, the emphasis is on a good common sense (or should I say cents?)  tips and articles.   

Bankrate.com is the perfect web site to go to when you are ready to tackle the most tedious aspects of personal finance.  When I say tedious I mean thing like understanding what a CD is, learning about refinancing a mortgage and comparing interest rates from banks.  After getting a better handle how to manage your money you can tackle the more fun aspects of personal finance, like getting a great deal on cute shoes.

Savingadvice.com is a personal finance web site designed to show you how to save money.  Because the emphasis is on one part of money savvy living, saving money, it's not as overwhelming as a web site that covers a dizzying number of topics.  Sometimes having less information to click through and search for is a time saving blessing.