The Cheap Diva

Free Ways to Promote Your blog

Whether you are blogging for money or just for fun,  there is one thing every blogger wants, more readers!  There are plenty of ways to increase traffic to you blog without spending money.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Write an article for a web site or blog that that has a large readership.  Find a web site or blog that focuses on the type of topics that you write about on your own blog.  When you find a good match, look for the advertising page for this web site or blog.  The advertising page should tell you two things, the average number of readers per month, and that they have enough traffic to their web site or blog to make advertisers want to spend their money there.  In other words, this is not a blog read only by the author's mother and a few close friends.  Web sites or blogs that accept articles should have their criteria outlined for the kinds of articles they accept.  Submit articles only after reading their criteria and making sure they provide links to their author's blogs and that you are not giving up all rights to your content.  I had an article published on one web site and the traffic to my blog increased about 800% the day the article came out!  Read the rest of this article.

Get the Look for Less with Budget Friendly Blogs

It took some serious surfing on the web to find style related blogs that truly grasp the whole concept of being stylish on a real world budget, but I found three blogs that prove budget fashion is not a contradiction in terms.

For us non celebrity types who draw inspiration from celebrities, but don't draw their salaries, there is fashionunder100.blogspot.com.  The author of this blog uses pictures of celebrities in their expensive duds and recreates the entire look for under$100.00!  Most of the looks are casual everyday looks with some red carpet looks thrown in here and there for variety. 

For those of us who don't care if we look like a celebrity as long as we look fabulous, there is thelook4less.blogspot.com.  This is one blog that truly lives up to it's name.  It features pictures of designer duds at designer prices next to pictures of their almost indentical cheaper knock offs.  Both the designer pieces and their knock offs are fashionable styles and if you are looking for a knockoff of a specific designer fashion item she will try to find it for you. 

A little beauty indulgence shouldn't cost a lot of money.  That seems to be the philosophy behind spoiledpretty.blogspot.com.  With a mix of  cosmetic, skin, and hair product reviews, beauty news and free give aways, this blog makes what is going on in the world of beauty accessible and entertaining to beauty junkies everywhere no matter what their budget is.

Turning Over a New Leaf in the Bedroom

While floral prints often alternate between bright garish designs and predictable patterns that look like something grandma would buy,  leaf patterns look fresh and contemporary in comparison.   

The subdued colors of this Overlapping Leaves Organic Duvet Cover & Sham by Pottery Barn starting at $19.99 for the shams and sheer lushness of this bed set makes me want to curl up with a cup of tea and a good (chic lit) book.

The playful pink color and mix of patterns in this North Shore Mini Comforter Set by Roxy starting at $89.99 is more of a surfer girl take on the whole leaf theme and the bed is well stocked for a playful pillow fight.

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While I appreciate the zen like simplicity of this leaf silhouette pattern on a duvet set by Dwell Studio for Target starting at $69.99, I think the look would benefit from an infusion of color.  Solid colored sheets in refreshing colors like mint, sky blue or bubblegum pink would play against the nuetral khaki and white pattern beautifully.

Turning Over a New Leaf in the Bedroom

While floral prints often alternate between bright garish designs and predictable patterns that look like something grandma would buy,  leaf patterns look fresh and contemporary in comparison.   

The subdued colors of this Overlapping Leaves Organic Duvet Cover & Sham by Pottery Barn starting at $19.99 for the shams and sheer lushness of this bed set makes me want to curl up with a cup of tea and a good (chic lit) book.

The playful pink color and mix of patterns in this North Shore Mini Comforter Set by Roxy starting at $89.99 is more of a surfer girl take on the whole leaf theme and the bed is well stocked for a playful pillow fight.

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While I appreciate the zen like simplicity of this leaf silhouette pattern on a duvet set by Dwell Studio for Target starting at $69.99, I think the look would benefit from an infusion of color.  Solid colored sheets in refreshing colors like mint, sky blue or bubblegum pink would play against the nuetral khaki and white pattern beautifully.

Swimsuits with the Golden Touch

Nothing looks as glamorous by a body of water than a body adorned in gold.  A golden shimmer elevates even the most basic swimsuit into something a bit more special.

This Lustrous 2-piece halter suit by Newport News for $49.00  has to be one of the most forgiving versatile swimsuits out there.  The top skims the tummy in a way that allows you to exhale without making it obvious you are trying to hide your tummy.  The top half of this could easily be worn with nice shorts or jeans and the bottoms are nuetral enough to mix with other swimsuit tops.  Because of its' versatility, this would be my pick to pack on trips where any swimming was involved.

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Doing the backstroke while wearing a bunch of fancy baubles just looks silly.  A meltallic print, like this Rose print skirted tankini for $39.00 creates the rich look of wearing a bit of gold without taking your precious jewelry for a dip.

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This Mossimo Black Chain Triangle Swim Top for $17.99 makes clever use of the gold chain theme by putting a gold chain between two pieces of fabric printed with similar gold chains.  This is not a top that demands a matching bottom.  Just about any solid colored swim bottom would work.  A swim bottom in a dark bronze or deep jewel color would look especially rich.

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.A solid black swimsuit would look heavy at the beach.  A black swim suit with metallic gold woven in the fabric and some skin showing through the middle gives you the figure slimming benefits of wearing black without looking like your torso was dipped in ink.

JC Penny Bisou Bisou Metallic Crochet Monokini $68.00

Swimsuits with the Golden Touch

Nothing looks as glamorous by a body of water than a body adorned in gold.  A golden shimmer elevates even the most basic swimsuit into something a bit more special.

This Lustrous 2-piece halter suit by Newport News for $49.00  has to be one of the most forgiving versatile swimsuits out there.  The top skims the tummy in a way that allows you to exhale without making it obvious you are trying to hide your tummy.  The top half of this could easily be worn with nice shorts or jeans and the bottoms are nuetral enough to mix with other swimsuit tops.  Because of its' versatility, this would be my pick to pack on trips where any swimming was involved.

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Doing the backstroke while wearing a bunch of fancy baubles just looks silly.  A meltallic print, like this Rose print skirted tankini for $39.00 creates the rich look of wearing a bit of gold without taking your precious jewelry for a dip.

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This Mossimo Black Chain Triangle Swim Top for $17.99 makes clever use of the gold chain theme by putting a gold chain between two pieces of fabric printed with similar gold chains.  This is not a top that demands a matching bottom.  Just about any solid colored swim bottom would work.  A swim bottom in a dark bronze or deep jewel color would look especially rich.

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.A solid black swimsuit would look heavy at the beach.  A black swim suit with metallic gold woven in the fabric and some skin showing through the middle gives you the figure slimming benefits of wearing black without looking like your torso was dipped in ink.

JC Penny Bisou Bisou Metallic Crochet Monokini $68.00

Aromatherapy Body Washes for Stimulation or Relaxation

Aromafloria has a line of aromatherapy body washes designed to either stimulate or reduce stress or just make you feel pampered head to toe.  The line of body washes list real essential oils as some of their main ingredients, so they don't have that wierd artificial smell some other body washes do.    

The Muscle Soak Body Wash for $8.50 (see online coupons and deals at Ulta.com to get a better price) contains eucalyptus to relieve the aches and pains that comes from intense shopping,  peppermint soothes muscle fatigue and lemongrass combats exhaustion.  This would be the bath wash to use as a morning eye opener or after an exercise workout.

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To wash away stress try the Stress Less Body Wash for $8.50 with soothing lavender, chamomile and sage.  According to the packaging, lavender soothes and relaxes, chamomile calms and rejuvenates and the sage relieves mental fatigue.  So the next time you are feeling overwhelmed, head to the shower, lather up some aromatherapy body wash and take a few moments to breath in the benefits of aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy Body Washes for Stimulation or Relaxation

Aromafloria has a line of aromatherapy body washes designed to either stimulate or reduce stress or just make you feel pampered head to toe.  The line of body washes list real essential oils as some of their main ingredients, so they don't have that wierd artificial smell some other body washes do.    

The Muscle Soak Body Wash for $8.50 (see online coupons and deals at Ulta.com to get a better price) contains eucalyptus to relieve the aches and pains that comes from intense shopping,  peppermint soothes muscle fatigue and lemongrass combats exhaustion.  This would be the bath wash to use as a morning eye opener or after an exercise workout.

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To wash away stress try the Stress Less Body Wash for $8.50 with soothing lavender, chamomile and sage.  According to the packaging, lavender soothes and relaxes, chamomile calms and rejuvenates and the sage relieves mental fatigue.  So the next time you are feeling overwhelmed, head to the shower, lather up some aromatherapy body wash and take a few moments to breath in the benefits of aromatherapy.

Sign Up to Save Money

I have one simple criteria for giving out personal information to cashiers, retailers, or anyone else requesting personal information.  What's in it for me.  I will gladly give out my address (never my home phone number) to a few select stores like Ulta or Bed Bath & Beyond that frequently send out  advertisements with coupons to customers who have signed up for their mailing list.  I only sign up to be on a mailing list if it's a store I shop at regularly.  Getting sale notices from high priced upscale stores would only be of interest to me if I win the lottery.

Another way to get the inside scoop on sales is signing up with retailers or web sites to be notified by email of current sales.  What I like about email is that you don't have to give out a lot of personal information.  You can create a free email account with Google with very limited information, such as using only your first initial and middle name for example.  Creating an email account  just for promotional emails also prevents sale emails from cluttering up your personal email account. 

There are certain web sites that notify you of only the sales you are interested in.  Sign up for free with Shopittome.com for example, pick items that you are interested in from hundreds of well known brands and Shopittome.com will send you an email notice when those specific items go on sale.  This tailoring of sales notices to your preferences, notifying you only when the exact items you are interested in goes on sale, is a real time saver as well as a money saver.

If you don't want your personal information being given out to third parties by retailers,  look for some sort of box on the sign up form that gives you the option of not disclosing your information to third parties.  For those situations when a cashier asks for home phone or zip code with no real incentive in for me such as coupons, I politely decline simply saying I don't give out that information.  What I don't say is that their request for personal information didn't pass the what's in it for me test.

Sign Up to Save Money

I have one simple criteria for giving out personal information to cashiers, retailers, or anyone else requesting personal information.  What's in it for me.  I will gladly give out my address (never my home phone number) to a few select stores like Ulta or Bed Bath & Beyond that frequently send out  advertisements with coupons to customers who have signed up for their mailing list.  I only sign up to be on a mailing list if it's a store I shop at regularly.  Getting sale notices from high priced upscale stores would only be of interest to me if I win the lottery.

Another way to get the inside scoop on sales is signing up with retailers or web sites to be notified by email of current sales.  What I like about email is that you don't have to give out a lot of personal information.  You can create a free email account with Google with very limited information, such as using only your first initial and middle name for example.  Creating an email account  just for promotional emails also prevents sale emails from cluttering up your personal email account. 

There are certain web sites that notify you of only the sales you are interested in.  Sign up for free with Shopittome.com for example, pick items that you are interested in from hundreds of well known brands and Shopittome.com will send you an email notice when those specific items go on sale.  This tailoring of sales notices to your preferences, notifying you only when the exact items you are interested in goes on sale, is a real time saver as well as a money saver.

If you don't want your personal information being given out to third parties by retailers,  look for some sort of box on the sign up form that gives you the option of not disclosing your information to third parties.  For those situations when a cashier asks for home phone or zip code with no real incentive in for me such as coupons, I politely decline simply saying I don't give out that information.  What I don't say is that their request for personal information didn't pass the what's in it for me test.

The House Always Wins is a Real Winner

If you are looking for a good laugh combined with lots of great decorating advice pick up The House Always Wins by Marni Jameson.  I find myself laughing out loud while reading The House Always Wins more times than I can count.  Jameson's book takes the reader along with her as she navigates the confusing and often stressful process of building and decorating her house.  She recounts conversations with her husband, whose idea of home decor is a Lazy boy and a table to put your feet up on, and decorating experiences with her children with the kind of humor any wife or mother will appreciate.

This is much more than a humor book though.  Alongside her true to life stories of decorating disasters, she includes plenty of advice from the experts on everything from picking carpeting to getting the correct drapery hardware to just about anything else an amateur decorator would need to know.    There are no pictures in the book and it's just as well.  One of the insider tidbits she shares is the fact that decorating magazines remove objects like phones & computers from rooms before photographing them and what can't be physically removed, like light switches and electrical cords are edited out with computer imaging programs thereby creating the illusion of a perfect room.  Jameson retelling of the decorating perils she faced is far more engaging than pictures of untouchable perfect rooms anyway.

The House Always Wins is a Real Winner

If you are looking for a good laugh combined with lots of great decorating advice pick up The House Always Wins by Marni Jameson.  I find myself laughing out loud while reading The House Always Wins more times than I can count.  Jameson's book takes the reader along with her as she navigates the confusing and often stressful process of building and decorating her house.  She recounts conversations with her husband, whose idea of home decor is a Lazy boy and a table to put your feet up on, and decorating experiences with her children with the kind of humor any wife or mother will appreciate.

This is much more than a humor book though.  Alongside her true to life stories of decorating disasters, she includes plenty of advice from the experts on everything from picking carpeting to getting the correct drapery hardware to just about anything else an amateur decorator would need to know.    There are no pictures in the book and it's just as well.  One of the insider tidbits she shares is the fact that decorating magazines remove objects like phones & computers from rooms before photographing them and what can't be physically removed, like light switches and electrical cords are edited out with computer imaging programs thereby creating the illusion of a perfect room.  Jameson retelling of the decorating perils she faced is far more engaging than pictures of untouchable perfect rooms anyway.

It's Easy Being Green

Shades of green as bright as fresh grass are making dreary winter neutrals green with envy this spring.   What's great about this particular shade of green is that it is a bit of a chameleon.  Green clothes are playful when paired with bright accessories like a bright plaid purse and yellow shoes.  Green can take on a more low key look when worn with dark wood jewelry or paired with dark neutral like brown.

Metrostyle Mock Wrap Dress $39.99.

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The color combination of green separates paired with white tops or bottoms looks fresh and  crisp.  It also means the possibilities for accessories are wide open because just about everything with work with this color combo.

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Old Navy Womens Mid Rise Clean Front Bermudas for $20.00.

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While all over cables tend to look chunky, cables bordering a deep V neck and running down the sides of this sweater add visual interest without the unflattering bulk.  Pair this with cute shorts or a pencil skirt if you want to sex things up a bit.

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Old Navy Women's Cable-Knit V-Neck sweater for $24.50.

It's Easy Being Green

Shades of green as bright as fresh grass are making dreary winter neutrals green with envy this spring.   What's great about this particular shade of green is that it is a bit of a chameleon.  Green clothes are playful when paired with bright accessories like a bright plaid purse and yellow shoes.  Green can take on a more low key look when worn with dark wood jewelry or paired with dark neutral like brown.

Metrostyle Mock Wrap Dress $39.99.

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The color combination of green separates paired with white tops or bottoms looks fresh and  crisp.  It also means the possibilities for accessories are wide open because just about everything with work with this color combo.

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Old Navy Womens Mid Rise Clean Front Bermudas for $20.00.

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While all over cables tend to look chunky, cables bordering a deep V neck and running down the sides of this sweater add visual interest without the unflattering bulk.  Pair this with cute shorts or a pencil skirt if you want to sex things up a bit.

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Old Navy Women's Cable-Knit V-Neck sweater for $24.50.

Earth-Friendly Beauty Tools

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This earth friendly beauty collection by ecotools is designed to have a small impact on the environment but a big impact on the way you think about beauty tools.  The entire set of brushes is made with easily sustainable bamboo handles.  The metal part of the brushes is made from recycled aluminum, the bristles on the brush are animal friendly animal hair and the packaging, printed with plant based ink includes tips on helping the environment. 

Sure it feels good to help the enviroment, but the real question for real beauty junkies is how do they feel to work with?   The super soft bristles apply powder and foundation evenly and feel like cashmere caressing the skin so I get to feel a little pampered while I'm primping.   

Another thing to feel great about are the prices.  Because you are reading a blog called The Cheap Diva I assume you are concerned about the impact of these beauty tools on  your wallet as well as the enviroment.  Good news, thebrushes range in price from $2.99 for the Lash and Brow Groomer to $7.99 for the Powder Brush, allowing you to save some cash as well as saving the environment.

Ecotools also has other reasonably priced beaty tools available, like a bath shower mitt and loofa sponges.    Ecotools can be found at select Walgreens, Kmart and Ulta stores

Earth-Friendly Beauty Tools

This earth friendly beauty collection by Ecotools is designed to have a small impact on the environment but a big impact on the way you think about beauty tools.  The entire set of brushes is made with easily sustainable bamboo handles.  The metal part of the brushes is made from recycled aluminum, the bristles on the brush are animal friendly animal hair and the packaging, printed with plant based ink includes tips on helping the environment. 

Sure it feels good to help the environment, but the real question for real beauty junkies is how do they feel to work with?   The super soft bristles apply powder and foundation evenly and feel like cashmere caressing the skin so I get to feel a little pampered while I'm primping.   

Another thing to feel great about are the prices.  Because you are reading a blog called The Cheap Diva I assume you are concerned about the impact of these beauty tools on  your wallet as well as the environment.  Good news, the brushes range in price from $2.99 for the Lash and Brow Groomer to $7.99 for the Powder Brush, allowing you to save some cash as well as saving the environment.

Ecotools also has other reasonably priced beauty tools available, like a bath shower mitt and loofah sponges.    Ecotools can be found at select Walgreens, Kmart and Ulta stores or go to parispresents.com for a store located near you.  Saving the earth is a beautiful thing.

The Rebate Game

When I worked in retail I often heard customers look at rebate offers and ask "Why doesn't the manufacturer just put the item on sale, why do I have to go through the hassle of sending in a rebate?"  I'll tell you why, the companies get customers to buy items with the promise of money back knowing full well only a fraction of those customers will take the time to correctly fill out the rebate and send it in resulting in greater profits for the company.

Here are a few suggestions to be sure you get you money back when you send in a rebate.  There are a lot of different makes and models out there.  When buying anything with a rebate be sure the rebate slip you get is for the exact brand, style and model you are buying.  Look on the rebate for identifying information like a model number to match up to the item you are buying.

Start filling out the rebate right away when you get home so it doesn't get buried under a pile on the kitchen table and expire.  This happened to me and as a result I clear my kitchen table off a lot more frequently now.  Gather all the information related to this purchase before filling out the slip.  Have your receipt and rebated item next to you when filling out the rebate slip.  Read the rebate slip throughly before filling it out.  Making a mistake could slow down the process of you getting a rebate or prevent you from getting your money back all together.  Make a copy of your rebate slip and a copy of your receipt to send in with the rebate.   If you have to send in the original receipt in with the rebate, make a copy of the receipt before sending it in.

The day the rebate gets mailed out, mark your calendar twice.  Make a note of the day the rebate was mailed in.  Make a note of on your calendar of when your should be receiving your rebate.  Ask the sales associate when buying the item or look at your rebate slip to see how long the rebate usually takes to process.  If you haven't gotten you money within the specified time frame, call the company and explain the situation, mentioning the exact date you sent the rebate slip in.  It's harder for a customer service person to argue with a customer who pays attention to detail and keeps accurate records.

If the rebate is an online the same rules apply, act fast, pay attention to the fine print, print out records and make contact as soon as there is a problem.  Countless customers leave money on the table by not sending in rebates.  Don't be one of them!

Everything's Coming Up Daisies

When it comes to home decor, every thing's coming up daisies this spring.  The humble daisy is capturing the style spotlight on everything from dishes to doormats to doorknobs! 

This bold graphic take on the daisy theme is brought to you by purveyor of all things stylish yet affordable, Target. 

Daisy 12-pc Dinnerware set $29.99.

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I've heard of gilding the lily, but gilding the daisy?  This set of 4 Ceramic Drawer Pulls for $19.00 by Spiegel are the most elegant sophisticated take on daisies I have ever seen. 

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The Lillian Vernon catalog is know for many things.  Subtlety is not one of them.  Greet your guest with a bright bouquet year round with this Gebera Daisies Coco Doormat for $16.99 by Lillian Vernon. 

 

Everything's Coming Up Daisies

When it comes to home decor, every thing's coming up daisies this spring.  The humble daisy is capturing the style spotlight on everything from dishes to doormats to doorknobs! 

This bold graphic take on the daisy theme is brought to you by purveyor of all things stylish yet affordable, Target. 

Daisy 12-pc Dinnerware set $29.99.

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I've heard of gilding the lily, but gilding the daisy?  This set of 4 Ceramic Drawer Pulls for $19.00 by Spiegel are the most elegant sophisticated take on daisies I have ever seen. 

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The Lillian Vernon catalog is know for many things.  Subtlety is not one of them.  Greet your guest with a bright bouquet year round with this Gebera Daisies Coco Doormat for $16.99 by Lillian Vernon. 

 

Hostessing 101

Being a good host can be as simple as putting on a little background music, having some drinks and light refreshments ready and greeting your guests with a warm smile. It’s not hard, yet I have witnessed some truly regrettable examples when it came to hosting. One of the worst examples I remember was a social gathering at a friends house. There was no music playing. I was not offered a beverage until much later that evening. The cookies being served were sitting on a table still in their plastic container from the supermarket. I don’t have any objection to store bought food, but she could have at least taken it out of the plastic grocery sack! The conversation started off with her complaining about how busy she was. All of these elements combined practically screamed “Get out of my house, you are an interruption in my already overscheduled life!”. Here’s a tip for the busy hostess, don’t greet your guests by complaining about how busy you are. Did you specify on the invitation that the social occasion was a pity party? No? Then stop complaining. It makes your guests feel unwanted.

Here are a few more tips to making your guests feel welcome from the beginning. First of all, guests like to be able to find your house. Arriving late because they were unwillingly touring local neighborhoods puts a damper on their mood. Include a map with the invitation or details of obvious points of reference like major intersections, schools etc. House numbers are difficult to find during daylight and almost impossible to discern at night. Have something on or around your home that makes it easy for your guest to identify your house. Christmas lights can set your house apart. Especially if you are hosting a party in June.

Before guests arrive, put on some appropriate background music. Music sets the tone for the party so match the music to the kind of mood you are trying to create.

Either greet guests at the door with a warm smile yourself or have someone else act as greeter. This alleviates concern from guests who visit so rarely they need some reassurance that they have indeed arrived at the right house.

Have a selection of beverages ready and offer guests a beverage shortly after they arrive. Keep the first guest company while waiting for others to arrive. If you are in the middle of last minute preparations when the first guest arrives enlist their help with easy tasks and thank them graciously for their help. The first guest does not want to be abandoned in the living room while you are finishing up in the kitchen. As more guests arrive you can move the party to a seating/conversation area.

Being a good host is simply a matter of thinking ahead to create a welcoming environment.

Hostessing 101

Being a good host can be as simple as putting on a little background music, having some drinks and light refreshments ready and greeting your guests with a warm smile. It’s not hard, yet I have witnessed some truly regrettable examples when it came to hosting. One of the worst examples I remember was a social gathering at a friends house. There was no music playing. I was not offered a beverage until much later that evening. The cookies being served were sitting on a table still in their plastic container from the supermarket. I don’t have any objection to store bought food, but she could have at least taken it out of the plastic grocery sack! The conversation started off with her complaining about how busy she was. All of these elements combined practically screamed “Get out of my house, you are an interruption in my already overscheduled life!”. Here’s a tip for the busy hostess, don’t greet your guests by complaining about how busy you are. Did you specify on the invitation that the social occasion was a pity party? No? Then stop complaining. It makes your guests feel unwanted.

Here are a few tips to making your guests feel welcome from the beginning.  Read the rest of this article.

Organize Your Handbag

Jumeau Bags let you pick from a variety of colors and styles.  The Adair bag sells for $89.00                                                        

One of the most common wardrobe mistakes I witnessed was women forgetting that a stylish bag is more than arm candy. A handbag should be both fabulous and functional, keeping things organized and easily accessible. Like this Jumeau bag with plenty of inside pockets.  Bottomless pit bags that turn the wearer into a slumped shouldered pack mule and overstuffed small bags straining at the seams are more fashion victim than fashionista.

Some women try to lighten their load by buying a smaller bag than the one they normally carry. This new bag often ends up being too small for their good intentions. Soon this bag is over packed with all the stuff that was in the old bag. This overstuffing distorts the shape of the bag and puts a strain on the seams. If you are considering making the switch to a smaller handbag, edit the contents of your purse before switching to a smaller bag.  Read the rest of this article.

Organize Your Handbag

Jumeau Bags let you pick from a variety of colors and styles.  The Adair bag sells for $89.00                                                        

One of the most common wardrobe mistakes I witnessed was women forgetting that a stylish bag is more than arm candy. A handbag should be both fabulous and functional, keeping things organized and easily accessible. Like this Jumeau bag with plenty of inside pockets.  Bottomless pit bags that turn the wearer into a slumped shouldered pack mule and overstuffed small bags straining at the seams are more fashion victim than fashionista.

Some women try to lighten their load by buying a smaller bag than the one they normally carry. This new bag often ends up being too small for their good intentions. Soon this bag is over packed with all the stuff that was in the old bag. This overstuffing distorts the shape of the bag and puts a strain on the seams. If you are considering making the switch to a smaller handbag, edit the contents of your purse before switching to a smaller bag.

First take everything out of your purse piece by piece. Throw out expired coupons and receipts, pens that don’t work anymore grungy cough drops etc. or anything else that you can’t imagine needing or using in the immediate future. Things like band aids and safety pins that are nice to have on hand just in case, but limit yourself to having just a few of these on hand.

Group related items together, a pen, small notepad for shopping lists and coupons got together in a pocket. Think about the cosmetic items you actually use when you are out and pack only those items. The cosmetics you decide to keep in your hand bag go in a brightly colored cosmetic bag in lightweight material that’s easy to spot. All those quarters floating around in your handbag add up. Have enough change on hand for an emergency phone call, but start a tip jar for all that spare change that’s weighing your purse down.

Carrying less stuff has the added benefit of giving you more choices in the handbags you wear. From now on you will be able to select a handbag on it’s stylishness, not it’s ability to contain a carry on suitcase worth of stuff.

Lippin Large Lip Plumper

There are only two things I ask of a lip gloss, that it gives me some serious shine, and that it lasts for more than five minutes.  Lippin' Large by N.Y.C. does both of these things and it's less than $5.00!     The gloss goes on sheer enough to let some of your natural lip color show through.  As for it's plumping abilities, the cinnamon and ginger ingredients created a pleasant tingling sensation on my lips for a little while, and there might have been a slight increase in volume, but I would recommend this more as a gloss than a lip plumper.  Look for it as mass retailers like Ulta. 

Lippin Large Lip Plumper

There are only two things I ask of a lip gloss, that it gives me some serious shine, and that it lasts for more than five minutes.  Lippin' Large by N.Y.C. does both of these things and it's less than $5.00!     The gloss goes on sheer enough to let some of your natural lip color show through.  As for it's plumping abilities, the cinnamon and ginger ingredients created a pleasant tingling sensation on my lips for a little while, and there might have been a slight increase in volume, but I would recommend this more as a gloss than a lip plumper.  Look for it as mass retailers like Ulta. 

Sonia Kashuk Trio is a Beauty of a Bargain

Sonia Kashuk's coordinated three piece colllection simplifies the makeup process by including a face powder, blush and concealer in one neat little stack of containers that screw together.  After applying the concealer I noticed there were yellowish undertones in the concealer to counteract the bluish tones of undereye circles.  The overall effect looked natural, not like I had light patches under my eyes.  The face powder and blush are made out of a finely ground power that goes on sheer.  When I bought the light porcelain palette I had concerns that the pink blush would make me look rosy cheeked in a sunburned or had one too many beers kind of way, but the powder is so sheer, I didn't feel overly made up after applying it.  The Sonia Kashuk  sells for $14.99 and is sold exclusively at Target stores.

Improve Your Finances While You Wait

In an instant gratification culture, waiting for anything is viewed more of a nuisance that an opportunity.   But standing in line or sitting in a waiting room for an appointment provide the perfect opportunity to take a moment to make some money savvy moves.  Here are a few suggestions for making the most of your wait.

Find useful articles on the web about money saving ideas or finances in general and print out those articles for later when you inevitably find yourself in a waiting situation.  Check out stretcher.com or bankrate.com for articles.  Keep a few articles in your purse handy so you can skip the outdated magazines in the waiting rooms of you dentist's office the next time you visit.  If you have a bunch of receipts floating around in your purse, gather them together and organize them by type, gas for example, or retailer, Walmart for example.  Now organize them by date.  When you get home put the receipts in a coupon organizer or separate envelopes.  If you need to return something it will now be easier to match the receipt to the item.  Read the rest of this article.

Improve you Finances While You Wait

In an instant gratification culture, waiting for anything is viewed more of a nuisance that an opportunity.   But standing in line or sitting in a waiting room for an appointment provide the perfect opportunity to take a moment to make some money savvy moves.  Here are a few suggestions for making the most of your wait.

Find useful articles on the web about money saving ideas or finances in general and print out those articles for later when you inevitably find yourself in a waiting situation.  Check out stretcher.com or bankrate.com for articles.  Keep a few articles in your purse handy so you can skip the outdated magazines in the waiting rooms of you dentist's office the next time you visit.  If you have a bunch of receipts floating around in your purse, gather them together and organize them by type, gas for example, or retailer, Walmart for example.  Now organize them by date.  When you get home put the receipts in a coupon organizer or separate envelopes.  If you need to return something it will now be easier to match the receipt to the item.

At the beginning of a movie on DVD, do the previews for other movies take as long as the movie itself or does it just seem that way?  Commercial breaks on TV are almost as bad. If you are watching TV alone and it's not a social occasion, break out those unpaid bills and start writing checks during commercials.  By the time the movie starts or TV commercial breaks finish, you should be caught up on your bills.  If you have any kind of wireless device with an internet connection, like a laptop, go online to do a little comparison shopping for rates on credit cards, checking or savings accounts.  Or check your own credit rating online.

While waiting in line at the grocery store see how many coupons in your purse match the items in your shopping cart.  Check and see that the coupons aren't expired.  You might find out a coupon is expired and decide against the item after all.  This also saves you the hassle of digging through a bunch of coupons when you are ready to pay and possibly missing one that you could have used.  When waiting in line to check out, pick a register that has a magazine rack next to it.  Skim the magazines while waiting to see if they have any article of interest.  If they do, write down the name and month of that issue so you can later look up the article online without having to buy the magazine.  Not all magazines have both print and online articles, but it's worth checking out online to save a few bucks.  A lot of magazines will pay for tips readers send in or recipes.  While you're skimming magazines, look for ones that pay for good ideas and make a note of the their web site if you would rather get the information off of the web than pay for a magazine.  The next time you find yourself in a waiting you can write down all those great tips you have so you can send them into the magazines for money.

Money is valuable, but not nearly as valuable as your time.  The next time you find yourself in a waiting situation, ask yourself, "How can I use this wait time to my advantage?"

Banish Bad Hair Days with the Click of a Mouse

Anyone who has been on the receiving end of a bad haircut knows that there is little comfort in the fact that in 6 months your hair will have grown out and look considerably less horrid.  For any woman who want to find out that a pixie cut is sooo wrong for her before subjecting her hair to a stylist scissors, Makeover-matic from ivillage.com lets you try hundreds of different styles for free.  You can choose a virtual model to do the dirty work of modeling some of the most regretable styles around just for laughs, or you can scan your own picture into the program for more serious research on what lengths and colors are the most flattering for you.

I'm sure StyleBell Blog isn't the only hair related blog around, it's just that after reading this well rounded well written blog, I didn't feel the need to check out any other hair blogs.  The authors are passionate and knowledgable about their subject, covering everything from celebrity styles, helpful tips, tools and products to video demonstrations of techniques.  If you somehow manage to have a hair related question that is not addressed among the staggering array of subjects covered, they accept questions from readers.

One thing I like about the hair styling instructional videos at totalbeauty.com is that they don't sound like infomercials.  The stylist explains briefly what type of product to use but no brand names are mentioned.  In some of the videos the hair stylist demonstrates a technique, like flat ironing a section of hair, then the model repeats what the stylist has done, thus proving that the style can be achieved without a personal stylist standing by to fluff and spritz you with hair spray.

Banish Bad Hair Days with the Click of a Mouse

Anyone who has been on the receiving end of a bad haircut knows that there is little comfort in the fact that in 6 months your hair will have grown out and look considerably less horrid.  For any woman who want to find out that a pixie cut is sooo wrong for her before subjecting her hair to a stylist scissors, Makeover-matic from ivillage.com lets you try hundreds of different styles for free.  You can choose a virtual model to do the dirty work of modeling some of the most regretable styles around just for laughs, or you can scan your own picture into the program for more serious research on what lengths and colors are the most flattering for you.

I'm sure StyleBell Blog isn't the only hair related blog around, it's just that after reading this well rounded well written blog, I didn't feel the need to check out any other hair blogs.  The authors are passionate and knowledgable about their subject, covering everything from celebrity styles, helpful tips, tools and products to video demonstrations of techniques.  If you somehow manage to have a hair related question that is not addressed among the staggering array of subjects covered, they accept questions from readers.

One thing I like about the hair styling instructional videos at totalbeauty.com is that they don't sound like infomercials.  The stylist explains briefly what type of product to use but no brand names are mentioned.  In some of the videos the hair stylist demonstrates a technique, like flat ironing a section of hair, then the model repeats what the stylist has done, thus proving that the style can be achieved without a personal stylist standing by to fluff and spritz you with hair spray.