The Cheap Diva

Home Decor Goes Beyond Halloween

Halloween is sneaking up on us like a zombie and the selecion of cheap tacky Halloween related decor is just plain scary.  At a time when money is tighter than a black cat costume, the smart decorating choice is to invest in pieces that lend themselves to the Halloween theme without looking outdated the day after Halloween.

I can see this elegant Midnight Candelabra for $29.95 taking on a spooky air when adorned with fake spiders and blood red candles.  For a more sophisticated less spooky look, imitate this picture by using silver candles.  A black candelabra looks spooky on a red tablecloth, deluxe on a rich emerald colored tablecloth and bold on a black and white print tablecloth.

Pumpkin themed decor can easily serve as decor throughout the Fall, just as long as it's not a grinning jack o lantern.  Unlike a bright orange pumpkin, this white 3 oz. Pumkin Shaped Candle for $12.50 blends in with any decor.  Once the candle has been burned down, the chic little container can be used to keep your candy stash handy.

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Rich ruby red table lines like this Martha Stewart Collection Classical Holiday Damask Collection from $6.99 to $49.99 can enhance different moods depending on what they are paired with.  Topped off with a black candelabra (like the one pictured at the top of this post) or a bunch of black dishes creates a sinister effect.  Top off a red tablecloth with white dishes and gold accents, like a gold vase, chargers to go under plates, or a gold trimmed centerpiece such as a mini sleigh worthy of Santa, and the mood reflects a different holiday altogether.

Chic & Cheap Little Black Dresses from Anna Sui

Certain big name designer collections sold by Target had the look and feel of something that came off a Walmart clearance rack instead of a fashion runway.  Fortunately the Anna Sui for Target collection includes respectable quality pieces that look like they were designed by a famous designer.  I found myself falling in love with her black dresses, probably because it's so rare to find little black dresses that aren't a bore.

What gives this lined Anna Sui for Target Herringbone Dress for $59.99  a designer look are all the details.  Between the trims and mix of different fabrics it's clear that it took more than 5 minutes to slap this chic little number together.

What makes this Anna Sui for Target Seersucker Dress for $59.99 simply brilliant is that the visual interest comes from using a variety of textures, not colors or patterns.  Parts of the satin dress are trimmed with lace, pleated fabric or a velvet belt.  What you end up with is a sophisticated but very wearable dress that gets even more interesting upon closer inspection.

The houndstooth print on this Anna Sui for Target Houndstooth for $69.99 is HUGE.  What prevents the print from turning into an eye popping fashion don't is the restraint of the colors.  The contrast in pattern comes from having a shiny and a dull texture, not bright colors that that can look more clownish than chic when done in a supersized pattern. 

Clean Out Your Closet and Save Cash at Steinmart

Get rid of your old clothes and get a 20% discount on new ones at Steinmart.  Steinmart is helping the Salvation Army stock their stores with stylish clothing by offering customers 20% coupon for every item of gently worn clothing (Or in my case, never worn. I have stuff in my closet that's been sitting their forever with the tags still on them.)  Just bring your clean like new clothing to any Steinmart store October 1 - 3 and start shopping!  What I love about Steinmart is that they refuse to play it safe with their clothing selection by focusing on boring basics.  The clothes they carry have patterns, interesting colors and cuts at prices that were pretty reasonable even without a coupon.

The Allure of Big Money, Free Stuff and the Ultimate Beauty Cheat Sheet

The fact that modern women are more interested in making and saving money than snapping up expensive prestige brand products has not escaped the attention of magazine editors.  The October issue of Allure magazine includes a sweepstakes for $50,000.00, an opportunity to win a suitcase full of products, a $5.00 coupon good at ULTA and their annual Best of Beauty list which includes several budget friendly products.

This is a big change from years ago when lifestlye magazine editors basically ignored the needs of their readers and focused on trendy overpriced products.  Today magazines are practically bribing readers with coupons and sweepstakes.  I say keep the bribes coming!  Quality magazine content is nice, but it's even better when it's combined with cold hard cash and money saving coupons. 

Wall to Wall Style from Bed Bath & Beyond

I was suprised when I first heard a decorator say that you shouldn't decorate your family entertaining/media room with a bunch of family photos, but they do have a point.  An entertaining area should have the kinds of props that act as an open invitation to anyone who enters the room.  Entertaining related decorating accents that reflect your passions, such as album covers from your favorite band, give the room a playful vibe while pictures of cute smiling toddlers turn the room into a sentimental journey. 

Record Album Collectors Frame $29.99

I can see this Wine Enthusiasts Cork Board Kit for $39.99 in either an entertainment room or an elegant kitchen.  What makes this wall decor so personal is that it's a do it yourself kit that allows you to display your collection of corks from your favorite wines.  The kit comes complete with frame and glue.

 

To create a distinctly more grown up attitude to your entertaining area, try wall art a bit more on the sexy side.  This Martini Girls Mermaid canvas Wall Art for $39.99 lends a bit of old fashioned pin up glamour to your bar/entertaining area.

Think Pink with Proctor & Gamble

Proctor & Gamble has teamed up with the National Breast Cancer Foundation to support programs that encourage early detection of breast cancer, which increases a woman's chances of survival.  On September 27 a special Proctor & Gamble coupon booklet will be inserted into newspapers throughout the country.  For every coupon used 2 cents will be donated to NBCF.  I was fortunate enough to get my penny pinching hands on an advanced copy of the coupon book and let me tell you, it's packed with useful coupons.   What I love about this promotion is that allows you to support a great cause by saving money on the kinds of products you actually use, like cleaning, laundry, toothpaste and popular beauty brands.  For more information go to mypinkplan.com.   

Hip Hobo Bags

Stylish hobo bags never go out of style for one simple reason, women refuse to give them up!  Chic little clutch bags look cute on a fashion runway, but for the real world women want a bag that can contain their necessities and still make room for paperwork, snacks, and whatever else we accumulate during our busy days.  Here are a few hobo bags that are as big on style as they are on storage. 

The neutral colored animal print on this Francesca Large Hobo for $24.99 from Payless Shoes is versatile enough to take center stage with more subdued outfits or take a back seat to brightly colored tops and jackets. 

A big slouchy hobo bag can look a bit too casual with some outfits.  This Somerset Small Hobo for $14.99 from Payless Shoes is clearly no slouch.  The neat little design allows plenty of room for essentials, but doesn't allow any room for doubt that you are a woman who knows how to travel light.

 

Because hobo bags are typically big and soft sided, it's easy for them to look a bit sloppy and sloppy ain't chic!  The row of vertical pleats on this Angie & Lola Pleated Hobo for $34.99 give the bag the illusion of being taller and slimmer and more structured while the rich pewter color gives the illusion of being more expensive than it is. 

Does Getting a Job mean Losing Your Privacy?

I thought getting a part time job at a retail store would be a nice way to earn a little extra cash and maybe score a discount on chic clothes that are normally a little out of my price range.  I was all set to fill out an online application for my local Macy's store until I read their disclaimer.  It seems that when you apply for a job online you are automatically giving Macy's permission to sell your personal information, like name and address, to third parties.  In other words they use the information on applications to create mailing lists to sell to other businesses.  The online application didn't give me the option of not having my personal information passed on to third parties.  Third parties who I'm sure I would be hearing from in the form of annoying email, junk mail, or telemarketing calls whether or not I got the job. 

I didn't apply for the Macy's seasonal job for the same reason I don't sign up for online "job opportunities" that require me to give out lots of personal information without really guaranteeing me any specific amount of money for doing the job.  My goal is to make money for me, not make money for people who happily profit from selling my personal information without any benefit to me.

Warm up to Organic Living Candle Jars

Thanks to Organic Living Candle Jars you can fill your home with the scent of  Halloween candy corn long before trick or treaters start hoarding real candy.  Their long lasting soy based Candy Corn candle for $7.99 provides about 18 hours of the sweet scent. 

The Organic Living Candle Jars come in a variety of scents, but with Halloween just around the corner it's more fun to have your house smelling like candy corn than an ocean mist or driftwood and sand.  On the other hand their birthday scented candle might put me in a cake and ice cream frame of mind but minus all those annoying calories.

Wash Away Dull Looking Skin with Roc Multi-Correction Exfoliating Cleanser

My idea of the ideal facial cleanser would be one that combines the gentleness of a creamy cleanser with the effectiveness of an exfoliating cleanser.  I am happy to report that ROC has come out with just such a product.  The ROC Multi-Correxion Exfoliating Cleanseris designed to gently removes the top layer of dead skin to reveal the more vibrant looking skin underneath.  After using this cleanser my skin felt fresh and clean, but not aggressively cleaned I felt stripped of my skin's natural oils.

According to the package the cleanser is designed to prepare the skin for anti aging treatments, but exfoliating your skin is a good idea whether the next product going on your face is sunblock, a moisturizer or an anti aging treatment. 

Get the Party Started with Easy Entertaining Ideas

Pottery Barn provides just about everything you need to host a posh party including party themes.  Their Party Planner feature has 6 different themes to choose from including movie night and a Tequila Party for adventurous hosts looking for an unexpected alternative to the traditional wine and cheese party.   The party planner offers everything from entertaining ideas to suggestions on what foods and drinks to serve.  It would have been nice if they featured more than 6 themes, but I'll take 6 useful party ideas over a 100 ridicously complicated incredibly time consuming ideas (yes I'm talking to you Martha Stewart!).

Galvanized Metal Serving Piece $69.00.

How to Be Well Dressed for Less

A simple stylish dress is the perfect throw on and go piece that takes you from work to play by just changing a few accessories.

Dresses like this New York & Company City Style Belted Denim Ruffle Shirtdress for $56.95 have enough style to stand alone.  Or they can act as a stylish backdrop to bold jewelry, trendy belts and killer heels.

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The graphic design of this Merona Collection Ponte Dress for $32.99 makes fancy jewelry unnessary.  I can see it with a bold cuff bracelet and some simple stud earrings, but anything more would simply detract from the chic simplicity of the dress.

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The hourglass shape of this ladylike AB Studio Pleated Dress on sale for $34.99 gives it a subtle bomshell vibe.  A pair of pumps, a fabulous necklace and a belt that draws even more attention to the waist would enhance the bomshell look of the dress.

Get a Front Row Seat to the Lastest Shows with Online Fashion Videos

Style.com can be viewed in two ways.  The serious fashion addict looks to style.com for the lastest fashion news and pictures from major fahions shows.  The not so serious fashion addict looks at the runway pictures and videos for laughs as much as style inspiration.  Some of the clothes are laugh out loud ridiculous looking and some of the commentary from the videos reveals just how clueless the designers are.  When Italian designer Valentino retired the Valentino brand carried on with new designers.  The new designers showed a collection that was far more miminal and lacked the embellishments of the traditional Valentino look.  When asked about this the designers said the collection was not about the Valentino look.  Seriously?  You are a designer for the Valentino brand, the collection has the Valentino label on it but you don't want to create the Valentino look?  I wonder what the Italian word for irony is.

For slightly more wearable fashion inspiration, check out the videos at ralphlauren.com for style inspiration.  Ralph Lauren is famous for taking classic pieces and updating them in ways that won't make you look like a fashion victim.  Sure one model in the Safari Luxe runway show appeared to be wearing a roll of toilet paper wrapped around her head, but the rest of the outfit was quite wearable.  It's pretty easy to find cheaper versions of many of the classic pieces shown to create your own Ralph Lauren look without the designer prices.

Liven Up Your Lips Naturally with Terra Gloss Lip Gloss

   If you wear lipstick you probably consume several pounds of it over the course of a year.  The thought of eating all those unnatural ingredients in my lipstick isn't enough to scare me into giving up lip stick altogether, I'm a bit of a lip gloss addict, but it does scare me enough to check out natural alternatives.

I picked up a tube of Terra Gloss by alba at my local Target store for under $7.00.  Terra Gloss does not contain artificial colors, petrolatum or parabens.  Instead it contains minerals and shea butter for naturally luscious lips.  The color is slightly more sheer than a lipstick, but not as sheer as a typical lip gloss.  In other words, you can tell there is color on your lips but it's not as obvious as a lip stick.  The moisturizing formula feels a little greasy, but that's better than the thick goopy texture of some lip glosses.  It's fairly long lasting for a lip gloss.  Lip glosses aren't known for their longevity.  Instead of kissing your money goodbye with more pricey mineral based lip glosses on the market, try Terra Gloss and save money naturally.

Learn the Art of Saving at Z Gallerie

Enhancing your home decor with a little bling just got a little cheaper thank to Z Galleries' 20% Sale.  Home decor accessories regularly priced at $20.00 or more are now 20% off.   Z Gallerie always has a nice selection of shiny jeweled unapologetically glamourous home decor accents no matter what the current design trends are.  For a more subtle look, their stylish selection also includes plenty of pieces that don't look like they popped out of a jewelry box.   

Tierra Tray $29.95

 I'm not a big fan of expensive candles that eventually leave you with nothing to show for your money but a burnt wick after being lit.  After enjoying hours of the suble sophisticated scent of this soy based candle in this  Glass Icon Chandelier Candle for $24.95 what you are left with is an attractive decorative glass that can be used as a pencil holder or small vase after the wax is removed.  Collect enough of them and eventually you could use the empty glasses as a set of elegant drinking glasses.    

Instead of buying some bland boring jewelry box, why not buy one adorned with dazzling gems?  This Jeweled Jewelry Box for $29.95 reveals your glamourous side even when your own jewelry is hidden away inside.  Real or fake, diamonds really are a glamour girl's best friend. 

It Doesn't Pay to Participate in Survey Scams

You would think money making "opportunities" that allow you to be rich and lazy at the same time would have people lining up to sign up, but after a while people started to get sceptical about the idea of becoming obscenely weathy by working very little.   Nowdays scammers have to be a little more subtle in their promises in order to lure people in.  Instead of promising instant wealth, they offer opportunities to make a little spare cash in your spare time.  These more subtle scams attract even skeptical people because they sound much more realistic than the traditional get rich quick schemes.

Getting paid for surveys is a popular scam.  One type of scam attracts victims by announcing that it is completely free and there is no sign up fee to participate and have access to paying surveys.  Technically this is true.  If you want to participate in surveys that pay pennies for lengthy surveys then you won't have to pay a sign up fee.  If you want to have access to and participate in surveys that allegedly pay real money, then you have to pay a sign up fee.  

With survey scammers like cashcrate.com you have to buy products in order to review them.   Associatedcontent.com has an interesting article that goes into detail about cashcrate.com and how they really make their money.  Figuring out if a part time income opportunity is legitimate is actually pretty simple.  If they want your credit card information for any reason,  RUN!  I don't care what reason they give for needing your credit card information, a legitimate job opportunity shouldn't ask for that information.  To see if other people have had a problem with the company you are considering working for, just Google the name of the company with the word "scam" after it.  If several different people have complaints, learn from their mistakes and move on to more promising opportunities.

Argyle Sweaters get Updated for Fall

Argyle patterned sweaters with their classic diamond designs are being interpreted in fresh ways for fall.  The traditionally preppy pattern turns trendy thanks to bold colors big diamonds and easy to layer lightweight materials that allow you to mix things up a bit.

The raised edges on the diamond pieces of this Argyle Vest on sale for $26.70 from The Limited, give the impression that the diamonds were sewn together then turned inside out.  It's an unexpected twist on a classic design.

This Apt. 9 Mock-Layer Argyle Sweater Vest on sale for $29.99 from Kohls gives the illusion of wearing a blouse under a sweater vest.  It's actually a sweater vest with a collar and sleeves attached which eliminates bulk.  The tone on tone talk on the argyle pattern is far more subtle than bright colors but just as interesting.  The fact that the light diamonds running vertically down the center adds height visually is a real blessing to those of us who aren't blessed with super tall supermodel like figures.

The only thing subtle about this New York and Company City Style Dip Dye Cardigan for $42.95 is the dyed portion on the lower half.  The color contrast is dramatic, the diamonds are big and the sexy slim fit makes it clear that this is no frumpy cardigan.

Ava Living offers Personalized Decorating Advice for Free

Wouldn't it be nice if you could get free personalized decorating advice from an interior design professional who tailored their suggestions to your style, your personal space, and your needs?   At avaliving.com you can enjoy the benefits of hiring a personal decorator without the high cost.  In addition to decorating articles, avaliving.com has has a free service called Designer Room Reviews where you can submit pictures of different rooms of your home and get feedback from a professional designer about what is working about the room.  The designer also makes suggestions about paint color, furniture arrangement or anything else that would enhance that room.  It's like hiring an interior designer over the internet and never getting a bill!

Unlike glossy design magazines and slick web sites, the rooms featured in the Designer Room Reviews don't look like they came out of luxury mansions or historic homes.  They look like the types of rooms that real people with real life budgets actually live in.

Home Decor that isn't Hampered by High Prices

Recycling may make the world a more beautiful place, but it's wreaking havok on my kitchen decor.  Because of the small, almost microscopic size of my kitchen and lack of garage, I collect recyclable plastic containers in large garbage sacks that sits on the kitchen floor in plain sight.   I came across a solution to this home decor dilemma while reading an  article which suggested storing recyclables in attractive baskets that enhance the home decor.  An attractive clothes hamper from Bed Bath & Beyond with a lid offers discreet storage for containters waiting to be recycled or dirty laundry of course.  

At $79.99 this Faux Leather Hamper isn't exactly cheap.  Luckily it comes from Bed Bath and Beyond which frequently sends out 20% off coupons to customers who sign up for their mailing list.

This elegantly designed Arched Mahogany Hamper for $79.99 includes a removable laundry bag for convenience.  This handsome piece almost looks too tasteful to be storing cheap plastics or dirty laundry, but of course looks can be deceiving.

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Yes I did manage to find an attractive hamper for under $60.00 and here it is.  The removable lining of this Lamont Carved Willow Hamper for $39.99 provides the perfect background for the floral design carved into the front of the hamper.  It's design touches like this that prove that the humble hamper can make a style statement. 

Buy 2 get 1 Free at Bath & Body Works

The sweet smell of savings is everywhere at Bath & Body Works.  Right now they are having a buy 2 get 1 free deal on all of their signature scented products.  The selection includes creams, sprays in a variety of enticing scents. 

While serious scent addicts are free to stock up on their favorite full size sprays, I prefer their Fragrant Waters Roll-Ons for $7.50 a piece.  The portable purse size roll is perfect for casual perfume wearers like me who don't always wear perfume every day.  Because the bottle is so small I am likely to use it up long before it expires.  It's also the perfect accessory for perfume addicts who want to freshen up their scent on the go.

From Top to Bottom, New York & Company Has Great Deals

New York & Company knows how to keep Cheap Divas like me happy.  Just make lots of stylish clothes and put them on sale!  Right now New York & Company is having a special deal where you can buy one top or bottom and get the second top or bottom at half price.

By revealing the slightest sliver of cleavage, this NY & C Red Label Knotted Keyhole Top for $34.00 proves that you can be sexy and ladylike at the same time.  Even the somewhat macho, awkward pose of the model can't detract from the femininity of this top.

Stores are already displaying heavy sweaters and trenchcoats in anticipation of colder weather.  So if you are looking for light and breezy pieces like this City Style Chiffon Ruffle Sleeveless Tunic for $39.95, better buy it now before it disappears faster than a decent parking space at the mall during the holiday season.

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Polished enough for the office, but casual enough for comfort, these 7th Avenue Refined Straight Leg Pants for $44.95 redefine denim in a way that truly allows room for interpretation.  With a classic blouse and nice vest they are a chic addition to your career wardrobe.  With sexy heels and a slinky top that accentuates your curves, they make it clear that the work day is done and now it's time to play.