Fashion Friday - Watermelon Red

Friday was a fun day as I had a Watermelon Social at a facility that I work with and so I pulled out all the red I could find to match my theme (and make any watermelon splatters less visible!)  The great thing about this outfit is nothing I am wearing is new!  I have had the top, shoes and accessories for several seasons but I think I have worn the top only 1 time the shoes only 1 time. I love the shoes but never seem to have anything to wear them with so Watermelon Social Friday they were called up for duty!  The Necklace I am wearing my sweet daughter,Piper Ellice, gave me many years ago and it has special significance in the number of stones.  The gorgeous ring I am sporting I found at an estate sale about 3 years ago and it was a steal! Of course, my bracelet stack is, of course, on duty too! 

Being dressed in so much red brought lots of  compliments all day on Friday and I think I might have to incorporate more of it into my wardrobe!  Hope y'all are having a great weekend!!!! 

Fashion Friday - Frugalista Style!

I almost didn't get to  make a Fashion Friday as these photos were taken quickly, in the early morning, as I was rushing to get my DS2 to the airport before my work days started.  You may ask why I call this "Frugalista Style," it is because this is one of the fun outfits I have been wearing and it is almost exclusively a Cato Fashions find!  I love the pretty floral, flowy, top with extra cute details on the sleeves along with the stack of bracelets that include a coordinating tassel for this year's nod to the tassel trend.  The necklace that you can't really see is a another cute Cato find along with the hoop earrings that are all in rose gold. The pants are some that I love because they are "extra" with the detail at the hem and a tiny bit of bling which, as you know if you have been reading long, I just love.  Of course, I can't forget about the shoes because "it is all about the shoes..."  I was lucky enough to find the perfect blush pink pumps with the Marc Fisher Tuscany Pump!  They have come in so handy this season as that color seems to everywhere!

The only caveat I have about Cato Fashions is that they don't carry a lot of smaller sizes in my local stores.  The pants are actually a size too big but since the top is so flowy it isn't apparent.  I wish I could find more things in my size in store, rather than having to order to get the smaller sizes.

Frugal Friday!!!

How was your frugal week?  Mine was pretty good.  We only ate out 1 time and that was actually delivery of pizza for the National Championship Game (CLEMSON WON, in case you had not heard...just saying!)
,
So my big savings was food this week.  I only picked up the basics that we needed as we needed them (last night on the way home from work I made a quick stop for fresh lettuce, tomato, dog food and milk.)  Otherwise, I shopped and planned through what was in my fridge, freezer and cupboard.  A couple of weeks ago, I went to the downtown farmer's market in my town and bought a meat pack from Orvis Hill Farms which guided me through my meal prep and gave the basis for a menu.  It was nice to have the freezer with meat in it but not so much that I felt no direction, so I think this "meat plan" may be a good way for me to plan and keep me from spending to much "on the way home from work."  A new meat traditional meat market just opened up in my town so I need to check it out because they often have "fill your freezer" deals that include a variety of meats and poultry. 

The downside of my budget was some unexpected medical expenses as both my sons had accidents (unrelated) that resulted in 3 sprained ankles between the 2 of them.  So, I had some drugstore expenses I didn't expect and angle braces are not cheap!  But, thankfully, no one was broken although they were in a lot of pain.  By the way, if you have  a Sonic close to you their ice makes the best ice packs and you can by it in 10 pound bags for under $2.00. 

Let me know your Frugal Tips!

Bringing back Frugal Friday!

I used to do posts on Southern Somedays for Frugal Fridays, but obviously since I have had trouble even posting regularly and my life has changed quite a bit since those days, I haven't kept up with that.  No better time that the New Year to bring back "Frugal Friday!"  Hopefully, that will encourage me to at least post regularly, not to mention help me keep my focus on living more simply and living more with less.

As 2017 is upon us, part of my New Year's commitment is to continue to grow in my financial knowledge.  I freely admit that I have been a complete and total flop with finances...but, I am learning, growing and improving! I have already been taking classes in personal finance and budgeting.  In 2017 I want to continue that trend and pay down debt and increase savings in any way possible.  Some of those steps are baby steps which may seem silly, but every step helps. 

 

Any one else planning a Frugalista Lifestyle for the New Year

and what is the 1st thing you are going to tackle?

 



Wading into Coupons

I used to be a devoted (and if I do say so myself, pretty successful) couponer.  Then we moved.  We moved to an area where the Sunday paper didn't come with a plethora of coupons just waiting to be piggy backed onto sales.  So, I fell out the habit.  But with the new year has come a desire to relearn the frugal practices I used to use and be a better steward of my resources. 

Last night I sat down, clipped my coupons (what few came in the Sunday paper, that is), looked through the weekly sale papers and decided what to get and where then headed out for my 1st stop on the coupon success train.  I took my 11 year old with me, warning  him that he would have to be patient with the process.  I knew it had been a long time since I had couponed as he didn't remember me ever doing it!  We hit CVS first and I think we did pretty good for our first time out in a long while.  Once he got the hang of the process he kind of got into it as well, not to mention it was a good learning lesson in translating money into fraction word problems as we went!  We saved $24.68 and got $15.00 in Extra Care Bucks back to use in the future and I got to stock up on things we definitely will be using in the future like body wash, makeup, tissues, etc. 

So, I feel pretty accomplished and am determined to get back on the band wagon and become the frugalista I have always wanted to be!!!  Oh, and I had forgotten what a high it was to save so much and come out of a store with a ton of things without spending a ton of money.

Thrifty Tuesday: Yard Sale Tally!

Last weekend I went to a yard sale (or garage sale or tag sale depending on your locale....here, they are called yard sales) and much to my excitement scored some pretty sweet deals!  I don't yard sale often because, quite honestly, getting up super early on a Saturday morning is never a strong suit of mine if it isn't completely and totally necessary and those yard salers are early morning folks!!!

Fortunately I got to take a "pre-sale" preview of this yard sale on Friday night and I think I did pretty good:

2 Price Pfister faucets sets that will work perfectly when we redo the boys bathroom $20.00 for both

1 glass juicer $.25

6 vintage ice cream dishes $1.00

1 barely used (if at all) wireless ergonomic keyboard and mouse (DH picked that out!) $2.00

1 adorable madras patchwork sundress $1.00

1 Oneida Silver Plate tea pot $2.00

1 pair NEW Sperry's $1.00 (YES, $1.00)

Grand Total:  $27.25!!!!  Ding! Ding! Ding!!!!

I am particularly excited about these vintage ice cream dishes.  The glass "bowl" actually comes out of the silver stand for cleaning. I am seeing these being just adorable on my holiday table this year...maybe not holding ice cream but a big Christmas ornament as a place marker!  Don't you just love finding unique things for a steal?

Retail Therapy Thursday!

I love a good deal, especially on designers that have a classic, preppy flair.  I am a big fan of "invitation only" sale sites and have gotten some good deals through them so I was excited to hear about the newest kid on the shopping block (LOL), Country Club Prep! I love their tagline, "All Preppy Clothing, All The Time!" It hasn't even opened its doors yet, but you can go ahead and sign up to become a member through this link, Country Club Prep Membership.   If you become a member now, you will be entitled to FREE shipping and returns for LIFE!  How cool is that? 

Become a Member HERE

Thrifty Tuesday Tip: Coupon Chief

Do you coupon?  I have to admit there was a time when I was a pretty good couponer and regularly devoted time to collecting and organizing my coupons and USING them.  Since we moved here a year and a half ago I have pretty much stopped.  Some of that has come from our local newspaper doesn’t have the hoards of coupons that our previous one did; also my shopping style has changed a lot.  I do a lot more shopping online, which is why I was very interested when I was contacted by Coupon Chief  and asked to check out their site. 

Most of the coupons I do use these days are from online sources. The Coupon Chief  site has codes for thousands of online retailers…even ones I had no idea had coupons!  One really neat thing about this site is that members comment, rate and validate coupons.  I can see this being a huge time saver as I tend to find deals that don’t work online which is a total time waster.

Also, Coupon Chief offers members users a way to make some money by sharing the great deals they find in their Pay to Share Program. It is hard to find every coupon/deal out there so members are invited to contribute and get paid for it!  The Coupon Chief offers 2% revenue earned made with any coupon you submit.

It works like this:

Coupon Chief Pay to Share Program

Coupon Chief is on Facebook!!!!

I hope some of you great, savvy online frugalistas can reap the benefits of all the great deals you find by sharing them with Coupon Chief!!!!  I know I really appreciate saving any where I can.

Frugal Friday!

I haven't done a Frugal Friday post in I don't know how long, and I think it is high time I bring it back!  Remember, the definition of Frugal is:

economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful:   Synonyms: thrifty, chary, provident, careful, prudent, penny-wise,. 

From that definition I draw the point that Frugal doesn't mean  being cheap or skimping on quality but rather being careful to get the best out of life in the most "prudent and not wasteful" way.  To me frugal doesn't refer to someone who is so tight fisted that they miss out on life, but rather someone who cares enough to shop wisely. Frugal means making carful choices about spending so that you can spend money where you most want to.  I know I would love to be thought of as someone who is "thrifty, provident, careful, prudent and penny-wise."

Today Frugal Friday comes from the beauty section. We all know how expensive cosmetics can be (even drugstore brands!)  Most of the time they cost so much I hesitate about "trying things out" and stick to tried and true; but now I have found a brand that makes me want to try out all the new looks for a price I can stomach.   I have been using Elf Cosmetics for the last few weeks and I have been very, very pleased with the quality and especially the price....starting at $1.00!!!!  I picked mine up at Target on a whim, since each product was anywhere from $1.00 to $3.00 I thought why not.  I didn't truly expect to get great quality at that price point....boy, was I wrong!

Source

This has become my go-to eyeshadow (in Butternut.) 

It brightens my eyes and is long wearing and perfect for every day at only $1.00!

Source

I bought this a few days ago just to try it.  I haven't ever used an eyeliner pen before (only pencils). Once I got the hang of application, I have decided it is wonderful and haven't gotten any dark smudges under my eyes as the day wears on.  Again...only $1.00!

Source

This is my new favorite tool!  This is the Total Face Brush
 and it is amazing!  I use it to apply powder and it is the softest
 and lightest brush I have ever used.  LOVE IT!  
Not to mention...it was only (you guessed it) a $1.00!!!

So, Frugalistas,  have you found any great buys in the beauty section lately? 

Check back next week when I share about my experiences in grocery shopping at ALDI!

Lilly Pulitzer and Amy Butler are coming to Rue La La!!!!

You may have heard me mention Rue La La at some point, in reference to their great designer boutique sales, but I thought I would mention it again in case any of you are looking freshen up your wardrobe (or fill some Easter Baskets) with Lilly Pulitzer or freshen up your home with Amy Butler linens (I don't know if any of her fabulous purses will be featured, but rest assured I will be checking it out!)

Rue La La is a private online shopping experience that features top name designer "boutiques" for very short periods of time at private sale prices.  Members discover new offerings daily - each available often for just a few hours or until the sell out.  Trust me when I sale the Lilly sale can be one that sells out VERY quickly.  IF you would like to experience the Rue way of shopping, click here for your invitation:  You personal Rue La La Invitation.  Once you are member you can sign up for email reminders or text messages to help you remember when to shop your desired boutiques!

Hurry, because the Amy Butler Boutique starts April 4th at 11:00 AM and Lilly Pulitzer Boutique will begin promptly at 11:00 AM on April 6th!!!  Happy Shopping, my frugal friends!!!!!!

My Weekend Haul...

DD and I happened upon a great Estate Sale on Friday and picked up some goodies!  I collect China Snack sets (they are going to come in handy one day when it is Bridal Luncheon time!!!) I am so excited to score some new pieces for my collection. 

 I got these 4 Lefton snack sets for $7.00.(available at Replacements, Ltd. for $14.99 each)  They are some of my favorites because the inside of each cup is a beautiful pastel that reminds me of dyed Easter eggs. 

I also got 2 more beautiful snack sets with 2 additional snack plates for a whopping $2.00 for all 6 pieces (available at Replacements, Ltd. for $23.99 each ) 

The Reed & Barton 104 bowl was my big splurge, at $10. When I went to this Estate Sale on the first afternoon it was marked $20.00 but when I went by on the second afternoon it was down to $10.00 so I took it home!  (available at Replacements, Ltd. for $31.99)

So for a mere $19.00, I feel like I got quite a bargain for some gorgeous and unique pieces! 

Doing the frugalista happy dance!

Deal Alert! Nail polish for FREE!

A friend of mine alerted me to this deal and it is a good one!  Zoya nail polish is offer 3 FREE bottles of nail polish if you "like" them on Facebook. I ordered mine this morning and only had to pay $6.95 for shipping on 3 FULL sized bottles of my choice of beautiful colors.  What a great way to try a new brand without risk.

Even if you aren't a nail polish wearer, these would make great Valentine's Day gifts or Easter Basket stuffers!  I got a jump on Spring and ordered some beautiful pinks!

Click here Zoya on Facebook to Like them and get the code for ordering.  Hurry,  it is a very limited time offer (expires tomorrow!).

GREAT deal!!!

Frugal Friday (prepping for Black Friday!)

I don't know how many of you are planning to be Retail Warriors next Friday, but Black Friday Ads should help you out if you will be joining the army of shoppers.  It has a copy of many Black Friday ads available already so you can plan your attack. There are also some great ads and list of online and pre-Thanksgiving ads to get your motor running! 

Onward, Retail Warriors!

Thrifty Thursday - Target Style!

One of my favorite things about Target is that they have great clearance sales.  I mean really GREAT ones.  I found this cute sundress today for a whopping $5.48!!! Yes, 5 dollars and 48 cents!  You just can't beat that. I do love finding fun clothing (you know the fun, trendy wear a few times clothing) for a steal.  Nothing makes my inner wanna-be-frugalista happier than some down right cheap retail therapy.

Of course, it is a bit longer on me because I am...uh, not tall. I think I was a descendant of a long line of elves!

**no endorsement paid for this posting

Edited to show you a photo of me wearing my $5.48 dress!

Opi and Nicole

I haven't done a product review in a really long time.  Maybe that is because my Retail Therapy appointments have been few and far between the last few months...hmmm? 

No matter, I love finding a deal and always like to pass them along.  Last week, I was in Walmart and had a coupon for Opi's Nicole nail polish.  Yes, OPI at Walmart!  I love Opi polishes and think they hold up just about better than anything, but with my recent frugalista lifestyle, I have avoided buying any so I was excited to try their Nicole line.  I had a $1 off coupon and was pleased to see that the price was only $6.50 anyway (yes, Opi for $5.50 was pretty exciting!).  I got a really fun hot pink color called "Playin' Hooky" which is just what this Spring starved girl needed.  So, I have been wearing it for a week and love how well it has held up (Opi quality!!!). 

Oh, yeah...I received no compensation for this product review...only a great new nail polish discovery!