Fashionista on a Budget

Overspending on fashion these days is a no-no. In this economy, grabbing that oh-so-red hot Marc Jacobs for bag can affect your financial future, no matter how good it feels at the time. You’re a fashionista on a budget. You’ll have to adapt, all while maintaining your fabulousness. To get the most out of your fashion dollar, try the following tricks to be a fashionista on a budget. Sample Sales If you want designer duds, the best way to get them is at a sample sale. Waiting until they go on sale at the regular retail store will only get … Continue reading

Cheap Ways to Freshen Your Home for Spring

While the calendar is promising spring, here it still seems like winter. I can’t wait until I am able to open the windows and let the fresh air circulate through the house for hours. It is one free way to instantly freshen up our home. While the new catalogues that come in the mail are promising all sorts of ideas for freshening up a home and getting it ready for spring, I think I am going to stick with the free and the cheap. This way I can still have a nice fresh house, but can also save my money … Continue reading

Snowing in Spring…Adjusting Our Frugal Plans

It is a few days past the official start of spring, and I am looking at a wintry wonderland just outside my window. The salt trucks and plows have been by, but they have to be diligent. Already the driveway and roads are covered with white. Despite about three inches of snow on the ground already and more to come, schools are not closed today. There is no excessive wind, and we are used to snow. The weather has been wrecking some havoc with our spring frugal plans. We can’t get started on our garden, and may lose out on … Continue reading

Downtown Disney to Expand into Disney Springs

A few years after it announced and then scrapped plans to reformat Pleasure Island, the official Disney Parks blog has revealed that Downtown Disney is getting an upgrade.  A years-long project will transform Downtown Disney into Disney Springs, an even larger shopping and entertainment district. Downtown Disney is so popular with Florida residents and Disney World guests alike that it was time to expand.  Don’t worry about suddenly needing a ticket to get into the area: just like before, Disney Springs will be open to the public (though individual entertainment venues still might require tickets for entrance). Tom Staggs, the … Continue reading

Spring into a New Wardrobe for Less

Putting together a spring wardrobe can be exciting, especially when you have the budget for it. But what do you do if your finances are tight? Get creative of course. Here are several ways to spring into a new wardrobe for less. Use Transitional Pieces Extend your winter wardrobe into spring by using transitional pieces, such as swapping our darker colors for light or investing in an inexpensive scarf that will give you a pop of color. A different shoe may also update a winter look for early spring. Use Trends Wisely Patterns are really big in fashion this spring, … Continue reading

Getting Ready to Shop Yard Sales

I am anxious to visit my first garage sales of the Spring, look through other people’s stuff and get some shopping done. I usually look for children’s clothing and small househol d items, but sometimes our hunt includes other things, such as a snowblower or particular toy wants from the kids. Since I have all of this downtime before anyone around here has the confidence of hosting a yard sale without cold or snow, I’m going to be using that time to get my yard sale list together. The list will have any wants or needs on it, including the clothing … Continue reading

SoCal Spring Break Without Breaking the Bank

Are you ready for spring break 2013? I’ve been ready since November 2012. I would do just about anything to escape the brutal cold and ever-present snow that has smothered our neck of the woods for the past four months. Are you with me? If you need a reprieve from Old Man Winter, but don’t have a ton of cash to fund a luxurious spring break getaway, consider the plethora of travel deals being offered in sunny Southern California: March 7-10, 2013:  Enjoy the magic of Oz on picturesque Coronado Island.  Next month, the Coronado Cultural Arts Commission is presenting … Continue reading

Getting Road Trip Ready

I just realized today that in just a couple of weeks, my husband, the boys, my parents, and I are going to embark on the biggest adventure that we as a family have ever had. In the past, I have pretty much been a seat of the pants type of girl when it comes to travel. I am not sure if that is such a wise approach to take on a road trip from Vermont to Florida that involves four adults and two kids, so I am beginning to do a little bit of planning. There once was a time … Continue reading

Get It While It’s Free This Fall

Nothing catches a penny pincher’s eye faster than the word: “FREE.” They say that nothing in life is free, and when it comes to the world of travel, that’s typically the case. However, every so often, opportunities present themselves and you really can get something for nothing. The following freebies turn the spotlight on fall travel, and prove that you don’t have to drain your wallet to enjoy a seasonal holiday adventure: NEW YORK: The Jane in New York City is helping you experience fall’s glorious colors without breaking the bank. The six-floor West Village hotel is offering complimentary bicycles … Continue reading

Getting Ready for Fall Cleaning

Although the fall season isn’t quite here, it is definitely on the horizon. Here in my neck of the woods the temps are supposed to start dropping this weekend, a sure sign of what is to come. One of the things I do in the fall is what I call “fall cleaning.” It is similar to “spring cleaning,” but with a little bit of a different emphasis. You see, I’m getting the house ready for the colder months in which the windows will be shut and we will be spending more time indoors. What I do during fall cleaning is … Continue reading