Special Savings: Sears

I am passing on some special sale info which Sears sent me for you guys!

Here are the sale details:

Sears Family & Friends Night Sale – Online from Saturday, March 20, 8 PM CT to Monday, March 22, 4 AM CT; in-store Sunday, March 21, 6-9 PM

Link to site – http://www.sears.com/vip

Link to PDF coupons - http://www.sears.com/ue/home/31010_f&f_flyer.pdf

Link to in-store bonus savings passes - http://www.sears.com/ue/home/031010_f&f_coupon.pdf

Plus, there’s an online Sears VIP contest where you can win up to $1,000 in gift cards by simply inviting your friends to check out the Sears sale – the contest starts Tuesday, March 16, and ends on Sunday, March 21: http://www.sears.com/vipcontest

The extra $ off is in ADDITION to clearance prices, in most cases.

Here are some of my favorite picks from the site (some on sale, some regular price but remember you should get extra off with the savings pass info above):

HOME & GARDEN:

Enliven your bed-making experience with these gorgeous patterned sheets starting at $14.99 (twin)- savings of 50% before any additional discounts:

This beautiful shade of periwinkle will bring some cool color to your kitchen area, or use it as a decorative fruit bowl or centerpiece on the dining table. $29.60:

Serve in style with this graphic bird-design platter, $24.99:


Keep those receipts organized by month so you can examine your spending! Expanding file by Smead, $2.49 (these are like $7 at the drugstore!):

Stock up on gorgeous shantung throw pillows, only $14.99:



Another gorgeous decanter option, $27.98:



I refuse to use paper napkins, and I'm obsessed with butterflies, so I adore these napkin rings, $26.99/4 (also available in dragonflies and other nature-inspired elements):




APPAREL:

Gorgeous plum-pink-hued satin party dress, $29.99 (sizes 10 and 12 only remaining- act fast!)

On-trend, this tuxedo jacket will create gorgeous curves on a boyish figure, $29.98:


How impossibly cute will this classic houndstooth tweed skirt be next fall? For $4?! You'd be insane not to buy it now (still available in sizes 10-18):

Stock up on soft, classic tees at a great price, in 5 colors & 4 sizes, $3.99




If you love ruffles and magenta as much as me, this jersey-blend tee for $9.99 is perfect.




...And how STINKIN' cute is this rose-embellished ankle-strap stiletto?? $24.99

Enjoy a little spring shopping with less guilt!

Happy saving :D

Tightwad Tuesday: Wine in a Box

If you are a wine drinker, an excellent way to save cash is to buy boxed instead of bottled. Some of the most prolific and popular American vineyards, such as Turning Leaf and Woodbridge, are beginning to offer most of their varieties in a box (with a bag-and-spigot system housed inside). The advantage is that the wine stays fresh longer because it is not exposed to air until poured, and the transportation costs and fuel expenditures are far, far lower without the glass—one large box equals four to five bottles but weighs only as much as one or two.


Hopefully some of the smaller craft vineyards will catch on to this trend. I've seen some from the Pacific Northwest embracing non-glass packaging technologies, selling .75 liter lined cardboard containers. Some purists and sommelier-types likely demur, but proponents claim that the new methods are superior to cork, which can degrade and crumble or allow oxygenation to spoil the wine. For some good information on the method and its advantages, check out About Boxed Wine. There is also a Chowhound discussion on the subject.

You could always invest in a lovely decanter set so that no one but you ever has to know the source of your party libations. Here are some options in several price ranges (click pics to buy):

Mirabel Decanter from Crate & Barrel, $36.95

Bohemian decanter from Pottery Barn, $29.00



Riedel Vivant decanter at Target, $16.99



Milk glass decanter at Swanky Lady Vintage on Etsy, $10

"Swanky Vintage Pressed Glass Decanter" at To Hell in a Handbag on Etsy, $7

(For more awesome inexpensive vintage options, check out my Etsy favorites!)

If you really can’t abide your wine a box, consider a simple, inexpensive table wine. The French don’t drink expensive wine at every meal; usually it’s the equivalent of what those in the know dubbed “Two Buck Chuck,” the Charles Shaw brand sold at Trader Joe’s. Not every store is permitted by town bylaws to sell alcohol, unfortunately, but if one near you does, stock up on this perfectly decent brand for $2-3 a bottle. In general, except for on special occasions, try to stick with wine produced in your own country (in your own area is even better if you are on good terroir), to reduce the transport impact.

Happy cost-cutting and crystal-shoppin' :)

Money Monday: Money for Nothing

Even if you’re living paycheck to paycheck, it is unspeakably essential that you start setting aside anything you can, for retirement and in case of a layoff or medical emergency, even if those possibilities seem less remote than imminent starvation. (Difficult to care about social security shortfalls when you want to gnaw your own arm off for sustenance, I know.) The simple math facts are that the earlier in life you begin to save, the less you actually have to put away in the long run in order to have a decent retirement (or at least hopefully not die naked in a ditch). So even if it’s only $20, which you make returning cans or forgoing one latte per week, start a savings account and contribute to it regularly. Do it NOW.


I’ve had an account with ING for a year now, and I couldn’t be happier. They pay a slightly higher interest rate than most banks because they are online only and don’t have to support expensive edifices. They also usually hand you $25 or $50 for joining or adding a checking account… email me for a referral and we’ll probably both get some dollars ;) There are other options- check out this article for comparisons. You could start a regular savings account at your brick-and-mortar bank too, but my favorite thing about ING, pointed out recently by my financial guru, Ramit Sethi (of I Will Teach You to Be Rich), is the “Bucket” system.

For someone very visual and very Virgo like me, being able to move money in and out of labeled accounts within my savings account (they call it opening a “new one but it’s just a sub-account) is the best method of saving for specific goals ever invented. It's like having jars labeled "Summer Vacation,"House Down Payment," "In Case My Job Goes Up in Flames," "Car With Four Wheels," except you can't steal quarters for laundry or bus fare out of them.

My new “buckets” are the main “Dez-Savings” that I transfer money into, and then:

VACATION

HOME IMPROVEMENT

EMERGENCY

WEDDING

My dream dress by The Secret Boutique on Etsy, $650 (custom)

Right now I have a month and a half’s pay in Emergency, slightly more in both Wedding and Home Improvement, and about week’s pay in Vacation. If I hadn’t diverted $1000 to my Roth IRA to buy a target-date mutual fund (more on this when I discuss Ramit’s book in detail), I’d be a lot closer to re-doing the kitchen, setting an actual wedding date and location, and planning a honeymoon. Oh well. It seemed like the thing to do at the time, but it took a great deal of straining against impulses for instant gratification.

If you’re one of those lucky people who has achieved most of the improvements and toys and sojourns that your heart desires and you have money languishing in a savings account, even a high-ish interest one, you should probably move some of it out into a Roth, CD, or other investment. (By the way, I am a firm believer in having some fun money in the market: I bought a tinch of Harley and a wee bit of Victoria’s Secret stock when I was in my early twenties, and I hang on to them, in addition to my more sensible holdings. They say buy what you love, don’t they?)

The next thing to do, once you have set up your savings accounts, is to find ways to cut expenses and up your income so that you can increase your rate of savings. You simply must track your expenses. Some people really like to do so electronically, through a service like Mint or their own bank’s online statements. The only problem with this solution is a little-known ethical one: most small business owners are charged several dollars per debit or credit transaction by the issuing bank or the card machine leasing agent. They have to take cards because “no one carries cash anymore” but they lose money on every transaction. This eliminates their already-miniscule profit margins and helps to drive them out of business, destroying neighborhoods and contributing to the Walmartification of America.

If you can get off of the debit card habit, give yourself a cash allowance and keep strict track of how much you have on you and how much you’re spending on incidentals. If you run out, examine where it all went. And try to do a little bit better next time (or re-evaluate whether your allotment is realistic). Think of your spending like you’re on a business trip and will have to account for every penny or it’s lost to you forever. Learn to ask for a receipt every time and to collect them in a centralized place (if you find a gorgeous flat wallet or pouch or a small notebook with a pocket , you’ll adore looking at it so much you’ll remember to put the receipts in it. Hopefully).

Pink Giraffe wallet clutch by DesignSK on Amazon, $13.99

Growing your savings is akin to tending a garden: plenty of work-- but in the end, enjoyable. Do avoid fixating on the long-term—retirement— so much that you forget about surrounding yourself with beauty, rest and relaxation, and the occasional rich meal prepared by someone else or good bottle of imported wine that makes life worthwhile.

Happy saving!

Kitchen Renovation Plans

A minor renovation on my eentsy-weentsy kitchen in my weird little condo has been a savings goal for a while now. Incredible size limitations prevent any true structural changes or appliances wider than 24," so the changes will be strictly cosmetic. Its sole saving grace is that the cabinets are classic and white and not some god-awful oak veneer or something. I replaced the knobs long ago with oval brushed nickel ones from Target (updating that horrid shiny brass hardware goes a long way for very little!) and this weekend I scrubbed the tops of the cabinets (as mentioned yesterday), with so much force that a day later I can't lift my arms above my waist (as not realized until today). But it was worth it for my beautiful, clean new display shelves:





The "before" having been a jumble of appliances, tupperware, picnic baskets, egg cartons and various other flotsam and jetsam, this "after" is quite nearly a miracle.

In a similar divine-intervention-required way, I plan to turn the little drab grey hovel (flecked grey formica countertops, grey tile backsplash with black trim, grey dingy once-white walls) into something bright and colorful (I did already put up the framed butterfly shown, which is very real and quite dead and was caught and pinned by my grandfather):

There's good light from two side windows, and the white cabinets and (staying-white) appliances reflect it well. Of course my space is only eight feet square (sigh). I'm thinking a mosaic backsplash in oceanic colors, and mirrored or decorative tin tiles behind the stove. countertop. I am incredibly enamored of Silestone countertops and especially their cobalt blue options, but recently learned that blue is least favored for kitchen colors because of its suppressive effect on appetite. Who knew? (Also, not such a bad thing if you're home alone, right? But I suppose you want other people to want to eat your cooking). So, I'm leaning more toward Dali which is white with recycled glass bits:

"Enjoy," "Dali," and "Stellar Marine" by Silestone USA

I'd love to carry the hardwood from the rest of the condo through the space but I think it might just be too small. I'd like to do a 12" stone tile on the diagonal to try to make it appear at least slightly larger. And a white sink, most likely. I know everyone is into stainless for everything but I just think the kitchen is too tiny to pretend it's industrial. I'm sticking to cottage charm if I'm going to have any luck of turning it around to a renter or buyer!

I'm also working on creating my own triptych as the backdrop for the glass and silver collection atop the cabinets. Here's a rough workup:



...and the work in progress:



...More on creating your own acrylic masterpieces at another date.

Hope Springing forward treated you alright today! Let me know what DIY projects and renovations you're taking on or just dreaming about! Do you play around and create covetous lists on Polyvore?

Fun fact: Losing just one hour of sleep makes people much more dangerous on the road the next day (so be careful out there)! The exactly parallel effect occurs when we Fall Back - there are the same percentage fewer accidents as there are more after the clocks Spring forward again!

Quick Thrifty Tip: Caring for your Silver

Whilst staging my above-cabinet vignette this rainy Saturday, it became necessary to give my silver collection a polish before putting it on display (once you start scrubbing one thing, you can't let the others not sparkle too, right?). I love silver and have a wine rack, footed chafing dish set and miniature tea set in this particular grouping, all of which needed de-tarnishing. (If you aren't aware, silver oxidizes when exposed to, well, oxygen, i.e., the air. You can combat this with your jewelry by wearing it often, rubbing it gently (the oils in your skin mitigate tarnish) and/or keeping it stored in an airtight container (plastic bags seem to work well). But if you're decorating with your silver you will (unfortunately) need to polish it.

The sensible, thrifty way to polish your silver (environmentally sound also, of course) is to eschew fancy chemical polishes that are near ten dollars (or crazy electrosometingorrather sink systems like the one my mom got scammed into when I was a kid) and simply take your nearly-finished toothpaste tube- the one that you've rolled already and have extracted every last possible morsel- and slice it up the side to the mouth and lay it flat as possible, and use a rag (you've hopefully been collecting holey shirts and socks for this purpose) to collect the remaining toothpaste, and polish away. Severe tarnish will take some scrubbing, but you should start to see shine come through the very dullest silver fairly quickly.

Left, unpolished (dull, blah) teapot. Right, post-toothpaste-treatment (bright! shiny!) teapot (please pardon crappy cell phone photo)

This trick works with nearly all kinds of toothpaste (save, perhaps, berry childrens' with crazy sweeteners and that sort of thing) from plain white to gel-ly blue. It's quite remarkable, and a great use of something you'd usually just throw in the trash. Wash in warm water and dry with a kitchen towel and you'll have your coveted shinyliciousness back! Repeat anytime your pieces start to look dull again- save your toothpaste tubes for a silver-polishing day! Which, by the way, you should schedule any time you have a cold. Inhaling menthol as you rub tarnish away leaves your nasal passages... very... clear.

If you have any special awesome thrifty hints, please share them- I might publish yours on the Cambridge MA Thrifty Living Examiner page- More info TBD!

Happy Saturday Night!

Thrifty at Home: Spring Cleaning

While the mercury here in the Northeast may protest that it's quite nearly Spring (this weekend, anyway- ~shiver~!), it's just about that time of year to start switching out your cold-weather wardrobe (if you're lucky enough to have decent storage) and to tackle some of the long-neglected projects you've been meaning to get to.

For me, this weekend is all about the kitchen. First of all I'd like to figure out what is making that absolutely god-awful smell in the refrigerator. Yeah, um... It was cleaned pretty recently but evidently since something has died. Here's my recipe for the ultimate fridge-scourer that costs about 41 cents and won't kill your birds, poison your children or pour horrid chemicals down the drain:

1 lemon, cut in half (visible seeds removed but not squeezed yet)
baking soda (you'll probably end up using 1/8th to 1/4 cup)


That's it. Sprinkle your baking soda over stuck-on food, mystery glops of ancient condiments, and anything that's not sparkling to your standards. Then start scrubbin' with that lemon half. The acid will react with the baking soda and do pretty much all of the work for you. A little elbow grease never hurts, though. Wipe your mess up with a dry rag or recycled paper towel (not to be preachy but really, try to buy non-virgin paper products and do your part change the demand in this country!) and then once more with a warm, wet rag to get up any leftover grit from the baking soda (or weird chunks of stuff you really don't want to think about).

This also works tremendously well in tubs for soap scum and that other weird crud in there. No more caustic, horrible-smelling spray bottles that shouldn't be around kids or pets and need ventilation to use (creeeepy, am I right?) ...and as an added bonus when you rinse your concoction down the drain you probably give your pipes a little flush with the remaining fizziness.

In addition to the fridge-scouring, I am tackling the tops of the cabinets. Last weekend was the fronts (amazing how much brighter the white doors were after a good scrubbing- who knew they had really turned greyish?) with the same general cleaning recipe- white vinegar can be used in the place of the lemon if you find it gets too expensive or wasteful to always use lemon halves.

So, apparently. if your cabinets don't reach the ceiling, and you never dust around the decorative platters and picnic baskets atop them , a certain sticky film overtakes them and every surrounding surface. A scrub brush, hot water and dishwashing liquid are really all it took to remedy this unappealing mess (and something along the lines of greased elbow lightning, I suppose, but think of the calories burned and teacher arm averted).

Next will be shelf liner and an actual decorating scheme including some of my collection of amethyst and cobalt glass and sterling silver (centered around the glass bowl found at Goodwill (discussed here):




...and then I swear I will dust regularly so as to never, ever have to go through this kind of intense scrubbing again.

Sadly I didn't have the foresight for before pictures, but I'll be sure to post some "after," if only so you can gawk at the astounding microscopic-ness of the kitchen itself.

I transferred a big chunk of money from my regular savings bucket at ING into my home improvement bucket, and I'm having visions of ocean-colored mosaic backsplashes and recycled-glass-flecked Silestone counters... sigh... Someday.

Happy productive weekend!

Dream Interiors: Home Office

Hello lovely Wicked Thrifty readers! Sorry to have disappeared on you for so very long. Living and work have kept me extremely busy lately. There are some major changes in store for my life and for this blog, too... first of all, you may notice I just said "me." Yep. The Royal We was definitely fun to write in, but after that (single, granted) negative comment I really started to wonder if it bothered people. According to the poll, a third of you loved it, a third of you didn't care one way or the other, and a third of you hated it. Not a very helpful poll :P But, since half the time when I was writing I had to go back to edit "me" to be "we," perhaps it was time for the change.

As far as life goes: that new title I'd mentioned a few times finally materialized (perhaps it was the Dress Smart book? Or a year's-plus worth of thinly veiled impatience?), so work has gotten even busier. Plus, during the past month I've been trying to climb back on the super-healthy bandwagon after noticing the scale creep up and the bad habits start to turn into a lifestyle. DANGER! Also, my fiance is moving into my apartment in two months-- I've lived there over five years now, so it's a major, major change involving the need for a massive yard sale and re-thinking everything. Not to mention that he wants to sell ASAP because he hates the place, so it's going to be a scramble to renovate and redecorate in order to attract either a renter or buyer so we can move into a place that wasn't built in 1860 and might have a closet to speak of or a doorway he might not smash his head into.

So... to that end, I've been obsessing rather inordinately over home decor, as well as food and exercise. Much less than fashion. (Although I do suspect that as soon as Spring shows itself, my singular fiend will be for a new wardrobe, having filled out the coffers with a dozen wool skirts but realizing the lighter options are meager!) You can expect that this blog will focus much more on those kinds of things (and my health-nuttiness when it comes to eating!)-- I hope you'll stay with me!

Today I thought I'd share a little inspiration board I've been working on (with clippings at home, re-created via Polyvore) for my "someday" home office.

This rug has been calling to me for many months. I could definitely also go zebra though (faux, of course). The general theme is obviously super-girly, hot pink, a little bit French provincial and a little bit goth, with feminine details but BOLD color. No pastels here, thank you. Most of the items pictured are decidedly NOT thrifty, but when and if I actually have a spare room to make into an office, I'll DIY most of these projects... Surely I can find a crap thrift store armchair and cover it with some sort of amazing flocked velvet. Tables with beautiful legs and lines can be sanded down and painted black or stained a deep, deep ebony. I'm sure I can create some kind of funky chandelier and spray-paint the whole shebang magenta, too. No doubt the curio will be the biggest investment, but maybe my fiance's friend will be done with his cabinetmaking course and will want to show off his new skills for a song... My biggest desire for this room, though (and actually for every room in my house) is a gigantic mirror with some kind of awesome frame on it. Sadly, large mirrors are hard to find and inordinately expensive. *Sigh.* Let me know if you have any suggestions for a great source!

A girl can dream... and will! Happy home-decor daydreaming to you, too!