Budget? What budget?!

Check out this article from the New York Post for great tips on saving cash.

Three things I'm going to try:

• Twitter, Twitter, Twitter. Meghan Udell of shoestringmag.com, suggests following feeds that alert you to great sales. Two faves: @cheapcheapcheap and @bearabledeals. P.S.: Their Twitter is @shoestring.
• BYO! Booze is always half the bill, says Post food writer Carla Spartos, so go to restaurants that let you bring your own, and remember how yummy $4 Boone's Farm is -- very yummy.
• Call and complain to a cellphone supervisor. If anything on your bill riles you up, call to bitch, but here's the key: Ask to talk to a supervisor, or even better a "customer retention specialist." They want to keep you, and most companies are willing to play ball. Spartos did this with T-Mobile on increased text messages, and the higher cost was reduced immediately.

(*NOTE - this works on credit card providers too - if you're looking to lower your interest rate, call and emphasize that you love the company and have been with them for years but a 15% interest rate is way too high . Emphasize that you're a faithful customer who'd hate to leave, but you're just going to HAVE TO if nothing can be done about the interest. You may need to talk to a supervisor but remember, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar, so play nice!)

Another thing that I've found helpful is to look at everything you might buy in terms of hours worked. If you make $10, how many hours will you need to work to afford those $80 shoes? 8 hours?!? That's a whole day of work! Do you really need them? Or, if you can't NOT have those shoes...try the Ramen diet!

Cheapskate city

In this article on CNN.com, Jeff Yeager, author of "The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches," gives tips on how to save $20k to $30k a year. Nothing he suggests is terribly groundbreaking, but his interview is interesting. The most interesting suggestion? Don't have a cell phone. Apparently the author is a mad man too.

Love of my life!

Love it

Today, I'm wearing a chunky wooden ring with faux mother of pearl and a large wooden bangle. I think it lends funky, unexpected twist the the same old outfit. On my wish list:

From sparklinglotusdesign on etsy.com

AND It's not too pricey! At only $25, this bangle is a great way to dress up last year's spring work outfits or for casual weekends. Frugality is the new black, remember that!

Shoppers Remorse

A few weeks ago I lost my self-control and shopped. Like REALLY shopped. I bought 2 pairs of designer jeans that I cannot afford...they weren't even on sale. I also bought the perfect LBD by Nicole Miller. The jeans, however, didn't meet my satisfaction...well, my bank accounts satisfaction. 7 for All Mankind Flynt jeans for $155 and Citizens of Humanity for $158...it seemed like a good idea at the time. The Citizens were, thankfully, on back order so I called Nordstrom and cancelled them. The 7's however, came in with my dress. I had to hold myself back from taking them out of the plastic, because I knew if i tried them on, I wouldn't return them. I couldn't afford to keep them, when I have a closet full of jeans that are perfectly good and wearable. I even have them organized in my closet in two piles: Designer and Regular.

It has been my mission, as of late, to own designer duds. Jeans, specifically, because I wear them all the time, they fit better and are extremely well made. I do, though, have to figure out a way to afford all of the designer threads I desire.

This is why, I need a majorly successful career.

I also believe, or it's just wishful thinking, that if I owned more designer clothing, I would be less apt to shop because I would want to get my money's worth out of the expensive things that I bought...

Does this make any sense???

Shoes!

Cue the one of the best YouTube videos ever.

I've given up shopping for Lent. I've given up shopping before. A few months before Christmas last year I didn't buy anything until I went Christmas shopping for others, and I didn't even go all out this year. I also didn't have a boyfriend to buy for so that made things a tad less expensive.

However, it is my own fault that I read fashion blogs and continue to read fashion magazines, basically dangling the carrot in front of the horse. I have yet to take the bait, but there are a few things I am jonsing for.

A killer pair of heels. My co-worker...damn her, has turned me on to Dolce Vita. Sigh. I also will need to replace my pair of Jessica Simpson heels that I have worn to death because they are so friggin comfortable. Shopbop.com also has lots of 7 for all Mankind jeans on sale.

I can't figure out exactly when I became a designer whore, but I just love how well made their stuff is...

I have also come to realize that I own about 3 of the same black "going out shirts."

My mission for spring cleaning is to organize my closet and actually get rid of clothing that I won't wear or haven't worn in a year. I recently just bought a shoe organizer for the back of my door. That came in handy, as now, I can actually see the floor of my closet. But to organize my closet I have to invest in one of those organizer things...

I can buy a tool box right? Do you think they come in pink?