A Great (and cheap!) Fall Date Idea

Fall is my favorite season and it's a great time to get outside! If you're looking for something to do outdoors try this cute date idea....

Apple picking! The orchard will provide you with bags and you can walk around for a few hours filling them up with apples. You might want to pack a picnic to enjoy while you're there as well. Then head over to the country store and get some delicious apple cider and spiced donuts. It's a great way to take in the fall weather, and something different from the usual dinner and movie date ideas.

Apple ripening season continues through mid October so you still have time to go! My boyfriend and I recently visited Masker Orchards in Warwick, NY - admission was free, parking was free, and the only thing we had to pay for was the bag of apples we took home. At about $25 a bag, it's a great deal and a perfect date!

Attention Shoe Lovers!

In one of my previous posts, I mentioned that I subscribe to email notifications from my favorite stores. Yesterday morning, I got an email from Nine West about a great deal going on this Thursday (tomorrow) 9.10.09! I couldn't resist clicking for more information when I saw the email subject -"want to win a $50 gift card?" Usually these type of promotions require you to spend a designated amount, but this time you can win the giftcard free of charge!

For New York Fashion's Night Out select Nine West locations will have Soles4Souls colleciton boxes for gently used footwear and at Nine West @ 5th/53rd the first 99 people to donate shoes will recieve a $50 giftcard for use at Nine West stores. Support a good cause with a simple donation and potentially score a giftcard for myself? Count me in!

Check out more information here about promotions at other Nine West locations around New York City. Happy shopping!

Where To Shop For Steals And Deals!

I think about shopping – a lot. Probably too much. So when I do have the extra cash to treat myself, I’m on the hunt for a great deal. I rarely buy items at full price and I find that I feel so much better about my purchase when I get it on sale! Here are my top resources for successful bargain hunting:

-Subscribe to email lists for your favorite stores or web sites. It’s free and they’ll send you coupons and sale alerts before non-subscribers hear about them! Some of my favorites…Nine West, Express, Loehmann’s, and Piperlime. I’ve gotten a few great discounts thanks to their email coupons.

-Join sites like Shop It To Me, Rue La La, or Gilt Groupe. These sites are revolutionizing online shopping - they get you the greatest deals from your favorite stores on the web. I promise you’ll find jaw-dropping discounts on top name designers. Many of these sites are invitation only so find a friend who belongs and have them send you an email invite!

-Shop at off-price specialty retail stores such as Loehmanns, TJMaxx, Marshalls, etc. These stores carry a wide range of name brand designer fashions and often offer coupons on top of their already slashed prices. My friends will attest I find some of my best pieces at these stores!

-Visit coupon web sites. Retailmenot.com is a good one that offers printable coupons as well as coupon codes for online shopping. You type in your shopping destination and they’ll come up with available discounts.

-Read style magazines. You can find discount codes in magazines such as People Style Watch Magazine or Lucky Magazine that have special offers for their readers.

-Shop Ebay or Amazon. See my previous post below!

Happy shopping!

For sale!

Ever heard the phrase, “one man’s garbage, another man’s treasure”?

If you have items you no longer have use for, consider selling them on a site like Ebay or Amazon. It’s a great way to put a few extra dollars in your pocket and your old items can become someone else’s newfound treasure. You can sell almost anything and you might be surprised what you get for it. Recently, I sold a slightly used Vera Bradley tote bag. Originally, I bought the bag, brand new for $48 and sold it on Ebay for $30. Not too bad! I started the bidding at $15 and in the last few hours of sale, there was a small bidding war and I was able to sell it for a nice price.

Whatever it is, you can probably sell it – someone out there will want it for one reason or another. So next time you do a ‘spring cleaning’ it might be wise to take a second look at your discard pile, is there anything you can sell?

A helpful reminder!

Are you strapped for cash, but the bills keep coming in? A good tip to remember is that you can always try to negotiate with your biller. For example, I recently received an unexpected bill from my doctor’s office for a treatment that insurance refused to cover. I was unable to pay the bill in full so I called the office and they agreed to let me pay in installments due over the next few months. I was able to breathe a sigh of relief and figure out how to work the expense into my monthly budget.

Just remember that especially with the current state of the economy, companies seem more willing to work with you because in the end they need to get paid!

Living on a budget

You made it through the college years on a dime and now you find yourself doing it again…living on a budget. You have a low paying job, bills to pay and you can no longer rely on your parents – that’s the situation I’m currently facing and the main reason I started this blog.

I recently moved into my first apartment and my bank account took a major hit. I’ve had to adjust my spending to afford rent, utilities, and a better social life. This is all in addition to my current bills which include loans, cell phone, and a nice credit card bill.

I figured blogging about my financial experiences might help myself stay on track and teach others that it can be done! It’s a struggle, but even those on a super tight budget (like myself) can afford to eat, play, and (gasp!) shop.