October 26, 2010
Winter is fast approaching, and while PiC regularly twits me about what I think is cold, we both know my winter wardrobe is woefully lacking. I have one really good knee-length BCBG coat, lined with a gorgeous silk, bought years ago, one hip length pea coat, a lightweight knee-length trench coat, and four sweaters of varying weight. In combination with a couple of basic scarves from H&M, I always figured that was good enough but that won’t do here.
Even if it doesn’t get much colder, SF will get much wetter! The rain has already begun so actual raingear is in order. For my upcoming travel to colder climes, a raincoat, a set of hat, scarves, gloves and boots are an absolute necessity. Time’s running out so I cracked my online shopping knuckles and got to work.
I’ve picked up three more long sleeved shirts from Ann Taylor marked down to the standard $20/shirt that I have had to pay for that kind of layer because I wear the heck out of the three long sleeved shirts that I currently own already. They’re already starting to show a bit of wear because they’re so frequently used. If I find a better bargain for equal quality, though, I’m happy to go with that! It’s a shame I don’t have time to trek out to the outlets.
One major coup was scored last week: I have acquired my very first pair of rainboots!
Thanks to the lovely PetiteAsianGirl‘s recommendation, I tried the dav City Rain Boots. I wanted them in classic black, but they were full price ($49.99) in black and on sale for $35.66 at Amazon where I could get free 2-day shipping in a different color.
Houndstooth is just as classic and a wee bit more interesting so I’m now the proud owner of these darlings:
I still don’t actually know what you DO with them, precisely … I wear slacks and trousers and hate carrying anything more than is absolutely necessary but would I have to wear socks with these and pack flats to change into? I only wear trouser jeans when I wear jeans to work – must I switch to skinnies so they can be tucked in? And then tromp around all day in them?
They don’t half baffle me when it’s for casual wear but take it to a professional level and I’m at a loss.
Anyway, I’m hoping the rest of the shopping will be as fruitful, bargainalicious and right-sized! Your recommendations for professional shopping destinations carrying petite sizes would be greatly appreciated.
Left on the list
Warm, lined gloves for small hands – preferably something waterproof as I hate having soaked, cold fingers
A nice hat, also preferably waterproof, good for 20-40 degree (F) weather
Thick, warm scarf that doesn’t shed.
1 more turtleneck
Down, quilted vest, I think these almost always run more sporty than professional but I’m going to need it.
August 16, 2010
The Season? No, probably not. In Calvin And Hobbesesque logic, I haven’t had a summer yet so it’s not allowed to become fall or winter. Nevertheless, Christmas and the associated gift-giving season (it’s preceded by a number of birthdays, mine included) is nearly upon us.
It’s already mid-August and I’m trying to decide if I’ve adequately covered Christmas gifts for the year. A couple weeks ago, the outlook seemed good because I was at Con and Con is where all Christmas shopping happens!
But now that I take a second look at the gifts I bought, that’s actually not the case.
I’ve got a good start on Comic BFF’s Christmas and birthday gifts, but still need about 4-6 more comics.
PiC’s birthday gift is set, but I still don’t have a fab Christmas gift yet. (Perhaps it’ll be a Making Greece Happen next spring by not taking any more days off between now and then?)
That’s pretty much it. Amazing how shopping over 4.5 days made me feel like I’d accomplished a ton – I’ve still got at least 4-5 more people to buy for, probably.
And, taking a lesson from last year, I’m going to insist PiC hand over his Christmas list by the end of the month because I’m not having a repeat of the post-Christmas shop fiasco wherein we were shopping the night of his gift exchange.
Is anyone else thinking about this yet?
August 10, 2010
While washing dishes, or really just scrubbing at the balsamic vinegar charcoal that PiC managed to burn into my new Corningware Simply Lite, I ruminated on the differences in our buying habits. This was prompted by the new tiny bottle of dishwashing liquid he set out last week to replace the last bottle of three he’d purchased while moving into his last abode more than 4 years ago.
I remember, faintly, taking him to the store and teaching him about doubling and stacking coupons, those many years ago. We bought those three small bottles for pennies on the dollar and I proudly sent him on his way with newfound knowledge of coupon clipping. I had no clue that, as a basically single person (we were LD at the time), he would not finish the stash until I moved up years later.
In total contrast, I’ve always shopped in bulk for household goods. Toilet tissue, any kind of cleaning supplies, detergents, Q-tips: anything that could be used up had to be bought in bulk because 4 people would go through the stash like nobody’s business. I reflexively calculate how many coupons I can gather before a grocery or household run, and figure out how to store it later.
The mentality was that if I was out of something, I had to buy enough for the whole household – never just that I had to replace my own. Besides, anyone with siblings knows that once the irresponsible sibling runs out of stuff, your stuff is toast. It was some form of self-preservation. (So was my well developed habit of hoarding and hiding the stashes so that said sibling couldn’t use it up when I wasn’t looking. MY root beer, dammit!)
It’s a bit disconcerting now when I shop with PiC. In a full-size household, I thought, you buy whenever the prices are excellent because you will need and use it. In a this-size household, I’m having to hold back a bit** and realize that we actually might not use three tubs of detergent before Christmas and that it’s not actually necessary to stock up quite as much as I used to.
**Except when it comes to canned tomatos and cereal. The man consumes as much cereal in a week as I do regular food. If he keeps eating at a 1 (my) bowl to 1 (his) box ratio, I’m going to have to start hiding a stash!
Just another oddity of this stage of my life! Watch, when I finally adjust, we’ll add more mouths to feed. Furry, slobbery, doggery mouths.
June 14, 2010
If I could carry a tune, I’d be singing the praises of this, the Corningware Simply Lite 3-quart dish and cover.
I alluded to my medical/physical condition in this post, but didn’t elaborate because I don’t want this to become a whine-fest. It might be helpful to know that fatigue, joint pain, muscle pain are all major players and are all chronic, now they’ve figured into my life for over a dozen years.
It’s become pretty severe. I can’t hold up a pot half filled with water with one hand, lift two five pound roasting birds out of the oven. Heck, some days, opening the beknighted refrigerator doors causes pain to spike into my shoulder. My cake and cupcake bake-a-thons are definitely a thing of the past. And this from the girl who once prided herself on doing anything her big brother could do, physically.
The biggest immediate effect it has on my financial life is aside from popping way more pain meds than I’m happy about, now that I’m cooking and cleaning every day, in other words, really running my own household, I need everything to be as light, durable and low maintenance as possible. It’s amazing how easily I forget my limits and cook too long, wash too many dishes during the course of cooking or clean-up and cause excruciating, emanating pain that doesn’t subside for hours. Days, even.
I refuse to let this prevent me from making my lasagna!
The hunt was on for the durable cookware, piece by piece, without breaking the bank or straining my joints. On that odd shopping trip to Target where I didn’t find much of anything else, we discovered Corningware’s Simply Lite line. Every other dish was already too heavy for me to handle, empty. By darn if the casserole dish in the size I wanted didn’t feel like holding a stack of paper plates. Perfect!
Unfortunately, Target wanted $27.99 for it. I couldn’t bring myself to shell out that much cash, so I thought: Macy’s sales+ coupons + gift card? Except a quick iPhone search listed the sale price as $36.95. Even worse. The lightbulb finally clicked on and I realized that if it was available on Amazon, I might find a better price, use my Swagbucks earned Amazon GCs, AND get the goods delivered within a couple days. Win, win, win, and WIN. The last win being getting what I want.
I’m sharing the link in case anyone might want to experience the wonder for themselves.
March 8, 2010
No, I’m not getting ready for any major life change personally. It’s just that I’m failing to stay abreast of the tsunami of friends, friends of friends, and family friends getting pregnant and inviting me to every single baby shower, ever. Similar to the previous decade’s “We’re engaged (and we want you in the wedding)!” the watchphrase of the 2010s bodes well to be “We’re expecting!”
Then, inevitably, the baby shower. Most of them are thrown together clutches of women from separate circles of the mom-to-be’s life who are mostly there to compare gifts. I hate the cutesy games that always include a huge diaper pin or the ones where uttering the word “baby” is greeted with hoots and tallied throughout the afternoon. And the cooing. The cooing. I hate baby showers. I know, I’m a monster.
I love babies, I love showers, I even like baby clothes, and I’m very happy for the expecting. But let’s face it, your run of the mill baby shower is just awful.
And when you consider the outrageous cost of all things New Baby people register for, everyone else’s life events can easily run roughshod over your unsuspecting budget. You understand I love gift-giving, but I love good gift-giving. Lacking the yarn wrangling skills (which aren’t cheap) of Mapgirl and Mrs. Micah, I trend towards more practical gifts like clothing in a variety of sizes, plenty of bibs, feeding-related equipment, lotions and potions galore. You simply cannot compile a good baby gift using conventional methods and get out the door for under $100-200. And you know I’m not a get out the door gifter.
If we were only doing this dance once a year, I’d shut up and go along with it, but my cohort numbers at least 20 individuals, and I’m very very close with at least half of them which means I’m on the guest list for their friends and family. This decade, inclusivity will cost more than I can bear unless I “Adapt, Overcome and Improvise!” [Points to whoever recognizes which Eastwood movie that’s from.]
So how do I graciously deal? The same way I dealt with bridesmaiding: be creative and plan far in advance.
Stage 1: Baby clothes can cost more than my personal annual clothing budget, so I’ve signed up for Gymboree’s rewards program wherein I’m showered with coupons and sales notices. Twice a year, they have their Semi-Annual sale where clothes are marked down 50-70%, and combined with coupons and outlet stores, I’ll stock up on clothing for both genders.
Stage 2: Baby-related stuff, being unlimited to any season, doesn’t go on sale the way Christmas, Valentine’s Day or other annual holiday stuff does. So wrapping paper, bags, and tissue paper will be purchased in neutrals and well in advance of any shower invitation. Baskets are a great wrapping aid, and are usually most affordable when found at resale shops like Big Lots, Tuesday Morning or Ross and Marshalls.
Stage 3: My closest friends know that I’m at least financially nerdy, so I’m issuing a declaration that all gifts post-baby shower will be something toward their education. And then I’m either contributing towards the school fund or giving a modest cash gift.
Note: I buy clothing in mostly larger sizes the kids can grow into since most gifts are onesies for 6 months and under. I target 18 months and older and try to find them for $5 or less.
January 7, 2010
I’ve always heard that Craigslist was a great place for bargains but is notoriously populated by flaky people, buyers and sellers alike so I was more than a little trepidatious when I embarked on this furniture buying adventure with my New Home friend who needed to furnish a new 2-bedroom abode. It sounded like we could look forward to spending way too much time to try and save money, followed up by spending way too much money.
I’m eating my fears now: it was well worth it financially to sift through the offerings, even though I bored of furniture shopping weeks ago!
We found the following deals on pieces (targeting those made by CB2, Room and Board, and West Elm).
A deep set sofa designed for sitting IN and not sitting ON
Retail price: $1,199.00
Store delivery fee: $79.00
Total: $1385 after tax
Craigslist price: $250 (bargained down, it wasn’t in pristine condition as claimed)
Slipcover bought new: $300 (had to be custom-made to fit)
Rental truck fee: $20
Total paid: $597
An extendable dining set: table with four chairs
Retail price: $1,399.00 (table) + $199-299 x 4 (chairs)
Store delivery fee: $79
Total: $2477-$2913
Craiglist price: $250
Truck Rental: $20
Total paid: $270
There was a lot more in the way of appliances and furniture purchased in good, or almost new condition, but I was only allowed to share these two as the best of the bunch.
The shopping strategy was as follows:
1. Make a list of the absolutely necessary needs of each room: seating, sleeping arrangements, storage
2. Brainstorm how to make the most of each piece. If you can, opt for either a futon/daybed style sofa for the second bedroom/office, or choose a sofa that includes a fold out bed, so you can minimize the amount of space filled. Use a bench in place of (some) chairs, so it can be stored under the table.
3. Browse retail stores in your area so you can actually inspect the furniture in person. Things that look great online aren’t always going to be as soft, comfortable or supportive as you imagine. Target pieces that aren’t too new: you’ll have better luck finding the used counterpart on Craigslist if they’re about to replace that collection in stores than if it’s brand new.
4. Take your wish list to Craigslist, and search by location and store name. This will narrow down your search considerably and very quickly.
5. Spend 30 minutes a day checking for the best deals. People post every day, and postings change constantly.
6. Understand your market: Depending on how metropolitan the area you’re perusing, you may have the luxury of picking the best quality for the lowest price. Conversely, you may have to jump on a posted item immediately to have a chance to even look at it.
Most importantly: Have patience. If you’re on a tight budget and buying new isn’t an option, this process could take some time. It helps to have a friend to bounce ideas off of during the selection period, too, because when you get burned out it’s tempting to just buy that table, or any table, and be done with the whole mess at the cost of your budget or your sanity when you have to replace the rickety, broken or ugly thing.
August 28, 2009
It’s been a while since I’ve had reason to CVS or Walgreens (esp now that WG no longer has their FAR program), but I haven’t lost my appreciation of a good deal.
To go you one better, MoneyMateKate is combining good deals with good deeds: the products of her coupon/bargain labor goes to the needy of NYC in the form of Care Packages. She’s expanding her couponing efforts, and if anyone can help her with packets of coupons, they’d be much appreciated. (Mine is in the mail, Kate!)
Take a look at this post which explains her coupon needs, and continue to follow her adventures as she scoops up merchandise for nearly or all the way free to share with those less fortunate.
In this prolonged recession, I’m sure that many are grateful for the basic necessities she’s provided since the usual channels for charity have been overwhelmed with more supplicants than donors. It’s a great way to give, doesn’t take much more than some minimal effort on your part to print and mail, or clip and mail, the coupons and directly goes into the hands of people in need.
She’s also fun and entertaining when she’s not couponing, so you should follow her if you don’t already, anyway! 🙂
