Penny Pinching Preppy

This outfit is a little bit preppy.  It is more conservative than my usual taste.
But I love each piece and have been complimented both times I've worn them all together.

The sweater is a hand me down.  I don't often wear white.  But it is super soft and I love the neck line and the sleeves.  It is not a name brand.

I am IN LOVE with these pants (and my mini model, Rocco).  I got them at Old Navy a while ago.  I think I paid $5.00 for them on clearance.  They are polyester but super silky feeling.  They have zipper up the side which I love because I don't have a bulky waistline.  

The shoes came from Salvation Army.  I almost did not get them.  I wasn't sure if I would actually wear them.  I was not sure about the preppy factor.  But I love them.  Super comfy.  Most of the scuffing I did myself.  I paid $3.99 for them.  I didn't realize they were 'fancy' until I got home and googled them.  According to the Etienne Aigner website, they are 'luxury'.  

The most expensive thing I'm wearing is my underwear (not pictured).  My girlfriend bought me a pair of Hanky Panky panties for my birthday after having a discussion about who makes the most comfortable pair. She went on and on about Hanky Panky.  I must say they are the most comfortable pair I own.  And I only own ONE pair because they are $20.00 each!  I've been searching for a way to get them cheap....I'll keep you posted.

I love when I'm dressed for under 10 bucks.  Thought I would share...

Oh, the Humanity!

One of my best thrift store scores is my pair of Citizens of Humanity jeans.  It is also a pretty rare find for The Salvation Army in Kingston.

Sal's has a special on Wednesdays.  A certain tag color is 50% off.  There is usually a sign right inside the door indicating which color is on sale that day.  So, I tend to only go on Wednesday and and look for only those tags to get the best bang for my buck.  

I was there over the summer looking at jeans and came across this pair.  I'm not really big on labels but I thought the pocket design looked familiar.  I remember reading the label and thinking "I think these are expensive".  They are a size smaller than I normally wear but decided to try them on anyway.  I got in them and my ass looked great.

They were labeled $7.99 and I got them for 50% off.  

When I got home I Googled 'Citizen of Humanity' and found out that these jeans are usually $170 - $200 a pair.  I could buy 15 outfits for $200.  I can't IMAGINE spending that much on ONE article of clothing. 

My then husband said I should sell them on Ebay.

I asked him, "Have you SEEN my ass?"  No wonder people pay that much money.  They do amazing things for your back side.

The shirt is a no namer that I LOVE and got 2nd hand for  25 cents.  The scarf is was a gift that came from Old Navy.  

They are definitely worn.  I'm not sure how much longer it will be until my knee makes an appearance.  But they will probably be the only $200 pair of jeans I ever own.  And they are fun while they last.

Saturday at Shoprite.

I love food shopping.
Not only because I love food but I love to see how much I can get and how much I can get for free.
I have not always used coupons.  I remember my mother clipping them as a kid.  I just never really bought the Sunday paper and when I had coupons they just got lost or forgotten about in my purse.
After Rocco was born I needed to start spending less money on the things we needed so I started clipping coupons and looking for sale.  A good friend of mine has mastered the art of coupons and she taught me a thing or two.
One year later I have a bit of an obsession with food shopping.  It totally relaxes me.  And it is a bit of a high to buy something on sale with a coupon that doubles and only pay a few cents for it.  Maybe I should mention this in therapy sometime.
But anyway...tonight I went to Shoprite.  Which aside from Adam's, it is my favorite place to shop because the prices are reasonable and coupons double.

This is what I bought.
The produce, loaf of bread, and organic yogurt I did NOT have coupons for.  I did for the rest of the items.  My total purchase was $21.76.  Had I NOT purchased the produce, bread, and yogurt I would have paid about $10.00.

The Purex was $1.99 and I had a $1.00 coupon making it $0.99.
The eggs were $1.97 and I had a $.35 coupon that doubled making them $1.27.
The Juicy Juice was 2 for $5.00 and you HAD to buy 2.  So, I used two $1.00 off coupons making them $1.50 each.
The French's Mustard, which is the best condiment on Earth, cost me $0.30.
Nothing spectacular but decent deals.
I'm most excited about the following.

Happy Baby organic fruit and vegetable purees were on sale for $1.09.  I had two coupons for $0.50 and paid $0.09 for each one.

Beechnut Fruities on the Go.  They were $1.00 each.  I had one $0.75 on 3 (which doubled) and two $1.00 on 1.  So I ended up paying $1.50 for all 5 of them.  

Finally, my favorite deal of the day.  Beech Nut Stage 2 baby food was on sale 12 for $3.30.  i had four coupons for $1.00 off 3.  So, the store paid ME $0.70.  Rocco does not need pureed baby food any more. But he hates vegetables and the only way he gets them is by dumping puree into his pasta sauce or mac and cheese.  

So...this was my Saturday night.  And I look forward to doing it again next week.  

People roll their eyes and say they don't have time for this.  

But I'm so good at it now, it takes me longer to check out at the register than it does to do the clipping and shopping.  

Going down?

Ok, try not to look at my face since I'm making a horribly unflattering expression.

Photo credit goes to dear friend and coworker, Jessica Conklin.

The shirt is new and one of my favorites.

It is Express but I bought it at The Well on Partition Street in Saugerties.  I believe it was 50 cents but it could have been a dollar.  It is polyester and clings to everything so I need to bust out a bottle of Static Guard from the 80s.  

The pants are another favorite.  They are Ann Taylor Loft, however I paid $2 for them at The Salvation Army in Kingston.  They are black with pinstripes which you can not see in the photo.  

The shoes I bought new.  They are Dr. Scholls and I purchased them last spring at The Shoe Department for $15.  They are super comfy.  

Dressed for under 20 bucks.  You gotta love that.

Another blog?

One might say THREE blogs is too many.  But I kind of enjoy writing.  And maybe I'm a bit grandiose which was suggested to me by someone I work with when I mentioned my blog.  Why else would someone write THREE blogs?

However, I'm not very good at keeping up with them.  So, maybe my three blogs will really just be the work of one.

You can all keep tabs on everyone's favorite toddler at Rocco-bye-baby.  And you can read my latest ramblings about food, mental health, and moving on over at my untitled blog.  So, what more could I possibly have to write about?

Anyone who knows me in real life knows that I LOVE to save money.  Some would argue that spending money isn't necessarily saving money.  Anyone sharing that sentiment can stop reading now.

I'm a thrift store junkie.  I have clearance rack radar.  And I use coupons.  It is kind of like a game and a challenge when I shop.  It may be a bit of a compulsion but with 7 years without a drink or a drug and 2 1/2 without a cigarette I think it is an addiction that is relatively harmless.

An old friend of mine has a really great blog about fashion in which she photographs her outfits, lists the brands of each item, and where she purchased them.  It has often inspired me to dig and old dress out of the closet or put on a flashy pair of shoes I've been a bit too cowardly to wear.  I joked months back that I should start a blog about the great things I find in thrift stores at really great prices....

So here it goes.