A Girl Must Shop

Coupon Day = Success

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:25:15 -0500

Since meeting Melanie, The Coupon Goddess, I have been slowly turning into the crazy coupon lady. Over the past few weeks I have learned so much about couponing and have even begun to have my own successful couponing trips.

With spreadsheets, coupons and husband in tow, I spent my afternoon hitting store after store, taking advantage of the best sales out there.

Check out the goods:

Stores visited:

Walgreens
Rite Aid
CVS
Target
Shaws

$192.95 - Purchase price before coupons
-$85.19 - Coupons
$107.76 - Total out-of-pocket
-$40.46 - Rebates, Register Rewards, Extra Care Bucks for future purchases
-$50.00 - Gift cards from transferring two prescriptions to Rite Aid.
$17.30 - Amount of money spent

So the total out-of-pocket ($107.76) minus minus my free earned money ($90.46) means that I got all of this for only $17.30 of my own money.

That's nearly $200 worth of goodies for a mere $17.30.

Who would have thought it possible?

Top Ten Summer Classics good for listening

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:10:20 -0500

Everyone loves a great summer read, but not everyone has the free time to sit down and enjoy one. Audiobooks are a great remedy to this problem. I love listening to audiobooks when I am doing housework. Either I slip my iPod into my pocket as I run around the house (or even run errands) or I plug in the iPod doc in the kitchen and listen as I clean out the cupboards and scrub the sink. Before I know it all the chores are done and I've happily gotten through a few great chapters all at the same time. I have listened to everything from the Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series to Virginia Woolf's Orlando.

Audible.com has come up with a great Top Ten "Listening" List of Classics that I think will serve as a great summer time distraction. With everything from Hemingway to Neal Hurston to Wilde there is something on this list for everyone. And if you do have some free time to sit out by the pool, wouldn't you love to doze off under the sun while listening to Thoreau's Walden? Or take a look at their Best of 2009: Editors Picks and Customer Favorites.

You can purchase any of these books from Amazon or your local bookstore, or you can sign up for an Audible account. There are different levels of Audible membership, some of which give you free credits each month. And of course there are no shipping charges when you download an audiobook!

Now I am off to scrub the bathroom while Willa Cather's My Antonia plays through my head.

Hot Pick for Summer 2009: Tie Dye Dresses

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:48:28 -0500

In fashion, everything old is new again and it seems like the 80s wave is continuing this summer with the hottest trends including Tie Dye, Ruffles, Colored Jeans and Fringed Bags.

A few weeks ago, I stopped into my favorite Long Beach Island, NJ clothing store, Tula the Boutique, to get some of their recommendations for hot fashions for the sumer. Store manager, Brooke Mesanko, who is also 4-months pregnant was wearing a long Tie-Dye maxi tube dress confirming the trend which also doubled for fun maternity fashion! Along the walls of this very hip boutique were some rocker chic styles and haute separates.

Sales associate, Dana Muerater, pulled out 2 of their best selling dresses: more Tie-Dye! The first one made me think of Nicole Richie: A Long, gray Vintage Havana Tie-Dye dress(above) with rope straps and matching fabric tassel in the back that draped down from the neck-line. Very sexy! The second, shorter dress(right) donned vibrant hues of pink, blue and purple and continued the roping detail on the straps. Two other popular brands, which make great summer pieces, are Sky and MM Couture.

I had no doubt that Mesanko and Muerater would confirm the Tie-Dye trend since I had seen it popping up everywhere from wraps to dresses. Just be careful how you accessorize with Tie-Dye, because usually the print is enough. With the Vintage Havana dress, for example, I would stack some silver bangles or throw on an arm cuff. Stick to ball, stud or small hoop earrings. For additional Tie-Dye styles or dress, the easiest place to find an assortment of brands, prices and colors is to search at TheFind.com.

Mrs Mo's Favorites: Christopher Deane (left) and Nicole Miller (right)

Tula the Boutique has 2 NJ locations:
806 N. Bay Avenue
Beach Haven NJ 08008
609.492.2099

524 Broad St
Shrewsbury, NJ 07702
732.219.8888

Say good-bye to headband headache

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:20:36 -0500

No longer just a nod to the 50s, headbands are now a must-have accessory for all hair types. And they're so cute!

But there's one thing that I don't like about headbands: the headband headache. With most headbands I start off fine at the beginning of the day, but as the day wears on, headband headache rears it's ugly head, forcing me to forgo my headband and don post-headband hair. Not an attractive look.

Hailed by the Today show and Health Magazine as "the NO Headache Headband," Violet Love's SIGNATURE Headband Line solves my many headband woes. Not only to they eliminate headband headache, they come in a ton of adorable colors, prints, and designs on buttery soft and perforated fabrics to match any outfit. Great idea! I'll have to get one to match all of my outfits!

Satisfy your silver craving with 70% off!

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:16:46 -0500

You know what I love about silver jewelry? It's so pretty yet so darn inexpensive! It's even more inexpensive now that Amazon.com is practically giving away its silvery jewelry.

For a limited time, take an additional 70% off silver jewelry at Amazon.com. Just add an item (or sixteen) to your cart and see the amazing discount at checkout.

Like this set of silver and CZ rings:

~~$49.00~~ list price
$29.00 amazon price
- $20.30 70% discount
= $8.70 Final Price

Now that, my friends, is a bargain. AND if you're a member of Amazon Prime like I am, you can have it shipped with 2-day delivery for FREE.

My goodness do I love Amazon.

Express yourself with your laptop

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 07:38:34 -0500

Converse sneakers. Vera Bradley bag. Ugg boots. Graphic t-shirt. Troll-bead bracelet.

Our clothing and accessories will always act like an extension of our style and personality. But these days, with the explosion of social networking like Facebook and Twitter, it's all about what electronic device you carry.

iPhone or Blackberry? Mac or PC? iPod Nano? Flip?

How can you stand out in a sea of black, grey and white machines? With a Schticker!

Put your funky style or quirky sense of humor on display with the easy to apply and remove vinyl stickers for laptops or iPhones. With an assortment of textured, floral, patterned, animal print and custom designs, Schtickers will make a statement before you have to!

And if you're like me and like to mix styles, they are inexpensive to collect and easy to switch around. My personal favorites are the Custom Monogram (for my preppy side) and the Dandelion (for the IKEA/Crate & Barrel side of me).

If the preset designs don't speak to you, there is a custom option where you can set up background colors, text and graphics and even upload your own photos or graphics. The custom option would be a great opportunity to create a Schticker with your business logo or get personal with family images.

And speaking of family, Schtickers make great recession-friendly gifts for your techie loved ones which prices starting at $12.49 for iPod/iPones and $19.99 for laptops.

To start browsing or designing, visit Schtickers.com.

Vibrating razors and mascara: Love 'em or hate 'em?

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:44:19 -0500

We rarely (if ever) slam on products here. Our philosophy has always been "if we don't like it we don't write about it." But after reading this hilarious post from my new BFF Melanie aka "The Coupon Goddess," I'm seriously reconsidering this stance.

"Vibrating products are the hot thing right now... Clearly men with a wicked sense of humor are designing these products. There is no other explanation.

Let's start with the vibrating razor. The words vibrating and razor should never be used in a sentence consecutively. Vibrating objects have their merits and razors have their merits, but never the twain should meet. Maybe I'm skeptical, but if you aren't into the Brazilian wax thing and want to take matters into your own hands, a vibrating razor may not be the tool you want to use to get the job done. Call me crazy. It's just my humble opinion.

Moving on to vibrating mascara. WHAT??? Do you know how many times I've almost ripped my lashes out with the eyelash curler? Now they want me to stick a wand with black goo into my eye while it's shaking? Sorry, it's not happening even on my best day. I'm just not that coordinated. Makes you wonder what vibrating item they'll come up with next. Can't wait."

I have to agree with Ms. Melanie up there. I know more than a handful of people who don't like anything near their eyes, much less a vibrating mascara wand; and a vibrating razor? I just don't get it. But these are my first impressions based on the product name. Have I tried them? Nope. But if I do get my hands on some, I will most certainly share the plusses and minuses right here for all of you to see.

But the question is, have YOU tried it?

A New Kind of Club

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:31:08 -0500

When I hear the word "club" I immediately think velvet rope, long lines, and crowds, but ShoeDazzle is a type of club I can handle.

This genius of an idea was started by celeb Kim Kardashian. For $39 a month, you get to select one shoe from the five recommendations your very own online stylist picks out for you.

Every month a new batch of shoes is sent to your inbox until you say stop. There is no cancellation fee and no shipping costs, just hot shoes on a regular basis. I would say this is one club definitely worth the cover charge!

Discover your favorite beautifiers

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 08:57:33 -0500

The more time I spend in Sephora.com, the less it overwhelms me. Especially since I discovered that the staff is a wealth of information.

With so much to choose from (I'm like a kid in a candy store!) it's hard to figure out which items are best for me.

Lucky for me, Sephora has just released a collection of samplers designed to find the best... whatever!... for you!

Check out just a few of the many new Sephora Favorites:

And we can't forget the other special offers currently running at Sephora:

Smile and say "Moo"!

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:14:31 -0500

Valet: Which event are you attending?
Me: Moo.

Funny thing is, he knew what I was talking about. Thursday night, co-editor Janet and I hit Providence, RI for the launch party for moo.com's new US location.

Moo is a printing company that creates business cards, super-cool minicards, postcards, stickers, note cards and greeting cards using your own photos that you upload from your computer, flickr, facebook, etsy, or bebo.

The coolest thing about it is that you're not limited to one design, like most printing companies. You can choose as many pictures as you want so that every item can use a different picture.

The party was a TON of fun. The room, decorated in white sheer fabric and balloons, set a cheerful tone. Janet and I grabbed a Pimms cocktail (a nod to Moo's UK home base), some creative name tags (Janets: My favorite word is: FUN; Mine: My favorite drink is: XXX Dirty Martini) which were the perfect ice breaker.

We met some very interesting people.

Brian Murphy, VP Operations - Moo.com, USA
Dan St. Jacques, Operations Manager - Moo.com USA
Joy Tan, HR Consultant - Moo.com USA

Andy Cutler, Partner - Cutler & Company
Dan MacKinnon, CEO - Sub.Culture Marketing Solutions
David Flanagan, Graphic design & Illustrator

A dream come true: FREE Shipping without limits

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:17:13 -0500

Lancôme is now offering FREE SHIPPING and two deluxe samples (GÉNIFIQUE and Absolue Premium ßx) with ANY purchase (that's right - no limits!) until Friday, June 19th.

And just check out this hot pink and black cosmetic bag (which comes with an awesome selection of samples). Free with your $50 Lancôme purchase with JUNEBEAUTY Lancôme coupon code at checkout.

If ever there was a time to stock up on all your Lancôme faves, now is it.

What's included in the deluxe sample, you ask?

Définicils High Definition Mascara
Effacil Gentle Eye Makeup Remover
Color Design Lipcolor in The New Pink
Color Design Eye Shadow in Daylight, Volcano, Makeover and The New Black
3-Piece Brush Set
Cosmetic Bag

Eye don't like pink, but eye like New York!

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:10:10 -0500

If you're looking for a inexpensive mascara that is recommended by makeup artists AND easy to find in the supermarket, the classic pink bottle with the green cap is always at the top of the list. But I have to admit: I'm not a fan. But I have an alternative!

First of all, I'm one of those women who has light and short lashes. My eyes look tired, small and blah and like my American Express card, I don't leave home without mascara. I've tried all sorts of mascaras, all brands, all tube colors, all brush types, you name it. But I finally found a brand that I really like, have done my eyelashes well and is less than $3!

First the disappointment of the classic pink tube [Maybeline Great Lash, $5ish]:

short wand tip
too light on the goop
left eyelashes feeling stiff, brittle and SPIKEY!
had to reapply multiple times to get full coverage

The budget friendly alternative {New York Color Curling Mascara, $3ish}

wide tip
moderate goop, just enough coverage
smooth application, covering entire width of lashes
leaves lashes soft

If you want to take things up a notch and spend around $20 for the same lush and soft finish, go with Prescriptives "Lash Envy" Mascara.

Go ahead - get Sentimental!

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:38:54 -0500

I am in love with personalized jewelry, to wear, to give away as gift and to make.

Unfortunately since I have yet to become an expert jewelry crafter, so you'll find me ooh- and ahhing over all of the exquisite personalized handmade jewelry I can find.

Most recently I stumbled upon Sentimental Silver, where owner Christi Johnstone creates and sells personalized silver engraved jewelry. With necklaces and chains in seemingly endless shapes and sizes and some with your own personal photography, you're bound to find exactly what you're looking for.

Bonus! A Girl Must Shop readers save 20%! Just enter coupon code SALE at checkout.

My New Sidekick

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:02:44 -0500

I have to admit, I'm not really into gadgets. I know they're supposed to make your life easier, but I find it all too complicated. Heck, it's weeks before I can figure out all the pockets in a new purse.

But having said that, I tend to make an exception for a cell phone. Sure, I can't use it to hold my lipstick, and it probably doesn't come in leather, but it does have neat things like games and a built-in camera.

And now that T-Mobile has gone and introduced their new Sidekick LX, complete with Facebook and Twitter applications, I'm thinking of getting headshots taken so my husband doesn't forget what my face looks like. Oh, come to think of it, I did see that the latest model has a camera, complete with flash, and can even record video. Now if only I knew what my best side was.

Don't hit the beach without it!

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 07:37:37 -0500

It's that time of year when all the magazines start running Summer's Must Have Items. Not wanting to be outdone, I decided to tell you about one of my own: Evian's Brumisateur Facial Spray.

From the outside the bottle resembles that of hair spray, but the aerosol can instead showers you with a cool mist of mineral water. No, it's not the latest diet fad, but actually a great accessory for a hot day at the beach or toting around the gym. The 10.5oz bottle also comes in a 5oz can and 1.7oz travel size. My love affair with this product goes back so far I can't even remember how we were first introduced. But I do know that over the years I've learned I can't live without it.

*Get a free 1.7oz can with any purchase at beautybodybath.com.