The best part is, you don’t have to spend a fortune to take care of your skin and hair.  Here are some frugal ways to look fabulous.*

For Your Face:

- Use baking soda to exfoliate your skin.  Just wet your skin, pour a teaspoon onto your fingertips and gently rub in.  Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.

- Generic-brand baby wipes are great for removing makeup, gently.

- Regular (not extra virgin) olive oil removes eye makeup without irritation.

- Vitamin E capsules (not the tabs, but the gel caps) can be used externally, too.  Just puncture the cap, squeeze out the oil, and use it treat facial scarring, such as acne scars.

- Try a “honey pat.”  Spread a thin layer of honey over your skin, and pat it with your fingertips until it is sticky and tacky to the touch.  Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.

- The best part of a tube of mascara is often the wand.  Wash and dry your old mascara wands and use them to separate your lashes and comb your eyebrows.  They work better than an eyebrow brush and they’re free with purchase.

- According to dermatologists, sulfur is a great treatment for acne pimples.  Queen Helene’s Mint Julep Mud Mask contains sulfur, and at $3 a tube, it’s much cheaper than a doctor’s prescription.

For Your Hair & Body:

- Make your own body scrub with inexpensive sugar/sea salt and oil.  Mix one part scrubbing agent to one part oil, such as regular olive oil or even baby oil.

- Olive oil is also a great hot oil treatment for hair.  Warm a bit in the microwave, and massage into your scalp and hair.  Leave on up to 30 minutes and rinse, then shampoo.

- Olive oil, or those Vitamin E capsules are also work as a cuticle oil.

- Instead of buying a separate shave cream, use an inexpensive conditioner to shave in the shower.  It stays on better than foam, but still rinses clean.

- Sally Beauty Supply sells my favorite hot oil treatment, Proclaim Aloe Hot Oil.  It’s $1.79 for two treatments.

With any new beauty treatment, you want to test it on your wrist before smearing it all over your face or head.  For example, baking soda works great on my face, but some people may find it too harsh.  So be sure patch-test any new product first.

And for more beauty advice, be sure to check out my blogging bestie, Bionic Beauty.  She has the inside info on all things beauteous.

*Many of these tips came from viewers/readers/Facebookers just like YOU.  If you have tips to share with the group, be sure to join the frugal conversation on Facebook.  Just log on, search ‘The Cheap Chick,’ and Like the page.  Or don’t, I’m not the boss of you.

Alas, the MN State Fair has come to a glorious end, and the Fox 9 Morning Buzz is back to filming at the station in Eden Prairie.  On the positive side, parking is easier/cheaper.  On the negative side, there’s no one bringing us deep-fried foods on a stick.

Fair or no Fair, the frugal show must go on!  Here’s what we discussed this morning on the Buzz couch:

Shop Locally And Save

Neighborhood Business Associations have long been an excellent resource for small local businesses.  They assist with loan programs, grants, and advertising.  But some NBA’s are taking it a step further.  They’re reaching out to the community around them and the people who support these businesses, by offering discounts and coupons.  Check it out:

Riverview Economic Development Association, or REDA, has created a discount card for their District Del Sol.  District Del Sol is the “main commercial corridor on the West Side.  It is approximately one mile long and features an exciting mix of restaurants, clothing stores, specialty shops and public art.  The district hosts the city’s oldest Mexican restaurant and hosts one of the largest Cinco de Mayo Fiestas in the United States.”

The discount card is free and available at their main office.  Just check out their website for more details, including which businesses are offering discounts with the card.  http://www.districtdelsol.com/discounts.html

Grand Avenue Business Association, or GABA, has Study Break Tuesdays, where they offer “area college and university students a study break with special offers at participating businesses. Discounts are redeemed on Tuesdays by presenting a valid student ID at the time of purchase.”

One of the discounts currently available is the Ultimate Wellness Package, from Grand Avenue Natural Medicine Center.  For $25, you get a Chiropractic Exam, a Chiropractic Treatment, and a 30 Minute Massage. http://www.grandave.com/eventDetails.php?eventID=14

Northeast Neighbors and Business Association, which encompasses everything north of the river and south of 39^th Ave, has partnered with Local Biz Bucks.com to offer coupons for local businesses, including The Anchor Fish and Chips, Central Clinic, Fairview Pharmacy, and Stinson Automotive.

Their motto is “When you use Local Biz Bucks coupons, you are choosing to support neighborhood businesses.” http://www.localbizbucks.com/northeast

Other neighborhoods are also participating in Biz Bucks, including the Southeast/U of M area.  They have coupons for businesses like Ginger Hop Restaurant, Stadium Village Bookstore, and Benson Automotive Specialists.

Let’s turn it over to the audience – do you know of any business associations offering discounts to consumers?  Where, what, and how, please!

Happy Labor Day, Peeps!  I hope everyone is enjoying the day OFF from hard labor.  Or, if you are laboring away, I hope you are at least liking your work.  I’m busy-bee-ing at home, putting together frugalicious segments for the F-O-X, as well as performing maintenance work around the Empire.  In other words, cleaning my dang house.

Whilst cleaning and Google-searching and shopping and errand-running, I discovered a few salient points I thought I’d pass on to you.  Some are frugal, some are simply need-to-know info:

1.  Zyrtec allergy medication may do an excellent job of knocking out my sniffles and sneezes, but at too great a cost.  One – even the generic is more expensive than the generic Claritin.  And two – I am so shaky and jittery right now, I can hardly see straight.  I’d rather feel like scratching out my own throat than resemble someone withdrawing from an illegal substance.

2.  Coffee has gone up in price in the last 3 months.  I used to get my Target-brand Breakfast Blend for under $3.50, and now it’s over $4.  Apparently, my caffeine fix is just going to cost me more.  What brand of coffee do you guys drink?  Can you get a good deal on it?  Can you help a Cheap Chick out?

3.  Wild-caught river salmon is available at Byerly’s for $11.99 a pound, and is a most delicious dinner treat.  I just broil it in the oven with a bit of salt/pepper/garlic powder.

4.  Green peppers are finally in season in MN!  I got 5 for $2 at the Mpls Farmer’s Market from the pepper vendor located in the aisle farthest from the Basilica.  Bell peppers are my most favorite veggie – raw.  Cooked?  Not so much.

5.  I met with my Web Designer on Friday, and saw the updates for this here site today.  First, the man is a genius.  Second, you are all going to love the new design (or you will be dead to me.  YOU’VE BEEN WARNED).  And third, it should be rolling out to coincide with the new Fall TV line-up.

So lemme ask you – what’s on your mind this Labor Day?

Frugal Fun Fall Activities for the Family

See the fall harvest at a local farm:

-  If you belong to a CSA, many invite their members to visit the farm and learn about where their food comes from.  For example, members of Marshwatch Farms in Shakopee, www.marshwatchfarms.com, don’t just stop by the farm to grab their veggies – they can also see the Prairie Reclamation Program and walk amongst the wildflowers, pack a lunch and picnic down by the lake, or even pick their own herbs and veggies right now.  If you don’t belong to a CSA, you can still check with the farms to see if they offer free tours.  Check out the CSA Farm Directory at www.landstewardshipproject.org.

-  Visit a “pick your own” farm and help with the harvest.  You’ll find a huge list of available farms at www.pickyourown.org, such as Applewood Orchard in Lakeville, MN, www.applewoodorchard.com.  According to their website, the apple-picking season has begun for 2010.  They charge a low $1.39 per pound for most pick your own varieties, and $2.39 for Zestar and Honeycrisp.

See a live football game:

-  Pro ball games can get expense, and in the Twin Cities, they’re indoors.  But there are other football options you can explore that get you outside and don’t cost a fortune.

-  Attend a MIAC, MN Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, football game.  Tickets tend to top out at just $7 for adults and students pay much less.  Some colleges don’t even charge for tickets, so call first to see if you’ll even need to pay admission.  MIAC led the nation in attendance for NCA Division Three Conference, so you know these games are well-attended and FUN.

-  Cheer on a local high school, either your alma matter or a school of your choice.  For example, I like to root for the Richfield Spartans.  And tickets are just $6 for adults, $4 for students, and that’s the pricing for the whole conference.

Watch the fall colors turn:

-  Drive along the Great River Road, which is a series of roads that travel along the Mississippi River, from the Twin Cities all the way to Itasca.  You can find a map of this 575 mile route at ExploreMinnesota.com.  Price for admission is just gas for your car.

-  If walking is more your speed, visit the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary located in the Theodore Wirth Regional Park.  The Sanctuary is open daily until October 15^th, and fall is the best time to check out the prairie grasses and autumn leaves.  The Sanctuary is free and many of their walking tours are free as well, such as the Fall Nature Walk.  The only thing you’d have to pay for is if you park in a pay lot.  For more information, including where to park for free, visit www.minneapolisparks.org.

But with less Tina Fey and Steve Carell and more inexpensive ideas.

A date with your sweetie doesn’t have to cost a fortune – or involve snooty New York restaurants, crooked cops and a shirtless Mark Wahlberg, regardless of what Hollywood tells us – in order for you to have a good time.  Inexpensive entertainment abounds in the Twin Cities.  Here are three date ideas (including food, natch) for you and your beloved to try on for size.

Outdoor Activity Date:

Rent a canoe – or 2-person kayak for the same price – at $16 per hour.  Rentals are available at Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet and Lake Nokomis.  Paddle around for a couple hours, and see the city from a whole new perspective.  Lake Calhoun also offers bike rentals for a low $8 per hour.

Then enjoy an outdoor dinner on the lake at The Tin Fish.  Feast on fish tacos from $3.95 to $6.95 or fish and chips for $11.95.  The Tin Fish is open until 7:30 PM daily through Labor Day weekend, and will stay open as long as weather permits in throughout September and October.

A Date for Dancing, With A Side of Spelunking:

The Wabasha Street Caves offer cave tours plus swing dancing every Thursday evening.  An odd, but inexpensive, combination.

Cave Tours – Thursdays at 5 PM, and Saturdays at 11 AM, 45 minute walking tour, $6 a person.

Swing Night – Thursdays at 6 PM, dance lessons at 6:15, dancing from 7 to 10 PM.  $7 per person at the door.

Have dinner before, or lunch after, your tour at nearby Boca Chica.  They’ve been serving delicious and authentic Mexican food since 1964.  Most of their dinners top out at just $15 an entrée.

An Old-school Movie Date:

There are still two drive-in movie theaters operating around the metro area – Cottage View Drive-in in Cottage Grove and Vali-Hi in Lake Elmo.  Both charge just $8 per person.

Vali-Hi is currently showing 3 movies per night – Grown Ups, The Expendables, and The Other Guys, starting at dusk.  Cottage View is showing 2 movies – Nanny McPhee Returns and Inception.  Movies start at dusk.

Bring along a gourmet car picnic.  Either make it yourself, or pick up some tasty pre-made items from Kowalski’s or Byerly’s.  I recommend packing stuff that’s easy to eat in the car, like sandwiches.  And if you’re getting sandwiches, consider stopping by one of my two favorite (and inexpensive) sandwich shops – Maverick’s Roast Beef or Brasa Rotisserie.  Both are located on the east side of town, closer to the drive-ins.

If you REALLY know your sweetheart, and he/she is up for an adventure that could end well… or in tears (not really, but possibly disappointment), check out this offer from the musical, Wicked, and the Hennepin Theatre Trust:

“The Wicked touring company and Hennepin Theatre Trust are pleased to announce that a lottery for a limited number of seats will be held daily for each performance of Wicked during the Minneapolis run August 11–September 19.

Each day, 2 ½ hours prior to show time, patrons who come to the Orpheum Theatre Box Office – 910 Hennepin Avenue, Mpls., 55403 – will enter their names, and thirty minutes later a drawing will be held for a limited number of seats to the next performance. Tickets will be $25 each, cash only. This lottery is available only in-person at the box office, with a limit of two tickets per person. Winners, with valid photo I.D., must be present when their names are called or they will forfeit their tickets.”

BTW, tickets usually start at $38 a piece and go up from there.  Plus tax.  OUCH.

What fun and frugal date ideas to you have?  Share with the couples, please!

The faux-leather, ruffled moto jacket from Dots.com (can’t get a picture for you, sorry!).  It’s not available at stores quite yet, which is fine, as it’s not jacket weather quite yet.  But I’ll be snatching one up from the Har Mar Mall Dots store when they arrive.  So much cute for so little money.

For a bit of shiny, for under $15, I want this from Kmart (yes, I just said Kmart.  Deal with it):

The only flaw in this fun top is the sequins are only on the front, and do not cover the entire tank.  But for $11.24 – on sale until September 4th – I’ll deal with it.  Kmart also has some trendy, military-styled jackets coming out, but they aren’t in stores yet.  Check online for availability before you hit the Mart.

You know how I love my shoes, and now I found yet another online shoe shop to browse in mydown time.  Best of all, they have decent prices and free shipping if you spend $35 or more.  The name isn’t the best, Shiek Shoes.com, but I do appreciate a lame pun.  I also appreciate these boots:

For $39.97, they do fit my Shopping May-hem Boot Caveat (I can spend $100 or less on one new pair of boots this year, as I didn’t buy a pair last year.).  Let’s see if they go on sale, shall we?  And if they do, they’ll look perfect over the Mossimo jeggings (yes, I said jeggings.  Deal with it.) I bought for $25 exact at Target.

What thrifty fashions do you want for fall?

How To Chow Down At The Fair For Less

Option One – Use the Blue Ribbon Bargain Book.

Examples: $2 off an order of famous Garlic Fries at Ball Park Café

$1.25 off a Milkshake at the Dairy Bar; $1.50 off a Fudge Puppy

$2.75 off a Texas Steak Dinner On A Stick.

There are 75 eateries with coupons in the Book, so it is well worth your $5.

Option Two – Use the online Fair Food Finder and search out the best deals.

Just click on the Fair Finder tab.  You can search by which restaurants are in the Blue Ribbon Bargain Book, or by my favorite – Buck Or Less.  That’s right, food for a dollar.

Examples: $1 All You Can Drink Milk on Judson Ave

$1 falafel or grape leaves on-a-stick at Holy Land Deli in the International Bazaar

$1 Shrimp cocktail on Judson Ave in front of the Haunted House

$1 Pudding Delight at Veggie Pie in the Food Building.

Option Three – Go with likeminded friends or family members and share.

Using the Food Finder, plan out which must-eat items you want.  Then, assign the food to each person in your group – ex. “I’ll buy the Gizmo sandwich, you get the Pot Roast Sundae, and you get the Deep Fried Oreos.”  Then, everyone shares with each other.  That way you get a taste of everything you want, without blowing your budget OR your diet.

Option Four – Pack your own food.

Remember, picnicking is allowed on the Fairgrounds.  You can bring in a cooler (no alcohol, please) and have an inexpensive lunch or dinner at your favorite spot at the Fair.  Or, pack snacks for you and kids and nosh while you roam.

Check out these great deals from Brienna Schuette:

$1.50 Kids Meal at Giggle’s Campfire Grill in The North Woods

$2.50 Breakfast Burrito and free coffee  (w/purchase) at Tejas Express in The Garden

$1.50 hamburger at Mike’s Hamburger at Carnes and Nelson

$2.25 for a 32 oz. soda at Mr. E’s Drink Time in the Food Building

$2 slice of pizza at Pizza Wagon on the corner of Dan Patch & Liggett

For my non-Fair-going, non-MN peeps, I’ll return tomorrow with non-MN-Fair frugal content.

Yesterday on the Fox 9 Morning Buzz, I sat in on a discussion about a recent survey from ING Direct USA.  They asked folks what they’d think about a blind date who described themselves as “frugal.”  Would they find that person smart?  Sexy?  Or stingy?

Sadly, many people (many FEMALE people) were less than thrilled about the idea of going on a blind date with a Cheap Dude (not MY Cheap Dude, he’s taken, thank you very much).  Only 44% of women surveyed thought a frugal blind date would be smart.  33% of women thought that the frugal date would be stingy, and 17% thought they’d be boring.  Really, ladies?  Stingy?  Boring?

Here’s another mildly horrifying statistic.  In today’s scary economic climate, I’m shocked to learn “women are more likely to be upset about gaining weight (30 percent) than accumulating debt (27 percent).”  Oh.  My.  GAH.

Now, I understand we don’t want someone to bust out a coupon, or insist on going Dutch, on the first date.  That first date is not the best time to scrimp.  But just because someone describes themselves as frugal doesn’t mean they’re going to take you to McDonald’s and insist you order a Happy Meal.  There’s a huge difference between being cheap (like me!) and being a cheapskate.

My advice?  Give that frugal guy or gal a chance.  Frugal is smart, sexy and AWESOME.  So learn to embrace the frugal folks around you, whether you’re dating them or not.

Now let me ask you – would you date someone who described themselves as “frugal?”  Why, or why not?

Extreme Ways To Save

In mid-August, Bankrate.com ran an article discussing a few of the “out there” ideas people had to save money, or even earn a bit of cash.  Best of all, they quoted me!  Here are some extreme ways to save money.  Which ones will you do?

Sell your car and take public transportation.  I own my car outright, but I still pay around $40 a week in gas, $56 dollars a month in car insurance, and if you factor in about $750 for repairs and maintenance, I pay over $3,000 a year.  However, if I was to take the bus, at the highest rate the Metro area ($8 per day from Anoka to and from downtown), I’d pay around $2000 for the year, saving me $1000.

Take in a renter/boarder.  You can pay down your principal balance faster with that rental income.  Make sure you have a written lease agreement, and that it’s signed by all parties, to protect your rights AND your renter’s rights.

Downsize your house.  The housing market may not be the best for sellers, but if you can break even on the sale of your home, you’re actually ahead.  Because when you buy a new, smaller home with a smaller mortgage, you’ll save thousands of dollars a year.  Remember, it’s a buyer’s market, so prices are LOW, especially if you buy a smaller home now, rather than the big house you bought at the height of the market.

Don’t use your credit card.  Set a budget every week – or every DAY if you have to – and pay what you need to pay with cash, not credit.  Meanwhile, pay down the credit card balance on the card you’re not using.  If you need a credit card, see if you can have your interest rate lowered on it, and/or pay off the balance in full each month.  And make sure you’re earning something with that card, like cash-back rewards or frequent flier miles.

Get rid of your cable, your Internet connection, and (if you don’t use it) your gym membership.  If you don’t have television reception without cable, you can buy an indoor HDTV antenna for around $50, or simply go without TV for awhile.  Also, you can use the Internet for free at your local library, or if you have a laptop, take advantage of free WIFI areas.  And if you aren’t using your gym membership, you’re wasting money paying for one.

Don’t buy new.  Set yourself a challenge and see how long you can go (for instance, say, a year) with either making do with what you already own or buying secondhand the items you need.  Excluding underwear, of course.  You can take advantage of garage sales for the remainder of the summer, and then shop at thrift stores and consignment stores for the rest of the year.

Set yourself a spending limit.  For example, you could, like I did, spend twenty dollars or less on every single item you buy for a full year.  As you might recall - That’s how I became The Cheap Chick.

Raise your hand if you have a job.  Keep your hand up if you think you are fully employed (and not working at a job that’s below your skill set.  In other words, you aren’t marginally employed.).  Now, keep your hand up if you like your job, you are paid what you’re worth, and your benefits meet you and your family’s needs.

If you dropped your hand at any time (except for laziness.  Because keeping your hand up in the air is hard sometimes), you may be in the market for a new job.  And in order to procure a new job, you’ll need a resume.  However, in order to procure an EVEN BETTER new job, you’ll need an amazing resume.

Fortunately for you, I happen to know the Twin Cities best career coach.  Fortunately for ME, she’s my BFF Lou, so I get the friends and family discount.  But now you to can benefit from inexpensive (dollar-wise) and highly valuable (to-your-life -wise) career advice, just like I do.

Cindy Edwards, from Find Your Fit, LLC., is offering her Resume Makeover Special.  For just $100.00, you and, more importantly, your resume will enjoy a facelift that includes:

Re-formatting of your document.

Content keyword and bullet statement updates and suggestions.

Clearly I think Cindy is the finest career coach I’ve met.  But don’t take my word for it.  Here are a few testimonials:

“Cindy is a GREAT person & Career Coach. She is very understanding and makes you feel comfortable when talking about your career and your future. She’s always thinking about new options/opportunities and sends a lot of information your way so you can learn and be sure of what you want. She’s honest and challenges you to think outside the box, which is exactly what a person needs when talking about their career.”  Andrea G.

“Cindy’s job-hunting tips are practical and unique. Having a great deal of familiarity with the traditional job-hunting techniques, Cindy taught me some non-traditional methods – which was exactly what I was seeking.”  Al S.

“Cindy is an attentive, caring, listening person and was — and is — very helpful to me as a career coach. And, her prices are much too low [really -- they could be 50 percent higher and still be a great deal].”  Kenneth S.

For more information, and to take advantage of Cindy’s great resume offer, visit her at www.tofindyourfit.com.

So lemme ask you – what shape is YOUR resume in?