Shopping Detox

Do you need to be rich to be a minimalist?

2013-04-02T20:49:00.001-06:00

So, this post is inspired by two things. First, this article from the New York Times.

And then, this response to it on Tumblr.

Read them both. Or if, you just have a little bit of time, just read the second one. Or, if you really seriously don't have much time, read this:

When you aren't as wealthy, you tend to carry more stuff. Right? I was thinking about this the other day when I was coming home on the bus (frugal) with my bags of groceries, while also carting around my purse and my lunch bag from work earlier (frugal). While necessary, this is clearly not an example of minimalism. But to prevent myself from carrying around all of this stuff, I would need a car. Which I can't afford (and also I can't drive, but that's another story).

Look at the people on the bus, though. There are a bunch of students, carrying their lives around in backpacks. There are older people, with their buggies full of groceries. There are young parents squeezing strollers full of kids into the front part of the bus. While not owning a car is frugal (and, some may argue, minimalist) -- all of these people on the bus are carrying around a lot of stuff with them.

Contrast that to a business woman you see at a coffeeshop downtown. She's got maybe a small purse with her, maybe just an iPhone (you can buy Starbucks now with just an app, or so I hear...), and otherwise is looking easy and breezy. Why? Because she doesn't have to carry her whole life around with her.

It's the same with your lifestyle. It would be great to get rid of a ton of my belongings and go travelling and living simply -- but I could never afford it. I need house. I mean, if I had limitless funds, I could declutter a ton of stuff in my house. I could get rid of my retro Macbook and Kobo Touch reader and get a sleek, tiny iPad Mini. I could stop borrowing books from the Library and just carry my iPad around with me -- this would definitely free up lots of space in my purse. But I can't afford to do either of those things.

I don't mean to suggest that it's not possible to downscale your lifestyle, and that doing so can't help you save money. It just seems to me like embracing a minimalist lifestyle and decluttering are things you can do only when you're well-off enough not to need your stuff anymore. Much like it can be more expensive to eat healthy/organic food -- eating processed, cheaper stuff is sometimes the best option for someone living on a smaller income.

What about you guys? Can you afford to go minimalist?

Extreme savings: how to save money like a crash dieter

2013-02-18T18:51:00.002-06:00

Warning: these tips are not to be used for long-term planning.
Also warning: I have no credentials at all to offer financial advice.

So, saving money and being good at finance is kinda like eating well and being healthy, right? We all know what we're supposed to do for both:

To eat well/be healthy: cut out processed foods, eat more vegetables, exercise more, etc.

To save money/be good at finances: stop buying things you don't need, stop using your credit until it's paid off, etc.

But sometimes you just need to lose 10 lbs to fit into a dress for a wedding, and sometimes you need to save money really quickly for a trip or something. So here are some tips for CRASH MONEY SAVING which are not sustainable in the long term, but will help you reach a short-term goal.
(*Like crash dieting, though, you'll probably spend lots of money right after, so it's obviously not meant for using for a very long time. Consider this the Plan B for your spending habits)

I'm not saying to stop driving and start hitchhiking... but I'm also not saying that.
OK, OK, a safer option could be biking or taking the bus. The bus is not so bad, really. No, really.

1) Stop buying crap you don't need! Not forever, just until you've saved up as much as you need. Makeup? Don't buy it. New outfit? Don't buy it. Need a haircut? Don't do it. Mani/pedi? Don't do it. Going out for any meals ever? Don't do it.

2) You obviously need to eat, but you have to do it as FRUGALLY AS POSSIBLE. It's totally true you buy more stuff when you go shopping a) hungry or b) without a list. On top of that, I'd suggest making a meal plan including as many cheap foods you already own as possible. Websites like Supercook let you enter in what you already have in your fridge, and suggesting recipes from there.

Cooking in your underwear may seem frugal (i.e. saving money by not getting your clothes dirty so you don't have to do laundry), however the possibility for grievous kitchen-related injury kind of balances that out. Put on some pants, is what I'm saying.

3) Seriously, just eat up what's in your kitchen already. I went a week once without buying any new food and it was totally fine. You can probably eat what you already own for a few weeks, just supplementing with new eggs, milk, and maybe flour or something.

4) Put your debt repayment on hold for a few weeks. Pay the absolute minimum on your credit cards, and put all of your extra money into a savings or checkings account.

5) Cancel anything you can while maintaining your quality of life. Cable? Cancel it. Netflix? Cancel it (OK, it's already pretty cheap, but every $$ counts here). Internet? Cancel it (use public wi-fi signals instead). Cancel the data plan on your phone! The bonus is that when you reinstate these services, you may get a discount because it'll be like you're a new customer? ALTERNATELY: switch carriers for your phone/cable/internet. Usually when you switch, you can get a cheap plan for the first few months so you can save money while keeping your luxuries. Warning: that is kind of a jerk move though.

Then... go on your trip or pay for your house or whatever you're doing*! Enjoy!

... and then get back to responsible living afterwards. Remember, these extreme strategies are best used RARELY and only for SHORT PERIODS OF TIME. Also bear in mind: I don't know what I'm talking about, really.

Don't let the cold weather cramp your style

2013-01-29T22:08:00.000-06:00

Hey guys! So where I live, it's -42 with the wind chill. Interestingly, that's the same number (pretty much) in both Fahrenheit and Celsius. Wherever you are, it's TOO COLD TO LIVE.

Shirley T here is on a soundstage, because that hat is
not warming anybody's head when it's 40 below.

That being said, just because it's too cold for polar bears doesn't mean there aren't ways to look your best!

1) Get a coat with a fitted waist.

I mean, it's not like a bandage dress to flaunt your curves,
but it 's a lot cuter than wearing a sleeping bag with sleeves.

2) Layer your tights with more tights. Possibly with fleece-lined tights.

Tights + more tights = supertights.
Also, warmer legs.

3) Boots will get you through all this. Thick soles are important.

The thicker the souls, the further your feet are from the cold ground.
Also, the closer to God. Apparently.

4) Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize.

I don't care if you "don't like hats." This cute furry earflap hat will keep you warm AND make you look cute AND if you have blue eyes, it will make them pop.

Get the gloves with the magic touchpad fingers. That way you can play with your iPhone while waiting for the bus, without risking frostbite AND while rocking some nautical stripes.

Add a cute scarf and channel your inner Mindy Kaling and her amaze winterwear wardrobe from The Mindy Project. Go on, you know you want to.

Mindy Kaling, the patron saint of adorable outerwear.

5) Frugal tip: buy things on sale.

Remember when I told you about how the nautical stuff goes on sale at the end of January? SO DOES THE CUTE WINTER STUFF. Stores are getting rid of their winter stuff NOW to make room for like, bikinis and things. Buy it now for cheap, and then it's a fun surprise for you when it gets cold again next year.

Get out of the cold, get into food delivery. And don't forget your mittens.

2013-01-25T12:21:00.000-06:00

ERMAGERD I FORGOT MY PANTS.

True story: I left for work today in a hurry and only realized once I was outside that I'd forgotten to bring gloves or mittens. "Hey, this will be OK," I thought to myself, shrinking my hands up into my coat sleeves.

But it quickly became apparent that this will not work, seeing as I live in Canada in winter and it's -30 with the windchill today (to Americans, that's like... -22, apparently). Long story short: I went to buy a pair of socks on my lunch break (because there isn't a clothes store nearby my work, but there is a grocery store and I figured they'd have socks I could use as mittens) but it turns out in their children's section, they had thermal gloves for little boys! And so my hands did not fall off.

What does this have to do with ordering food? Well...

Isn't staying home soooo much better than going out in the cold? Esp with a slanket?

... oh, just the fact that you can bundle up in your apartment with your cat and not have to go out buying groceries or carrying heavy grocery bags home and can just hibernate. What I like about businesses like Just-Eat (sorry Americans, this is a Canadian copmany) is that, rather than trying to think of the names of a certain type of restaurant in your area, you can just browse by your city and the different kinds of food. Pizza? Thai food? Sushi? There are literally hundreds of outlets so, while hibernating, you can try out lots of restos in your area while staying huddled up on your sofa in your sleeved blanket with your cat. For instance.

Also fun and handy? If you, like me, are taking the bus home, you can pre-time when you want your food delivered BEFORE YOU EVEN LEAVE WORK. So you can have it show up at your house like, twenty minutes after you get home. (Especially useful if, for instance, you forgot to bring mittens and you would be risking frostbite to stop somewhere for takeout on the way home)

Does responsible spending mean the same thing in other countries?

2013-01-23T22:46:00.002-06:00

So here's the thing: I don't know anything about money or finances. It gets even more confusing when I read various websites because everything has a different name (and works differently) between Canada (where I live) and exotic places such as the US and the UK.

I assume that Americans reading Gail Vaz-Oxlade are like "RRSP what?" the same way that Canadians read Suze Orman and are like "401(K) huh?"

Basically, wherever you live, it's never not a good idea to stow some savings away for retirement. Maybe somewhere like Sweden or Iceland, where I have the vague idea they give you like 5 years paid maternity leave and free university, it's not an issue. But in Canada, the US and the UK it's kind of a big deal.

So! How to be a responsible frugal-style person in every country? Here's what I can figure out (get ready for a looot of acronyms):

Canada

- The main kind of retirement savings account up here are called RRSPs (Registered Retirement Savings Plans). You put money into them and that decreases your income so that you may pay less taxes on your income. These funds cannot be withdrawn except in specific instances - buying a house, for instance. There is a limit to how much you are able to put into RRSPs every year.

- Canada also has GICs (Guaranteed Investment Certificates), which are kind of like RRSPs in that you put money into them for a fixed amount of time, but unlike RRSPs, you can withdraw them whenever you want -- OK, not whenever you want, but you set up a term that can be whatever length you want it to be. Unlike playing the stock market, this is a low-risk investment with a guaranteed time period and a guaranteed rate of return.

- Canada also has TSFAs (Tax Free Savings Accounts), which I like best. These have more flexibility than RRSPs or GICs, as you can basically withdraw from them whenever you want. My boyfriend set up one of these because he'd maxed out his RRSP contributions, but wanted to keep saving. The "tax free" part isn't exactly like with an RRSP, as your contributions aren't deducted from your income tax, but when you withdraw funds, that money is not taxable.

USA

- The main American retirement savings plan is called, awkwardly, a 401(K). (Sidenote: this is a terrible name) (I guess it's derived from some part of the Internal Revenue Code? Whatever that is) but it works similarly to RRSPs in Canada. Anyway, it's a retirement savings plan similar to RRSPs. There is a magic thing you can do (Suze Orman is always talking about this) where your employer can match your 401(K) savings. I don't know if you can do that in Canada with RRSPs too?

- Again with the weird names: tax free savings accounts in the US are called Roth IRAs. Why? Who is Roth? I get that IRA stands for Individual Retirement Arrangement, but why bring Roth into it? Anyway, this is quite similar to a Canadian TSFA.

United Kingdom

- You know how on British TV shows they call old people "pensioners"? That's because their retirement plans, as far as I can tell, are all just called pensions. I mean, there's the one you get from work, but you can also purchase a personal pension plan from an insurance company or bank. I don't know all the details about this, so British people please explain this to me in the comments! Anyway, from what I can tell, British RRSP/401(K)s are just called Pensions.

- What I do know for sure is that the UK has their own version of a TSFA/Roth IRA which is called an ISA (Individual Savings Account). An ISA in the UK is tax free savings, similar to the options in Canada and the US. An ISA is meant for investment and savings in a way to benefit your tax status.

Moral of the story

Whichever of these three countries you live in, there are options both for long-term retirement planning, as well as tax-free savings plans to save up money you can use earlier. Responsible spending is similar, but not exactly the same in each of these countries. Obvs you need to sort this all out with your financial advisor, but it's good to know what terms to use for the country you live in!

Do you guys have any or all of the above accounts? Do any of you commute from country to country and have all SIX accounts?

The yachting look for less

2013-01-23T22:36:00.000-06:00

Brigitte Bardot serves up equal amounts of nautical stripes and sex kitten

So, you know how stores divide their year into seasons? It goes from spring clothes (in the winter) to summer clothes (in the spring) to back-to-school (WHICH I LOVE!!) in the summer... etc. Basically, they're always bringing in new stock a few months before you actually want to wear the stuff.

And then, at the end of the season where you will be wearing these clothes, they all go on sale to make room for the next season. This means you can get good deals on winter clothes in the late winter/early spring, good deals on summer clothes in the early fall, and on and on it goes.

Jen Seberg bring pixie realness to her nautical stripes

But within this strict hierarchy is a season you may not have noticed exists: Cruise Season. Now, I've never been on a cruise, but judging at what fills the stores during Cruise Season, those ships are filled with people wearing nautical stripes and things with images of anchors and whales on them.

If you're like me? That's how you dress YEAR ROUND. Which is what this post is about -- you can get the best selection (and deals!) on nautical striped garb RIGHT NOW, i.e., the end of January. I was just in The Gap, where all of their Cruise Wear is currently on sale. Same at Joe Fresh and likely other stores as well.

James Dean gives nautical stripes a menswear twist

Basically, the end of January for nautical stripe fans like me, is like the rest of the year for anybody who is size XS with size 6 feet -- everything is on sale that you love! So get yo' stripes on, me hearties. Here are more pics for your nautical stripespiration:

Jackie O combines her tradmark sunnies with white cuffed short-sleeved nautical stripes

Jean Seberg shows nautical stripes go just as nicely with dresses as in tops

Audrey Hepburn shows that white-on-black is just as nauticalish as blue or black-on-white

We owe it all to Coco Chanel, the patron saint of nautical stripes

New Year's Resolutions 2013

2013-01-01T20:52:00.002-06:00

Hey, y'all! I've been watching a lot of Storage Wars: Texas marathons, which makes my inner voice talk like a Southerner named Bubba. I'm OK with this if y'alls are.

So, after a bit of a hiatus, New Year's seems like a good time to get going with this blog business again. In 2011, I made a lengthy list of resolutions. Which I didn't exactly do... at all. And then I made a shorter list of resolutions for 2012. Which... anyway.

This year, I'm filled with the usual optimism and complete amnesia of how hard it is to stop spending money.

If last year was the year of French-style living, this will be the year of clean living. I think that's what it's called. Inspired by the 100 Days of Real Food challenge (which is such a great blog, by the way), I'm going to step it up in the eating healthy department. I also really want to get exercising again. I did great with running when it was nice out, but the whole frigid Canadian winters thing has stopped that.

Maybe if I had a fur coat like this gal, I'd be more inspired to go running in the snow.

With all that in mind, my resolutions - which are more like challenges, because that way if and when I stumble along the way, I won't feel as bad - are as follows:

1) Follow the 14 weeks of "real food" mini-pledges from 100 Days of Real Food.

Week 1 is eating two fruits or veg with every meal. Note: I'm going to start this as soon as I'm able to go grocery shopping, as I don't have the adequate groceries to begin this right this second. I'm happy to begin using Fresh and Local, a local organic/local food delivery business, to help me out with local produce and meat.

I will def work on my health & vitality this year.

2) Read more good books.

If I'm not enjoying a book, let it go and move onto another one that I might like better. Follow me on Goodreads to see what I'm reading lately, and offer me book suggestions! In 2012, I was busy trying to reach my goal of reading 75 books, which meant that I stuck with less-good books for longer just to get the stat. This year, I'm just aiming to read 50, so I will focus more on quality, rather than quantity.

3) Exercise regularly with weights/strength training and some running.

I'm going to get some punch cards for the nearby gym, so as to avoid last year's "months of paying for gym membership without going but somehow thinking that counts as exercise" fiasco.

- image from vixen-vintage.com

4) Finish working on my novel manuscript!

You may notice there's nothing in there about paying down my debt. I'm hoping that will come about naturally through the rest of everything - if I'm eating better and exercising, then I'll be happier and less stressed, which will make me less prone to shop to cheer myself up. And also, if I plan healthy meals all the time, there will be less temptation to spend money on snacks while I'm out.

In any case, I ate so many cookies and chocolates over the holidays that I'm honestly not tempted by sweets at all at the moment. And I'm especially driven to get exercising again due to how gross I feel having eaten all of those sweets.

Do you guys have resolutions or challenges? Bring it on, 2013!

What's the deal with payday loans?

2013-01-01T17:07:00.000-06:00

So, I've never done a payday loan thing. It's something every financial blogger talks about not wanting to do - but it's something that lots of people use, so I got to thinking about it.

Whether it's something you'd ever consider, lots of people take advantage of payday instant loans to help them out from time to time. But what are they?

The terms for lots of payday loans work best if the loan is paid back very quickly. The longer you take to pay it back, the more in the hole you're going to get. This is similar to the arrangement of using a credit card - as long as you pay it back ASAP, you won't fall further into debt. But that's easier said than done, especially if you're already in a situation where you need a payday loan.

Even the companies who do payday loans emphasize that it's not something you should be doing regularly -- the same as a "suggested serving" of chocolates is like 5 or 10 but even though you know that, you may wind up eating the whole bag. Or so I've heard.

I guess it's the sort of thing that's good to have around as a failsafe. Nobody wants to think they'd ever be in a situation where they need a payday loan, but I guess they're a handy thing to keep around when that's your best option.

I don't know. Would you guys ever consider taking a payday loan?

Are reward credit cards all that?

2013-01-01T09:30:00.000-06:00

Did you know credit cards, as we know them now, were only invented in 1950? It's crazy to think that something that's so commonplace has only existed for, really, not very long.

Flash forward 50 or so years, and you can't escape them. But they aren't just credit cards anymore, there are Air Miles cards and cards to earn you movie tickets and makeup... it almost starts to feel like, if your credit card isn't also garnering you some sort of points, you're missing out. But is that true?

Did you know that you can even play Monopoly now with credit cards instead of those rewarding, gigantic piles of fake cash?

When I was in my first year of university, I wandered out of the student union building and there was some dude there signing people up for credit cards. "Sure!" I said, not realizing THE TERRIBLE PATH I WAS ABOUT TO GO DOWN (of credit card debt I'm still working my way out of). On top of that, the card gave me points towards buying a new car. I DON'T EVEN HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE.

It was a terrible deal, and many people (including Gail Vaz-Oxlade on numerous occasions!) have spoken about how it's way too easy for people who don't know what they're doing to get a credit card. Not only do these people (like my younger self) not fully comprehend how these cards *should* be used (i.e. buy stuff, pay them back right away) but if all you see is one dude hawking cards on the campus? You just sign up without comparing his deal (money off of car purchases) to others that may suit you better - like a card that gives you points towards groceries, or one that is linked to your bank account so you aren't ever spending your actual money, or even interest free credit cards.

A credit card you can also wear as a dress is a different kind of reward.
Remember when she won an Oscar in this look? Fabulous.

Nowadays, I only have one credit card, and the only perk it has is a low interest rate and no annual fees. I also know some people who have Air Miles cards and it works out great for them to get cheap/free trips (seemingly) all the time. So I don't know. I guess it's a case of, if the perk is something for sure you'll use and it works out to save you money (even with the annual fee) then go for it.

Do you guys use reward credit cards? Do you find it's worth it?

Your Guide to a Shopping Detox Christmas

2012-12-05T22:59:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone!

I feel like I've been neglecting this blog for such a long time, but as it turns out, revising a novel is kind of a lot of work. I've got some new posts in the pipeline, but here are some of my faves from Christmases Past for you to enjoy, retro-style!

Why Christmas is the best AND worst time for shopaholics
"Every year at Christmastime, I buy lots of amazeballs stuff for my sisters. Sweaters, jeans, eyeshadow palettes, nail polish, hair supplies... except they're totally for me, not them."

Frugal Lessons from "White Christmas" (1954)
"3) If you open a bed-and-breakfast in a place known for its snowfall, you should probably make sure you have a backup reason for people to visit - so that if it doesn't snow for 2 weeks, you won't have to rejoin the army because of your business's failure."

Stocking stuffers: cute, or a threat to humanity?
"There are gift-gifts, and then there are "stocking stuffers." One is something you write to Santa because you want it (bigger items, generally) and the other are just little pointless things that make your stocking full."

Guest Post: Car to bike: the eco-commuter

2012-11-27T22:43:00.003-06:00

Today's guest post from Izzy is right up my alley. I'm all about cycling, using the bus, and finding alternative means of transportation (partly because I am a terrible driver, and partly because it just makes sense). Her guest post is from the point of view of someone used to driving, and outlines the steps you can take to transition from car to bike for your daily commute.

Becoming a cycling commuter doesn't have to mean giving up life on four wheels all together, though, as Izzy - a blogger for PassSmart - is here to tell us!

We all do our bit by putting our rubbish in the correct bins, but if you want to take your eco-friendly lifestyle one step further, you could join the thousands of people who commute via bike every day.

Getting started

If you think you're up to the challenge of cycling to work, you're going to need the right bike! Forget stabilizers and wicker baskets, there is a whole range of modern bicycles out there to suit every kind of commute.

For inner-city commuters a road or hybrid bike is, perhaps, the best option. A road bike is for the really brave, speedy ones; with a light frame and thin tyres, designed for the best aerodynamic performance. A hybrid bike, on the other hand, is suitable for both urban riding and light off-loading. In other words, you can take it out at the weekends for a gentle bike ride (if you really want to!).

Folding bikes are perfect for anyone who doesn't want to ride the whole journey. If you work in the city, for example, but don't live close enough to cycle the whole way, you could pop the bike in the boot of your car. Park just outside of the city to avoid the nightmare of trying to find a parking space, get your bike out, and you're on your way!

Staying safe!

The idea of cycling through a busy town or city might fill you with dread, but, fear not, because we've got a few key safety tips to help you become a safe eco-commuter.

1. Wear your helmet!
No, they're not the height of fashion, but wearing helmet is essential, so buy one!

2. Lights and reflectors
If you're cycling home in the dark, you need to make sure you have bright lights on your bike. You should also have some reflectors, as well as some reflective clothing.

3. Indicate
Make sure you tell cars where you're going before you turn, using hand signals, and always, always look first!

Don't worry - you don't have to give up your car completely!

Changing your lifestyle to involve a bit of life on two wheels doesn't mean you have to give up your life as a driver. Obviously there are going to be times when cycling just isn't practical, so take to the road and - if you really want to - put your bike in the boot.

We'd all like to think we have the will-power to continue cycling into the cold, dark winter nights, but, lets face it, there's going to be days when that's the last thing you want to do. If you're trying to begin a new eco-friendly lifestyle, you could splash out on a new hybrid or electric car, with the fuel money you'll have saved.

If, on the other hand, cycling to work is part of a new, healthy lifestyle, hopping in the car at the weekend will feel like a reward!

Whether you're embarking upon life as a cycling commuter to save money, become a bit more eco-friendly, or to lose the wobbly bits, your bike may hold the key to success. Plan and practice a trial route first, stay safe, and always keep the car keys (or bus pass) ready for a dark, rainy morning!

Izzy Guarella has written this guest post on behalf of PassSmart.com; helping learner drivers get on the road in the UK.

Guest post: Vintage Clothing Can Defy the Fashion Trends

2012-11-23T19:59:00.003-06:00

Hey guys! What with all the madcap insanity that is you weirdo Americans and this "Black Friday" thing where you're all running to Wal-Mart to buy cheap batteries or whatever, the timing seemed perfect for this guest post from Clarissa Seaton about vintage clothes shopping. Because you can spend a cheap amount on a cheap thing, or pay a bit more for something that's already lasted a long time, and which will last you even longer... total win/win scenario. Take it away, Clarissa!

Get Off The Fashion Trend Merry Go Round

Anyone who is trying to make their money go farther but who loves fashion will get a lot of benefit from rethinking their entire approach to fashion. There are a few really good reasons to give up shopping for fashion in chain stores and focusing instead on putting together a unique look that is completely independent of what some fashion designers have decreed should be the major purchases for this season. Once you start getting deeper into the fashion industry it becomes clearer that the latest fashion trends come and go because this is basically a business. The purpose of the fashion industry is to get people to spend a lot of money.

Styles and silhouettes are created and then disposed of because the only important thing is to sell clothes. A person who is trying to create a simpler and more frugal lifestyle out of conviction or out of necessity can take a step back and create a wardrobe that functions far more effectively by choosing essential pieces one at a time.

Mass Produced Fashions Are Not Made to Last

One of the things which quickly become apparent to anyone who takes a closer look at the mass produced garments being sold in chain stores is that many of them are not designed to last. They are often produced using very cheap fabrics and they are not stitched together very well. They are not only meant to look obsolete in a few months, they will also fall apart in a few months.

Vintage Clothes Offer Better Quality

It can be a real eye-opener to compare the clothing in modern fashion stores with vintage clothing that was made forty or fifty years ago. The construction and attention to detail that was common in the past has all but disappeared today. Even jackets and coats that cost hundreds of dollars that appear in the high end stores are often not made nearly as well as the jackets and coats of previous decades.

This is one of the reasons that high quality vintage clothing appeals to so many modern people who truly love fashion. A vintage coat made with the finest wool may be forty years old but it may last another ten or twenty years if it is properly looked after. Vintage jackets have amazing attention to detail that is rarely found anymore even in the most expensive garments.

Purchasing quality vintage clothes instead of chasing the latest fashion trends can pay off in creating a wardrobe that will have a timeless appeal.

Clarissa Season is a contributing writer and editor for many online websites and blogs featuring today's latest fashion style trends. Through writing, she shares her experiences and feelings regarding latest fashion news in the market. Follow Clarissa Seaton on Google+.

eBooks: The Frugality Audit

2012-11-15T22:12:00.001-06:00

As you may or may not know, I am a total librarian.

Annabelle loves the books!

I am also, for most of this year, a new fan of eBooks. It's totally up to you whether you like eBooks or not (damaging the publishing industry! revitalizing the publishing industry! getting more people to read! making books less available to people!). I'm not here to convince you one way or the other. But eBooks are a thing, it's happening, so all we can do is look at the frugality (or lack thereof).

FRUGALITY AUDIT!!

Initial Investment

On the one hand, books are one of the most frugal things there are. Because: libraries. I mean yes, there are late fees and things, but if you're very good about returning things on time, libraries are free (except in wackadoo Alberta, Canada, where you have to pay for your card; Albertans be CRAZY)

So automatically eBooks are more expensive because you have to buy something to read them on. Like, you can borrow eBooks from the library (more on this later) but you need to have a device to read them on. I mean, you can read them on something you may already own like a laptop, smartphone, iPad, etc... but you need something to read them on. If you got crafty, maybe you could try to read them on computers at libraries, but even that's not always possible (e.g. where I work? The public computers are locked down from people downloading things)

Ongoing costs

Some people are confused why eBooks cost the same as book books. "There aren't printing costs, so they should be cheaper, right?" WRONG. I'm not entirely sure why, but eBooks tend to cost about the same as a paperback. This is at least partly because the eReaders themselves are loss leaders -- companies make money when you buy their books, so the books can't be cheap too.

Library Friendliness

It gets more complex here. You know how libraries buy books from publishers and stores, or get them donated? eBooks are currently LOCKED DOWN by publishers. I won't get into all of the sordid deets, but there are basically 6 major book publishers, and 4 of them are refusing to sell their books to libraries. The only two who provide eBooks to libraries are HarperCollins and Random House (though the HarperCollins books "expire" after a year so you have to buy new copies every year). So, while libraries WANT to offer you all of these books in eBook form, they are unable to buy them.

Libraries are able to buy any book they want, basically. Self-published thing guy is selling out of his basement? Libraries can buy it! Bestseller just released? Libraries can buy it!

Wait, hold up.

So what's the point of eBooks, then? If books are superior in every way, why have eBooks taken off like they have?

Oh just the INSTANT GRATIFICATION/CONVENIENCE FACTOR.

The instant gratification part is pretty self explanatory: you hear about a book, you want to read a book, you download it and read it right away. Works great if a) the book is published by HarperCollins or Random House and your library has an eBook copy or b) you don't mind spending money (or I suppose c) if you are unscrupulous and use torrents or something).

It's even more fun if you want to read a book the SECOND it's released. Even if you plan to go to the bookstore first thing that morning, or you paid for express shipping from Amazon, the eBook readers will get the books sooner. Because? They are available at MIDNIGHT. OK, I guess if you go to one of those Harry Potter style book release parties where they sell the books at midnight, you can still get it that first SECOND. But this way, you can do it from your sofa at home, in your pajamas, without having to hang out with screaming teens.

Also: the travel thing

Here's where it gets interesting. If you're a big reader, like me, you tend to have more than one book on the go. I also like to have a variety of options with me, especially when I travel. What if I feel like reading something funny? What if I want to finally read that long classic I've been meaning to read? What if I have an urge to re-read a nostalgic fave? This is why my suitcase and carry-on tend to get weighted down, because I bring at least three books along. When I don't bring three books along? I wind up buying a paperback from the airport or something.

eReaders hold hundreds, if not thousands of books. You can have essentially LIMITLESS OPTIONS with you, and it's way lighter to travel with, and fits in your purse easier than a book book.

For travel, eBooks are the winner (unless you go somewhere there isn't electricity, then you can't charge your eReader, I guess).

Environmental Impact

Meh. Smarter people than me have discussed this. I guess if you only ever read on your eReader for the next fifty years, and you never change it for another eReader, you will have saved some trees. But chances are, you're going to replace it at some point, likely in the next five years. And it costs more to manufacture an eReader device than a single paperback.

But then you think about how many books get printed, and how when they don't sell, they're sent off to be recycled, and eReading seems somehow more appealing.

The small business thing

Independent bookstores can't really sell eBooks. I mean, some are trying their best, but it's pretty hard to compete with the overwhelming marketing of stores like the Kindle store, Kobo store, and iBooks. So, to support your local economy, books are the better choice. I guess.

Minimalism

Frankly, whenever I move, packing up and moving books is one of the heaviest and most cumbersome parts. Reading eBooks is more minimalist, I suppose. Although I guess getting all your books from the library is the most minimalist - don't own anything ever!'' But still, eBooks appeal to me because I try not to own too much stuff, and books -- while they look cool -- are just more things to sit around your house.

What do you guys think? Books? eBooks? A bit of both?

Also: feel free to leave a book suggestion below, I'm always on the lookout for something great and new to read.

10 Tips for NaNoWriMo Survival

2012-11-01T20:32:00.006-06:00

Hey guys! So, it's that time again -- no, not just Post Halloween Sugar Hangover/Weight Gain Day, but also the first day of National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo as us nerds call it.

This is a self-portrait I took after I finished NaNo 2010. Note the glee on my face, and the crazy look in my eyes. Also note: these are not official NaNo horns, those are just light-up viking horns I have for other reasons that I put on for the Me Party.

Now, I've done NaNoWriMo three times before, and completed each time. Some of my friends venturing into this for the first time have been asking for tips, so here is my hard-earned wisdomosity.

But wait! What is NaNoWriMo all about?

The rules of NaNoWriMo are pretty simple: write a 50,000 word novel in one month. To help you out with this (and to make it official), you register with their website. This allows you to access my fave part of the whole thing -- the bar graph. Every day you enter how many words you write, so you can see on the bar graph how you're doing. In theory, it sounds kind of intense and crazy, but in practice and being very organized, it is totally doable.

10 Tips for NaNoWriMo Survivial

1) Tell other people you're doing it.

Your real-life friends, your online friends, the strangers who follow you on Twitter - this makes you accountable. This is similar to how you achieve lots of other goals, like losing weight or saving money. When you announce your intentions to other people, the GUILT of looking like a loser in front of them can help spur you on.

2) Never look back.

This is not the time for perfectionism, but rather for PURE OUTPUT. Editing and revising is for December. Writing random crap is for November. Did you suddenly change your main characters' name halfway through? NO TIME! Don't go back and change it. Did you suddenly change your entire plot halfway through? WHO CARES, just keep going. Never EVER go back and change anything. It's all about getting your 1,667 words per day.

3) You will write some shitty stuff.

Related to the previous point, remember that a lot of what you write will be SO SHITTY.

4) Interact with other Wrimo friends.

You can join your local forum (I've never actually done that) or just flail around on Twitter using the #NaNoWriMo hashtag. If you write, for instance, "I don't know if I can get out another 500 words! #NaNoWriMo" then I can guarantee you will get motivational messages from people you've never met before. And then you can be Wrimo friends with them and spur one another on! Part of what's great about the whole enterprise is that whenever you feel like quitting, there's some stranger out there somewhere to cheer you on.

5) Follow the @NaNoWordSprints Twitter.

When you're stuck, they run "sprints" pretty regularly where they challenge you to write 1000 words in 10 minutes, and often they give you a topic to use.

6) Crowd source for inspiration.

Similar to the above: when you are super-super stuck and it's near the end and you're giving up? Crowd sourcing can help. This is a trick to use only when you have FULLY GIVEN UP on your book making any semblance of sense and you know it'll never be a real book but you still want to finish. Ask your friends for random words, then work those words into your book. If your friends are anything like mine, then you'll be googling words like "Antidisestablishmentarianism" and finding fun ways to work that into your novel about spaceships in dinosaur times, or whatever. (e.g. "I will not stand for this blatant antidisestablishmentarianism," said the tricerotops, grabbing his top hat. "This community was founded upon the principles of antidisestablishmentarianism!" screamed the spaceship captain. "This is insubordination, sir!")

7) Buy something from the NaNoWriMo online store.

No, really. I mean, their stuff is cute, but also? The orders don't ship immediately. All three times I've done NaNoWriMo, the parcel didn't arrive till towards the end of November... i.e., just when I was thinking of giving up. The knowledge that a mug and/or travel mug and/or t-shirt saying "NaNoWriMo Winner" was on its way force me to continue on. And then when it arrived, I knew I'd have to finish or the mug and/or travel mug and/or t-shirt would GAZE DOWN ON ME and make me feel bad if I didn't finish. Also, it would be a waste of money if I didn't finish, right? So for FRUGAL REASONS, I had to finish.

8) Never skip a day.

NEVER SKIP A DAY. You may be ahead of your goal at some point, or just tired or overworked, and you think, "I'll just take a day off." Before you know it, you will be THOUSANDS OF WORDS BEHIND and will have to spend a weekend writing FIVE THOUSAND WORDS or even worse, TEN THOUSAND WORDS, and that is awful. Even if you write "this is shitty" over and over hundreds of times, it is crucial to make your 1,667 words every day. Just trust me.

9) #Winning!

When you complete your 50,000 word novel, it's called WINNING. And when you win? It is the best feeling, especially if you've got Twitter friends who you can share your great success with. Also, you get prizes. For instance, last year the winners all got 50% off Scrivener software, which is a great program for creative writing and I'm using it right now to revise my most recent NaNo novel. So winning = frugal!!

10) Don't mind the crazies.

There are crazies out there who only seem to do NaNoWriMo so they can post tweets about how they wrote 50,000 words in 5 hours or something. People who are like, "I completed NaNoWriMo in 5 days! Now what do I do for the rest of the month? #iamannoyingandashowoff" can make you feel like you're desperately behind. Ignore them. They're probably just lying anyway.

Also bear in mind: at the end of the month, you don't techinically have a novel. You have a draft. Don't just print it off and send it to agents and publishers: lots of people do this and it is not a great idea. Hammering out a first draft is a huge accomplishment... and it's also the first step to having a great novel. Lots of people have worked on their NaNo novels to the point of publication -- here's a good list of them. So it writing a novel is your goal, NaNoWriMo is great. If writing a great novel and having it published is your goal, NaNoWriMo is a great first step.

Are you guys doing NaNoWriMo? Or have you done it before? What are your tips??

The bus is not that bad: tips for bus commuting

2012-10-27T14:44:00.003-06:00

Most kids grow up singing "The Wheels on the Bus," but sometime in adolescence/adulthood, many people start thinking that the bus is somehow gross and not worth their while. But you couldn't be more wrong! I've been riding the bus for at least 25 years (remember, I grew up without a car and still don't have a driver's license) and I'm here to tell you: it's not that bad.

You can always dress up to ride the bus, and pretend like you live back in the day when very dignified people used the bus to commute.

Why ride the bus? It's cheaper than having a car, you won't be arrested for texting while riding the bus, and it's more environmentally friendly (lots of people in one vehicle, vs. everybody in their own vehicle).

The Wheels on the Bus Go Round & Round

Buses don't give change. If you're paying in cash, make sure you have the exact amount. For safety reasons (and expediency), you have to pay the correct amount. If you aren't sure how much that is, check your city's bus website or ask a bus-using friend. Tickets are cheaper than cash; passes are cheaper than tickets (per use). If you're using the bus once, for one ride, then use cash. If you'll be using it a few times, you might as well pick up a pack of tickets, which will make each ride slightly cheaper. If you're planning to bus commute for awhile (yay, you!) then a bus pass will be the cheapest option per-ride.

The Wipers on the Bus Go Swish Swish Swish

Plan your route ahead of time. Many bus services have partnered with Google Maps so you can type in your route plan, and they'll tell you which bus to catch and where and when. This is handy if you, like me (and most stereotypical men) hate asking for directions, so you can look like you know what you're doing. That being said, you can always ask bus drivers for advice if you need it to. At least here in Saskatoon, they are happy to help. I mean, it is their job to help you, after all.

The Doors on the Bus Go Open & Shut

Some bus doors open when you push them. Some of them you have to put your hand on it and then it opens via hydraulics. Some of them you have to wave your hand in front of a certain spot, and then it opens via hydraulics. I don't know why they're all different; but they should be marked with what sort of mechanism it's using. When in doubt, wait for someone else to get off the bus first.

The People on the Bus Go Up & Down

Only sit directly next to another person if there is NO OTHER OPTION. You should always give everybody a lot of personal space. It is perfectly acceptable to take up two seats by yourself if you have lots of bags (i.e. grocery bags). But if the bus starts to get full, you should offer up the second seat to somebody else. Or else don't be surprised that someone will suddenly appear and wedge themselves in between you and your bags.

Also: people may talk to you, who you don't want to talk to. This may happen even if you are a) reading a book while b) listening to music in headphones. That being said, the book/headphones combo will work 9 times out of 10. Discussions with Bus People can be funny, uncomfortable, or boring. This isn't a reason to avoid the bus, though. It comes with the territory - like when you drive a car, you have to put up with other cars cutting you off, or traffic jams. Nothing is perfect.

The Driver on the Bus Says "Move On Back"

Seriously - sit towards the back of the bus. The seats at the front are for old people, people in wheelchairs, and people with strollers. If you sit there, you'll have to get up and move back anyway, so sit towards the back to begin with. Also: say "hello," to the driver when you get on, and say "thank you" when you leave. It's just polite. Treat them like you would any other service industry person, like a waiter or a cashier or a barista -- politeness is never out of style. Bus drivers are very special people, too, in that they have to do customer service while also driving safely, while also acting as security guards. So they really deserve your thanks.

... All through the town!

Guest Post: 4 Ways to Support Local Businesses and Stick to Your Budget

2012-10-25T21:10:00.002-06:00

I am all about supporting local independent businesses. Without shoppers like us, what would become of the mother and daughter duo who own the little shop in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg??
With that in mind, I'm so happy to bring you today's guest post, about how shopping local doesn't have to mean breaking the bank!

Shopping at local stores almost always costs you more than shopping at brand name, chain stores. This can make supporting your local businesses a little more challenging if you're on a budget. If you need new clothes, it may be difficult to justify paying an extra $100 at a local boutique that only uses natural materials to make their clothes. Despite the costs associated with shopping local, you may still have a desire to do more to support local, ethical stores and companies.

Fortunately, there are things you can do to support these businesses without draining your bank accounts. Here are four things you can start doing now:

1. Avoid rigid shopping habits

If you decide to only shop local, you may end up spending a lot more money than you'd like to. Buying all of your books at a local bookstore, for instance, could cost you a pretty penny in comparison to what you'd spend if you ordered most of your books from Amazon.

If shopping 100% local just isn't financially reasonable, that's ok. As a conscious, thoughtful shopper, you just need to figure out which big businesses you don't want to support and which ones you don't mind supporting. And you need to make an effort to support local businesses whenever you can in a way that's reasonable considering your financial limitations.

You might, for instance, buy your groceries at a local, organic grocery store every other week, and buy your groceries at a regular store the rest of the time. If you did something like this habitually for a year, you'd end up spending a good amount of money supporting local businesses. And you probably will have done so without breaking the bank.

2. Sign up for email updates

While it can seem like a hassle to give stores your email address, doing so can definitely help you save money in the future. Most local businesses won't send you an excessive amount of email updates. However, they will probably send you emails about sales and special deals they have going on. Knowing about and taking advantage of price reductions at local businesses will help you save money when you shop local. Additionally, each time you buy from a local business during a sale, you'll be helping that business get rid of its excess inventory.

If you're not fond of receiving promotional emails, you may want to create a separate email account that you specifically use for email updates from stores. You can check this email account every once in a while to see what kinds of deals are going on, without having to be bothered by any promotional emails in your regular inbox when you're not in shopping mode.

3. Get involved

You can support local businesses without spending money by volunteering at the farmer's market, writing Yelp reviews for local businesses you like, and introducing your friends and family members to new local businesses. The simple things you do to help small, ethical businesses grow can make a huge difference.

Small businesses with limited marketing budgets depend on their best customers to spread the word about what they're doing. So, think about ways you can get involved and help businesses in your community without having to exhaust your financial resources.

4. Shop less in general

Most people buy more than they need, and breaking the habit of overconsumption can be tough. Once you start to make smarter shopping decisions, however, it'll be easier for you to reduce your overall consumption and spend more of your hard-earned money on things you actually need from local shops you want to support.

Shopping less in general will help you save money, and it may help you focus more on the intangible things that truly matter in life. You have a lot of power as a consumer, and the choices you make do matter.

So, consider the tips above as you continue or begin to support local businesses. There's no need to go broke buying sustainable goods. You can most definitely stick to your budget while being a more aware, ethical consumer!

About the author: Carol Wilson is a guest blogger, professional writer, and business owner who frequently freelances for business and consumer-related sites. Carol likes to write about sustainability, technology, and economics. Please send your comments, questions, and writing requests for Carol to wilson.carol24@gmail.com.

Tips for a car-free lifestyle

2012-10-22T22:37:00.000-06:00

Greetings citizens of the world! As you are undoubtedly aware we are in the midst of a MAJOR ELECTION. Of course, I'm talking about the Saskatoon municipal election (vote Oct 24!)

This will never not be the best election story ever. Did you know it's based on a book? Also equally excellent/much more interesting than most actual real-world elections.

So, lots of candidates are talking about improving the transit system and encouraging people to go car-free. Grossly, this has led to some really angry comments on Twitter and on blogs from people who are like "Why talk about the transit system? Nobody uses it anyway". Sometimes I want to SCREAM people are so misinformed.

STOP BEING STUPID! JUST STOP IT!

Here's the thing: I don't drive. You shouldn't either. OK, one or two of you maybe should so I can get a ride every now and then. But if you're thinking of driving less, I present to you my PEDESTRIAN MANIFESTO:

The Shopping Detox Pedestrian Manifesto

What qualifies me to write this? Well, seeing as I have never had a driver's license, and grew up in a functional household that didn't have a car (by choice), I know what I'm talking about here.

Note: going car-free will mean adjusting how you do things. But, just like eating healthier or working exercise into your daily life, or living barefoot or whatever, you can't make a big change like this and keep going like you usually do.

1. Grocery shop European-style

I didn't even notice I did this, until I went grocery shopping with a car-owning friend. I buy just as much as I can carry, enough for a meal or two, and make more regular stops to the grocery store. Car-owners, from what I understand, make one big trip every week, or a few times a month.

HEALTH BENEFIT: buying less groceries allows you to eat more fresh produce, since you're just feeding yourself for a short time before stuff can spoil.

FRUGAL BENEFIT: if you're limited by what you can carry (or bike, or bus) yourself, you'll buy less stuff.

EXPERT TIP: don't use a shopping cart. That will make you buy too much stuff. Just grab a hand basket, and when it's full, you know you're done. Or, if you need more stuff, invest in a bundle buggy. They're not just for old people anymore!!

2. Headphones are your friends

I mentioned this already somewhat controversially in my post about how to bike commute (**note: don't listen to podcasts while cycling if you're on streets with lots of cars!!**), but walking and taking the bus? They are so great. If you get carsick and can't read a real book (or an eBook, or your iPhone) on the bus, you can also listen to audiobooks on the go.

BONUS: Listening to audiobooks, podcasts, or even music on the bus keeps people from talking to you! Or even just put on headphones for the same effect. (**Warning: does not work on all people)

EXPERT TIP: Get free audiobooks from your library using the Library2Go service! It's available at most North American libraries these days.

3) Dress in layers, especially in fall and spring

Here, it's suddenly started snowing despite being mid-October, so it's less autumn and more aut-ter. Wintumn? But the temp can vary wildly. When you drive in a car, you can put on sandals and a sundress in the winter, just running from car to office and back. When you're going by foot, bus, or bike? Layers are crucial. Check out my tips about layering fall fashion or bike commuting fashion for specific details on this. Basically, wear a zip-up jacket or sweater so you can take it on or off easily; bring along gloves because your hands get cold even if the rest of you doesn't and WEAR COMFY SHOES OH MY GOD. I've had to forsake my love for insane heels for my pedestrian lifestyle, but it all balances out for me.

HEALTH BENEFIT: walking and biking is exercise, so you can skip the gym for the day if you walk for your errands or to/from work!

FRUGAL BENEFIT: you wear your clothes more, which makes them cheaper per use.

EXPERT TIP: several clever companies like Lululemon and American Eagle have gloves with fancy fingertips where you can use your touch-screen devices without taking off the gloves. Great for commuting!

4) Don't trust cars. Cars are the enemy.

For real: cars are not your friends. I hear car-driving acquaintances be like "Ahh! I hate cyclists! I hate pedestrians! They keep jumping into the road dangerously and randomly! And buses! They slow down traffic! Why can't everybody drive cars! Ahh!" This is obviously untrue, but it's good to know this is the misguided thought pattern of the car-driving people. They think, despite you being much more exposed, healthy, cute, and environmentally friendly than them, that you are DANGEROUS and will somehow mess up their day.

This means (unless you live in Halifax NS, the only place in the world that cars are nice to people) you need to check and DOUBLE CHECK and the TRIPLE CHECK both ways before crossing the street. Even at clearly marked crosswalks. Even at crosswalks with flashing lights where you've hit the button. Wait until you see the car ACTUALLY STOP before you cross. Make eye contact if you can.

You know, and I know, that you're following the laws. But that's no consolation when the car driver is found guilty and you're heinously disfigured from being hit by a car.

5) Taxi!

Make like Blake Lively-Reynolds if you need to go somewhere further than the bus can take you, or faster than the bus can get you there, take a taxi! Come on, even Katie Holmes is doing this. And paying for a taxi every now and then is still cheaper than owning a car. Or so I hear.

Do you have any tips for wannabe pedestrians? I get that it's hard to do in small towns, but honestly? I'm pulling it off in Saskatoon. So it's def possible!

Guest post: Would you buy a second home?

2012-10-15T16:11:00.003-06:00

This is the only kind of house I can currently purchase (...OK, rent) which is why I've turned to a guest post this week, for those of you thinking of buying not one but TWO houses! Enjoy!

Buying a second home, whether you want to use it for vacation purposes or rent it out, can be a tricky process. You’ll first have to determine whether you can actually take on another mortgage payment and then decide how to finance it. However, if you familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of buying a second home before you start browsing the local listings, you can start your endeavour with confidence and direction. Here are five tips for buying a second home.

1. Make sure your credit history is clear. The most important thing to keep in mind when searching for a lender for your second mortgage is that they are often more difficult to secure than first mortgages. If you default on your home loan, the company that holds your second mortgage often won’t get the first opportunity to your home. Because of this, you’ll most likely face higher mortgage rates, but having a good credit score can help you get the best deal for a mortgage.

2. Step outside your comfort zone. If you’re thinking of buying a second home, you’re doing this already. But try to talk to a few different lenders who aren’t your primary banking institution. Often times, credit unions have lower rates and mortgage companies offer more comprehensive loan packages. It never hurts to make an inquiry, and in the case of getting a second home, it could actually help you get a good mortgage rate.

3. Read the fine print. The last thing you want to do is sign a contract with hidden fees and penalties, but this could happen if you don’t ask about different case scenarios when it comes to paying off your second home. Once you believe you have found the right lender, make sure to ask about penalties for paying off your home early or changing the terms of your mortgage agreement (such as switching from monthly to bimonthly payments).

4. Time it just right. Staying on top of how mortgage rates are performing could the just the key to finding the home that you want at the rate that you want. Especially with mortgage rates so sensitive to announcements from the U.S. Federal Reserve and official reports from the housing sector, you could save as much as half a percentage point by buying when the time is right.

5. Enjoy the shopping! Now that you’ve done the hard part, you can enjoy your home buying process. With the financial pieces in place, you can start focusing on location, size, and amenities. But don’t forget to stay abreast of mortgage news so that you can make sure that your mortgage agreement continues to work in your favour.

Halloween costumes that will only work in 2012

2012-10-01T23:15:00.000-06:00

Ted's annual Hanging Chad costume from How I Met Your Mother.

Do you remember the episode of How I Met Your Mother where Ted explains why he keeps wearing his "Hanging Chad" costume well after anyone remembers that whole oddly boring scandal? It was because he met a girl that night and thinks she won't recognize him if he's not dressed the same.

This is a great example of how so many Halloween costumes are ephemeral, and is one of the main reasons I generally advocate for a classy, frugal, timeless costume.

But if that's not your jam, I totally get it. Here are some Halloween costumes I predict we'll be seeing in 2012... and that if you wore them any other time, nobody would remember what it is you're being. Like the girl who comes in a Snooki costume, or as Kate Gosselin in a short-hair wig, you just make yourself look out of touch.

1. Mama June and Honey Boo Boo (couple's costume)

By 2013, I think we'll all be tired of these two. I think we kind of are already, and that's before TLC has enough episodes to do all-day marathons to drive us all insane.

2. Kate Middleton's pixelated chest

Unlike last year's Kate Middleton wedding dress costumes, someone, somewhere, is dressing like her in a nude bodystocking with pixelations over her chest.

3. Fifty Shades of Grey

My friend Jill came up with this idea: tape 50 paint samples of grey from the hardware store onto your outfit and show up as literally, 50 shades of grey. Or go the extra mile and come all dressed in red and hobble around like you're hurt, and explain you're being The Red Room Of Pain.

4. Lady Gaga circa October 2012 (long brown hair)

By next year, we'll all have forgotten she was ever rocking a long brown hair look. Even this year, people will be like, "Oh! You're dressed like Selena Gomez! Cute!"

5. Zooey Deschanel Is Adorkable!

If you show up in a 50s/60s style dress, with long hair and bangs, and skip around being quirky: don't bother. This show has progressed well beyond its initial tagline ("Adorkable!") and you'll just look like you don't know what you're talking about.

6. Courtney Stodden and her creepy old man husband

Although, this is a good way to re-use your Heidi and Spencer Pratt costumes from a few years ago. And undoubtedly there will be some other big-breasted blond with a creepy husband you can dress up as next year. Actually, you can wear these same costumes every year and just claim to be someone different as more bizarre people begin to take up space in gossip blogs. (UPDATE: the brilliant Cyndi suggested that Canadians can use these same costumes to be Maygan Sensenberger and her creepy old Senator husband, too!)

7. Rihanna circa October 2012

Nobody will remember she had this haircut next year. They'll be like, "Oh, you came as Halle Berry!"

8. Anything involving Looper

Very timely right now - and a perfect costume if you are a younger guy dating an older guy! You can go as Old and Young Joe! However, by next year, it won't be clever anymore. Trust me, I know: I came back from the future to tell you this.

9. Christina Aguilera & Cee-Lo Green, in chairs

This year? It would be brilliant to dress as Xtina or Cee-Lo, grab an office chair at the party, and spend the whole night with your back to everyone like you're a judge on The Voice. By 2013, these costumes will be obsolete as these two won't be on next season and everyone will be dressing up as Shakira and Usher.

10. An iPhone 5

... because we all know by next year, we'll be up to iPhone 15 or something the way these keep popping out. Nobody will remember that iPhones used to be as big and clunky as the iPhone 5 will seem by 2013.

What do you guys think? Anything I missed?

Things that change so gradually you don't notice

2012-10-01T22:11:00.004-06:00

Welcome aboard to new readers who found me from the very generous shout-out from the very sexy J Money from the very sexy Budgets Are Sexy! Bonjour new friends!!

I was thinking about how my life has changed since I started this blog almost 2 years ago, and how much of that is due to the blog itself. I've discovered new blog friends, gotten pretty good at sourcing out vintage-ish pictures, had a bunch of fun challenges and learned a lot.

I'm still in debt, though.

But not as much as before!

I'm not the sort of person who can make an instant, immediate change (other than painting my nails a new colour, or cutting all my hair off - the former of which I just did, the latter of which I SHALL NEVER DO until the next time I get bored because me with short hair is less Carey Mulligan/Michelle Williams and more Kate Gosselin/that time Jennie Garth cut off her hair in 90210).

Interestingly, I was moved to cut off all my hair the first time when Jennie Garth got this 'do in the 90s. And ever since then, it's been a vicious cycle of exhileration followed by years of growing-out guilt.

A big change requires a lot of concentrated effort and a plan and that's just not my style. My style, similar to that of Mireille Enos in French Women Don't Get Fat is to just kind of do my best all the time, succumb to temptation once in awhile, and do my best. Buying good quality stuff, not wasting my money on cheap stuff I don't really want.

That's one of the changes I have definitely noticed between January 2011 and now: I pay attention to what I spend. I may buy not-entirely-necessary-for-life things, but at least I think about it now. I have automated payments into my credit card debt.

Just trying to make my BFF proud.

For me, these baby steps are good enough for now. It may not be one of those amazing "I GOT OUT OF DEBT IN 6 MONTHS HERE'S HOW" stories, but this is what's working for me for now.

Slowly but surely!

Your ultimate guide to a classy, frugal Halloween

2012-09-30T21:53:00.002-06:00

Hey guys!

Yes, I'm still working on that novel project thing, but Halloween is coming up and since it's MY FAVOURITE HOLIDAY EVER, I thought I'd compile my past posts on the topic (which are filled with BRILLIANT costume ideas, FYI)

The costume ideas are all frugal, obviously:

How frugal should you be for Halloween?

"There are two ways to approach Halloween: buying a costume, or inventing a costume from stuff that you have. Buying a costume is easier, while inventing a costume is more fun."

Best Halloween costumes for blondes, redheads, and brunettes

"One great way to save money for Halloween (besides from getting costume bits from your wardrobe, and using makeup you already own) is dressing for your hair colour. Wigs cost money, and it's silly that redheads buy black wigs to be Uma Thurman from Pulp Fiction, while people with dark hair buy wigs to be Marilyn Monroe and blondes buy red wigs to be Ariel from The Little Mermaid."

Un-sexy Halloween costumes ideas

"Sexy (fill in the blank) costumes are now so de rigeur, that the best way to really stand out on Halloween is by dressing as unsexy as possible."

15+ costumes you can make with items you already own!

"Halloween doesn't have to break the bank! There are heaps of costumes you can make from things you have already in your wardrobe without having to buy anything. Or, if you don't have any of these things, you can buy them because they're good investments."

Have you figured out your costume for this year? I've got a few ideas so far, but am open to suggestions!!

Speaking up - without being a jerk - can save you money!

2012-09-26T18:50:00.001-06:00

Na na na naaaaa

Hey you guys! Miss me??

I've been toiling away ~~reading celeb gossip~~ revising my novel which, I have to say, I'm pretty sure y'all are going to love. I pretty much do. But it's lots of work, and so I'm on a blog vacay -- BROKEN TODAY! Because I have to tell you guys this story due to all of the LIFE LESSONS.

So, here's the thing. I'm going on a mini break holiday! Wheee!

"Mini break": part of my vocabulary since the first time I saw Bridget Jones' Diary

The destination? A small, gorgeous lake-front place. And OK, so maybe we spent more time thinking about it than actually planning it, but I actually made a hotel reservation last week and then today, investigated the bus schedule situation*

(*I don't drive, as you may recall)

Now, it's not that I didn't know if the buses went there at all: they totally do. We went there last summer on the bus. The fact that the bus may not go there anymore did not cross my mind until...

PLOT TWIST!!

OH NOES!!

The bus doesn't go there anymore because 'the season' is over. It only drives up to this picturesque lakefront area during 'the season' which apparently ends at the beginning of September. (Someone should tell the hotel that, though, because their 'in season' rates go until October)

So, I've got a hotel room booked for 2 days from now, in a place that I have literally no way of getting to. And the hotel's cancellation policy is that you get half your money back if you cancel 7 days beforehand: not a possibility at the moment, without some sort of time machine scenario.

I briefly considered building my own but... you know.
This book was checked out from the library.

So, I phoned them and they were friendly and nice, but that's the situation. She sweetly suggested that I could hitchhike, which is bizarre, but sometimes I forget I live in the boonies.

Like Claudette Colbert, I'm pretty sure I'd do OK at hitch hiking.
Especially because I'd make sure to wear this outfit exactly.

Anyway, that seemed to be that. I was frustrated, but understood their point of view. So, I wrote a polite email explaining that I was disappointed not to be able to go, and that I looked forward to staying there next summer (when the bus is running again).

AND THEN!!! The woman who checks their emails phoned me and was like, "Hey, if you get off at the stop 12km from us, I can come by and pick you up. And also drop you off there again on Sunday. No big deal."

AMAZINGNESS.

So now, not only have I un-cancelled the vacation, but now it includes a CHAUFFEUR type situation. G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S!

Life lesson: If you're about to have to pay $300 to not stay in a hotel, be gracious and polite and speak up! It may not always work, but you never know if you don't try!

Frugal lesson: Make sure you tell hotels you're taking the bus when you book a hotel in a small lakefront area. Or else you may have to pay $300 and not get to stay there.

Food banks, poverty, and frugality

2012-09-13T23:52:00.003-06:00

So remember how last year I took part in the Food Basket Challenge - living off of a food bank hamper for one week to raise awareness for poverty? You can check out my blog posts about it here and also here.

The Saskatoon Food Bank is running this awareness campaign again, and 23 people are involved this year. It was such an eye-opening experience for me, it's really interesting to see how the experience effects this years' participants.

You can keep up with their experiences on the Food Basket Challenge website here... and remember it's not about an extreme diet or being brave or whatever, it's about raising awareness that for the participants it's one week of unpleasant eating - whereas for the people who depend on eating from the food bank, it's a daily lifestyle. These hampers aren't meant to feed you for a week, but to supplement your diet for a few days. And when your diet goes out of whack like this, if effects your emotions, which can impact on your work and social life.

Anyway. It's a really important project, and also really interesting reading! Head on over to the Food Basket Challenge website to keep up with this years' participants and join in the discussion.

Ruby Sparks: fall fashion icon for the ages

2012-09-09T23:04:00.004-06:00

So. I just saw the amaze new film Ruby Sparks, written by and starring the gorgeous Zoe Kazan. It's the story of a writer (Paul Dano) who writes about a character called Ruby Sparks, who then suddenly appears in his life and is his girlfriend! As my friend noted, not entirely dissimilar to Weird Science crossed with 500 Days of Summer.

At its heart, it's a movie about how you are first attracted to someone superficially, but then you get to learn more about them as a real person, and that's when relationships get complicated.

Whatevs, the story is great and all but the biggest takeaway I have from this movie is:

RUBY SPARKS, FASHION ICON

For reals. Now, Paul Dano's character is creative and a great writer, but no fashion stylist. He must have written something like "Ruby always has perfect hair and the perfect outfit for every occasion," and then Ruby took it from there. Because there is no way a guy like this:

Can style an outfit like this:

Let's break down Ruby's PERFECT FALL FASHION, shall we?

1. Perfect Hair

Ruby wears her hair in the Zooey Deschanel-approved official quirky gal 'do: long waves with a thick fringe and shorter, face-framing layers. Sometimes the fringe is off to the side, sometimes it's straight on her forehead. One memorable time she wears a total sock bun.

Ruby rocks a sock bun and a seriously cute vintage dress.
There's no way Paul Dano styled this woman, I mean, right?

Ruby's hair colour, a bright effervescent red, is perfect for fall. Or any time, really. Her hair is always kinda messy, never perfectly put together - but perfect in its messiness.

Oh hey there, perfect casual ponytail that shows off the long pieces that frame the face!

Lesson = long waves, a strong fringe, but don't get too precious about it. Just let it go wild and free! And shiny.

3. Coloured tights

When Paul Dano first writes about Ruby, he notes that she wears coloured tights. And girlfriend wears the HELL out of her coloured tights. Purple! Blue! Always opaque, always perfect. And yes, Ruby has little stick figure movie star legs, but coloured tights are a great look for anyone going into fall. Always more fun than plain black. Do you doubt I know what I'm talking about? You guys, I wore TIGHTS FOR 30 DAYS. And that didn't even use up all of the tights I own.

Lesson = coloured tights with EVERYTHING.

3. Cute vintage-y dresses

Similar to Zooey Deschanel's wardrobe on New Girl, Ruby Sparks wears a variety of gorgeous retro dresses. Like her hair, though, these dresses are not prim or constricting - but rather loose and easy, like she threw it on without really thinking.

I mean, she's ready to jump into a pool at basically anytime, so while her outfits are cute, she's not spent a fortune on them and they're always quite practical.

I mean, not that jumping in a pool in your clothes is ever practical,
but this shows how she doesn't take her clothes too seriously.

Lesson = make friends with the owner of a used clothes store and/or stalk the nearest used clothing store for cute dresses for vintage-inspired dresses are NEVER NOT APPROPRIATE.

4. Bright colours ALL THE TIME

Ruby wears pants only a few times in this film, and once it's a pair of candy coloured skinny jeans; another time is a French-y striped top. She's always wearing bright circus-y colours, which look great with her bright hair and porcelain skin. Bright colours look great on EVERYONE, though. If you want a baby step to brightening your wardrobe, follow Ruby's lead and go with a pair of primary coloured ballet flats.

Lesson = COLOUR YOUR WORLD!

Have you guys seen this movie? Are you dying to dress like Ruby Sparks too??

Book review: Trust Your Eyes (Linwood Barclay)

2012-09-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

So, I'm still on my bloggy vacation as I work on revising my novel (so, it's not actually a vacation, technically). But I'm still reading (as per always) and currently am expanding my horizons to try and read new and different types of things. This is mostly because I don't want to read anything too similar to my novel (which removes YA novels, my usual pick).

And enter... Linwood Barclay's "Trust Your Eyes." (A Canadian author!!)

The concept of this book is impossible not to describe in terms of Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window, so here you go. Rather than a guy with a broken leg who witnesses a murder in the apartment across the way, this book is about a schizophrenic guy who never leaves his house who witnesses a murder on ~~Google Maps~~ Whirl360.

Similar to how the teen movie Disturbia twisted the Rear Window formula to make it suit contemporary audiences, this book embraces technology to show a guy who is forced out of his shell to convince people that he's not crazy - he really did witness a murder.

This book isn't just a copy of Rear Window, however. The book's main character is a detective, and the homebound guy is his brother. Although it's a mystery and a thriller, at its heart it's a story of these two brothers.

And... they're talking about this book on the BlogHer book club, so head on over there for more thoughts on this book!

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.