At any rate, I gave it a try.  After all, I have some great bags and great clothes...all I had to do was put it all together right? 

The first day I was so excited!  I was so ready to pull out my favorite bags and match them up.  I already had outfits and bag ideas in mind for the rest of the week.  I got many compliments on my favorite bag that I pulled out first.  So many that I was almost sad to put it away later that evening and start tomorrow with another.  But I pressed on with my stylish elder mentor in mind knowing that I was forming a chic habit that was going to speak volumes about my attention to detail and style!

The second day nobody noticed-or if they did, they didn't say anything.  It was a busy day full of meetings and I couldn't just insinuate my handbag into people's eyesight for no reason could I?  What's more is that I forgot my trusty purse umbrella that I keep in my purses in case of unexpected rain (Darn Michigan Weather...).  I must have left it behind when changing purses.  As I ran to my car in the rain using my second favorite purse as an umbrella I realized how vulnerable I felt when I wasn't prepared (as I pride myself on always being).

The third day I forgot...smh

By the fourth day I had mixed emotions.  I was hoping someone noticed my eye for detail and stylish flare but also increasingly paranoid that I'd forgotten to transfer something from one bag to another.  I made it through.  I was almost thrilled when one of the people who'd complimented me on my bag on the first day noticed I wasn't carrying it until she mentioned how much she loved it and made no remark about this one.  Did I say mixed emotions?  Maybe I should've said I'd grown neurotic.

The fifth day I was glad it was Friday because I could relax and "dress down".  Dressing down in an office for women is much different than dressing down for men but I will get to that at another date...I opted for a more playful bag to compliment my jeans.  I felt great that A.) I remembered to make the switch, B.) I was finally putting my fabulous accessorizing skills on display by coordinating not just great looks, but also my great selection of handbags.  I might actually be good at this!  Until lunch when I realized my debit card was in the pocket of my other purse...NOT AGAIN!  But I DID remember the umbrella somehow??? SMH

The fifth day (also known as the last straw) was the end of my little experiment for a few reasons.  First of all, I am not my stylish elder colleague.  She obviously had her stuff together a lot better than me.  I am a bag lady-meaning that my bag is my life.  I carry all of my essentials that I need from day to day (usually in an oversize bag vs. her small petite arm bags) and one component missing at the wrong time could change the course of my day!  On top of these things, I didn't like the side effects.  I was paranoid and overly concerned with the "impression" that I was giving.  Although I still value being stylish and detail oriented, I think it's more important for me to give the impression of being put together both physically AND mentally.  My older stylish colleague had obviously mastered this behavior and I will too eventually.  In the meantime, I'm going to take baby steps toward it.  So what if I wear the same bag a few days in a row?  If it's a good handbag that goes with (or at least won't clash with) my outfit I am going to rock it!  And only when I am totally ready will I move on to the next one!

At Foxxy Boutique we lean toward selling faux leather handbags, purses, and wallets for a few reasons. First of all it is cruelty-free. This means that no animals are used in its production. Most of our Faux Leather products are made of Polyurethane or PU. This material is “green” and does not create any dioxins like other materials used to produce Faux Leathers. PU is the closest and most realistic reproduction of leather possible because it is just as pliable to work with and tends to wrinkle and break like genuine leather but won’t crack or peel so your bag lasts longer. Faux leather is so convenient because it’s very easy to clean with a damp cloth. The best part of featuring Faux Leather is the cost. Because it’s less expensive, we can feature quality items that look just as good as real leather but at a fraction of the price!

How I got started

I remember when I was a child my Grandmother would bribe me to go shopping with her. She’d offer everything from an outfit to lunch at my favorite restaurant. The reason I refer to it as bribery is because we all knew when she went shopping, she took her time and that meant everyone else had to wait. The funny thing is that I never had a choice in the matter because I had to go with her. The bribery came from her knowledge of how a bored child could possibly misbehave in a department store which would ultimately cut her trip short. Neither of us wanted that.

So today, I look back at that time and laugh because I realize that was she was doing was bargain hunting. And she was really good at it. She was famous for coming back from those trips with designer names at discount prices because she knew where to go and took her time. She would shop for everyone she knew. I think her tactic was to find the deal first and the recipient would come later.

So now, I find myself doing the same thing (with the exception of having a granddaughter to bribe but hopefully she will come soon:-). I pride myself on being a bargain “hunter”. There really is a thrill of getting a good deal. There is a rush from getting what you want on your terms. And I must admit that when I am able to get a “hook up” I feel a little special. Since I have a bit of a rhythm going, I figured I would share some of my tips and what has worked for me. Keep in mind that these tips don’t work all of the time, but the most important thing is to get in the habit of trying them. After all “closed mouths don’t get fed,” as my Grandmother would say.

Travel
When I plan my vacations I take my time. I price transportation mid week and late at night and as far in advance as possible. Planning far in advance gives me time to gauge trends and compare prices. I also sign up for all of the discounts from my preferred airline including getting their credit cards (if it’s worth it). Sometimes they offer preferred seating and boarding or free Wi-Fi, and countless other amenities that make traveling less painful. I’ve also found that if I can’t find seats together for my party, you can always get there early and (ever so politely) ask the person at the counter if they could pleeeeaaaase help you. I’ve done this several times and it has never failed.

Hotels
I love to stay in plush hotels and since I’ve stayed in several, I’ve found that even though they are initially more expensive, they tend to be much easier to get discounts and extras from after you get there. So for hotels, I pull out every coupon book and discount program that I am involved in. They usually have tons of deals for hotels. If you are willing to pre-pay you are more likely to get a better deal. However, I’ve also found that going to the hotel’s direct site or even calling them directly has gotten me wonderful rates and some will let you heap on your other discounts.

I read an article about how effective tipping can be when checking in because they have a lot of upgrade and freebies to use at their discretion and a tip is a great incentive for them to exercise that discretion. I was so excited to try this on my next trip I could barely contain myself. I had my tip ($20) folded in my hand and ready to go when I got up to the counter to check in. I simply asked if there were any upgrades or amenities that I might qualify for and flashed the cash! It was like magic! Out of nowhere the young man was able to give me a double upgrade and comp me a free night! I’ve since done it and gotten complimentary breakfast buffets and spa services. Who says that you can’t buy anything with $20 anymore? Another tip for hotels is that if you need something else, go back to that same person if possible because they are more inclined to help you in hopes of more “cash flashing”.

Online Shopping
First off, we should first compare if there is a difference between buying in the store vs. online and weigh shipping vs. gas and convenience. If we decide to proceed online we can take the following steps.

Ok so we all know about coupon codes I hope! They are like free money to me. A good code could save you anything from percentages off to free shipping. Oftentimes signing up for their mailing list is valuable enough to a company for them to give you something so try this first. Otherwise start your online hunt. I stumbled on several rebate sites and signed up after learning that their programs give cash back for click through purchases on participating websites in addition to possible percentages off of your purchase. All of this for buying something that you was all set to buy anyway???? They won me over with “cash back”.

In addition, I’ve found that my credit cards offer some great incentives for cash back. Sometimes I have to weigh which one will give the best incentive in the timeliest fashion or if I’d prefer to have double miles instead…decisions decisions… One of my cards actually sends you a check (if you prefer) or applies it toward your balance. I’ve gotten hundreds of dollars this way. This is certainly worth checking into so always pay attention to you card’s benefits.

Another benefit that I tend to forget about is a discount program that I get through work. I was ordering birthday balloons to be delivered to my daughter and had gotten through the checkout very pleased at the discount code I’d found online. I went to check my email for the confirmation and got an email from the program my job signed us up for and looked through their discounts and found that I could’ve saved ten additional dollars!!! This leads me to the foundation of this article: never be afraid to just ask. Figuring it couldn’t hurt to ask I called back and explained about using the wrong discount code. The representative was so interested in getting a good review on the after call survey that he agreed to apply both discounts!

Retail
In person is a different set of rules. Although some people still use my Grandmother’s tactic, I am still burned from the experience and go a different route. I follow the “Managers can sometimes be your best friend” philosophy. If I find an item I like and am ready to buy I will always (ever so politely) ask if this is the best price. If they say they can’t budge on the price, I will (ever so politely) ask if they thought the manager might be able to help. Hopefully with some patience and small talk, the manager will arrive and be happy to see a customer who is not disgruntled asking for them and they are usually more than willing to give you a discount just to leave them alone-of which I am happy to oblige:-). I’ve even pulled out expired coupons, or even competitor’s coupons and asked for price matching just to see if they would do it. Sometimes it works, sometimes not but if they are inclined to do so, those managers can make it happen for you! The key is to make them want to do it for you.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve found that some employees do have tools at their disposal that they can use from time to time. Like I said before, this is about developing a behavior of at least asking. Once upon a time I wanted a blazer that was so darling! Because I’ve gotten home before and found holes in garments I always give my items a good once over. As I looked my blazer over, I found a long thread hanging. I was so sad because it was the last one. It was slow so I took it up to the counter and asked the young lady if they had more in back because this one was damaged. She explained that they would probably just damage if out so if I wanted it she would give me 15% off. Sold! I happily walked out with my blazer (that is still a staple of my wardrobe), and altered it by clipping the string at home.

Ultimately this may sound like a lot of work for a few dollars, but we all know that these dollars can build up. The most important thing is to train ourselves to be mindful of our spending and take advantage of every opportunity we get. Being pleasant and respectful to people doesn’t cost anything and is something that we probably should be doing more of anyway (and not just to get a discount). But I’ve found the combination of kindly asking for something sure does get better results than asking with an attitude.

Listen, most of us work hard for our money and sacrifice a lot. So when it’s time to make a purchase for something that you totally deserve and/or need to have, you don’t just throw your money away. You investigate before you spend to make sure you are getting your money’s worth. We do it when making large purchases like homes and vehicles, why not do it when making smaller purchases too? It doesn’t cost you anything to train yourself to do these things, but it could certainly cost you more (peace of mind, comfort, and cash) if you don’t.

#discounts #travel #hotels #onlineshopping #retail

About the Author:
Foxxy Lifestyle is a freelance writer and marketing consultant in Southfield Michigan. When she isn’t writing you could find her running her online boutique, coupon clipping, online shopping, or watching re-runs of The Golden Girls.

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25.) They didn't finish filming the very last episode until Wednesday and it aired that Sunday!

24.) Carrie's address is 245 East 73rd St., although it doesn't actually exist.

23.) Most of the hilarious things that happen on the show actually happened to the writers. I.E. post-it breakup, a doorman breaking up with you for a guy, etc.

22.) Believe it or not, Cynthia Nixon doesn't have pierced ears. She would wear clip-ons, and sometimes the costumers would send away earrings to be made into clip-ons.

21.) SATC was the first cable series to win the Emmy for Best Comedy Series.

20.) When Miranda's cat was playing with Brady's "umbilical cord" it was actually a piece of beef jerky … tied to a string.

19.) Kristen Davis said that her grandma would not have understood the show, so she never told her the title or what the show was about.

18.) In fact, each outfit was super specific for good reason. They were very particular about never letting an outfit take away from an important moment that was happening on the show.

17.) Patricia Field, the costumer for the show, has never repeated an outfit on any of the girls, except the fur jacket in the last scene is also in the very first episode.

16.) A real lawyer wrote the pre-nuptial agreement that Bunny made Charlotte sign!

15.) Besides Miranda's mother passing away and briefly meeting Charlotte's brother, the girls rarely mention their families. This is because they wanted the four to stand on their own without family history being a factor in the show.

14.) In the scene where Trey and Charlotte get engaged at Tiffany's, the store wouldn't allow a crew in for security purposes. Instead, the show made a fake Tiffany's window, but the store still sent an employee to approve the window before it was shot.

13.) If you look closely, you will notice that Natasha, Big's wife, is always wearing white. Up until the very end of her storyline, she was specifically in white to convey that her personality was 'vanilla'.

12.) Even if the shot was from the waist up, Kim Cattrall insisted on wearing high heels. She said that it made her feel more like Samantha.

11.) Prior to SATC, Darren Star is responsible for the original Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place.

10.) Mistake alert! Watch the intro to the show. Notice there are passengers in the bus as she's being splashed, but in the next scene the bus is completely empty.

9.) Kim Cattrall turned down playing Samantha (twice!). Eventually she was persuaded by Darren Star's boyfriend to give the show a chance.

8.) There were always rumors speculating that Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrell disliked each other. However if they did, they hid it extremely well from the public and have openly said that even though there were fights they are very close friends.

7.) The infamous tutu worn by SJP was her idea and she found it in the costume room. Today the Tutu is framed and hanging in Michael Patrick King's office.

6.) In 2012, the apartment where Carrie Bradshaw "lived" sold for $9.65 Million.

5.) Show creator Darren Star got quite the deal. He only paid Bushnell $60,000 for the rights to her columns.

4.) The real Mr. Big was inspired by Bushnell's ex and former magazine executive, Ron Galotti.

3.) Written by Candace Bushnell, SATC is based on a weekly column that was in The New York Observer. Bushnell created Carrie Bradshaw as her alter ego when she published the book,Sex and the City, which is a compilation of her columns.

2.) There are only eight episodes in the fifth season because Sarah Jessica Parker was pregnant with son James Wilkie Broderick, born Oct 28, 2002.

1.) Ever wonder why you never see SJP's boobs? Sarah Jessica Parker was the only one of the girls with a clause in her contract stating she would never appear nude on screen.

~Courtesy of Lindsey Kupfer for Your Tango

1. Spray your tights with hairspray to avoid runs. Before you put them on, mist hairspray all over your tights to help them last longer.

2. Use baby powder to get rid of oil stains. Get pizza grease onto your favorite skirt? Baby powder is one of the most effective ways to soak up oils. Just sprinkle all over the stain and leave it on for a half hour before washing it.

3. Put your jeans in the freezer to kill odors. Washing your jeans too much fades the color, so if your fave pair isn't dirty but has been worn a bunch, stick them in the freezer overnight to freshen them up. The cold will get rid of any smells.

4. Remove wrinkles with your flat iron. Got a small wrinkle on your collar or on your sleeve? Run your flat iron over it on medium heat, and you're good to go!

5. Fix a stuck zipper with coconut oil. Dip a cotton swab in some coconut oil and rub it along a stuck zipper to loosen it up.

6. Remove deodorant stains with dryer sheets. Dryer sheets won't rip apart or leave any residue on your clothes. Just rub the white marks with one until it's completely gone.

7. Stick two fingers under your bra band to make sure it's the right fit. If you can't fit two fingers under the band comfortably, then it's too small. If you can fit more than that, then it's too big.

8. Stretch out new flats by inserting sandwich bags filled with water and freezing them. Ever put on your brand new shoes and run out the door only to realize 20 minutes later that they totally pinch your toes? Fill up two plastic sandwich bags with water, place then inside your flats, and put them in the freezer over night. Then, allow them to thaw. You'll notice that your shoes will fit more comfortably.

9. Paint cheap jewelry with clear nail polish to prevent the finish from tarnishing. Apply a clear coat to your new faux gold and silver accessories right before you wear them to protect the finish from fading, tarnishing, and chipping.

10. Save shredded heels with glitter! Have a favorite pair of pumps you've worn outside so much, the heel is basically ruined? Instead of tossing them, apply glitter to hide heel damage, and you've got a whole new pair of glitzy, two-toned shoes!

11. Use a paper clip to turn a regular bra into a racer-back. Push your two straps together at the back, and secure them with a paper clip right at the middle to hide your bra straps.

12. Spray sweat stains with lemon juice before you wash them. Deodorant and sweat stains will be gone in no time, and your white tees will look brand new!