May 2010 Archives

There are many things that you can do at home inexpensively to make your gifts look as if they came from the most expensive shops in town.

Take these packaging ideas that are used by the pros and your homemade and handmade gifts will rival anything that comes out of the high end shops.

Like any frugalista worth their salt I am already buying my Christmas presents.

Summer time is when we all start showing a bit more skin and we want our legs to look their best.

 While there was a time that women were expected to wear nylons year round now the look of bare legs is acceptable in the summer time except for perhaps the stuffiest of office situations. How do you get your legs looking their best with out doling out a lot of cash?

 Here are 7 great ways to make your legs look like a million dollars with out spending any where near that amount of cash.

The French have a saying that,  "It is impossible to overdo luxury" (which was probably said by someone with either an unlimited bank account or a great deal of debt). I have never been in the position that I could overdo the luxuries in my life but I thoroughly enjoy the luxuries I have.  

Luxuries help make life feel so much better when you are going through tough times or when you just need to pamper yourself. As I wrote in 25 Inexpensive Ideas to give Your Life Luxury, no matter how tight money is there are many little things you can do to give your life a bit of luxury. Here are 25 more inexpensive ideas.



 

Caterers and restaurants are masters about restyling simple plate ware and glass ware to make them seem unique and unusual. 

Magazines might be showing you the latest and greatest tableware year after year but you don't need cupboards full of fancy stuff to make your food look great. Use what you have and re-style it.

Here is one glass and 10 styling secrets that you can use.

When times are a little tight it is always great to make some extra money, but what if you don't have the time for a second job ( or you already have one) and you don't want to go all out to start up a small business?

I wrote about orphan creamers on April 14th and teased that I would tell you how I use orphan sugar bowls latter. Well later it is. Re-purposing items is one of the hall marks of a thrifty lifestyle but it doesn't have to mean that you can't have any loveliness in your life.

Vintage and antique sugar bowls that have elaborate handles on their sides often look like miniature trophies. While I am using glass and crystal ones here, these suggestions can also work for lovely ceramic or silver sugar bowls. You can often find sugar bowls at thrift stores and garage sales for under $1.

 

The spa was once regarded as the domain of wealthy women who had countless hours to whittle away while paying outrages prices for exotic treatments administered by wrinkle free, white coated European technicians.

Every savvy bargain hunter knows that when you see a great deal you have to pounce and pounce quickly.  Toilet paper at 50% off ? grab as many rolls as you can, frozen food at an incredible discount? now is time to stock the freezer, Halloween decorations at 75% off? you'll have the greatest looking house on the block this October. 

But when have you crossed the line from stocking up to just buying for the sake of buying? Have you stopped being a smart consumer and are you using the idea of stocking up to justify your spending? Are you just being a greedy shopper?

Here are seven questions you should be asking yourself.

Many ideas that are on the internet seem to be for mothers that were born in the 1800's (how many tea cups can a woman want to own?) and our modern moms are so diverse. They might be owners of their own stores or stay at home moms with 20 acres out back that they have to farm.

Mom more than any one know that it is the thought that counts so here are 10 ideas of how to celebrate her at the last minute without shattering the budget and still making her feel appreciated.