Spring Cleaning? Get this Mahogany Closet Organizer for $188 shipped

When we bought our current house, the master bedroom had a great walk in closet. Unfortunately the walls were outfitted with those tacky white wire closet racks and horrid plain bars.

Lucky for me, I found the perfect solution, this John Louis Mahogany Closet Organizer on Overstock. When I bought it last year, I paid over $250 for this system. Warning: you have to assemble and install this yourself and it's not an easy task. First you have to plan the layout you want (from a selection of suggested layouts in the guide), then you have to find studs in the wall, anchor screws, saw things to size and slowly your closet organizer starts to take shape. It will seem wobbly as you go along, but once all the pieces are in place, it is really quite sturdy. It looks expensive and makes your closet look high end and very custom.

After the labor of love, we stopped and realized we needed 1 more for the other side of the closet. I put it off until, today when I saw the closet system on Overstock on sale for only $188 with free shipping! This is at least $70 below online competitors. The perfect bargain to start your spring cleaning in style.

New Feetastic Fashion for $40

Hey frugal fashionistas, once again Google shopping has come to my rescue and turned a wish list item into reality. For my upcoming vacation I decided I needed a pair of sensible, comfortable, yet chic boots. Something with a little heel that would look great with jeans. After some research, I found a nice pair of highly reviewed Clark's on Zappos for $140. A bit steep for a bargain beatnik like me, so after searching for Clarks Dara II through Google Shopping, I found them for only $40 as a final sale through New Prospects, a store in Illinois. Hmm, could it be too good to be true? A quick online search turned up 3 Yelp reviews for a store that seems to actually exist.

The price was right, but what about shipping? Shipping is free for orders over $100, but for my order, shipping was $9.95 which is quite reasonable considering the discount. Check out New Prospects sale page for some pretty amazing bargains. Sizes are limited in clothes and shoes, but if you're lucky like I was, they will have your size in stock.

Get a Start On Your New Spring Wardrobe

One of my favorite bargain clothing finds, Make Me Chic is having a 20% off spring sale on everything on their website (SPRING20 coupon code). I snagged 4 adorable dresses for about $100. Shipping seems to be a bit steeper, but it kind of trades off with the spring discount. Prices still are great and I have been very happy with my Make Me Chic purchases.

UPDATE: The rose colored dress is darling!!! And so is the graphic ruffle dress below it. The striped dress at the top is a bit too unforgiving and not as flattering on my figure, so I am returning it. I also bought a black ruffle romper and love it so much that I hopped online and bought the taupe one. Word to the wise, the 20% savings is sometimes less than the free shipping coupon. Try entering each and comparing them before submitting your order.

Traveling Soon? For About $20 This Gadget is Awesome!

Guess what? I booked a flight to Paris with my husband for this summer!!! Typical of the Bargain Beatnik, I used a $500 credit on Delta Airlines, I won at a raffle from work, so right off the bat, the flight was a bargain.

Now on to my gadget... My husband and I typically travel with just the two of us and you know how taking a picture of together is always one of those awkward, looking around for a friendly third party moments? Not anymore! After a bit of research, I found this nifty gadget, the Quikpod that allows you to take your own photo with an ingenius extendable rod. The tiny mirror helps guide the position of the camera to ensure you are in frame. It's cheap, it works and now you can retake photos as many times as you need to, so you will have picture-perfect memories of once in a lifetime travels! It may look goofy in the pictures, but it is so practical and not nearly as awkward in person. Try it. I bought mine (an older model but just as good) on Amazon for $17.95. plus $5 shipping. This model comes with carrying case and tripod base. Quikpod Compod

Don't Need Anything, But Feel Like Shopping?

I've posted quite a bit about how to search for a deal when you are searching for a specific item you are after, by exhausting Slickdeals, Fatwallet, Overstock, Sierra Trading Post and cross-referencing it against Google shopping. But what about if you don't need anything, but are simply in the mood for shopping OR maybe you need to buy a gift for someone, but need some ideas?

Fatwallet's ever-changing "Today's Best Deals" section is a great place to browse, featuring a variety of deals of all kinds (from clothing to food). I found a Kate Spade sample sale link and ended up buying a great leather purse for a fraction of the price. Slickdeals front page isn't bad either for browsing, although their front page is typically big ticket items that users have voted for as a front page deal.

Finally signing up for Overstock and Sierra Trading Posts newsletters keeps the online deal alerts flowing in regularly. Displaying an assortment of items that might strike your fancy.

Happy browsing and shopping!

Decorating Chic Bargains

Lately, my biggest project, my first house, has taken my full attention and tested my best bargain hunting skills. From finding remodeling contractors to properly "nesting" my home with furniture and accessories. My favorite home decorating destinations:

• Home Goods
• Overstock.com
• Home Improvements Catalog
• Linens N Things online

This tufted ottoman from Overstock.com is absolutely darling and in a chic French document style that will compliment any home decor. For $215, it's a bargain compared to similar styles. Your friends will "ooh" and "ahh" over your sophisticated decorating style and sharp bargain hunting talent!

High Quality Grilling Tools by Cuisinart

Get ready for summer grilling! The Sears Outlet in Santa Ana, CA had quite a few of these amazing stainless steel grilling tool sets for only $29.99. A quick online search of this item shows most retailers selling the set for $79.
Amazon Link. High quality, heavy stainless steel and rubberized grip handles.
Chef's Spatula includes:

• Serrated edge for slicing meat
• Integrated bottle opener
• Grease channels for more healthful grilling

Professional Grill Tongs include:

• Extra-wide notched gripping surface
• Integrated scooper for vegetables and sauces

Chef's Fork includes:

• Middle prong designed for easy handling of hot dogs and sausages
• Oversized handle keeps hands away from heat

Silicone Basting Brush includes:

• Angled head for applying sauces easily
• Oversized handle to keep hands away from heat
• Drip cover to prevent sauces from dripping
• Removable dishwasher-safe silicone bristles

All Tools include:

• Durable stainless-steel construction
• Comfortable Santoprene™ rubberized grip
• Large, ergonomically designed handle