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

Stack Your Savings

Recently, the importance of remembering all possible retail discounts came into play. I bought a grill from Sears.com. There was already a 10% discount due to friends and family weekend. I layered on a 5% discount from my AAA membership. Next, I made sure I clicked through from my Fatwallet account, qualifying me for 5% cash back. Amidst all my coupon stacking, I forgot there was a $5 off $50+ coupon easily found online. Not so bad, all in all we got a $349 grill from $320 after taxes.

So before you buy something online think:

• Do I have a membership that qualifies me for discounts for this retailer? (AAA, etc.)
  
• Go to Fatwallet and search for the merchant under Coupons and Cashback. It also has other coupon codes.
• Do a Google search for the merchant and coupon code, try some discount codes and see if they stack.

Happy shopping!

Luxe Bedding at a Steal of a Price

Sierra Trading Post is a great website to buy shoes and outdoorsy gear. Who knew that they have a home decor section? While their stock and selection are slim, if you dig around, you might just come across a fabulous find. Case in point a 7 piece comforter set in a modern botanical motif, complete with accent pillows and shams for only $100. Sign up for the deal flyer coupons on Sierra Trading Post. Clicking on the email coupon gave me the discount on the comforter set, regularly $189 through Sierra Trading Post. They also had a romantic rose comforter set by the same maker in dusty browns and pinks. Grab it while it lasts. LINK


Be sure to take advantage of Fatwallet's cash back on Sierra Trading Post purchases. http://www.fatwallet.com/coupons-cash-back/Sierra-Trading-Post/

Coffee Snob No More

One rainy day, I decided to go to my local Walgreens instead of my full blown grocery store. In search of my favorite Peet's coffee, I came across Mr. Coffee "Cozy Classic" for only $3.99 a 12 oz. bag. Keep in mind, Peet's is usuall about $9.99.

I decided to give it a try. Much to my surprise, Cozy Classic was quite smooth, but robust. The perfect start to a cold morning. These days, when every dollar counts, sometimes we can't always afford to be a coffee snob.

I know, it sounds crazy. How can Mr. Coffee compete with Peets. I'm not saying it's similar or better, but I am saying it's pretty darn decent. Give it a try!

Google Nexus One Phone- Unsubsidized vs. Subsidized

The Google Nexus One phone is here! Jan 5, 2010, Google launched their highly anticipated unlocked phone. Subsidized with a T-mobile plan: the phone is $179 with a $79 phone plan (500 minutes, unlimited data and web, 2 year contract). Unsubsidized the phone is a somewhat daunting, $529, but the payoff is in the freedom of finding your own plan.

The fact of the matter is, unsubsidized phones will always be cheaper than buying a subsidized phone and being tied to a contract (at a higher rate). After some research and talking to T-mobile, my best option was buying it unsubsidized with a family plan:

• 1000 shared minutes (500 each)
  
• Unlimited data and web

Despite the unsubsidized phone's initial cost of $529 (a difference of $385), you make up the costs in 15 months. At that point, 9 more months of the subsidized contract will cost you $192 more than if you bought the unsubsidized phone and got a family plan. After 2 years, you save $306 every year, over the $79 plan. Of course, once your 2 year contract is over, you should shop around and find a better plan. Still, $192 in savings in 2 years isn't too shabby.

Take a look at my spreadsheet for details.

Bring in the New Year - On a Budget

As the new year approaches, we all like to celebrate in style. But with style, often comes a high price tag. New Year's Eve prix fixe dinners, brunches and all those sorts of things are marked up for the occasion.

Instead, consider a quiet and romantic evening enjoying some appetizers and bubbly with you loved ones.

On the menu:
-Cristalino Cava
-Stuffed dates wrapped in bacon
-Smoked salmon on crispy potato chips, garnished with sour cream and dill

Cost Plus Imports has two varieties of Cristalino (Brut and Extra Dry) at a mere $5.99 per bottle. A longtime favorite of Wine Spectator as far as value, this is a bargain bottle with lots of personality. Check out this amusing review of both the Brut and Extra Dry.:
----------------------
Cava, Spain

Cristalino Cava Brut is a sparkling wine from Spain, made from the grape varietals Macabeo 50%, Parellada 35% and Xarello 15%. Produced by Jaume Serra, this lovely sparkler offers a fine alternative to Champagne at less than half the price.

Cristalino Cava Brut has a bright green-gold color and shows fine bubbles. It has a pleasant nose of green apples, peaches, toast, flowers, cinnamon and herbs. Crisp and bright, dry with medium-full body, this sparkler offers rich flavors of apples, figs, lemon, roasted almonds and pie crust. It is fruit-forward and balanced, with a clean, lemony finish.

Enjoy Cristalino Cava Brut as an apéritif and with chicken salad, shellfish, paella, filet of sole and fruit desserts.
--------------------------
For appetizers, here is your shopping list:
-Dates (buy the bulk ones at Whole Foods, they're fresher and larger)
-Blue cheese crumbles OR you can stuff them with a whole almond instead
-Bacon
-Smoked Salmon (Trader Joe's has an excellent one in the small black package)
-Lightly salted potato chips
-Sour Cream
-Fresh Dill

Preparation
-Slice dates in half lengthwise, stuff dates with a bit of blue cheese. If you don't like blue cheese, substitute parmesan or mozarella. You can also just stuff it with an almond for a bit of crunch. Cut bacon in half crosswise. Wrap the date tightly, place seam side down on a broiler pan. Bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes and (remember to turn after 20 minutes), watching closely.
-Place pre-sliced smoked salmon on a potato chip top with a bit of sour cream and garnish with fresh dill

VOILA! Happy New Year!

$3 in free Amazon Music

So Black Friday has come and gone, as have the big deals and bargains. Rather than compete with the excellent deal forums like Slickdeals.net or Fatwallet.com, I waited until the dust cleared.

Get $3 in Amazon MP3 music by clickign this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?docId=1000455181&ref_=pe_67050_13524000

500 Days of Summer Soundtrack, the entire album is $5, with this your final price is only $2!

Magic in a Bottle

I've never been a big fan of make-up and typically I go for a natural, naked look (at least on my face). The closest thing to lipstick that I will wear is a dab of lip gloss. At any rate, I may have converted to a make-up junkie, all because of a wonderful San Francisco-based cosmetic line, Benefit.

I've tried their touted Benetint, but I hated it. Stains are just not for me. Stains are for wood.

Last year, I found "Brow-zing," their eyebrow kit that includes a handy mini-tweezer, brow grooming wax and a nice brow powder and brush. It is the dandiest thing, all in a small mirrored compact. Next, I discovered their blush and bronzer all-in-one, "Dallas" (which replaced my stash of Hoola bronzer). Their packaging is youthful and fresh, a bit retro, pin-up girl like. Their products are generally light and not at all goopy or unnatural looking. Instead you look young, fresh and radiant.

Just recently, I fell in love with an array of must have beauty products:

• Ooh La Lift: a pinkish, shimmery, undereye cream. It de-puffs and gives a nice subtle radiance that makes your eyes look younger. I know it sounds weird. How can pinkish shimmer help my eyes? But trust me, you won't look like a clown and will be happy. And if you do look like a clown, you'll be a happy clown.


• High Beam: great to accentuate the brow bones and cheeks. They call this supermodel in a bottle because it gives you an ethereal glow. I wasn't exactly Giselle Bundchen, but at least my brow bones and my cheeks looked awesome. I'm a convert.


• Lemon-aid: wakes up the upper eye lid with a subtle yellow tint that blends in to reduce any redness and give you a fresh glow. I was dubious, but I liked the effect.


• Erase Paste: a rosey colored pot of concealer that magically covers up blemishes, but most importantly dark circles under the eyes and brightens them.

I've tried the run-of-the-mill concealers and eye gels and I can confidentally say these are tops. You may be thinking of your usual skin colored concealers that look chalky over dark circles. Oddly Benefit's undereye products have strange tones to them, but they blend and just work somehow.

Available at Sephora, but also on the Benefit website with free shipping for over $50 and google "Benefit coupon" for coupon codes for 10% or 15% off your first order.

My order arrived in just 2 days to Los Angeles. It was beautifully wrapped, they threw in 3 free samples and a catalog. I LOVE these products! The closest thing to magic in a bottle. Turn back father time without seeing a plastic surgeon.

Updates on My Online Orders

A few updates:

• Make Me Chic's shipping is fast and their clothes are super cute. I ordered the navy blue romper and a few other sundresses and they are all ADORABLE. They arrived neatly folded up and packaged in a clear plastic pouch.
• My Halloween Costume arrived today, super fast shipping (almost overnight in California). I ordered the Autumn Fairy costume in my post below and it looks better than pictured. I'm going to skip the wings and make it more like a Circus performer outfit, since this year, Jackaroo is going to be a clown for Halloween. 25% off and shipping, the outfit was about $30.
  

Halloween Costumes - Men and Women

The old joke goes that Halloween is a holiday for women to dress in provacative outfits. Take any occupation, any character, any personality and add "sexy" before it and voila - the perfect ladies Halloween costume.

Rather than weather the crowds at specialty Halloween shops and trailblazing your way through disheveled aisles, make life a lot simpler and Halloween shopping a lot more affordable by checking out this website:

http://sexycostumestore.stores.yahoo.net/

Typical Leg Avenue Halloween costumes are about 50% less at this site than Halloween Specialty shops like Spirit. They also offer FREE SHIPPING. Tip: If you find an outfit you like on another site, hit this site and do a search to find it for less. SEXY25 code gets you 25% off and free shipping until October. See website for details.

Trader Joe's Mandarin Orange Chicken

Trader Joe's is my Go-To store when it comes to easy, quick fixings at a small price. There are a number of favorite items I get there. Not all of their items are equally tasty and easy to make, but it is fun to try out the items in their frozen food section. From time to time, I'll feature a few of their items on my blog with actual photos of the item and how it turns out when I prepare it.

Item: Mandarin Orange Chicken
Cost: $4.99 for 20 ounces
Aisle: Frozen Foods
Preparation: Easy
Best Prepared: Oven Baked
Served with: Jasmine or Brown Rice
Servings: Enough for two people

I take a sheet pan, line it with foil, preheat my oven and pop the chicken in there for 20 minutes. The sauce comes in two packets and you can throw them in a bowl of warm water to thaw out. Let the chicken cool slightly, then toss it in a bowl with the packets of sauce. Their chicken tends to be a bit more bready than meaty and at times their sauce is a bit too vinegar tasting, so I usually add about 1-1/2 packets of sauce.

Microwave the rice for 3-4 minutes and voila - a nice Chinese style meal for two for about $6.00. That's a bargain beatnik meal!

Garmin 265WT GPS Deal $169 new after rebate and coupons

I've done a little research about GPS systems and Garmin seems to be the leading brand. The 265WT has an added perk of lifetime traffic information, rather than the typical 3 month trial and then subscription service that other Garmins offer. While there are deals currently on the 700 series Garmin, the added features are often those that are not used very frequently and traffic alerts are by subscription. As someone said, the higher the model number doesn't always mean better. The Garmin 265WT appears to be the most practical with higher end features at a fraction of the price.

The deal starts tomorrow at Staples, as mentioned in this Slickdeals post. Hop onto E-junkie to buy a Staples In-Store coupon for $6.49 to save $30 off $150. Read the post carefully.


SlickDeals

C-Net Reviews

Amazon

Key Features/Benefits for all 2x5 Series Navigators

• New -- HotFix (Long Term Ephemeris Prediction) finds satellites faster (Learn more)
• New -- Digital Elevation Model (DEM) Basemap shows 3D shaded terrain features (Learn more)
  
• New -- Faster 333 Mhz processor offers faster, smoother map drawing and vehicle icon motion through turns
  
• New -- Redesigned user interface offers more information (Learn more)
• New -- Photo Navigation lets you upload geo-coded photos from a phone, geo-coding camera or photo site and navigate to them. (Learn more)
• New -- Add Enhanced MSN Traffic and Content with the optional GDB 55 antenna and charger (Learn more)
• New -- Send addresses directly to your Garmin from Google Maps or Mapquest (Learn more)
• New -- Automatic Time Zone Transition
• Text-to-Speech gives directions with real street names
• 4.3-inch Widescreen shows you more of what's around you as you drive (Learn more)
• Memory Card Slots so you can add maps and travel guides, or store photos (MicroSD card slot on 3.5-inch units; SD card slot on 4.3-inch units)
• Preloaded Maps with Navteq data of North America + Hawaii + Puerto Rico, including 6.5 million searchable points of interest (Learn more)
  
• Rechargeable lithium-ion battery for easy portability (up to 4 hours per charge)
• Custom Vehicle Icons let you personalize your navigator (Learn more)
• Integrated Antenna for a slim form factor
• Where Am I? -- instantly shows you all of the emergency services nearby (Learn More)
  

20% off at Make Me Chic

Back To School Sale! Instantly save 20% off your entire purchase by entering promo code: SCHOOL20 during checkout. *valid 08/06/09 – 08/10/09 11:59pm PST www.MakeMeChic.com only. Cannot be combined with any other offers or used with Google Checkout.

It's time to get back to late night study groups, research papers, and pop quizzes! Back-To-School is just around the corner so we're here to help you get a fabulous new look this year. Be at the top of your class with the Hottest trends from Belted Boots and Strappy Mary Janes to Cute Mini Skirts and Ripped Skinny Jeans. Start school with a fresh new attitude and style! Don't forget to take advantage of the 20% discount off our entire store!


Get FREE Ground shipping* with domestic orders over $50 placed at MakeMeChic.com! (Coupon Code - "SHIP50") *excludes sale items and Google checkout.
*Shipping and taxes do not count towards the qualifying amount, cannot be combined with any other special & offer or used with Google Checkout*

Cheap Dog Treats

Owning a dog can get expensive, between food, treats, toys and vet bills, - be prepared to spend money! So saving every little bit counts. Since I've owned Jack, I've discovered some wonderful dog treats at Trader Joe's grocery stores. This treats can be found in their dog care aisle, typically near the soaps and lotions section. I rarely ever buy dog treats at pet stores anymore because Trader Joe's small, yet tasty and affordable selection does the trick.

Check out these recommendations, personally tried and approved by our very own Jackaroo - two paws up!

• Chicken Recipe Jerky Treats: rave reviews from many dog owners everywhere, these soft treat sticks are terrific. Store them in an airtight container to keep them moist. They easily break up into little pieces as training treats or stuff a puzzle ball/Kong with them. Jack loves these! At $1.99 a pack, they are a bargain. They also come in beef flavor, as flat strips, but Jack did not seem to like these quite as much.
  
  
• Charlee Bear Dog Treats with Liver: all natural bite-sized crackers that smell irresistible, so much so that Tom almost accidentally ate one while he was watching TV. A large bag is only $3.99. I saw the same bag at Petco for $5.99 (that's a savings of 30%). These are great everyday treats and are only 3 calories each. A typical medium size biscuit is 35 calories. These are great and super easy to stuff puzzle balls.
  
• Beefy Rolls: these are wonderful, for special treats. They don't break very easily and kind of crumble away, so you have to break them into larger chunks. They are large sticks that have a glossy, slightly chewy casing and a powdery middle.
• Chicken Jerky: For about $3.99, you get a small pack of American produced natural chicken jerky. They're natural, so they look pretty dry and colorless, but Jack goes crazy for these pieces. They are super messy as far as how much they crumble.
• Chicken Wrapped Rawhide Bones: These are miniature rawhide bones, about 3 inches wide, wrapped in the same chicken jerky strips that are sold separately. There are 3 or 4 to a pack for about $4.99. They are just the perfect size and keep Jack occupied while not giving him too much rawhide to make him sick.