Young, Broke, and Addicted to Retail

Who doesn't love a bargain?! Serial shoppers like ourselves are always looking for a great deal and a way to keep a little cash in our pockets, which is why we're so excited for today's guest blog post!  Our friends, Lauren and Ashley, teamed up to bring you this fantastic post and share their secrets about finding bargains and the coolest trends at reasonable prices. Thanks ladies, for contributing to our blog!  Readers, we present you with "Young, Broke, and Addicted to Retail" by Lauren and Ashley.  Be sure to leave them some love :)

Like most women, shopping is one of our favorite things to do, but we all know how expensive it can be to stay on top of trends and look fashionable. Since our love affair with retail became a full on addiction we've had to learn to work within our financial constraints. This is a how-to guide on becoming a bargain maven by shopping what we like to call the "discount circuit".  Whenever we are craving a shopping session or looking for a particular item the "discount circuit" is the best way to get started!

TJ Maxx: Price point is clutch and the return policy is very forgiving. This is a great place to find salon quality hair products, designer perfumes, handbags, and sunglasses at affordable prices. Plagued with irregular sizes, it is best to try everything on. Real and costume jewelry selection is decent. However,  it tends to be time consuming to sort through the overstock of Jessica Simpson, Baby Phat, Betsy Johnson and American Eagle (to name a few).  Locations vary in level of selection when it comes to handbags, shoes and accessories.

Marshalls: Again, price point is clutch and return policy is favorable to the customer base.  Typically has a better handbag selection than TJ Maxx, but every location varies in their level of selection (some also advertise a mega shoe section). The same issue applies with irregular sizes, especially when it comes to bottoms, so always try on everything. In our experience, Marshalls has been lacking when it comes to jewelry and perfume selections.

Forever 21: Their clothes won’t last forever but this is a great place to go when looking for trends on the cheap. There is always a huge selection and the store is always being stocked with new and different pieces. You can find costume jewelry, belts, hats, and sunglasses under $20 (actually most merchandise is around or under $30). If you're worried about being age appropriate, then be cautious with prints, styles, and lengths of skirts and dresses. Forever now offers a "higher end" selection as well, with slightly higher prices for somewhat better quality. In addition, Forever 21 also has a plus size section in most of their stores.  And if you're a vegan or animal rights activist, then you'll be pleased to hear that Forever 21 locations offer shoes usually in synthetic materials, but are still very cute. The drawback: The return policy is non-existent -- they only offer store credit, and that's if merchandise is returned with a receipt within 30 days, and jewelry is always non-refundable. 

H&M: Another great place to get trendy threads for less. This is a European label, so if you have curves keep in mind that their sizes run narrow. You can find fun and disposable costume jewelry as well as other affordable accessories here.  The layout of the store also minimizes the overwhelming feeling that can take over when faced with racks and walls of clothing.  Typically the front of the store is where you can find office attire and more dressy pieces, and as you progress you will find clothing arranged by trend/age group/gender and color.  It's a great place to build on your wardrobe basics without breaking the bank.

Century 21 Department Stores: If you are looking for long-term quality investment pieces for your wardrobe this is THE hot spot. It doesn’t get any better than an entire department store devoted to deep discounts on designer labels: Diane Von Furstenberg, D&G, Free People, BCBG, Calvin Klein,  Armani, and  Michael Kors to name a few.  Great seasonal selection and a shoe department that carries a wide array of styles (we get excited just thinking about it)!  From casual to special occasion, you are bound to find something, and we promise you will get a lot for your money. Locations are few and far between, but certainly worth the drive.

Loehmann’s: Another discounted designer label store with lots of variety and great for deals on sunglasses, handbags, and jewelry. The perfume selection is very impressive, from Gauthier to Paris Hilton, at much cheaper prices compared to regular department stores or perfume dealers. Loehmann’s is home to an eclectic mix of international labels like Etienne Aigner and Carolina Herrera and classic finds like Cynthia Rowley and Calvin Klein. With so many labels and so many styles, we promise you won’t leave empty handed, but you will definitely leave with cash to spare!

Daffy’s: If you enjoy unique European designs at discounted rates this is an ideal shopping location. The shoe and handbag selections are hit or miss, but if you are looking for a special occasion dress this should always be a starting point. 

Of course a savvy shopper can save money in any store, just remember the sale rack is your friend! Keep these retailers in mind and you are sure to stay in style and out of debt.

Frugality is fun!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Amazing from nature - vegetables and fruit

What is a natural organic product? These days the answer to that question has become a bit confusing. Although an organic product is "literally" natural, according to regulations on how the food is grown, processed and labeled, the terms, "all-natural" "natural," and "organic" mean three different things. Organic food is obviously the healthiest and purest food for you to eat, but unfortunately many food companies try to fool you by labeling their products with the word(s)natural or all-natural so you think it is as healthy as organic food, when in fact it is not. This images are products of organic nature.

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Nature can be really interesting and amazing. I am not saying that natural food is bad for you, it just is not as healthy as certified organic food. You will notice when you go food shopping that most organic food has a label on it that says it is a "certified organic product." Each state has an agency that monitors and certifies organic food growers and producers. The organic farm fields and processing facilities are inspected, and detailed records are kept. Also periodic testing of the soil and water takes place to ensure that strict standards are being met. Natural products differ, however, from organic products in that they are not inspected by an independent organization. Although they are usually healthier than regular processed food, there are no guarantees about the health quality of these products. This is the main concern with many natural products.

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Color Day: Chartreuse and Raspberry

Todays color day celebrates summer with bright and fun chartreuse and romantic raspberry red.  "What the heck is chartreuse", you ask?  Well, it's a fancy little name for "yellow-green".  Not quite lime but not quite yellow, this in between shade is unique and not usually found in most weddings or general decor/wardrobes.  Most people feel this color is too bold but we'd have to disagree! This hue can easily be toned down with neutrals like taupe or white.  We suggest using this retro color in small doses and accenting it with the fresh and feminine shade of raspberry red for a cutting edge, modern, color combo for summer.  

Raspberry and Chartreuse Color Inspiration Board

Images from: neawear, ellemoss, LamaWorks, AbbaDabbaBags, Laundrymonster, ghostacademy, Elizabeth Ann Designs, It's a Jamie Thing, Southern Weddings       

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Amazing the smallest cars

The idea of small mass-produced cars dates back to the 1910s.
But few would argue that the "Golden Age" of such cars arrived right after World War II, bringing with it "bubble"-licious designs.

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For decades, people have been trying to come up with ingenious cars for various reasons; to save the environment, to make parking easier, to ease congestion in built up areas. But the world's smallest car, designed in the 1960s by Peel Engineering, is yet to be beaten in the size stakes.

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The P50 was designed in 1962 by Cyril Cannell and Henry Kissack, and had appeal due to its really simple and cheap design. At its launch at the Earls court motor show, it was marketed as ‘almost cheaper than walking', and retailed for between £179 to £199, a snip at today's car prices.

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It was aimed at people who would travel alone, as it only had space for one person and a shopping back. The size made it perfect for fitting into the last space in the car park, and it didn't even offer a reverse option, as it was light enough to pick up.


It was made of fibreglass, and had simple features like a manual windscreen wash, operated by a bottle inside the car, that when squeezed, distributed the water to the windscreen, and the petrol tank gauge was a transparent sheet of plastic, so you could simply see when you were running low. It also had three wheels, to make it lighter, and only one door.

It was, and is still roadworthy in the UK, although being able to only achieve speeds of 38 miles per hour, it would be best suited to the congested roads of London.

Imagine, if a car like this was in circulation now, the cost of your road tax and Car Insurance? You could save a great deal.

The car can be seen at the Manx Transport Museum until October.

- The first Ka premiered in 1996, and was considered to be a modern day Volkswagen Beetle.

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-  The Bolloré Blue Car is only available in France. The BlueCar is an electric vehicle from France that offers an operating range of 155 miles and a top speed of 84 mph. A full recharge requires 6 hours, while a two-hour rapid charge will recover 50%  capacity.

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- The Think City - Norwegian car maker Think was launched the all-electric City model in the US. A 2009 release was planned, but the company was forced to halt production because

of financial distress.

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- The Daihatsu Copen is a Japanese two-seater that only available in Japan and Europe. It has been around since 2001.

the-daihatsu-copen-car- The Kandi Coco is available to Oklahoma residents . The electric two-person roadster arrived in the U.S. in 2009.

the-kandi-coco-car- The Smart Fortwo was originally Called the Smart City Coupe Pls it debuted in 1998. Ten years later, the all-electric concept car version was the Fortwo Ed  Announced. The Fortwo is available in the U.S.

the-smart-fortwo-car- The Reva G-Wiz is a city car made by REVA Electric Car Company (RECC) in Bangalore, India. The company is currently the world’s leading electric car manufacturing company. This car is available in the U.K., but not the U.S.

the-reva-G-Wiz- The Tango by Commuter Cars has two electric motors, one for each rear wheel, that allow it to go from zero to 60 in less than four seconds. George Clooney was the first customer, and Google co-founder Sergey Brin is an investor and purchased three Tangos.

the-tango-commuter-car- The Lumeneo Smera, a French built electric car went on sale this May for about $33,000. It is currently only available in France, but is expected to be sold throughout Europe in 2010.

the-lumeneo-smera-car- The ElBil Norge Buddy Cab is a Norwegian electric car. It is the sixth generation of a model called the Kewet, developed for the first time in 1991. During the first five generations over 1000 electric vehicles were produced and sold in eighteen countries. In 1998 all rights were acquired by ElBil Norge AS. Strange that the Buddy Cab comes from Norway, considering Scandinavians are known for being tall.

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