Back to School Shopping!

Because I am EXTREMELY anal and overly organized, before I went to college I created my very own dorm check list, which lists every possible item you may forget to bring to college but will end up most likely needing. Here is the list in its entirety, please let me know if I left anything off!!

Dorm Check List!!
(Red=electronic, blue=bath, pink= bed, Green=organization/other, purple=laundry, black= school supplies, Orange=clothing)

• Barrel
• Alarm Clock
• Desk organizer
• Rug
• Backpack
• Shelf
• Trash bags
• Swiffer
• Snacks
• Flashlight
• Under-bed Storage
• Small fan
• Adhesive Hooks
• Mounting Tape
• Paper towels
• Lysol wipes
• Ziploc bags
• Pushpins
• Dry-erase board
• Toolkit
• Small umbrella
• Air freshener
• Night light
• Brita pitcher
• Flash drive
• Computer
• Printer
• Surge protector
• Rechargeable batteries
• 3-2 prong adapters
• Laptop case
• Extension cord
• Printer paper
• Mattress pad
• Blanket
• Headrest pillow
• Sheets/ pillowcases/ comforter
• curtains
• Laundry marker
• Stain remover
• Laundry bag
• Drying Rack
• Quarter dispenser
• Detergent/fabric softener
• Sewing kit
Lint Remover
• Paper clips
• Rubber bands
• Scissors
• Highlighters
• Ruler
• Stamps/envelopes
• Index cards
• lap desk
• Address book
• Planner
• Stapler/staples
• Notebooks/folders
• Labels
• Post-it notes
• Duct Tape
• Razors/shaving cream
• Pepto-Bismol
• Bathrobe
• Aspirin
• Vanity Mirror
• Imodium
• Cosmetic organizer
• Neosporin
• Band-Aids
• Cough drops
• 2 body towels
• 3 face cloths
• 2 hand towels
• Ice pack
• Midol
• Shower tote
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Tissues
• Rain Boots
• Rain Coat
• Clothes appropriate for the weather wherever you may be going


Yes, it may seem that I included everything under the sun, but all of this stuff, along with shot glasses which I stupidly forgot, WILL be handy at some point along the way. Although I like to save money, I also like to plan in advanced and buy things ahead of time when I find them at good prices, rather than waiting until the last minute I need an item and splurging because I have no other choice. Use this list early and pick things up as you go, as you find them at a good price, don't wait until last minute and buy overpriced items just because you may need them.

My advice for the new college student looking for dorm finds is to strategize when shopping. Compare all of the circulars and websites and see where you can get the best deal. Then divide this list by place and get things where they are best priced. Bed, Bath & Beyond may be overpriced on some things but you can truly find some good deals there when college time rolls around, and they ALWAYS have that 20%-off coupon, so utilize that wisely. Target is my all-time favorite for back-to-school shopping because all of their bedroom decor/organization supplies are color coordinated and you can truly build a nice look for next to nothing. Don't go overboard though! Whenever I go to Target, I have a hard time sticking to my list and usually walk out with more than I intend to (I just can't resist!!). Finally, my secret weapon is The Christmas Tree Shop! Their circular right now has so many perfect college essentials for soo cheap! I just recently bought a 4-piece closet organizer (1 each of a canvas hanging sweater/shoe organizer, and 2 canvas and plastic underbed drawers) for just $9.99!! Even at Target, just one of the hanging organizers is $10.. so it was a MAJOR deal! They are also good for cheap basics like loofahs, toothbrush holders, sheets, etc.

So overall, just browse before you buy and go shopping with a list and a plan... and most importantly, stick to it! I promise it will save you a bundle and leave you with a beautifully put-together dorm room!

Happy Saving,
L

Consigning

Hello college chicks!

This week I wanna share the basics of consigning and shopping at consignment stores. I have been consigning at the same store for about four years and have made tons of money from selling old clothes, and using the money to buy new clothes (which is really my problem in the first place!!) Since I am addicted to shopping, consignment stores really help me in two ways: 1) I am able to get rid of older styles of clothing, making room in my closet for new stuff, without throwing them away and 2) I save money on perfectly good clothing that I buy from these shops. Just this week, I cleaned out my overly-packed closet and packed up shopping bags with 17 bottoms and 73!!!!! tops!!!!!!!!!!!! ...and the saddest thing is that my closet is still full! Oopsies!

So, here are some tips on actually selling your clothes:
1)Find a good store which fits your style. Selling college-chic clothing may not go over well at a boutique meant for older women and more mature clothing wouldn't sell well in a store meant for the younger crowd. Make sure you find a consignment boutique that fits you, or else your clothing may not be accepted by the owner, or it may not sell once it hits the floor.
2) Make sure clothes are clean, ironed and neatly packaged. Imagine shopping in a store and seeing products that were dirty and wrinkly... would you want to buy them? This is the same outlook that the shop-owner has in mind, so don't bring your clothes in big trash bags.. you want her to think that they are not trash, but treasures that people won't be able to resist scooping up.
3) Think in the "now." When I was cleaning out my closet, I continually would see an item and reminisce about who I bought it with, where I wore it, and ended up getting all sappy over items that didn't fit and were running out style. Instead of keeping these clothes for sentiment or in hopes that they may fit someday, do yourself a favor and SELL them! When you lose that last five pounds you're not gunna wanna squeeze back into clothes from high school, you're going to want to go out and buy new clothes for your new body! Don't hang onto stuff that another woman could get a lot better use out of. Think of it as a type of good deed.
4) Make friends with the owner of the boutique. I have been consigning at the same local consignment boutique for years and have become very close with the owner (even becoming a nanny for her adorable kids one summer!) and it has been a great experience. Don't always look at consigning as a business transaction but as a fun way to help others find cool stuff for a cheap price and a way to purge your closet and cleanse your shopping soul!


Tips for Shopping at Consignment Stores:
1)DIG, DIG, DIG! Consignment stores can sometimes be like "the needle in the haystack"-type of deal, with tons of clothes that may not be right for you, with a few key items hiding that will fit you like a glove and come at a nice price, so definitely take your time to scour the racks. It may seem tedious but when you find that $100 Burberry trench, originally $450, that fits perfectly you'll know it was worth it.
2) Pay attention to sizing. As women, we all know how hard it is to find consistent sizes anyways but since these clothes have been previously worn, it may make it all the more difficult. Maybe Lucy shrunk her cashmere cardigan by accident and now that medium is a small, or Lianna may have stretched out her Seven Jeans, making the 28 a 29... you never know, so try different sizes on! It may hurt to put on a larger size and have it fit, but just know that no one else can see the tag. Think about it: wouldn't you rather look hot than have a smaller number on the inside of your jeans and look like you're a sausage squeezed into casing?
3) Ask about deals. Since consignment boutiques are mostly independently owned, the owners often have more flexibility in pricing. My consignment store offers deals every month from $5 off to 20%-off, all through their email subscription. So ask about a frequent buyer's discount card or an email list or even about current specials. And, most importantly, if an item you love may have a stain, rip, or missing button, ask about a discount. Often, the consignors are very flexible with things like this, but don't push it. The prices are often so low anyways, that defects may be considered in the price already.

So, make some extra money with your old clothes, because as college students we KNOW how important it is to have some extra cash! I currently have $65 waiting for me at my consignment store, and I cannot wait to go spend it on back-to-school clothes. I'll let you in on my secret and let you know about my favorite consignment boutique.. a "unique boutique" called Raspberry Beret. The owner's name is Rachael and she is absolutely amazing!! There are two RB locations, one in Wakefield, MA and one in Cambridge on Mass Ave. Both are chic, funky and have amazing finds! Definitely head on over to these if you're in the area and follow my tips and you should have a great shopping experience yourself... and definitely feel free to share more tips of your own in the comments section!

I appreciate everyone following me, keep spreading the word about my money saving deals, chicks!!


P.S.- Follow Raspberry Beret on facebook,visit their website http://www.raspberryberet.us/ or stop on in for some great buys!

P.S.- Here's a freaky article on the way that retailers suck money out of our pockets. Don't fall into the trap!:

Spending Schemes
http://shine.yahoo.com/event/financiallyfit/12-spending-schemes-we-fall-for-2029497/


Happy Saving!
L

Sample Sales!

Hey guys!!

My second week writing… yayy!! Today, I want to let you know about another of my favorite online tricks for saving money, which is through the use of sites which offer “sample sales.” For those of you who are new to this type of sale, it can occur in an actual store or online and it usually involves pieces from a high-end brand(s) which are immensely discounted, but only for a short period of time. I have purchased items from Free People, Juicy Couture, Sean John, American Apparel, and Coach all at up to nearly 80%-off through sample sale sites. A beautiful Sean John trench coat, originally $180 for $50; a free people top, originally $60 for $18; an Urban Decay Big Buddha makeup brush, originally $36 for $3... among other amazing buys!! Imagine how hot you can look while saving tons of dough!!!

While this may seem too good to be true, there is a little catch. Many of these sites require a special code to sign up, or even an invitation from a member. The sites which I currently belong to (which I may be willing to invite you to if you leave nice comments) are, listed in order of my personal preference: Haute Look, Rue La La, Gilt Groupe, and iDeeli. All of these sites are wonderful and I have never had a negative experience with any of them. Also, COUPON CODES, which I wrote about last week are also eligible at a few of the sites, which makes for an even bigger discount on designer duds!

So... onto the way these sites work: sign up through invitation or code, become a member, watch everyday for new sales, save money! As simple as that! I highly suggest you sign up for the notification emails, so that you know about the new sales everyday, because they don’t last for long. The sites provide a specific start time (watch out for time zones: I once got up at the ass-crack of dawn to buy a Juicy Couture tracksuit only to realize my 8AM IS NOT Cali’s 8AM, with my roommate laughing profusely at me!!), and then once the sales start, a countdown begins until the sale ends. Items FLY outta those websites, so log on early if you’re really hoping to find a good buy!

So, if you feel like joining one of these fabulous sites, here is a great opportunity.

Luckily, Ivillage.com (a site that I LOVE) is offering special invites to RueLaLa.com this week, which you can find at this link-

https://www.ruelala.com/registration?referrerId=MjM3MjI0Mw==&eKey=aXZpbGxhZ2VAcnVlbGFsYS5jb20=&aid=1384


Also, If you would like to become a member on the other sites, let me know and I may be able to send you an invitation.

Happy Saving!
L

The amazingness of Coupon Codes

One of my favorite little secrets, also my most used secret weapon against ridiculous retail markups, is the lovely "coupon code." Coupon codes were not always as well known as they are now, but due to the current state of the economy, they have never enjoyed such fame as they do now. As many of you may know, a coupon code is a string of numbers and or/letters which you can enter into a given text box in the checkout section of a website, and if the code is valid and has not expired, this little treasure can give you anything from a free item, to a percentage discount, to free shipping. Some sites (my favorites!!) even allow multiple coupon codes to be used at once, such as Victoria ’s Secret, which allows THREE!!! codes to be entered simultaneously (as long as they don’t restrict each other), therefore giving you TONS of savings!! I have been notorious among my friends to stalk them while they make online purchases and ENSURE that they find the best coupon codes before purchasing anything... and I am always successful.



So for those of you who have never experienced the heavenly bliss of knocking some dollars off of your purchase price and back into your pocket through the use of coupon codes, let me enlighten you on how to use their magic. First, make sure that the website that you are buying from accepts coupon codes. Usually, there will be a little box at checkout which will say “Enter promo/discount/coupon code.” After checking on that, its time to find the sacred code. One of the best ways to find these little codes is to type a query into a search engine (I prefer google), such as “ Victoria ’s Secret Coupon Codes,” replacing “ Victoria ’s Secret” with whichever store or online shop you are interested in. Also, to narrow your search you can include the current year or month, to ensure that older codes don’t come up as well as some descriptors such as “free shipping” or “$10 off” in order to help you narrow your search.

Once you are past that step, there will be MANY results.. make sure to choose wisely. My absolute favorite is retailmenot.com, but there are many other great ones out there, such as couponcabin.com and dealtaker.com. Now, when you find a code that you think you may want to use, go back to your shopping cart and enter the code. Sometimes, the code may not work because it may be expired or your purchase does not qualify due to quantity or content, but just keep experimenting. It WILL be worth it in the end!!


Also, online is not the only place that you can find these codes. Sometimes, stores may be generous and send you these special codes through their email subscriptions (a great secret weapon that will be covered in a later post), or even through good old snail-mail, on a catalog or in a flyer. No matter where you find these bad-boys they are sure to save you some dough!


For example, I just recently made some purchases from American Eagle Outfitters on their website. The clearance section was already very nicely marked down, with an additional 30% discount. Thinking that I had saved a ton already, I had a light bulb moment in which I thought to try a coupon code on top of my already highly discounted purchase. I searched and found a code for 20%-off and it worked on top of my other discounts!! I ended up getting $360 worth of merchandise and spent only $114!! (I also got free shipping because I bought more than 3-items which was another deal that they had going on at the time.) Two pairs of jeans alone would have cost me $100 but I got those two pairs PLUS 11 tops.. AWESOME!! I have posted some pics below of some of my favorite purchases! :)


So take after me.. the best way to shop online is to buy when there are multiple promos going on.. and USE COUPON CODES!!!

Finally, here's a little tidbit for you... 15%-off at American Eagle. Not too sure of the stipulations/restrictions or expiration but just test it out at checkout!! Code= 45109574




























Happy Saving!!



L

First entry.. weeee!!

This is the first entry of my new blog, The College Chick’s Guide to Being Chic (and Cheap!). So, for those of you who may not know me, let me tell you a bit about myself. I am currently a junior at Smith College and while it is a prestigious, expensive school, I am not and have never been wealthy. If you’re wondering how I got into or even afford such a prestigious school, let me tell you a little bit of my history.

I grew up in a single-parent household, with my mother taking care of me while my father (an alcoholic and drug-addict) was in and out of the picture. Not only did my father abandon us with no money, but when we did eke out some savings, he would often break into the house, beating my mother until she gave up her minimal amount of survival money. Due to these living conditions, I grew up on welfare throughout my childhood. My mother knew that I was suffering emotionally with my home life so she wanted to ensure that school was a safe haven for me. As we all know, one of the most important keys to not getting made fun of in school, is to have stylish clothes (sad, but often true). With a nearly non-existent budget, my mother knew that she had to find some way to dress me as to not look like a pauper. Then came in her survival instincts. My mother is THE best bargain-hunter in the world and luckily, she has passed her skills and love for bargain-shopping on to me. ... Anyways, back to the story. So with this instinct, my mother spent the entirety of my childhood scouring clearance racks, clipping coupons, and being the most frugal shopper I have ever encountered. Whether it was due to her pure shopping genius or a little blessing from my Coco-Chanel-like grandmother in Heaven, we will never know, but my mother dressed me like a fashionista.


Also unknown whether it was due to my stunning wardrobe or charming personality (yeah right!), I made plenty of friends. School became the happiest place of my existence and therefore, I thrived in the environment. But things only got worse throughout the years as I faced many more struggles in my personal life (divorce, a house fire, domestic violence, and tons of other terrible crap). Due to these events, I constantly struggled with emotional problems, everything from eating disorders, to cutting, to a failed suicide attempt. Despite these hardships, (I still don't know how the HELL I did it!!) I still continued to succeed in school. With my willpower and perseverance, I made it into Smith with a full scholarship and am in LOVE with my school and my new friends. So, that brings us to today... and although I love Smith and I do have quite a bit of financial assistance, being a college student is EXTREMELY expensive. This is where my bargain expertise comes in.


While most college students want to save money due to the high cost of school, I have ALWAYS wanted to save money due to my lack of it. My fiscally responsible ways, paired with my now expensive education, have made me delve into the world of bargain shopping more than ever before. And this is what I want to share with all of you.


Unlike most people, I was lucky enough to have the gift of a bargainista mentor, my mother. Without her, I would not be the frugal fanny that I am today. For the rest of the people who aren't lucky enough to have a mentor like this, have no fear... this blog will definitely turn out to be your go-to guide for everything money-saving, from how to save and where/why to splurge. I promise you that this blog will give you great insight, tips, and I PROMISE, laughs, on your road to becoming a chic (and cheap) college chick!!

So thanks for reading, and make sure to tell all your friends about the blog... unless you want to be the only one saving money and looking hot (if you're the jealous/backstabbing type, perhaps?) And definitely feel free to email me with your questions, concerns, and comments!! Any relevant questions that come in will be answered on the blog so throw me your most puzzling questions about budgeting, finances, fashion, or whatever else a chic (and cheap) college chick may be pondering!

Happy Saving!

L