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