Smart Idea
the Discount Diva
Smart Idea
Better Late Than Never
This past weekend one of the streets in my neighborhood hosted a stoop sale block party, where residents pulled out all of their unwanted wares to hawk on their stoops or front lawns. A whopping 30 houses on the block participated and I was ready to shop! The plan was to get up early, run a few errands and then be the first one there.
Of course, my plan completely backfired -- I woke up late and I didn't finish my errands until 4pm (the sale was ending at 5pm!). I managed to make it there just as most of the stoop sellers were packing up.
Being late turned out to be a good thing. As I sulked and gave puppy-dog eyes to the stoop sellers packing up their leftovers, I stumbled over a pair of Steve Madden black slingbacks sitting on the sidewalk with a sign that read "FREE" beside them. I picked them up to check out the size. Eight and a half -- that's my size! I shoved them in my bag and kept walking, with a little more pep in my step now. Then I came upon a corner house. The stoop seller was busy packing up, but I noticed there was one little table he hadn't gotten to yet and on it was a bunch of costume jewelry -- rings, chunky bracelets, and necklaces. The sign said $1, but when the homeowner saw me looking he yelled, "They're a penny now!" Score! I bought them all and it only cost me $0.50.
The moral of the story is this: A sale is not over until it's over.
EGGcelent!
I have been on a breakfast sandwich kick and it all started when the grocery store had an egg sale (buy one, get one free). So I stocked up on eggs -- I know, it's a strange thing to buy in bulk for my small family of two people, but it led to the creation of this, which I'm very proud of thank-you-very-much:
-Toast as many whole wheat English muffins as you want.
-Fry the same amount of eggs in low-fat cooking spray.
-Cook Jimmy Dean Turkey Breakfast Sausage Patties.
-Then, create sandwiches; wrap them in wax paper and freeze them.
-When you're ready to eat one, just pop it in the microwave until warm throughout.
It's an instant, yummy breakfast (or lunch or dinner). Not to mention, much cheaper and a little healthier than the ones at fast food joints. Try it!
Overheard During Spin Class...
The other day I went to a notoriously tough spin class at my gym. The instructor is a hard-core biking fanatic. I even heard that during one class she wore a biking helmet (on a stationary bike)! She's a character, for sure. But she makes an otherwise boring exercise class VERY interesting and VERY fun.
Before this particular class she recommended that we invest in a heart rate monitor for our spin classes. "It will revolutionize your workouts," she said. Yeah, yeah, I thought to myself. "How much are these heart monitors," another cynical student asked. "I found mine online for $75. But I didn't want to pay for shipping and handling...that can add up." Wait a minute! What was I hearing? This quirky woman, who hoots and hollers indecipherable instructions during class, was starting to speak the universal language of Saving Money. She continued: "I printed out a picture of the monitor -- making sure the price was visible on the page -- and took it to the website's store in my neighborhood." To cut to the chase, she found the same item at the store, but it was being sold there for $90. "I grabbed the heart monitor from the shelf and pulled out my print out to plead my case to the sales clerk," she said. "After comparing the two carefully, he honored the online price -- I didn't have to wait to use my heart monitor and I didn't have to pay shipping and handling."
Moral of the story: Listen to the crazy bike lady -- she might have some great money-saving advice to share.
What money-saving tips have you overheard in the gym, at work, or at the supermarket?
A Real Deal Breaker
I love my wireless carrier, but they sure do have some strange policies.
I've wanted to change my cell phone plan -- sorry guys, I just can't use all gazillion minutes in a month. But, according to them, either I pay a termination fee (which at approximately $200 bucks is too much for my tastes) or I change the phone number that I've had for the past gazillion years. Huh? I don't get it.
Anyways, because my carrier hadn't been a problem up until now, I had come to accept the idea of seeing my current cell phone plan through to the bitter end.
Then, I got an email from a fellow Quick and Simple editor. Totally perfect timing on her part. She suggested I check out Cellswapper.com. The title alone sounded to good to be true.
Cellswapper.com works by allowing you to ditch your plan without having to shell out for an early-termination fee. In short, once you're registered, you can post the details of your plan for others to see or search other postings for a new plan for yourself. While posting is free, there is a $18.95 transfer fee. But, you do the math: $18.95 vs. $200.
Beauty School Drop-In
My college-bound, style-conscious younger sister just emailed me a photo of her new haircut. It's gorgeous! From the looks of it -- impeccable layers, not-too-short bangs, and lots of movement -- she used her entire paycheck to get this cut.
Being the older (and wiser) sis, I inquired: "Weren't you supposed to use that money for textbooks?"
"I still have plenty of money for books," she assured me on the phone. "The haircut was just $5."
Yep, my getting-wiser-by-the-day sister saved big bucks by going to the local beauty school for her haircut! Sure, she said, it took twice as long and the instructor was hovering the whole time; but the phenomenal price tag and the 20-minute shampoo massage (hey, the student stylist had to get it right...right?) made it all worthwhile.
about the blogger
Ayren
Ayren Jackson-Cannady has yet to find a bargain or sale she didn’t like. It’s a good relationship for her wallet, but not so much for the dwindling closet space in the apartment that she shares with her husband, John and her cat, Shiny in Brooklyn, NY.
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