a word to the wise...

there's definitely something to be said about frugality. but when it comes to love...honey. know how to treat a lady. you speak of abundance....well...bring it! don't cut that shit short when you're out on the town...or when you're vacationing. Let her know you will always have her back. it means more than that.
you just have to trust it. and live for it, if you want that type of love.


earn it, babe. earn it. don't spread it thin. focus. love. grow. know. otherwise, your lack will show.

Back to the city? Take the Third Avenue Bridge.

New York, New York. If you can make it here...you'll probably have to pay a toll. Or will you??? Whether you're driving down for a day visit to the best city on earth from someplace up north, or if you're returning to the best city on earth after a much needed relaxing getaway upstate or Connecticut, or a ski vacay in Vermont - fear not. You don't have to shell out that extra $6 on the Triboro - excuse me - The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge. I know it may sound like a small sum, but a roundtrip bridge crossing will run you 12 bucks. And if you're really fabulous, then you're making that great weekend trip every weekend. That's 52 trips x 12. That's $624 a year. Keep that money in your pocket, honey. Take the Third Avenue Bridge. It's free. It gets you to Manhattan, and feeds directly to the FDR. It's a win-win situation.


And no, you don't spend any more in gas by taking the third ave bridge. Actually, quite the contrary. I rarely encounter traffic over this little gem of a bridge. It ma ynot be as pretty as some other glorious, expensive bridges. Boo hoo. Build a bridge and get over it!

A lil' Chocolate Truffle goes a long way

I was in Godiva with a friend the other day and as she is about to have her box of chocolates rung up at the register, the sales person asks her if she wishes to join the Godiva Chocolate Rewards Club. Naturally, my ears perked up. My heart started pumping a little harder when I heard the words "you get a free piece of chocolate just for signing up". He asked me if I wanted to join. I asked questions, typical of a skeptic. Godiva passed the test. They really wanted nothing out of me but my email address. So I signed up and got my free, delicious chocolate truffle.
Then I found out that you can get a free piece of chocolate every month just for being a member. No purchase necessary.

When you've had a long day, sometimes a little piece of heavenly chocolate is all you need to set things straight. So go to your nearest Godiva and join the club, honey!

Clothing Swap Goodness

Yesterday, I swapped 'til I dropped! Got a great pair of boots, sneakers, make-up, perfume, kewl jewelry, jeans, dresses, harem pants...the list goes on and on.
Price: $0

Can't beat that with a bat, honey!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Cheap and Chic Alert: Spa Week April 13 - 19

C'mon now. It's time to unwind on a dime...

www.spaweek.com

Free Fun Fountain #1

It's spring! Who doesn't enjoy watching flowers bloom as the weather warms? We are, after all, a part of nature. We come out of hibernation and make more time to do more stuff outdoors. We re-enter the world as explorers, as fun-seekers, and as recessionistas.

Hence, the hunt for free fun begins. Not to worry, I've got a scroll of fun free things to do for all ages. A Monday through Sunday guide to free fun. This will be one of many - the free fun fountain keeps flowing as the heat rises. This week's free fun list highlights cultural events in New York City ranging from art to science to animal appreciation. Check them out below then check them out for real. Have fun, honey!

Free Fun Fountain List #1: Free Culture in NYC
Monday: Tour the Fed
That's right, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York hosts free tours on the half hour Monday - Friday from 9:30am to 2:30pm. How timely, no?

Tuesday: Go Very Green
Visit the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. It's free every Tuesday, and it's so gorgeous. You'd be a fool to miss out. Open 8am to 6pm.

Wednesday: Be an Animal!
Or at least hang out with a wide variety of them at the famous Bronx Zoo! It's pay-what-you-wish every Wednesday. And don't be intimidated by their "suggested donation", just about everybody there on Wednesdays pays nothing. Enjoy!

Thursday: KidArt Time!
Gather the children...yours, your sister's, your friend's, or your inner and pay a free visit to the Children's Museum of the Arts. It's free Thursdays from 4-6pm and it's an excuse to let loose, be creative and have immeasurable fun.

Friday: How Very Modern
You can't be a New Yorker, even if only visiting for a week, unless you spend some quality time at the MOMA. It's free every Friday from 4-8pm, so you'd better go.

Saturday: More For the Kiddies
If you can make it before 11am, the Brooklyn Children's Museum offers free admission (both Saturday and Sunday). I've gone as an adult with no children...it's fun, but be prepared for the question, "where are your children"? If you don't have any of your own, now's a great time to help a friend gain peace of mind by offering to babysit.

Sunday: Drop Science
Again, if you can make it there between 10-11am, the New York Hall of Science is free for you! I know that's early, and trust me, I wouldn't recommend it if it weren't a smackload of fun. Expect an adventure for the mind. A guaranteed thrill for inquisitive types.



On another note, the Metropolitan Opera ("the Met") is offering tickets as low as $20. Ever been to the opera before? May be worth a visit...plus an excuse to dress up ;)

Start the New Year Off Right - at the library!

Just because we graduate from school and enter into the real world does not mean that we must automatically rely solely on Netflix and Barnes and Noble for all our storytelling needs. Hello! Don't - forget - to - use - your - library card!

Show of hands, how many of you actually have your local library card? Now, how many of you actually use it, say, at least once a month? If you're still raising your hand, this post is not for you. Pat yourself on the back and browse through the archives for some information that you may find helpful. The rest of you, read on because I'm concerned. I think you have a problem. Why are you paying for books and movies when there are these buildings all over town that are letting folks borrow them for free? I don't mean to sound harsh. Trust me, I was one of you. Foolishly paying for things like books and movies. But recently I've made the switch back to the stacks.

Now, I totally understand the "I want it now" philosophy, especially when it comes to movies. The selection at the library pales in comparison to that of Blockbuster, Netflix and, don't forget Hollywood Video (I had a love affair in college with their $1 five day rentals!). But if you're looking to find a good DVD you can snuggle up to on your couch with some hot cocoa and your boo - then I think it's worth a stop.

And if you're among the book reading population then there is one word for you: Duh!
Just stop it with the Dalton and the B&N. When you finish a book, do you really then need to let it collect dust on your bookshelf in your tiny apartment? And if you happen to be one of those people with books in storage, this post is especially for you.

They make it real easy these days. Many public libraries have their directories online. You can check to see if your book is available and hold it. In many cases, you can even have a book sent to your local library if it happens to be at a further branch.

Just remember to return your items on time because unlike Netflix, the library will charge you a late fee!

Now get to borrowing!

Hard Times = Back to School or Persuing Dreams

Layoffs. Everyone knows at least five people affected by them. And some of us know first hand. It's clear to most of us that things aren't going to get any better in the job market anytime soon. So what are people doing? Going back to school. Spending the economic downtime to cultivate skills and amass advanced degrees in the hopes that, upon graduation, the market will be optimistic and with better qualifications, a job will not be too far away. Those of us who can get student loans, that is. Kinda sucks when the job market is low and no one's getting approved for credit, no matter how high your FICO score.

For those of you out there surviving in the working world - best of luck. To those of you busy with college applications - best of luck. And for the rest of you, I ask...what is it that you've always wanted to do but never got around to it?

Seriously. Everyone's got some crazy "unrealistic" dream lying around. What's yours?
I feel like now, more than ever is your time to invest in yourself. Not necessarily in your "job-ready" self, but in your spirit. Often times it doesn't cost much to begin to pursue a dream, it just takes a lot of time. And time, many of us are finding more and more of since we're getting laid off. I say take advantage of this time allotted to ourselves and do a little dream chasing.

I promise to keep you posted on ways to make your life enjoyable, and, of course, ways to cut back financially while still being fabulous so that you can be free to hone the talents inherent within.

For now, here's a little inspiration...

Money on the Side Hustle

In case you haven't noticed - our collective economic stability is crumbling all around us. Our world is trying really hard to pay its bills and keep its job. America, in particular has been living way beyond its means for far too long. I hear the chant of my grandmother's pastor playing over and over in my head. "Live within your means, live within your means" he would have everybody repeat three times every Sunday.
And speaking of Christ, there are holidays coming up and all the retailers are crapping in their pants because suddenly, everyone wants to get creative this year and make handcrafted gifts. Even the tech industry is biting the bullet. Talk about a dry spell.
And you can't blame us. Layoffs are the new promotions and aside from gas, not much else is getting cheaper. Have you purchased a carton of eggs lately?!
My point is...how are we expected to live our lives as normally as possible under these ridiculous circumstances? We're not accustomed to living within our means - therefore, we must grow more means.
Here are some examples of ways to make a couple extra bucks. They're simple, require very little effort and can sometimes be interesting. And anybody can do them (no special talents needed):

University Psychology Experiments
Wait, wait. I know it sounds crazy. But I've done these before - there are no needles or other physically intrusive instruments. Mostly these experiments involve a written questionnaire or time spent looking at and responding to images on a screen. This is level A of the 'money on the side' hustle (aka "MOTSH") and can gain anywhere from $10-$50 per hour for experiments that last 1-3 hours, and I've seen returns as high as $500 for overnight sleep studies. More for 'effects of skydiving' studies - plus they pay for your whole skydiving experience (lessons included). Check your local university psychology department walls for posts. Take notes and start making contact. In NYC, I recommend NYU and Columbia.

Get focused
Focus groups. Every smart company needs at least one of these. Basically, companies across the spectrum like to test out the habits of their audiences, and they do this by assembling focus groups of about 10-15 people who they consider to be their "target market". They sit you down and ask you a bunch of questions about...your favorite soft drink...how often you drive during the summer...which shaving cream textures you're most comfortable with. These normally last up to two hours and pay on average $100/hr. And you usually get to walk away with a free product or two.
Check em:
Focusgroup.com
focusroom.com
findfocusgroups.com


This excerpt from the film Focus Room gives an accurate depiction of the focus room experience ;)

There are many other hustles I can list. Tutoring. eBay. Offering various skills and talents on craigslist (not in that section!). But the theme in today's entry is simplicity. Hustles that require very little thinking, cuz face it, sometimes we need to just veg out. I don't know about you all, but my brain is on overload. I don't have a sustainable amount of energy for strategizing and planning for my MOTSH.
If you have some similar MOTSH's, please share in the comments space.

$MH Manifesto

I know I haven't been a loyal blogger these past couple of months and for that I sincerely apologize. Through these "tough economic times" I'm sure we're all struggling to find some sense of clarity and direction when it comes to our own personal finances...our stability...our capacity to maintain fabulousness. Which leads me to this, what I call the $MH Manifesto ($MH = $ave Money, Honey). Read it. Live it. Enjoy.




$ave Money Honey ($MH) is a lifestyle guide. All who follow the beliefs, attitudes and suggestions of $MH are members of a class. This class echoes a standard appropriate to the current times, faithful to the mantras set forth by the ancients, and likely to continue to set the pace in the future.
To take care of oneself - that is the shared goal of the $MH class. One's self is a masterpiece comprised of spirit, mind, body, family, friends, lovers, planet, work, finances, and fun. All must operate at high frequencies in order to achieve fabulousness. And fabulousness we all deserve. But we must respect this notion of "taking care".
Hence, this blog. $MH publishes tips on how to holistically maintain fabulousness, without breaking the bank*. The idea that spending money will bring us to higher levels of freedom is not entirely true. Oftentimes we neglect to realize the simple belief that we create our surroundings. We design our lives. We read The Secret. We pray. We also don't keep our heads in the clouds. We read Suze Orman. We know where our money is going and where its coming from and how to make sure we keep it coming in. We're smart and we seek freedom to travel, to learn, to love and to feel sensational.
We've fought hard enough, we've dreamed big enough, and we've repented where necessary. Not only do we deserve our freedom, we also deserve to be free of guilt. We've all been tricked into believing that in order for us to enjoy, someone somewhere must suffer. We've identified a very unhealthy habit of turning the other cheek on our brothers and sisters working in sweat shops, in mines, and in kitchens for unlivable wages. We've long since turned the other cheek on our environment. Being indirectly responsible for the oppression of others does not absolve us of our responsibility to care for one another. We haven't given up the possibility of creating change. "That's just the way things are" is simply not a good enough answer anymore. The $MH class is creative enough to develop and share ways of contributing to healthy habits of consumption and leisure - while still achieving fabulousness!
$MH encourages all to step lightly, think critically, and be fly.

Take Care,

$ave Money Honey


*By bank, I mean personal checking accounts, banking institutions and the world bank, alike.

Attn: Online Shopaholics!!

Thanks to this service, I have saved at least 7 hours out of every week...time that would normally be spent combing all the great sale sites for boots, handbags, pants, dresses, shirts and coats to express the changing woman I am today...or the clearance bathing suits, shorts, sandals and summer dresses to express the woman I will be on vacation this winter.

Much thanks to my homegirl for putting me on to this site. How it works: you customize your profile by letting shopittome know what items you're looking for, your favorite designers or retailers, your size, price range and whether you're shopping for a woman, man or child. Then, you receive emails from SITM twice a week, or everyday or once a week, however you'd like, featuring sale items tailored to your desires. It's basically your personal online sale shopper -- brilliant!

I just put an order in for an amazing pair of Diesel overalls...70% off. Yeah. Get into it.

www.shopittome.com honey!

It's a madhouse...

...but you need to experience the fun. I'm going this week in search of "the bag". It's my latest quest.
I know I've been MIA this summer. But in my time away, I've discovered for myself that I would very much like to operate at a higher degree of fabulous.
Higher spirituality, higher standards, higher-end fashion. I'm like a drug-free Styles-P. I'm going this week, who's shopping with me?

SpendMoneyHoney

I've been on hiatus. Sorry...I've had nothing to report as I have shamefully been SPENDING MONEY, HONEY!
Aaaggh! I blame the spring - my wallet was like any other perennial, opening it's colorful petals ever so boldly. All shades of green.
By now, the first blossoms are wilting, and the stable green leaves are taking their positions. At last!
So don't ask me how to save on gifts for spring weddings. I didn't. I couldn't even resist the urge to buy new summer shoes, although I did luck out on a buy one, get one half-off sale. Eh.
But this Sunday (Jun 22) I am celebrating the beginning of the summer season in traditional save money honey style.

$10 Vintage. Funky Fanny's @ Brooklyn Flea
I'll be there at 10 am. It's cash only, which is good. I advise taking out a set amount of money (i.e. $50) and leaving your cards at home cuz you're gonna want to buy EVERYTHING! I went last year and here are just a few of my $10 treasures:





@
Brooklyn Flea
Bishop Loughlin Schoolyard-357 Clermont (Lafayette Ave. btwn Clermont and Vanderbilt), Brooklyn, NY 11238 US

...and another pointer...

Shop Now for Winter Gear
Boots, sweaters, long johns, wool socks, coats. They are all on super-duper sale right now. Stock up! Before you know it, baby, it'll be cold out-side.

Renting a Car?

Sometimes you just wanna rent a car. Maybe you want to take a hassle-free trip to the beach, or maybe you're visiting a new place and you want to get around. Or maybe you just have a bunch of errands to run and need to haul big items. Either way, there is one rule of thumb for renting a car:

Tell them you are renting the car because your car is in the shop.
Many car companies offer lower rates to clients who have cars that are being serviced. They don't ask for any proof that you have a car, so just go ahead and bend the truth a bit. It can save you up to 50%. Check www.enterprise.com
And if you have issues lying, you can always say clever not untrue things that leave out parts of your statements like: my car is under repair (meaning your dream car); or my car is in the shop (as in...I haven't actually bought it yet, its' still in the shop ;)

Vacation for the Mind, Body and Spirit...not the checking account.

I'm back from vacation, having successfully lived it up - fab style. Beach. Poolside. Cocktails. Delicious meals. Sightseeing - all under my budget. (Ka-ching!)
I'm telling you, adopting a savemoneyhoney attitude can make your vacation still a vacation when you return home - instead of eating rice and beans until your third paycheck arrives and you can finally afford a trip to the grocery store. You may even be able to buy a hot new dress for those warm spring days that shows off you gorgeous new tan.

Here are some helpful hints for vacay: the savemoneyhoney way:

Get on the Bus
Do you really need to rent a car? Take cabs everywhere? What better way to get to know the area you're visit then by taking the bus with the locals? You're sure to encounter some interesting characters and you'll be able to sit back and enjoy the scenery instead of focusing on not getting lost. Not to mention...you're only spending a couple coins.

Take it to the Grocery Store
Oftentimes hotels in vacation areas come with kitchens. While these units may cost more than units without kitchens, lets really examine what you end up paying for. Let's say a kitchenette unit costs $40 more a night than a unit without a kitchen...and you're on vacation with one other person. You'll need to eat, and will probably end up eating out for breakfast ($10), for lunch ($15) and for dinner ($25 - $50). You're looking at an average of $62.50 a day per person on food x two people, that's $125/day on food alone! On a five day vacation...that can get pretty pricey. Now, let's say you get a room with a kitchen, make a grocery shopping list and spend $125 on food for the whole week - totally possible and in my opinion, very wise. You'll even be able to prepare a delicious meal for your ride back on the plane (so few airlines offer anything more than peanuts and cookies these days).



Bee Flexible - Travel on a Weekday
Ever been to the airport on a Friday, or a Sunday? Crazy, right? It's called peak and off-peak. Ever buy a commuter rail ticket? Generally tickets cost more during rush hour than they do at say 2pm. That's just a transit authority's way of taking advantage of the working public. If you get two weeks paid vacation, don't think these "weeks" have to start on a Friday. There are the same amount of days between a Friday and a Friday as there are between a Wednesday and a Wednesday. And chances are, traveling by plane on mid-weekdays is going to be a heck of a lot cheaper than trying to find a flight that leaves Friday and gets back the following Sunday. You can believe that. Plus shorter lines, less crowded planes...it's just a better way to fly.

Sharing is Caring
Timeshares. Everyone knows someone who has one in their family. And many people do not use their timeshares, or do not use all the dates that are available in their timeshares.
What are timeshares, you may be wondering? The basic idea is: you buy a share in a hotel-like unit (usually with a kitchen) which then grants you the amount of weeks you pay for at an appointed time every year, as in, the last two weeks of April every year. They're paid for, and available every year. Now, of course, life happens and oftentimes people are not able to go to their timeshares, or they can only go for a portion of their timeshare. This is a golden opportunity to make use of these hard earned timeshares. Ask around, bring it up in conversation, you'd be surprised to know how many people have these options available. Hey, it doesn't hurt to ask.

Free Z's
Sleep. Seriously, it saves you money. And you know you need to catch up on it anyway. Take a nap. Get some z's. You can't spend money in your sleep...or can you?

Yes We Can...haggle the big name stores

I tell ya, one of the greatest money saving resources we all have lies within our personal network of folks. Remember back in high school, having that friend who could get you that 40% discount at the Gap? Carry this mentality into your adult life. Friends with jobs at big corporations have all kinds of perks - of which most people do not take full advantage. Whether its 20% off theatre tickets, free entrance to museums, 2 for 1 gym membership -- the perks are there just waiting to be used.

Collect data and share.
Plan a casual meeting with a group of friends. Each is to come with a list of "perks" offered to them through their jobs, relationships to so-and-so, affiliations, memberships and so on. Cull the list. The list will be huge, and the list will belong to everyone who contributed to the list. Seriously, try it. And tell me how it works.

Don't forget the greatest perk!
Everyone secretly publishes a "savemoneyhoney.net". For example, a friend of mine just told me a story of how she haggled a brand new full sized mattress and box spring down 50%. !!!!50%!!!!! Her method:
1. Once you've found the mattress or necklace or HD screen of your dreams, ask the salesperson, "What's the sale price?"
2. Then squeeze in any added perks associated with the store or its competitors, i.e. "I'm a first time buyer, doesn't your establishment offer a first time buyer's discount?"
3. By now you're sure to have established a level of comradery with your salesperson, so why not add, "...and what's your discount? Could you add that, too?"
4. And for the cherry on top, ask if you could make your purchase tax-free. It couldn't hurt.

I'm telling you, especially you city-dwellers out there, we ALL know how to haggle. We do it with street vendors and mom and pop stores. What makes you think major shopping centers are any different?



Happy haggling, honey.

Free Consumption

Is it just me, or is anyone else out there spending money like it's water lately? Maybe it's the burgeoning spring, or the excitement of an upcoming vacation, but either way it's getting a little out of hand and it needs to sloooow down.

In efforts to curb spending, while still consuming, my dear friend and I are hosting...(drum roll, please)...A CLOTHING SWAP!

Yaaaaaay :)

It's on Sunday, April 20th from 3-7 @ my house. If you want the address, just send me an email: honey@wallet.com



What is the Clothing Swap, you ask?
Everyone (men, too! all sizes) brings clothing, shoes, and accessories from their closets, from a few choice items to a shopping cart load. They will be brought into the swap room, organized to some degree, and then the floor opens for shopping a gratis. This is a great way to upgrade your wardrobe, clean out your closet, and know that whatever is left over will be donated to a neighborhood charity.
You coming?

And if you can't make it to the swap, don't be discouraged. You will find that there are swaps happening all the time at an apartment near you. Check out some of these resources:
www.clothingswap.org
clothesswap.meetup.com

Or you could host your own swap! Here are some helpful tips:
www.lifeorganizers.com
crra.com

Happy swapping, honey!

DO NOT TAKE GEORGE BUSH'S ADVICE

Use your tax refund to pay down your debts. Period.

...and another thing about furniture...

Don't forget your thrift/vintage/second-hand shoppes. Yesterday on break from jury duty, I browsed some local shoppes. I found my way to this thrift store that sells everything from gowns to dishes to amazing 6'5" x 7'3" x 1'3" solid wood shelving units, painted a creamy white giving it that rustic country couture look for $50!!!! Yes, $50!!!!
It's big enough to hold everything! I almost bought it, but I first gotta figure out how to get it to my apartment. I took a picture with my phone, but I haven't yet figured out how to transfer that kind of data.
Although, I have been able to send my contacts from phone to computer through bluetooth in the past...hmmm, let me work that out...
As for now, I've gotta board my flight. The flight boarding next to mine just asked for volunteers to take a later flight - with free cab service from the airport to your destination and a $300 travel voucher. You thought I was kidding, didn't you. Man, oh, man, I wish it were my flight that was asking for volunteers....

One Man's Trash...

Bored of those same ole' same ole' furniture and home decor items sitting around your place? Need a change of indoor scenery? Well then why no go and get yourself a brand new set of furniture?

Yeah, a new coffee table might add some jazz, or a new set of lamps, new picture frames, a new sofa. And not to worry, I (of course) know a way to achieve these dreams on the cheap - as a matter of fact, on the free.

freecycle.org is a great place to start your home makeover. On the site, you can search for a freecycle yahoo group near you. Join and search the postings for items you'd like. You can even post items you're looking for in case someone out there has the solid wood magazine rack you've been itching for collecting dust in a closet nearby.
craigslist is another great resource. Just click the "free" link under the "for sale" section - its a gold mine. You can find everything from rocking chairs to pianos to red brick to house plants - all free!

And don't forget to put the word out there. We're coming up on moving season - people changing cities, graduating from school, etc. When people move, there is almost always something they like to leave behind - why not have a look through? People also like to redecorate this time of year - again, more free stuff.

And if you're hell bent on paying money for something you absolutely fell in love with in the West Elm catalogue - take the advice I gave on shoes: google the make and model of your item - you're bound to find it for cheaper on ebay or craigslist or something.

Some free stuff waiting for you right now...
Imagine:

A new living room...





For a retro kitchen (yes, it still works! - and will probably work longer than any stainless steel one you'd spend $600 on today)


A new bedframe to create a new aesthetic in the bedroom...




Then invite me over to check it all out over tea and honey!