"If I could, I would" Favorite of the Day

Melie Bianco 'Adele' Faux Leather Clutch
available @ Nordstroms, $58

A penny saved is a penny earned

I have the good fortune of being attached to a change hoarder. After looking at the giant jar of change long enough, we recently started rolling those pennies, nickels, and dimes. I’m happy to report that this little money saving strategy really does pay off. Who knew it could be so profitable.

Time spent rolling a bucket of change: Half an episode of 48 Hours Mystery
Money pocketed: $76
What it will pay for: Wedding bouquet in our “paid with cash, dave style” wedding
How proud Dave would be: Five Stars

It’s that time of year: Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale is in full swing. It couldn’t have come at a more perfect time as I have been shopping for the perfect wedding dress that isn’t a total budget- buster. It was quickly decided there simply wasn’t enough time to order through a bridal salon, not to mention I didn’t want anything over the top bridal anyway. Since we are planning the whole Dave Ramsey “cash for everything” wedding, I also wasn’t looking to spend a pretty penny anyway. As a result, I quickly concluded an off-the-rack, department store find was the route for me. After a good deal of searching I ended up at the Nordstrom’s Bridal Suite and I was pleasantly surprised with both the selection and prices.
They had quite the array of choices and they all worked beautifully within my price point. I was easily able to find the perfect dress and I promptly ordered it (sorry...I am not willing to reveal it to the internet world at large quiet yet though) for $440. It was on the high end of my teeny, tiny budget but it was still within my range so I was completely content with the purchase. I was shocked, however, when a week later I saw the very same dress online for $239 as part of the Anniversary Sale. I would like to take this moment to sing the praises of Nordstrom’s most excellent pricing policy.
Sale Adjustment
If an item you have purchased is reduced in price within two weeks of your order date, we will happily adjust the sale price for you. Please note that we can only make one sale adjustment per item and designer goods originally purchased on sale are excluded.
I would like to point out that this is indeed true. They HAPPILY adjusted my price with zero hassle. The entire experience was painless and trouble-free. Kudos to excellent customer Service at Nordstrom’s and their super great pricing policy. It made my day!

Perfect dress for my big day: $440
“Whoa! It’s on sale now” price adjustment: - $201
Real cost to me: $239
High from getting a screaming deal: Deliciously priceless

Floored by how much I love this

New flooring for the dining room has been a project that has been repeatedly pushed off, mostly due to finances. After all, flooring isn’t exactly always a budget friendly expense. It was pushed even farther down on the totem pole when a little thing called wedding planning came into the picture. The problem with this is that, aesthetically speaking, this floor is a total eye sore and has been driving us totally bonkers. Driven to insanity and pushed by the lack of funds to change the situation, it was decided we needed to totally change gears and take a new approach.

It occurred to me that instead of hating this floor day in and day out, and willing it to be different to no avail; we should rather embrace it for what it is. It may be a totally ugly floor, but it is a totally blank slate that can be used and abused without consequences and made into absolutely anything we wish. Hence, we decided to transform our ugly floor into a conversation starter. Now we write, leave notes, scribble, jot down and draw anything we like. When guests visit, it can now serve as a guest book of sorts, allowing them to contribute phrases, comments, or notes as they wish. What was once ugly is still ugly, but it is also now fun, quirky, and most definitely uniquely our own. The words that cover it are filled with love, humor, dreams and inspiration. It doesn’t get any better than that.

We may not have the best of everything but we will certainly make the best of everything we have.

Cost:
Ugly floor – Painfully Free
Sharpie Marker - $1.99
Free mindless entertainment and endless conversation topics: Priceless

Progress

I've been living on the lean as part of a massive debt reduction overhaul. My master plan was to pay off $10k by year end. I am please to report that living the lifestyle of the flat and broke has seriously paid off. I am way ahead of the game and it is only May 1. I am super pumped about how much more I will actually eliminate in the next seven months.

Year to Date Debt Paid down: $8,149.43

and ps...still looking fabulous as ever.

Deal of the Day

Starbucks is celebrating Earth Day with a FREE coffee to those who use their reusable coffee mug.
Thank you Sbux!!!
$2.12 saved

Banana for Bananas

I have been forced to window shop as of late, but I promised to be true to my inner budget babe and I am sticking to the shopping budget I've outlined for myself. Thankfully, that doesn't stop a girl from looking, right?! A few more things I wish I could get at my fav Banana Republic.

Clutch me if you can

My clutch obsession continues. I think I've unintentionally developed a bit of a mini-collection of clutches thanks to old hand me downs, vintage finds, and of course my fav retailers. I absolutely love this chic accessory, especially the vintage ones I find for cheap. My latest thrifting found me purchasing these two adorable vintage clutches for practically pennies.

Cost me $1.50

Cost me $ 2.00

Here are some not quite as cheap finds at Banana Republic that I also liked. Sadly, since they cost more than I should spend on my "live cheap now so I can be independently wealthy later" plan, I merely admired.

Yet another bad fashion moment...

Please disown me if I ever duplicate this hot mess of a hair accessory.

Anthro Inspiration

My most recent shopping adventure to Anthropologie left me wanting this casual, easy look. Love the pop of yellow.

Thought this bag just looked happy in a girlie kinda way.

I wanted to throw myself on this delicious looking ensemble.
Don't worry...I refrained.

Oh To Be Financially Free

With mounds of debt on my plate (a big shout out to my ex) and a limited income, I've been working veraciously to climb my way out of the hole, penny by penny. To make my life a bit more financially fabulous, I've made changes recently to cut expenses even further. If I want to live rich tomorrow, I figure I gotta live like I'm poor today. So here are a few of my cost-cutting measures that are saving me a buck or two:

1. The dreaded B word -- Yes, you got it, I've been BUDGETING. I finally learned that my budget can be different each month. Wow! What a concept, right. Monthly, I have been setting limits for myself, and yes, this includes shopping. I do find I like the having the power to choose where I put my $$$ and having a plan each month has worked out really well. I also log every dollar I put on paying debt down. Seeing my progress helps me stay motivated, as sometimes it can feel a bit slow-go.

2. Getting cozy with carpooling -- I put 50 miles round trip on my car each day driving to and from work. Since I live in a commuting kinda town, and with the gas prices continually getting more and more out of control, I've been slowly easing my way into carpooling. I started out by hitching a ride at least once or twice a week to give my car a break. It definitely helped to stretch the gas budget. Recently, though, I decided to really bite the bullet and join a van pool. It reduces my mileage each day to only 12 miles round trip, and at a cost of only 30 bucks to me per month. That is less than one tank of gas. Cha-ching. More $$ saved and back in my pocket.

3. Brown Bag -- Thanks to the above, this means I must be more vigilant about packing a lunch. This, my friend, is a definite trouble spot for me. I absolutely love and rely on getting out of the office at lunch time to retain my sanity. I detest being in the same environment all day long. But if I don't live like this today, I can't live a financially free life tomorrow. So without my own set of wheels at my disposal, I'm forced to brown bag it more regularly. Maybe it's a forced savings plan, but I asked myself, "What would Dave Ramsey do?" Plus, this change will not only reduce my lunchtime spending, but it also decreases the amount of money I drop on my afternoon Starbucks.

4. Work the system -- I've started paying my credit card payments and loan repayments twice a month instead of only once a month when it is due. It can be a bit of a hassle keeping track of this and not forgetting to do it, but doing this helps to actually reduce the amount of interest I am charged each month. Nobody likes interest!

I've got quite a ways to go, but the prospect of financial freedom is looking more and more like a possibility every day.

Fashions for the Home

Currently, I'm working on redecorating the home of a special someone. I'm a lover of all things decorating and I've pretty much been given free reign, so it works out beautifully in my opinion. My latest adds are more of a rustic touch and I am super happy with the end result. Below is a pic of the entry way. I was able to use things already owned together with a fresh coat of paint and decorative lettering. Super easy and super cheap.


Rack - Free! A gift from friends.
Hats - Free again! Found in the closet.
Gallon of Martha Stewart paint in Fledgling color - $25
Wall phrase decal - $14.99 at my local craft store

Viola! Welcoming Entry way...check.

Also scored a door turn paneled mirror on clearance for 70 bucks. It fits perfectly in the corner of the dining room. I paired it with this colorful blue vase which was a thrifty goodwill find that cost six bucks. Adding flowers softened it up a bit.

Pause for questionable fashion

I have a secret addiction to photographing random strangers and their, shall we say, interesting fashion choices. So here are some of my latest pics that I found entertaining:


You can't tell but this cute lil ol' man is also sporting a killer cowboy hat with his knee high socks and shorts combo. I actually found him quite endearing as he browsed the books at a local bookstore in this crazy combo.


I'm pretty sure these pants speak for themselves.


1962 called and they are asking for their beehive back.

What I wore today

I recently discovered the LC Lauren Conrad collection at Kohl’s. I’ve never been much of a Kohl’s shopper until recently, but their prices were definitely meant for my budget. Plus, the LC line has that girly, whimsical flair I tend to be attracted to. I used a Visa gift card leftover from Christmas (gift cards are my latest strategy for funding my current shopping budget) and I purchased this floral ruffled dress for $40 bucks. I resisted the urge to purchase new accessories and instead paired it with items already in my closet: a chunky grey belt from Francesca’s, a pair of inexpensive gold chandelier earrings from Forever 21, and a pair of last summer’s wedges I purchased at Target. My grey belt has turned into quite the perfect addition to my wardrobe as it works beautifully as a finishing accessory for quite a few of my dresses. Nothing beats a belted dress for a polished look that is super easy. My dangly gold chandelier earrings go with pretty much EVERYTHING and work really well with my favorite go-to hairstyle, the “I just threw my hair back chignon”. Most amazingly, I’m shocked with how many compliments I get on my cheap-o Target wedges. I rarely purchase shoes there, but they were an inexpensive wedge meant to hold me over until I found the perfect replacement for an old pair that had seen better days. I guess my temporary fix was a good buy.


Lc Lauren Conrad Floral Ruffle Dress
Kohl's - Original $60.00 (Sale for $40)


Wovan Journey belt
Francesca's - Original $24.00 (Sale for $18)


Forever 21 Earrings...can't remember what I paid,
but in true F21 fashion, it was dirt cheap.

Dear fashionably distraught co-worker,

Because unfortunately it seems to be socially unacceptable to arrive to work in more than just a pair of bad mom jeans, a frumpy shirt, and no makeup, I find it necessary to apologize for the error of my ways. I most certainly did not mean to offend with my blue and white color blocked dress paired with a chunky grey belt, or even with the slim jean jacket I wore over it, my brown wedged peep-toe sandals, or the colorful broach inspired necklace that in my opinion made the whole outfit pop. Thank goodness you didn't spot my Fossil tote bag with it's vintage inspired print. It could have quite possibly upset you to the point of filing a formal complaint with your cube mate. The color alone would have no doubt overpowered your drab and dull outfit to the point that chaos could have easily erupted in the office. Please accept my deepest apologies for causing such distress.

I was completely unaware that my appearance was being so closely watched, let alone critiqued. Oh, and don't worry, I will notify the runway model that is no doubt looking for her necklace. I didn't realize it was an accessory deemed only worthy for the catwalk. Thank you for pointing that out. It was also too kind of you to express your concern over my ability to make sure I am able to un-jam the copier in any given outfit that I wear. I honestly didn't realize that first, "Copier Un-jammer" was my official title, and second, that it would be unfeasible for me to do so in a skirt. I'm really glad we straightened that out before we had a copy machine fiasco.

Most importantly, thank you for asking me what I would do if I spilled coffee on my outfit. Coffee is truly critical to my existence, and I honestly don't know what I would do if I were to experience a moment of klutziness and drip java juice on my clothes. FYI...in case you weren't aware, I've heard laundry detergent and stain remover make wonderful additions to any laundry room. Oh, and I'm pretty sure the security department has classic "me" footage of my latest coffee spill as I entered the revolving door at work last month. You really should check it out as it is sure to give you a hearty laugh.

Sadly, though, I must tell you that I have become set in my ways and I quite dislike being bullied into conforming. (I can be a bit stubborn like that.) I think I will gladly forgo my membership to the Frumpy Mom Jeans Club and continue to, as you put it, "dress up" for work. I hope you can understand. It's me, not you. I do promise to wear something a bit more fashionably daring tomorrow to see if I can cause yet another stir. I quite like this.

With all due insincerity,

Your co-worker who jams the copy machine

PS...thanks for the inspiration for the new blog. Hope you follow.

The beginning

I was inspired the other day to start another blog. This one geared more to reflect my creative side. That side of me that is always itching to assemble the perfect outfit, or to decorate that empty wall that doesn't even belong to me, or to shop, shop, shop, until I find that just right item at that just right price. Even though I can boast that I'm a shameless shopper of sales, I'm also still currently learning to live on a budget (yikes!) and attempting to climb my way out of a mountain of debt. It isn't exactly an ideal formula for maintaining a fashionable wardrobe, home, or even existence. Thankfully, fashion isn't entirely elitist (although, perhaps some might believe it to be). It say it is an art form for all. So, given my current financial state, I've made it even more my mission to prove that fashion doesn't have to break the piggy bank. So without further ado, I present to you my latest creative outlet, The Flat Broke Fashionista. It shall be my musings on all things remotely related to a happy, fashionable existence, even if you are practically penny-less, like me.