Okay…. So this is a work in progress…. Those of you who know me know that I am the LEAST frugal person in THE world…. I have told some of my closest friends that I am experimenting with this, it is always followed by billowing laughter… Unappreciated, if I do say so myself.

So this makes me want to dive in even further. I may not be frugal, but I am competitive, so I plan to save so much money it knocks all my closest friends socks off…. I don’t feel remotely guilty for getting a good deal, since I have paid my my dues for all these years paying the manufacturers suggested retail price or higher in some cases.

This is a TOTAL work in progress….. I plan on taking steps to figure this new lifestyle out and hopefully all of you walk with me!

But this is what I have learned so far….

1) A treat should feel like a treat. Stuff like Starbucks, going out to dinner, getting new outfits, and other nonessentials should not be a run of the mill occurrence and for me, I have taken these things so for granted that they are no longer even pleasurable, frankly, going out to dinner was almost annoying. I would leave a $4 coffee in the car to go bad. Even worse, buying something for myself was nothing, I felt nothing.

So my first commitment to my new venture was to start treating treats like treats. I made restrictions on my budget for these things, so when I have them I will savor them, and if then I do not, I will release them from my life… You and I both know, Starbucks is not going anywhere!

2) Gifts= Gifts instead of Gifts= Love

I LOVE buying something for someone, I mean, it makes me so thrilled. Now, this up into this new adventure has meant that when I find something for someone I buy it, with out hardly looking at the price. My family and friends do not care remotely how much I spend on them, truthfully, most would rather I did not spend on them at all. That being said…. Who am I really buying for, them, or myself? So here is what my plan is to do…. I will be much more creative, take my time, and remember, gifts are not love, love is love.

SO I am drastically reducing how much I let myself spend on gifts. I plan to give more love and appreciation, if someone does not want that, maybe I don’t want them as a friend anyway.

3) Categories and Budgets

J and I went through our quicken and figured out what we have averaged year to date, luckily I had that history, but if you do not, record what you spend everyday for a month ON EVERYTHING, and you will have these numbers. We then discussed and brainstormed on each section of our life to see what we wanted to eliminate, the amount of money that this will save you is AMAZING!

The best part about this, I have a little notebook on a page turned sideways it has each category, the monthly budget, and room below for all your expenses, so you can record them as you go.

I go tomorrow to Stephanie’s to learn her little money saving tricks…. I will report back…. Unless it kills me!

A list is coming soon on money saving tips!

My heart is with you on your journey,

Lizzy

Janice convinced me a few months ago to go spend 3 times more on one pair of Jeans than I had ever before….. Let me just say THANK YOU…. My derrière thanks you too.
After I bought these butt-saving Jeans, the compliments started flying my way, complete strangers would say they loved my jeans…. And the way they fit? You feel so great in these things! They just fit “right”.
I went on to shop on EBAY, because after these “wonders” came into my life, I gave away all of my other crappy jeans, so I indead needed MORE… I was able to get 3 more pairs for less than I paid for one pair. My two favorites are 7 for All Mankind and Paige.

These jeans make you “strut” not walk, much cheaper than a personal trainer!

Thanks Janice!!!!

Lizzy

…..AND BUY THE EXPENSIVE JEANS!!!! They do wonders for those with or without a fabulous rear. They will at least give the illusion that you do have one. Some of the jeans that I am referring to would be 7 for All Mankind, True Religion, Paige, Joe’s, Adriano Goldschmied and Rock & Republic. There are many more of course. They do wonders for guys as well. They all fit differently and some will look better on you than others. For example, Joe’s jeans do not look the best on me and don’t form to my particular shape. The best way to determine which ones look best on you is to try on each brand and then ask a sales associate in that area. Don’t be shy about asking “which pair makes my rump look better”! They are used to getting those kinds of questions and if they are a good sales associate they will give you an honest opinion regardless of price. (or you can just take a friend!) If you are in sticker shock you can always try them on in the store and then browse E-Bay for the pair that are most suited for you! I would rather have a single pair of expensive jeans than have a closet full of jeans that don’t fit correctly. Most inexpensive jeans give you what I like to refer to as “dumpy butt”. I’m sure you get the picture. It’s not an attractive one! You will thank me later!

Janice

Sorry it has talken so long for me to reply, to Kelly, the deodorizers I found were really cheap. Only a couple of bucks for 2 of them. And I have used the 3m filters for years. Because of our children having asthma, we change them every 2-3 weeks. And majority of furnaces don’t offer permanant filters that are washable. I know that we can’t use them and if you try to clean a filter then there is no way of knowing that you are really getting rid of the bacteria and germs. We only use the disposables. I apologize to all the landfills, but it keeps my girls healthy. I have more confidence in using new. And most people know that I don’t like to spend money so very rarely will I recommend a product with a high cost. Good luck

COFFEE TALKERS…..

The first Product Recommendation of this month is probably the best one I have found so far…..

This stuff is the fountain of youth….

 Two Wednesdays ago  ”Beach Day” with some of my face to face Coffee Talkers my friend Stephanie busts out this face and body mask… She had all kinds of samples to give out, and so she did. She had tried the product when one of her clients had told her about what it does. She liked it so much her salon was taking the line on.

I took my sample home, and set it aside for about a week, here I thought “great, its another Mary Kay, Beauti-Control, Avon, Clinique, blah, blah, blah promise to fix all your problems, just another let down”….. The next week, I slapped it on, skeptical as I was, I said I’d do it, and so I did.

This stuff is GREAT….. A “HOLY COW” kinda good.

Basically it is Volcanic Clay that you rub all over your face (and Body), let it sit for 10 minutes, twice or three times a week, and wash it of with a warm cloth.  It doesn’t have any smell really, and it feels so GOOD!

After the first treatment, I no longer had ANY black heads….. My Skin looked “even”…. The damage that I have done for years of sitting on beaches for a week at a time (getting my moneys worth of the sun) was substantially removed. My worry wrinkle in the middle of my forehead (that I planned one day to get botoxed) was much less noticable.

I thought…. What is this crap?

You can use it on your entire body, it tightens the skin, so things like “Stretch Marks” and “Cottage Cheese legs” are instantly improved. But this is the weirdest thing, it “detoxifies” your skin, so you actually can see the “gunk” rising to the surface…. It also removes dead skin, and there for makes your skin look so fresh and healthy.

I bought the “BIG JUG” (24 ounces) of it that will last 6 months from Stephanie for $100. Cheaper than monthly facials or Botox for that matter, and far more efficient! You can buy the smaller jar (8 ounces) of it for $42 bucks. I also bought the eye and lip treatment for $35, because I think your eyes and lips can essentially tell your true age.

Here is what it fixes-

• Cellulite
• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Stretch marks
• Scars
• Under-eye puffiness
• Crow’s feet
• Blemishes
• Enlarged pores
• Dull, dry skin
• Uneven skin tone

“Volcanic Ash Clay has been embraced throughout history for its extraordinary health and cosmetic benefits. Now, these legendary beauty benefits can be yours with Clay Essentials, a unique new line of skincare masques you can enjoy right at home. Our nourishing clay formulas restore your skin’s natural radiance, softness and clarity—at a fraction of the cost of professional spa treatments.”- Clay Essentials TM

This is Stephanie’s contact email, she said she will charge you a smail shipping fee, but it is totally worth it….

   redsathome@sbcglobal.net

Thank you Stephanie this will make a big difference in how people feel about themselves. Just another way Coffee Talking makes us feel better….  

 THANK GOODNESS for Careington!

Okay…. So yeah, I have never been one to go to the dentist regularly…. I not just HATE the dentist, but they are SO expensive…. So, needless to say…. It ALWAYS catches up with you!

Whether or not you have countless cavities, or just a cleaning that needs done, or in my case a root canal this is an expensive little endeavor. I went to a dentist FINALLY, found out I needed a lot of work done, and went home and cried….

When I woke up the next morning I decided to take a different approach… I was going to crack the case of “dentistry”. I started by doing a little bit of research on an affordable plan…. See, I found it odd that when you go to the dentist you are expected to ”pay for services rendered”, but you have NO IDEA how much it will cost, or if they are overcharging you. Even if they tell you how much it will be no one really knows the “market price” of a dental service.

I moved on…. I found what I consider the “best” deal in dentistry…..

Careington Dental - 500 Series Dental Plan

www.1dental.com

They give you a list of pricing that the dentist must go by to be in the plan. To give you an idea about how much money this saves…. The first dentist I went to Charged me $142.00 for a x-ray and an exam, The doctor under the Careington plan charged me $61.00 for the same services but included a CLEANING and POLISH. Not only that, the first dentist quoted me $1850.00 for the root canal and crown, and the quote with the Carington Plan is less than $1000.00 that is including the lab fees! It costs me $11.95 a month for J and I, but as you can see,   well worth it…..

 Check it out….. It is the “best deal” of the year so far!

By the way…. It also gives you discounts on Vision and Presciptions, haven’t tried it out yet, but it is an added bonus! 

Ok, I have found a lifesaver. I don’t even know the brand name, but I’m sure there are multiple companies that make something similar. Here it is… A whole house deodorizer. Think car freshener for your house, but better. This wonderful gadget hooks to your a furnace filter and distributes scent through out your home. It’s not a strong scent, but refreshing. I have two children with asthma so no sprays will work for me, but this is so nice. I normally dread the use of the air conditioning because the house will be closed up and get the stale feeling, but this resolves that issue. So here’s my vote…try it! Then let me know what you think.-Kate

Kate, A lot of people are wondering what this product is called…. Do you have a name yet, or where did you buy it?