Designer Way vs. Cheapalicious Way

 Current/Elliot's "The Stiletto" leopard print jean retails for $403 at FarFetch.com.  That's eight months of my $50 shopping budget. Sheesh! Blogger buddy Eboni of the Fashionista Next Door blog, tweeted me a pic of these leopard print jeans from Tar-jay, with an oh so lovely price tag of $23!  So glad that she thought about me, because I will be adding these to my "current wants" list.  They're not available online, so it looks like I have to do some stalking at my local stores.  Thanks again, Eboni!

Cheapalicious Links of the Week

video via Glam Morena

• Select Milani Cosmetics are 75% off at CVS.  Check out all the goodies that Rai scored! [Glam Morena]
• An easy DIY for Jimmy Choo-inspired glitter pumps [My Thrifty Chic]
• Bravoe Runway is giving away $50 to shop at 365Hangers! [Bravoe Runway]
• 8 money saving tricks for 2012 [All Women Stalk]
• I want everything that's in store at Old Navy right now...[The Budget Babe]

Have a great weekend!

Nifty under $50: What I want....

Since putting myself on a $50 per month shopping budget (see what I've bought here, here, and here, so far), I'm not spending as freely as I usually do.  I'm trying to shake the "I like it, I buy it RIGHT NOW" feeling, so I've been keeping mental notes of items I've spotted and fought the urge to buy them.  Believe me, it's been hard. I've created a little wishlist of everything I want, and hopefully in the coming months, I can squeeze them into my budget.  Here's what I want....

• zig zag heel $27.20, Go Jane.  These are so fun, and I absolutely adore the color combo!  I hope my size is left when i do decide to order a pair.  All of the cute shoes tend to sell out fast at Go Jane.
• sateen cropped pants $42.95, NY & Co.  I tried these on in-store the day before, and fell in love.  I was a little concerned about how the cropped length looks on me, but I think with the right shoes, I'll be able to pull them off. Penny Pincher Fashionista's post has inspired me.  
• printed side tie top $26.94 and printed blanket wrap cardigan $38 (reg. $44.94), Old Navy.  As you can tell, I'm a sucker for prints, so when I saw these two pieces, I instantly fell in love with them- especially the cardigan.  I think it would definitely add some spice to a basic look.
• spacedye flyaway cardigan $15 (reg. $50), JC Penney.  I own this cardigan in another color and I absolutely love it.  Now I want it in this color.  

Cheapalicious Deals 1-24-12

• J. Crew:  Take an additional 40% off sale items.  Coupon code: OURTREAT.  Expires 1-25-12
• Loehmanns:  Take 25% off a single regular priced item.  Expires 1-29-12
• Go Jane:  30% off your purchase.  Coupon code: NEWSITE30A.  Expires 1-26-12
• Target:  Various apparel coupons
• Gap:  30% off your purchase when you use your Gap, Old Navy, or Banana Republic charge card.  Expires 1-28-12
• JC Penney:  $10 off $50 or more purchase.  Expires 2-10-12
• Fashion Bug:  20% off your clearance purchase.  Expires 1-28-12

(Possible) Clearance Alert: Mossimo "Paisley" platform pumps @ Target

After months of stalking the Mossimo "Paisley" platform pump, and waiting for them to go on sale at Target, blogger bud, My Dressy Ways, tweeted that those bad boys were finally marked down to $8.98.  Mind you, when I was there last week, they were marked down to $20.98, but I decided to wait until they were marked down a little lower. I bought them in the taupe color, but the black and gold glitter ones are marked down as well.  Keep in mind that they may not be marked down this low (or marked down at all) at every Target location (different store, different markdown schedule), so check with your local store first.

$50 shopping challenge update:  Well, I'm down to less than $4 for the rest of the month.  Eek!  That means no more shopping for the rest of the month.  Time to shop my closet and makeup stash even more.  18 more days to go......

Cheapalicious Links of the Week

photo source:  A Dime on a Dime

• Vee finds a $50 dupe for Prada [Dime On a Dime]
• Ten fabulous DIY fashion ideas [All Women Stalk]
• Get Golden Globe inspired accessories on the cheap! [Penny Chic]
• An easy DIY manicure to try-  Zooey Deschanel's tuxedo nails mani! [The Budget Babe]
• Win a $100 ShopBop giftcard from Budget Chic! [Budget Chic]

As of today, I am no longer doing "Freebie Friday" posts.  Reason being is because there haven't been a lot of freebies coming to my inbox lately and I don't want to waste a post on the 3-4 freebies that I do get.  I will still share them, but they will be on the Facebook page and on Twitter.  If you have freebies that you want to share, email them to me (I'll give full credit of course), share them on the Facebook page or tweet them to me and I'll retweet them. Thanks for understanding.  Have a great weekend!

A Cheapalicious Closet: Let's try this again....

I'm thinking about incorporating more outfit posts on this blog.  I tried it for a while a couple of years ago, but then it got to the point where I didn't like what I was wearing that day, or I was just too tired to take a pic. Well, I felt up to it today, although I was dead tired (can't you tell by looking at my face?), and ta da- an outfit post.  Since I've started my $50 a month shopping challenge, I've been shopping my closet a lot more.  I've moved items that still have the tags on them up to the front of my closet (more on that later), in an attempt to wear every last piece.  I have quite a few pieces. Oh boy.  This flyaway cardigan that I'm wearing is the first item I've started with.  I bought it the earlier part of last month, and it just sat in my closet.  I paired it with my favorite gray BCBG trousers and tan cutout booties for work.

• flyaway cardigan $20 (it was on sale for $29.99, plus I had a $10 off coupon), JC Penney
• cami (really old, so I don't remember price), Wet Seal
• BCBGMaxAzria trousers (thrifted) $2, Goodwill
• booties $15, Wet Seal (seen in this post)
• belt $5, Ross
• necklace $1.99 and bracelets $1.99, MIZ Outlet

Cheapalicious Deals 1-17-12

• The Body Shop:  Free shipping on any order.  Expires 1-22-12
• NY & Co.:  $25 off $75 or more purchase.  Expires 1-26-12
• Fergie Shoes:  15% off sale items.  Coupon code: FERGIESALE.  Expires 1-18-12
• Shoe Carnival:  25% off all men's shoes.  Coupon code: 25OFFMENS.  Expires 1-31-12
• Walgreens:  20% off beauty products.  Coupon code:  20BEAUTY.  Expires 1-21-12
• Aeropostale:  25% off a pair of jeans when you donate a pair.  Expires 2-12-12
• Shoe Steal:  25% off your purchase.  Coupon code: STEAL25.  Expires 1-19-12
• Anne Klein:  25% off shoes.  Expires 1-25-12
• Avon:  Free shipping on orders $10 or more.  Coupon code: GARNET2012.  Expires 1-18-12