Tag Archives: ballin on a budget

Mar20

Loft Haul

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Loft Haul

Hiii everyone and happy Monday! I hope that all of you had a fabulous and relaxing weekend. My Saturday was spent getting my shop on at Loft and scoring an amazing haul for a seriously amazing deal. If there’s one place that I know that I can turn to for totally profesh but super fun business casual attire, it’s Loft. And let me tell you, my work wardrobe was in definite need of a pick me up. The beauty of the clothing at Loft is that their clothes can really be dressed up or down depending on what you need to use them for. I love that my Loft clothes can double for work or play and that you can get great deals if you know how to shop their sales. Check out my latest haul and then I’ll reveal the price for all five items that you won’t believe! Take a look:

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The Haul:

  • Two shirts both originally priced at $54.95
  • One pair of jeans originally priced at $69.95
  • Two pairs of sunglasses originally priced at $24.50

I Paid: About $80

So how did I do it? This is all compliments of my mom, actually. Thanks to beaucoup Loft Cash, percentage off promotions, and fifteen dolla holla sunglasses, she was able to dwindle down a staggering price to something much more reasonable. My mom started shopping Loft a couple of years ago and I have always been so impressed with the clothes that she has purchased. Like I mentioned earlier, they really are the perfect work or play wardrobe staples. The clothes fall in that amazing “youthful but not trying to be young” category, which means that women of any age can pull off their clothing and still look great.

It’s not like I’m a super avid Loft shopper but when I do spend time in their store, I always seem to manage to find some really nice stuff. Their jeans, for example, are the best thing that has ever happened to the bottom half of my body so whenever I can get a good deal on their black skinnies, I always have to indulge. The frayed ends of my latest black skinny purchase (because we all know that it’s all I wear!) were a fun little detail and I’m hoping to take a razor blade to the knees if I’m feeling crafty enough. I don’t own any ripped denim but I really like the idea of it, so if anyone is a savvy pants ripper and has any tips for me, please send them my way!

And, of course, I freaking LOVE my new tops. In the pictures, they might look like your standard T, but they are actually made out of one hundred percent polyester so it feels silky and looks sleek as opposed to the regular old cotton T. These tops have an adorable eyelet detail on the back and the colors in each of them are my favorite. Green and yellow are two colors that happen to look really good on me, thanks to my pasty pale skin tone and vibrant red hair. As soon as I put these tops on, they just felt and looked SO good and if they had any additional shirts in different patterns I probably would have bought them, too!

Both of these tops will be great for when I’m out and about at work or paired under a moto jacket for errands or drinks with friends. I love the kimono feel of the yellow top and the deep green paired with the brighter teal details really had me feeling some type of way! It’s going to be really fun to create new looks for my day to day work and play wear for an outfit that’s business cashe or a young twenty-something on the go (generally going to Taco Bell).

Finally, I am obsessed with my new sunnies! I haven’t bought new sunglasses in forever because now I usually just opt for my Chanel shades from my nail tech, Vinny. But these new ones are SO fabulous and I got each of them for seven bucks, so it really doesn’t get much better than that! The solid black frames scream Miu Miu to me and the duel colored tortoise shell and navy sunnies are so unbearably chic. Both of these sunglasses are shaped in styles that I don’t already have in my sunnies arsenal so it will be nice to throw on a fresh new pair of shades before I hit the road in the Little Red Love Machine!

Obviously, Loft was really good to me this weekend and my closet so thanks me for it! I am super happy with my latest Loft Haul and am ready to welcome spring with some shiny new wardrobe additions. Who else is a major Loft fan? How are you upgrading your wardrobe for spring? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar5

Hats Off: Nicole Marciano Edition

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Hats Off: Nicole Marciano Edition

Hiii everyone and happy weekend! I hope all of you are having a wonderful and relaxing Sunday! Yesterday, a quick stop to TJMaxx got me a super cute new floppy hat by Nicole Marciano for a whopping four dollars. Thanks to a ten dollar off coupon compliments of their credit card, I was able to snag this little beauty which I am SO stoked to sport this summer. Take a look:

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^^^ So. Fun!

I have quite a large hat collection due to a love that I developed from my grandma who had over one hundred of them! I love, love, love floppy hats but all of mine are either felt or wool which is fine for fall, winter, and the spring but not so much for summer. I’ve wanted a big, floppy, straw style hat for a while now but never managed to find one that I liked enough to purchase. They were all either too big, too small, too blah, or the shape wasn’t to my liking. Seriously, some of the floppy hats that I’ve encountered were HUGE which would result in the hat to droop in an unflattering sad elephant ear style that was just…no.

But, I absolutely LOVE this little Nicole Marciano number. It’s big without being gigantic, the shape that the hat takes when it’s actually on is quite attractive, and the “bonjour” detailing was just too darling to pass up. And for four dollars?! Hello! This hat is going to be so charming with a little sun dress, chunky wedges, and “don’t look at me” sunglasses for a glam but fun summer time look. It will provide me with the perfect shade and a touch of Paris chic for a day of shopping at my favorite outdoor mall, a trip to the zoo, or simply reading the latest issue of Cosmo on my deck. Just thinking of it makes me more than ready for summer!

Hats Off, indeed, to this cute as can be Nicole Marciano piece! What is your must have accessory for spring or summer? Who else has a hat collection of their own? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb24

Major Body Shop Haul

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Major Body Shop Haul

Hello everyone and happy Thursday! So The Body Shop recently had a forty percent off sale online that I took full advantage of on Valentine’s Day. I decided a while ago that the next time TBS had a good percentage off sale, that I would order a year’s supply of all of my must have products so that I wouldn’t have to spend the year chasing the best deals. Not only did I get all of my necessities for a fraction of the cost, but I also got two body butters for FREE! Take a look at my haul and let’s discuss:

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The Haul:

  • 4 Vitamin C Skin Boosts
  • 1 Nutriganics Eye Cream
  • 2 Vitamin E Moisturizers
  • 2 Brush On Radiances
  • 2 British Rose Body Butters (free!)
  • 2 sample products (also free!)

The Total: $110

So normally I don’t like to post about how much I spend on myself BUT this was such a great deal that I really felt the need to talk about it in its full extent. For about twelve dollars a pop, I was able to get everything that I needed (for the most part) for an entire year. That’s huge. Not only was I completely thrilled with the amount that I spent, but I was also so happy to get two free body butters out if it! For Valentine’s Day, TBS was offering a free British Rose body butter, lotion, shower gel, or bubble bath with a fifty dollar purchase so of course I went with the body butter as it was the best value. I can’t say that I totally love the British Rose scent but beggars can’t be choosers and they will still be a nice addition to my lotion hoard!

You guys already know that I love to shop and I rarely have a problem with spending money BUT I always look for the best deal when I’m making a purchase. I really felt like I was getting the best value for my money with this online haul. I mean, 110 bucks for a year’s supply of your skin care necessities? Hello! Of course the moisturizers will need restocked but that’s what Target and TJMaxx is for as well as my June birthday!

I am so SO happy with my Major Body Shop Haul and am looking forward to a year of barely having to make any skin care purchases. That in itself made this order money well spent! What are some of your favorites from TBS? What skin care item can you not live without? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb21

Springtime Style On A Budget

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Springtime Style On A Budget
Hi everyone and welcome to the final post of my Think Spring guest bloggers series compliments of one of my darling friends, Carlie, from Bombshell. It has been such fun over the past year getting to know Carlie better and chatting over email, Facebook, and blog post comments. Carlie’s page is just as charming and lovely as she is, so please be sure to check it out and enjoy her post on ballin on a budget throughout the spring:

Springtime Style On A Budget

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If you are yearning for some new spring style items to add to your wardrobe but can’t afford or don’t want to buy new clothes or accessories, here are some ways to celebrate springtime without hurting your bank account:
1. Affordable Shops – If you are wanting some new floral clothes or just a new item in spring colors, check out shops like Ross or TJMaxx. They get new cute tops, bottoms, and even shoes for each season plus have designer items with prices that are a steal. Sometimes you have to scour the clothing racks for the perfect thing but you are guaranteed to always find something that you’ll love.
2. Accessorize – You can celebrate and update your spring fashion with cute little accessories such as hair flowers, floral head bands, scarves, jewelry, and more. Stores like Claire’s or similar places carry an enormous array of cute seasonal accessories for great deals.
3. Makeup – If you don’t want to go crazy with a new wardrobe just for spring, you can celebrate the season with your makeup. This time of the year, you can find pastel and springy colored makeup like eye shadows and lipsticks in pinks, greens, and pretty shimmery colors. You don’t need to go to department stores or even Sephora if you don’t want to or are on a budget. CVS and Walgreens drugstores always have a huge selection of great quality makeup in every color that you can imagine for amazing prices.
4. Hair – If you’re interested in trying more of a punk or rocker look for spring, you can buy clip in extensions in an array of different colors almost anywhere, including online. Or you can get hair chalk, which is temporary and can be found in drugstores and beauty supply shops. You’ll definitely have your own original look for the spring, while utilizing the “it” colors like jewel floral tones and pastels.
5. DIY- If you’re an artistic or creative person, then your spring style ideas are pretty much endless. You can use your talent to make your own items and accessories with affordable supplies from places like Jo-Ann’s or other craft and fabric shops. Some examples include chokers made with silk ribbons in floral colors with cute charms or your own flower hair pieces, brooches, and corsages.
These are just a few ideas to help you create your own original look and style for the upcoming season. Let these ideas and tips inspire you. Have fun with them and have a most wonderful spring.
Love, Carlie

^^^ Thank you so much again to the pretty as a picture Carlie for sharing her tips for a budget friendly spring wardrobe with us! And, of course, thank you to all of my amazing guest bloggers who participated in my Think Spring series. How do you style for spring on a budget? What is one of your favorite DIY spring crafts? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov7

Monday Update: NAIL HELP!!!

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Monday Update: NAIL HELP!!!

Hey everyone and happy Monday! I hope all of you had a fab weekend. So as you guys know, I was beyond obsessed with my stiletto style claws back when I was wearing acrylic nails. But, because I am ballin on a budget as a college kid, I decided to cut back on my favorite way to pamper myself besides from dying my hair. I haven’t been wearing acrylics for about a year but in the past four months I have been attempting to grow my nails out because I’ve been missing them badly.

So far, my nails have been doing pretty good. I began a regimen of taking Biotin and Calcium vitamins and I really think that they have been helping. I have also started soaking them in olive and coconut oil as a moisturizing treat. My nails are now quite strong as opposed to the brittle, flimsy mess that they were before. I am a little less than halfway to the length that I would like them to be at but then…the unspeakable happened. The nail on my thumb broke clean off yesterday. 😦

I am genuinely at a loss of what to do. There was no salvaging the nail and now I have nine long and beautiful nails and a mere stump on my right hand thumb. What do you guys do in a situation like this? Do you cut the rest of your nails and let everything start fresh? Or do you just wait it out and let the broken nail grow again? I suppose it’s a matter of preference but I have no clue what to do and I feel like I would benefit greatly from hearing what all of the amazing beauty gurus out here have to say.

As a reminder, this is where I last left my nails in acrylic land and I am a little less than halfway to that length now. Ironically enough, I’m wearing those exact same colors right now! All I need are my middle finger crosses and I’ll be all set! #thosewerethedays

nails

I am in desperate need of advice and also some comfort because I am so upset about this nail breaking. The worst thing, though? About an hour before the nail broke I literally told my mom “wow, it sure would suck if one of my nails broke now”. FML!!!

As of now, I’m leaning towards letting my little thumb stump grow out because it is not as noticeable as say, if the break happened on a pointer or middle finger. However, this is subject to change! So what do you do when a beloved nail breaks? Let it grow or hack off (so violent!) the rest? I want to hear from all of you, so PLEASE leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

^^^ Acrylic nail jams! 😉

Aug13

Urban Outfitters Haul

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Urban Outfitters Haul

Hey everyone and happy weekend! If there’s one store that I love but can’t afford, it’s Urban Outfitters. I think that I actually admire UO from afar more than ModCloth and that’s really saying something but their clothes are just so me. I love that their clothes are grungy chic and edgy which is definitely more my style as opposed to the girly and sweet ModCloth. I only have a select few pieces from Urban and I had to be head over heels, can’t live without it in love with them to even consider making the purchase. But, thanks to an amazing thirty percent off the sale section sale that Urban was having on the Fourth of July, I was able to snag some amazing pieces at a fraction of the price. Take a look:

I’m honestly not sure what made me check out Urban Outfitters on that fateful day that I was able to get two amazing jackets and the coolest pants ever for a cool one hundred but I am so glad that I did! I think I was just in the mood to online shop that day, AKA fill a shopping cart with stuff and then exit out of the page. However, knowing that all of the on sale items were an additional thirty percent off made me bite the bullet and order my cart full of goodies because I knew that I would never get them for any cheaper.

I am so obsessed with all of my purchases and have been making great use out of all of them. My new black skinnies have been my go to-s since I received them in the mail. I think that they are just the coolest and I love that they’re an actual denim material as opposed to the stretchy jegging fabric that my skinny jean collection is filled with. I think that this keeps the color looking pitch black and perfect for much longer and I am so happy that the color hasn’t faded even a little since I got them.

I have also been enjoying the days that I can break out my new slouchy blazer when I’m at my internship or other job. I have been looking for a blazer for months now but all of the ones that I have encountered have just seemed so blah. I love that this one is more of a menswear style and fit because it adds a little extra something to it while still looking uber professional. I like this blazer because it’s great for wearing to work, running errands, or a night on the town.

It has not been cool enough in my neck of the woods to break out my knee length camouflage jacket but rest assured that I love that, too. A camo jacket or pants has been something that I have been on the hunt for recently, as well, but I have never been able to find anything that I liked enough to buy it. The trick is, is that I like dark camouflage as opposed to the classic shades of green that I usually come across. That’s why I just had to buy this UO jacket when I saw it because it’s literally the camo color combination that I’ve been looking for. I love that the deep green and grey color choices are nontraditional and that it is still a camo print without screaming “look at me, I’m wearing camouflage”. Although, if it was effective camo, no one would be able to see you anyways! 😉

I am so pleased with all of my new clothes from Urban Outfitters and can’t wait to wear everything more when the weather finally cools down. Thanks to an amazing sale, I was able to buy some pieces that I would never have gotten for myself otherwise and I am so happy for that. This haul makes me even more dedicated to my ballin on a budget lifestyle and I plan on continuing to scour Urban Outfitter’s website for more sales in the future!

So there you have it, my Urban Outfitters Haul! What store do you dream about purchasing from? What store have you gotten the best deals from? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. –Sarah

Aug12

Amazon Freebie

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Amazon Freebie

Hi everyone and TGIF! I am finally getting up to date on all of my summer purchases posts and this one pertains to my new favorite sweatshirt that I got on Amazon for FREE! Thanks to completing surveys on IPoll, I received a twenty-five dollar Amazon gift card in April or so. Since then, the card has been burning a hole in my pocket but after watching Animal House with my parents last month, I knew just what to spend it on. Take a look:

Animal House is one of my favorite movies because it’s basically the original Old School – which happens to be another one of my favorites! In Animal House, the “COLLEGE” sweatshirt that Bluto sports while downing a bottle of Jack always cracks me up. The shirt is just so ridiculous and as soon as I saw it while watching the movie last month, I knew that I wanted one of my own.

After the movie was finished, I turned to Amazon and hoped that they would have one for a reasonable price. I was in luck because they had a great selection and all of the sweatshirts seemed to be in my gift card budget and had excellent reviews. I was able to snag my Animal House style sweatshirt for twenty-seven bucks but thanks to my gift card and the points that I accumulated from my Amazon credit card, I got it FO FREE! Now that’s what I call ballin on a budget!

So there you have it, my Animal House Amazon Freebie! What is your favorite crazy college kids movie? What is your favorite quote from Animal House? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. –Sarah

Aug10

ModCloth Haul

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ModCloth Haul

Hey everyone and happy Hump Day! I recently just received the sweetest ModCloth Haul of all time – a box that went up to my shoulders filled with shoes for me! That’s right, I got FOUR pairs of ModCloth shoes for SEVENTY DOLLARS thanks to their end of summer sale. I stocked up on cute boots and killer wedges for a fraction of their original cost. I could not be happier with my purchases so take a look and let’s discuss:

^^^ PRETTY!!!!

My relationship with ModCloth is for the most part, nonexistent. Their prices just do not fit into my Lil Red Lifestyle of ballin on a budget so I just admire all of their gorgeous clothes and accessories from afar. I constantly lust over all of the prettiness that ModCloth has to offer and when the end of summer and winter come around, I religiously check the site to see when their amazing end of season sales take place. Usually around these times, the out of season items are marked down and an additional percentage is taken off, too. So, needless to say, when I learned that ModCloth’s sale items were an extra FORTY PERCENT OFF, homegirl just had to jump on the opportunity.

Jump on the opportunity? Psh, more like a pounce on said opportunity. I scoured the sale items and clicked on anything that tickled my fancy. After all, the prices were right! I ended up with two funky pairs of wedges, a penny loafer wedge, and my beautiful, beloved, gorgeous star studded booties. Said booties are actually what I would like to discuss today because there’s kind of a funny story behind them considering this was the third time that I ordered them. Let me explain…

I’ve been hungrily staring at these amazing booties on my laptop screen for the better part of two months. As soon as they got marked down, my mom generously offered to pay for them as an extra birthday present. As soon as “extra birthday present” traveled from my mom’s mouth and into my ears, I was on the computer and ordering the boots as quickly as my little fingers could. The boots arrived. They were perfect. End of story? Eh, not quite.

Literally three days after my order was placed, the boots were marked down further. *Sigh* So I had to do the old rebuy and return trick to get the better price. The boots arrived, again. They were still perfect. And the more expensive pair got returned. End of story?! Still no.

While browsing the sale pages, there they were. My star studded boots were marked down even further. *You’ve got to be freaking kidding me* Thankfully, I was still within the thirty day time period for a refund and was able to buy the boots one more time and return my current pair. The boots arrived, yet again. You already know that they were perfect. And that is the end of the story. The moral being: That I will do anything to save some extra moolah, even if that means buying the same pair of shoes three times to get the right price. #SMH

I have worn all of my new shoes except for my star booties which is funny considering the trouble I went through to get them. Reason being: It’s too damn hot in the AK-Rowdy to be marching around in skinny jeans and boots. So for the time being, I’ll march around in skinny jeans and wedges instead.

So there you have it, my latest ModCloth Haul! What is your favorite site to online shop on? What is your favorite ModCloth purchase? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. –Sarah

May27

If The Shoe Fits – Jennifer Lopez Edition

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If The Shoe Fits – Jennifer Lopez Edition

Hi everyone and TGIF! Last weekend my mom and I had to go to Kohl’s to make some returns. We were going there strictly to make said returns and then leave. But, of course, that never really happens, does it? While my mom was making the returns, I decided to go look at the shoes. I wasn’t interested in any new clothes since I’m pretty well set for the summer and I figured that the shoe department was a safe place to spend five minutes until we had to go…WRONG.

It turns out that Kohl’s was having their last ditch 80% off sale to get rid of all of the out of season shoes to help ring in the warm weather. As soon as I saw this, I crumbled under the concept of such amazing deals and began to scour the aisles for my size. There were so many pairs that were cute but not necessarily cute for me. However, there were two pairs of ankle booties that totally reminded me of my mom so I set them aside for her to try on when she arrived in the shoe department.

As always, I was right and my mom loved the booties. When we decided that those were the pairs we would leave with, we began to head out of the shoe department and to the registers. But that was until we saw that there were shelves of shoes set up in the middle of the main aisles that were marked “Under $10”. We ended up taking a look (shocker) and found a pair of boots for FOUR DOLLARS for my sister. We also saw my latest addition to my shoe collection – a pair of beautiful Jennifer Lopez wedge boots. Take a look:

^^^ ❤ ❤ ❤

I had my eye on these boots ever since they came out in the winter. Unfortunately, they were priced at a cool one hundred and were never marked down enough to make the purchase worth it. So when I saw that these boots were priced at just ten dollars, I knew that I had to try them on. They were as perfect as I had hoped and looked so cool with my black skinnies because the opening of the boot was so big. It created a super edgy contrast and I was smitten.

As if the ten dollar deal wasn’t already amazing, my mom and I had a thirty percent off coupon which brought these originally one hundred dollar pair of boots to SEVEN DOLLARS!!!! My mom and I ended up walking away with four pairs of shoes for forty dollars. I couldn’t believe our luck with all of the shoes we found because I feel like we snagged the best of the pairs that were left. And, of course, nothing is sweeter than a great steal!

So there you have it, the latest issue of If The Shoe Fits – Jennifer Lopez Edition! Has anyone scored any good off season deals recently? What store do you go to that has the best clothes for the right price? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr2

Beauty Bloggers: HELP! Again.

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Beauty Bloggers: HELP! Again.

Howdy everyone and happy weekend! Once again, I am calling upon all of the fabulous Beauty Bloggers of WordPress for some HELP! I’ve been using The Body Shop’s Vitamin C Skin Boost for as long as I can remember. Although I’ve always found their price of twenty-seven dollars per bottle a little steep, I still shell out the cash when there’s a good sale. However, the price for the Boost is now almost thirty dollars and that doesn’t mesh well with my lifestyle of ballin on a budget.

I’ve been wanting to wean myself off of TBS products for some time now because I truly feel like I can find similar products for a better price elsewhere. Now that one of my favorite items in my daily beauty routine has hiked up in price, I feel like there’s no better time to start browsing the market for a new serum style product. Does anyone who’s familiar with TBS’s Vitamin C Skin Boost have any suggestions on a similar item? I have normal skin and am willing to try anything within reason. Thank you so much! -Sarah

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^^^ Old faithful.