Happy Holidays from Uncle Sam!

Holidays are usually filled with visiting family and overeating, however this holiday is all about SHOPPING!  This weekend here in Nashville we will celebrate the 4th annual Tennessee Sales Tax Holiday.  Anyone in the market for clothes, comuputers, or school supplies can save on purchases this weekend by avoiding sales tax charges.  Tax free shopping commences this Friday, August 6th and runs through Sunday, August 8th.  Want a list of exactly what will be tax free?  Click right here for more information.

For my many, many blog readers that are not in the lovely state of TN, here is a list of states and dates that also participate in this special savings event.  Sorry my beloved Atlantans, no tax free holiday for you this year:(

Go big or go home

I LOVE ACCESSORIES! If you took one look at my shoe/purse/jewelry/scarf/whatever collection (or even past blog posts), you would know this.   Accessories are a great way to dress up your existing wardrobe and can be inexpensive.  Just add a necklace or a headband and bam!  It's like a whole new outfit for a fraction of the price!  My most recent purchase came from a stella & dot jewelry party, and it is quite a statement piece. I have already worn it a few times and it has certainly made my dresses and t-shirts much more fancy!

Kyla and I displaying our gems for Kenny Chesney

Close up of my new bling

My phone is better than your phone

Does your phone send you notifications when your favorite store is offering coupons or discounts? Mine does. Meet Yowza!!  I learned about Yowza!! while reading an article in Entrepreneur Magazine today and couldn't wait to share. This just took coupon collecting to a whole new level for me. No need to cut out coupons and carry them around with you after you download this free app. Just launch Yowza!! on your phone, and using GPS technology it will locate special offers in your vicinity!   Once you select an offer, it brings up either a coupon code or a bar code for you to use (who doesn't love scanning barcodes on their phone?). If there are stores you enjoy making purchases at, mark them as a favorite and you'll receive push notifications whenever that store has new offers.

Check out these deals from rumba on my phone.  Mojitos anyone?

Cheers to Yowza!! creators Greg Grunberg and August Trometer! To learn more, visit the article online here.





Follow The Map of Deals

Maps are a dying art. I myself have never used an actual map to try and find a specific destination. In my new city of Nashville, I just type in my location on my Garmin friend or look it up on my iPhone. However, I have found a map that I intend to use quite often - The Deal Map. Type in your zip code or search popular cities and a Google map pops up with deals in all sorts of categories. You can find promotions and coupons for restaurant and retail locations, hotel deals, even concert tickets. It's such a good deal that Clark Howard even spoke about it!

Socialize your shopping

If you're savvy enough to be reading this blog, my guess is you are on at least some of the social networks (such as Facebook and Twitter). If you're not, you should be, and here's one more reason why - to save money. Most stores post coupons or announce upcoming sales and happenings via their page, or you can learn about their new offerings. As I just moved to Nashville, I started "following" and "liking" several groups and activities here to keep me in the loop. This little gem from The Cotton Mill just showed up in my Facebook news feed today and I can't wait to head there this weekend!

Don't be tardy for the party

I LOVE to plan any kind of party or event, especially themed parties. Recently I put together a surprise 30th birthday party for my fiance in our new home of Nashville, TN. All of his friends and family were able to come and even his favorite Journey tribute band the Frontiers came to celebrate! To keep costs down and the theme consistent, I was able to make a lot of the decorations myself with the help of my graphic designer friend Lindsay Salet (who is available for hire). Lindsay designed the theme and main image, which we were able to incorporate into posters, koozies, cake art, and even a custom stamp to decorate tablecloths and napkins with. Check out the photos from the party below!

Vendors:
Posters and banner: FedEx Office
Koozies: Discount Favors
Stamps: Rubber Stamp Champ
Party Supplies: Party City

The Etsy Wetsy Spider...

Have you checked out Etsy lately? Etsy is similar to ebay where buyers and sellers can connect across the globe, however everything that is sold on Etsy is made by the seller. You can find jewelry, clothes, pet accessories and more. Most of the items are fairly low cost, but don't let that fool you. Items for sale on Etsy are very high quality products you could find in retail stores, but at a fraction of the cost.

Several of my more creative friends have set up shop on Etsy. These adorable baby onesies were made by my friend Lindsay for her twin cousins. You can check them out here. Spend some time browsing on Etsy, but be careful it can get addicting!

Happy Birthday to me!

I love April because it is my birthday month. Along with celebrating my birthday with friends and family, I enjoy celebrating with restaurants and retail as well. Signing up for rewards programs with individual stores and restaurants can yield quite a few freebies! Below are some of my favorites that I can't wait to use over the next 30 days. If you know of any other good ones definitely let me know!

Vera Bradley: $20 off your purchase of $20 or more
Anthropologie: 15% off during the month of your birthday
Firehouse Subs: Free sub on your birthday
Aya: 10% off any service during the month of your birthday
Twisted Taco: 20% off your bill and a free pitcher of margaritas!

Coupon from Groupon

Looking for online deals in specific cities? Check out Groupon! Sign up and select your city and you will receive daily emails with discounts to restaurants, spa services, classes, and more! Groupon sends out daily deals, and if enough people sign up to buy, then you receive the discount. If not, the deal is canceled and you are not charged. It's a great way to experience new restaurants and activities in your city for a discounted price. I love trying new things, and now I can do so for much cheaper!

Chocomize yourself!

Ever need a unique gift idea for someone that is inexpensive? Easter, Mother's Day, graduation, etc. or just because, edible gifts are always a good idea (I personally don't need an occasion to make myself a custom candy bar). Chocomize is a great way to create a personalized gift for someone based on their taste buds. There are so many things you add to your candy bar from Gushers to Wasabi! Check out Chocomize and see what kind of candy bars you can come up with!

A dress for all seasons

If you have seen Sex And The City, you know about Bag Borrow or Steal. However, have you heard of renting designer dresses? As someone who attended seven weddings last year and has another seven so far this year (not including showers, rehearsal dinners and other non-wedding occasions), I need a lot of outfits. I love attending events and wearing fancy dresses, but it can be financially exhausting to look good! I recently became a member of Rent the Runway, where you can rent dresses from top designers for a fraction of the cost of the actual dress. You can sort by dress size, rental price, occasion, or all of those things! They have dresses for any event you can imagine from "meet the parents" to "honeymoon," and "work event" to "black tie affair." You can rent the dresses on a per rental basis or sign up for unlimited rentals with a pass. Currently you need to sign up for the waiting list, but if you want to join just let me know and I'll send you a personal invitation to join! Just leave a comment on my blog with your information or email me at bethbogusz@hotmail.com.

Doggone it!

If you are a dog lover and owner like me, I'm sure you love to buy new things for your furry friend. My weimaraner, Lincoln, has several collar and leash sets, her own wardrobe (complete with holiday costumes), and a plethora of toys. She also just got a second dog bed because I simply couldn't pass up how cute it was. However, dog beds are quite expensive, especially for those larger breed dogs. I just recently learned about Molly Mutt, which sells duvets and stuff sacks for your dog bed - definitely a less costly option. You can use the duvet to go over your current dog's bed, or purchase the "stuff sack" and create your own bedding with towels, pillows, etc. I love the idea of having different duvets for Lincoln's bed. Now she can have one for every season!

What can you get for just a buck? Plenty!

I used to go to the Dollar Tree when I was a kid and blow my allowance money (about $5 each week) on random things, especially candy and toys. But when the need for shopping arises now that I am an adult, the Dollar Tree isn't a place that usually comes to mind. I was talking to a friend recently during her outing at a dollar store and she was quite excited about all of her finds, especially all of the party supplies. I decided to check it out for myself and was amazed with all of the different things I found, all for $1 each! From kitchen utensils to cleaning supplies and pet toys to gift wrap, there was a lot I found to cross off of my weekly shopping list. Dollar Tree is a great place to find everyday useful items, as well as the occasional holiday and party supplies. Dollar Tree Direct also offers online ordering + free shipping for people or business who need to order items in large quantities.

Splish Splash I was adding some Backsplash

Ever think of doing your own home renovations? It is a great way to save on labor costs. We are working to renovate an entire condo right now from the studs up, doing all of the work ourselves. Tile back splash is an easy way to update a kitchen, but can be pricey. I found these glass tiles at The Home Depot for only $4.99/sf! Quite a deal. They are also extremely easy to install, even if you don't have any prior experience. Good luck and happy renovating!

I LOVE SHOES

I love shoes. All kinds. My dad once told me that I have more shoes than he has socks and to stop buying them. I then proceeded to stash my recent purchases in my trunk and bring them inside when he wasn't home (the secrets out, Dad!). Instead of buying designer shoes at top price, try places like Target and Payless, where the stores collaborate with different designers. I got these gems at Target for a whopping $12.99 and I personally think they look a lot pricier than that! To learn more about the current designers Payless is working with, check out this page for Spring 2010!

Gift giving the personal way

For Christmas, I wanted to give my family and friends something with a personal touch. I decided to make a few pieces in my pottery class as gifts for everyone, keeping their tastes in mind. Here is a bowl I made for my boyfriend, who happens to have a liking for skulls (especially skulls with wings). For more great homemade gift ideas, Real Simple has put together a fabulous list! There are ideas for everyone and can be used for any kind of occasion! Check them out here.