Free Shipping Day: over 500 online stores!

See, procrastinators, even YOU can shop smart with some help from McFrugal and your online retailers! If you aren't quite finished with your shopping, the annual Free Shipping day is tomorrow! Check out this link FREE SHIPPING to get a list of the merchants and the free shipping offers. Most require a minimum purchase, but almost all guarantee delivery by Christmas! So, procrastinators unite......and check our the link!

Special Toy Savings at Target through AOL! Today Only!

Got a great hint from reader Scott (Thanks, Scott!) about some really good 50% off deals at Target TODAY ONLY! Some items are already sold out, so check it out soon! You must go through the AOL link so here's what to do:

1) Go to http://www.aol.com/
2) Click on the red link on the right top of the page that says, "Hey AOL! – Get 50% off select toys at Target today"
3) That link will take you to the page at Target.com that has the AOL Exclusive Toys
4) The 50% off discount will not show until you checkout and should show on the final page before you submit your order

B&B Works Free tote offer: Today only

I'll let the graphics speak for themselves. Cute, free tote with a $25 purchase and $3 shipping with any $50 purchase!!

Martha's Daily Tips

Something in me will always love me some Martha Stewart. I'm not sure if it's the perfectionist, or the feminist or the girl who likes to shop at K-Mart. But, whatever it is, I do love her little tips. You know, she is providing the messages inside of Dove Peppermint chocolates this season?? Go pick up a bag and open one of those tasty things (try and eat just 1, too) and see for yourself.

If you do enjoy her tips, she has a daily tip page that I go to once a day. The tips are reruns from some of the articles in her magazines, but they are neat just the same. Check 'em out for yourself!

Martha's Daily Tips

Bath & Body Works Coupon

USE CODE 20PERCENT ONLINE USE CODE 1610 IN U.S. STORES ONLY

Here is a great coupon (click here is print it) I got today from Bath & Body Works. I told you, they are notorious for having sales all through the season. So, if you want something, buy it now. They are pretty picked through come the "After Christmas Sales." They have $6/95 shipping right now on all orders, which they promote like it is amazing, but it's not. Use this one in the store if you can!

It's been awhile since I posted, even the best shoppers have to take the time to wrap and mail stuff. (and take care of the family.) Hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving, too.

Oh, and shopping tip: when you cyber-shop, be sure to write down all the places you bought things and what you bought. (or, at least, be thankful for email receipts.) I forgot two things I bought in the excitement, and that is not like me! :)

Amazon: Black Friday sales all week!

Amazon is offering all their Black Friday sales ALL WEEK. Check it out here.

Dirty Black Friday Secrets and Naughty, Naughty Stores!

This is really ironic. My husband and I were just talking about how we would rather spend $100 extra on a TV in December, than get up and wait with a crowd at 5am on Black Friday. And, as we joked, our luck would be if we waited in line at 5am, the guy in front of us would be the one getting the last TV anyway.

This is not far off from what reality is. Many stores only get 3 and 4 of each major sales item in at the stores......especially for the money-maker items like TVs and large appliances. Check out this article from CNN "Dirty Secrets from Black Friday" and then go and look at the fine print on the ads you get in the paper. It's really sad.

I have been providing info on Black Friday for weeks, but I must admit, McFrugal does not participate. You will never see me at 5am anywhere, let alone waiting in a line! (even if Jon Hamm was giving away free back massages and $500 Gap gift cards in my back yard.....I'd still probably roll over at 4:45 am and hit snooze. When I am laying in bed with more time ahead of me to sleep, it is hard to convince me that anything is worth getting up for.)

But, more power to you is you are a bargain hunter and want to get up before the sun to save a few bucks. But, PLEASE read your ads. Be prepared and be sure that you are saving money AND that the product is a quality product. Many items on sale on Black Friday are lesser versions of the product you think they are. It may be a Sony 37" HDTV, but it may have half the features of the one you expect to be buying.

Know your products before you buy. And read reviews online from others who have bought the item you are after. Target.com, Wal-Mart.com and many other retailers offer great review sections....all written by you and me. You can't get more honest than that.

Shop smart.....and if you are like me and cannot function before 7am........there is always Cyber Monday!!

Gap and Old Navy....practically giving it all away, again!

So, now thought 11/24 at Old Navy and 11/22 at The Gap you can get up to 25% off most item deals! (I tried to buy a kids toy at gap.com with the code and it did not work, but it worked on any clothing item or accessory.)

Use "gift123" at gap.com (creative code, right?) and "ONSAVE15" at Old Navy. Now, the Old Navy code is tiered.....order $75 worth and save 15% and order $100 worth and save 25%. Also, you can get free shipping on $50 at Old Navy.....and if you have a GAP SILVER card, you get free shipping anytime with "silver" at checkout.

This is really a great deal....especially with free shipping! Shop smart!

More Black Friday info!

Wanted to share this great link to all the items that will be discounted at Wal-Mart on Black Friday....supplied by McFrugal fan Jonathon! Thanks, Jonathon!!

http://www.blackfriday.info/sales/wal-mart-black-friday-ad.html

Check it out! It has every item with the price and links for most so you can see what the look like and get detailed info on them. The Blackfriday.info site also has valuable info on other stores as well.

Still less info on what will be offered online on Friday OR on Cyber Monday.
Most of the sites I go to for info are only showing everyday online deals. Here is one to check CyberMonday.com.


Wal-Mart also has a link to BUNDLES they are offering for Christmas....like laptops with accessories, whole dining sets, Nitendo DS sets and Home theater sets. These are pretty good deals. Click bundles, above, for the link.

Something else I have been reading, and hearing incessantly from my husband, is that there will be a price war on SMALLER TVS. That people have bought their large, living room TVs already and are now looking to replace the TVs in other rooms (kitchen and spare room TVs, for example.) I've read and heard that these will be where the real deals are.....and the Best Buy might have the best deals of all! You can check out their Black Friday offering's HERE.

Keep me posted if you go shopping on Black Friday......I'll be laying in bed with my coffee and laptop, thinking of you all!! :)

20% off any single item at Victorias Secret.com

You can get 20% off any item at Victoria's Secret, now through Monday....with some exceptions.

Use code SAVE20 at checkout. But, this is not valid on their brand new Miraculous bra that they have been highly advertising. Instead try, this code FA919381 which will give you $10 off bras (and a free basic VS cotton panty in white, nude or black- put it in your cart like you are going to buy it and the price will be $0 at the checkout!) and it works on the new bra.

$3 coffeemakers? Target is ready for Black Friday!

Apparently Target has "leaked" it's Black Friday ad......yeah, um, it's not really called a "leak" when you do it on purpose.

Although a $3 coffeemaker is intriguing, since mine just broke......I think sleeping in past 5am on The Friday after Thanksgiving is MORE intriguing! No word is any of these deals are available online, but I might just get up early and check from the comfort of my comfy bed!

You can sign up online here to get the first glimpse of the Black Friday ad......but you are really just signing up for ALL upcoming ads in your area.

Keep up with the postings of all Black Friday ads at BlackFriday.fm. And be sure to let me know if you hit any of these Black Friday sales!

Honestly, are Crayola's cooler when you buy them at The Gap

(Spoiler alert: the answer is "no".)
I ventured to the Gap website today, as I pretty much do every morning since the addiction started. I've been checking sites for signs of pre-Christmas sales. And, I love The Gap (as my closet will attest). But, we are always more critical of the ones we love......

Today, I thought I was going to spit out my coffee all over my laptop. First, the Christmas ad that they released today on their homepage is atrocious! Go look at the video and give me your thoughts! I didn't think something trying so hard to be Uber PC could be so Uber offensive to my ears! I must be a small fringe of their target market, 'cause that does not appeal to me! (Bring back the Sarah Jessica Parker khaki ads and the Jump,Jive and Wail khaki ads....those were my fav!)

But, what REALLY got my attention was that The Gap, God bless 'em, are now selling toys. Now, I honestly and sincerely applaud The Gap for encouraging the basic, honest toys of crayons, activity books and wooden toys. I wish more companies would offer these! (can't you see Don Draper telling The Gap....."you are not selling a toy, you are selling imagination. You are selling honesty and purity....")

BUT, did they have to jack up the price?
I mean, is a Crayola Backpack with art supplies in it any cooler just because you bought it at The Gap? The Gap is charging $14.50 for it. Amazon has it for $13.73 (it's merchants sell it for even less at $7.99!). Even the Crayola STORE has it cheaper at $12.99! What are we paying for? The coolness of buying things at the gap? I already pay for that each month with my credit card statement comes......and I pay even more when Steve asks," did I just see the UPS truck deliver something at the front door AGAIN?"

The Gap is also offering this: It is the Wonderworld Eco-Friendly Wonder Shop. I love it! It's an all wood little play fruit standy-thing. The Gap is charging $140. Amazon has it for $119.21 (a merchant at Amazon has it for $99.81!) I found it at a hoity-toity toy shop online for $127.99. And this is just the shop with no accessories! You can buy all of them at The Gap, too.

I took about 12 items from the toy section of The Gap and compared the prices and all were cheaper elsewhere. But, still, I applaud The Gap for bringing up some really great toys (that honestly I would not know existed if I had not seen them on their site)! I found a GREAT activity doodle book called "Doodle All Year" (check it out!) that I know one little boy will be getting for Christmas. But, I'll be buying it from Amazon.

The theme with retailers this year will be old, traditional Holiday. A "make due" holiday. The Gap TV ad kinda takes it to a weird, uncomfortable level......but the toys they are offering and the idea behind them are nice. Use stores like The Gap as "idea places" to find new and unique toys and gifts for your kids......but ALWAYS comparison shop! Crayons from The Gap are not cooler because you paid an extra $3 for them......they are cool because Crayons are just cool. Don't buy the hype. (or pay for it, either)

10 Classic Clothing Items Every Closet Needs..

....and you won't break the bank!!

Found a cute little article by BettyConfidential.com that goes through the
Top Ten Things your Closet Needs. This is a pretty subjective, but I agree with her on many of her suggestions. Most importantly, my McFrugal eye liked that she used realistic and reasonable examples. She was not suggesting items that are totally out of someone's price range......as an article in Vogue might. I would go one step further with her suggestions, though. Target has really outdone itself this year in it's clothing, shoes and accessories......I would have added in an example from Target!

And, a trench has never been a staple to me.....but I may have to reconsider this. Mostly, I avoid them because it is so hard to find a TALL trench that fits right. But, It's definite a classic item!

This list will pretty much take you though the whole year, if you remember to not make the black bag or shoes patent leather (or faux patent or other shiney leather.) While patent seems versatile, it is actual a very seasonal option........a matte leather will take you thought the whole year!

This is a classic list that really is a great basis for a wardrobe.....and won't break the bank. My only suggestion is if you really want to be classic, remember that the word CLASS is in Classic for a reason.

"Deal of the Day"

More and more website are doing a "Deal of the Day" offer. Spiegel literally sends me lunch time offers every day......and I have not bought from them in over a year! I get emails now from The Disney Store with their online deal of the day......today's was $5 kids PJ's! (Which is a $11.50 savings!) And they actually had more options for boys than for girls (which is rare anywhere!) This was a great deal! To get this deal, you just need to sign up for the email list. These deals are to get you to the site to buy more.....but, if you have will power, you can just buy the sale item.

And Target does a deal of the day, but you have to go to their site to find it. CHECK HERE. These deals are usually more expensive items that have a large reduction.......I musts admit, I have yet to see anything on the Target deals that I have wanted. I think these are more to introduce the shoppers to the fact that Target is caring bigger ticket items now.

Still, the most original, and oldest, deal of the day is Amazon's golden box. There are really some great deals here, mostly electronic and home deals. But, worth looking at each day. And Amazon also has "Amazon Recommends" where, although now actually a "Deal", you can find things that might be right up your alley, that you never knew existed. Amazon is looking for repeat business here. They know they own this market, for now, and just want to pull you back for more.

Be aware of the motivation behind daily deals.....but also, be on the lookout for them. Especially as we get closer to the holidays. Stores are going to fight even harder for your dollar this year! Spend wisely and be savvy!

And remember, Disney Store and Target are Upromise Partners! Get your % back!!

Gap's Give & Get Promotion

From November 12-15, you can get 30% off your purchase at any Gap, Gap Outlet, Banana Republic, Banana Republic factory Store, or Old Navy store AND 5% of your purchase will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! It's Gap's annual Give and Get promotion! It's only in store and ONLY with the coupon at this link:
http://www.gapinc.com/giveandget/lls/

Please be sure to participate!!

The New Target Toy Catalog - Sneaky!

You know that I scrutinize each and every catalog and coupon flyer that comes to my house. Yesterday, I got the Target Holiday Christmas catalog. It's is really, really neat.......we are such a spoiled society! We have too many toy selections for our kids......(I'm not really making a commentary, I am just jealous of the new My Little Pony's Styling Pony on page 19. I would have killed to have had when I was a kid........but, I digress!)

I will say there are some great deals in here. But, what I was most impressed with are the loads and loads of coupons (that you actually need to USE to make the prices in the catalog valid!) The coupons, and this may be the first time I have seen this, can be used online!!! Yes, and with MOST orders on Target.com over $50 coming with free shipping and all the extra sales codes floating around out there, you could really save a bundle. Let alone, you don't have to waste time in the lines or worry about your local store being out of a product.

But, HERE is the catch that I noticed. You think that these coupons are great, and they are, but you think that you have until Christmas to use them since it's a Holiday catalog? "Not so fast, my friend," to quote the great Lee Corso. These coupons expire.....wait for it......the day before Thanksgiving. Two days before Black Friday. Which means.....wait for it......all of these prices could easily be CHEAPER after Black Friday!

Decisions, decisions! Do you buy the items now and get the good price? Or take a gamble (I love a good shopping gamble) and see if they go down and are, more importantly, still in stock after Black Friday? ......hmmm.

The other nice thing I noticed are these Target Giftcoins. I love this. (Note to family: if you get one of these, look surprised!) You buy a group of $5 coins for 25$ that are literally mini gift cards. They are too cute and perfect for little ones, too! But, $2 from each purchase goes to St. Jude Children's Hospital. I am a sucker for buying and giving at the same time!

The little remote control mouse in a car gift card is cute, too! Mattie could really annoy our dogs with that one.

I bet, you didn't think anyone could over-think an ad this much. Well, in a former life, I was paid to do just that......and with a more critical eye. So, save a TON at Target.....but be aware of those expiration dates! Shop smart.....gamble a little.......and snap up those Giftcoins before I buy them all!!

P.S. How about this nice photo of a little infant playing next to a toy gun that would NO WAY be in his age range. And how about the REAL puppy in the box next to the toys (cause kids would kinda bypass any toys in this ad for the REAL dog!)......there are all sorts of things wrong with this picture from MY marketing standpoint....but, who am I to question Target?

"Private Sale" at Ralph Lauren/ Bath & Body Works

I'm not sure what qualifies a sale to be "Private", but I am pretty sure it is not sending emails to announce it. RL is having a 40% off sale online....PLUS you can get an extra 15% off until Monday with the online code NOV0509. That's not too shabby!

Remember 2 things about Polo.com: 1) always get it gift boxed and 2) it's a Upromise partner!!


Bath and Body Works (who will literally have a sale a week until the week before Christmas) as an online offer for only "certain shoppers." (Certain shoppers= everyone). YOU can get $10 off a $30 purchase as well as $3 shipping (why is it not free?) Use code tenthirthy.

B&BW is not a Upromise partner......oh, the $ I could have earned off those purchases if they were.

How NOT to be McFrugal- $47K dinner bill!

This is a $47k restaurant tab, apparently from a Russian Billionaire's evening out in New York. Take a look at it.........what in the world? The entrees are normal cost....looks like the alcohol and speciality appetisers and desserts did him in. This is the price of a luxury new car.......for dinner. Crazy!

Cyber Monday Tips

I've spoken to a few people who are not aware of Cyber Monday. This is a fairly new concept, started in 2005. Retailers realized that people are doing more and more shopping online and started having a special, pre-Christmas online sales event the Monday after Thanksgiving. (or the Monday after Black Friday.)

Since it's inception, stores have put out special sales fliers, codes and ads just to bring people to their online sales. The deals have been really great so far! And, to some, sitting in your home at your computer on Monday may sound easier that shopping Black Friday (it does to me.) But, you still need to be alert. Be aware of store return policies and sales restrictions.

Here "Cyber Monday" is a short article with a run-down of the event and things to keep in mind! Shopping smart in your jammies in front of your computer.....that's my kinda sale!

Last day of The Container Store Sale!

Today is the last day to save 20% off your entire purchase at the ContainerStore.com! Use the code savenow at checkout. And remember, The Container Store is a Upromise partner. You get 3% of your purchase back! Savings was never so easy!

Which bag is which?

Which one of these purses was $4,395 and which was $36 (well, I got it for $25 on sale)? When I wrote earlier about "replica bags" they don't always have to have a logo on them to be a replica. Most designers for large stores copy the style, sizes and looks of designer bags for their own store collections. I bought the above bag this week (on sale finally) at Target. The bag below is from Ralph Lauren. Same type look and idea, but the RL bag is real, printed calfskin. (thankfully, not real leopard, but they did waste a calf) Is it really worth $4,359 MORE than the Target bag?

I didn't buy the Target bag because it looked like a RL bag....I honestly just saw this RL bag for the first time today. I bought the bag because I really liked it! (I liked it 3 months ago, but I took a gamble that the price would go down.....as it usually does at Target.)

You could buy 122 Target purses at this price for the price of this one RL bag. You could almost pay my mortgage 2 times with one RL bag.

If that is your cup of tea, then go for it. But, for Fabulously McFrugal....less is more.

On a side note: Just as many stores copy designer products...I have a little secret about grocery stores for you. You know the STORE BRANDS that you see (Publix Brand peas, Harris Teeter Brand Mac and Cheese, Etc..). Those are not copies of real products, in most cases they ARE the real product.
Many large food manufactures have a smaller division that rebands their products as "store brands." So, you are getting the same product without having to pay for the name. If you haven't already started trying store brands are your grocery store, try it. It saves money. And sometimes any differences you taste, are actually all in your head! But, that's a whole 'nutha blog.

Thinking of buying something from Old Navy? WAIT!!!

Don't shop at Old Navy......at least not until Friday! The annual "Stuff and Save" sale begins on the 30th and goes through November 8. "Stuff" all you can in a shopping bag (which is unlimited online, but supposed confined to a reusable canvas shopping tote in the store) and get 30% off it all when you use your Old Navy, Gap or Banana Republic Card.

If you want to be one of the first 50 customers to Old Navy on October 30th, you can get 50% off your "Stuff and Save" items when you use your card! Sweet!!!

Also, if you bring the tote back in the store in December, get and extra %10 off when you use your store charge card.

FABULOUS B&Bw offer.....but there's a catch!

I got emailed a FABULOUS Bath and Body Works offer. It's for 2 days only (Wednesday and Thursday). You can get 10% off a $20 purchase ($2 off), $15 off a 30 purchase ($4.50) and %20 off a 50 purchase ($10). Obviously, the %20 off $50 is the Fabulous offer......$2 off a $20 purchase is not that exciting.

But, wait! There's more! PLUS get free shipping on purchases over $65. Right now, if I order the stuff in my online cart at B&BW, I have a $77.49 total (with shipping) and get $13.70 off that PLUS free shipping (-$8.99) for a grand total of $54.80 before tax. Not too shabby!

This is a GREAT way to kick off your holiday shopping........if you are not OCD like me and already have it completed. (I know, it's sick)

The catch is this.....this is an offer only for people who shop their frequently. There is no offer code I can give you. You must do a click-through on an email to use it. BUT, I can forward the email to friends.

So, if you know me and know my email address and want the email.......email me. (That's a lot of emails.) Otherwise, I'm sorry I can't include you in this one. But, trust me, this is one store that will continue to have great deals through Christmas!!!

Clinique Bonus

Clinique.com is now offering it's own BONUS TIME. Usually you have to shop through a store....now you can get a bonus directly from the online site. The promo is going on right now (no code required) and you can select the bonus you want. Pretty sweet!

20% off at the Gap and B&BW deals

Gap has a promo code to get 20% off your total order this week. But, hurry! It expires on Thursday the 29th! The code to use at checkout is FRIEND.

And, remember, The Gap is a Upromise partner. Get your % back!

Also, Bath & Body Works has their full line of Holiday scents available now with some holiday candles 2 for $10! Antibacterial soaps are $3 each and they have a ton of holiday gift sets, too!

Also, get $3 shipping with any $50 purchase with the code SHIP3!

I am bumbed I forgot to get the $3 aromatherapy foaming soaps offer! I had them in my online shopping cart and forgot to order them. They are $6.50 now! If you snooze, ya lose!

Black Friday Ad: Office Max and Wal-Mart

Thanks for my friend Jonathon for sending me over a link to the Black Friday offering from Office Max. Here. Check them out! Looks like some great deals on printers and digital cameras.

Here is the website that the ad is from Black Friday Info. It has some other great info including the Wal-Mart 100 toys under $10 Black Friday offer! I am keeping an eye out to see if any of those $10 toys will be offered online (in case any of you are like me and try to avoid Wal-Mart at all costs.)

Remember, Wal-Mart will ship most items to your local store for no cost. So, if they DO offer Black Friday items online.........avoid the crowds and order line with in-store shipping!

Black Friday Coupons.....already

Retail-me-not......my favorite coupon site, has a page just for Black Friday deals. Check it our below. I give them a ton of credit, and thanks, for collecting all that! They are they best!

BLACK FRIDAY COUPONS

It's my FAVORITE sale of the year

I hear bells ring and angels sing as I open my email today......an email from The Container Store! Yes, friends, it's that time of year where EVERYTHING is on sale at the Container Store.

This is not a private sale, either....head to their website for a printable coupon and an online code "savemore" to get 20 off EVERYTHING in the store. *smile*

Oh, and The Container Store is a Upromise Partner!! Shop through Upromise to get 3% back! Saving money on your purchase and saving for college/student loans.....what is smarter than that?

Are you getting your money's worth, per pound, with your new cookbook?

I found this cute article on one of my favorite "foodie" sites, Eatmedaily.com. They noticed that many new cookbooks were not only getting bigger and thicker, but heavier! They look more like coffee table books than cook books. Eat Me Daily took the biggest and most popular new cookbooks out there and did a price per pound comparrison! Very clever! Are you getting your money's worth per pound of book? Check it out at the link below!

Eat Me Daily, Price per pound.

The Beauty of Replica Purses

A purse is real no matter what. Saying it is fake is saying that it can't hold your wallet and cell phone just the same as another. I prefer the word "replica".

I have owned real Gucci purses and replica Gucci purses. I have real Coach bags and replica ones. But, at this point in my life, I can not bring myself to ever pay more than $60-80 for a purse again. It just seems silly! Especially since I constantly change my purse for my mood....or shoes....and that means I have a boatload of purses (and Target has some sweet purses under $50!)
So, I LOVE to find great fakes.....not at all because I want to fool people (because I am the first one to proudly tell you my Dior bag is fake and even get offended if you think I would actually buy a real one!) but because I see NO reason to pay $400, let alone, $1200 for ANY purse (unless it comes with free child care, fat free fried chicken and a private massage from L.L. Cool J!)
My mother feels the same way and we have a little hobby of finding the best fakes. I found a nice, little vendor of replica bags in D.C. this year and took my mom back there on our most recent visit. We each plunked down less that $100 for 4 "designer-inspired", replica bags. (2 Gucci, 1 LV, 1 Coach this trip for me.) These are the best of the replicas that I have seen.....since many were even real leather with beautiful satin lining! But, a keen eye, (meaning me, who has many replicas) can tell a real from a replica pretty quickly.

So, my mom took her all-leather, replica Coach into the Coach outlet in Darien, Georgia this past weekend (not on purpose, but she was using it and happened to be shopping.) The ladies at the counter literally came after her "We have not seen that one in that color yet!" "Where do they have it in stock?" "It's so soft!"
Now, the clerks at a coach OUTLET may be slightly less versed than ones at the Coach store, but this made me giggle. At first I thought they were humoring her, but she said they literally thought from first glance it was authentic. Upon real inspection, they only found 2 small design differences and the weight of the hardware (which is always the first giveaway for me) between the real they had in the store and hers. The funny thing is, this is not the first time this has happened to us.

A purse is a purse......and if you love it, use it! It's just hard to be fabulous and frugal and spend $1200 on something just for the name on it. Honestly, I could afford to buy a new, authentic Coach, Gucci or LV if I so desired, but I would feel like a TOTAL chump! Do you know how many pairs of little boy socks, Diet Coke 12 packs, utility payments or even car payments I could make with $1200? There are just more responsible, nay, more realistic things to spend money on in my opinion.....especially now. And spending $1200 on a thing that only I can use seems selfish now that I have a family and a child.
When Steve and I stopped in Gatlinburg on our way through the Smokies, I bought a funny tote bag that had a drawing of a Gucci purse and the words "SUPER FAKE!" on it. A fun juxtaposition on a canvas bag! On the back it said, "My fake is better than your real"
That summed up my point of view nicely! Flaunt your replica, or your generic, ......be proud of your frugality......and save the other $1150 for your IRA!

UPDATE 1: I have gotten fun feedback from this! Thanks! I want to reiterate, too, that I don't care if you have a big brand named purse or a generic one......Lord, I have my share of them all. My point it "use what you love".....what I love will never make me feel guilty for the price I paid for it. :)

UPDATE 2: If you are looking for the location I found these bags, it is in Fairfax at a VERY large thrift store.......next to a "5 Guys". I don't live there and unfortunately don't remember the street, only the location......but if you use that info, I bet you'll find it!

Midnight Madness Sale at Polo Outlets.....mark your calendars!

So, not to be outdone by anyone, the Polo Outlets are already thinking about black Friday! (Can you believe that it's that time again?) I got an email this morning telling me that all Polo Outlets will be having a Midnight Madness sale starting at midnight after Thanksgiving, on November 27, and ending at 10am. No word at all on the actual savings (hmmm, sneaky!), but if they are willing to pay people to keep their stores open at night, I am thinking it might be pretty good.

Here is a link to all the outlet locations: POLO OUTLETS

Personally, would need to know that it was better than 20% if I were going to miss sleep....especially post-turkey sleep! I won't miss sleepy time for less than $50 off, or at least a free item! But, send me an email if you go to the sale! I'd love to hear about it! Shop smart.....and at Midnight Madness sales....shop with a buddy!

Oh, and if you go, look for the HUGE reusable Polo shopping bags for $10. These are selling on eBay for $21-$29 dollars each and are coveted items. For $10, I think they would make a neat "gift bag" to present a gift in that you bought at the sale. What's better, or smarted, than a reusable gift bag?!

Columbus Day Sales

Here is a link to some of the best Columbus Day sales out there!


Columbus Day Sales

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Save money at Polo AND give to a cancer charity!

One of my favorite types of offers is getting a percentage off a purchase and having a percentage of the sale go to a charity! Ralph Lauren (who is a favorite online store of mine for their great savings, coupons and FREE gift wrap on anything!) is having another fabulous deal! In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, save 25% on your purchase between now and October 12 AND 10% of your purchase will go to a Ralph Lauren Cancer charity of your choice! Awesome!

Shop online at Polo.com. Codes are: "pink" for the Ralph Lauren Pink Pony charity focusing on breast cancer or "RLCCP" for the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Prevention

Polo.com is a Upromise partner so get your % for your account AND ALWAYS ask for free gift wrap at Polo.com. The gift boxes are beautiful, hard navy boxes embossed with "Ralph Lauren." Fabulous AND Generous!

Great savings at Victorias Secret

Thanks to my friend Wendy for suggesting Victorias Secret as a Fabulously Frugal find! This week, until Wednesday, save and extra 20% off already reduced bras and panties.....for a maximum savings of 80%! Use code save20vs at checkout! (and remember, VS is a Upromise member, so shop through Upromise to get a % of your sale back!)

VS also has great savings on clothing and shoes right now as well! And you can use more than one promo code at a time at VS, so keep an eye out for free shipping codes (retail-me-not always seems to have them!)

Have fun being frugal!

Bath and Body Works Holiday Collection is now online

Winter and Leaves are my favorite scents from B&BWorks.......I use them both as signature fragrances in my home all year. (What, you don't have a signature fragrance for your home? Sure you do, it's whatever you use to mask the dog/kid/husband/dinner smell in your house when company comes over, silly!)

Check them out here! B&BWorks Holiday. They have a deal going on candles right now, too! Fabulous!

Earn $ for your old games and DVDs

A great way to be frugal is to recycle....and it's even better when your recycle turns into cash! Amazon. com now has a trade-in store at their site where you can trade in games and DVDs for Amazon credit. And Amazon now sells clothing, groceries, tools.......so much more than books! And, Amazon has free shipping when you buy over $25 of stuff (from their warehouse, not always their vendors) so money to spend at Amazon.

The best part is, they pay the shipping for you to ship the DVDs and games to them. I sold back some great games and my season 1 & 2 of Mad Men and Dexter and got almost $50! (I bought my son's birthday presents with my Amazon credit and had them shipped for free!)

It's a fabulous find! Check it out here: Amazon Trade in Store.

ANOTHER Gap sales event online

Those pesky people at The Gap must be hurtin', cause the have offered up yet another sale for cardholders (Gap, Old Navy or Banana Republic cards). Shop at The Gap and get 30% off regular priced items and 15% off sale items! Wow! That's about the best they have done in a long time!

Use code GAPSTYLE4 at check out!

Sale goes through Sunday the 4th.

Remember to get a percentage of your sales to go toward your student loan debt, sign up for Upromise and shop though their site! It's like a matching 401K program for your shopping habit......well, sort of! Shop smart!

Sale at Gap.com ends today!

You can still get 25% off your entire purchase today at Gap.com. Use code SAVE25 at checkout!

McFrugal Tip of the Day!

Did you know that the Upromise program now lets you earn rebates back to pay down your student loans? It's true! You don't have to have a child to benefit from Upromise....just a student loan. Over the past 4.5 years, we have earned $750 from Upromise that goes equally into a 529 for my son and toward my husband's student loans. Just shop your favorite online retaiers through the UPromise site, or get the Upromise cards from your favorite grocery store! It's a fabulous find! :)

www.upromise.com

10 Things you are silly not to be buying at Dollar Tree

I ran into Dollar Tree the other day, as I often do BEFORE I go shopping at Publix or other stores to see if anything on my list can be bought there. I was just amazed by the things in there now. I am telling you, if you are on a shopping budget, do not wince at going to Dollar Tree. I can’t speak for all dollar-themed stores, but Dollar Tree’s have it going on! (Their stocks are not doing too shabby either!)

Now, I have a really nice one near me, but I also had nice ones in Tampa. I can't swear on consistency, and I’m sure some are better than others. But, you can really find some great stuff there that you might not think of buying there. (My father swears it’s the cheapest for deodorant and toothpaste) And you can even buy ONLINE at their website…..no lie!

It got me thinking about the things that Dollar Tree offers that I would be crazy to buy elsewhere. I mean things that the quality and even brand names are the same as I would buy in other stores….but are only a dollar. Read on to see what I mean:

1. Party Supplies: No questions, when it comes to balloons (I mean non-helium here), goody bags, banners, crepe paper, plates, cups, napkins, table covers, invites the works……1 dollar each can NOT be beat. Even by the big W. I once decorated for, bought /made centerpiece for and bought plates/cups/napkins etc for a gathering for over 100 for $82.59. (Mattie’s Preschool Graduation) I am not kidding. I posted a photo below along with my “You’ll never believe they cost $1.50 centerpiece” idea.

2. Mylar (helium) Balloons: for parties, events, or just to get one for your kid on a good day……1$ each cannot be beat!


3. Gift wrap/bags: I can’t tell you how many times I have given a gift in a cute gift bag and someone asks me “where did you get that bag?” And I say, “The Papyrus Store.”
No, I tell the truth and say Dollar Tree. I am serious! They have really cute gift bags, wrap, bags for gift baskets, filler, tissue paper, ribbon, everything. Don’t pay Target prices…..this stuff is cute! And Christmas wrap……forgetaboutit! Get it here.

4. Kid’s shampoo/soap: no brainer, here. You know how fast they go through it…..or squeeze it all into the tub when you are not looking. Breck Shampoo for kids in 3 ‘flavors” $1 each. Plus they have detanglers, soaps, conditioners and other fun stuff. Perfect! (This goes for baby shampoo and bath accessories, too!)

5. Paper plates/cups/utensils: I’m referring to the non-party type here. They even have those kiddie paper plates with the animal faces that are not cheap elsewhere. And I bough throw away little trays that look like silver trays (no lie, they fooled people at 2 parties I had). $1 apiece. Can’t go wrong.


6. Coloring books and crayons: seriously, another thing they go through too fast. Mickey Mouse, Princess, Spiderman……….don’t spend over $1 on this kinda thing! Your Easter baskets and Stocking will thank you.

7. Drinking/wine glasses: I see nice Libbey drinking glasses sold at Publix, Target….and Dollar Tree. But, at Dollar Tree they are sold individually, so if you break one, go buy one more. And they are CUTE! Different sized wine glasses, beer mugs and pilsners, goblets, kids glasses……the works. $1 each. I have not bought glasses anywhere else in years and you would never know the difference and neither do my guests.


8. Office supplies: My Dollar Tree calculators have yet to die after 2 years….and I use them every day. I buy brand name scissors (Fiskar!), business envelopes, tape, markers……..all of it. I buy office supplies for my employer from Staples……..I compare these prices all the time. Hands down, Dollar Tree is cheaper and it’s the same brand names I am buying.

9. Holiday decorations: This is where they make their money I bet. From 4th of July, to Halloween (did I mention brand named Halloween candy?), Valentines, Christmas….everything!


10. Pregnancy tests: I am not kidding. You get 1 for 1 dollar. Some brands charge $15 a piece for them! And the ones from Dollar Tree work just the same. I know for a fact! (although I will admit, buying them there was a little weird.)

Honorable mentions (only because I don’t buy them myself, but they are still good deals) Scrap-booking supplies, cleaning supplies (I use the less harmful type and they are never going to be $1), school teacher’s bulletin board supplies, greeting cards (I am picky about these), junk food, candles (I am picky about these, too)

Here are a few other points of interest:

Best find at Dollar Tree? The same brand of bread I always buy (White Wheat) totally fresh, with 5 days until the sell by date. $1. (Mattie and Steve had it eaten in 4 days)

Weirdest find? The Pregnancy Tests

Best Quality? : Cooking utensils. They have held up right alongside my Kitchenaid and Le Cruet spatulas and spoons!

Looks good but costs nothing?: picture frames! I giggle at the Dollar Tree photo frames on the wall next the Pottery Barn ones….you can’t tell the difference (unless you look on the back).

Best deals: hard backed books (like coffee table and gift kind) and once in awhile the Pantene or Dove hair care products I use

Now, Dollar Tree has a no refund policy, but will do exchanges, so just be aware. But, if I have a faulty product, I can deal with losing a dollar.