This is a guest post from Kim Fusaro. It's geared toward women, but the principles still apply to us men!

I'm probably best known for my bad spending habits - I chronicle them daily as Glamour magazine's wayward personal-finance blogger, Little Miss Fortune. But in my 100-plus posts, I've managed to pick up some pretty good habits. And those are the ones I'm going to share with you.

See, after years of buying expensive clothing I recently learned an important lesson: You can't buy style. When I realized this (and the fact that I couldn't handle the credit card bills that came from all that shopping!) a funny thing happened. I started spending less - and looking better. I still shop (quite a bit!), but I shop smart. Here are the top four rules I play by.

1. Quality trumps quantity for wardrobe staples.

Buying crappy shoes (or handbags or dresses) is so easy. They practically call to you - and they're so friggin' cheap! But six weeks later, the heel snaps off (or the handle breaks or the hem falls out) and the junk you bought with your hard-earned cash is clogging up a landfill. If you love wandering through brick-and-mortar stores (I find it soothing), leave your plastic at home.

When you see something you love, note the brand and style, then go home and find it cheaper on the 'Net. For example, I saw a fab pair of shoes for $120 in a department store. They're a brand I know and love (nice) and they're made from real leather (double-nice). Still, I don't have $120 to spare right now. I took a quick spin on Google's shopping page, where they turned up on Shoebuy.com for $87 with free shipping - getting warmer! A little more digging uncovered a 20-percent off coupon, which brought the grand total down to $70. That's maybe $20 more than two pairs of plastic pumps, but these'll last for years. (For the record, I still didn't buy them!)

2. Don't invest in trendy stuff.

Trends, by definition, don't last. Of course you'd love a motorcycle jacket and a statement necklace and a neon dress right now. But pull them out next fall, and you'll likely be asking yourself, "WTF?" To stave off an electric-pink case of buyer's remorse, pick your favorite trend then embrace it on a smaller scale. Instead of a pricey Day-Glo dress, for example, cinch a neutral-colored shift with a brighter-than-bright belt for a mere $30.

3. Accessorize already, damn it.

Speaking of belts, the fastest way to update any outfit is by adding some baubles and bling. Say, for example, you have four weddings this fall. Start your look with a simple cotton dress ($30); I think gray is more versatile (and less boring) than black. For wedding one, top it with a bright-violet shrug ($20). Wedding two, steal a tip from the September issue of Glamour: Buy a couple yards of wide satin ribbon (around $5 at a crafts store; I'd love an ultra-bright yellow with the gray dress) and cut the ends at an angle to prevent fraying. Wrap it around your waist two or three times, then tie it in a bow or a big knot. So pretty! Wedding three: I'd layer two of these four-strand beaded necklaces ($14). Wedding four: Let's top the dress with a flirty little black cardigan ($30). So there you have it, add your favorite black strappy sandals and you've got four wedding looks for under $100. Phew! (With a blazer and pumps, the dress is work-worthy, too!)

4. Know which beauty goods are worth the splurge.

I'm a sucker for a well-placed advertisement. And no one does ads quite like the beauty industry. You can make me look younger? Thinner, you say? With brighter eyes and smaller pores and miles of flawless skin? Where do I sign up? I've paid top dollar for fancy-pants beauty goods and bought the cheapie stuff, too.

Finally I wised up and asked a real-life doctor what was worth the dough. His thoughts: Don't spend big bucks on fountain-of-youth face wash. It's not on your face long enough to do anything but, well, wash it. Pick one that's pH-balanced, like good ol' Cetaphil. Every day a new miracle berry-emulsion-essence-of-peptide-firming-youth-enhancing ingredient comes out. Stick with products that contain scientifically proven anti-agers: A toner with salicylic or alpha hydroxy acid and a night cream with retinol, vitamin C, or coenzyme Q10. And don't forget the sunscreen.

So that's how I'm pinching pennies and staying pretty. What'd I forget? Do you guys do the clothing-swap thing? Shop online consignment shops? Would you rather have cash than clothing, any day? (That, I just don't get!) Or do you manage to stay $exy without all this shopping? (If so, tell me how!)


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Kim Fusaro (aka Little Miss Fortune) blogs for Glamour and has a wicked following (I LOVE her stuff). If you like what you saw, check out her site and show her some love :)

Labels: girl stuff, guest post, shopping

Welcome to PF Blogger Showdown #2! The last one with Trent and J.D. was wildly successful and I'm excited to continue on with our fun little series here :)

Up today are two of the most influential female pf bloggers around - Stephanie from Poorer Than You, and Kerry K. Taylor aka Squawkfox. I'm sure most of you have heard of them before, but if not I highly encourage you to stop by their blogs afterward and check 'em out! They're very different, very fun, and very refreshing. Now time for some action!

Stephanie 1,357 Readers Poorer Than You @stephonee	Kerry K. Taylor 8,200ish Squawkfox @squawkfox
How long have you been blogging for?
I started my first online diary at age 14 (2001). It was the angsty train wreck that you would expect from a 14-year-old girl! Eventually I wised up and started viewing my blogs as more public opinion pieces. I started Poorer Than You in January of 2007, when I dropped out of school because of money problems.	I started Squawkfox on January 2, 2008 to have some fun with writing, photography, and web development. I've been a professional writer for eons - mostly technical writing for software developers - so the blog became more of a creative outlet where I was drawn to squawking about moolah. I've found that many topics, from organic farming to Ironman triathlons, have a financial angle.
Has anyone in your "real" life caught onto your online life?
There has never been a separation between the two, for me. My parents met on an early version of the internet! I had my first online account at age 6. My family and friends have always known about most of my online projects, including Poorer Than You.	I blogged under the alias "Squawkfox" until May 5th, 2009 and decided to reveal my identity when my book, 397 Ways to Save Money was published. Since somebody's name had to go on the cover I knew my alias days were numbered. If anyone caught on before that time they were too polite to say anything.
Are there any advantages to being a female blogger in the PF world?
For a while, I thought there were actually disadvantages! It seemed to me that most of the biggest PF bloggers were males, and that it might be because people are looking for an "authoritative male voice" when it comes to money topics. But I think all voices need to be represented, especially in personal finance blogs. I come at it from the "young, female, geek" perspective. Some people respond to that, some don't!	I don't think so. Well, unless you're blogging about the Diva Cup or "How to Buy a Bra" - then I think the ladies might have a slight advantage.
On a scale from 1-10, how "girly" are you?
Like a 5. I went to a college that was 70% male, and I was geek before that! I play a lot of video games, spend most of my time on the internet, and I spew a lot of "lolspeak" and "l33tspeak." And I don't wear high heels very often because I'm taller than my boyfriend! But I like dressing up and kitties and babies. And I minored in gender studies. I'm very much in the middle.	I'm not very girly, but I am feminine - if that makes any sense. I like dresses but I can't walk in heels. I grew up watching science fiction, racing road bikes, and programming computers. Now that I'm in my 30s, I've completed two Ironman triathlons and still watch Star Trek, Doctor Who, and more recently Torchwood. I also live on an organic farm and drive tractors, fix barbed wire fences, and feed animals. So basically, I'm an athletic computer and Sci-Fi nerd who isn't afraid of farming in a dress. :D
What are the first 3 blogs/sites you check in the morning?
My email (Gmail), Craigslist (job searching!) and Google Reader to start digging into my blog feeds.	I have to pick just three? Since most of my sites are quick reads, I have time for my favorite five while sipping my morning coffee: The Globe and Mail, Ask MetaFilter, Seth Godin's Blog, Daring Fireball, and Dooce.
Are you a fan of the budget? (If so, what format?)
I track and project my spending using an extremely simple spreadsheet that I made almost three years ago. I don't track categories or anything, really. I have "minimum payments" for my savings goals (which are many!) and then whatever is left is for day-to-day expenses and fun stuff.	I do believe that Budgets Are Sexy! Getting on track with a budget and monitoring expenses is what helped me get out of debt and save a six-figure portfolio. The trick is to be flexible and not beat yourself up when unexpected expenses tip the balance sheet.
What is a financial product you can't live without?
I love ING Direct like it was a family member! Or maybe the family dog. A golden retriever that holds my money for me.	My brain. Seriously. I've used several money-tracking products but none will work unless you use your brain to realize the financial bottom line. A good head on your shoulders is worth more than any financial product.
What's one of the dumbest financial mistakes you've ever made?
Getting into $42,000 of student loan debt for a major that, ultimately, was not meant for me. And now I'm making payments on that! Which is... fun.	The only dumb mistake is the one repeatedly made. Everything else is a learning experience. :D I'd have to say taking on so much student debt after my second degree was a painful learning experience. Finishing school with a $17,000 student loan to pay back felt terrible and was a source of stress when I interviewed for jobs. If I had a time machine and could have a "do-over" I'd probably work another year to save up for school before taking out so many student loans.
If you were given 2 extra hours each day, what would you do with them?
I'm supposed to say something like "write a book" or "work on a side project," right? But I would read more - actual books, not internet stuff! I get in a book once in a while, but not nearly as many as I would like.	I'd walk my dog (a blue heeler with endless energy), ride my titanium road bike, read a book, or spend some time in the city. Living on a farm in the middle of a forest can be isolating, so it's nice to spend time around people.
How about $10,000? What would you do with that?
Two years ago I answered this question and I said I would mostly put it toward school expenses. Now, I would take half and fully fund a Roth IRA for 2009. The other half I would use to fully fund a couple of my savings goals. Then I would continue on with my daily life as usual, moving on to the next savings goals!	If you gave me $10,000 I'd do the sensible thing first and pay off debt. But since I'm debt-free, I would take a trip to Europe to visit my husband's family. I might even take him along too. ;) I would also try to time the trip so I could see a few stages of the Tour de France. The rest of the money I'd invest in low cost Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and let it grow.
*BONUS* Chocolate or wine - if you had to choose? (is that sexist?)
I'm actually not a huge fan of wine. Girly drinks with umbrellas in them? Yes. Wine? Not so much. But chocolate... mmm... I actually have a caffeine sensitivity, which means I have to be very careful about my caffeine intake (including chocolate). I've already cut many things out of my diet (coffee, caffeinated sodas, etc.) to ensure that I can still have chocolate. So yes, I would still cut things out to keep having chocolate! (And no, it's not sexist. It's sex-related. Totally different! ;))	If you're going to be truly sexy then you need a glorious glass of red wine with a lump of luscious dark chocolate. Choosing between the two is hard. But since I live in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley where vineyards are plentiful, I'll choose an organic bottle of red and hope that Stephanie chooses the chocolate. I'd invite her over to share my vino and raise a glass to all those who blog about bucks.
What do you think? Who wins Showdown #2? Submit your vote now and let us know. Base it on whatever you'd like: the better answers, the better blog, the most inspiring, the funnier, whatever. Either way, they're both awesome and I really REALLY appreciate them putting up with my antics taking the time to answer these for us :)

Labels: blogger showdown, girl stuff

[Guest post by Kathryn Vercillo.]

Attending a wedding can be a really pricey affair. You have to get a gift for the happy couple. You have to make arrangements to attend the event which frequently means traveling somewhere and/or losing time from work. And you certainly want to show up looking your best which may mean getting new clothes and having your makeup done. If you know more than one person getting married in a wedding season then you can find yourself struggling to work out your budget to allow you to attend their special events. It's important to be smart about how you do your spending when it comes to attending a wedding.

The easiest thing to save money on is your own appearance. Unless you are a part of the wedding party, you can find something affordable to wear that is appropriate for the occasion but that doesn't cost you an arm and a leg. Going for a vintage look, re-using an old outfit, purchasing an item that can be returned, borrowing wedding clothing and getting your look on sale are all methods of making a smart choice on your wedding clothing. Remembering that the day isn't even about you also helps to put into perspective how much money you should be spending to get dressed up for a wedding.

Getting a vintage dress (or suit) to wear to a wedding can be a really great option. Many of us want to wear special outfits to special occasions like weddings but it doesn't make sense to go out to buy a brand new dress that you're only going to wear once or twice. Getting a classic vintage dress/suit from a used clothing store (or an online reseller) allows you to select something really beautiful without paying full price for it. The other major option for reducing the cost of a new outfit is to make sure that you purchase a dress that is on clearance sale.

Instead of simply reducing what you spend on your wedding attire, you can actually eliminate the cost altogether through a few different methods. If you have something in your closet that has only been worn once then it may be appropriate to wear it again to the wedding. This is particularly true if the wedding is for someone you don't see often who would never know that this dress has been worn. Alternatively, you can borrow a nice dress from a friend for this occasion. Or you could go the route of purchasing a new dress, wearing it with the tags on and tucked in and then returning it for full-price when the wedding is over (J: Hah! Sneaky sneaky). The only problem with that last option is that if you ruin the dress then you won't be able to return it.

Your wedding attire is the easiest thing to avoid spending money on, but you can save money on the rest of the wedding as well. Reduce travel costs by booking tickets early and sharing a room with other guests while you're there. Select a wedding gift that is stylish but at the lower end of the budget on the wedding registry. Primarily, it's all about being conscious of how much money you're spending to attend a wedding. The fact is that this day isn't about you so you don't have to spend a lot of money to impress people there. Be your usual stylish self and keep a frugal mindset, and the day should go just fine!

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Kathryn is a writer for Promotionalcodes.org.uk which gives away free voucher codes (like this Laura Ashley Promotional Code) and also publishes money saving ideas. She recently brought us the "Top 15 Frugal Living Twitterers" as well!

Labels: frugality, girl stuff, guest post, saving, thrift stores, wedding

There comes a time in all boy's lives when we have to own up and get an Engagement Ring. The time when love populates the air and all in the world is right. It's been some time since i made this adventurous trek myself (2+ years), but the memories are still vivid as the day I lost my power ;)

You see, up to the point where the "exchanging of the ring" occurs us men have all the power. As soon as that bling is snug on that finger though, the woman sucks it all up and we convert into cute little puppy dogs! haha....i dont' really know what that means actually. I guess what i'm trying to say is it feels good going out there and being a man by putting that ring on your other half. (much better stated)

But if you've ever gone down this road before, you know of the crazy obstacles that lay in your way of the "perfect" ring. In fact, my man Doctor S over at Finance Your Life is about to go down it himself! So in honor of this beautiful time in his life, I shall unleash my 3 main tips that I can only hope will help him & all others down the line:

1. The Type of The Ring
Diamond cuts, princess cuts, colors, clarities, certifications, the variables go on and on. If you're able to do so without spoiling the surprise, I'd highly recommend going ring browsing w/ the lady so you can get an idea of what she likes. As long as you get the big ones down, like the cut and if she's a "silver/platinum" girl over "yellow gold", it would be pretty hard to go wrong. And she may not even know what she likes all the way - it's not like she's been shopping for them all her life! Well okay, a few probably have, but you get the point ;) Or you can actually pick it out and buy it together if your one of those types. Either way, just be sure you have a decent idea.

2. The Cost of The Ring
Some say it should be 6 paychecks worth (3 months), while others say it should be 6 months worth. Wanna know what I think? MALARKEY. I don't care what anybody says, you go out there and get a ring that you can afford without killing yourself. If the girl really truly loves you, she'll admire and cherish it for the rest of your lives together. And if you can only afford a little compared to what you WISH you could give her? Then save up and get her another on your 5-year anniversary. I know someone that's waiting to save up thousands and thousands of dollars because his girl won't accept anything less. WTF? Seriously, something's wrong with that picture.

You don't wanna go in crazy amounts of debt when you're about to start a whole new life together. Cuz you have to remember, the ring is just the BEGINNING! What comes next is a whole bunch of wedding planning, gift giving, honeymoon picking, etc etc...If you can barely afford a shiny new ring, you're gonna have a lot more trouble when the wedding comes around Do everyone a favor and be smart about it :)

3. Financing The Ring
Cash is definitely king here, but I don't know many that have this sorta cash just laying around. If you're one of these people, ask about financing it @ the store/site you'll be buying it from! There are some maaaaad deals out there, esp. during times like these. I was able to secure an interest-free loan for an entire year which saved me a LOT of heartache. I just divided up my payments by 12 so that by the end of the year the balance would be down to zero. It was basically like a credit card line of credit where the interest would jack up to 20%+ after the period ended - so be VERY sure it's paid off by then ;)

Okay, that's all i got for ya this round. I could seriously go on and on here as there's just SOOOOO much you can get into, but ima stop before this gets any longer. I can totally feel word vomit coming on here ;) You can find other wedding goodness I've previously posted about here too if it helps. And if you have anything to add, please do so! Us boys can certainly learn a lot more...

Labels: advice, girl stuff, love, wedding

I know it's October 14th, and not Feb 14th, but can't you feel the love in the air?!

Maybe it's because of the market surge yesterday, or the fact that i'm tired of being pissed off at our wedding photographer, but today's a new day, and it's time to celebrate!

And while Valentine's day is still a good 4 months away, I figured it can't really hurt to list a few ways to impress your other half. Us guys need all the help we can get anyways ;) And $hit, you can even try some of these out on any old day if you're a Valentines hater - it can only help your chances of being a p.i.m.p/princess!

I'd like to warn you, however, that if you're not in a lovey/gooey mood at the moment, you might want to avert your eyes as it may make you barf ;) in which case, check out who PT Money's voting for in November. (you'll enjoy it)

10 Cheap Ways to Woo Your Other Half:

1. Spend the day at a mall, and take some silly Photo Booth pics together! You win with this every time :) Especially when you look back at it down the road.
2. Pick up two matching goldfish, and name them after yourselves. Cutest/cheeziest thing i've ever written. (but damn if it's not sexy!)
3. Lightly spray some of your sweetheart's favorite perfume/cologne in the bed. Key word being "lightly" here. If done right, however, it does wonders for the sensory glands!
4. Guys: Write a love note on the back of your business card and slip it in your girl's purse. Just make sure to make it out to HER name, and not another...you slimy ba$tard.
5. Sprinkle some rose petals from your door to your dining room. Then enjoy a super romantic dinner together...or dessert! hahaa....ahh, i crack myself up.
6. Ladies: Slip a dirty note in your man's wallet when he isn't looking! This one seriously rocks! I have yet to experience it (hint, hint), but it would be a totally great surprise.
7. Always look your sweetheart in the eye when you tell them you love them. It seems simple, and i have no idea if i do this at all, but ima start doing it and see where it leads me :)
8. Celebrate your anniversary by putting a "Just Married" poster on your car. Pretty cool, eh? Dorky, but cool.
9. Write a poem to your sweetheart and have it framed. Then give it to your other half on an ordinary day! Or on Christmas eve like i did...when i proposed to Mrs. Budgetsaresexy (it works!).
10. Pretend to pick up your girl/man at a bar! This is one of my all time favorites :) I like to use pretty lame one-liners and see if i can get the Mrs. to crack. And it's not like it really matters, i mean she's gonna go home w/ you anyways!

And there you have it - 10 ways i woo'd Mrs. Budgetsaresexy! haha....she wishes ;) I actually have tried out a few of these w/ great sucess, but something tells me i'll be doin' the rest in the very near future! As for you all, complete them as necessary my friends (in the voice of John McCain), but either way - have a splended rest of your day out there!

Labels: girl stuff, love, one of my lists, randomness 3000, saving