STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

lynnie · Chanel

how "cheap" are you? Where are you utterly frivolous?

Kitty · Hermes

RE: how "cheap" are you? Where are you utterly frivolous?

Aurora · Marc Jacobs

- Electricity: I tend to not run the heat or air as much as possible. Ceiling fans and blankets are what I use the most.

- Laundry - Like you mentioned wearing things more than once. I try to stay away from dry clean only items

- Food - I'm trying to eat more store brand versions of the same items as the namebrand stuff such as kroger tuna helper vs. the real tuna helper. I also comparison shop and bargain shop for these items. This week I found perfectly fine oatmeal at target on sale for 75 cents.

I will not skimp on fresh fruits and veggies. I shop wholefoods for these as the things I buy from kroger have been rotting in less than a week.

- I also recycle my water bottles by putting tap water in them and bringing them with me to work and running errands.

- After the last bad manicure I received I think I will be going back to doing it myself.

- I only watch movies via netflix. Going to the theatre is too expensive.

- I usually make meals on the weekend and freeze them for later. Saves money as I can bring lunch vs. buying it. The crockpot is fab for this.

- Lately I've been signing up for free samples instead of buying deoderant and other items like that. Walmart usually has free weekly samples you can sign up for.

Maddie · Coach

I'm not that cheap of a person at all. I'm a college student so I'm far from rich, but there's very little that it pains me to spend money on.

A few things I'm cheap about...

Transportation...I will always take public transportation or walk before getting a taxi unless it's absolutely necessary. In Sri Lanka I even started walking the two miles from my house to town because I didn't want to pay 16 cents for the bus.

Entertainment...I went to the bowling alley the other day with some friends and just sat there and didn't play because it was $2.50 a game plus $3 for shoes. I also always go to this movie theater that's really far from my house because it has $3 movies that are usually already on DVD.

Toilet paper, light bulbs, etc...I also steal this from my parents or my school.

Toiletries...I can't imagine paying $16 for a Philosophy body wash. The scent doesn't even stick around! I think Pantene shampoos and conditioners are as good as anything else that I've tried, as is Cetaphil face wash.

Movies...I never buy movies. I don't see the point in it, I will inevitably get sick of them.

Things I'm frivilous about...

Food...I love nice restaurants, gourmet and organic groceries.

Alcohol...I'm not ridiculous about it, but after spending my first two years of college drinking Natty Ice and vodka that came in plastic jugs I like getting microbrews at bars or nice alcohol for my house.

Books...I always come out of a book store with something and I like the experience of going into some little shop rather than ordering them online. I also have a weakness for coffee table books.

Little things for my apartment...I've gotten really into collecting things from places I've been to have in my apartment. I figure these are things that will always be useful and remind me of wherever I got it.

Suprisingly I actually fall in the middle with clothes and am mostly pretty sensible.

squishy · Coach

cheap:

-beauty stuff. i don't wear much make up or use a lot of hair product, and i get along fine with drugstore shampoo/conditioner
-movies at the theater. $12?! are you kidding me?! there's a lot of good stuff on TV, anyway...
-clothes. i'm not averse to spending for quality, but i can't pay full price. it's a disease. i need it on sale with a coupon code, or else i end up returning it.
-shoes

frivolous:

-books. i don't feel bad spending money on quality books

-fresh produce/groceries. yum!
-electronic gadgets. i don't spend that much, since i buy at a discount or on sale, but i'm a big fat geek at heart.
-presents for other people. i feel bad spending money on myself, but not half as bad if it's for someone else. i have no idea why.

luckylily · Gucci

Stuff I save on:

Shampoo & Conditioner - I love the Garnier Fructise Line
Event food - We always bring our own food into games and things.
Movies - We go to maybe one a year.
Jeans - I'm still not completely on board w/ the high end jeans thing. If I do buy a pair, I always use a code or buy on sale.
Books - I love our public library.
CDs - Erm...almost everything is on the internet.
Car - I'm not into cars, I ride the bus or walk almost everywhere.

Splurge:

Sports - We go to a lot of Seahawks games and several Vancouver Canucks games every year. I'd go to more hockey games if the drive was shorter. On that note...
Cable - Gotta have my NHL Center Ice package so that I can watch every game if I want.
Shoes - My most expensive shoes are my most comfortable shoes, so I'm not afraid to pay a little extra for a pair.
Yarn - If I'm knitting something for myself I don't like to settle on a yarn that isn't exactly what I want.
Rock shows - I live for good, live music.

I can't really put clothes in either catagory. I probably buy 80% of my clothes on sale, but I'll definitely pay full price for something I really love that I'm pretty sure will sell out before it goes on sale. I can't categorize food either. I like to buy organice produce and good meats, but I find that if I buy it at the farmer's market I can get good prices.

Sevilla · BCBG

Stuff I'm cheap about:

1. Toiletries: I only buy shampoo, conditioner and body wash from drug stores and Target... although this may be changing since my grandma just got me some Philosophy Amazing Grace body wash that I'm about to try

2. Car: I would rather drive my 97 Civic till the wheels fall off than have a $400 payment every month.

3. Groceries: I'm content spending $40 a week on the bare minimum

Stuff I'm frivolous about:

4. Eating out: Hence the penny-pinching on groceries

5. Coffee: Everyday at 3 in the afternoon I walk down the street from my office to the Starbucks or the Caribou and get a white chocolate mocha as my mid-afternoon pick-me-up. It really seems to make the day better!

6. Books: I love the look and feel of a brand new paperback, something I just can't get if I buy them used

7. Travel: I'll spend wayyyy more than I should on a great trip and the activities that go along with it. I literally spent every penny I had in my pocket to go on a horseback riding day trip in Mongolia once... but it was worth it

8. Clothes: I try to tell myself that I don't need them with all my other bills, but that always falls by the wayside somehow when I come upon something that's cute and cinched in at the waist!

kenzie · Chanel

Here's my list:

I'm totally cheap when it comes to:

~ Make-up. I just do not see the point of expensive make-up. I don't wear that much anyway, so drugstore brands are just fine with me. I'll also scrape out every last bit before I'll buy more.

~ Same goes for hair products. I don't use that many and drugstore brands are fine by me.

~ Food, in general (meaning, groceries). I always buy store brand and I rarely buy any meat. Honestly, I still eat like I'm in college. Not that it's not healthy, I just hate spending money on groceries.

~ Clothes. It's either deeply discounted or from a place like H&M. I get bored easily and don't have money to throw away on clothes at this point.

~ Stuff for my house. I'm not much of a knick knack person, so I never buy anything for my house. And everything except my couch is from IKEA.

~ Entertainment. For a big night out, I usually pregame with friends at my house.

Stuff I splurge on:

~ Going out for lunch. I can't help it. I go out at least 3 times a week. My job is so stressful, that it's just nice to get out and have lunch with someone a few times a week.

~ Cable. I have the premium package.

Uh, yeah. I don't splurge much. I'm sure I will once I find another job and don't have to live like a freaking pauper anymore, but for now it's cheap, cheap, cheap for me.

NCshopper · Hermes

Cheap:

Entertainment: We have the basic cable (20 channels for $15/month, supplimented by Netflix). When we do go out to see a movie in the theater, we go to the matinee and don't get any snacks--we smuggle them in.

Transportation: I drive the same 1997 Honda Civic that I drove in high school. I still love it.

Hair products: I use Suave shampoo and steal the little hotel bottles.

Food: We eat great food, but we buy it cheap at Costco. Where else can you buy 9 pounds of oatmeal for $5??? (I'm not kidding. Nine pounds.)

Frivolous:

Makeup: I like all the products I get at Sephora and I looooove Philosophy body washes. They're like a little luxury for me.

Beer/alcohol: We like good beer and I especially love good wine. We generally buy $10 bottles, but I have no problem buying a nice bottle for a special occasion.

Other than that, I think I'm a pretty middle-of-the-road shopper. I like to get a good deal, but I'm willing to pay a bit more if I need to to get what I want. Luckily, there's just not that much that I feel the need to pay more for.

Kelly · Hermes

RE: how &amp;amp;quot;cheap&amp;amp;quot; are you? Where are you utterly frivolous?

Sandy · Kate Spade

RE: how &quot;cheap&quot; are you? Where are you utterly frivolous?

erin · Chanel

RE: how "cheap" are you? Where are you utterly frivolous?

bumblebee · Coach

i'm not really cheap anout very many things, because i feel like i work hard and should enjoy myself (although my bank account does not accurately reflect this philosophy!).

scrimp:
-some makeup (i prefer cheap mascara, eyeshadow, eyeliner, etc.) but i do have splurges here, too (anything that may be absorbed by my skin like concealer or foundation).
-public transportation--now that i live in a city that has a bus/metro system, i do make a concentrated effort to use it rather than taking cabs.
-electricity--i am pretty good about wearing sweaters or blankets instead of turning up the heat.
-i am actually pretty sensible about clothes, try to wait for a sale or coupon, etc.
-i talk myself out of buying things for my house all the time. i'm not sure which category this falls into because i would happily buy this stuff all the time, but i literally don't have anywhere to store it now, which is obviously a deterrent.

splurge:
-hair. ugh, this is a bad one. i feel like no matter how broke i am, it's the one thing i can't forgo. plus, i started going grey at like 24, so there's a lot of upkeep every 8 weeks at a minimum to maintain the illusion of blondeness!
-skin care--i have sensitive dry skin that is very fair, so i use all the good stuff.
-shoes.
-gifts for other people--i can't help myself.
-food and drinks at restaurants and bars and wine delivery for home and keeping my bar cabinet fully stocked for when friends come over.
-travel. it's not like i even go on blowout luxe tropical vacations, i just bankrupt myself visiting friends and parents and attending millions of weddings.

Lilykind · Hermes

Ways I'm cheap

Transportation: I'm a HUGE public transit advocate and I prefer to use it or walk to any given destination. I can't drive, so I save a lot by not having to worry about insurace/car payment, etc.

Coffee/snacks: I will only have Starbucks if someone else is paying for it. Starbucks is frequently charged to whatever TV show/film I'm working on. It helps that most of the snacks I adore are pretty LA-centric (weird Japanese snacks from Famima!!, Pinkberry frozen yogurt) so I can't get them when traveling.

Hair: I love having highlighted hair but refuse to shell out 100+ to get it done and maintained. I also wait as long as possible to get haircuts, so I end up paying $75 every 3 months or so. I use drugstore hair care products and since my haircuts are generally wash and wear, I save a ton by not needing straighteners/curling irons/hair styling products.

I work on location as an accountant so I can get per diem and free housing.

I'm all about owning secondhand stuff. I'm always game for free things, especially if it's stuff like vintage Chanel and Ferragamo shoes.

Travel...I hardly do any of it.

Body Care: I use Dove soap most of the time, and Aveeno moisturizer. I sometimes splurge (like with my Bliss Spa addiction), but I can definitely be happy with drugstore.

Utilities...I like to keep as many lights off as possible. My BF thinks I live in the dark because I keep turning off lights as he turns them on.

House stuff: I am the Queen of LACK furniture from IKEA. Why would I spend a ton on my coffee table when I can support my full body weight on my $16.99 LACK one.

Electronic Gadgets: I buy as neccessary, but I will do everything in my power to fix what I already own beforehand.

Ways I'm frivolous

Clothes: I justify buying quality pieces...I can generally resist Target and F21 type places, but I love having quality jeans, coats, shoes, and purses in my wardrobe.

Shoes: My feet are wide and I need shoes that have a lot of give and will stretch out.

Skin care products for face: I love me my Sephora. I also love me some Kinerase at $137 a tube.

Spa visits: I LOVE my facials and massages and body treatments!

Food: I don't like eating crap when I go out, so I end up going to a lot of really nice places but spending a lot of money.

Magazines: I buy off the stand because I want to be the first to have it. I'd subscribe but I kind of never know where I'm going to be at any given time.

montmarte · Kenneth Cole

Splurges:

clothes- I'll get a piece of clothing if I absolutely love it and can wear it for a long time, regardless of price.

shoes-same as above

books-I love artsy/home decor/travel books

vacations

Cheap on:

haircuts-$30 at a local salon, usually 2-3 times a year

transportation- I don't have a car so i take metro

Eating out-usually go to mom and pop type of restaurants, stick to water instead of drinks

Skin/body products- Neutrogena and Aveeno lotion

Entertainment-usually stick to low key stuff-walking around the city, biking, sitting at cafes with friends, going to free foreign movies at the freer or netflix.

sephorablue · Marc Jacobs

Things I am cheap about:

-Hair color. I, too, started going gray really young, and I have really dark hair, so it's a moot point--if I went to a salon as often as I needed to touch up my roots, I'd be spending $1000 a year on hair color. So L'oreal it is.

-Alcohol. I don't drink much in general, so it's not like a conscious sacrifice, but I rarely buy drinks. If I'm having a nice meal I will sometimes get one glass of wine, but that's it, and if I'm out at a bar I will get one bottle beer and nurse it all night. Plus we never have to buy wine for home cause we have people over a lot, and they always bring bottles with them!

-Transportation. Until I turned 28 I would take the greyhound home to DC... it was cramped and miserable but I couldn't stomach paying so much for the train. The past few times, I've sucked it up and taken the train, but the next time I go home when it's not a holiday (i.e. when the bus station is likely not to be as much of a zoo as it is during the holidays) I'll probably go back to the bus.

-Manicures & pedicures. I love a nice manicure but it gets so expensive if you do it regularly, so I've invested in some fancy DIY stuff and have gotten to the point where I do a pretty darn good job myself.

-Waxing. I'd just as soon shave and save the money.

-Hair & body & skincare products. I generally use drugstore stuff, with an occasional splurge.

Things I spend on:

-Clothes/shoes/bags. I find that cheap stuff looks bad and wears out quickly; to me it's worth the money to get something that's good quality.

-Makeup. This one I am mixed on, because I buy nice makeup, but very little of it... I don't experiment a lot and tend to stick with something until I've kicked it. I use drugstore eyeliner & mascara, but high-end foundation, blush and lip gloss, because I really find that the nice stuff in those categories looks and feels much better on.

-Travel. Not that I spend freely while I am traveling, but by allocating big chunks of money TO travel, I am splurging.

-House stuff. I have the same attitude to this as I do to clothes--I'd rather invest in something nice than something I'll get sick of or have to replace. When we moved into our new place this summer I got some dish towels, table cloth, potholders, etc. at anthropologie that were insanely expensive for what they were, but it's been worth it to me because they're so pretty and they make me happy every time I look at them.

AbsolutPrep1981 · BCBG

RE: how &quot;cheap&quot; are you? Where are you utterly frivolous?

greendiamond · Marc Jacobs

RE: how "cheap" are you? Where are you utterly frivolous?

BargainQueen · Marc Jacobs

Cheap:

Clothes/Shoes/Bags: I don't buy anything thats not on sale unless its from a cheapie store like F21. When I buy shoes, I try to find another site to match the lower price to get them cheaper. Since I live in L.A. I usually dont need boots until Dec so I can hold out for sales. If I ever buy something at regular price it's cuz I really need it and waited til the last minute to buy it. There are so many styles and options out there, I dont see why I should spend over $100 for a bag. If I made twice what I made now, I would maybe rethink that.

Baby Clothes: I was really bad when DD was a couple months old, I was a sucker for all the cute baby girl outfits, but then I discovered ON's mega 50% xtra sales and clearance racks.

Groceries: I use coupons when I can or buy sale products. I just think about all the money I save can go towards fashion purchases.

Water: I refill my water bottle at work and make DH fill up our 5 Gallon thing outside the grocery store for 35 cents.

Travel: We hardly travel, mainly cuz we rather have a permanent place to live 1st, but after we have our house, I will still look for the absolute best deal for a hotel, etc. I hate shelling out several hundreds for a flight, I feel like I'm just throwing it away since I'm not physically getting anything in return, I'm just getting a "ride" somewhere.

Books/Magazines: I get all my mags from ebay-- nothing beats $3 a year.

Furniture: We still rent so I dont see the point in spending a lot to decorate a place thats not mine, I go to Target & Marshalls for nice inexpensive stuff. I scoured thrift stores and craiglist for vintage furniture for DD's shabby chic room.

Electronics: I usually wait long enough for DH to get sick of me looking for a bargain and he'll buy it instead.

CD/DVDs: I agree, dont see the point as I quickly get sick of them, I just get the music from DH.

Skin care/Make up: I buy it all at Target/drugstores when I found out most department store brands also make identical stuff for drugstores (ie: Lancome vs L'oreal)

Splurge:

Entertainment: Movies, Restaurants, Concerts mainly cuz DH is a last minute person and drops the news on me and gives me no time to plan. I asked him a month ago if he wanted to go to a comedy tour thing and he never said anything until now that the tix are twice as much.

Diapers: I try to use coupons when I have them, but I have to buy brand name cuz store brand dont cut it and caused us a mess when we did

Shoes: Its in CHEAP cuz I dont ever spend more than $100 for them, but everyone around me thinks I spend too much.

Work Clothes: I will spend A LOT more on work clothes for client presentations and business trips than my regular clothes.

Car: I'm SO ready to retire my '00 and get myself a new one, but I have to wait til we buy a house. I wish I were ok w/driving a car until it runs to the ground, however having an extra $400 a mth sounds temping too.

Utilities: I hate feeling uncomfortable so we always keep the heat at a minimum at 71 and air in the hi 60s. We only had local channels growing up, so DH & splurge on cable/internet.

Toys: No explanation, I'm just a sucker for those puppy eyes.

cahabo · Kate Spade

I'm pretty cheap on just about everything!

Especially cheap on:

*Entertainment- I never go to the theaters to see a movie. Maybe once or twice a year and that's it. I don't go to music or sporting events either. For DVD's and CD's I'm in the BMG and Columbia House Clubs. They always have new CD's for like $4.99. Plus getting all those freebies at first totally outweighs the price you have to pay to fulfill your obligation.

*Shoes, Clothing, and Accessories- I NEVER pay full price! It will go on sale. Also I don't buy the high end stuff.

*Beauty- I don't like to pay more than $20 for a haircut. Plus I buy drugstore shampoo, bodywash, etc. Exception is when Bath & Body Works is having a great sale. I always stock up then!

*Eating out- Places like Applebee's is about the limit for me. Even at that I tend to order the cheaper meals.

Frivilous to me:

*Facial care- I must buy Olay wet facial clothes, daily facials, and face moisturizer. To me this is a splurge when I know I can get a generic brand for nearly half the price.

*Fresh fruits and veggies that are not in season where I live so they can be quite expensive. I just don't want to go all winter without my strawberries and my daughter has to have raspberries too!