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    Holiday Guides, Tips + Tricks

    How To Save Money During The Holidays…

     

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    The Holiday season is quickly approaching + that means time to get ready, get set, SHOP!

    While I love shopping, I find shopping during the holidays a bit stressful…why? Because I am always trying to get a good deal + never want to miss out on getting the best gifts for the lowest possible price. So many of us spend, spend, spend + while I am all about splurging on others during the holiday season, I think it’s super important to shop smarter…not harder hehe :p That’s why I am rounding up some of the best ways to SAVE $$$ during the Holidays!

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     1. PLAN PLAN PLAN

    This may sound silly when it comes to Holiday shopping but just like with anything else in life, making a plan helps you achieve success! It’s important to make a clear list of what you need to purchase ahead of time so you aren’t just buying random gifts, decor elements etc without covering what you actually need. So many times I get easily distracted while online or in store shopping + then I completely forgot important items I actually needed to buy!

    Easiest way to get started? Create a note in your phone and break it down based on people you are buying for, decor you need etc so you have everything you need in ONE place + when you shop online or in store, you can reference that list and even jot down who has what and for what price.

    Rather than make purchases right away, I tend to search around, wait + then pounce when the time is right (usually Black Friday or Cyber Monday – or sometimes even closer to the holiday when stores are trying to get rid of inventory)!

     

     2. RETAIL ME NOT

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    I absolutely LOVE Retail Me Not! In case you haven’t heard of this amazing site / app, Retail Me Not helps you find the best deals + promo codes from pretty much any retailer. About to shop at Macy’s and need a discount code or heading to Old Navy and don’t have any coupons?

    Simply download the Retail Me Not app or head to the Retail Me Not website, search the retailer you are shopping at + BAM you can select to find either in store or online offers and you can then see all deals, sales and promo codes in one convenient place. So many timesI whip this out at the register + find a coupon to save me money just by searching the retailer!

     

     3. EBATES

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    OK…I don’t know if you have seen countless commercials for EBATES but when I saw them I initially thought ‘is this a scam? no way does this work’ BUT guys I am here to tell you, EBATES 100% works + helps you save money + make money on your purchases online AND in store! 

    Here is how it works: Head over to the EBATES website, set up an account + add the extension to your browser. It’s that easy! When you set up your account you can add your mailing address to receive a check with the money you’ve saved on purchases or you can enter your PayPal account to receive it that way. Basically as you shop on various websites, the extension will pop up telling you to ‘Activate Your cash back‘ – it will tell you the cash back percentage that retailer gives on certain types of purchases + once you click the button to ACTIVATE, the rest is just you shopping as you normally do. After you check out, you’ll get an email from EBATES telling you how much money in cash back you earned + usually within 30-60 days you get it in your account! How great is that?!

    In the year I have been using EBATES I got over $500 in cash back on purchases – you can even use EBATES on sites like Expedia, Hotels.com, Groupon etc – the bigger the purchase, the higher the cash back.

     

     4. GROUPON

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    I am sure by now ya’ll are pretty familiar with Groupon. I love it for getting discounts at places where I want to try new services or vendors (mainly spas, activities like Escape Rooms etc). While I LOVE purchasing for myself whenever there is a good deal, I have found Groupon to have really competitive pricing when it comes to products your loved ones may have on their holiday wish lists, upcoming travel you want to do or even decor or home essentials you need for entertaining family + friends.

    Other than finding great gifts for everyone on your list…Groupon helps you save money when entertaining visiting family + friends with deals at local restaurants, bars, activities + more! When my brother visited over the summer I was able to get us awesome deals on mini golf, escape rooms + more.

    Groupon is great for gifting as well – I have bought spa packages via Groupon as gifts, beer or wine tastings etc and every recipient has LOVED it! Now-a-days everyone is into experiences so Groupon makes a great gift option.

    P.S. Groupon also has a Groupon Coupons section – similar to RetailMeNot where it gives you the best deals + promo codes.

     5. Honey

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    Show me the…HONEY! haha like what I did there? :p

    If you haven’t heard of JoinHoney.com here’s a little overview. Basically, similar to EBATES, Honey requires you to make an account + add an extension to your web browser. When you go to shop at any retailer online, the Honey extension will blink + activate to tell you if the item you are looking at has went up or down in retail price AND even if another vendor has the same product for a cheaper price. How cool is that?! It is pretty amazing how awesome technology is now-a-days.

    Honey also will share various promo codes with you when you are at the checkout stage of a purchase so you can see if any of the codes it knows of will apply to your purchase!

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    ♥ HAPPY SHOPPING ♥

    Do you have additional ways you save money during the holiday season?! I want to hear from YOU!

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    Fashion, Shopping Guides, Tips + Tricks

    Tips To Investing In A Designer Bag…

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    Chanel | Gucci | Dior | Louis Vuitton

     Happy Tuesday Loves…and most importantly Happy National Handbag Day! ♥

    If I got to come up with all of the national holidays, they would pretty much always center around handbags haha Honestly what holiday is better than one where we get to celebrate handbags in all their glory? Some may think my love for designer bags is a bit crazy (just ask my boyfriend haha when I spent over an hour in Chanel during our recent trip to Paris he was not enthused to say the least haha #oops – I mean come on…it was CHANEL in Paris – how did he expect me not to have a major OMG moment? hehe :p)

    In honor of this special day haha I am sharing some of my favorite bags I have invested in over the years + I am sharing my tips to purchasing the designer bag you have been lusting after (it can happen – trust me!)

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    The highlight of today’s post is my most recent purchase from my European excursion – my FIRST ever Chanel bag. I have literally dreamed of this moment for years + the fact that it finally happened in Paris of all places was like a fairytale moment for me haha (ok now I really do sound like a handbag addict #sorrynotsorry)

    On the subject of dreaming of a certain bag, this brings me to my first designer bag tip…

    1.Research + Save!

    There are a ton of bags out there by a ton of designers with a ton of different functions. What I find most helpful when contemplating a big handbag purchase is to evaluate when I would wear the bag, what occasion, how often etc. When spending a pretty penny on a bag you want to make sure you get good use out of it. That’s why I typically wait a couple of months before purchasing + if my lust for the bag is still there, then it is meant to be.

    I have dreamed of purchasing a classic style Chanel for years (I even set a goal for myself that I would be able to purchase one – without living out of a cardboard box hehe by the time I was 30). Why Chanel? Easy…it never goes on sale, it will always retain it’s value + other than Hermes (which is my next goal haha), it is pretty much the best of the best when it comes to an investment designer bag to purchase ♥

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    That brings me to this beauty…the Louis Vuitton Pouchette Metis. I have been lusting after this bag for a YEAR, yes no joke a year! When my boyfriend first got to London, I asked him to visit Louis Vuitton to see if it was available anywhere in the UK since I had been on waitlist status at LV in the US for months. Lucky enough…I got lucky in the good ole’ UK + the rest is…well history hehe and a good story!

    Why was I lusting after this bag? Easy – it is a classic style that is perfect for everyday wear + because it is such a commodity to get your hands on now-a-days, it retains it’s value (yes ladies + gents, handbags are an investment :p)

    This brings me to investing in a designer bag Tip #2…

    2.Carefully choose your style!

    This may sound silly, but this ties back to tip one…it is quite important to think carefully before picking you color, pattern or print of bag. For example, Gucci has been very eclectic lately…meaning the bags are brightly colored with funky patterns etc. Those styles are a trend, they will not be in style 5 years from now (let alone a year from now) however, a simple black Chanel bag or signature monogram Louis Vuitton will rarely got out of style since they are classic styles that aren’t ‘trendy‘ per say :p

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    Tip #3…

    3.Bigger is ALWAYS Better!

    Hey now, get your mind out of the gutter hehe I am referring to the size of the…bag! Do you ever go to the movie theater + the person at the concession stand tells asks you ‘Would you like to upgrade your combo to a large for just $.50 more?‘ 9 times out of 10 you say yes don’t ya? Why? Because it’s a no brainer, for a little amount more you get double the serving. Funny enough, that same logic applies to purchasing a designer bag.

    I didn’t start buying ‘smaller’ designer bags till this last year – after I already invested in larger bags that have tons of room + functionality. Usually the next size up when it comes to designer bags varies between a few hundred dollars, so if you are iffy on whether you need the extra space or not, I always say GO FOR IT! I have never heard anyone regret going a little bit bigger + having the extra room.

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    Funny enough – my first job when I was 14 was scooping popcorn at my local movie theater (so I used to have to up sell everyone to a large combo haha) Anyways, with all of those up sells, I would get a $.25 commission added to my paycheck…I saved up all of those checks to purchase my first Dior bag the summer before I started high school! And that brings me to my next ‘tip’ or rather fun fact…

    4.Every Bag Has A Story!

    My bags always have a story behind them. I can tell you where I purchased it, why, when, etc. I usually buy one new designer bag a year + each bag is a milestone for me. For example, the Dior above was the first designer bag I purchased for myself ever.

    Below is the Gucci bag I bought on Rodeo Drive when I first moved to LA…every bag tells a story, which makes them so meaningful to me as corny as that sounds…

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    Below are some of my current favorite bags I have purchased over the years…What is your favorite bag story?

    Also, check out my roundup of designer ‘going out bags’ under $1,000 HERE

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