If not, these websites offer discounts of 50% off or more on anything from restaurant meals to spa services as long as a minimum number of people buy the deal. The offers change daily, so there’s something for everyone! Definitely consider signing up. I’ve saved tons of money on these types of deals!

Have you ever used one of these group buy websites?

Have you visited your local Goodwill Store lately? If you haven’t, you’re in for a surprise!

Most Goodwill Store sell tons and tons of dishes for practically nothing! A few months ago, I spent $2.50 on three different dishes, which was a total steal. Plus, there’s usually an interesting mix of styles and colors, so you can always find something unique and different to add to your dish collection.

Here are a few things that I keep in mind when shopping for dishes and other home goods:

• Have a plan: Before I even set foot into The Goodwill Store today, I had an idea of what I wanted to buy. Walking into a huge store with tons of stuff can be totally overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what you are looking for. I narrowed-down the “playing field” by looking for dishes and other housewares.
• Be open-minded: Even though I had a game plan, I kept my eyes open for unique finds, unexpected gifts, and really good deals while shopping at The Goodwill. You never know what you might find!
• Take your time: The Goodwill Store had so much stuff to sort through, but I took my time to take a good look at everything. Don’t be afraid to move things around– you might uncover some real treasures!
• Carry cash: Not all thrift stores accept credit cards, so I made sure that I had cash on me. When I’m armed with cash, I’m much more selective about my purchases. Plus, the whole point of shopping at a thrift store is to save money, so I didn’t want to spend too much!
• Second-guess yourself: Before I purchased my items, I took a minute to consider each one. I questioned each item’s purpose, how much I would use it, and whether it’s a good deal or not. I ended up putting back a small teal bowl because there really wasn’t anything “special” about it. Plus, I have a zillion bowls for oatmeal.
• Wash before use: Especially with dishes, I make sure to run them through the dishwasher before I use them for the first time. I have no idea where they came from and how many different hands touched them!

What are your shopping strategies for thrift stores?

A pillowcase also prevents mildew from forming because moisture isn’t trapped inside, which sometimes happens with plastic covers.

Trading Up Downtown Giveaway

Thanks to everyone who entered this week’s giveaway! Here’s your winner: 59!

59. Jill E., on June 23rd, 2010 at 3:48 pm Said:

i add use nutritional yeast on my mac and cheese to beef of the cheese taste while using less cheese. also i love adding peas, or broc (100) or spinach all work really well.

Congrats, Jill! Please email me at thaupert@nuval.com with your full name and mailing address to claim your prize!

Here’s what I do:

I take the price of the item and divide it by 100. This is the number of times I plan to wear an item for me to consider it a smart purchase. For instance, a $350 winter coat might seem expensive, but if I wear it all winter long, year after year, I will easily wear it 350 times, which works out to be $1 per wear. In this case, the investment is totally worth it.

On the flip-side, I spend much less money on trendy items that will go out of style in a season or two. I love Target and Kmart for fun, fashionable finds, but I rarely spend more than $20 on them.

The same thing goes for trendy accessories. They can instantly jazz-up an outfit, but they typically go out of style pretty quickly, so I don’t spend much money on them.

Looking at my closet, I’ve learned that some of my most expensive purchases were actually the most reasonable (i.e. black pants from Banana Republic that I’ve worn at least 100 times) and some of the items I thought were a bargain were not such a good deal after all (trendy wedges from Payless that went out of style in one summer). Now when I shop for clothing and accessories, I always consider the price per wear before I buy anything.

How do you save money on clothing and accessories?

If your linen napkins are at all like mine, they’re stained and ragged from dinner parties and general everyday wear and tare. Instead of just throwing them away, I’ve salvaged the good parts of my napkins by cutting off the stains and frays to make a set of coasters.  Just follow the directions here. It’s so simple!

This also works with old, stained tablecloths. I have a bunch of those as well!

Anyone can exercise for free. Tie up your sneakers and go for a walk or run. Hiking and swimming are totally free ways to get moving. Practicing yoga outside in the early hours of the day cost nothing. You get the idea. Exercise doesn’t need to be expensive.

Ok, so maybe this week’s Deal of the Week doesn’t seem like much of a deal. But, if you’re looking for some free ways to mix things up with your workout, check out these ideas:

• Exercise TV. For Comcast subscribers, ExerciseTV is a free television service. Each month you can select from hundreds of workouts from top trainers and across all fitness categories, like abs, dance, cardio, yoga, walking and more. Just go to your On Demand menu to find ExerciseTV.
• Sign up to coach a youth sports team at your local YMCA. In addition to getting a workout with your team, you may also gain access to the YMCA facilities.
• Seek out your local high school. When team practices aren’t in session, you can typically use the track, tennis courts, or football field to exercise. Personally, I love running up and down the bleachers of the football field. It’s such a good workout!
• Check out specialty sport retailers. Running stores often host free weekly runs and stores like Lululemon offer free yoga classes. Don’t hesitate to ask your favorite retailers if they offer similar activities like this. More often than not, they do!
• Get a part-time job at a fitness club or yoga studio. Typically, you can use the facilities for free and you’ll make some extra dough at the same time.

Trading Up Downtown Giveaway

Thanks to everyone who entered yesterday’s Peanut Butter Lovers giveaway! I loved reading everyone’s comments. Here’s your winner: 40

Sara, on June 2nd, 2010 at 12:11 pm Said:

Oh Peanut Butter, how I love you!  My lastest food love is fresh pineapple (99). It’s so cheap during the summer and so delicious and refreshing.

Congrats, Sara! Please email me with your full name and mailing address at thaupert@nuval.com to claim your prize.

This particular pair of jeans had more than 6 years of memories attached to them. They had been with me through good times and bad, and I was very sad to see them go.

I bought these jeans back in 2002, and they were the first expensive purchase that I made after graduating college and entering the “real world.”

This purchase was a really big deal for me. I remember saving my money for weeks, and being super excited when I went to purchase them. I proudly wore these jeans for years.

Over the years, my “good” jeans became my “casual” jeans and then my “weekend” jeans, and eventually, it was time to say goodbye. I guess I loved them too much. They were paper-thin, frayed, and starting to get holes in multiple places.

If you think about it, more the 6 years of wear (and tear) is pretty good for a pair of jeans. And, let me tell you, I wore these jeans A LOT!To be honest, I’m surprised that they lasted as long as they did!

So, how were  my jeans able to live such a long life? Here are some tips that helped my jeans last:

• Wear 3-4 times before washing. (My jeans usually stretch out before they get dirty.)
• Wash in cold water on a gentle setting.
• Turn jeans inside out to wash them. (The dye comes off when it rubs against other items.)
• Air dry or tumble dry on low heat.

Ok, I’ll admit it. My dog, Murphy, is spoiled. He’s so adorable, it’s tough not to give in to his shenanigans and spoil him rotten. Let’s just say that he lives a very comfortable pug life.

For instance… Murphy makes himself comfortable whenever he pleases.

He enjoys tastes of peanut butter straight from the jar.

And has 20+ toys that he can play with whenever he wants.

He’s definitely spoiled. Good thing he’s cute!

Murphy loves to chew his toys. In fact, I find myself throwing away a destroyed dog toy at lease once a week. So, instead of buying him new toys, I’ve made him a couple of homemade ones that he really loves.

Dishtowel Dog Toy

From Real Simple

What you need: Three laundered dish towels and scissors.

What you do:
1. Cut an inch-wide strip from one short end each of two towels.
2. Bunch together the three towels and firmly tie one strip around an end to join them. Tightly braid the towels, then tie the other end with the second strip.

Also works with: Napkins and orphan socks, for smaller pooches.

Sock Dog Toy

What you need: 4 old socks

What you do:
1. Roll up 3 of the socks into balls and put them inside one of the socks.
2. Tie the top of the sock into a tight knot.

Bonus:
The sock dog toy also makes a great pillow for a tired dog.

Trading Up Downtown Giveaway

Thanks to everyone who entered yesterday’s giveaway! Here’s your winner: 9

9. Courtney, on May 20th, 2010 at 8:10 am Said:

In the summer, I love adding fresh sliced strawberries & blueberries with a little feta cheese, pecans, and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. YUMM! Homemade croutons are awesome too.

Congrats, Courtney! Please email me at thaupert@nuval.com with your full name and mailing address to claim your prize.

The clutter really started to drive me crazy, especially since I was constantly trying to work around it. So, I finally used two wicker baskets to get things organized. One basket is for all of my stuff and the other one is for my husband’s stuff. Now we put our things in our respective baskets and place them on a shelf in the dining room, which makes our apartment look so much cleaner.

What are your favorite get organized tips and tricks?

Trading Up Downtown

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway! Here’s your winner: 105

One day, however, it occurred to me that my favorite dishtowels don’t get enough use in our house. So, I thought about where and how I could include them in the decor. Check out what I did! Doesn’t it look nice?

Placing a colorful dishtowel in the center of my table instantly brightened up the space. This little dishtowel trick is great, especially when entertaining guests. It makes the table look much more special. Plus, you get a pretty centerpiece from a staple already in your home.