~*♥*~Cheapanista~*♥*~

I love Louboutin’s just like the next girl and I honestly wish I actually owned a real pair instead of the pixel pictures I clip online and drool over. But seriously what good does it do you if you have to save up for them and still need to spread the remaining payments on plastic? I mean they are just shoes! Pretty, amazing shoes I’ll admit gladly but if your ass can’t afford the damn shoes, dress or fabulous condo for that matter why stretch yourself thin?

I get it! Trust me, I do. We all want to look our fiercest. We want to stand out, we want to blend in with the in crowd and be “wicked” but what we fail to realize is that you can’t be cool for too long before you start dodging phone calls- from India of all places, paying overdraft fees on an empty tank and wishing you’d ignored the urge to get the designer harem pants you thought you just couldn’t live without (remember, the ones your mom said make you look like you have giantballsitis but complimented your navel ring so well?). Well honey let me tell you, the only thing you can’t live without in this world is your Iphone, I mean, a happy you.

What stops most of us from saving more and wasting less money is the fact that as the spoiled bunch we so obnoxiously are, we thrive on instant gratification and with the credit card companies bombarding us daily with the message that it is actually cool to buy today and worry about it later (or never if you are not afraid of jail) We spend blindly and give away our money, our power. So embrace your inner Cheapanista because by making the effort of putting more of your money where it actually belongs (in your pocket) you will thank yourself later- when your crumbs add up and actually get you something worth spending on.

When talk turns to saving money, people tend to freak out or the task just seems too daunting so we quit- before we even started and because frankly not living it up or “making it rain” just feels like punishment or worse, dieting. But spending less is nothing like dieting (or exercising). On the contrary, saving money is like getting the Dr. 90210 treatment; all the fat, rolls and handles we loathe lypoed and injected everywhere we’d like to see lifted and plumped- for free. So go ahead. Put that dollar back into your wallet and remember, one cookie just wouldn’t hit the spot right enough anyway. Share

For as far as I can remember, my mother has always called me cheap. Even though I get my bargain hunting ways and love for layaway from her, she always chuckles when talk turns to my spending habits. But what my mother failed to realize- at least until recently, is that there is not only a method to my madness, but that this madness always gets me my money's worth.

For you see, I am a proud cheapanista. One who strives to look good without going broke in the process. From vacations to the shoes I won't live without, I am a firm believer that just because nothing in life is free it doesn't mean that we have to pay full price. I live for 75% off stickers, outlet malls and budget stores like Marshalls, TJ Maxx and yes, the occasional thrift and when it comes to getting more for less, let's just say that like any smart Cheapanista out there, I know my way around overpriced merchandise and how to get the look I desire for less, much less.

I am not talking about frugally recycling toilet paper or forgoing tooth brushing à la Jessica Simpson. I, along with countless people out there simply enjoy sticking it to designers, airlines, food chains and honestly, any business out there that values us as costumers who pay less than we should and get rewarded with coupons and buy one get one free deals. The same companies who like and appreciate me just the way I am: a fashion lover on a budget.

So if you know the thrill of hunting down a matching purse with the money you saved from buying those hot shoes on sale and the high from finding designer duds at Marshall's cheaper than you can on Ebay, you are not alone sister! You are a cheapanista: a cheap fashionista. Share