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Interesting New Find: JbandMe

JbandMe has an intriguing layout and cool options that immediately had me heading to the "About Us" section. Conceived by a mother-and-daughter team, this site combines fashion-forward items with a touch of practicality, making them strong contenders for fresh fashion.

Brights and neutrals end up hanging out rather harmoniously in this online clothing shop, which was launched after Maribeth VanZalen and Jamie Grasman developed their Michigan location for "real life" customers. Now Jbandme has been able to develop both their onsite features, which now include a Denim Bar and an extensive beauty area, as well as that made available to us online.

But what makes JbandMe a great find, exactly? I'll tell you why below!

(These Sweetie Jeans are pretty intriguing. . .)

I love the Style Notes: These Style Notes are a great resource for getting your jeans to fit, and fit well. From flared to skinnies, Jbandme lists the fits, the back pocket placement, sizing tips, and photos of each described piece for your convenient. Did you know that William Rast jeans can be ordered a size down? Now that's refreshing for the self-esteem!

The Blog is Fun: A lot more sites are incorporating blogging into their ecommerce sites, and that's perfect when you're looking for a dose of personality at the site. If you're used to bantering and bickering with your local sales staff, at least you'll feel like the personal shop environment has remained.

The Home Decor Division is extensive. China, decorative hangings, and pillows? It sounds like we're going to have to stock up when we get to Jbandme, which has expanded their sales and offers with their recent growth.

**Tip:** The Kobo Zest Candle is one of my top choices for spring decor. It's available in plenty of scents and comes with a highly decorative tin for later use. If one I could get myself one in plenty of colors for spring.

Affordability: If there's one thing that no one wants to admit in the "right" company, it's that deals really do make purchases matter. There's nothing wrong with saving big from your favorite shops like TJ Maxx, and Jbandme.com provides an opportunity to search for the perfect, inexpensive item and skip around without the guilt.

Organized Shopping

It's Monday, you had a great day at work and all you can think about is going to the store and using all of those coupons you clipped just the day before. Not to mention you used your lunch break to day to surf couponwinner.com to get a whole lot coupons and shopping suggestions. Now you think you're ready to go and shop till you drop. Right? Wrong. The key to being a truly savvy shopper is organization. It is not savvy at all to purchase things that you don't need and it is just a waste to add more items to an already over crowded space like a closet or a refrigerator. Just like we have learned to organize our coupons, we need to organize our closets and our refrigerators before we go shopping. Utilizing this technique will lead to better shopping habits and cheaper shopping bills.

For that family refrigerator you must have it super-duper organized and ready before those Monday evening grocery shopping fest. I know it is tempting when we have great coupons for Shedd's Spread or the coveted rare Coca Cola coupon, but if your fridge is already stocked up with these products it is useless to get more regardless of the coupon savings. In actuality you are indeed over spending. But what you do need to pick up in the store is a lazy Susan that you can add to your refrigerator that you can put maybe all of your dairy items on or all of your endless supplies of salad dressings. This will make locating things much easier as well as making the best out of your space. The next thing to do is to make sure that all of your leftovers are in a central location together. For instance, stack all of your leftover foods on the middle shelf. This way you will be able to visibly see when you need to discard older items versus them being lost in the back of fridge. Not only that, but the items will be able to be picked up quickly for a quick snack or of course making morning lunches.

One of the hardest things to do is to group your items together in the refrigerator. This concept seems exceptionally tedious and nerve wrecking, but is very beneficial for time management and organization. Grouping all of your cheeses and spreads and condiments and of course juices together allows you to make better choices, and more rapid decisions as you see all the selections. Although this process may seem a little anal, it is not that difficult if you label the shelves inside your fridge. It doesn't have to be some long-drawn out alphabetical, scientific masterpiece. Just a simple solution of what goes where on a piece of masking tape. Therefore, everyone in the house can be confident that they are each playing a role in keeping the household refrigerator organized. The last step is to straighten up the refrigerator and throw things out right before you go to the market. This process ensures that when you come back with your new products there will be enough space. Plus, more than anything, as you throw things out you will remember what you need.

All of these concepts also apply to your clothes closet. By organizing what you have by color and grouping the items together you can keep yourself from looking like you have on the same thing. This process keeps your from buying a million and one pink sweaters and allows to realize that you don't own a pair of white or gray pants. Organization is a must for the savvy shopper's total appeal.

by Tiffany J. Prewitt

Your Spring Fun Shopping Checklist

Let's face it: shopping on a budget isn't always fun. While we all love to search for deals, a strict budget can be a little boring when you face restrictions. While it's always better to buy quality basics than stock up on cheap little goodies, you may need a pick-me-up now and again to indulge yourself in some trends. Spring is one of the very best times to do that.

Spring buys mean lots of accessories, bags, and fun do-dads like charms and cool tights. I've compiled a list of some looks that can really give you a boost without maxing out your credit cards.

A Little Clutch
A soft metallic gold clutch can really tie an outfit together. Find one with a wrist strap to keep it anchored while partying, and to keep it safe if you are slightly forgetful. The brand Hype has lots of purses with subtle stud details and thin chain handles for well under $100 at Bluefly.com. A Lulu Guinness purse is another choice for a tiny clutch with style. Designs are slim, but they combine tiny patterns with white spring-friendly trim.

Pearl Earrings
Get pearl earrings—fake or faux—in a dropped style. They will add subtle sophistication to one of spring's trendiest styles like a strapless '40s gown in a bold floral. A teardrop shape will elongate your neck and can be worn both day and night.

Yellow Flats
Yellow is so in for spring. For any of us who have to buy a new pair of shoes (or two) for spring, combine two trends in one and save. Shop for yellow flats that combine a small bow at the toe or a more stylized shape. Wear your yellow flats with your Audrey Hepburn style capris for a weekend trip.

Sparkly Chandelier Earrings
Sparkly earrings can be found in almost any department store, but why spend the time searching? You can find a great collection on sites like Earring Planet. Freshen up your favorite spring look with a beaded pair of earrings with very vintage appeal.

Delicate Gold Chains
Gold chains can really dress up your basic jersey dresses. Wear them with a deep scoop or v-neck bodice to show them off, and match them with a big fat cocktail ring to go along with it. I found some stunning examples on Shop.com.

by Meieli Sawyer Detoni

Smart Shop

You just got paid. It’s time to hit the malls, right? Wrong! Although we all love to shop, adore coupons, live for sales and can stay in the mall from 10 am to 10 pm, we all must learn how to become the smart shopper. There are certain rules to becoming shopping savvy, and let’s face it, …going to the mall with a fresh paycheck and money that should be used to pay off various bills burning in your pockets is not the way to go. Because as you know, this is the time when temptation is greatest…when everything in the mall seems to be at your reach—financially; however, getting out of debt is becoming further and further out of reach.

The first step to shopping smart is to actually make a list. This is the number one rule no matter how big or small the list is. Never try to remember even one item. We all have suffered at the hands of going in to Wal-Mart thinking we’re picking up only one lonely item, but yet, leave with a bill over $100 and a basket filled of items that you may already have at home, items that you did not really need and items that you thought were a good deal. Needless to say, often we do not even have a place to store such items. This is why a list and a pen is a necessity when it comes to shopping. By surveying what you have and what you need before you leave home and making an accurate list you do not fall into the pit of over shopping—which is not smart. Also, by organizing your list you are better able to use coupons thus adding even more savings. By knowing what you are purchasing a head of time you can check out circulars and clip coupons for those items. Every little bit helps. The most important part of making the list is abiding to it and using your pen to check the items off your list. After everything has been removed from your shopping list, DO NOT purchase anything else. If you feel you have missed something, start a new list for your next trip.

Window Shop. Ever run to the mall and buy three different shirts and realize the next week that they all look the same or find several items the very next day that you liked a lot better? This is very common for people who make rash decisions in shopping. Never hit the mall with a pocket full of money without a plan for what you are going to spend it on; therefore after you make a list of what you need go window shopping…broke. Buy browsing through stores with your checking account on empty and leaving all credit cards at home you will truly weed out items that you really don’t want vs. the items that you love or need. Not too mention, after window shopping in various stores and malls, items that you thought were a good deal, may not have been so great. Checking stores that you often don’t visit may have even better deals. This is a must for purchasing big ticket items like furniture and electronics. Ask all the questions that you can think of at that time. Make sure that there are no hidden expenses so that you can compare prices and budget in the item that you really like the most. Also remember to check out the papers for sales and ask the sales reps at the stores if the items will be going on sale soon. Believe it or not, more times than not, the sales associates will give you that information. After window shopping, price comparing and gathering pertinent information on the items, make rational choices on the items that you want and of course, go home and make that list. When you have done proper budgeting and picked the best items, go back to the stores with your list and pick only those items. Make sure that you only bring enough money for the items that are on your list.

By following these two simple rules you will become shop smart in no time and your wallet will thank you for it. Remember, this does not mean you can’t shop, or you will not be a shopaholic anymore; actually it is just the opposite. Go ahead, shop till you drop, just smartly.

by Tiffany J. Prewitt

Tips for Dealing with Holiday Debt

Of course, everyone starts the Christmas shopping season with the best intentions. You swear that you are going to make a budget, and stay within it. You swear you will not buy those little extras you see on sale for family and friends. You ban gifts at the office, among friends and neighbors. But, no matter what you think you will do, you always end up overspending and then having to pay off that debt the following year.

Here are some tips to help you pay off that holiday debt faster.

Find out how much you owe. Add up the credit card bills and other bills so that you know exactly how much money you need to catch up on that holiday spending. Once you know how much you owe, decide how quickly you can pay it off.

What is the easiest way to find that extra money you need? It is by cutting back on the little luxuries in life, such as eating out, buying expensive coffee, turning your thermostat down a degree or two, etc. Nearly anything that you can live without or seriously cut back on for a couple of months will allow you to pay off that debt quicker.

Decide to pay it of quickly. Instead of spreading the debt out over six or seven months, try and pay it off within two or three months. This will save you money on interest charges, and it will also make it easier to go without those little luxuries because you know it is temporary.

One thing that you can also do is start preparing for next Christmas. Instead of waiting to shop in the fall, start shopping as soon as you get your debt paid off. If you see something that is perfect for your mom, buy it now. It is one less thing you will have to find the money for later.

Another great choice is to open a holiday savings account. Many banks offer this feature. It is a special savings account that allows you to save money throughout the year. Around the end of October, the money is available for you to spend, along with the interest that it has earned.

by Christena Palmer

Avoiding Impulse Buys!

We all think that we are good shoppers. I have seldom met a woman who would admit to being otherwise, and for the most part, we do pretty well. Women are smart consumers and generally know how to search for bargains and get their money's worth. But there are always some things that we can do better. One area that we can all use a little help with is impulse shopping. We are all guilty of it, but knowing how to avoid it or at least be smart about impulse items can help you spend less when you see those tempting displays.

Of course, the smartest piece of shopping advice is to decide what you plan to buy ahead of time, and then avoid impulse shopping at all costs. Retailers make a ton of money offering items as impulse buys, because people will see an attractive display and think, "Oh, I need that!" or "Wow, what a great deal!" Chances are if you see something that is an impulse item, you probably didn't need it in the first place or it would be on your planned list. That is not to say that I am completely against impulse shopping. I have found some great deals on clearance items, great birthday presents for kid's parties and other things. What I am saying is that if you see something that is not on your list; give it some careful thought before you purchase it. Don't pick it up right away unless it is the last one in your size or style choice. Give your rational mind some time to see if it is something you really need or just want.

Impulse shopping is not all bad. For instance, if you see an impulse item that will replace an item you have that is too small, faded, worn out, out of style, etc., then it is not really an impulse buy. Check the price. Sometimes impulse items can be had for deep discounts, and other times, they are not on sale at all, just placed in a high traffic area to attract customers. So if you see an item that you have been meaning to replace, and the price is right, go ahead and buy it. I found a really great basic black skirt this way. I had another skirt that had gotten slightly faded and I wanted to replace it. When I found a cute black skirt in my size on the clearance rack at J.C. Penney, I bought it. The price was right, (it was 17.99), the cut and style were perfect and it was also machine washable, which is one of my personal rules for clothing. I am a wash and wear kind of person, and clothes that need to be dry cleaned are not something I generally buy. Knowing you have an actual use for the item is a good reason to give into an impulse buy that is well-priced.

As I said, impulse buying is not always a bad thing. However, you need to give yourself time to think through the decision to buy the item, and decide how you are going to be using it. Factor in the price, and you have yourself a good model for avoiding impulse buys unless it is something you really do need or simply can't live without.

by Christena Palmer