Money on my mind

Hey folks. I've finally returned to the blogging world. While gone away though, I have the pleasure to tell you, I've been working diligently 40 hours a week at my recently acquired job at Stylesight, a fashion forecasting website specifically geared toward fashion manufacturers, stylists, designers, and those working within the fashion industry.

After receiving my first paycheck I quickly ran to one of the many furniture stores in (the mall-like) Steinway street where I live by, and purchased an awesome pillow top twin mattress which came with a box spring, bed frame, delivery, and assembly (for FREE, might I add). Horray!

The following week I went home to Va Beach for Thanksgiving, and after spending some quality time with family, friends, and my boy friend, I again went shopping. Not ordinary shopping. My day began at 5 am and I visited 2 malls consecutively, then Target, then went shopping again the next day. Black Friday weekend was a binge of materialism that I haven't experienced in a while and my super-full suitcase was accompanied by two totes filled with new clothes. I get a call from my sister on the bus ride home telling me I forgot another set of clothing. And for some reason, the Sunday of black Friday weekend I thought it would be a good idea to buy the last set of shelves that I desperately wanted for my tiny NY room. So I visited Target for the 2 seemingly-light-but-apparently-super-heavy shelves and lugged 5 blocks from the subway to my apartment...in the rain.

After my shopping sprees, and then paying my rent, and I reailzed that I've lost touch with the old Karen who scoured the free section of craigslist, made gifts from what she already had, and whole-heartedly would have celebrated Buy Nothing Day rather than gone shopping at 2 malls consecutively.

Now that I've had my shopping binge, I'm putting myself on a shopping diet. If this interests you too, make note of the following list of helpful sites I really appreciate plus some other good things:

1. The free section of Craigslist. Some good stuff, some bad stuff, all free though.
2. The Dollar Stretcher. Its an ugly website in a designers point of view, but content is full of tips and advice on a saving money. I've seen a few great articles in there.
3. Readymade and Craft Magazine blog. Work with what you've got to create something out of seemingly nothing. I'm getting back to my crafts for Christmas, I think homemade presents are much more sentimental anyways.
4. The Home Economiser's section of tips. Another ugly website with beautiful content. Lots and lots and lots of good tips.
5. Freecycle.org. An online community that gives away the stuff they dont want anymore, simply to avoid anymore contibution to landfills. Join today! It's free. Ha.
6. Love to know. Lots of good ideas on how to save up and then some on other topics.
7. Wikihow's section of Managing your Money. Is there anything that Wikipedia doesn't explain?
8. Businessweek has this good article. I just found it, but it has some good tips.
9. Kiplinger tips: "Save Money on Practically Everything."
10. The Simple Dollar : 100 Great Tips.

I think ten is good enough for now. But if you google "save money" theres just so much. I'll leave you with a cute picture.



















My favorite necklace consists of a few old charms from when i was a kid.