Category Archives: Fashion & Beauty

Layaway Plans for Christmas plus Kmart Layaway Coupon

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Layaway plans are back in fashion.  With credit cards either maxed out, cancelled or simply tucked away, consumers are looking at layaway as a means to having at least a little something under the Christmas tree.

Out of the big stores only Kmart’s layaway service is there for consumers.  Target and Wal-mart want consumers to use their store credit cards meaning a “ho-ho-ho” now will turn into the Grinch stealing 2009 trying to pay it off. 

In fact, Kmart has even gone so far as to hire Kate from the TLC cable show Jon & Kate Plus Eight to be their spokesperson for the service.

How layaway service work?

Kmart Layaway CouponIt’s pretty easy actually.  Since Kmart layaway is the topic today we’ll outline their program.  Select your items as you normally would but instead of regular check-out, go to the layaway counter.  You pay a $5 layaway fee and a deposit – normally 10% of the total and/or a $10 cancellation fee – and you must return every two weeks to pay on the balance.  You have eight weeks to pay the balance in-full at which time you can take your items home.  If you don’t make the payments every 2 weeks or miss paying the balance in-full by the end of 8 weeks, you will get a refund minus the $15 (layaway fee + cancellation fee).

To give a little encouragement, Kmart is offering a $5 coupon you can print here (requires Adobe reader to display and print the PDF) valid in-store October 24 – November 30, 2008.

How are you saving money and cutting costs?

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Chances are if you’ve come across this article you are either a) looking for ways to lower your expenses or b) looking for MORE ways to lower your expenses. 

In good times and bad, the rationale of “if some is good, more must be better” rings true.  In times of big spending, consumers spent B-I-G.  In lean times, when we make cuts, we cut D-E-E-P.

The San Francisco Chronicle’s site, Home & Garden Editor Lynette Evans put a call out to residents asking “How to save money” in these rough economic times.  You can find the compiled list along with reader comments (including mine – give it a vote up!)

I wanted to toss out the same question to readers here and on Twitter – How are you saving money and cutting costs?  Post your best ideas from home & garden, credit/debt, groceries, utilities and more – we’ll take ‘em!

No-Spend Zone: Freebies on Craigslist

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I’ve gone and done it.  I’ve hit ‘free’.   Yes, in one week – a free haircut, a lawnmower (not involved in said haircut) and plants for the front yard.

Why is ‘free’ good if you’re at a store, but from used or other sources is frowned upon?  In order to stay within my budget this week I went to a new extreme – Free on Craigslist.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m trying to landscape on a budget.   This week I wanted to get more plants in the ground and was trying to figure out how to get the lawn mowed.  

You have to love Craigslist for these tight financial times.  I searched for lawnmower every morning and today I hit the jackpot – FREE.  I called immediately and arranged the pickup.  It’s old and crusty and has seen better years… but since I’m not making it a centerpiece in my living room, who cares?  Best of all, it cut the grass just fine.

I’ve been searching for perennials, specific ground cover plants, herbs and shrubs.  I was having some success but finally created a Wanted listing with all of the different plants I was hoping to find. 

I am in need of perennials, shrubs and trees for my landscape on little budget. I’ll look at almost anything!

Ideally I would like to get:

Perennials – especially salvias, coral bells, lily of the valley
Privets
Carolina Laurels
Emerald Carpet Manzanita (or other varieties)
Trailing rosemary
Trumpet Vine or Honeysuckle Vine

Trees:
Italian Cypress

If you are in need of having your landscape thinned, I’m willing to dig these out and lend a hand in your landscape effort in exchange for the plants. If you have these to sell, I don’t have a lot but still want to hear from you on availability amd price.

Within a few hours I had four offers to come and take plants and shrubs.   Later that day I arrived home with roughly $60 worth of agapanthus and salvias – all for free.  They look great in the yard.  Slowly but surely I can get a front yard for very little.

This weekend I’m borrowing a weed whacker from a neighbor to clear our hillside.  The labor on this alone would have been a few hundred dollars.  The neighbor also has a chipper, so no fees to have debris hauled to the garden recycling center.   More money not going out the door.

Finally, I faced the reality that $70 haircuts (yes, that’s right) are way outside of the budget.  I love my stylist and she has cut my hair for over 13 years.  I feel a sense of betrayal but tough times call for tough measures.  I searched Craigslist for haircuts and there were a few in-training stylists in the area.  I called, went and came back with an OK cut.   On a scale of 1-10, I’d give it a 6.75.  I can live with that.

So the lawn is cut, my hair is cut, a few flowers are blooming… why do I still feel so glum?

Beauty Gifts on a Budget

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Bath & Body Works Bubble BathI received a mailer today from Bath & Body Works about the big semi-annual sale.   It’s probably a good time to stockpile for upcoming birthdays and other small gift-giving occassions.  I’m all for gifts under $10.

Bubble bath is 3 for $10, normally $9.50 each.  At that price, it’s less than buying at the local grocery store and excellent for tossing in a bag with a bow for a gift. 

Check out the sale items here.