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Eat, drink & be merry for half price

If you like to explore our city's entertainment and restaurant options, you're in luck! Restaurants and other establishments want to see city-goers happy, and also want to see them in their venue.

And why wouldn't you try out a new restaurant, get a massage or visit a favorite diner when you can do so on the cheap?! Chicago Half/Off offers certificates to restaurants, salons, spas, fitness centers and more for - you guessed it - half off!

CBS Radio Chicago runs the site and thanks to them, you can do more in the city for less! There are a limited number of certificates for each deal, so if you see something you want, make sure you buy it before it's out-of-stock.

Each certificate has its own rules and restrictions, so read the fine print before making a purchase. A current sampling of the deals include Ed Debevic's, Edwardo's, LaSalle Flower Shop (this is for you, boys!), The Hunt Club and The Comedy Sportz Theatre.

There are other sites that offer similar deals, like Half-off Deals (make sure you click on the right city! There are a few to choose from), Drive Deals from 97.1, Half-Price Chicago and Chicago Emmis Deals (which is used by Q101). On all of the sites, processing fees are added to the total and some require the certificate to be mailed instead of printed by the user.

Most of the sites seem to get their stock from Half-off Deals, so you'll see a lot of the same certificates, but it's worth a shot to check out multiple sites if you can't find what you want!

Now that the weather's starting to perk up, it's time to really enjoy the city!

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

Valentine's Day gift ideas, city-style

It's the month of love, so celebrate! Here are some Chicago-based ways you can treat him, her and for all my single ladies, yourself.

- Head to the Art Institute. It's free all day, every day for the month of February, so go gaze at the art and at each other. Since it won't cost a penny, maybe you can talk your date into buying these bracelets from the Museum Shop. Adorable! There also are free February events and programming.

- If you're OK with waiting 'til the last minute, shop at The 900 Shops tax-free Feb 13-15. Bring this passand shop at one of the participating stores and you'll get a 10.25 percent discount. Located at 900 N Michigan Ave., there are more than 45 participating stores, including J. Crew, Michael Kors (!) and United Colors of Benetton, and most stores will apply the discount to sale items. Plus, if you get your parking ticket validated, parking will cost $10 for the entire day. Tickets will be validated with purchases at the sixth floor concierge.

- If you still aren't sure how to celebrate, visit UnScene. It's an online urban navigator that emphasizes independent business. They believe in exercising individuality, building a stronger community and supporting independent businesses and I do, too! You won't find any franchises here. It's broken down by city, so click on Chicago and make a selection by business type. Want to buy your Valentine flowers? There's a store for that. Get a tattoo? There's a store for that, too! There's also apparel, books, coffee, cuisine and wine, furniture, galleries and theaters, gifts, hair and beauty, health, home decor, hotels jewelry - whew! And even more categories than that. Support your community and show someone you care.

What are your plans?! Staying at home with ice cream, movies and your girl friends does count! Actually, it sounds like the perfect evening.

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

 

Get physical: $5 fitness magazines at Amazon

Update: While the deal below has expired, Amazon also is offering $5 and $10 promotional gift certificates with the purchase of certain magazine subscriptions. View the titles here. The offer expires Jan. 31. Have a great Sunday - off to the Oriental Theater to see The Addams Family with my mom and sister! If you're in the mood for a Sunday theater day, check out Hot Tix, where you can find half-price theater tickets. xo, lm

Amazon has quickly become my favorite place to find deals on magazines. I signed up to receive e-mail alerts about their magazine deals, as their $5 magazine sales are great for presents ... and to treat yourself sometimes.

Right in time for the new year, they're offering a year subscription to these fitness magazines for $5. You can't join a health club for $5, so this is an inexpensive alternative to joining a gym this year, or a nice supplement to get advice on remaining healthy throughout 2010.

The titles include Eating Well, Fitness (my mom and sister's favorite), Vegetarian, Yoga and Backpacker, and the deal expires Jan. 9.

Click here to make your selection!

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

Of coupons and cleaning

Besides nearly losing my mind when I moved, I also lost my Swiffer. A trusted friend and duster, I knew I needed to purchase a new one as my apartment has wood floors, and although my ma may tell you otherwise, I'm a bit of a clean freak. Even a little anal, some may say.

My most recent money-saving tactic has been to search for printable coupons online before I go out to buy something. I logged online and - alas! - I found a whole coupon book of cleaning products. 

Although there's not a coupon for a traditional Swiffer, there is a coupon for a free pack of refills when you buy a Swiffer and other offers for Cascade, Dawn, Febreeze and Mr. Clean products. They expire in March 2010, so sign up and keep those dust bunnies at bay!

If you want to clean up other areas of your life, say, your eyebrows, I suggest a visit to Charles IFergan salon, 106 E. Oak St. The salon offers amazing deals through StyleChicago, and so far I've received a free hair cut and a free eyebrow wax, both of which were desperately needed.

After trying to cut down on my beauty expenses by visiting a beauty school and then a discount hair chain (works for some people, but my curls did not appreciate either haircut. I looked rather horrid), I went to Charles IFergan with a coupon and got a much-needed beauty overhaul!

With hairs cut and pulled, I felt fierce and rejuvenated. If you're looking for a new place to get pretty, Charles IFergan is offering 50 percent off any hair cut, color or spa service. There's also a number of other deals geared toward new and existing clients. Make sure to mention the deal when you call and print out the offer so you have a hard copy to show the receptionists. Then, get beautified!

And don't forget to use the Internet to your shopping advantage! You can save (and buy that dream condo sooner than you thought!) by searching for printable store coupons. I've recently found coupons for Nine West and Victoria's Secret, and there's all kind of others out there!

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

Movin' movin' on up! The search for moving boxes

There are few things I dislike more than moving, and next month I'm doing so. To try and make the process as painless as possible, I started sorting through my items three weeks before the big day. Everything's ready to be packed, there's just one problem: I have two boxes.

I don't want to buy boxes so I headed to the Internet and, alas, there are plenty of resources for free moving boxes. In case you're in the same boat or will be soon, remember these sites and you won't be stuck packing your items in garbage bags.

FreeCardboardBoxes.com - You have to register but it's simple and after you're signed in, you can look through posts of people trying to get rid of boxes and e-mail them through the site's message system. There wasn't a huge amount of people looking to give boxes, but it's worth a shot.

Freecycle - Register, join the Chicago group and start searching!

Craigslist - It's home to ... everything ... and two years ago when I moved, this is where I found all my free boxes. Look under the free stuff section and see what you can find!

Stores - Of course, you can always go to retail stores for packing boxes. Most retailers get shipments every day, and instead of throwing boxes away, you can use them! Stay away from grocery stores, as you probably don't want your possessions in a box that was filled with food.

That's what friends (& family) are for - Send out an e-mail and see if any of your friends or family members have boxes they're looking to get rid of. Maybe they'll even offer to help you move!

I would suggest searching for boxes toward the beginning of the month, when the majority of people who have moved are unpacking their goods. And don't forget to recycle your useable boxes and offer them to people on one of the above sites! Happy packing!

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

Reward yourself: Use programs to your advantage

My Coke Rewards made my day yesterday. I had been saving my bottle caps for months, maybe even a year, letting them pile in my cabinet. I finally got around to visiting the site yesterday, and if you drink Coke products (I go through stages of being a Diet-Coke junkie), you should join!

You'll have to save up points from cases and bottles, and then you can redeem them for Blockbuster rentals, a magazine subscription, restaurant gift certificates, donations to causes and more! There's no fee to join.

Here are some more of my favorite rewards programs:

Blue Points - I participate in wellness and healthy living through my Blue Points account for BCBS of Illinois (my insurance carrier), and it adds up to points that lead to presents! I was kicking myself a couple months ago when they were offering tickets to a Broadway in Chicago show! See if your provider has a similar program. Free to join!

CVS ExtraCare - Seriously. It's the best. Ever. If you watch the ads and only get things you need (make sure this is the case with all of the rewards programs. Don't spend more than you normally would just to get a reward.), you can save big. At one checkout, I got $15 in extra bucks, which is like a gift certificate to the store. Costs zero to join!

The Body Shop's Love Your Body - I've raved about it before and will again. Not only do you accumulate points for purchases, which add up to monetary gifts to spend in the store, but there's also special events, free samples and other perks. It does cost $10, but you get a $10 gift for your birthday.

Bars' reward programs - I belong to the Full Shilling's club and got a coupon when I joined, an entree on my birthday and invitations to special promotions. My beau joined Mystic Celt's program and got a $20 gift certificate on his birthday! Free to join!

Do you use any rewards programs? Which are your favorite?

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

Less money, more fun on vacations

The word vacation brings up feelings of excitement and fear. Beaches? YES! Beach-bar prices? NO! As the summer's coming to a very chilly end, here are some ideas and quirky advice to stretch your end-of-summer and fall vacationing buck:

- My girlfriends and I take a trip every Labor Day. The last two years, we've flown to a destination (image above is our infamous NYC trip two years ago). This year, we decided to go recession-chic and opted to vacation in a quaint Michigan town. For two nights, our grand total is $59 a girl and we're buying groceries instead of eating out. Forget popular destinations. Think outside of the box and you can find great deals in cities with amazing charm. If you still want to hit up a well-known destination, see if it's cheaper to stay at a hotel near the destination, not in it.

- I don't like bugs, bugs or bugs, but I do love bonfires, smores and grilling out. Instead of staying in a hotel, enjoy Mother Nature and camp on your trip. You'll save loads of cash ... but bring some bug spray. And close your tent so the spiders don't crawl in. Eek!

- Do your friends or family live in different parts of the country? Take advantage! Some of my best vacations have been visiting friends across the nation. It's nice to see a friendly face ... and to room for free. Bring your best houseguest behavior!

- Results from a recent Best Buy poll show one in five of surveyed adults own a smartphone. Make sure one of those smartphone owners are with you so you have access to Google maps (lifesaver!) and other sites to find activities and deals in your vacationing area. Then, carefully tuck cell phones away and vacation like it's 1989. No cell phones allowed.

-Pink slips didn't scare these women. While I do admire their fearlessness post-layoff, I don't agree with their budgeting. Taking a lavish vacation is a no-no when you have no funds coming into your checking account ... or your savings. Take note of their confidence but instead of heading overseas, go on a themed road trip (only stop in cities that start with the letter M!) or to a state park. Beauty at a budgeted price.

Do you have Labor Day plans? I can't wait for my girls' (recession-chic) getaway!
xoxo,
Lisa Marie

Decorate, dress en Vogue for less

Thanks to a rain-filled mini-vacay in Michigan this weekend, I was able to lounge and read my Vogue in its entirety. In the designer-filled pages, I found three fantastic home and accessorizing ideas:

1.) Andre Leon Talley covered Prada's newest collection and detailed every inch of the models' clothes. Each model wore shoes that were outfitted with silk scarves as ankle straps. The scarves had whimsical prints and made a bold statement. To get the same chic look, you can buy two matching scarves and slip the fabric through loops in a pair of strappy shoes, or tie them around your ankles to give the illusion of a strap. To complete the look, knot the fabric and let it hang down a bit, adding a lot of attitude to a simple outfit. Here are some pictures to help build a visual!

2.) Frame wallpaper to make wall art. Similar to using canvases and fabric to make wall art, but a little more refined since it's enclosed in a frame. You can buy frames in all shapes and sizes and frame different wallpapers. To keep the look from getting messy, keep the colors in the same family and use the same color frame.

3.)A piece on Roberto Cavalli's daughter, Rachele, didn't draw my attention to her studded purse and shoe designs, but instead to the table placed behind her in her photo shoot. The table is covered by two layered tablecloths, a leopard print topped with a lacy, white number. Pairing such contrasting patterns is unfamiliar territory for me, but I love the idea of pairing something edgy with something classic and ultra-feminine.

The pages of my Vogue may be filled with luxurious items, but I feel that there's always a way to get looks you want for less. Way less, actually!

And guess what was in my mailbox to greet me when I returned home from my trip today? The September issue of Vogue! The fun never ends! (Who else is excited to see The September Issue? I'm already cooking up a girls' night in my head!)

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

Save money and host a "Dip Party"

Looking for a way to spend a night out with friends? Sick of going to the same old bars?

I can't take credit for this one ladies, but get ready for a fun, fresh and cheap way to spice up a night out!

It's called a "Dip Party." ...it's as easy as it sounds! It's a great way to save money for guests and you (the party host)! Guests each bring their own favorite homemade dip complete with the cracker, chip, fruit or vegetable and drink of choice.

You save money ditching expensive entrees and everyone shares their favorites!

One thing we learned the hard way ... make sure there aren't too many cream-cheese based dips. About 80 percent of our dips revolved around cream cheese and our stomachs felt it when we wanted to go out dancing!

So make sure people get creative, for example we had fruit dip, spinach artichoke, chili-no-bean dip, guacamole, a chicken salad, etc. It was delicious, cheap, and we all were full in no time!

So send out an e-mail to all your friends and invite them over! You can make a sign up sheet, but it's not a huge problem if people double up because it's sure to be finished!

What's your favorite cheap party dip to make? Share here so when all you Laid-off Ladies start your dip parties you'll be full of ideas!

Can't wait to hear your tasty ideas!

Kate

Love is patient, kind & expensive

I love love, but the price tag that comes with celebrating it often is a hefty one. Here are some tips to keep your bank account full while your friends exchange vows:

- Make a dress and accessory club. Find friends in your size and swap dresses for different occasions. Borrow a dress, shoes, jewelry - whatever you need to freshen up an outfit or look. Don't forget the cardinal rule: take good care of all items and dry clean in a timely fashion when you're done.

- Avoid hotels. Pay a cousin $20 to pick you up. If it's out-of-town, see if you can stay with a friend who lives in the city or if worse comes to worse, only get a hotel room for the night of the wedding. Whatever you do, don't drink and drive!

- Skip the mani, pedi, makeup and hair.If you're in the wedding, you've already paid for a bridesmaid's dress and other necessities, so skip the luxuries. Make a home spa and have a friend or family member do your makeup and hair if you don't trust your skills. Offer to take them out to lunch for their help ... or just give them a big hug and an IOU.

- If you're planning the bachelorette party, try to downsize.Open presents and host drinks and appetizers at someone's home or apartment. Ask all the bridesmaids to bring a bottle of wine and appetizer, which will cut down on pre-festivity expenses. Try to skip the limo. Instead, pick a location that's close to the sleepy-time destination. Start a decoration collection with friends and have one person hold all the items. Whenever a new friend gets married, you can use the same bachelorette party decor, cake mold (!) and other goodies to ensure a good time.

- Start a wedding fund. Put a little money from each paycheck into a wedding fund, so when the weddings begin, you'll have a nice stash of money to pay for gifts and other items.

I'm off to a wedding now ... in Kate's dress! Have a good (hopefully not rainy) Saturday!

xoxo,
Lisa Marie

- Picture: On my Andi K's wedding day in May 2007. (From left): Jenna (to be married in June), Andi K (due with her first baby in October!) and me (celebrating with my favorite girls).

UPDATE: A couple ideas post-wedding for brides-to-be! Instead of traditional placecards, the couple got creative and used votives. The glass candle-holders were decorated with ribbon and a shamrock, and guests' names were afixed to the votives on clear labels. It's a fresh way to prepare placecards and it added a little dazzle to the table! The happy couple also donated money to a cause in lieu of wedding favors. My sister and her hubby did the same thing at their wedding in December and I think it's money well-spent. No one needs another pen, matchbook or coozie with a couple's name adorning it. Do you have any wedding tips? Do share!