Sales on Sales on Sales

Every cheap little recessionista knows the three cheapest stores in which to shop and not be (too) embarrassed by the low prices you're paying.  You all know what I'm talking about.  You go up to the cashier, realize the $5.00 sweater you were buying was marked down because of a small, insignificant tear (in which you were OBVIOUSLY going to fix... not), hand the cashier $2.50 in quarters, wince at the fact that you just handed a cashier at a CLOTHING store 10 quarters, snatch your new purchase and run away.  No?  Never been there?  You haven't lived.

I have a very strong love/hate relationship with these companies.  In case you've been living under a rock for the past 10 years and are unfamiliar with these stores, I've broken them down into "Things I Like" and "Things I Don't Like" categories for your entertainment.  THEY ARE: H&M, Target, and Forever 21.

1.  H&M

Things I Like:
H&M is my favorite out of the three; although it's probably the most expensive, they have the classiest selection as well as a wide variety of products for men and women of all ages.  There's a lot of hype around H&M as there SHOULD be.  I've found that it's the only store I can go in with an item in mind - black work pants, a blazer, a plain red cardigan, a black oversized men's sweater - and leave with that exact item in hand without paying more than $50 total.  The store's "business professional" section is extensive and impressive.  I've bought several good-quality classic blazers for my internships, and the business clothes are simple enough that you can add as many jewelry pieces and accessories to distinguish yourself from a girl with the same blazer.  Some of my favorite clothes are from H&M, and they've expanded in the past few years to include close to 2,500 stores in 44 markets.  The designer collections are always fantastic and reasonably priced, like the Marni collection that I have yet to check out.

Things I Don't Like:
The store's online website is BRAND new, and I haven't quite figured it out yet.  From what I've heard and seen, a lot of the products online are not in stores and visa-versa.  How inconvenient.  Some of the sizing is weird too - apparently women don't have thighs and there's no need for pants to have stretch in them.  The teeny-bopper clothing section is horrendous, more often than not, and poorer quality (although cheaper) than the nicer product in the front of the store.


Score: 8.5




2.  Target

Things I Like:
Target will forever and always be one of my favorite brands.  The company is so well advertised, and its logo is one of the most recognizable logos in the commercial world.  Target clothing, similarly to H&M, is simple and classic, but even CHEAPER.  The best part about shopping at Target might be that you can go into a huge superstore, pick up a cheap sweater on sale, realize that you ran out of mascara, bread and shampoo and buy all of the items right then and there.  Target clothes, although I admit they're a total hit or a total miss, are well-stitched and fit true to their size.  Also similarly to H&M, the designer collaborations are all ridiculously amazing, as we've seen very well with the Missoni for Target phenomenon.

Things I Don't Like:
A lot of the clothing at Target, even though it's all classics, is quite boring and lacks real "trendiness."  They try so hard (meh!), but a lot of the women's clothing looks like (and fits like) it's only made for moms.  Going along with that, some of the v-neck t-shirts don't have a big enough "V" and cut off at an awkward part of your chest.  The online shopping isn't set up well, and because it's a department store like Walmart (but obvi better), the website design isn't "clothing store"-esque.

Score: 7.5




3.  Forever 21

Things I Like:
Forever 21 is the kind of store that you go in when you need an article of clothing for a party that you KNOW is going to get booze spilled all over it, and you're completely fine knowing that.  And you can ALWAYS find that article of clothing, whether it's just something lacy and trashy, a Halloween costume accessory or a perfect "dayge" dress.  The shoes, sunglasses and hair accessories are so cheap it's easy to buy multiples of everything just because you can, and you'll end up wearing them all.  Forever 21's clothes and young, fresh and trendy, and the store is notorious for having every current trend possible.

Things I Don't Like:
The store could not be more disorganized if it tried, and that includes every Forever 21 store I've ever been.  I think it's part of the store "culture," but I absolutely despise it, and I bet many mothers with money despise it as well.  Clothing quality is not very good, and most of the items are poorly stitched.  Because it is young and fresh, some of the clothes are TOO teeny-bopper, and people my age sometimes feel awk when shopping next to screaming Justin Bieber lovers with daddy's shopping money.  And, because it's so trendy, the clothes go out of style REAL fast.  Some of the clothes are so busy, it's hard to pair jewelry and accessories with them, and girls that don't know how to accessorize end up over-accessorizing, and it's NOT cute.

Score: 5.5  (womp.)


How accurate are my store ratings?  Agree completely or disagree?  Comment away!

Cheap S%$T Pick of the Week: Hell's Kitchen Flea Market (New York, NY)

As most of you may be aware, I'm a Jersey girl.  However, because New Jersey cities are disgusting and full of bums, I've become familiar with New York City and its fast-paced way of life.

And I love am obsessed with it.

I am a firm believer that New York City is the greatest city in the world because it has SO much character, energy and eccentricity.  I knew this the moment I stepped outside Port Authority at the age of ten and a homeless man whacked me in the leg with a newspaper.  So maybe yeah, I was petrified and my mother yelled "DON'T TOUCH MY DAUGHTER" in front of all the misfortunate city-walkers on 8th Ave. that morning, but I knew there was something different about New York City.  I could just smell it.  Or maybe it was the angry homeless man.

"Concrete jungle where dreams are MAAADE OHH there's nothing you can't do..."

Flea marketing shopping in New York City is the best EVER, but a lot of little vintage markets or flea markets pop up only seasonally in Union Square next to the farmer's market or on the side streets of Greenwich Village.  I've only been to this flea market once, but I knew then and there that I would have to come back and explore all the different parts of it.  One of the most famous outdoor flea markets in New York, Hell's Kitchen Flea Market is open every Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting) from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm and is named one of the top ten shopping streets in the world by National Geographic.  How sick is that?

HKFM, 9th Ave, New York City

Located on West 39th Street between 9th and 10th Avenues, Hell's Kitchen Flea Market (HKFM for short) includes vendors selling antiques, small collectibles, vintage clothing, modern items like home decorations and furniture, plus a TON of food vendors.  My BU Dance Team teammate and I decided to try the Mozzarepa, a mozzarella "grilled cheese" sandwiched between two corn pancakes, and probably had enough calories to last us the rest of our NYC trip.

Bucu and me with the infamous Mozzarepas.

Two other markets associated with HKFM are the Antiques Garage, located at 112 West 25th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, and the West 25th St. Market, just a few avenues down at West 25th St. (duh) between Broadway and 6th Ave.  The Antiques Garage attracts shoppers on Saturdays and Sundays, the same times as HKFM, with over 100 vendors on two floors selling eclectic antiques, art, and vintage items including jewelry, purses, fabrics, rugs, furniture and fine silver.  Similarly, the West 25th St. Market features up to 125 vendors who sell antiques, collectible items, and vintage and modern trinkets.  I haven't checked out those two places yet, but I plan to in the near future.

A list of vendors is on display on the HKFM website (here).  HKFM is always very social media savvy with the Twitter handle @NYCFleaMarkets updating the different vendors each weekend as well as re-tweeting some HKFM "favorite finds."  They also have a Tumblr page called "Flea Speech," "a lifestyle hub for Hell's Kitchen Flea Market, Antiques Garage and West 25th St shoppers" as the page so clearly states.

Presh.

I have a thing for street markets, I do admit, but the HKFM was such a fun experience.  Have you ever been to HKFM?  What was your experience like?  Comment away!

Situation: #fakejewelryproblems

When the "statement jewelry" trend started back when I was in high school, I was obsessed.  I put all my silver necklaces, plain bracelets and stud earrings aside in my jewelry box, and made my mom buy me pieces of jewelry from places like Anthropologie, no matter how large or absurd they were.

My internship at Subversive Jewelry in New York City in the summer of 2010 amplified my statement jewelry fixation like crazy.  The other interns, who were interning there mainly to learn about the art of jewelry-making, taught me basic jewelry-making skills like how to connect jumprings, choose certain pliers and make the "backbone" for a Sunken Treasure necklace, Subversive Jewelry's most popular item.  I worked so hard to get better, and they finally allowed me to make my own piece.  This was the finished project:

Close-up view...

The whole necklace. Very Keira Knightley in Pirates of the Caribbean, right?

To my knowledge, it's still hanging up in the front of the store, and it's called the Ruby Sunken Treasure necklace.  It's available to rent for photo shoots if you're interested.

I wish I had the jewelry supplies to make more of these in the comforts of my own apartment, or the $575 to buy a Sunken Treasure necklace (or any piece of real silver or gold, for that matter), but I don't.  I'm cheap, and I'm broke.  (ugh.)  So, clever-little-me has a different jewelry option.  Envision a boutique with prices never reaching higher than $100 (ish).  I present to you: Bobbles and Lace.

Located on Newbury Street, Bobbles and Lace is too conveniently placed within a five minute walk from my internship at Cone Communications.  The store moved to its Newbury location this past year, but I first found Bobbles and Lace browsing through the North End with my roommate freshman year of college.  You know those "I think I know where I'm going!" walks through tight-knit Boston neighborhoods only end in one thing: desperately asking for directions.  Some very nice old man directed us back to Hanover Street, the main street in the North End of Boston, and Bobbles and Lace happened to be in our direct line of fire.  BIG mistake.

Over the past four years of college, I can't even imagine how much money I've spent in that store.  Not because they have expensive products, but because they have jewelry, purses, clutches, scarves, sunglasses, dresses, dress shirts, shoes, belts, wallets, headbands and more.  All for the most reasonable prices I've ever seen.  AND they have it all - fake David Yurman, chandelier earrings for prom, vintage pendant necklaces, large tribal pieces, and small sterling silver classics.  The best part about Bobbles and Lace is that they buy a few of each product (for clothes, a small, medium and large), and when something's gone, that's it.  They order new product ALL the time, keeping the store feeling fresh and original.

Jewelry lovers, beware: this store is a jewelry paradise.  It will, in fact, take you longer than an hour to look at every piece of jewelry in the store and make a purchase decision.  For such a small store, they really know how to squeeze in SO much product.  Don't try to make a quick in-and-out trip; you won't appreciate all the different types of jewelry and purses and shoes in the store.

Jewelry prices range from about $8-$50, and clothing ranges from $30-$70.  SO.  CHEAP.  I can't get enough.

What are your thoughts on Bobbles and Lace?  Have you spotted its small store on Newbury?  Comment away!

Situation: #darkapartmentproblems

So maybe it's not so much a fashion problem, but the darkness of my apartment interferes with my ability to dress myself and pick out jewelry to wear, and THAT, my friends, is a huge problem.

Boston apartments suck.  Like real bad.  They're all super old, super dusty and super that's-so-three-decades-ago.  And all Boston apartments look the same, no matter what neighborhood (except for Dexter, of course).  Don't even get me started on the overpriced rent.  My older sister, who attends med school at UNC Chapel Hill, lived in this super CHIC apartment last year for about half the price I pay for my small dusty Boston apartment.

Chic.

Contemp.

Resourceful.

Presh.

One of the biggest problems I've had in my Boston apartment experience, and I've lived in two different apartments during my time at Boston University, is the lack of/poorly positioned lighting.  Each room in my current apartment has one small, useless light, and when the bulbs go out, our landlord decides that we can fix it ourselves.  Which is funny because we literally can not.

My solution to this: candles.  So simple and so chic.  Unless you have a sensitive smoke detector like my roommate and I did last year, candles will always make a room appear more fashionable, secluded and sexy.  And candles are CHEAP.  Matches are even cheaper (or free if you're the kind of person like me who steals them from nice restaurants).

Bed Bath and Beyond carries cheap candles, as I'm sure Walmart and Target do as well, but for those of you in Boston without the luxury of big cheap superstores, I suggest the Candle Classics (unscented) in three different sizes, ranging from $4.99-$9.99 in Ivory and White.  I have one of each size on my nightstand next to my bed, and it makes going to bed at night so much more relaxing than a bright desk lamp.  Plus, I feel more Sex and the City.

They're cute, they're simple, they're cheap and they match any room, no matter how colorful or messy it may be.  Bed Bath and Beyond also has some smaller votives if you're looking for more candles in smaller sizes, as well as candle holders and glass plates to put underneath the candles. 

Thanks to my candles, I can actually see the clothes I pick out to wear and if they match or not.  Who woulda thunk?

Do you know of more places with cheap candles?  Or do you think lamps trump candles?  Comment away!

"Got my swim trunks, and my flippie-floppies..."

The recent Boston heat wave has got my mind ALL over the place.  As soon as it starts getting warm in Boston, I automatically think a few things: 1. Finals must be coming up... I hate my life.  2. Marathon Monday?!?!?! and 3. Can it just be summer already?!  Tanning on the BU Beach is NOT the same thing as the Jersey shore.

Uhhhh yeah no.

Girls, you know this - flip-flops are a staple in every girl's spring and summer wardrobe.  I go flip-flop shopping once every few years (because finding Size 11 flip-flops is a more difficult task than finding a needle in a haystack), and I always seem to go back to the same pair.  I'm obsessed.  Havaianas TOP flip-flops come in ALL different colors, like black, tangerine, citrus yellow, amazonia, hot pink, ice violet, ice grey, white, ruby red, navy blue and dark brown, and each pair is only $18.  Each pair I've had has lasted me quite a few years.

Not only are the Havaianas flip-flops dirt cheap and super cute, they're rubber, so they're great for the beach and pool where getting wet is almost inevitable.  I've tried to wear my favorite Rainbows sandals to the beach, but the leather sandal + sand combination just doesn't work.  They also take FOREVER to dry - those of you who have accidentally gotten your Rainbows wet, you know what I'm talking about.  Havaianas flip-flops are made to get wet and dirty, and they take two seconds to clean.

The best aspect of these sandals are their versatility.  They match every outfit!!!  The colors are all bright and girly, and they're perfect for those days you want to bum around the beach with some bright rubber flip-flops kicking sand up the back of your legs.  JOKES, that's annoying and itchy.

If you want to get creative and spend a few more bucks, check out the Make Your Own Havaianas section of the company's website.  Customers are able to built their own flip flop and choose a sole color, strap color and pins and crystals to customize it however they want.  SO cute.

LOVEZ IT.

Do you own a pair of Havaianas flip-flops?  Would you build your own pair of flip-flops, or are the solid colors cute enough for you?  Comment away!

Cheap S%$T Pick of the Week: SoWa Open Market (Boston, MA)

BEANTOWN RAISE UP!!!!

Isn't it presh?

As any Boston University female student does, I like to think I'm a "Boston girl."  I go shopping on Newbury, I want to marry a Harvard doctor, and I think the Red Sox are, like, the best team ever (just kidding, I'm loyal to the Yankees, even though baseball is my least favorite sport of all time).  I've become accustomed to the Boston weather, even though it may change with the blink of an eye, and I've learned how to use the T, avoid slow-walkers on Comm. Ave., and understand the retahhhded Boston accent.  No offense, Boston, but it's not the cutest accent I've ever heard.

One stunning feature of Boston that I've only recently become aware of is SoWa.  Picture TONS of crafty vendors in a large square parking lot surrounded on two sides by the best food trucks in New England outside on a beautiful Sunday morning in Boston.  It.  Is.  Incredible.

SoWa Open Market

SoWa runs May 6th through October 28th on Sundays from about 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The market, which is conveniently located next to the SoWa Farmers' Market and Vintage Market, hosts a wide variety of vendors selling an even wider range of products.  Hand-crafted accessories, t-shirts, original art, indie designer clothing, fresh bread, flowers, jewelry, handbags, you name it.  You may see something one Sunday, come back the next Sunday, and a whole new batch of vendors may be there.  And that's the beauty of it.  ALL for reasonable prices, and most often than not, you come face-to-face with the brilliant artist who designed your new favorite t-shirt/necklace/purse/trinket/art piece.

The best part about SoWa isn't even the flea market - it's the food trucks that park alongside the market.  It's literally Food Truck Heaven.  Every Sunday, about a dozen trucks roll in to sell the best in gourmet mobile food.  Some of the more popular trucks that attend are The Cupcakory, Bon Me, Clover, Roxy's Grilled Cheese, Grilled Cheese Nation, as well as many other delicious on-the-go food options.  The first time I went to SoWa, I got a Mini Lobster Slider from a seafood truck that I haven't seen since as well as Edamame and homemade Blueberry Soda from Bon Me.

The orange-est truck I've ever seen.

Dear Mini Lobster Slider, I'll be seeing you again this summer.

Located in South Boston, SoWa is just a T ride and a 20-minute walk away from students around the Boston University campus.  I usually take the T to Copley, and then walk south down to Harrison Ave.  Especially in the summer, the walk is great through the cute little South Boston neighborhoods, and there are fantastic restaurants and stores all throughout the surrounding area.

If you live in Boston and haven't been to SoWa yet, CHECK IT OUT.  The atmosphere is super relaxed, and I promise you will find something worth taking home with you.

Bostonians, what are your thoughts on SoWa?  Still enjoying the popularity of food trucks, or is the fad getting old?  Comment away!!

Situation: #wrinklyoutfitproblems

We've all got our pet peeves.  I just happen to have more than the average person, making me super critical and kind of a harsh bitch.  Like some of my fellow BU Dance Team members (cough Mickey Main), I have a "Things I Don't Like" list that I recite often, as well as a "Things I Like" list to balance myself out.  Some of the items in the first list include cellulite, excessive PDA, the MBTA Green Line, and slow walkers.  On the other spectrum, my happy list consists of new shoes, the Jersey shore, and puppies, like my dog Baxter.

No, this is not a Star Wars ewok, it's my dog.

Pet peeves can really get the best of us.  I realized one of mine became super severe when I was packing for my recent spring break trip to the Bahamas: wrinkles.  Obviously, wrinkles fall under my "Things I Don't Like" list.

Even the word makes me wrinkle my face in disgust. (HA! Get it?)  Wrinkly clothes look trashy on even the classiest broad.  It's unprofessional and sloppy.  It's called IRONS, PEOPLE!!
As I pulled out my summer clothes from the large cheap bins hidden under my bed, I noticed a few things.  Thought #1: "I'm so happy I bought that maxi dress on sale at Anthropologie this winter, I can finally finally wear it!!!"  Thought #2: "I didn't diet nearly as much as I should have this month.  There's no way I won't look like a beached whale in that bikini."  Thought #3:  "Everything.  Is. Wrinkly."   At times like these, I: 1. begin to have a panic attack until I can get a grip and recover, then 2. retrive my mini iron and mini ironing board and go to WERK.

For those of you still living in a tiny dorm room or those who feel that a mini iron is not necessary, fear not.  Hair straighteners can get the job done just as well.  Some (like the one I stole from my mother before I left for college) are quite expensive, but others, I've found, really aren't too pricey.  And you can use it for two different tasks!  How green!

I've heard pretty great reviews about the Revlon Perfect Heat Professional Ceramic straightener, for $8.99 at Amazon.com.  It comes with one-inch-wide ceramic plates that heat quickly and evenly, and it has 25 different heat settings from which to choose.  I wish I could say I've tested it out, but as you would remember, I stole my mother's Chi straightener and it's held up well over my college years.

A few notes to point out before you go and straighten your favorite silk blouse:

• Test out your straightener's settings on something less valuable just in case the temperature is too much for the fabric.
• Don't hold your straightener in one spot (similar to an iron), it will probably burn your clothing.
• Check your garment's label before you do anything with it.  If it's Dry Clean Only, I wouldn't try to iron it, especially if it was expensive.

Save yourself the embarrassment of wearing a wrinkly outfit to an interview or fun social event.  Save yourself the money you would have used to buy an iron and ironing board, and use the same straightener you use to fry your hair every day.  Really, you're killing two birds with one stone.  Yay for saving money!!!!

Do you know of any other cheap straighteners?  Have you used this little trick before?  Comment away!

Situation: #bigfeetbigsocksproblems

I'd like to give a shout-out to all my girls with big feet out there.  I feel your pain, I really really do.  It's a hard-knock life, for us.  You would think sock and shoe companies could get a grip.  It's a proven fact that the average human height is increasing, and sock and shoe companies have yet to realize they need to get bigger sizes of everything.  Is it really that hard??

I've been struggling with my Size 11 "Oh-wow-that's-like-the-same-size-as-Bigfoot" feet since my seventh grade growth spurt, and it hasn't been fun.  Finding the same ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, and character shoes as the rest of my dance company was always out of the question, and I looked extra manly during my glorious basketball days (no, really) with men's basketball sneakers.  We're talking a 13-year-old wearing Jordans because her feet didn't fit into women's basketball shoes.  Thankfully, there are no pictures of this.

Socks are a completely different problem.  I'm pretty sure the sock sizes at H&M, one of my all-time favorite stores, are either 5/6, 7/8 or an OCCASIONAL 9/10 (but usually not because I find them once in a blue moon).  Or they pretend that socks are "One Size Fits All," but how does that make sense when socks can only stretch so much and every single girl has a different shaped foot?

Ain't that the truth.

During the winter months when tall boots are necessary everyday - and in Boston, this really is EVERY day - tall socks are a must.  However, if you're a city speedwalker like I am, thick socks make my feet uncomfortable on those warmer-than-ice-cold days.  I've found the cheapest and most comfortable solution to this issue, AND these socks fit my feet.

I present: Style Essentials by L'eggs Knee High Day Sheer Leg Reinforced Toe Off knee highs in black.  Sounds like a mouthful, but they're the best.  $3.49 for a pack of five pairs.  And they're One Size Fits All... but for real.

Why they're the the best:

1. They're super light (the same fabric as tights) and won't make your feet sweat when you're walking around in tall boots all day.
2. The "leg reinforced" part of the description means that the knee highs don't fall down around your ankles.  Biggest.  Pet.  Peeve.  Ever.
3. Less than $4.00 for five pairs of socks?!?!  That fit EVERYONE's feet?!  Sheer brilliance.  Super chic and super cheap.

Don't let the old lady packaging deter you from your purchase.  These knee highs have lasted me many winters of boot-wearing, and as long as you're careful putting them on and taking them off, they don't tear too easily.  They're also washer and dryer friendly, and they shrink back to their original size once you've worn a pair.

I don't know of anyone with larger feet than mine, so as far as I know, these knee highs fit Size 11 feet and smaller.  Who knew there was a "One Size Fits All" product that proved true advertising?

As of the Boston weather today, it looks like we won't be needing many pairs of boots for the rest of the season, but keep these knee highs close just in case.  If you know Boston weather, you know there's a possibility of snow in late March, and you won't want to be without these socks while you're sprinting to class in a mid-morning blizzard and you're huffing and puffing and sweating but wet and cold at the same time.  Of course it's never happened to me...

Do you know of any other durable knee highs?  I'm always looking for new brands.  Comment away!

Travelling Cheap: Save Now, Splurge in the Caribbean

Vacations aren't cheap.  That's a fact.  Even when you purchase a Groupon for a four-night stay at a resort in the Bahamas with a free breakfast buffet and a $10 "gaming" credit, it's not cheap.  (Who knew resorts had five different taxes that guests have to pay for each night?  Not I.)

Aaaaahhh.

So maybe my trip was just a little bit worth it.

Whether you went on an impromptu beach trip with your roommate to Freeport, Bahamas; a well-planned Vegas vacation, The Hangover style; or a "I need to go home NOW" mid-semester-crisis-mode trek back home (this was my back-up plan), you most likely hit up your local CVS/Duane Reade/Target for those teeny-tiny travel-sized toiletries.

Smaller toiletries are always the way to go because they make more room for necessary shoes and purses, are reasonably priced and hold the perfect amount of whatever the product is for the length of a week-long vacation.  Unless you're going away with a few people who will split the cost of larger toiletries, travel-sized bottles are a godsend.

To me, the travel aisle is the most daunting aisle in the entire convenience store.  I immediately think, "I NEED EVERYTHING!!!!" and load up my basket with every miniature bottle I can find.  Luckily, for my impulsive and panicky brain, the travel aisle only has a few different options for shampoos, conditioners, hairsprays, deodorants, bath washes and other girly necessities.  Men have it even easier - either they pretend that pool water equates to bathing and don't shower on vacation or they buy a mini toothpaste and call it a day.  At least, that's what I assume they do.

I've been on enough trips to know my local convenience store's travel aisle inside and out (insert swanky diva cigarette here).  Because I'm chic and cheap and knowledgeable about chic and cheap things, I've compiled a list of my favorite travel-sized toiletries fit for any type of getaway you might plan.

THE List:

1. The Shampoo and Conditioner:  Nexxus Ultimate Moisture, $3.59 for shampoo, $3.59 for conditioner.  I used this set of shampoo and conditioner for the first time this spring break, and I've never been more impressed with a travel-sized combination.  True to the description on the front of the bottle, the shampoo and conditioner leave your hair "luxuriously soft and lustrous" and "irresistibly silky, hydrated and more manageable" (respectably).  Even with sun-damaged, stringy hair in the Bahamas, I felt as if the shampoo and conditioner rehydrated my hair and resulted in hair I was able to style.  It's a bit more expensive than other travel-sized shampoos and conditioners, but the bottles are slightly larger while remaining under the 3.0oz flight limit.
2. The Body Soap:  Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash for Dry Skin, $1.49.  Dove products have always impressed me, and this miniature body wash proved no different.  After a salty bathe in the Caribbean Sea as well as many days of baking out in the sun, my skin needed as much moisture as I could possibly get.  This body wash does just the trick.  It's super soft and gentle in the shower, like all Dove products, and left my skin feeling less pealed and dried.  Side note: If you're never seen the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, I suggest you check it out.
3. The Deodorant:  Irish Spring Original deodorant, $1.49.  Yes, it's men's deodorant; I am more than happy to admit that I use it on the reg.  This deodorant helped me through three summers of dance team camp - three days of non-stop exercise, mentally and physically - when other girly-smelling women's deodorants could not.  I like Irish Spring the best because it doesn't smell TOO manly and one deodorant application in the morning is all you need to last the day.  The travel-sized deodorant will last you many many trips and keep your armpits smelling so fresh and so clean (clean), even after an 8:00 a.m. workout class with Phyllis and ten-pound kettlebells.
4. The Toothpaste:  Colgate Total toothpaste, $1.49 for the travel set with toothbrush.  Toothpaste is toothpaste, I hear ya.  The Colgate vs. Crest debate will forever be THE toothpaste debate.  Colgate has been my go-to toothpaste for quite some time now, and this mini toothpaste is just too cute to pass up.  The tube is about three inches long, and it took up almost no room in my monogrammed toiletries bag this past vacation, whereas a normal-sized toothpaste would take up about 50% of my bag leaving barely enough room for everything else.
5. The Hairspray:  Tresemme Tres Two Spray Extra Hold aerosol hairspray, $1.99.  You've already heard my rant about this travel-sized hairspray as a tool for runs in tights, but it's fantastic.  Don't let it's small size fool you - three quick spritzes of this hairspray with hold whatever hairstyle you come up with on vacation.  For me, a messy low-bun, because I don't do well with humidity or hotel blowdryers.  If you're all green and into the environment and whatnot, Tresemme also makes a Two-Spray Extra Hold spritzer bottle, but I like holding down the aerosol hairspray bottle nozzle and just letting it rip.  I'm from Jersey, it's just what we do.
6. The Body Lotion:  Eucerin Calming Creme Daily Moisturizer, $0.79.  Eucerin products kind of remind me of old ladies, but this moisturizer was perfect for my skin that burned to a crisp on the very first day of my vacation.  It's "Dermatologist Recommended" for those with sensitive skin, and fragrance free for those (like me!) who enjoy nice perfume over heavily-scented lotions.  This water-based lotion is pretty thick, but it's soothing qualities really helped my skin get over the first-burn-of-the-season phase of my vacation.  And it's DIRT cheap.
7. The Face Soap:  St. Ives Fresh Skin Invigorating Apricot Scrub, $1.49.  Many people are against face scrubs, but I believe that one use of this face scrub each night before you go to sleep will leave your skin feeling clean and blemish-free throughout the night.  The apricot smell is so fresh and sweet, different than all of St. Ives face soap competitors, and it smoothed out my poor pealing face by scrubbing away the dead skin.  I would suggest using a gentle soap in the the morning to wake up with and St. Ives face scrub at night, especially for girls who need help removing that excess makeup that may stay on after using a makeup wipe.

Total cost of travel necessities: $15.92.  Never have I ever spent under $20 at CVS, so this set a new personal record.

And here they are:

           

    

                       

              

Feel free to splurge all you want on vacation (isn't that what they're for?), but a cheap and resourceful way to buy toiletries for travelling is the petite essence of travel-sized toiletries.  Buy them.  Embrace them.  And don't share them with your friends... tell them to go buy their own!

Do you have any personal favorite travel-sized toiletries, or do you agree with my findings?  Comment away!

Cheap S%$T Pick of the Week: Rice's Flea Market (New Hope, PA)

Oh, Pennsylvania.  Where the people chew grass, cows roam free, and highways are endless.  Who knew that in the depths of such a painfully mundane state (no offensive, Pennsylvanians, but it's true) lay a 30-acre outdoor flea market that thrives Tuesday and Saturday mornings?

I grew up in Bethlehem Township, New Jersey, on the northwest side of Hunterdon County, about 20 minutes from the Pennsylvania border.  Not to be confused with Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, or Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a similar town possibly just as lame.  The population is about 4,000 people.  Because we're a rural township, we don't have our own post office, let alone any restaurants, shopping malls, gas stations, non-Caucasians, etc.  I hope you get the picture.  My hometown could easily get mixed up with Tulsa, Oklahoma or somewhere equally as outdated and monotonous.  Imagine a middle school surrounded on three sides by cow fields and farmland.  You guessed it - I went there. Here's a visual:

Growing up, I tried to go to New York City as often as possible to get out of Bethlehem Township.  The nearest shopping mall was a 15-minute drive to Phillipsburg (the hood) where you could shop alongside trashy girls, foreign couples and homeless people.  No but really.  I went there solely for its H&M, which wasn't even that good.  Every so often my two sisters and I would feel it necessary to visit Rice's, a well-known flea market to girls from my hometown, and spend our parents' money on "sister bonding."  We would burn a feel-good-music playlist onto a disc, speed at Dunkin Donuts for breakfast and coffee and cruise on down to Bucks County, PA by 7:30 in the morning.

Thousands of people flock to the county's largest and oldest market on Tuesday mornings year-round and Saturday mornings March through December, where a customer can find almost any item from antiques to vegetables.  Over the years, the market has evolved from mostly just produce to an outdoor bargain-hunter's paradise, offering fresh baked bread, knock-off purses, jewelry, hand-stitched clothing, garden tools, flowers, pottery and more at prices that can't be beat.  With a few temporary ATM machines located in the large barn in the center of the market, customers are bound to spend hours wandering around the vendors and perusing countless knick-knacks and novelty items.  On a beautiful summer day, Rice's will have up to 700 vendors and close to 15,000 shoppers in and out of the market.

You can tell by the pictures that you're in Bucks County, PA.  Dig the barn.

Rice's opens at 7:00 am, but the best knock-off bags, jewelry, and sunglasses go FLYING off the racks by about 9:00 am.  Vendors are ready-to-go at 7, so it's up to the shoppers to get their butts out of bed and make the trek to the homeland.  It's super early, but because people in Buck's County don't know what "stylish" means, sweatpants, UGGs and big sunglasses are acceptable, if not required, shopping attire.

I haven't been to Rice's in years, but the last time I went, I bought a gorgeous yellow knock-off D&G purse for $10 that lasted me about 2 years until it literally fell apart...

I've bought countless sunglasses, earrings, purses and baked goods, all of which I've loved dearly (mostly the baked goods) and ALL for dirt-cheap prices.  From my hometown, it's about a 45-minute drive to Rice's, but with a killer playlist and gossipy sisters and friends, it won't feel more like 10 minutes.  The farmland scenery along the way is entertainment in and of itself.  Make sure you don't get stuck behind a tractor on your way there!  It's happened before.

As my first Cheap S%$T Pick of the Week, I present: Rice's Flea Market!

For those of you who have been to Rice's, what do you think of it?  Is it worth the early-morning trip?  What purchases have you brought home from Rice's?

Comment away!