Help me Decide on the Perfect Cocktail Dress

I am definitely a jeans and t-shirt type of girl. Sometimes I get invited to events where my jeans and t-shirts are not acceptable. Then I start on my mission to find a nice cocktail dress to wear.  Honestly, a clothes shopping is not one of my favorite things to do.  I have never really liked it. I remember when my mom and sister would go on shopping trips I would go stay with my grandma. I would just ask my mom and sister to pick out some clothes for me.  I was usually liked the clothes so it worked out for me.  Now that I am an adult, I no longer have that luxury and have to find my own clothes.  I prefer to shop on online because I have an active seven year old that doesn’t like to go shopping.  He doesn’t like going with me to try on clothes.  I don’t blame him, I was the same way.  

I have a few events that I will need a cocktail dress for coming up. So, I have started looking around. I have done the last minute shopping the weekend before and I feel like I had settled because I just don’t have enough time to go to six different stores. When I had to buy dresses for a conference I attended it was awful because I waited until the last minute.  I did the same thing with shoes. I hate those shoes. I wore them once before casting them off as never again.  Now that I have some advance notice I have began my search. It’s not a bad idea to have a few really nice dresses in your closet for the spur of the moment event.  I found a website called Dressfirst and I am really impressed with their selection of dresses.  I am a pretty picky shopper so the variety is awesome.

I really like the SheathSweetheart Short/Mini Chiffon Lace Cocktail Dress. It is great for Florida weather.  I would order it in sage, since that is my favorite color. 

I also really like the EmpireV-neck Short/Mini Chiffon Cocktail Dress With Beading Sequins.  

I am torn, I would like to own them both. Which one should I buy first? I look forward to your thoughts.

Four ways to cut your spending

With the economy being how it is at the moment, a little extra money to spend is something many people would welcome. If cash is tight there are a number of options available to you,such as getting a credit card or taking out a loan. But even if you do that there are other simple ways to reduce your expenditure too.

Consider where you buy

In days gone by, comparing prices meant going from shop to shop and making a note of how much an item you wanted costs. Thankfully, if you’re prepared things can be much easier these days and thanks to the internet you could almost entirely avoid the high street if you wanted to. It’s easy to compare prices online and (depending on what you want) it can be cheaper too, so always have a look before handing over your cash. If you’re shopping for a holiday then prices can vary greatly, so never settle for the first price you find. Remember too that it might be worth waiting for your credit card application to be approved, to protect your cash in case of something going wrong.

Slash your bills

Household bills can soon add up, so it’s well worth finding out if you could make savings in any way. This might be possible by switching to a new tariff, paying by direct debit or moving to a new supplier. If you’ve been with the same company for a few years then your loyalty might not be paying off, so find out what the competition has to offer.

Save money on your car

If a car is something that’s essential in your life then it’s probably an expense you have factored in to your budget. But that’s not to say you couldn’t be paying less. Shopping around for a better car insurance deal might help, but you might also like to consider car sharing when possible. This could mean sharing driving duties with work colleagues, or weighing up if your family really needs that second car.

Make days and nights out cheaper

In summer it can feel like one gathering after another and while that’s great for your social life it can take its toll on your bank balance. So instead of dining out at a restaurant, it might be worth inviting your friends over for a barbecue. That way everyone can contribute with a little food and drink and the costs can be kept to a minimum. The same applies to days out, so take a picnic to the park instead of forking out to go to the cinema.

Earn Money by Becoming a #PersonalShopper with Shop Your Way

This is a sponsored post. I am a Sears blogger, though all opinions are my own.

I have been a member of Shop Your Way for a while now. You can earn points that add up to cash just by shopping at Sears and Kmart.  It’s really easy to sign up and the best part is it’s free. It’s really easy to sign up and the best part is it’s free. You don’t have to worry about a membership fee. They don’t spam you with emails. You just shop and earn.  You can earn points on anything.  They started a program called Personal Shopper.  Yes ladies, those childhood dreams of shopping for others and getting paid have come true.  You can pick out items you like, you think certain family and friends would like and they get points and you get cash!  I think it would be a great idea, with the holidays coming up, to use your personal shopper page as a wish list too.  So, you earn and the gifts you want and Aunt Erma, doesn’t have to guess what you want and you end up with yet another sweater with some fuzzy cuddly creature on it.  Don’t forget about your kids too.  I am constantly asked what Noah wants for Christmas or his birthday. We all sit here online and share with our family and friends products we love, and products they would love so it’s silly not to get paid for it.  

This is how the Personal Shopper program works:

Set up your store front, and fill it with items you love and items you think others will love too.  Sale items would be great too. This is great if you have friends with no fashion sense what so ever. It’s like dress up.  Really though it is for all kinds of things. Clothes, electronics, movies, even groceries.  If you have friends with babies, recommend diapers. I had a friend of mine, who is going to have a new grandbaby ask me to recommend products for her to buy. 

Give out your personal invitation code to friends, family and neighbors.  You can email them, tweet them, and post via Facebook. If you blog use your blog, especially if you like to talk about products.  Keep posting your finds so when you find new stuff you alert your clients. Not everyone remembers to check every day so, little reminder posts on Facebook would work.

I know some people are leery to sign up for things like this. It’s important that you give them their benefits too.  What’s in it for them?

When your clients shop, they earn points that they can later redeem to reduce the cost of their next purchase

Clients earn 10 points on every dollar spent on qualifying purchases at Sears, Lands’ End, Kmart and mygofer.com

1,000 points = $1 to redeem in store or online

No minimum Points level is required for redemption

Redeem your points on next purchase.

So like I said it is a win win situation! 

 
I am exclusively inviting you all to sign up to be a Personal Shopper.