The Overwhelming Pull of TJ Maxx...

This past weekend I was luck enough to hang out with one of my fabulous bridesmaids/bestie/fashion inspiration. Unfortunately she is nearly six feet tall...which means we can't share shoes OR clothes. =(

HOWEVER, she likes to GET ME INTO TROUBLE. I look through her closet and I want new clothes. When I visit her, I immediately immerse myself in her closet. I love her closet. It's like my own personal Mecca. This doesn't surprise or bother her, since I've been acting this way around her clothes since Sophomore year in college. Anyway, while I was going through her things, I mentioned to her that she really had a billion dresses. She denied, so I decided to count. I was wrong - she doesn't have a billion - she has 65. SIXTY-FIVE! Anyway, this is beside the point.

The POINT is that three of the 65 had actually just been purchased at the TJ Maxx...and were BCBG...and were $200 less than the tag price. Sigh. That is just TOO much temptation to handle! Especially since M was in Vegas all week caddying for a friend, and had already spent his $200 slush money. (Hmm - SIDE NOTE: lately M has spent SO much more on clothing than me. When we were in San Francisco I spent $125 on clothes, he spent $275. Sheesh.)

Anyways, I vowed to return to TJ Maxx the next day with my mother - who keeps me in line and makes sure that I'm not blinded by the 85%-off price. I ended up trying on about even or eight sweater dresses...the smalls were almost all too tight (in my book anyway) and the mediums were hanging on me. Finally I found a pretty black turtleneck sweater dress...and bought it. I felt kinda bad since I really don't need any clothes and I'm TRYING to save for nursing school...but oh well. It's really classic and I'll wear it forever - or at least until I stop being a size 4.

At least I stopped myself and didn't buy the Steve Madden peep-toe leather "shooties" they had...

Mint.com

So M and I took the plunge...and joined Mint.com - I had been pretty apprehensive about the site's security, but after M and I watched the intro. video and saw all the nifty student loan features, we signed up.

Annnnnnnnd...it's ok. It's nice to see everything in one place - including my $0 IRA - but we couldn't get ANY of our student loans into our Mint page. So that sucked.

NOW I keep getting alerts about how we're over our "budget" on certain categories - oy vey! I know I need to go in there and turn them off for the moment, but I'm lazy!

On another note - I took my nursing school entrance exam on Saturday - tres fun. It was not that bad, but I'm just worked up in general about nursing school and my current job. We are SO not busy here, and I'm terrified I'm going to be let go before I can quit in the spring!

We shall see...

Anyone use Mint.com? What am I missing??

Dear J. Crew,

Please stop sending me e-mails with "Private Sale. 20% off. Ends today." in the subject line. You get me all excited about colored chinos and ribbon belts and statement necklaces, and then dash everything to pieces with your small print.

I don't want to spend $175 or more to receive my 20% off...Actually, I don't want to spend any money at all. Can you just send ME stuff? I'll wear it proudly and tell everyone I got it at J. Crew. Pinkie promise.

Sigh. I know I should tell you to hit the road and STOP sending me these misleading e-mails...but I can't help it. Preppie clothes are my crack.

Sincerely,
D

Freebies

Sorry I didn't get to this last night. The Office + football game + constant CNN + NEW Twilight trailer = very distracted Doris.

So. Freebies. I LOVE FREEBIES. Whether is's leftovers from one of mom's killer meals, or just those little bottles of shampoo in the hotel, I CANNOT resist.

PS - when I was little, I would look under my dad's sink and see rows of little bottles - when I asked mom what they were, she told me (with a roll of her eyes) that they were mini shampoo and conditioner bottles. She acted like this was a BAD thing. To me, it was magic. That feeling has never left me! Teensy bottles of perfume, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, deodorant, etc. are AWESOME - and even more so now that the airlines are crazy about their 3 oz. rule.

Anyway. In my quest for freebies, I consistently troll shampoo Web sites and sign up for free samples. Not only do I get to try all sorts of delish hair products, but they are perfect for the plane! Recently I discovered that Walmart.com has a whole sample section! You can get everything from lotions to tampons for free on there - and you don't have to sign up with an e-mail address (praise the Lord). Right now, Kashi is telling you to "Steal a Cookie" - and you should. Sign up and get a free (and healthy) cookie in the mail!! It's really yummy too.

With all the Green talk out there now, I have actually thought about how my Freebie obsession might be killing the earth (extra packaging, extra cargo weight, ginormous carbon footprint)...but I still do it through the mail...sorry.

We have a couple street festivals every year downtown, and they ALWAYS give away Freebies - literally I will eat lunch by grabbing Go-gurt, cereal and candy Freebies. Not so healthy, but tres free! Until I moved into an apartment, I would take ANY Freebie handed to me - koozies, lanyards, key chains...anything. However, I realized I was accumulating a HUGE amount of crap and I stopped.

If you want to enrich your MIND with Freebies, look no further than iTunesU. The iTunes store offers college courses on everything under the SUN for free! Many are audio lectures but there are some video lectures as well - M and I watched an hour-long lecture on post-partum care...with a birth scene MUCH much graphic than "Knocked Up." I think M was scarred. Anyway, you literally can listen to an entire Stanford history course for free. Which is AMAZING if you're a dork like me.

Also check out iTunes' podcasts for free audiobooks and other random lectures. Those things REALLY make the time fly in the car.

Does anyone have a fave Freebie site? Are you slightly obsessed with free stuff like me?