Excerpts

Let's say you save just $10 a week for a year--and anyone should be able to do that pretty painlessly (see the end of this chapter for some suggested ideas). That's a savings of $520 a year, and a savings of $2,600 in five years. But let's take it a step further. Let's say you invested that $10 at a simple interest rate of 5 percent. You'd have $546 instead of $520 a year, and $2,730 instead of $2,600 in five years. All for doing nothing more than brown-bagging it to lunch now and then and letting your money sit in an account. (page 48)

Forgo the drinks (and hors d'oeuvres) at restaurants and have friends over for a cocktail at home before you leave. Many restaurants charge $8 or more for a cocktail or glass of wine. The same goes for coffee, so cap off the night with a cup of decaf at home. (page 56)

Use coupons only for those items you already buy, not to try something new. If there is a particular food product or toiletry that you just love, go to the product's Web site and see if you can download a coupon for it. (page 59)

When looking for an apartment, figure out your most important wants and needs and rank them, and be prepared to give up one or two of the options you'd like. How important is it to you to have a washer and dryer in the unit or on the premises? A fireplace? A carport? Community swimming pool? While it may seem more chic to live in the heart of the city, if you live even just a few miles out, you'll find that prices drop but your amenities rise. Prepare a "Must Have," "Would Like to Have," and a "Can Live Without" list. (page 71)

Think about furniture that is multifunctional. A kitchen table could also be a home office desk or a home office desk could be a kitchen table. A daybed, sofa bed, or futon can be a place to sit and sleep. Use a bedroom dresser as a buffet table or console table. An ottoman can serve as a coffee table when you place a tray on top. (page 95)

Browse home decorating magazines and watch home decorating shows to help you determine your favorite style and get decorating tips. Tear pages from the magazines and keep them in a folder along with fabric swatches and paint chips that you like. Add a copy of your floor plan to this folder too. Take it with you when you're out looking for home accessories and furnishings. It will also give you something to show salespeople so that they can better understand your vision and assist you. (page 98)

You can make mismatched pieces of furniture look more like a set by staining or painting them the same shade. If you're a little more adventuresome, try your hand at stenciling, stamping, or sponge painting (materials are available at craft stores). Use these techniques in unexpected areas, such as on the window panes of a curio cabinet or on the straps of a leather trunk. You can also give a piece a new look just by replacing the handles, fixtures, panes, etc. Or, try using Rustoleum paint to update metal frames and fixtures with a spackled look. (page 108)

For fun, add pizzazz to a plain wall mirror by hotgluing a feather boa (available cheap at craft stores) around the edges. (page 109)

One fun decorating idea is to go online to your local public library and pull up old black and white images of your city and favorite junctures. Print them out on a color copier and frame. For a personalized vintage look, take your favorite color pictures to Wal-Mart and use the do-it-yourself picture printing machines. You can create black and white or sepia-toned pictures for just pennies apiece and the quality is good. (page 113)

To add a cool valiance, select a couple of complementary dinner napkins. Drape as many napkins as needed over the top of the rod in a repeating "V" pattern to form the valiance. Pin or hotglue the napkins at the top and back of the fabric to secure. (page 114)

Consider buying store brands instead of name brands when grocery shopping. The labels are different, but if you look carefully, a lot of times the contents are the same. Store brands often cost less because they cut costs on things like advertising. (page 135)

Grow your own herbs. There's nothing better than cooking with fresh herbs. But fresh herbs in the grocery store are expensive and they don't last long. Buy small terracotta pots (decorate them if you'd like) and grow your own herbs. While you're at it, plant a pot of pansies too: they're pretty in their pots, edible, and look fantastic tossed on top of salads or dishes as garnish. (page 141)

After you've successfully (or unsuccessfully) tried a recipe, jot down notes for the next time you use it. If there was a particular tool or pan that worked well, if you made any alterations that you liked, if your oven time varied from the recipe, or if you found the perfect bottle of wine or side dish to accompany it, make a note. (page 144)

When it comes to party invitations, think outside the envelope too. If it's a tea party, make a teabag invitation by using a vellum envelope, filling it with actual loose tea, placing the invitation inside, and stapling a string and a white tab at the end of the string. For a Mexican theme, buy plastic margarita glasses and use a paintpen to write the invitation on the glass; tell guests to bring it with them to use at the party. Make coaster invitations by cutting out cardboard circles, gluing corkboard to the backs, and putting the info. on the front. Cruise the children's party favors aisle for inspiration, like hot-gluing a fake "watch" to a New Year's Eve party invitation. You may have to hand-deliver it, but that makes it even more special. (page 159)

Wine tends to be less expensive at large liquor stores and some good vinos are even sold at wholesale clubs. Most liquor stores will give you a discount if you buy a case, so ask them if they don't offer. You'll also save money if you buy the larger magnum bottles--simply pour the wine into a carafe and refill as need be. And boxed wines have come a long way since they were first introduced, so consider trying some of them and tapping the wine into a carafe as well. (page 164)

For a real fabulous but frugal floral arrangement, gather some small tree branches. Hot-glue small varying-shaped faux fruits such as apples or lemons (found in craft stores) to the branches and arrange in a vase. (page 168)

Host a wine and cheese party. Ask each guest bring a bottle of their favorite wine for everyone to sample. You provide the cheeses, crackers, and fruit as well as plenty of pitchers of water. Instead of buying expensive wine charms, tie different colored ribbons or spiral-wrap different colored pipe cleaners around the stems of wine glasses. (page 188)

Organize a monthly book swap. This is a variation of a book club, but there's no stressing out about trying to read a required book by a certain date or preparing for intellectual discussions. Everyone simply brings a favorite book that they've read but can part with and puts it in a pile. Draw numbers (or however you want to do it) and each person gets to take home a new book. Then, turn it into a social hour. (page 193)

You'll get more out of your wardrobe by mixing and matching different pieces together. Wear your jeans and that tailored blazer from your suit for a chic casual look. A sundress can be worn with high-heeled sandals and a shrug for a night out on a date, or paired with a jacket and closed-toed heels for the office, or worn with flat sandals and a sweater tied around the shoulders for a shower or brunch. This is an example of one of the golden rules of clothes-buying--versatility. (page 220)

Think about buying your clothes like you buy your food. How much you are willing to spend should be determined or related to the amount of wear it will receive, like servings per box. The more times you wear or use something, the cheaper it is. (page 227)

Don't pay a lot of money for really trendy items. Check out teen shops and discount stores which offer the latest trends at inexpensive prices. The quality may not be the best, but by the time you wear them out, they'll probably be on their way out. Consider buying just a trendy top and pairing it with the non-trendy bottoms already in your closet. Keeping your clothes in classic lines and neutral colors on the bottom half of your body will save you money and keep you from looking too over the top. (page 230)

Take that basic pair of jeans, pants, blouse, purse, jacket, or shoes and embellish it. Hotglue grosgrain ribbon, fringe, beading, flowers, buttons, or jewels to the sleeves of a tee, the cuffs on your capris, the toes of your shoes, you name it. Craft and fabric stores sell rows and rows of stuff, so check them out. Loop a big ribbon through the belt loops of your pants or give form to a jacket by closing it with a broche. You'll have that fabulous bought-it-at-a-boutique look, save money, and have an original. (page 233)

What if you buy clothing, whether full price or on sale, and then notice the next week that it's marked down further? If this happens within two weeks of your purchase, take the item and your receipt back to the store and most will make a price adjustment. Meaning, they'll pay you in cash the difference between your price and the sale price. This is perfectly legal, but many people do not know to ask for it. (page 234)

Try this yummy exfoliating concoction on dry lips: Squeeze enough juice from an orange so that when mixed with one tablespoon of brown sugar it forms a paste. (Oranges contain acids that help shed dead skin and sugar grains are great natural exfoliators.) Use circular movements to rub the mixture gently on your lips for a few minutes with your fingers. Wash off the sugar mixture and apply Vaseline while your lips are still damp to seal in moisture. (page 255)

When it comes to medicines or prescriptions from your doctor, ask for free samples. Pharmaceutical companies flood doctors with all kinds of samples of expensive prescriptions. If your doctor doesn't offer, ask. And if he does write you a prescription, ask if there is a generic brand available that will work. (page 266)

Renter's insurance costs about $10-$15 a month, plus you'll still have a deductible (the amount you'll have to pay before coverage kicks in). But that's not much if you consider how much you'd spend replacing all of your lost things. And, you may get a discount from your insurance agent if you have another insurance policy (such as auto) with him or her. (page 283)

It's good to know what's covered under your car's warranty so you don't pay for something the manufacturer should. If it isn't covered, always get an estimate--and approve it--before a mechanic proceeds with the repair. If you're in doubt as to their estimate or the amount of work they say needs to be done, get a second opinion and see how the two compare. Do be cautious about an exceptionally low price--the parts or labor may not be reliable. And, you can always make a call to the Better Business Bureau. (page 287)