Editor Picks
Discount Designer Lines: A Comprehensive List
Discount lines by top designers (known as “bridge”, “mass market” or “diffusion” lines) were once a novelty, but in recent months? It’s become a fashion trend all it’s own. While the lines are being created by designers these days as more of an economic survival tactic (in this economy, $600 ostrich skin platform wedges just aren’t moving like they used to), some designers—like our imaginary BFF Isaac Mizrahi—pioneered the movement as a way to get stylish options to the fashion-loving masses.
Whatever the motivation, the consumer (that’s us) reaps the benefits—meaning designer duds ...
7 Great Online Classified Sites
Think Craigslist is the only online classified site out there? We’ve done a little digging and, lo and behold, there are other options. While it’s true that classifieds are not exactly a top source for fashion items (actually, we wouldn’t really recommend them as a source at all) but we also know your budget shopping savvy doesn’t stop at Misses Department. You buy other stuff right? Or, in this economy, perhaps you have some stuff to unload and need a reputable place to advertise? Either way, you’ll need to get the lowdown first, and here it is:
Craigslist.org. We thought we’d just ...
Read MoreEleven Top Online Auction Sites
Shopping auction sites requires a few caveats—beware of designer knock-offs, check the feedback ratings on sellers carefully, only pay through secure options like PayPal. Once you’ve got the cautions out of the way, however, there’s the possibility of finding some truly great deals, even on items that are rare or one-of-a-kind. Also there’s the thrill of being the top bidder—if you enjoy that sort of thing (and we kinda do). Check out our reviews of these sites so you’ll know where to begin:
UpperBid.com. The most designer (Armani, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, BCBG Max Azria, etc.) and ...
Read MoreSix Great Online Swap Sites
Recycling is in-not only in terms of the environment, but also in terms of fashion—and these sites are leading the online swapping community. Before trading your goods, you need to know a few things: be careful swapping used make-up, always ask for clear photos to help you assess the quality of the garment you’re swapping, and make sure you understand the shipping fees and dispute policies of the site.
Swapstyle.com. Possibly the most stylish-looking of the swap sites we’ve visited, SwapStyle.com is also probably the most well-known and frequently used. Super easy to navigate, ...
TBF’s Top Recession Survival Tips
Right—nobody likes the “R” word (and apparently “Depressionista” is next in line to be banned by the FCC); however, it’s our duty here at TBF—as your cyber BFFs—to share whatever tips we can to make dealing with whatever we choose to call this challenging economy a little bit easier. A round-up:
Read MoreTop Community Sites for Discounts and Coupons
Popular blog community sites like Digg, Stumbleupon, etc can be a great resource for bargain hunters looking to score online coupons and deals. A search for shopping related terms (bargain, shopping, deal, coupons) can turn up a wide range of results, meaning it’s up to you to sort through them to find what you want—however, they also turn up results you might not get by using a search engine like Google (at least not in the top 50 results). Our top sites? Try these:
Stumbleupon.com. StumbleUpon.com is a popular and simple to use community site. A quick search for “coupons” turned ...
Top Ten Online Money Management Tools
Nothing takes the place of a good financial planner, but if your budget doesn’t warrant it (or accommodate the accompanying fees) there are some online tools that can make planning and saving just a little bit easier. We’ve compiled our top ten, to help you get organized even faster.
Mint.com. This comprehensive site allows you to create an anonymous account, add your bank, credit card and investment accounts—in five minutes time and that’s all the info they require. Then, Mint pulls your balances, purchases, stock trades, etc., to create a total overview of your financial picture. ...
Read MoreThe 15 Best Price Comparison Sites
Comparing prices is the hallmark of a smart bargain shopper, but knowing where to start can be a challenge in and of itself, so we’ve compiled some reviews of the most popular price comparison sites to help you out. Because that’s how we roll. In the name of equal opportunity, we kept our search specific, for Ugg Classic Short Boots (on all except the tech sites, of course). Here’s what we found:
Amazon.com. Amazon.com is probably the most high-profile of the price comparision sites (and the one we reference most on TBF), and for good reason. You’ll find a wide range of products here, ...
Gift Wrapping for Less
Usually we’re all about saving money on the gifts we’re buying this time of year, but what about all that dough we spend on wrapping paper (7 bucks for 20 feet of silver foil? Ridiculous!), ribbons, bows and the like? That’s why the folks at green living Web guide SustainLane.com have created this list of gift-giving styles and the eco- (and budget-) friendly ways to dress up your gifts for less:
Sensible: Go for reusable cloth, bags, paper, old maps and boxes in lieu of new wrapping paper.
Classic: Make festive gift-top décor with re-used bells, whistles, fake holly or mistletoe, ...
Read MoreTop Freebie Sites: TBF Tools
What does a Budget Fashionista love more than inexpensive stuff? Free stuff, of course! Not that free stuff is all that easy to come by (or worth getting, quite frankly), but if you’re willing to spend a little time clicking around, these five sites are good places to start:
FreebieList.com. Articles, reviews, and links to free stuff, from products to internet access to games and more.
The Free Site. Links to lots of free products and services; sign up for their e-mail newsletter to get the latest freebie news.
About.com Freebies. This is more of a blog format, but check back ...
Read MoreAdvertisement
Featured on TBF
Advertisement
Copyright 2003-2009 TBF Group, LLC.