For all my SavvyStressed Brides to Be August 3, 2010

Maybe its because I’m in my mid-twenties. Maybe its because I surround myself with amazing girls. Maybe, despite the recession, love has found a way to flourish?! Heck, I dunno. Whatever the reason: TONS of people are engaged (or almost engaged) right now! Right?
Everybody knows weddings are the most over-priced, over-hyped, over-analyzed event in most people’s life. I’ve totes been there/done that. But if ya’ll think my cheap ass didn’t negotiate the hell out of my event and cut corners during the process of planning and paying for my dream day, you’s crazy! Now I could literally write an entire book about how to plan an amazing wedding on a budget. But, literally, hundreds of people have beat me to it. So I’m going to just give you a little taste of one of the biggest cost cutting techniques I learned from my “big day.” Here’s the backstory:
My poor daddy was diagnosed with terminal cancer during my engagement. My plans for spending ‘at least’ a year planning and executing my perfect wedding quickly became a rush to the alter because of my dad’s declining health. I literally had 12 weeks to start from square one. During this 12 week process, I somehow bought 3 wedding dresses. I got all flustered and bought one from BCBG that I didn’t even like but was just very well priced. Then I returned that. Later, at a crazy sample sale, I bought another dress that was a bit too trendy but, again, was well priced. That one is still sitting in my closet (to my husbands dismay). Finally, I realized I needed to wear my DREAM dress to this DREAM wedding. Unfortunately, it was a $6500 Monique Lhuillier gown. Oh yeah, since I needed it so quick, that was going to add on an additional 30% rush fee totaling at $8,450. Fo’ reals.

Heres where the fun starts………
I started scouring the web for my dress. I knew what size I was and I knew the style name. This is ALL you need. Ebay, PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com, and OnceWed were my daily go-to’s for weeks. Finally, I found it. MY Monique Lhuillier dress, in my size, unworn, unaltered, with tags attached was on ebay for $3400. It all worked out and I got my lovely, lacy dress at a great price. It ended up being perfect and I still cant imagine I was going to compromise on such an important aspect of my walk down the aisle. Still, $3400 is a crazy amount of cash to spend on a dress you wear for 5 hours. Im not a traditional kitty by any means, and that cash can buy a LOT of other discounted Items, so the idea of keeping the gown was out of the question. Upon returning from my honeymoon, I listed my dress for sale on all the above mentioned websites. Within a week, I sold my dress to someone in Illinois for $4000. Yes, thats right, I MADE money on my wedding dress. I have thousands of pictures to keep the memory, and of course, the way it all came together was such a perfect SavvySexySaver story, I had no problem shipping it off to the next bride. She even told me she will be selling it after her wedding. Ummm… Hello, “Sisterhood of the Traveling Dress!”

After all that, my dad is still truckin’ along and marrying my hubby has been one of the best decisions of my life.

I hope the tale of the over-priced wedding dress inspires all my brides out there to look to the web when its time to buy!

Luxury Link is your new best friend April 29, 2010

Just when I thought I’d seen them all, a new kid moves into the savvysexy travel site block! Now give me a chance here, it’s not your usual discount travel site (its WAY the heck better)! Think of it like this…. the Ritz Carlton meets Ebay and they have a little baby named Luxury Link. This is a place where amaaahhzing hotels and resorts all over the world offer super discounted “packages” to be aucitioned off via online bid. Its hard to explain, but basically this is how they can offer rooms and rates that are about 50% below their lowest advertised price. I spent hours browsing the thousands of gorgeous resorts with specials on the site. Oddly, almost all the packages had 0 Bids which means anyone can jump in at the end of the auction and pay the rock bottom price.
Almost all of the packages are for a few nights, including meals, some spa treatments, and even transportation to/from the airport.
Check the “Best Deals” section under “Auctions” for some highlights:

Mondrian, Los Angeles (Stay-cation, anyone?): $1,005 total
This 4-night package for 2 includes:
-4 nights in a Deluxe Corner Studio
-1 king bed, 500 square feet
-Floor-to-ceiling windows
-Continental breakfast for two each morning, served at Asia de Cuba
-Specialty cocktails, one per person, served at ADCB
-Massage treatments, one per person
-Taxes

Diamond Deluxe Hotel on Kos, Greece (Hello Greek Isles vacay!):$1,086 total
This 7-night package for 2 includes:
-7 nights in a Superior Deluxe guest room
-Bottle of champagne and basket of fruit in room upon arrival
-Breakfast and dinner for two each day, served at Emerald Restaurant
-À la carte dinner for two on one evening of your choice, served at Peruzzi Italian Restaurant, including glass of wine per person
-Use of spa hamam, sauna and rasul on one day of your choice
-Taxes & service charges

Viceroy Bali: $1,853 total
This 5-night package for 2 includes:
-5 nights in a Garden Villa with private pool and scenic view
-Roundtrip transfers between Denpasar Airport (DPS) and the hotel
-Welcome drinks and chilled towels upon arrival
-Chilled champagne in villa upon arrival
-Choice of continental, American or Asian breakfast for two each morning
-6-course degustation dinner for two on one evening of your choice, served at CasCades Restaurant
-120-minute couples spa treatment for two
-Private shuttle service to/from Ubud city center
-Complimentary nonalcoholic mini bar consumption
-Complimentary internet access
-Taxes

Pretty hard to beat those prices, huh?!

Now that I’ve teased you a little, go plug in your dream destination and see what kind of SavvySexyTravel awaits!

The Deets on Blackboard Eats … March 15, 2010

I know, kitties… Its been too long. Dont worry, in the past 2 months I have found SO many amaasssing savverworthy things to share with you!
First things first, I have been eating some GOOD food lately. This is due to my recent discovery of Blackboard Eats. Its one of the easiest coupons to get and its completely freeeeeeee!

Here’s the scoop: Every few days, HOT eateries in LA provide the opportunity for Blackboard Eats members to download a passcode that is good for a huge discount on the total bill at their restaurant. The passcode expires one month from the day its issued. They only make the code available for 24 hours and you have to click “get this passcode” to get your personalized discount code. It is completely free and there’s NO catch!! I have used these codes for 30% off at Loteria Grill, 30% off at Mozza2Go (THE BEST PIZZA I’VE EVER HAD), 30% off at La Cabanita, free cocktails at Nobu, and a super cheap pre-fixed menu at Grace. As you can see, they don’t just focus on new openings, they feature super trendy spots as well as hidden gems. Just last week, Prado restaurant on Larchmont offered a free bottle of wine with the purchase of an entree! Such a good deal!!! I live for this stuff.

For access to all these yummies, just go to www.blackboardeats.com and sign up!

Also, for my east-coast saveristas, there is a New York edition, too!

WEEE Restaurant Week is BACK! January 24, 2010

Please forgive me, but this might be a case of deja-vu for some of my savvyfollowers. Lets be real, I simply cannot let dineLA Restaurant Week come and go without a little blog lovin’, right!? Ahhh my tastebuds are getting excited from the simple mention of this fantastical event!

Restaurant Week is when the top eateries create a special 3 course, pre-fixed lunch and dinner menu at a discounted price. Its also the only time you will find me pigging out at these swanky establishments without it being a “special occasion” (since Bdays and Anniversaries are totally justifiable spending events!).
Full details about price and info can be found on the official dineLA Restaurant Week 2010 site. The event runs from January 24- February 5…plenty of time to try a few spots in between visits to Runyon Canyon.
Surprisingly, one of the new comers to this years list is Ortolan, also known as one of the top French restaurants in all of Los Angeles. This place is seriously expensive, so the chance to dine here in saverista mode is amazing. Other hotspots are Cecconi’s, Josie, Katsuya, Maison Akira, The Foundry, and XIV.

Check out the list, pick a few, make some ressy’s, and indulge! A happy tummy is one of my divine secrets of the Ya-Ya SavvySexySaverHood.

SavvySexySanta, Saving Some Holiday Cash December 17, 2009

Its inevitable, you are going to spend a lot of dough during the month of December. Some how everything always costs more than you planned, yet you can’t quite pinpoint exactly where all that money went! I have a few little SantaSaver tips that will conserve cash and the environment. After all, Green is the new Red&Green. Oh wait…

Reusable Shopping Bags as Christmas wrap- Its widely known that gift bags are the most useless yet pricey items (other than greeting cards) in the gift giving world. Think about it… How many times have you bought a gift then cringed at spending $3.99 on a gift bag to temporarily house it in. Such a waste. Not to mention, these paper bags get tossed in the dumpster faster than you can say “deforestation.” This year, instead of wrapping odd shaped items in gift bags, stop by your local grocery or Target store to buy a reusable shopping bag! You can still make them fancy with some ribbons and a pretty sheet of tissue paper (if you must). The lucky recipient will not only get a nice little surprise inside, but they will continue to conserve by using the tote for their shopping needs. I picked up a bunch of these beautiful red totes at Target for $1.50, but I’ve seen them for .99 cents as well. Now I’d like someone to explain how its possible that a reusable bag is cheaper than a paper disposable bag…?! Don’t make no sense.

Emailed Holiday Cards- Everyone loves the idea of sending picture filled cards to everyone in your address book. Its a tradition for many families and there are lots of people who really like to hold on to these little yearly keepsakes. However, there are also many people who simply look at them and toss them in the trash. At .44 cents each just for the mailing, that can be an expensive piece of “junk mail!” A good alternative is to print up a few of the regular paper holiday cards like you normally would and send those to grandparents and the more traditional people on your list who you know keep them around. For the dozens of friends and family who are internet savvy (gosh I use that word a lot), simply scan the card and send it in a holiday email! They will still get to see your cute pictures and “seasons greetings,” yet it wont cost you a penny. This is a good way to keep in touch with those friends and acquaintances who you don’t have mailing addresses for. You also save stamps and the environment, a win-win situation all around!

I hope you all enjoy these tips. Happy Christmahanakwanzika to all my followers and Thank YOU for reading my little blog.

I Found the GOLDen Ticket to Events November 20, 2009

Since something to do is always better than nothing, its a given that all saveristas love a good event. But lately, these things really add up. Remember when “dinner and a movie” was under $20? Or when it didn’t need to be someone’s birthday for an excuse to see a live show? Well, with the help of Goldstar, the good ol’days have returned! Your social life will thank me later. Let me explain…
Goldstar.com is a website which offers highly discounted tickets to concerts, shows, theatre, performing arts, comedy, festivals, dining, and sporting events. It’s completely free, you just need to be a member (takes a few seconds) and the deals are all right there tailored to your town. Also, the site shows member reviews of all the events it features. Check out the site- there are tons of amazing discounts for things I’ve actually been wanting to see! Nothing is more annoying than going to dinner somewhere ONLY because you have a coupon or seeing a movie ONLY because its free. Ya’ll know what I’m talking about!
Here are a few of my favs:

KOOZA by Cirque du Soleil at the Santa Monica Pier:
FULL PRICE: $85.00 – $95.00
OUR PRICE: $51.00 – $57.00*

Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical at the Pantages:
FULL PRICE: $85 – $90
OUR PRICE: $30 – $42.50

Girls Only Cooking School: French Macarons & Wine:
FULL PRICE: $80
OUR PRICE: $45

Languedoc Wine Tasting at Mel and Rose Wine & Specialty Food:
FULL PRICE: $20
OUR PRICE: $10

If you’re smart, hit up that wine tasting at Mel and Rose, then check out Kooza or The Grinch! Heh Heh Heh

* There are small fees involved when you purchase tickets, but referring a friend gives you credit towards this.
Still TOTALLY worth it, people.

Cruise Prices at All Time Low, Time To Go! November 4, 2009

Every SavvySaver knows cruising is one of the best ways to get a lot of bang for your buck while traveling. If you are the type who prefers to pay a flat price and have all the tricky details taken care of, it’s especially ideal. However, like anything, it’s only worth it when the price is right! Well listen up kitties, the time is now! I have been cruising through the deals on Cruise Experts all month and am continuously blown away at these prices!!! A bunch of cruises are leaving from Los Angeles (for all my local saveroos) so no need to worry about airfare.
Check out these insane prices on upcoming sailings from L.A.:

7 Day Cruise to Mexican Riviera on Norwegian Star: $299 each!
7 Day Cruise to Mexican Riviera on Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas: $359 each!
7 Day Cruise on Princess Cruises: $399!

A little blackberry calculator action quickly confirmed that at $299/week, you are essentially getting ALL your food, entertainment, and accommodations for less than $45/DAY. I spend more than that staying home! Hope some of you find a great excuse to need a vacay and can take advantage of some of these great offers. Don’t be afraid to spend that Christmas bonus on travel… in this recession, no one’s expecting gifts anyway.

Fine Dining on a (few) Dimes: October 4 -9 & October 11-16 September 30, 2009

Ok saveroo’s and saverettes, its time to spoil yourself a little. After a long, hot summer full of thrifty living and semi-healthy eating, we deserve to indulge. Luckily for us, the folks with dineLA make it possible to eat at some of the best restaurants in Los Angeles for a discounted set menu price during Restaurant Week! Now, Ive been known to get overly excited about things involving discounts, but trust me when I say, this is definitely something to write home to mama about!

The restaurants participating in this offer are AMMAAZZZING. Seriously. I’m talking over 200 of the BEST places in the city of Angels/Dodgers. The dineLA deal is basically a 3 course pre-fixed menu for lunch or dinner. The restaurants are divided up into three price tiers for “Deluxe/$”, “Premier/$$”, and “Fine/$$$” Dining. Here is the complete list of all participating restaurants and booking information: dineLA Restaurant Week.

I already have ressy’s at Jiraffe in Santa Monica and will probably do the $16 three course lunch at Cafe Bisou and Taste.
*Special spots you shouldnt overlook: Grace, BLT Steak, Spago (yes, you deserve it), Boa, Chart House, Crustacean, Gordon Ramsay, Katsuya, Morton’s, Mr. Chow (move over Lindsay Lo), Roy’s, Ruth’s Chris, The Melting Pot, and Wolfgang Puck.
Honestly, this is the only chance we get to really indulge at a gourmet eatery without paying full price.
Free with purchase: The cool feeling you get the next time you’re watching TMZ and you see a celeb stumbling out of “that place we ate at for restaurant week!”

Guide to Guilt Free Dining Out- SavyYUMMYSaving! September 7, 2009

Face it, we are a generation obsessed with eating in restaurants. And it’s not just about the food… or the free bread, the lemon slice in the water, and the satisfaction of a night sans dirty dishes. Eating out is what we do for fun! Like bowling or going to the Apple store. Except, if you are like me, after a week of eating as many meals “out” as “in”, you feel guilty. Like a bad wife or a lazy American or a gluttonous princess. I guess these feelings are based on the fact that eating in restaurants tends to really add up. Its worse if you are a coupon clipping savvysaver like me, because then you see everything in terms of what you could buy for the price of this ______ appetizer platter with _______ sauce and a side of ______. It might be a sickness, but I’m sure some of you out there do the same thing. Sometimes I will even create equations in my head like 1 Glass of Wine + 1 Chef salad = 1 tank top at Nordstrom Rack + 2.5 gallons of premium unleaded gasoline. I know. Issues.
Anyway, back to the restaurant thing. In essence, the only way to avoid the guilt of being a chronic restaurant head is to somehow get a discount! Thats where one of my FAV online sites, Restaurant.com comes in to play. This website is AMAZING because it allows you to purchase dining coupons (like gift certificates) at super discounted prices! You buy through the site, then print the coupon up and take it to that specific restaurant with in a year of purchase. The average price for a $25 coupon is $10.
But wait a sec. You know I never settle for a first rate discount without doing some dirty work to see if it can get even better…. and in this case- it does! Restaurant.com ALWAYS has some type of discount code that gets you an additional 50%-80% off the coupon price. If you go to their site and become a member, they will email you these codes when they become available. You can also google “Restaurant.com, discount” and tons of codes for the current week will be available. I usually wait until the end of the month to buy because thats when they are always 80% off and I can get a $25 coupon for $2. Thats right. Two American Buckaroos!!! I use these coupons weekly… My favorite restaurants in the L.A. area that use this service are Tart (on Fairfax by the Grove), Joselitos, Black Cow Cafe and Star Cafe (Montrose, shout out to the home town!), and Ca Del Sole (on Cahuenga. YUM). Their list of restaurants available grows monthly as more people start using the service. I’ve never once had a problem using a coupon anywhere, and the servers are always nice about it.
So go ahead, give it a try. Let me know what new restaurants you discover. This will suppress that eating out “guilt” faster than you can say Xanax.

How to Save Thousands on Property Taxes! (aka: “Making Lemonade”) August 20, 2009

Never have we had to make so much damn Lemonade! The Real Estate Market is definitely not what it used to be.  Most homes in California have seen their values fall significantly in the past few years causing many homeowners hardcore stress.  However, your home being devalued can lead to some Ca$h in your pocket if you know how to take advantage of it.  Yep.  Here is where we turn the big sour seedy non-organic lemon into dollar filled sweeeeeeeet lemonade. This literally takes a few minutes and will save you thousands of dollars a year! Now perk up those kitten ears and listen closely… I’m going to tell you how to lower your property taxes by filing your own “Decline in Value” appeal to the County of Los Angeles. If you live in other states that don’t have Prop 13 (enables temporary property tax reduction to Cali residents), check your local Tax Assessors site for details.

Last year, I was sent a letter from a private company offering to handle my Decline in Value property tax situation for me… at a fee of $100.  Hundreds of private companies are sending these letters to home owners who don’t know any better and pay the fee for something that is SO easily done themselves. The first time around, I made this mistake, too. Ahhh that’s 50 Bottles of 2-Buck Chuck down the drain!  That was last year and yes, they did agree that my 2007 appraised value was slightly inflated, so they lowered my property taxes a little. However, you have the right to appeal your tax value EVERY year! Which means, you would need to re-pay these companies yearly to keep up with market trends! Um… no way Jose’.

To start, go to the L.A. County Assessors forms page and download the FIRST form, RP-87, titled “Application for Decline in Value Reassessment.” Print it up!

Next, you need to find some comparable sales (comps).  Any home that has sold recently (but not past 3/31/09) and is similar to your home in square footage and location qualifies as a reputable comp. Now I know we are used to the government making things difficult, but they must have some remorse since they are making this process so easy.  If you go to this site and enter you home address, it will pull up comparable sales in your area for you. From there, simply see what homes have sold recently and are similar to yours in size and location. Pick the two best comps and fill in the “Comparable Sales” section. Now, to find the price per square foot of these homes, simply divide the final selling price of the comp by its square footage.  Do this for both of your comps. Get the average price per square foot, then multiply that number by the square footage of YOUR home. This should provide an estimate of what your home is worth.  Enter this number in the space titled “Your Opinion of Property Value as of January 1, 2009.”

Here is a fictional example:

Your Home: 1000 Square Feet

Comp 1: 1200 Square Feet, Sold 2/1/09 for $200,000. (200,000/1200=$166.67/square foot)

Comp 2: 900 Square Feet, Sold 3/1/09 for $160,000 (160,000/900=$177.78/square foot)

Comps Average: 166.67+177.78=$344.45/2= $172.22

Comp Average price x Your Square Footage ($172.22 x 1000=$172,223.89)

My opinion of your home’s value as of January 1, 2009: $172,223.89

Simple as that! Now, just fill out the info and mail the form into the Assessor at the address listed on the bottom of the page. They should reply by mail within a few weeks and they will let you know how much you will be saving per year!

If they agree that your home has been overvalued, they will send you a check! So much fun. Getting money from the government is like finding a $20 in your jeans pocket…. It feels like a generous gift even though it was probably yours to start with!