Vampire Power MUAHAHAH

These days I’ve been trying to think of easy ways to cut costs and save a little money. We all know the economy is a little shaky right now and a gal should always be looking for ways to pinch some pennies. The hardest thing about cutting costs is that most of the time it requires effort and change. If something takes too much effort or causes me to have to change things dramatically I just won’t do it. I’m bad that way.

Well, gather round sweeties because I have a haunting tale to tell!
Have any of you heard of Vampire Power? Yes, yes, I know it’s Halloween and the Vamps are out in full force but this is even scarier because it happens year-round!

Vampire Power is the electricity that is used when you have your appliances plugged in but switched off or in standby mode. My mother always told me to unplug things when I wasn’t using them but I thought she was just paranoid about fires. Turns out, yet again, she knew what she was talking about.

I did a little research and it turns out that you can spend close to $1,000 a year on your electric bill by having all of these things plugged in when not in use. Things like Cell phone chargers, computers, TV, your Xbox 360, and electric toothbrush all continue to drain energy while you think they are just sitting there!

I was astonished, and curious, so I took a little wander around the house to see just how much we had plugged in. Holy cow! Our household is a veritable smorgasbord of electronic devices and all of them are plugged in all the time.
So how do we slay the Vampire power? Do we need a stake? Garlic? Buffy?

Nope, the lovely people over at Best Buy have some super easy tips on how to rid yourself of Vampire Power. They also have an incredibly cute vintage horror style PSA explaining Vampire Power.

Unplug
Unplug things when you’re not using them. Simple.

Use a power strip
Plug everything into that and then just turn the power strip off - easy peasy!
I was happy to see that most of our things are plugged into a power strip. I don’t feel so bad now.

Turn it off
Completely shut down your computer.
Oooh I’m bad at this one. When your computer is in sleep mode it can cost you up to an additional $70 per year.

Buy Energy-Star appliances
Whenever you’re in the market for a new appliance you should always look for the Energy Star products. They can reduce your energy bill up to 40%!

Vampire Power Awareness Day is tomorrow, October 30th.
So get to it ladies - unplug! Besides, wouldn’t that money be better off in your pocketbook?

Good Neighbors: Inside a Black Apple

I have a confession to make. I'm a blog-aholic. My RSS reader is always overflowing with bloggy goodness. I do have a few favorites though and this neighbor is one of them.

Inside a Black Apple is the blog of one of my very favorite artists - Emily. I have quite a few of her delightful prints decorating my kitchen. But her blog is my little haven of daily inspiration. Like me she delights in tights, sweaters, and all things fall. She enjoys delicious baked goods and being creative. Heck, she even made it onto the Martha Stewart show! She lives a very picturesque life and I find her incredibly inspiring. I hope that you do too.


P.S. If you end up loving her style as much as I do, be sure to check out her Fashion Blog - Some Girls Wonder. The girl is a whiz at embellishment!

Get $5 off $25 at Whole Foods - Expires 10/22

Need a little coupon for your mid-week shopping?
Here's a coupon for Whole Foods. It expires on Wed 10/22 so go ahead and print it off and run your pretty little self over to the store.


Download printable coupon in PDF format

Do you Budget?

Seasonal-izing your home

Ladies, it’s time to seasonal-ize your home. Just as you update your wardrobe for the seasons so must you make sure your home is current.

Out with the shorts and sandals, so out with the filmy breezy curtains and light linen pillows.

Don’t get yourself into a tizzy. There’s no need to spend all of your housekeeping money on a brand new look. It’s cheap and easy to change up the look of your home for the new season.

By adding just a few key accent pieces you’ll be feeling the coziness of Autumn in no time.

The easiest and cheapest way to update the look of a room is to change up the following pieces:




For just a little more investment you can also switch out your Curtains or add some Slipcovers to your furniture.

These items make a room. Don’t fret if “autumn” colors don’t go with your current décor. You don’t have to follow the season to the letter. You want an atmosphere not a cliché. Your house doesn’t need to be all pumpkins, branches and leaves.

Switch out your normal throw blanket with a warm cable knit or faux fur version. Use chenille or suede pillows. Choose a deeper shade of your currant curtain color. Add some spicy scented candles. Make an effort to use heavier warmer fabrics and tones. You’ll see the difference immediately.

If you're a little low on cash but big on craftiness why not knit yourself a lovely nubby throw or use some of that left over corduroy to fashion some pillow covers. That would add an even more personal touch to your home and save some pennies for a steak dinner!

Why not make a delicious cup of hot apple cider and mull over some ideas. I'd love to hear your suggestions and see some great photos of your Autumn Decor.

Happy Fall everyone!

Your Hostess

Hello darlings! I've been a little absent lately because I've been having adventures in hair dye land. I'm a bit of a dye freak I must admit. I used to change my haircolor practically monthly. For the last year I've had a lovely blue black but I was feeling the need for a change. I watched "Married Life" and fell in love with Rachel McAdams' platinum blonde.



So gorgeous. I was inspired. The man said to me "You should do your hair like that." And that was all it took. The tiniest amount of encouragement and I was off to buy the bleach. And so... countless hours and boxes of bleach and toner later I'm blonde. I'm not as blonde as I want to be but it will do for now. The next few weeks will be a love affair with conditioner!

I don't often talk about myself on this blog so I thought I'd give it a shot. I thought maybe you'd like to see a snippet of my adventures in haircolor.


Those are just some of my favorites. The blonde pic was from about 5 years ago. I'll take some pictures of my new blonde this weekend.