If you’re planning on going Black Friday this year, this is a must-read! Andrea Woroch, a nationally-recognized consumer and money-saving expert, featured among top news outlets such as Good Morning America, NBC’s Today, MSNBC, etc. shares with us some great Black Friday Shopping Tips!

1. Just Because It Says “Sale”…
…doesn’t mean it’s really a sale. For example, many stores are advertising blockbuster prices on the Kindle e-reader, but check with Amazon and you’ll find there’s no difference between the regular and so-called “sale” prices. Do a bit of research before you leave home by comparing the prices between clicks and bricks.

2. Overbuying
Do you fall into the frenzy of Black Friday? Everyone is grabbing and it’s so easy to feel you might miss out on a good thing. Remember that list people always tell you to make before heading out? Well stick to it! I’m guilty of this! I am blinded by huge sales and please stop and think before you hit the cash register, do I really need this?

3. Not Checking for Quality
Many sale items are of substandard quality. Clothes are a particular example this season, as the increased cost of cotton drove manufacturers to use less of the popular raw material. Many hems aren’t properly finished, sleeves are shorter than normal, and manufacturers are using gathered seams to save on fabric. Consumer electronics also are subject to this syndrome. Look carefully for any snags or sewing mishaps before you buy.  Save yourself time to prevent returning the item.

4. Ignoring Coupons
There’s a reason the Thanksgiving newspaper is the fattest of the year. All those fliers contain some really juicy coupons. Tip: Pick up a major newspaper Thursday morning or check out online forums.

5. Comparing Apples to Oranges
Naming no names, but some big-box stores order electronics and appliances with a slightly different model name or number, so you can’t comparison shop properly. If you want to price check an item, compare features, and not model numbers.

6. Forgetting About Extras
One of the best examples here is the computer printer. Manufacturers like to offer printers at what look like blazingly great prices. Unfortunately, the printer ink or toner will cost the gift recipient more than the printer cost you. The same goes with batteries for larger toys and electronics.

7. Setting Your Sites on Freebies
Babies R Us is offering a free $10 gift card on toy purchases of $75, leading you to add enough items to your basket until you’ve hit the magic $75 mark. Express gives you $25 in Express Cash when you spend $50, which means you’ll likely spend more than the $25 on other purchases. Sometimes free isn’t really free.

If you have any other tips, please share them with us!

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Did you know that 1 in 3 women admitted they would rather gain 10 pounds they could never lose before giving up makeup?Yikes!

In this month’s October SELF magazine, 2,000 readers reveal their makeup addictions and blunders—the truth about what they are spending, using and more! Do you fall into their results? Check out some of the results below!

An Overview

• 91% of women splurged on new makeup last month
•  52% own more than 20 makeup products (not including skin and hair products) – Sounds like me!
• 58% up their makeup routine when you’ve got a hot date
• More than half surveyed touch up makeup once a day
• 40% put on between 5-10 makeup products every day. And only 4% don’t wear makeup at all.
• Over 35% of women are motivated to buy a new makeup product because they saw it in a magazine story, tear the page out and buy it
• 91% expect makeup to multitask as much as you do
• When looking for a “double duty” makeup product, 40% say sunscreen is the second aspect that’s most important

What they wear the most:

• 78% use mascara every day
• 66% say foundation is a daily makeup must
• 57% brush on bronzer without fail
• 54% say lipstick or gloss is a necessity
• 59% have 5 to 10 lip colors in your makeup bag right now

Where they shop: Surprisingly,  it’s split pretty evenly!

• 48% prefer to shop at specialty stores.
• 41% buy makeup at drugstores

Bad Habits:

• 56% have gone months without replacing their mascara - I AM GUILTY AS CHARGED!
• 55% admit to going to sleep with makeup on – Never!
• 53% never remember to wash makeup brushes

Why They Wear It:

• 31% reach for makeup to feel sexy.
• 27% say it makes you look professional.
• 24% wear it to show off confidence.
• 11% use makeup to get a mood boost.

What they want to work on:

• 82% admitted they need to go back to beauty school
• The three tricks they want to master: Applying liquid liner straight; layering eye shadows; choosing the right foundation- I second this!

You can check out the rest of the results in this October’s SELF Magazine.

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During this economic downturn, many of us (including myself!) are trying to cut back on our spending.  When it comes to purchases, I try to separate my “needs” from my “wants.”   However, when it comes to shaving our budgets, most women put beauty products in the “need” category.   Mintel, a leading market research firm,  reports consumers spent $2.32 billion on shampoo and $1.71 billion on conditioner in 2010 alone. Yikes!

So what’s the best way to save on essentials without resorting to dollar-store cosmetics? Andrea Woroch, a nationally recognized consumers-savings expert, shares with us nine tips to keep both your beauty and your budget intact!

1. Hair Products
Consider extending the life of your shampoo (and hair color) by using dry shampoo or baby powder in between washes.  Try Klorane Dry Shampoo.

2. Hand Soap
Foam hand soap is all the rage these days, and one of the easier beauty products to DIY.  All you need is a lot of water, a bit of soap and a few drops of essential oil.

3. Makeup Brushes
In addition to extending the life on pricey makeup applicators, regularly cleaning your brushes is just the sanitary thing to do.   I clean my makeup brushes every two weeks! And if you really need replacements, consider a tip given by a MAC Cosmetics artist; buy art brushes at craft stores for a fraction of the price!

4. Foundation
Whether you’re a liquid, powder or mineral foundation girl, you can use less of this beauty staple by applying a base before application. The Magic Perfecting Base by L’Oreal is a favorite among top fashion magazines, and is available for less than $12 or my favorite, Neutrogena Dry Sunblock.

5. Fragrance
Let’s be honest — designer fragrances are among the most expensive beauty purchases, with $80 buying less than 6 ounces of product. If you can’t part with your signature Chanel scent, buy gift cards at a discounted rate for retailers selling your fragrance and enjoy immediate savings. Tip: The best time of the year to purchase fragrances is around Mother’s Day.

6. Body Lotion
Moisturizing is a must for anyone who wants to avoid the shar pei-look at 50, but lotion gets pricey when you see the words “illuminating,” “firming” or “age-defying” on the label. Unless you have a serious skin issue, consistent use of most drugstore moisturizers is sufficient.  My personal favorite is St. Ives Body Lotion AND it’s under $5!

7. Hair Color
Prolong your color-treated hair between salon visits using household ingredients. Brunettes can use a strong pot of cooled coffee and blonds can use a lemon juice-water mixture. Apply the treatment after shampooing, let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse, condition and style as usual.

8. Hair Accessories
Today’s trendy hair accessories can be homemade for a fraction of salon and department store prices. Channel your inner domestic goddess and create one-of-a-kind hair candy with beads, feathers and artificial flowers found in craft stores.

9. Less is More
There’s no need to wear your entire cosmetics collection every day of the week. Consider giving your wallet a break by opting for the basics during mellow workdays or lazy weekends such as just eyeliner, mascara or possibly even going make up free!!

Hope this helps in saving you $$! Please share any other tips you may have!

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Cancel Your Gym Membership: This At-Home Gym is FREE

Find out which household items double as fitness equipment

This is a TotalBeauty.com fitness article Spending upwards of $30 a month for gym membership is an expendable luxury in this tight economy. For gym results without the bill, see how to create your own gym at home with these ingenious ways to use everyday household items. See workouts

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