Fashion is just not for NYC anymore.  Catwalks abound, stores are in the mood to give deals, and there are free events for the masses right here in Los Angeles. The Beverly Center  goes all out with runway shows, shopper incentives, and even free self parking from 4 to 10 PM on September 10, Fashion Night Out.

The Frugal Diva would wear jeans and a comfy shirt everyday so I had to turn to Fashionista for the low down on primo events for that night. For the complete list of participating retailers in Los Angeles go to the official city site for LA Fashion Night Out .

And remember you can just have fun without even buying anything.  If you do buy consider the event T shirt to show your support for the next generation of fashion leaders.  Buy the exclusive FNO Los Angeles t-shirts at participating retailers and at The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Book Store!  All proceeds go to the California Fashion Association Foundation to be distributed as tuition grants for FIDM students.

This is a global event so look for local fashion activities in your area.

Ironic, coincidence, or  just the inevitable star crossed event – September is National Coupon Month and the month The Frugal Diva was born.   How appropriate that my birthday falls in the month for celebrating savings.  Coupon usage was up 17% in 2009 and as a nation we are very interested in keeping more of our hard earned paychecks.  When economists tell us to spend more they never tell us where to get the money.  For those who are not trust fund babies, lottery winners, or living off the grid, coupons and budgeting help keep us ahead of higher prices and able to maintain our lifestyles.

The I Love Coupons site is right in sync with the our philosophy for strategizing  coupon savings.  And the most important rule is number 4 – if you don’t need it, don’t buy it!  The most expensive item you own is one you never use.  Even if it was half off  with a 30%  discount, there is no point to buying an item that will sit in your closet, stay in your pantry, or be relegated to your garage.  Check them out every day this month for everything you ever wanted to know about coupons and more.

A great way to figure out how small savings add up is to use the Daily Dollar app from the Live Solid Facebook page. Small changes (and small change) add up quickly into dollar savings.  Save that caramel macchiato latte for a once a week treat instead of every day and you are about $20 a week, $80 a month, and $1000 a year ahead.  Calories are another savings, these drinks are just milkshakes masquerading as coffee.  Yummy as a once in a while treat, they will torpedo any diet plans when imbibed on a daily basis.  The Live Solid website follows up with great advice on living a healthy lifestyle on a budget, relationship money issues, college funds, and retirement.  I was honored to be put in their Live Solid Hall of Fame.

She had me at the title Shoo, Jimmy Choo however Catey Brown comes through with solid financial advice and forms to keep you on track. Combining wit and pratical tips she advises women in their twenties how to start out with good financial habits that build a foundation for future security. 

On September 6th this year I will be in Seattle enjoying the company of old friends, eating crab they caught out of the nearby waters, and being ever so grateful for my relationship with The Frugal Dude.

The Frugal Diva cannot tell Two Buck Chuck from Chateau Lafite-Rothschild so it was up to my friends to inform me of this new policy at many restaurants – free corkage. You bring the wine and they provide the glasses, you sip and they serve, you pay nothing and they stand by at your service. In an effort to brave the new realities of consumer spending, many restaurants allow patrons to bring in their own wine at no fee. 

This is a great perk for those who have an extensive collection and for those who stop by a market and pick up a decent bottle for $12. Twelve dollars is just about what a  glass of wine goes for in many places and you will be getting four full glasses for the same price. When choosing restaurants for a night out this usually leads to a minimal savings of at least $50. 

Opentable.com is a great place to check out which restaurants are letting you bring wine at no charge. Some like the Daily Grill only allow it on Tuesdays, others such as Roys are continuing it every day on a month to month basis, and I Cugini in Santa Monica allows it anytime. On the Open Table left hand side they have free corkage and BYOB listing for restaurants in every city.

Policies change quickly so always call to verify before making a reservation.

T shirts, and all types of gear for students at a great price manufactured right here in downtown Los Angeles.  American Apparel   means back to school specials for kids in and out of uniform available online. Buy a cotton pique multi pack of three high quality unisex polos for $87 or a three pack of ultra soft Tees for $42.

While teens are the target market, there are plentiful items for kids that include organic and natural  play dough, organic cotton clothes, and fun hair accessories. Even if they are mocked on Sex and the City, a scrunchie keeps the hair out of your eyes and off  your neck on hot days.

They might not be the first place you think of for maternity however there is a fun selection of tops and leggings.  They will see you through the final days of summer discomfort and you can lounge in them after the baby arrive.

The ads are not my favorites however let’s support this local business and their efforts at not only manufacturing here but keeping it sustainable, donating to local schools, and encouraging employees to bike or bus to work.

The Frugal Diva loves a night out under the stars with music or movies and all for free in LA. Take a night off and venture out to one of these great events or bring the kids for a free concert or movie.

Enjoy free outdoor movie screenings every Wednesday night at 8pm at Westfield Century City on the Level 2 Dining Terrace. August 25,50 First Dates and Sept 1, Jaws.  Spend $20 in the Dining Terrace and enjoy the beer & wine bar free

Getty Center off the 405this Saturday night August 28 and parking is free after five while the galleries stay open until nine. With a “skyscraping blend of the ambient and the anthemic,” the Antlers make music that is at once simple and immense—dream pop with an epic storyline. The critically acclaimed trio crafts its delicately powerful melodies with a fervent, artful earnestness that captivates listeners with lyrical surges, sweeping strings, and starry, sonic layers of postrock.

And take a day to tour the Central Library downtown with it’s impressive atrium art and globe chandelier

Into September we have The Culver City block party on Wednesday Sept. 15 in  Downtown Culver City .  Music, deals, and great food for a fun night out.

Don’t miss out on a chance to enjoy the last weeks of summer!

Your wedding day is a great opportunity to acknowledge that you are in love, starting out of a new path, and have the attention of everyone in the room.

First place to start, decide how many. Now there are two options, just the immediate family or 150 guests. How do I get to that equation? Everyone who has invited you to their wedding, your cousins, your neighbors, your family’s neighbors, and there are two of you-so unless one of you was found on the doorstep of an orphanage or raised by wolves-double all numbers. If you are going to stay with just parents, brothers and sisters, children, and grandparents you may stop reading here.

The rest of you suckers for that big day, let us move forward. Invitations – hand engraved on parchment by a professional calligrapher – no way!!  Printed on your ink jet using nice colored paper from the Paper Source  or the envelopemall.com - yes way!! Get some transparent labels for the addresses – print two copies so you can use the second one for the Thank You notes.  Print your own return address labels for the RSVP envelopes and the outside envelopes.

We all love beautiful flowers. Here is the truth about flowers – they are very expensive and die in three to four days. This is not the kind of investment you want to make. Here are some great options. Living baby roses in a beautiful container. And here is a great tip from Sasha Taylor owner of Bodhi Babies - buy inexpensive glass bowl shaped vases, fill them with water, float a few candles and then add a few roses or another flower to glide prettily in the water.  Sasha also added color by buying two small ficus trees and strategically placing roses in the leaves. Later use them in your apartment or plant them in your garden. Remember a small spash of color makes a great impression.

You can learn how to make a bouquet from a DIY internet site. Another tradition that I just loved. As the bride walks down the aisle, her friends each handed her a flower that she placed in a embroidered cloth holder. Everyone got to participate and she had a beautiful spontaneous bouquet.

Stay tuned for more wedding day tips. First, second or third time around, this can be a fun day without the expense.

Frugal Divas need their coffee and it better be good and fresh. Now we don’t need all that expensive equipment. A blender and a coffee maker will get you to the same place as a $2000 super duper coffee making machine. Frankly my car isn’t even worth that much.

Jennifer Moss of Babynames.com, gave me this great tip on becoming a coffee diva with home ground beans.  Maybe you don’t have counter space for a grinder and don’t want to shell out the money for it.  Jennifer says “Then use your blender!”  Most coffee grinders are mini-blenders with the same kind of blades at the bottom of them. Fill the blender half way with coffee beans and choose the setting, just like you would on a grinder: for example chop=course grind, frappe = fine grind. Don’t fill it more then half way, or it won’t grind all the beans. And here’s an added benefit: you won’t get all that “coffee dust” that you get with a grinder!

Cleanup: just run hot water in the blender carafe until there are no more coffee grounds. Make your coffee in any drip or press and you will have the best for the least amount of money.

And how about a little something to start your day, make fresh oatmeal or an egg on a muffin. Take a small microwave safe container and crack a raw egg into it. Place a paper towel over the container. Microwave anywhere from 25 to 50 seconds depending on your microwave and the degree of firmness that you prefer. At the same time slip an English muffin in the toaster. When it pops up, slip the egg into muffin, add a piece of cheese if you like and you have a nutritious and satisfying breakfast.

You have all the choice and save about $4 a day. Multiply the savings, subtract the extra calories and you have a great financial and nutritious benefit to being a Frugal Diva.

So many activities, so little time.  City of Presidents is the nickname for Rapid City where there are forty life size statues of former presidents on the downtown street corners.  That was how the Frugal Diva learned that she and President Madison were around the same height.   The Journey Museum takes you on an incredible trek through time as it tells the story of the Black Hills through interactive displays. Try on old clothes and read original letters from settlers while seeing how the geology of the area brought gold miners from all over the country.

If you watched Deadwood on HBO, it’s time to see the real town and the cemetary where all the characters were buried. Casinos are the new outlaws in the area however it still retains the feel of the Old West.  Move on to Lead and tour a gold mine.  These were harrowing jobs where men and later women spent eight hours underground alongside mules.

The Indians wanted to represent their hero in a monument to Crazy Horse .  Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski and Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear officially started Crazy Horse Memorial June 3, 1948.  The Memorial’s mission is to honor the culture, tradition and living heritage of North American Indians.

Flanked by towering limestone cliffs, this 20-mile route along US 14A, cuts through Spearfish Canyon. A forest of spruce, pine, aspen, birch and oak covers the hillsides while Spearfish Creek flows along the canyon bottom.  Bridal Veil and Roughlock Falls are highlights along the route. Stay at the Spearfish Canyon Lodge and enjoy a babbling brook, hikes along the falls, and delux accomodations. We paid $80 (with a AAA discount) for a beautiful double room. Please check for current rates.

How many remember Close Encounters of the Third Kind?  What a great opportunity to hike around Devil’s Tower and see if the aliens left anything behind.  This 1347 acre park is covered with pine forests, woodlands, and grasslands. Deer, prairie dogs, and other wildlife are seen. President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed Devils Tower the first national monument in 1906.

The all time dinner deal for meat eaters is the Alpine Inn in Hill City. Order a perfectly prepared bacon wrapped filet mignon. baked potato, Texas toast with a starter salad of  lettuce wedge and ranch dressing.  Choose between the 6 oz. for $8.95 and a 9 oz. for $10.95 and pay in cash. If you would like a glass of wine, they are mostly under $6.

Custer State Park has unobstructed views of herds of buffalo, elk, wild turkeys, and burros so friendly you pet them from your car window.  This is indeed where the deer and the antolope play. For those so inclined there are camp grounds as well as reasonably priced motels.

If you want a area with lots to do both indoors and outdoors, visit Mt. Rushmore and the South Dakota area. The Frugal Diva was amazed at how friendly people were and how easy it was to get around.  Living in Los Angeles it’s exciting to be able to park for a nominal fee and drive across town in five minutes during rush hour.