1. The most expensive item in your closet is the one you never wear – even if it’s reduced by 50% with another 30% off and you have an extra 10% off coupon.  Anything not in your size, in a color you never wear, or for a sport you never play is a reminder that “on sale” doesn’t always mean saving money.

2. Do you really need it? If it’s in black, you probably do. However if you already have ten black T shirts, more black pants than you can count, and black jackets in velvet, linen, cotton, and wool. Maybe you don’t.

3. Kitchen accessories are tempting. The Food Network and Top Chef have given us souffle dreams.  Think about the reality of your meals.  Will you be pureeing asparagus for a sauce? Making a ten layer torte?  Preparing a turduckan? Then you don’t want to invest in an inversion blender, more baking accessories, and an extra large roasting pan.

4. At the grocery store, there are always discounts. When marketing think healthy. Ten boxes of oatmeal at half price – good buy. Ten boxes of Fruit Loops at half price – no way.  Low fat ground turkey that can be frozen for turkey burgers, meat loaf and chili – yes! Doughnuts reduced to ten for a dollar – no!

5. Looking for ways to organize your home.  You might not need to buy mass produced storage items. It’s more fun to use your creativity. Re-purpose items already there. Use holiday tins to hold hair accessories,  save small jars for buying bulk spices, or old mugs for pencils on your desk.

6. About to buy some books online at a discount. There is a place that has free books, DVDs, books on CD, music CDs, and magazines. It’s called the public library.

7. White sales are great at this time of year.  This is an easy way to redecorate without spending too much. New duvet covers, sheets, and towels will make a bedroom and bathroom feel new for a minimum expense.

8. The most important rule – think before you spend.

Now we order our own paper, find our own printers, and try to get supplies at the best prices. Like everything else loyalty matters, pick a club and stay with them except for exceptional bargains.  I am a proud member of the Staples Club. They give me points for purchases and every three months send me a check.  Recycle used ink cartridges for a $2 rebate per cartridge.

My personal paper goods favorite is Envelope Mall for that all important first impression. What variety, what fabulous colors, what a deal. For business I want the best quality to tell my clients they are worth it. For a few pennies more you can have something that makes a terrific impression.  Do your own invitations. Euroflap envelopes bring a touch of elegance and no one will know whether you bought them at that expensive stationary store or ordered them off the Internet.

My favorite on line printer is uprinting.com- the site where you can talk to a real person in and they actually care about your order. You can send up files for a technical review at no charge and receive an on line PDF to verify your order. And if you live in Los Angeles you can pick up your printing and skip the delivery charge. They are nice and they deliver a high quality of customer service along with great printing.

If you are also your own publicist, go to PRWeb.com - they will teach you how to write a press release and then deliver to multiple markets for $80. Not bad for getting your name out there in a hurry.

You are receiving this newsletter from Mailchimp.com. They will let you have 12,000 sends per month for up to 2000 subscribers for free. This is a great way start out your mailer and see what works before making an investment. The dashboard is user friendly and they have many templates to choose from.

If you have a straightforward legal issue, Legal Zoom is reliable with top notch customer service. I used them for a DBA after a friend recommended them.  They were so good at explaining every step that it was a very relaxed process for a legalphobe such as myself.

Use that travel time that you are saving for walking, meditating, or reading a good book to transition from office mentality back into your home environment.

Until February 13, indulge your desires to have a place for everything and everything in it’s place with the sale on Elfa Shelving at The Container Store. The sale extends to installation so if you are not among those not handy with even the simplest of tools, take advantage of both discounts.

Try the website for savings on things like adorable polka dot baskets for sorting bathroom items, a desktop charging stations that keeps your small electronics organized, or the cutest little swivel tray for paper clips, stamps, and push pins. Have fun and let me know your favorite organizing tricks.

If you are a locavore for food, try it for these items made in the U.S.A. from The Container Store website.

The Johnson and Johnson Healthy Essentials savings pack includes $190 in coupons and rebates on your family’s favorite brands including: AVEENO®, NEUTROGENA® (still love their  inexpensive facial cleansers), LISTERINE®, Johnson’s®, Splenda®, BAND-AID®, OneTouch®, VIACTIV®, RoC®, REMBRANDT®, VISINE®, DESITIN®, NEOSPORIN®, LUBRIDERM®, BENGAY®, STAYFREE®, CAREFREE®, CORTAID®, and REACH®. Coupons can also be downloaded via www.healthyessentials.com. (link goes live January 6)

Putting a Band-Aid on it usually means superficially helping something. Now it means you can really help Feeding America provide emergency food assistance through local food banks to an estimated 37 million low-income people annually.

Few things are as motivating as telling others about a commitment, and that’s exactly what SunTrust is asking fans to do. Share how you resolve to live more financially-solid in 2012 and you’ll be registered in a drawing for one of four $100 SunTrust Visa® gift cards. Additionally, SunTrust will select one grand prize winner to receive a $5,000 package: a $2,500 SunTrust Visa® gift card to use now, a $2,500 SunTrust Bank¹ certificate of deposit (CD) to save for later, and a consultation with a SunTrust financial advisor.

SunTrust invites people to consider what’s holding them back and what they’ve resolved to change. What financial baggage do you have and how do you resolve to cut it loose? What luxuries will you forego in 2012 to put more money in your savings account? Motivate yourself and others by sharing your goals for 2012 through the Solid Resolutions Live Solid Facebook contest. Also, read through previously submitted resolutions to find out what’s important to other SunTrust clients in the coming year.

To enter, go to the SunTrust Live Solid Facebook page and click on the “Contests” tab.  Then, enter the contest by submitting your 2012 financial resolution.

Submissions will be accepted from January 3 at 12:00 p.m. (EST) until January 31, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. (EST). Weekly winners will be announced each Monday during the contest. Winner of the grand prize will be notified February 1, 2012.

To learn more about the contest rules, click here. Learn more about Live Solid at livesolid.com, join the conversation on Facebook or follow @LiveSolid on Twitter.

If I haven’t scared you to the point where wooded crates and a futon seem like a decorating plan, let me tell you about a fun place to learn what style suits you. H.D.Buttercup in Culver City houses over 20 manufacturers of varying genres and prices. You can stroll the vast space and learn a lot just by asking the very friendly and non pushy salespeople.  Now where is the bargain?  There are two ways to save here.

The first is one of their twice yearly sales that are after Christmas and around the 4th of July.  The whole store goes on sale (or almost all of it), including vintage and one-of-a-kind pieces.

Through January 16th enjoy 20%-70% off sofas, tables, lighting, chairs, artwork, rugs, linens, and more at the LA and SF stores.

The second is the Backroom at H.D. Buttercup  across the street. This lower priced space gets both older merchandise and brand new merchandise sold at a lower price point.  They also have a mattress and bath store called Dream where a number of smaller items  like candles, home fragrances, rugs, etc. are all reasonably priced with a high-end look.

H.D. Buttercup is surrounded by other great shops and restaurants however Let’s Be Frank , the gourmet hot dog stand, is your best bet when saving up for furniture.

Magazine subscriptions are just a click away and a little luxury that comes every month.

Check out the Broke Ass Gourmet for home made gifts such as sweet potato chips and other healthy yummy treats.

Goldstar Gift Certificates for fun experiences, wine tastings, and theater.

A one year pass to the National Parks.

In the email realm, open a dedicated email address just to register for online discounts.  Your own internet provider usually gives you that option or you can sign up for free at gmail or hotmail. Use this address when registering for sites that send you coupons and alert you to sales.

Quickly skim over the offers, jump on the ones you want, and be on your way.  Chico’s sends a $10 off coupon on your birthday and it can be used with another offer or on sale items.  Celebrate with new clothes that are on sale, use one of their coupons, and add in your B Day gift. Now we’re talking a real deal.  Sephora sends some free goodies your way on your B-Day. Origins has a discount birthday offer.

Your personal main email address will remain easily readable for your personal or business correspondence that needs to be answered.

Before going shopping or ordering  or eating out just type in the name of the store, restaurant, or service with the word sale or promo code. It is very likely that a deal will pop up on the first page of the google search.

For the paper coupons, there are several serious organizers for food coupons. For others, buy yourself a pretty wallet size organizer about the size of a checkbook. There are lovely ones to be found in Chinatown. They hold the millions of Bed, Bath, and Beyond discounts, restaurants specials, and other one of kind discounts. Remember to go through them and throw out expired offers.

After all being frugal is a life enhancer not a life clutterer.

This weekend it will be in Los Angeles! It will be held at the  Los Angeles State Park on December 10 + 11, from 10am – 5pm, to supply all your handmade holiday shopping needs! With over 200 artists, shoppers are sure to find something for everybody on their lists or can craft a special gift themselves at one of the terrific hands-on crafting workshops! A handful of LA’s best independent food trucks will be on site serving up delicious dishes and the bar will have many holiday libations!

Think global, shop local.

AAA Club Rewards is their newest online feature where you can save on hundreds of discount offers each week from approximately 30,000 participating merchants nationwide.  In addition to these savings, you can earn reward points with most purchases.  Members need to register on site. Once you are enrolled to receive reward points with most purchases on AAA Club Rewards.  Membership does indeed have it’s privileges.

It’s important to focus when you are doing loyalty programs so coordinate your shopping for maximum rewards.