Japanese Blossom Woven Dress, $15.84

I just checked out the sale going on at the Forever 21 web site, and the prices are crazy! The first sale item is a really cute spaghetti strap tank top for $3.84! The other crazy part about it is that the original price for that item is $4.80.
I had no idea I could get clothing for less than $5 nowadays. I never go shopping and never buy new clothes, but now I wish I had known how inexpensive Forever 21 is. I would have definitely gotten some new items already. Now that I know about Forever 21’s prices and the awesome sale going on now, I might just have to do some online shopping on my lunch break.

Forever 21 fits everyone’s budget

I figured if I ever needed to buy new clothes I’d have to take out a payday cash loan, but if the $3 tank top wasn’t enough to convince you that you can afford Forever 21 clothes, check out these other deals:

• Relaxed knit cami, $4.72
• Vintage Hollywood tank, $10.24
• Retro Malibu tee, $11.04
• Color stripe halter top, $11.84
• Satin trim knit top, $15.84
• Japanese Blossom woven dress, $15.84
• Distressed print dress, $18.24
• Marsha mesh dot dress, $18.24
• Tina denim shorts, $19.84

Forever 21 sales every day

I don’t wear dresses, except for special occasions, but if I did, I would definitely get them from forever 21. Great looking dresses for less than $20? I feel like I’ve found a time machine and gone back to when prices were reasonable.
Turns out, this sale is no special occasion. The Forever 21 web site offers 21 items for 20 percent off every day. The regular prices on Forever 21 stuff are already amazing – I didn’t see a single item for more than $25 – so with a sale going on every day, you can’t lose.

Online shopping saves time

Of course, some people have the money to go shopping, just not the time. The Forever 21 web site is a can’t-lose situation. Regardless of whether you’re looking for inexpensive or convenient, you will get both. Shipping prices are normal, but if you spend $75, shipping is free.
You can build a wish list at Forever 21, so if I were you I’d go check out the merchandise, save the stuff you like, and wait until your total reaches $75 so you can save the shipping money. Of course, summer is quickly coming to an end, so if you want to take advantage of the Forever 21 sale prices on cute shorts and summer dresses don’t wait. I’m sure this stuff is going to sell out.

More great shopping

The same company that owns Forever 21 also owns Wet Seal and Charlotte Russe, and all of these stores have great looking clothes at great prices, and you can shop online at all of them.

The prices at Wet Seal and Charlotte Russe are similar, though not as dirt cheap as Forever 21. Still, you can get jeans in the $20 range from Wet Seal and dresses in the $30 range from Charlotte Russe. Crazy.

Links to Wet Seal and Charlotte Russe:

http://www.charlotterusse.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=3456440

http://www.wetseal.com/catalog/thumbnail.jsp?categoryId=103&subCategoryId=862

Skip the stores; skip the search; hit the sales.

As the recession continues, many people have gone back to the basics: food, clothes and shelter. The next step, to save even more money, is to find ways to spend less on those things.

Shop it to Me can help with the clothes part. It will find clothes you like on sale online and e-mail you when they go on sale. What could be easier?

How Shop it to Me works

When you visit Shop it to Me for the first time, it briefly explains its service and then asks if you want to sign up. It’s completely free, no catches, and the site promises your personal information will be protected. Here’s how the site explains what it does:

“Get the heads up when sites put your favorite brands on sale in your size. It’s like having a personal shopper, only better. Plus, it’s FREE.”

You can also sign up for a separate service that specifically focuses on athletic wear and running shoes called Shop it to Me Running.

Easy to use

Getting instant payday loans online is quick and convenient, and so is Shop it to Me. After you click the button to sign up, it asks what type of clothing you’re looking for (Women’s, Men’s, Boys’, Girls’). Then the site list 597 clothing brands, and you click on  your favorites.

Some of the brands listed include Armani Exchange, bebe, Levi’s, Liz Claiborne, Ralph Lauren, Steve Madden and Victoria’s Secret.

Finishing your profile

Love Jimmy Choos? At least get them on sale.

After you choose your favorite brands, you fill in the type of clothes you’re looking for and your size. Give them your e-mail address, and you’re set. You can specify how often you want to receive e-mails and then Shop it to Me will alert you whenever an item that fits your specifications goes on sale.

After that, Shop it to Me’s job is done. It links you to the retailer, and then payment and shipping are taken care of as usual.

A real time-saver

So, not only will you save money by buying the items you want on sale, Shop it to Me saves a lot of time. You won’t need to spend time scouring the Internet trying to find bargains. So you’ll have more time to read through your Facebook news feed and catch up on LOLcats.

Or, you know, get more work done. But we don’t judge here.

It’s almost like payday loans, but a different kind of borrowing. Ever thought of rocking a Louis Vuitton, Prada, Chanel, Gucci, or maybe a Versace? What about some stunning jewels? Perhaps you’ve been drooling over some of these high-end luxury accessories but have no money to actually get your hand on it. This company has found a way to expand the luxury of borrowing.

Bag Borrow or Steal – Like Payday Loans, Like Netflix

Bag Borrow or Steal, the nation’s largest “borrowed luxury” retailer, allows women to borrow designer handbags and jewelry. They have become the single largest rental luxury service online. The company operates a little like payday loans, and almost exactly like NetFlix. Customers pay a monthly fee for access to a collection of authentic designer handbags and accessories. You can keep them for as long as you want. When you feel you need a new look, mail the item(s) back and get new ones. You pay $15 a week for a Couch and up to $150 for Vintage. One of the best parts is that there is no late fee.

The Beauty of Borrowing

Bag Borrow or Steal has more than just luxurious handbags. Customers are also able to get their hands on fancy sunglasses, watches and beautiful jewels.  Everything is certified authentic and goes through a rigorous 10-point refurbishing process before it ships to you—so it arrives looking like new. If you’re worried about giving something too much “loving use”, the company also offers inexpensive optional insurance coverage against excessive wear.

You can also earn points as you borrow. When you build up enough points, you will be given a reward which plays as some kind of discount on your next borrow. If you borrow for 90 consecutive days you’ll earn six points per dollar you spend. What a way to borrow!

How to “Steal” a Handbag

Pay attention because this is one of the best parts. If you fall in love with an item you’ve borrowed, you can “steal” it! And no you silly, I’m not saying you can take it and run. The company offers the option to buy the bag at a discounted price determined by the accessory’s age, condition and how easy it will be to replace. If you have an account with them, you can visit your closet, select ENJOYING NOW and find the item you like. Once you find the item you’re looking for, click the STEAL IT button and a message will pop up telling you if the item is up for sale, and if so how much it will cost. Afterwards, all you need to do is simply hit purchase and it’s yours; as simple as applying for payday loans.

Borrowing a Handful of Luxury

The Seattle based handbag-rental company is looking to expand their luxury by offering luggages, evening wear and other “couture” accessories. The fairly-new luxury market is expected to grow at a rate of 15 percent each year, possibly reaching $1 trillion by the end of the decade.

Bag Borrow or Steal is a great way to rock the latest, hottest trends, from Sex and The City to European finds, without costing you a fortune. Best of all, everything is available at the click of a mouse. That means more time on your hands, especially when you have other important things to deal with. Just like payday loans, it’s quick and convenient!

That figure is based on Standard & Poor’s 500 Retailing Index. Interestingly, the index does not include Wal-Mart.

First, the good news

Amazon.com reported its best-ever holiday season this year. Amazon is the world’s largest Internet retailer. Its stock rose nearly 5 percent on Nasdaq. Overall sales among online retailers dropped along with holiday sales nationwide, but Amazon reported selling more than 6.3 million items on its peak day, Dec. 15.

Market analysts attribute Amazon’s success to its variety of products and user-friendly format. Amazon has built a reputation as a one-stop online shop, offering everything from bubble bath to power tools. Plus, for cash-conscious customers, it sells use items at deep discounts.

Online payday loans are another example of consumers using the Internet instead of going to a store.

Now for the bad news

For most other retailers, things were more bleak. Stores such as Macy’s and Ann Taylor offered discounts of up to 70 percent and still saw decreases in sales. Electronics stores such as Circuit City, which usually see higher sales than anyone during the holidays, have sought bankruptcy protection this year.

Unemployment is the highest it’s been in 15 years. As consumers face tightening credit and a recession, spending is being reduced to necessities rather than luxuries.

What took the biggest hit?

Women’s clothing sales from Nov. 1 to Dec. 24 dropped 24 percent compared to last year. Electronics and appliances saw even deeper cuts, falling 27 percent. Luxury items such as jewelry dropped 35 percent, a clear sign that average American consumers are saving their extra cash, if they have any, for necessities.

Overall online sales saw a 2.3 percent decrease, a very small drop compared to the above mentioned retail sales. However, since the inception of online shopping, Internet retail companies have seen year-over-year increases of 15 to 20 percent.

Bringing it home

Online spending at U.S. retailers decreased 1 percent. In 2007, the  nation’s online retail sales rose 19 percent. The U.S. economy shrank .5 percent between July and the first of October, the biggest drop since 2001. Consumer spending during that period was lower than it has been for three decades. Analysts expect more economic declines to end the year.

Now what?

Today, in what many are calling “Black Friday: The Sequel,” many stores are offering discounts of up to 90 percent to try to make up for the dismal holiday sales. Stores including Macy’s, JCPenney’s and Fry’s Electronics opened early today and offered the biggest discounts of the year.

It remains to be seen whether this strategy will help retailers. More Americans are losing their jobs, and more still don’t have credit to rely on any more. It looks like even with the option of online payday loans it’ll be a while before consumers have extra cash to spend on non-essentials.

A bunch of hacks

Deal Hack is advertising savings on everything from electronics and clothing to books and jewelry. As is expected in our increasingly technology-based society, new gadgets are at the top of the popularity list this year.

The most commonly purchased items are harder to find deals on. Digital cameras, the latest iPod model and video game systems are showing up in the list of most popular gifts this year. And, let’s not forget, anything related to Hannah Montana. These hot-ticket items can generally get away with charging full price until Dec. 26. No fax payday loans could help you be one of those lucky parents who gets their hands on a Hannah Montana bedspread.

Ghosts of Christmas past

So far this century seems to be the century of the gadget. New technology has topped the list for popular gifts every year so far this decade. In 2005, back before the iPhone craze hit, the Motorola Razr topped the list for must-have cell phones. That year small, bright micro flashlights got rave reviews for their compact size and impressive brightness. Noise-canceling headphones were also becoming popular.

Searching through news articles that were published during Christmas seasons past, I found an article from 1997 that recommended hitting the stores the day after Christmas to take advantage of deals and buy gifts for the following year. You won’t find that advise out there nowadays. Smart shoppers and retailers know that children, teenagers and technophiles in 2009 will not be satisfied with a gift that is “Like, sooo last year.”

Your boyfriend gave you WHAT?!

Of course, while I was researching the most popular gifts in 2005, I came across an article on the most tacky, embarrassing and unpopular gifts. This humorous list from about.com includes such doozies as a guide on how to “Cross Dress for Success,” a back shaver and a few more items that are a bit too risque to list here. When in doubt, err on the side of taste.

Enter the age of the Internet

Christmas gift giving has come a long way. In the United States, the most widely accepted theory on the tradition of giving gifts is based on the Three Wise Men who traveled on foot to deliver their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh by hand. Fast-forward 2,000 years, and online purchasing is becoming more popular every year. With the ability to research, purchase and ship gifts without leaving your computer chair, more and more people are checking out trends and prices without having to step out into the cold. Now, with no fax payday loans, people can even get quick loans online when they need fast cash for holiday gifts.