Showing posts with label cheap. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cheap. Show all posts

 I've been asked repeatedly if my press-on nails are manufactured and the answer is no. The nail themselves may come from China but they are definitely designed by myself all by hand. From that point on (a couple years ago), I said I would make sure to also hand paint and hand write each and every Thank You card so when a customer gets their order off of whatever platform I sold it off of they would know it came from an indie operation. 

Sharpie, Stamp Pad, Watercolors, Rubber "Thank You" Stamp, Index Cards

Everything I use to make my Thank You cards can be found at Dollar Tree, eBay, and Hobby Lobby. It's extremely easy and relaxing to do. Even though it's nerve-wracking when you have a bunch of orders and forget to make the Thank You cards I still feel grateful when making them.
Water Colored Index Cards

I can sit on the floor and make loads of these watercolor designs on the blank side of an index card. To me, it's therapeutic and calming. I'm usually listening to a podcast or watching a show while painting.
Stamped Watercolor Index Cards

After the index cards dry after a couple minutes you can now stamp them with your choice of color ink pad. I ran out of black so I'm using dark purple. I stamp "Thank You" in the middle with a flower on each side. leaving plenty of room for cutting shaped edges and writing your desired website at the bottom.
This is the finished Thank You watercolor card with my chosen website written at the bottom with a fine sharpie marker. I always cut the sides down with  special craft scissors and add in a pretty nail decal set (I have many repeat customers so I like to give everyone something every time they order to show appreciation) I really enjoy the art of things being hand painted and hand made. I will always be a fan of indie work I mean Hello my name is Melle INDIE lol. Make sure your supporting indie businesses and indie business owners. Thanks for stopping by! Now go paint something!

 So before all of this CRAZY inflation came about I managed to get myself a fun colorful wig to replace my old pink and ombre yaki wig. In with the new out with the old. I thought I was going to be filming more YouTube videos than I actually do. I like colored hair on camera it provides a boldness to the thumbnail and the video and makes you stay engaged even if its just to look at the hair.

This particular wig was a black and purple ombre short bob synthetic wig from Ali express I found in a simple search. Of course the part that caught my eye was the price $14.60 (I think I caught a sale) The seller had good feedback and I was on a wig buying binge so I went for it! When wigs are that low in price it could be very good and you got a steal OR it was cheap.. and it looks cheap. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality for the price. It didn't look super shiny and halloween-ish. I always judge the wig by saying "Could I wear this outside?" And the answer is yes! 

Very nice on the inside. The cap is well constructed. The hair felt soft and didn't fall out when I ran my fingers through it. Of course the scalp part is a standard "wig part" but I've seen people on YouTube really make the part look way more natural. I'm not into all the plucking and putting foundation in the crease. I'm a slap it on and go type of person.  This has to be one of my favorite wigs of 2022. 

I like it just plain by it's self I also like pairing it with a hat which I did for a recent You Tube video. It's a very bright colorful wig or a good price. The only con is you can't pull this one up in any kind of ponytail which is ok with me. Anything under $15 is ok with me (I'm extremely frugal.. this will be a theme throughout the life of this blog) Don't sleep on Ali Express for you wig and accessories purchases. If you willing to wait 2-4 weeks you could save yourself a lot of money.

*TIP: Don't forget to purchase thru Rakuten and use a cashback card to pay. Make the most of your purchases.


Here is my You Tube video on my Black & Purple Ali Express Bob Wig:





 I did it again! I was able to scoop four colors of nail polish from The Dollar Tree all Sinful Colors brand! I'm super excited because its very rare to see Sinful Colors nail polish in The Dollar Tree. Sinful colors nail polish is usually in a store like Sally's or a higher priced beauty store. I was also impressed with the shades I picked up. Usualy the colors all look alike or they are dull and unwanted but these colors are POPULAR!.

First color is a deep lush red called "Redrum" It's a sexier type of deep red. Would look great on nails or toes. This is more of a classic color. If your a red lover this is a beautiful shade of red for a set of nails.
Next color is called "Charmed" it's a fine glitter sparkle type of polish. This charmed color can be worn by it'sself but I feel like it would have popped so much more over a cool tone colored nail polish. But is very suttle by itself. Very fine and glittery without the flash. Like a elegant champagne glitter.
The third color named "Interglamactic" it's a violet purple but brighter type of shade. Not quite purple but not pink either so I would say it was more of a pretty violet shade. Great to step out of your comfort zone with. Not to bright but a stand out nail polish color.
Last but not least is "Spirirted" a lilac purple shade that is super cute. I have this shade on my pedicure right now and it looks great! I'm not a purple person but I might start doing a purple manicure and pedicure once in a while. It's a nice break from red or blue.
I'm very pleased to put all of these Sinful Colors nail polishes in to my collection. I would love to see a lot of these shades as press on nails. More manicures and pedicures with these nail polishes before the summer season is over.
You guys already know the drill! Check your local Dollar Tree or just a dollar store and even discount places like big lots and you can possibly run up on deals like these.
So grateful to have found these for a total of $4.00! (Plus tax of course) Thank you for checking out my Sinful colors nail polish swatch blog! As soon as I find more shades I will swatch them. Have a great one!












 It was sad to see my favorite thrift store not having half off day anymore. I used to be so excited to get to the the Monday 1/2 off sale to find some cool clothes for pennies. But now you have to look way harder to get those types of deals. They still ran two color tickets that are half off so that was still a good thing.


These were some of my favorite finds from this thrift haul and about how much I spent on each piece. If you want to see the entire thrift store haul I will link the YouTube video down below. 


I never wore colored jeans before and I liked the cute H&M "escape" pink shirt. The thrift store is a great place to try clothes you regularly wouldn't buy.

H&M Tee: $1.00
Colored Jeans: $3.99


These are some of the work clothes I needed for these upcoming jobs I'm going on and it took me FOREVER to find a plain black polo ladies shirt but about 40 mins into my shop I got it! I also paid full price just to be able to have some type of work gear.

Rider Black Polo Shirt: $2.99
Calvin Klein Khaki Pants $6.99


I know the tank top is some type of dri fit athletic shirt but the brand had came off but I still bought it because the price and condition was great! I really needed some jeans too. I have no idea how I don't have any jeans in my closet but I don't so this pair of jeans was much needed! Plus I love a light washed looking pair of skinny jeans it went perfect with this athletic tank top.

Dri Fit Tank Top: $1.00
Washed Skinny Jeans: $3.99


This was a cute combination together. The pink tank top I bought to build outfits and put under jackets or button up shirt. I need to start putting different pieces in my wardrobe and I hardly buy or wear skirts so this cute striped one was half off so I grabbed it right before I got in line to leave the thrift store.

Pink Tube Top : .50
Striped Skirt : $1.50


These were all my favorite picks from this last thrift store haul. The entire thrift store haul was $35.50 and I will leave the YouTube video below. Thank you for stopping by! If your into thrifting and thrift shopping leave a comment let me know what's your favorite thing to buy at the thrift store?


Have a great one!










 This is my D.I.Y recipe for shaving lotion. I've used this recipe for years and years and I haven't had any cuts since I start making it. I used to buy shaving cream and I would be cut a couple times by the time I got done shaving my legs. With this DIY shaving lotion I never had that problem. 


All these products are from of course... The Dollar Tree! You can use any brand of conditioner, baby shampoo, lotion and baby oil you would like. Here is the measurements for this quick DIY shaving lotion:

(1) Cup Conditioner
(1) Cup Baby Shampoo
(5) Tablespoons Of Lotion
(5) Tablespoons Of Baby Oil


I also got my product mixing measuring cups and spoons from The Dollar Tree. I keep these things in the bathroom so they never mix with my measuring cups and spoons from the kitchen. The container is just a used old plastic jar from a hair product. I love to recycle!


Put everything in a jar (preferably recycled :) take any object to stir (I'm using a craft stick) and mix all the ingredients up until smooth. Let the mixture sit for about (1) hour.


It's an hour later and your mixture is ready to use! It will get thicker as time goes on so stir it up before using. 


This is one of my favorite DIY projects for self care. You can shave your legs and under arms in minutes and feel smooth afterwards. I love using it right before I get in the shower. This DIY shaving lotion last so long! I did the video to make a batch in the video below in 2018 I didn't have to make it again until 2021! Talk about savings! Here is the video:


Thank you so much for stopping by! Stay Happy and Frugal!💙💛💚














 Make sure to check your local Dollar Tree for LA Colors nail polish. I've been getting loads of new colors. I stock up on LA colors nail polish for my manicures and pedicures and also my custom press on nails I do for people on Ebay, Depop and Mercari. These colors are all in the nude/neutral family and they are very popular with my customers. I'm also a fan of these nail polish colors because they are more chill and laid back. I still go on public transportation alot so I like my colors to be more toned down.

I absolutely LOVE these colors from the lightest to the darkest they all have a great classy look. Here are the colors individually with the name of the LA colors shade of polish.
This shade of LA colors nail polish is "In The Nude" I love this color for designing. It's a great color on it's own or for a back drop for acrylic paint or other nail polish colors.
This LA colors shade is called "Intimate" it has a nice light tan color to it. Perfect for a low key manicure/pedicure but still looks classy and neat

This LA Colors shade is "Innocence" it's in the same tan/brown family as "Intimate" it's a slight bit darker but it's a great tan/nude type of color. Also would work well as a nail polish to add colors to.
This LA colors shade is "Warrior" I'm usually not a fan of this type of color but it's very pretty on the nail, I would definitely wear a manicure / pedicure with this color. It's also a perfect color if you have to go to work. It just blends so nicely and looks very rich. 
Love all 4 of these LA colors nail polish shades! I can't believe I only paid $4.00 I would have easily paid more to have this collection of nail polish colors.
Make sure to check you local dollar tree and see what steals you can get on LA colors nail polish. I'm in Georgia and currently (its June 2021) all the dollar tree stores I've been to have been STOCKED with LA colors nail polish. So go on the hunt and get you some cheap nail polish.














  


At first I was sure that went I got my apartment I was going to to need cable. 

No boyfriend hardly no friends your over 30 and lonely your going to need some cable!  

I grew up with cable most of my life living with family so of course hike my bill up to $200 let’s go! But then I thought about the times when the family fell on hard times. I can think of about (3) times I lived in a house or apartment with no cable and there was really no difference as long as there was internet.


I moved into my apartment in 2018 and you know what I decided don’t want cable. I’m frugal I’m a rebel (I thought to myself) I’m going to march into Xfinity and tell them to give me internet only. That’s what I did! I don’t regret none of the decision. I pay less than $100 a month and here are my 10 top streaming apps some paid but most are free.

         



  1. Netflix (Paid)

       It took me a minute to get used to the idea of paying $12.99/ month but it’s well worth the price. Back in the day on one movie theatre ticket I would spend $8.00-$10.00 after popcorn, drinks and snacks I spent well over $20.00. With so many television shows, stand up comedies, romance, drama, it’s hard to chose what to watch from day to day. My favorites right now are Bridgerton, Living Single (90’s throw back) and Forty Year Old Version. It’s definitely worth the monthly fee on my credit card.


  1. Hulu (Paid)

       I needed Hulu for a writing class assignment. I was kind of pissed because I wasn’t really trying to add any more monthly expenses. I got the $5.99/ month I was going to cancel it but then I saw some reality shows from TV I wanted to watch. Then I got totally hooked on Grown-ish and that basically made me keep it.


  1. Pluto (Free)

      Pluto is free! I really liked the interface. Pluto is set up like cable television and even has the music channels all the way at the end. There is MTV, BET all types of channels for specific genres like reality or comedy. Pluto was one of the first apps on my Roku TV it was great! I watched cooking channels all the time and movies. Pluto is a great free streaming app on my TV.


  1. TUBI (Free)

     When I want to watch a really good D list movie… This is it! Tubi reminds me of a bootleg Netflix. Yes you have to watch a couple commercials but there is so much to watch. My favorite section of all time on Tubi is the black cinema. I can watch old movies from that section all day long and there is some new ones too. Tubi is also free and is a must if you don’t have cable


  1. Pandora (Free for me)

     Yes you can pay for Pandora but the free version is great for me. Even though this is streaming music and not television shows or movies it’s still a source for entertainment that is free. Sometimes I just want to play some jazz or chill music and make some accessories or list in my shops while I jam to my music. Get a cup of tea going and we are having a good time. 


  1. Roku Channel (Free)

   I have a Roku TV so this app was already on my television and ready to go. Roku Channel interface is also set up like Netflix and Tubi. Roku Channel has different categories of TV Shows and Movies to watch. It was a steal to come with the television


  1. YouTube (Free)

  Don’t be confused there are two streaming apps to choose from. YouTube TV that is the one you pay for and the regular YouTube App similar to what is on your phone and computer. You will have to put the regular YouTube app on your TV. I was trying to use the YouTube TV app and it kept saying I have to pay. That’s not the correct one we want free! So download the YouTube app right on your television and you’ll be able to watch movies (yes they have ads), your favorite you tubers and if you anything like me you watch yourself!


  1. Film Rise (Free)

 I have Film Rise but I have never watched anything on it. There is a good amount of choices and categories. There are also other apps to download like Film Rise Comedy, Film Rise Thriller so that’s a win win to get all the different apps from Film Rise for free.


  1. Crackle (Free)

Crackle is another app sitting on my TV that goes unwatched but I just put on a Crackle original movie and it looks pretty good! Loads of choices but there is commercials. That is pretty much with anything that is free your going to watch advertisements. 


  1.  Live Antenna TV (Free kind of)

   It’s free but you do need to attach an antenna. I got one from Wal Mart for about $12.00 there are not a lot of channels anymore but there are some local ones and there is always something playing


So there goes my top (10) Streaming Apps on My Roku TV. If you don’t have cable or your on a budget and don’t want to do the paid streaming apps you can still have plenty of television.

💚💛💚💛💚💛💚💛💚💛💚💛💚💛💚💛💚💛💚💛💚💛💚💛💚💛 💚💛💚💛



 I feel like I've done this post on different blogs a million times. I always rewrite it because it's one of the cheapest coolest at home spa like treatments you will ever give yourself. I'm choosing to do the DIY Lotion Paraffin Treatment on my feet this time because my feet are extremely crusty right now. You can also do this DIY treatment on your hands the same way. Here is all you need to do this DIY lotion paraffin treatment and you might already have all of this in your home right now!

That's it! (2) Plastic bags (I have plenty from my grocery shopping) Any type of lotion (This one was from the dollar tree but I say go all out and splurge on some nice lotion your really like or even make some!) Lastly a pair of big comfy socks to warm your feet up.
So we are going to wash our feet off clean and put LOADS of our chosen lotion on the feet. Be very generous this is the "Paraffin"
Slide each foot into a plastic bag and tie the bag or tuck it in
Final step we are going to put on our comfy socks over the plastic bags to create that warm lotion that will now act like "paraffin" leave your feet like this for at least (20) mins the longer the better. If you can stand an hour go for it. Also you don't have to sit down you can walk around. It will be squishy but you'll create even more warmth by moving around. Watch a show or just kick back and relax until your ready to reveal those toes.
Nice soft feet in about (20) minutes! I love this DIY Lotion paraffin treatment! Not just cause it cost pennies but my feet really do feel good afterwards and I know if they get ashy again I know what to do. Make a at home spa day with DIY feet and hand treatments. Who said being pampered had to be expensive. This is self care on a budget budget. 

Thank you for stopping through! Make sure to try this DIY and share it!


 










 If you know me then you know one of my FAVORITE places in the world is THE DOLLAR TREE! I can go to The Dollar Tree and find something new everyday. I use the dollar tree for many reasons number one being it's cheap! I can afford anything in that store. But the main reason is it keeps me in budget. I can find food, cleaning products, decorations,snacks, just about anything I need in the dollar tree. For this shop I went to one of my favorite locations in Tucker, GA 

There are some really good food finds in The Dollar Tree if you know what your looking for. The Ginger Snaps are a pantry staple for me very tasty. For extra crunch after I open the gingersnaps I put them in the refrigerator and they taste even better! Sunflower Kernels are a must! I put these on everything wraps, salads, peanut butter and jelly rice cakes just everything. The spicy brown mustard was needed for my pasta salad I should be making today. Those plastic clips are much needed in my household. They keep the freshness of many of my foods after I open them
Another plus of the dollar tree is getting affordable cleaning products. I have noticed that the size is a little smaller. To keep up with cleaner like fabuloso I make my own botttles cut with filtered water and I add some essential oils to them. 
Now to the fun stuff! I got a black rectangular table cover, (2) LA colors nail polish and a fine tip Sharpie. Everything I purchase has a purpose. The table cover is actually going to be a YouTube background. The nail polish is for my custom press on nails I sell and the fine tip sharpie is for the handmade Thank you cards I put in each package.
This small dollar tree haul came to $13.79 (There are some rolo chocolate I ate before doing this post) Don't forget to use Receipt Hog, Receipt Pal, iBotta and Fetch to put all your receipts in to get points and cashback! 

Thank you for stopping by have a great one!






.