Shopping, Money and Blah Blah

I was inspired to write a blog about spending, shopping, etc., since I realized how much my spending has gone down as we've been saving for home projects. Side tangent-our sewer is fixed <insert happy dance>. I've been especially saving in the makeup and beauty care items department, as I've been making a conscious effect to use what I have and only re-purchase items that have run out. It's been amazing how many samples I've used up and makeup items (like face powders) that I had and they needed to be finish up. I don't collect makeup, but I do love hair styling products and had a drawer full in my vanity that needed to be used and/or passed on to someone else. I guess my 'wear everything' clothing campaign has also trickled over into a 'use everything' motto. Hehe!

(Here is a video blog from 2013 that I'm chatting a bit about my financial past)

A few subjects I get asked a lot about is advice about shopping and spending. Shopping on all levels; home decor, groceries, clothing/shoes, and home services (cable TV, cell phones, etc.). But before I go any further I have to preface this with a few facts about Derek and myself and our household; we are not in massive debt due to schooling, medical bills, etc., we are a one car couple, we have duel incomes, own our own home in a somewhat economically depressed city and both of us are relatively healthy. Why the preface? Well, there is a variety of reasons of what causes people to spend and are due to things beyond their control and I want to be sympathetic to those reasons. I remember surviving on next-to-no money while still working full time. I get it, I really do.

I also have been asked to write a comprehensive list of where I shop for clothing (including eBay sellers), but I'm still debating on that blog subject.

Tips and Advice From My Experience:

+Groceries: Can be a #1 budget buster for some people, but it doesn't have to be. Now mind you there are thousands of online advice on this subject, but I will give you this one; Make a shopping list, make a weekly menu and cook at home. I learned to cook simply by being forced to and having a small income meant; using coupons, paying attention to sales, cooking with seasonal produce and the biggest money saver---shopping at Aldi. Yep, I still do all these things and it helps to control our diets too. Oh, and take advantage of farmer's markets or local farm's in general!

+Eliminating Extras: Cable TV? Gone and replaced with Netflix and Hulu. Satellite radio that came with the car? Gone and replaced with loads of burned CD's. Going out for a drink? Whittle down to 'once in a while' and replaced with making cocktails at home. Major Network Cell Phones? Gone and replaced with no contract phones. 

+Second Hand: 99% of my furnishings in my home are second hand. Even if you don't love mid century modern mixed with kitsch and the macabre like I do, you can still score some things that suit your aesthetic from thrift shops, charity shops flea markets, garage sales (or boot sales if you're in the UK...I love that name) or Craigslist/newspaper 'for sale' sections. It's a amazing how a little money, some spray paint and elbow grease can really turn other people castaway's into beautiful decor. You know how I thrift for clothing, so I don't need to go into that way of saving. *Wink*

+Make Lists: This one may seem odd, but I pretty much make a list for everything. I use the old school way of using pen and paper as I am not too good with using my phone to track of everything. (Hello, I am Meagan and my smart phone makes me feel stupid) I have magnetic note pads on the fridge, as we tried the dry eraser system and things got forgotten about......and the paper always gets recycled, always.

I usually have three lists going. To-do house list is a great way to help with the 'I don't know what to do' days, so we look at the list and things magically get done. Wooo! The household needs list is for things that we don't purchase at the grocery store, like laundry detergent, shave cream, etc., and a grocery shopping list for when we run out of something. Always write it on the list!!!!! *Looks at Derek*

+Being Happy With What You Have: I have to remind myself of this on a weekly basis as I window shop, read blogs and work in a retail environment. I am tempted all the time to blow my paycheck on an impulse buy or treat myself to something, because I'm feeling down or had a bad day, or I got an email with a 25% off sale. Self control is a bitch. I look all around me and think, "This is more than enough." Don't get me wrong, I am not a cheap ass and I don't expect you to be. I just worked so hard to get myself out of debt that if I don't remind myself of what I have, I could spiral right down that path again! Annnnnnnd, I most certainly don't want to encourage any of you to go down that path either!

Alright, I'm going to stop right here before it turns into a novel, phew! How do you like to save and do you have any budget and/or spending tips you'd like to share? By the way, when did I become so responsible?!?!?!? ARGH!

Thank you for reading, until next time!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Happy October! : My Halloween Haul

Happy October everyone! I'm excited to share some of my Halloween goodies in the form of a video! Step this way.....

Corrections in the video: (oops!)
Spider web pumpkin : Big Lots
Resin hand, resin skull and coffin cards : Michael's (not Marshall's)

Happy Spooktober everyone!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Kitsch Picks : Some of My Favorite Reads

+Amphigorey +Music to Die For

+Shag Party +The Villain's Guide to Better Living

Just looking at all these books make me smile! As I examined my bookshelf this morning the inspiration struck me to share a variety books that I really enjoy for this week's Kitsch Picks. I have to say that everyone with a wicked sense of humor should own The Villain's Guide to Better Living, it's hysterical!

Thank you for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

My Style Inspiration : Retro

'Gothabilly'-inspired Polyvore set I made a few years

Now that I'm working at Cats Us Like (I have been blogging for them all along), I wanted to share some of my retro inspirations! I can't remember exactly when I got 'into' liking retro and retro-inspired items or the imagery or fashion, but I know I fell in love with Bettie Page -which I first saw her on the cover of My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult's "Sexplosion" album- and her blunt cut bangs, when I was in high school. She inspired me to cut my bangs.....badly. I also love old Hollywood starlet's like; Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor. For my prom and my date dances (which I never had a date), I always wanted to look 'glamorous', though my attempts were primitive at times.

Photos on film?! Yes, before digital!

left: date dance. right: my senior prom-my hair was so bad

For my senior prom my mom asked if I could go back to blonde (I had red hair at the time) and seeing as my mom was always cool with whatever-I-did-to-myself, I complied. Yeah, my hair is orange. Back in high school I used to do my own hair and well, yeah. It's terrible and orange, did I mention it's orange? Ugh. Word to the wise, hair stylist's are there for a reason, use them. *Wink*

Meagan, what is your point? I'm getting there I SWEAR!!!!

I'm trying to segue smoothly into my interest into GOTHABILLY and possibly failing. So, my interest in goth and retro=my love for gothabilly, yes it does exist!

I wrote an article for Auxiliary Magazine about the subject, check it out HERE. It's sort of crazy, because I wanted to write an article about gothabilly as there wasn't too much information on the web about the music, fashion and culture, now I'm quoted in other people's blogs and on Wikipedia! So weird! I also wrote a blog for Cats Like Us, unfortunately the fashions are no longer available.

The Coffinshakers

I have to admit I got a lot of shit from "friends" who made statements like, "She never used to dress that way", when I started wearing more Victory Rolls, pencil skirts, etc. to the goth clubs. I never thought that taking retro elements and infusing them into them into my outfits was that far off from goth fashions. (Then again I never thought anyone was judging me that much or even was paying attention!) Once again I went back to Bettie Page and her dark allure as a reference in my mind and my Hollywood Starlet's as inspiration. We're allowed to infuse whatever we want, play with fashion and break the fashion rules! 

I thought I looked cute *shrugs*

You'd be really surprised to know that a lot of older rockabilly's were goth's. They still love the music, have an affinity for black, but dress more vintage and retro. Even fashion labels like; Hell Bunny, Sourpuss Clothing and Living Dead Souls (their other label Voodoo Dolly), infuse the retro styling with a gothic flare. I think it's pretty rad! 

Seth dress by Hell Bunny

Oh spiders!!!

And of course there is the music! You may have seen the patch on the back of my vest for Cult of the Psychic Fetus, they are a  gothabilly band I'm pretty fanatical about.

I also enjoy:
The Coffin Shakers
Ghoultown
Deadbolt
The Cramps (who are a genre all their own, in my opinion)
Dave Vanian and the Phantom Cords

Well, this is a long one, so thanks for reading!
XOXO-Meagan Kyla

***I do want to make it very clear, I don't think that we need to segregate any lifestyle into these tiny little boxes with rules, labels like; goth, gothabilly, rockabilly, punk, etc. are descriptive words. Not that labels are bad, I just dislike how much we can cram people into little boxes! It doesn't offend me, but I don't want to encourage any sort of ignorance with my blog writings. *Wink*

To Goth Or Not To Goth : It Seems To Be A Serious Question

I have been asked a few times why I don't talk about being a goth, my opinions on the goth subculture, etc., to be frank, it's like pissing in the wind. There are tons of other bloggers and websites of people who rant and rave about 'what goth is' or 'what goth means to them', and though I enjoy a little chuckle now and then, but I don't feel I need to try and recruit people to my opinion. I'm a girl, I wear a lot of black, I listen to goth music, so there ya go! I'm happy in my hair spray-filled world! I will say that I think people take themselves way too seriously and thus put silly rules upon the lifestyle and subculture, life's not about living in a black box.....though that describes my apartment. *Wink*

Oh, they are so cute! 

image source google

I do enjoy people's opinions and doing the research into things that they love and if they have a passion for goth, well it's relevant to my interests and I sure will give it a read. The snobbery, elitism and petty crap is in every 'scene', but for some reason goths love to make outsiders feel so uncomfortable that the goth scene doesn't prosper. I know we love dead things, but come on! I'm not saying I wasn't guilty of snobbery in my youth, but as an old lady in my 30s (haha, slap me now!) I've realized to just relax and be more excepting. My life is filled with things other than bats, spiders and Robert Smith. Shocking, I know!

So to goth or not to goth, it's not a serious question, it's a matter of enjoying life and just make yourself happy whether you're a cyber goth or a deathrockabillytikivictoriangoth <---that's me! Haha!!!!

Thanks for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla

Monday is Laundry Day!

image source: Cozy Biscuit

It's another week here at the Coffin Kitsch house and that means Monday is laundry day. I know it sounds a little weird, but I don't mind doing laundry, I just hate folding it and putting it away. Haha! I wanted to take the time to talk about how to care for the those little bargain gems that you find at the cheapy stores and how to prolong the life in them. The biggest complaint I get from people that I offer budget shopping advice to is that the garments fall apart so quickly, my first question is how do you launder them?

I recommend two things to acquire for your laundry, mesh garment bags (or lingerie bags as they are often called) and a folding drying rack. These are the not-so-secret secret to my success!

Items from Kmart.com drying rack $9.99 and lingerie bag $3.00

Am I boring you yet? I do have a point, I swear! These tools above are going to help you prolong the life of your clothing (expensive and non-expensive) while doing wash. I use the drying rack for t-shirts, sweaters, pants, bras, hosiery, etc. The lingerie bags are used for lingerie, delicate lace items, anything frilly or ruffly that may get caught on zippers while in the laundry cycle. The lingerie bags have kept my bras in excellent shape, I barely ever have to replace them from year-to-year!

I hang dry most of my laundry as it's cotton and cotton shrinks in the dryer and that is why it's my enemy! I recommend hang drying most of your budget items as it prevents; fading, shrinking, stretching, etc. The things I do put in the dryer are; socks, cotton underwear, cotton leggings, pj's, Derek's t-shirts, towels and sheets, all these items can get blasted with dryer heat and come out unscathed. Also, if you have doubts about washing anything read the washing instructions! My best plan of attack is cold water and hang dry. 

Check out Miss Bane's tips and tricks on this blog post.

Do you have any tips and tricks for laundry?

Thanks for reading!

XOXO-Meagan Kyla