Treat Yo Self to Birthday Goods!

What's the best way to get free stuff and discounts? Sign up for free stuff and discounts and get rewarded on your Birthday!

In the month of November, only 2 weeks in, I have redeemed $5 off at DSW, $10 off at Victoria's Secret, $10 off at the Body Shop, ate a free pretzel from Auntie Anne's, and drank a free Starbucks chai latte.

If you're a woman, or even a man shopping for your woman, you NEED to be part of the the Pink Nation at Victoria's Secret. FREE PANTIES! I repeat... FREE PANTIES. Free to sign up, check in store by providing your home phone number or simply on their website. Almost every month I get a free panty card in the mail good for a free panty, usually a cotton one worth up to $8.50 but sometimes they have a special one worth up to $12.50! I never have to buy underwear again! #TMI :)
They also will send you a $10 rewards card for your birthday! I used it to buy yoga pants that I absolutely love but I'm never willing to pay $34 for them. They were on clearance at $22 and after the -$10 I paid $12, plus since I purchased more than $10 I got a Victoria's Secret Rewards card to redeem (secret reward ranging between $10-$500; most likely it will be worth $10 when revealed-- however, one time I received $100!).

I signed up for the free DSW Rewards about 2 years ago and already twice now I have received a discount savings from DSW. I know $5.00 doesn't sound like a lot but if you use it correctly you could get a good deal! I bought these heels that were on clearance for 80% off and used my $5 off on top of the total cost for a final total of $9.78, a $110 savings! If you can't find a god bargain there then use the $5 for a pair of socks, laces, or insoles for your shoes! Hey, they're free or barely a $1 or $2 after the reward.

I bought a Groupon for the Body Shop for $20 worth of product for $10. They usually have this deal 2-3 times a year and it's a great deal when used correctly in combination of current deals. I usually only buy one Groupon because I buy enough items only using one Groupon I don't think it's necessary for me to buy two and stock up on something I won't have room in my makeup bag or bathroom cabinets for. See, I have some...control... =P.

I signed up for the Body Shop rewards program which costs a one time fee of $10. I have turned down this program numerous of times whenever I was offered but decided to go for it this time! Why? It took a lot of convincing from the sales person but as a person who works in sales I needed to know the details and benefits as I'm not one to easily just say yes to a deal. If anything... I say no to a lot of sale pitches. I'm not ever easily convinced. 

By purchasing the Body Shop rewards program at a one time fee of $10 I actually received my $10 back right away because as a part of the program you receive $10 for the Body Shop during your Birthday month! Plus I received a point for my first purchase. After 4 purchases (4 points) you receive a free item worth up to $15, nice!

The Body Shop also always has promotional deals going on. During the Holidays they like to have a "wheel" that is spun for a reward deal-- 30% off your purchase, 40% off your purchase, 50% off your purchase, buy one get one free, etc. I was able to spin the wheel and land on 40% off my total purchase (except on gift sets). Last year I was fortunate to land on 50% off my total purchase.

I purchased 2 lipsticks ($12.50 each), a concealer ($14.50), hemp chap stick ($8), travel size moisturizer ($6), and a facial scrub brush ($3) [40% off everything + rewards discount] for a total of $12.43-- less than the cost of one lipstick at full price. Apply the Groupon I purchased -$10 which equals my cost today of $2.43-- less than the cost of the facial scrub I purchased!

SIGN UP FOR FREE BIRTHDAY GOODIES AND TREAT YO SELF!
There are many other Birthday freebies especially at restaurants where you can get a free dessert. That's easy and a no brainer on your birthday!
There's definitely way more birthday freebies if you're a kid but there's some still left for adults!
When I was a kid I was a part of every kids birthday club you could think of. My Mom would have to take me to multiple places to claim all my free ice cream sundaes and children's meals :). Of course back then you would sign up with a self stamped post card but if there was free food involved, you would have me at "free".

Years of training. TinaDeal in the works since I was a kid.


Here are some Birthday freebies for you to sign up for (no purchase required):
Free burrito from Baja Fresh
https://secure.murgent.com/emopt/index.php?id=8339

Free ice cream scoop from Baskin Robbins

https://www.baskinrobbins.com/content/baskinrobbins/en/signin.html

Free pretzel from Auntie Anne's (personal favorite)

http://auntieannes.fbmta.com/members/UpdateProfile.aspx?Action=Subscribe&inputsource=w

Free large order of fries from Wing Stop

http://www.wingstop.com/email_club.aspx

$10 to Cost Plus World Market

https://www.worldmarketexplorer.com/rewards/register/

Free Starbucks drink

https://www.starbucks.com/card/rewards/program-information

Free tater tots, cream slush, or medium drink at Sonic's

https://www.sonicdrivein.com/Account/Register

Free mini makeup kit at Sephora

https://www.sephora.com/profile/MyAccount/beautyInsider/beautyInsider.jsp

Free burger from Red Robin

https://redroyalty.redrobin.com/

Plus many more out there!!! It's all free and during your Birthday month!!
Please allow however amount of time it says to receive your rewards. I signed up for Auntie Anne's pretzel club in September of 2011 and didn't receive my free pretzel for my Birthday by November of 2011.

Side Note!

Instagram has taken over on Tina Deals! I've neglected updating the blog since uploading a photo using a collage application is just so much easier than this. I'm never on my laptop any way so It's difficult to update my blog via iPhone or iPad.

Follow me on Instagram @yaytina or search for #TinaDeal

The my favorite Tina Deal posts on Instagram:

 Bar III Blazer, Fitted Skirt, and Crop Top from Macy's at under $30 compared to $125

 Sad Edelman heels from Ross at $20 compared to $120

 Material Girl jumper from Macy's at $9 compared to $58

 Geometric necklace from Ross at $10 compared to $38

 Saks 5th Avenue dress from Off 5th Outlet at $33 compared to $130

 Red work dress with belt from Ross at $16 compared to $58

All 4 items from Urban Outfitters at $15 compared to $154

White one shoulder cocktail dress from Ross at $17 compared to $68

Fashionably cheap,

Tina

NYC: Blazer by Gap at $17 compared to $88

Jeffrey Campbell's for $15!

My deal for the Fall season--

Ibiza Last Jeffrey Campbell booties with fringe for $15.00 compared to $175+

Mmm..deals.

I was watching out for these at TJ Maxx for a few months starting at their maxxinista price of $99.99.
Once they became on clearance they went down to $79 and it was a slow and steady race until the TJ MAXX END OF SEASON SALE WITH YELLOW TAGS brought it down to $15!

YELLOW TAGS, YELLOW TAGS! BEST THING OVER AT TJ MAXX AND MARSHALLS!

Sorry for the caps, I'm a bit excited.

At this yellow tag event I purchased a few items but decided to showcase just my most favorite and best deal I purchased at this yellow tag event.

Note that yellow tags also mean final clearance sale and are non-returnable. But at $15 for Jeffrey Campbell's why would anyone return them?

Super cute for the Fall season. Pair it with skinny jeans and you're good to go. I love the braided tassels on the sides for a fun detail. They color of the boots are very neutral and can go with many of my fall outfits.

 
Side Note!

Just a few of my Instagram deals!

For those of you who don't follow me on Instagram this is what you're missing out on--
#tinadeal

Follow me at yaytina :)

Dress by BarIII from Macy's for $20.00, Bracelet from Forever 21 for $10.80, and LuLu belt from Ross for $4.99

Dress by Rhapsody for $12.99 from Ross

Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses at $10.00 from Marshalls

Fashionably cheap,

Tina

Red, White, & Blue for 22!

2 pieces, $11 each for a grand total of a Red, White, and Blue deal for $22!

A 4th of July outfit that's fun and cute for the summer weather.  It's outdoor friendly for a 4th of July BBQ or hanging out in the sun before sunset to watch the fireworks.

Caption: Oh so fierce.  Oh so hungry.

It's all about stripes!  I was going to feature other combinations of the outfit but I figured to dedicate this post to just the 4th of July outfit itself.  It's simple to see that the shorts can be paired with a white tank or the striped tank can be paired with simple jean shorts or skinny jeans.

The top is super comfortable.  I was skeptical that the original price could be so high.  I mean.. wow, $78!  The fabric is amazing and the fit feels like it was made for me.  It just clings on so well!  The tank is boyfriend style so it's over sized but it was nice to just tuck in one side for a loose top feeling.  I have never even seen the brand T Los Angeles before until I found the top at Macy's.  Apparently the clothes are sold in mostly boutique stores across the nation.  I would definitely buy more clothing by T Los Angeles... as long as it's on a Tina-approved-price of course.
 
Item 1-- Boyfriend red/white striped tank
From: Macy's
Brand: T Los Angeles
Type of sale: Macy's One Day Sale
Original price: $78.00
Purchased price: $11.00

These shorts are very cute!  I absolutely love the tie in the front which gives it this sailor/yacht club feel.  It's perfect for a summer day.  I actually have not bought anything by Roxy since maybe the beginning of college.  I just felt like I grew out of it since I associate Roxy with being a teenager.  However, when I saw these shorts at Ross I loved the stripes and the cute front tie.  I was surprised to see that it was by Roxy and I was very happy with the price...and.. SOLD!

Item 2-- Blue/white striped shorts with front tie
From: Ross
Brand: Roxy
Type of sale: Ross everyday
Original price: $46.50
Purchased price: $10.99

To finish the outfit you can add sunglasses, sandals, and jewelry of your choice.  Play it up with strappy sandals and silver bracelets or play it down with flip flops and hemp/braided bracelets that could match the tie of the shorts.

Red, White, and Blue for $22 :)

Side Note!
Of course the side note is always the next Macy's sales!
The July 4th sale starts Thursday, June 28 to Wednesday, July 4.  It will be 25%-50% off storewide with 3-day specials starting June 28-30.
You will be able to take an extra 30% off already reduced prices plus many other extra savings in the store!

Fashionably cheap,

Tina

MAXImize your savings!

Yay for new hair cut and awkward photos.  Look at my face, it screams... savings.

I'm usually not a fan of maxi dresses but I fell in love with this maxi dress and I'm thrilled by the deal I scored on it!

Get it?  MAXImize your savings... maxi dress.. ha..ha?

Okay, don't mind my strange ways.

I bought two items at my most save friendly stores-- Ross and TJ Maxx.  I don't know what I would do without these two stores.  I find myself on vacation or out of town and shopping at a Ross and/or TJ Maxx.  You might think it's weird but I can't help but to have the need to find out if there are other Ross or TJ Maxx stores that have just as amazing deals as the ones here.  Based on my experiences on both the Ross and TJ Maxx stores I would say that in California the deals are way better than the ones in Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.  Don't judge.

Some people I have spoken to, okay maybe almost everyone I speak to, would choose TJ Maxx over Ross any day.  Why?

Cons about Ross:
Can be messy and unorganized
Opened packages
Screaming children
Irregular items
Lower quality of items
Crying children
Poor customer service
Fitting room attendants that don't trust you
Misbehaving children everywhere

Also in the last couple of years Ross has really increased their security of the store.  Is it really necessary to have a "Loss Prevention" aka Security Guard who monitors the store and randomly greets you when you walk in?

The most annoying thing about increasing security in the store is having the fitting room attendant act like they don't trust you when you're going into the fitting room to try something on.  You can't just go up to them and say the number of items you have to try on anymore.  You must put your clothes on a rack, they count the hangers (sometimes more than two times), and even pat down the items to make sure you're not hiding anything in between the hangers!  OH MY GOD!

But... oh well.  I'll sacrifice my shopping experience with crying children and a clothes pat down any day for a good deal.

TJ Maxx has more brand names, better service, and a better feeling in overall-- therefore higher prices.  I've found great deals at both Ross and TJ Maxx but if I wanted something specific like a pair of black sandals there is no doubt that Ross will be cheaper.  I can find Steve Madden sandals at Ross for $14.99 while at TJ Maxx it will be $29.99.  Although, at Ross you have to be lucky to get an item right away in your size while TJ Maxx will have multiple pairs in all sizes.

Okay enough on the Ross and TJ Maxx comparison and onto the outfit!

Dress + Clutch = $26.00



Item 1-- Black and White Maxi zig-zag striped dress
From: TJ Maxx
Brand: Love. Fire
Type of sale: TJ Maxx everyday
Original price: Compared at $40.00
Purchased price: $19.99


Item 2-- Orange clutch with chain strap
From: Ross
Type of sale: Ross everyday
Original price: Compared at $19.99
Purchased price: $5.99

The top of the dress has a sweetheart shape and is textured for some dimension in the dress.  I love the small details.

You can carry the purse using the silver chain or tuck in the chain and hold it as a clutch.

A few maxi dresses I found to compare my dress with.  I especially love the Michael Stars one but come on... my purchased maxi dress was within a $20 budget!

Gotta maximize my savings :).

Side Note!
Two sales starting tomorrow: Macy's & Nordstrom.
Macy's has their Memorial day sale starting tomorrow May 23 until Monday, May 28.
This includes... taking an extra 30% off already reduces prices on selections for her, him, kids, and home.
Nordstrom has their biggest clearance sale for women and kids for their "Half-Yearly Sale" and you can also earn double points on both Wednesday and Thursday on all  Nordstrom credit card purchases in the store and online.

Fashionably cheap,

Tina

Lovely and Flowy for Spring!

Two outfits.  Spring themed.  Fun, cute, and flowy!
One outfit is more for a night out while the other is for a lunch date :)


Outfit 1: Tank, Skirt, and Necklace total cost = $23.00

Item 1-- Flowy printed skirt; short in the front and long in the back, weird way to put it would be a "Mullet Skirt" but much better looking than an actual mullet.
From: Macy's
Brand: Bar III
Type of sale: Macy's one day sale (scan the bar code on the price tag for lower prices!)
Original price: $59.00
Purchased price: $35.40 with final price $13.00 (I used a 20% off coupon on top of a sale price and an additional 40% off sale price)

I wore a black spaghetti strap top you can get from any retail store.  Mine was from Ross for $4.99.

Pair it with a fun necklace with some color like this one!  Purchased for only $5.00 at a flea market from a local vendor.  I love the different shaped stones and wooden bird on the chain.  Play with different charms in a necklace to make one piece of jewelry really stand out.

I wore this outfit for 3 nights out (not in a row..of course...) but loved it so much for it's comfort I wore it to two Birthdays and just a night out too.

Outfit 2: Dress, Belt, Sandals, and a Clutch for under $35!

Hello, lunch date :)

I love pairing tan and coral, it's a great Spring combo.

Item 1-- Tan flowy dress
From: Forever 21
Type of sale: Forever 21 everyday
Purchased price: $14.80


Item 2-- Coral belt
From: Forever 21
Type of sale: Forever 21 everyday
Purchased price: $1.50

Item 3-- Floral clutch
From: Ross
Type of sale: Ross everyday
Original price: Compared to $16.00+
Purchased price: $7.99


Item 4-- Strappy flat sandals
From: Urban Outfitters
Brand: Ecote
Type of sale: Clearance sale
Original price: $38.00
Purchased price: $9.99

Side Note!

Mr. Clean Magic Erasers- 4pk for $2.50

These things are amazing and get almost anything wiped off of walls.
Dan uses these in his room/apt and man, this stuff cleans well ;D.

If you purchase these from Lowe's at their very low price, they have free in-store pickup.  

I've seen them for about double the price at other retail stores so hit up your local Lowe's and grab one of these for your cleaning needs.

Deal found on FatWallet.

Fashionably cheap,

Tina

Makeup. Something I have zero knowledge about.

So maybe I don't have zero knowledge about makeup but it's almost zero.  What I mean is that I buy makeup based on the price of it.  I buy the basic makeup products whenever they're on clearance/sale: eyeliner, mascara, bronzer, lipgloss/lipstick, and foundation.  I do own a few makeup products that I would consider pricey like a good aqua gel eyeliner by Tarte (sold at Sephora for $18) or the amazing all night makeup spray by Urban Decay (small travel size bottle sold at Sephora for $11).  At $18 and $11... I think that's a little pricey.  For that much money I can get a pair of jeans and a top easily, just saying.  I try to use the aqua gel eyeliner only on special occasions and the all night spray only when I know I'm going out for the night (clubbing usually; somewhere where I know my makeup will run).

In this post I will discuss makeup products I recently purchased from Rite Aid and Target at great prices!

I will also have pictures of me wearing the makeup to show the quality and use of each product.  Photos are all taken 'as-is' and are not retouched so the makeup is shown as the way it is applied.

Oh and nail polish just for fun! :)

This makeup style is very simple and I would wear it to work or out on a date.  It took less than 10 minutes to apply.  I usually don't wear this much everyday and I would wear a little more for a night out or on a special occasion.

 These products I purchased were all on clearance.  At Rite Aid they will have selected products on clearance marked by the Clearance 75% off stickers.  At Target there will be about 3-6 shelves dedicated to clearance makeup, hair products, hygiene products.  Usually some of the reasons why these products go on clearance is because of a surplus amount or product (color/type) discontinuation.  Sometimes I see the products will be expiring in the next 6 months so I believe that is another reason to why some of the products go on clearance too.

**Note- only these selected products were on clearance.  Notice that not all colors were on clearance.

RITE AID

Item 1-- Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation

Original price: $8.99

Purchased price: $2.24

exp: 10/12

Item 2-- Rimmel Moisture Renew cream lipgloss in colors Pink Spa and SOS Red

Original price: $6.49

Purchased price: $1.62

exp: 10/12

Item 3-- Borghese Rapido Nail Lacquer in Menta

Original price: $8.00

Purchased price: $2.00

 TARGET

Item 4-- L'Oreal True Match Natural mineral powder

Original price: $12.49

Purchased price: $3.74

Item 5-- L'Oreal Tescopic Explosion Mascara (2 pack)

Original price: $11.98

Purchased price: $5.98

1. I applied the Rimmel match perfection foundation under my eyes to lessen the puffiness and around my nose and under my mouth where I had some redness.  I simply did this by dabbing the foundation with my fingers and blending it on my skin.

2. I applied 2 layers of the L'Oreal explosion mascara to my top and bottom lashes.  It's kind of cool that the mascara brush is a spherical shape so it can reach the tiny lashes on the corner of my eyes.  The mascara is a little clumpy but I evened it out with a eyelash comb.  I did not use an eyelash curler here.  I hardly ever do unless I want more dramatic eyelashes when I go for the night out.

3. I applied 2 layers of the Rimmel Rose Spa lipgloss.  I chose to go with the Rose Spa color because it's a softer color for work.  I really like the lipgloss because of how smooth they make my lips feel!  I would usually put a layer of lip gloss on after a layer of lip stain/lipstick on an evening out.

4. I applied a quick brush of the L'Oreal mineral powder all over for a finishing touch.

 

The only thing I added (not pictured) was a brush of my honey bronzer on my cheek bones from The Body Shop (Original price: $18, Purchased price: $6.00 - combination of other items purchased on a $20 groupon deal and 40% off sale)

ALL FINISHED!

Side Note!
Macy's Spring Spectacular starts tomorrow Wednesday, March 28 to Sunday, April 1!
50%-80% off storewide with 2-day specials Wednesday, March 28 & Thursday, March 29

And my work outfit in the photo:

Item 1-- Gray dress with pockets and button design
From: Ross
Brand: Rhapsody
Type of sale: Ross everyday
Original price: Compared at $36.00
Purchased price: $12.99

Item 2-- Purple Cardigan
From: Forever 21
Type of sale: Forever 21 everyday
Purchased price: $12.50

Fashionably cheap,

Tina