In the last few years, collective buying sites like Groupon and Living Social have become increasingly popular. The concept is fairly simple: a daily deal is offered with a set minimum number that must be sold in order for the deal to become available. Examples of the types of deals offered through these sites include 50% (or more) off food at a restaurant, 2-For-1 tickets, and one-month unlimited gym passes.

SpaRahRah! provides a twist on the collective buying model: it offers exclusive deals on spa, beauty and wellness at up to 75% off their original prices. It’s run through SpaFinder, the “Global Spa and Wellness Resource.” Each deal is available for purchase for one week, unlike most other sites of this type, which only give you 24 hours to purchase a deal (great news for those like me who have a hard time making decisions).

I had a chance to try out a SpaRahRah! deal for myself: a one-hour yoga class, followed by a foot soak and reflexology treatment, at Creative Chakra Spa in Marina Del Rey, California (FYI: for anyone living in or visiting the Los Angeles area: you have to try this place! It’s not like your usual quick-appointment salon/spa — it focuses completely on healing). Since no one else had signed up for yoga that evening (the owner noted that the classes are usually small anyway — that way every student gets attention), I ended up having a private lesson, which was wonderful since I’m still a Yoga beginner. The class was the perfect way to relax at the end of a stressful day and stretch my body, which spends so many hours hunched at a desk behind a computer. After I was fully relaxed from my class, I was wrapped in a plush robe and proceeded to have a warm foot soak with aromatherapy salts and a reflexology treatment with Sandie, the friendly owner. My experience was nothing short of amazing, and I’m sure I’ll be back there soon.

After such a good experience, I’m definitely excited to see what other types of deals SpaRahRah! has to offer in the future. It’s a great way to be pampered — on a college girl’s budget!

[SpaRahRah was kind enough to provide Laura with these services for free. So thanks SpaRahRah!]

Vampires on the prowl in LA.

How many countries can you name in 5 minutes?

ABC cancels a whole bunch of TV shows.

Angelina controls the media.

How to get discounts on beauty products!

George Clooney looks like a hot mess.

Single ladies aren’t the only ones putting a ring on it

How to avoid having sex.

Chocolates for Thanksgiving.

Tips for studying for finals without losing your head.

The thrifty girl’s best friend is, well, the thrift store. While I can’t afford to drop hundreds of dollars on clothes each month, plenty of people can and do. And when these people get tired of their outfits, they sell them or give them away. That’s where we come in.

The first step to good thrifting is knowing your stores. Scope out your town or city and figure out where the good shops are. Most cities have a Salvation Army or Goodwill, as well as various consignment shops. Bigger cities and most college towns will have thrift or vintage stores (but keep in mind–vintage is often code word for EXPENSIVE!) If you find a shop you like, go there a lot, even if you don’t buy anything when you go. You’ll get a sense for when new clothes come in, so you can get to the good stuff first.

A lot of thrift stores have varied and arbitrary pricing, so if you know your local shopgirl you are more likely to get a discount on that dress with the small tear (which you can repair yourself). If your local shop buys clothes, bring along the stuff you don’t want any more (in good condition), and see if you can get store credit.

Once you’ve established yourself, you’re ready to start shopping. While everyone has their own methods for thrifting, I find there are usually a few important principals to live by:

1. Be patient!

Thrift stores are usually disorganized and packed full of junk. The best part of thrifting is the find–buried in that bin of cheap shoes is an adorable pair of heels, but only if you have the energy to dig all the way down to the bottom. It takes a lot of time to really look through every item on a crowded rack, but trust me, it’s totally worth it.

2. Don’t go looking for something specific

You’ll never find it. That’s what cheap chain stores like H&M and Forever 21 are for. If you walk into a messy shop looking for a blue spaghetti strap dress, chances are you won’t find exactly what you want—you might find a blue long sleeve dress or a green spaghetti strap dress, so make sure you’re flexible and open to anything.

3. When in doubt, try it on

Rarely do thrift store items have size tags, and sometimes older clothes have no size tags at all, or use an older sizing system. If it doesn’t look ridiculously big or ridiculously small, go ahead and try it on. Ignore the size, you may find it fits you anyway! My very favorite thrift dress is labeled almost 2 sizes smaller than what I normally wear.

and finally…

4. Have Fun

This may sound cheesy, but it’s true. That gold lame dress is only $5…why not buy it and figure out how to incorporate it into your wardrobe? Try something different–maybe you don’t usually wear patterns but your local shop is full of old 50′s skirts. Go ahead and buy something unexpected–you may surprise yourself!

For our NYC girls, here are a few of my favs:

Beacon’s Closet

N. 11th Street between Berry and Wythe, Williamsburg, Brooklyn

This is the mecca for stylish New York City girls of all incomes. Located in a massive warehouse, they buy discarded clothes from the hip Williamsburg/Bushwick crowd. Last weekend I scored a $15 dress from Urban Outfitters, an $8 romper from American Apparel, and a pair of Vans slip-ons for $10. They have a great selection of dresses, and a lot of newer stuff–you’ll see H&M t-shirts packed in with Marc Jacobs jackets.

If you want to sell your stuff, be prepared to go up against some really snooty buyers–they’ll take one or two items (if any) and donate the rest. They won’t take anything out of season either.

Village Style

7th Street between 1st Ave and Ave A, East Village, Manhattan

The go-to for cowboy boots, converse, and bags. The hours are weird though, so try going in the afternoon. Not great for clothing.

Flores Antique Clothing

529 Grand Street, near Lorimer Street, Williamsburg

For vintage dresses, there is no better store. Almost everything is under $50, and there’s even a discount if you buy in bulk. It’s a no-nonsense, decidedly un-New York shop.

Do you have a favorite shop in your town or city? Let us know in the comments!

Even with the huge discounts, I still can’t afford any of the clothes on Bluefly.com. But that doesn’t stop me from taking far too much time to search the pages and pages of designer shoes, purses and clothes. There’s a pair of Gucci shoes on there that I would perhaps not kill, but certainly maim someone to own. Someday….

What I love even more than the clothes they have though, is their killer advertising. My favorite ad has to be the chick showing up naked to her own dinner party because she has nothing to wear. But what’s really catching everyone’s attention are the… soft porn-ish spots they have done. The two ads are like the hottest 30 (or if you’re lucky 90) seconds I have ever witnessed.

The newest one tells the romantic tale of two star-crossed co-workers who have been trying to hook up for some time now. You see them finally go on their date, have a lovely dinner and then get it on in the coat check. Gotta love those impromptu rendez-vous!

How naked people sell clothes sometimes escapes me, but the attention that the ads draw has boosted sales in a huge way. While I may not be able to afford the clothes, those 30 seconds in the middle of my favorite Bravo reality TV shows really do heat up my night.