Yeah, that's my life savings right there.

Because I’m making six pennies a year in my job after taxes, I follow a very strict budget that allows me to afford a moderate amount of food and a moderate amount of fun. There is no room for a savings plan in my budget so I just figured if I was extra careful nothing would ever go wrong.

Then last week everything went wrong.

I spilled sangria (or water according to the troubleshooting report I made to Apple) on my laptop, I dropped my straightener one time too many and it broke, and I found out my parent’s insurance company is onto me no longer being a student and has dropped me. For those of you non-accounting majors out there, that’s about 5 billion dollars worth of problems.

I had a minor panic attack. And by minor I mean I opened my window, stood on the ledge for a few moments, and thought about who I would haunt if I came back as a ghost. Then logic hit me and I realized that because I’m only one floor up I would just break a bunch of bones, sending me to the hospital and making my lack of insurance problem even worse.

So instead of jumping I thought of my other options. Luckily my grandparents who live in the city had a laptop I could borrow until I figured you out what to do about my laptop-turned-coaster. Unluckily it was designed for the partially blind. I’ve seen desktop computers more portable than this laptop. Hell, I’ve seen elephants smaller than this thing. The screen was about a football field long and the font was visible from space. This proved to be more than an inconvenience when I was blogging at WiFi cafes.  I was writing about STDs for one blog and let’s just say the employees at the cafe did not enjoy being able to read about gonorrhea while serving coffee. So not only did I have to blog from home all week, but I’m pretty sure I’m on a sex offender list now. Read More »

"I love....how much money we're saving by doing this."

[It's pretty obvious that the average CollegeCandy reader has some very strong opinions. Opinions that she likes to share with everyone on the site. We love a strong woman, so we thought we'd give her a real forum to discuss her thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Every Friday I'll be featuring a hot topic (like lingerie!) and leaving it up to you, the readers, to duke it out. So, read it and get your debate on in the comments section below!]

Even though I keep hearing the recession’s over, those of us on a student budget are still tightening our belts (and not because it makes us look thinner). A lot of innnovative ways to save have popped up in the last few years, but one of the most life-changing is the idea of moving in with the significant other to save on rent.

There are some good reasons girls are doing this, no question. First and foremost – money! Splitting your payments with a roommate makes the payments easier on all, but more over, by splitting with the BF your money (and his) is actually going to the place you’re both spending time. Most couples tend to spend most of their time at one person’s place (usually the one without the creepy or obnoxious roommate/that weird cabbage smell) so it makes sense to pool the money into that place’s rent instead of splitting it up between two different apartments when one barely gets used.  And the money crunch can be a good excuse for moving in – like, say, if your parents are a little less than thrilled about your relationship turning all grown up – if it was something you had planned on doing anyway. Read More »

It's OK; she's eating for 2.

And it’s not a food baby.

5 drinks that are better for you than a Pumpkin Spice Latte

Occupy yourself during the recession. For free.

Urban Decay creates the perfect eye liner.

Is Katy Perry kissing Russel Brand? (And does she like it?)

Cute “mittens”…for his junk.

The recession is bad news for anyone looking to get a job, save some money or sell a house. But it’s great news for fashionistas! Stores that were once dowdy and just screamed “crazy cat lady” are bringing in new designers to create chic lines at lower prices.

Take JC Penney. When was the last time you stopped in there (not counting those post-Starbucks bathroom emergencies)? I know: never. Because their clothes were cheap, outdated and just not cute. Well, that’s not the case anymore! JCP now sells several lines by popular designers (Charlotte Ronson, Nicole Miller, and Allen B. Schwartz, to name a few) and they not only have stuff that is totes cute, it’s totes affordable as well.  I can’t wait to add some of these pieces to my closet… Read More »

That pitcher costs more than my tuition!

I am thoroughly pissed off. And you should be too.

It’s been announced that the price of beer is on the rise this fall due to the fact that sales are down and the cost of making it is up.

Now, I don’t know who is cutting back on their beer intake (how else are you supposed to cope with the declining economy and increasing joblessness?), but it sure as hell isn’t us college students.

Shotguns, kegstands, pong tournaments… we’re keeping the beer industry afloat and they want to make us pay more?!

While our loans are being cut and our financial aid is being taken away we have stuck by our beer, true and loyal customers, purchasing it in large amounts and inviting it to all of our events. Even study sesions. And this is how we are repaid for our loyalty? Read More »

With the recession guilting me into sacrificing unnecessary luxuries (oh, multiple, daily Starbucks runs, how I miss you!), I’m wondering how others are handling their own sacrifices. Our daily indulgences have now become something to shake a finger at, but many industries are still thriving by playing into our addictions.

As humans, we have inner demons that can only be quieted by indulging in our uncontrollable desires. Take the concept of the Seven Deadly Sins. Depending on your beliefs or interpretations, you may agree that we have a natural inclination towards these temptations. For example, I totally lust after my boyfriend’s six pack, I greedily horde my money, I’m a glutton for any sort of frozen yogurt, and I envy Megan Fox’s…everything.

Being the crafty marketing team they are, America’s consumer industries are exploiting our desires to indulge in these Seven Deadly Sins (and are getting filthy rich because of it!). Hey, maybe if we all sinned a bit more, we could nix this recession like Cain did Abel! Ready to be a bad girl? Hit up these industries to silence your inner, money spending demon:

Lust – While the recession has taken away many things, at least it’s bringing sexy back! Erotic industries, such as sex toy company Babeland, have seen a 25% increase in sales. Makes sense: The less hours you’re given at your job, the more quality time you have to spend with your brand new Mini Pink Leopard Vibe! The best part? Babeland is always having sales to keep you “cumming” back for more. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) Read More »

I’ve heard of them all: Gilt Group, Hautelook, Rue La La, Ideeli… The exclusive, invite only “sample sale” sites that promise hot labels to a select group of shoppers at a reduced cost. Once you snag an invite, they seem like a win-win, right? Chi-chi clothes at recession prices! But like many things that seem too good to be true, the cons might outweigh the pros.

Love ‘em:
Obviously, there’s the appeal of getting cheap, cute, designer clothes without having to get out of your pajamas. Or bed. A few weeks ago, Hautelook had a Primp boutique and I flipped out. $88 thermal leggings for $20? Perfection. I figure I can wear them for future online shopping, um, trips. I also probably wouldn’t just waltz into Neiman Marcus or Bloomies sans makeup (and chic outfit) just to check out the Chloe dresses or Gucci purses without any intention of making a purchase…but doing so online is totally acceptable!

The sites also feature a large variety of designers. Sure, these sites feature well-known, crave-worthy brands like Marc by Marc, Seven For All Mankind and Oscar De La Renta, but they also have some surprising finds. Rue La La has offered Birkenstock and Lululemon boutiques, Gilt features Rachel Leigh jewelry, and Hautelook highlighted Ecoskin. It really can’t get better than old favorites and new finds. Read More »

Another legend is lost.

Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler’s near death experience.

Feminism is alive and well online.

Are you washing those makeup sponges?

Mischa Barton on suicide watch.

Fashion takes a major hit in this economy.

There really is no faster way to look both put together and able to go from day to night than a romper. (Unless it’s this one….WTF?) Think about it – you don’t have to pick a top to match your bottom, which seems like a minimal task right now, but is actually difficult when you hit snooze for too long on all four alarms. And added bonus: you don’t have to do the bend and snap (or other variation) to make sure that your booty isn’t hanging out or that the paparazzi (AKA, your professor) doesn’t have access to see your Britney.

You can pair them with flip-flops in the day and throw on wedges for night and – boom- insta-transformation. They comes in so many styles that you are sure to find one that flatters your figure. Yes, even you! While they took awhile for me to get used to (sort of like tequila), the more you see them (or more you drink them), they (or those boys) have become so freaking cute to me!

Here are a bunch of options, from retro to casual.  The romper is a must-have summer item and seeing as we are already halfway through, you need one NOW. Just click on the photo to snag one of these hotties. Many are from Lulus, which makes them romper-perfection since you can get ‘em for 15% off! Read More »

Finally, a benefit of our failing economy!  It turns out that the crocs franchise may not be around as long as we had feared.  Instead of scrambling to keep up with (inexplicable) demand, they are now facing millions of dollars of debt and a surplus of really ugly shoes.

Why are they having this problem?  Well, they made the little monsters nearly indestructible, so nobody feels the need to buy a second pair.  If only no one felt the need to buy the first pair…

Almost everyone I know agrees that crocs are possibly the ugliest things we as  humans have ever put on our feet.  However, most of my friends own a pair.  When I give them my patented look of revulsion and pity, they shrug and give me the same argument: “They’re comfortable.”

Well…so what??!!!  A lot of unacceptable things are comfortable!  You know what else is comfortable?  Mumus.  I don’t see anyone walking around in a mumu because they are BUTT UGLY.  Just like Crocs. Read More »