Get your denim vest at Walmart

Madewell Denim Vest alone costs $98!

I love fashion just like the next person. I also love fashions by J.Crew and their sister line Madewell. However most of us should see it for what it is...an illusion. Look at this outfit above. Does it look particularly special? Do the pieces individually look like anything special or even unique? Your answer is probably no! Believe it or not this entire outfit costs over $300. Really? $300 for a denim vest, chambray denim shirt, and skinny jeans! I need that vest to have some hand embroidery on it or something. The pieces individually aren't worth that much...so what are you and I paying for? Well...we are paying for a stylist! I can admit the way it's styled is great. I love the way the three pieces are put together. But I have to ask myself why when looking at a catalog or in a store do we see an outfit styled perfectly and buy it directly off the rack instead of appreciating it for what it is, taking a mental picture of it, and then recreating it for cheap somewhere else. Get your denim vest at Walmart! I promise no one will no the difference. Actually you could probably get all these pieces from Walmart or at least Goodwill. It will probably cost you $50 at Walmart and probably $20 at Goodwill. Wow what a savings...just don't forget to recreate that "I just fell out of bed look" to complete the outfit!  -Living Pennies

What "Living Pennies" Is Really About

What is LIVING PENNIES about? LIVING PENNIES is simply about living on less. I wanted to write this blog because I realized that I had become obsessed with having MORE! I, at one point in time was just like every one else, always chasing for more. In order to get a better job that meant more school which meant more money spent and more debt. In order to live big I had to invest in a home or a bigger apartment which meant a mortgage to pay (more debt) or paying more in rent. I also wanted a better, newer car. And yes, that meant a big car payment and a big insurance payment. Actually, last year I bought a used 2011 Ford Fiesta. Before I made the decision to buy that car I had a 1991 Lexus. The Lexus needed some love and care to continue to run but the best part was that the Lexus was completely paid off and the insurance was cheap. But at the time, I felt it was too old and that I should be driving in something newer. I even convinced myself that I would look more attractive in a newer car. What a load of crap! The things we tell ourselves in this quest for wanting MORE! Buying that 2011 Ford Fiesta was the biggest mistake I have ever made in my life. It's a cheap car and poorly made. I started having problems with it as soon as I drove it off the lot. My 1991 Lexus was a better car despite it's age. Now I am stuck with the Fiesta and a new car payment that I have 4 more years to pay off!!!

Currently I live in a 600 sq ft one bedroom apartment with my son. At the time it was the only thing I could afford. But I realized (not right away), that living in this one bedroom apartment was the start of a new way to live and thus was one of the first inspirations to write this blog. I don't need more I need less!

With all this said, I decided to continue to marinate in the idea that I didn't need MORE! In fact, in order to live the lifestyle that I wanted I needed to discover more ideas on how to live with less. This blog is about research. I will be researching people who have made the conscious decision to live on less and share their journey. I will also be researching and discussing new ideas on how I and YOU can live on less. I am slowly turning my life around towards LESS. My goal is to fit all my expenses under $1000/month including food! Meeting this goal will allow me to do what I want for work (having a job that I actually love) and live the way I want without being a slave to debt and material things.

-Allison Andrews