A pain in the pump

As I'm sure you're well aware of, crude oil prices are on an ever-rising ascent with no drop in sight, which means gas is quickly becoming a pain in the pump. Forget being offered coupons these days: with the average price of gas across the country rising to rest slightly above $4 per gallon today, it looks like oil is becoming the new currency -- in the form of gas cards -- that companies are using to lure consumers into their web.

Hotels.com is rewarding guests who book a minimum three nights through them with a $50 gas card; many smaller banks are offering the same deal to customers opening checking accounts with them. Is golf your thing? If you buy certain drivers from Callaway Golf Co., it's likely that you'll be rewarded with a $100 gas card for choosing them. "Free gas" is becoming the new benchmark for giveaway goodies that companies, well, give away.

I'm all for it! With all the talk of hybrid cars and their ilk, most of the country (including my Hyundai) runs on good old-fashioned gasoline, so when companies offer to essentially fill up for you, I say lap up the offers -- but with one caveat.

Don't get lured into buying more than you normally spend just because your purchase comes with something "free." It's an easy trap to fall into, but just ask yourself, as you're handing over your check card or cash, "Do I really need this? Or am I just buying it because it comes with perks?" Those incessant Borders Rewards coupons that continually flood my inbox are a perfect example of this mentality of buying. Do you really need that dvd box set of every season of Seinfeld right now, or are you just impulse-buying it because you've got a 30% off coupon in your back pocket? (By the way, try Amazon.com, I guarantee it's cheaper.)

That being said, if you are in the market for a new set of clubs, or need to find a hotel to stay in, let the wooing of the free gas cards begin! If you have to spend the money, you may as well earn some back -- especially when these offers probably won't be around for the long term. According to Carnegie Mellon University marketing professor Baohong Sun, the free gas card trend should fade by the end of summer.

How it pays to save

I have a confession to make: I am addicted to sales. Retail sales, to be exact. More than I love shopping, I love a great bargain. Finding one is like unearthing black gold in our current economy, but it can be frustrating for many -- sifting through endless merchandise is a daunting task, but this Brunette on a Budget is always up for a challenge, especially when faced with the spectacle of one Saturday afternoon. After lazing by the pool Saturday morning with Love and Sophia in 98-degree weather, we braved the oppressive humidity to make a day of it at a mall some 20 miles south (The Nordstrom Rack (NR) was what initially drew me to the site).

Behold the power of how a fabulous sale will help get you by in today's recessionary environment:

• BCBG Sweater - Originally $160 at Nordstrom, bought at NR for $30.
• Khaki slacks - Originally $88 at Nordstroms, bought at NR for $25.
• White circle statement necklace - Originally $14 at Nordies, bought for $4 at NR (Ok, not huge savings, but it was a great deal for an impulse buy).
• Michael Kors khaki trenchcoat - Originally $160 at Nordies, bought at NR for $80!!!!! (It's not a Burberry, but it will have to do for the next few years. It fit like it was made for me).
• Khaki slacks - Originally $88 at Nordies, bought at NR for $25.
• Calvin Klein necktie - Originally $88 at Nordies, bought at NR for $24. (For Love.)
• Ben Sherman dress shirt - Originally $85, bought at NR for $17.
• White cropped pants - Originally $44 at Banana Republic, bought at the Banana Republic factory store for $23.

That's $499 in total savings!

That 500 bucks I would have otherwise spent on full-priced (or near full-priced) clothing at Nordstroms, I can now save to use later on various other "stuff," such as a handful of nice dinners out, two airplane tickets to California, or a couple iPhones for us to use. Or, I can take my "winnings" and pad my savings account with it. All the flexiblity with extra money I free up reminds me of why I love saving in the first place. It's a game -- play it!

Coming Out About Outlets

This past weekend, I had the fabulous idea of trekking to an outlet mall that my coworkers have been raving about. "Look at my Burberry underwear I paid $7 for!" said Willie from advertising, exposing the tell-tale novacheck plaid waistband of his new pair of Burberry tightie-whities above his pants. He then bragged that he had bought three Burberry scarves for $19 each -- ALL at the outlets. It was like waving a hot dog infront of a morbidly obese ballpark food junkie. All I knew was that I, too, had to cash in on the savings.

So my sister Sophia (who's staying with us for the summer), Love and I all piled in the Accento to make our way up to the infamous "Leesburg Premium Outlets" in Northern Virginia. Lolar bear was intially going to partake in the journey, but with temperatures approaching 85 degrees, having a toasted Lola in the car while she waited for us in the parking lot was not the kind of hot dog I wanted waved infront me.

I was a bit apprehensive to going up, what with gas prices at current levels, and the distance of the outlets from us (a little over 40 miles), along with my past misfortune in finding NOTHING whenever I do venture to outlet stores, I was afraid the trip, and my time, would be wasted. Always the one to succumb to curiosity, though, I said "why not." It was a balmy Sunday, after all, and we had no other plans.

On the way up, we hit two toll roads we hadn't accounted for -- not terrible, they collectively cost $4.25 one way, but roundtrip that is an extra $8.50, on top of the gas it cost. Once we pulled off the freeway 40 miles later, my eyes twinkled at all the dazzling signs of Coach, Off 5th, Banana Republic, all replete with promises of discounts and markdowns.

Two hours later, as I trudged back to the car with Love and Sophia in tow, let me just say I was overwhelmingingly disappointed. We had traipsed to the far nether regions of the sprawling outdoor mall and back, and all I had to show for it was a pair of brown capris I bought at Banana for $23. Love had more luck than I did (as he usually does), and made out like a Banana bandit with polos and sweaters. Let me tell you why I was disappointed.

Sure, it was fun just hanging out and pilfering through pants and polos, but was it worth it? No. I firmly believe, and this latest trip just reaffirmed my theory, that outlet and their "sales" are mainly a myth. Case in point: We went into Lacoste and Diesel, and found jeans and shirts that are much cheaper at Nordstrom's half-yearly sale than they are at "discount" prices at the outlets. And there were many things I saw on Sunday that I know are cheaper online. Remember those $19 scarves Willie boasted about? Try $199. I told him to double-check his bank statement, as it looked like he might have forgotten to see a second "9."

That's not to say that you can never find a good deal at an outlet store, but do you really want to spend all Sunday riffling through some discount rack at the Off 5th outlet, just so you can find a reject 7 for all Mankind shirt in a hideous color from two seasons ago? I can think of 10 other ways I'd rather spend a Sunday. Not only that, but the cost of gas and tolls roundtrip completely negates the "savings" you gain from shopping at the outlets; you may as well just troll your local mall for a clutch deal.

Suffice to say, unless I happen upon an outlet on my weekend shopping excursions, I highly doubt I would ever make a special trip again -- I would just end up toting a pair of cropped pants and disappointment home at the end of the day.

"A Netflix for purses"

In honor of the Most Important Movie of our Time being released across the country tomorrow night (Sex and the City, yes, I already bought tickets), I thought it'd be fabulous to highlight a new startup company that may or may not be changing the face of fashion, but definitely pacifying all Carries-in-training -- especially those on a budget. The company is called Bag Borrow or Steal (http://www.bagborroworsteal.com/), and I think its premise is brills, especially for all us savers who still want to be fashionable. I say carpe diem whenever you can bypass digging through a clearance bin, especially if that bypass leads you to a practically new Coach bag (complete with monogrammed silk Coach bow) for $60/month, or $20/week.

Bag Borrow or Steal truly acts as a "Netflix for purses" (what it's alluded to as in the SATC movie), in that it posts an arsenal of designer purses, along with designer sunglasses and jewelry, at different rental rates on their site, from low-end (Coach, Dooney and Bourke) to high-end (Fendi, Balenciaga). The only snag is that on top of the rental rate for each bag, you have to pay a monthly or annual fee upfront to be a member. But the fees aren't as extravagant as the handbags, ranging from a one month membership of $9.95, to three months for $19.95 (or $6.95/month), to one YEAR for $60 (or $5/month). Five dollars per month for unlimited access to a treasure trove of designer goodies I was only planning on accessing well into my mid- to late-30s? Let's just say this Brunette on a Budget is savoring every bite of this tantalizing morsel of information.

I've always wanted a Chloe Paddington bag. Like the Burberry trenchcoat I want oh-so-bad, the Paddington bag has always been near the peak of my extravagant interests. With Bag Borrow and Steal, I don't need to spend the $2,000 on its pricetag, but rather, I can relish in tasting it paired with my outfits I've envisioned matching it with. And after I've gotten my fix (I bore easily, this is why a tattoo would be all wrong for me), I can simply send it back -- much like a Netflix DVD -- and "try on" something else I've always wanted (Fendi spybags and Burberry Sunglasses, anyone?).

I love this idea because it makes everything we read about in fashion magazines more attainable and allows us to play without defaulting on a car payment or putting off buying a house. No, I'm not condoning partaking in such a site if you're essentially living paycheck-to-paycheck, or if your debt is spiraling out of control. But at the end of the month, if you've already paid yourself (including investing a fraction of your wealth) and your bills, I think it's OK for a girl to treat herself to something nice.

For some that might be a night out on the town; for me it's a week with a Paddington bag.