Urban Outfitters: $15.81 = leggings

Nothing excites me more than a good "additional 30% off all sale" sale at Urban Outfitters (except maybe an "additional 50% off all sale" sale). Sometimes it can take a lot of rummaging but I can usually find at least one gem. This time my gem was in the form of a pair of spandex and faux-leather leggings. Usually I am really not a fan of faux-leather (or faux-anything for that matter) but these leggings called to me. Not only were they super comfy but they looked pretty sweet on, so for $13.99 I just couldn't resist!

What I got:
BDG Shine/Matte Leggings
Full retail price: $59.00
I paid: $13.99

Total savings (with tax): $50.86 (That's a savings of over 75%!)

Kijiji: $70 = Litas

This score was a big one for me. As a fashionista on a budget, sometimes it can be frustrating going out shopping and seeing so many fabulous things out there with a pricetag that is more than you are willing to pay. So there are certain items that I will regularly troll for on Craigslist and Kijiji with a certain price in my mind of what I would be willing to pay for them. The longest running object of my desire has been the Jeffrey Campbell Lita boot in classic black leather. I don't know what it is about them- is it the sky-high chunky wooden heel? The hidden platform? The lace-up front? The ever-luxurious black leather outer? Or is it just the whole package that makes them oh-so cool, covetable, and a growing fashion staple? Whatever it was, they had captivated me, but as a master of bargain shopping, just could not bring myself to pay that $160 (+ taxes) retail price tag, and being that they never go on sale, Craigslist and Kijiji seemed to be my best hope. The challenge in that is waiting for the perfect combination of finding a pair that is in your size, in the colour you want, in good condition, and at the price you are willing to pay. Seemingly impossibly, the stars did align for me, and finally I am the proud owner of a pair of Jeffrey Campbell black leather Litas and for just $70 and no tax! As soon as I put them on and laced them up I instantly felt like the coolest chick at the mall (which is where I met up to buy them- big tip to any fellow Craigslist and Kijiji shoppers- ALWAYS meet in a public place when dealing with strangers)! And let me tell you, that feeling is priceless. I kind of want to never take them off.

What I got:
Jeffrey Campbell black leather Litas
Full retail price: $160
I paid: $70

Total savings (with tax): $110.80 (That's over a 60% savings- go me!)

Urban Outfitters: $60.99 = 2 tops and a sweater

I'm not exactly sure who it was that said you can't wear white after Labour Day, but some rules were made to be broken and this is definitely one of them. White is a basic and a classic and goes great with pretty much any other colour, so you really can't go wrong. With this in mind, I decided to stock up.

What I got:
1. White peplum tank with cut-outs
    Full retail price: $44.00
    I paid: $17.99
2. White fringe tank
    Full retail price: $50.00
    I paid: $17.99
3. Cream open-weave hi-lo sweater
    Full retail price: $60.00
    I paid:$17.99

Total savings (with tax): $93.01

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I've finally come to terms with the fact that my wardrobe has long outgrown my closet, and that I need to start getting rid of at least one item for every new one that I buy. So if you're in the market for some cheap and gently-used duds, PLEASE check out my selection here!

Urban Outfitters: $40.65 = 2 crop tops

I'm loving that crop tops are making a comeback, especially since that heatwave we had. I hit my favourite treasure-hunting spot (the sale section at Urban Outfitters) on a particularly hot day, in search of something I could (somewhat more) comfortably wear in this heat. I thought that these two tops were so adorable I just couldn't decide between them, so I thought why not just get both?! I'm pretty pleased with my decision. They're both so bright and colourful, and each have awesome details and fun cut-outs- they just scream summer!

What I got:
1. Coral and lace bustier-style crop top
    Full retail price: $44.00
    I paid: $17.99
2. Polka-dot gathered crop top
    Full retail price: $39.00
    I paid: $17.99

Total savings (with tax): $53.14 (I love when I end up saving more than I paid!)

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The Bay: $99.67 = shoes

It's a rare and beautiful thing when the last pair of awesome shoes just happens to be your size, especially when the shoes are this adorable and fun! I was on the hunt for a pair of black pumps that had a little pizaz and this pair just jumped out at me. I feel like the pictures do not do them justice. I couldn't believe my good fortune that the only pair of these shoes just happened to be in my size, AND on sale, it was like winning the shoe lottery. I seriously cannot wait to wear these!

What I got:
Black peep-toe pumps
Full retail price: $180
I paid: $88.20
Total savings (with tax): $103.73

Aveda: $15.58 = box of tea and hairbrush

I don't know if any of you have tried the Aveda tea, but it is just delightful! I'm not even really big on tea, but this one was love at first sip. It's called "comforting tea", it's 100% organic, caffeine-free and the flavor is licorice root and peppermint. It may sound kind of weird but I swear it is a match made in heaven, if you are at an Aveda store or salon in the near future and they offer you some I highly recommend you try it (and if they don't offer it to you, ask for it)! That's how they got me initially. I think it retails for something like $21.50 for a box of 20 tea bags (as I said, I'm not really a tea drinker, so I have no idea if that is really expensive) but, to my pleasant surprise, apparently with their new points system it's one of the first things you can get for free! So if you like Aveda hair or cosmetic products, make sure that you sign up for their points system if you haven't done so already. They also had their FixxRx hair products on sale for 40% off, so I bought a hairbrush for the first time in maybe 10 years or so. As I've had maybe 3 or 4 different hairbrushes in my 23 year lifetime, I'm also not really sure what they cost, but I'm super picky when it comes to my hair/things that I will use every day for the foreseeable future (is that weird?). It's made from sustainably harvested bamboo and looked pretty good to me, and my old brush was literally falling apart. Plus the points I earned from it got me my tea for free! So all in all I think it was a win-win.

What I got:
1. Box of Aveda comforting tea
    Full retail price: $21.50
    I paid: $0
2. FixxRx oval paddle brush
    Full retail price: $22.99
    I paid: $13.79

Total savings (with tax): $30.70 (that's just about double what I paid!)

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Summerlicious: $15-$45 = 3-course meal

If you like great deals, great food, and live in Toronto, Summerlicious is one of the best deals happening this summer! From now until July 21, 195 of the best restaurants all over Toronto are putting together special 3-course menus at awesome price points! With lunches from $15-$25, and dinners from $25-$45, trying that restaurant that you always thought was out of your budget has never been more tempting and affordable! Check out the list of participating restaurants and their menus here. Anyone else getting hungry?