DKNY DY4076 Sunglasses

I'm no fashionista- my wardrobe is typically some variation of a nice blouse with pants tucked into boots- or a belted skirt and cardigan. My hair? That's something else entirely. All my life, I've had to deal with frizzy, curly hair, trying to whip it into something manageable and slightly presentable. Regardless of my outfit choice of the day, if my hair looks good, I'm likely to be in a similar mood.

I'll admit it- I've tortured my hair in the past. A natural brunette, I've endured bi-monthly bleaching sessions at the salon for months, to make my coif a platinum blonde. There's only so much your hair can take before it rebels though, so I went back to brunette, where I battled frizz with flat irons and finally underwent a Brazilian Blowout. For only $300, I had sleek hair for three months. For those of you not familiar with this treatment, the stylist applies a chemical to your hair before sealing it with heat. The Brazilian Blowout removes all frizz, so your hair looks stick straight after drying. Of course, you're literally bathing your hair in chemicals, and recently it has come to light that the treatment contains formaldehyde (the cancer-causing ingredient used as a preserving agent). No thanks.
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Photo courtesy of AndyRobertsPhotos at Flickr. 

The only new piece of furniture I own in my house is my mattress. Everything else is a hand-me-down. Not only have I furnished my entire house for less than $1,000, I'm saving the environment by reclaiming furniture that would have otherwise ended up in the trash. To make everything match and look nice, I have repurposed many of the pieces. I'm no handyman, but there are several ways you can repurpose furniture with little experience and without spending a ton of money. 

1. Paint

A fresh coat of paint gives life to an old piece of wood furniture. You can paint the furniture to match the original wood or in any color you like, (I have a blue desk.) The major hardware chains sell samples of low-VOC paint for about $3.50 and its enough paint to finish most jobs. Read More …

Last week, you shared with pictures of your favorite pet on our Facebook page, for your chance to win a $50 gift card to Jeffer's Pet Supplies. We were overwhelmed with cute images and our heart skipped a beat for 21-year-old Buzz, who's blind and deaf (and looks like a giant stuffed animal).

Congratulations to Savings.com user and Facebook fan Lourdes Doyle, and her therapy dog, Leo. Leo may not have legs that work properly, but he's making a difference not only in his family's life, but also as a therapy dog.
Lourdes, I've sent you each an email with instructions on how to claim your prize. If for some reason it doesn't reach you, send me an email at social@savings.com before the end of the day on Tuesday, April 17th or another winner will be chosen. Read More …