Ever used DropBox for storing files online? I use a small portion (only about 2%) of the 2GB DropBox will give anyone for free. Now Amazon is offering a similar deal with even more free space!

Click here to sign up for Amazon Cloud storage. You’ll receive a whopping 5GB of space for free without having to jump through any hoops (no friend referrals, no special instructions to follow). All of those gigabytes will hold a ton of data — as many as 1,000 songs or 2,000 photos!

I find that cloud storage is great for sharing music, images, papers, and other files with my friends. It’s also great if you want to create a quick backup of any important documents or if you travel a lot and don’t bring your primary computer with you.

Amazon.com also makes sure to note that they will never charge their users for this first tier of space, so you can sign up for this deal without any worry!

Also, any mp3s (music) you purchase through Amazon will be stored for free. This is good news for some of the disgruntled iTunes users I know. If you accidentally or purposefully delete your iTunes library, you are out of luck and must resort to calling an Apple representative. Not fun!

However, there are rumors that Apple’s answer to the Cloud may be free this year. (Currently Apple’s MobileMe is $99/year.) This rumor draws from the fact that Apple recently made some of it’s MobileMe exclusive features free to everyone last year in 2010. (Namely the Find My iPhone feature.) I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens in June.

I first began listing items on Craigslist 3 years ago, in 2008. My first item up was an old Dell desktop (black) with a flatscreen monitor. It sold quickly. My second sale was just a few days later, a green mountain bike from Target that was snatched up less than 30 minutes after the listing went up. I’ve also sold a ping-pong table and circa-1990′s dining room set and given away a couch for free.

The worst experience I’ve had so far was when a potential buyer borrowed my cell phone and when he handed it back, it was coated in a generous helping of the sweat from his face. Um, yuck. My outlook is that things could’ve been worse, I suppose!

I’ve also had a little experience as a buyer on Craigslist. During my first (almost) buying experience I found a desk I knew was perfect for my office, and I emailed the seller telling her I would be in town and to please let me know when I could come by and pick it up. “In town” means Atlanta, from which I live a good 45 minutes away. She lived on the other side of Atlanta from me. She said I could pick it up around eight. Long story short, I ended up staying in Atlanta until around 11 pm, no desk. I went home defeated. And with callouses from wandering aimlessly around 16 acres of Ikea.

I don’t really have a ‘lessons learned’ to share with you from my failed Craigslist experience, although I would recommend setting up a time before you travel anywhere, and call the seller on the phone. Ask for a phone number over email if you have to. Also, if you email the seller, leave your phone number and name at the bottom, or chances are they will think you are a spammer and never return your message.

Another buyer-trick: turn on “show images” in the upper right hand corner of the Craigslist search bar. Here’s the search page without show images activated:

"Show Images" on Craigslist

And here’s the page with show images activated (it becomes ‘hide images’):

"Hide Images" on Craigslist

Ahh, isn’t that better? Now you can see the images’ thumbnails without clicking. You can also hover your mouse over the thumbnail to get this view, which enlarges the thumbnail for easier browsing:

Craigslist Image Thumbnail Blowup!

Craigslist was kind of a TOTAL drag before I found out about these features. Also remember that you can use standard search operators in the Craigslist search bar. Searching for:

chair -pink

will search for the word ‘chair’ but will eliminate any listings that contain the word ‘pink.’ Perfect for when you are bringing up one too many pink chairs. Ha.

As far as prices on Craigslist, know your budget, know the fair market value for new & used (just check online stores and your local resale shops). If prices seem high, you can ask the seller if you may make a lower offer, but don’t expect them to bring down the price. Some people are trying to offload items that are new from stores in your area. Keep in mind the hidden costs of buying new items in-stores such as tax, and online such as shipping, and shipping surcharges. All of these extra costs are generally eliminated with Craigslist shopping.

Final buying tips – bring cash, ask for an address and use Google Maps for directions, decide on a price before you get there (honor the seller’s price), BUT remember – you don’t have to buy if you don’t like what you see in person, ask for measurements & measure your vehicle/method of transportation, and take a friend with you to pick something up.

And remember, be a friendly Craigslister whether you are browsing, buying, or selling. Craigslist brings disparate people within communities together, and you are bound to meet interesting people. It can be quite an adventure and a lot of fun!

Next time: Selling on Craigslist: Tips & Tricks! Stay tuned.

Summer is on the way, and that has me thinking about my outdoor spaces. I have a small front porch that is already outfitted with two Pier 1 Wicker Stacking Armchairs and an end table from the same series of outdoor furniture. I was fortunate enough to receive them as housewarming gifts. The chairs look just like this one:

Pier 1 Wicker Stacking Chair

And the end table (that I placed between the two chairs):

Pier 1 Wicker End Table

While I love my cute front porch, I’ve also got a great backyard space that I have left totally untapped for the past two summers that I’ve been in my current home. I rent, so I don’t want to do anything permanent or expensive (well…the latter part applies to all aspects of my life!). I’m also on a DIY budget. Meaning that I hope to DIY my patio for cheap and make use of Craigslist. So far I’ve got my heart set on at least two outdoor benches to set around the firepit I purchased from Target this winter. I would like them to be two-seaters and very, very simple. So simple in fact, that I think I might be able to make them myself, and the most complicated tool I own is a drill. I also have a saw…a hand saw. Ha. So far I found one tutorial from Lowe’s:

DIY Outdoor Bench from Lowe's

The tutorial looks easy to follow, and the straight lines of that bench look totally safe. I also found a tutorial from Popular Mechanics. I would modify that bench tutorial to simplify it a bit; I don’t need the hinged top that allows for storage.

Here’s a cute bench tutorial that just looks absolutely huggable. Or as huggable as an awkward wooden bench could possibly be:

The Family Handyman Bench Tutorial

I’m going to go ahead and admit straight off the bat that the Family Handyman tutorial intimidates me a bit because of those angled legs. Um…angles? Please do not send me back to Mr. Kahoe’s 10th grade geometry class. I will cry.

Lastly, I found this bench made from old fence posts and this other bench made from reclaimed wood. Both fantastic ideas and beautifully executed. Both use what I think of as “Herman Miller” style bases. Sort of Mad-Men metal meets wood style. Which is not particularly my style. We’re talking hairpin legs and rounded edges. But I am not one to scoff at a great idea. I love the element of reuse in both pieces.

So that’s where I’m at in my bench-making progress (planning). Here’s hoping the guys at Home Depot will humor me and fire up the saw! Next up I’ll be discussing in greater detail my bench plans along with how to cultivate an inviting outdoor space – on the cheap!

YSL’s Lucky Chyc Small Tote at Saks Fifth Avenue

Last month while I was looking for a new tote bag for work I tried Saks Fifth Avenue (mistake!). When I saw the above Lucky Chyc Tote by Yves Saint Laurent, my first thought was “Helllllo beautiful bold lines and contrasting colors.” My second thought was, “Holy… [insert price over $1000 because at that point does it really matter anymore?].” And almost immediately I was taken back in and lovingly studying in the beautiful detailing on the bag.

Awwww! Inside of Yves Saint Laurent’s Lucky Chyc tote

Yes, friends, that is a heart. And a… I want to say a clover. They apparently function as little finials that hold the strap in place. But I will never know because I have no plans in the immediate future to buy this little sucker.

The price? $1,195. YEAH, I KNOW. It’s about $1,100 dollars or more out of my price range for any bag. And they don’t sell it at Target. (I’m kidding. Sort of.) However, I am an avid fan of “recreating” a look. And no, I do NOT mean knock-offs. I am firmly against any such nonsense. That is stealing and defacing a brand name that some company and/or individual has worked countless hours in perfecting.  Not to mention, it is just plain tacky. You risk looking cheap for participating in this scummy crummy fashion underworld, plus your bag will probably fall apart in just enough time for the salesman to pack up his wares and get the heck out of dodge. (This potential for embarrassment is why I cropped the picture below to exclude the patrons’ faces — and the seller’s!)

fake designer purses image credit

What I’m talking about is finding something created by a legitimate designer or fashion house and wearing it proudly, something that gives you the same look. Not a fake version of the same brand. This has less to do with branding and more to do with a fashion statement that involves aesthetics. And I know this won’t solve everyone’s fashion-budget issues, but it is something to think about. Here is a potential solution (would this satisfy your Lucky Chyc cravings?):

Halogen Dual Tone Tote in Tan/Orange

The Dual Tone Tote by Halogen at Nordstrom. It’s a measly (comparatively speaking) $98 and comes in a variety of colors, although I prefer the tan/orange combo as pictured above because it resembles the beige and orangey-coral of the YSL bag.

As for the bag I need for work, the jury is still out. I will be sure to let you know when I decide. In the mean time, keep looking for fashion inspiration, not fashion-fakes!

By the way, if you’re looking to purchase the Lucky Chyc tote by Yves Saint Laurent (the real deal! you are a Lucky Chyc, aren’t you?!), try BlueFly! Last I checked they had it listed for $956 – a coupla hundred less than Saks! –Update– I just checked and now they have it at 10% off at $860. 

(Also known as: Why I’m Canceling Netflix)

Have you ever wondered how you can watch movies and TV online for free, and easily? You can watch close to any movie or television show online for free if you only know where to look. No shady downloads, torrents, or applications required. This may or may not be legitimate (um, I’m thinking not), so use your best discretion. You can always watch many shows from ABC, FOX, NBC, and CBS online for free (with commercials) completely legitimately, if you feel uneasy.

Click the link below to read on for the full how-to!

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