The Chronic Consumer

Don’t look now, but it’s almost time to start sporting some sexy summer dresses! (Wow, look at my alliterative skills there!) I don’t wear dresses all that often, but I do like to have one or two available for weddings or cocktail parties, so I need to go shopping soon. I really like this little number from Victoria’s Secret, and it’s on sale right now for just $29. Unfortunately, I’d have to find some way to lose weight fast in order to look good in the dress, and considering the fact that I’ve been trying for the last 3 years to lose a mere 10 pounds, I don’t think that’ll be happening anytime soon.

OK, can I just tell you that I love this Cherry Mischief deodorant from Secret?? I’ve been using Secret ever since they came out with their clear gel stuff because I absolutely hate white, flaky deodorants. And Secret generally works pretty well, while coming in a nice enough variety of scents.

But prior to trying Cherry Mischief about a year ago, I’d never come across a particular scent that I really loved. I would just grab whatever was on the shelf and be on my merry way.

I’m useless at describing scents, so I can’t explain what Cherry Mischief smells like. Yes, there’s definitely a hint of cherry in there, but it’s not overpowering or anything. It’s just a wonderful smell that is great after a shower. I think I’m addicted to this stuff!

If you’re anything like me, then you can’t leave the house in the morning before dabbing on at least a bit of concealer under your eyes. I’m one of those unfortunate people who look like I haven’t slept in ages even after the most restful nights imaginable. I don’t know what the underlying problem is, but it’s been plaguing me since college. I need to get out there and buy a truck full of the best eye cream for dark circles. Maybe that would attack the root cause instead of just covering things up.

Until I find a solution, however, I just have to make sure I’m always stocked up on concealer. Fortunately I can get away with using the cheap stuff, so at least my dark circles aren’t affecting my pocketbook as well.

Does anyone have a recommendation for reducing wrinkles? The crow’s feet around my eyes are really starting to bug me and seriously make me look about 5 years older than I actually am. I have a Differin prescription for acne and hear that this product is good for wrinkles too, but it’s SO EXPENSIVE that there’s no way I’m going to use this regularly. There must be a more affordable anti wrinkle cream out there, right? I want to look my best for my 20th high school reunion, so I need something that works quickly!!!

Finding a comfortable sports bra is a challenge that most active women face. It’s hard to find one that is both comfortable and provides the amount of support need for fitness activities such as aerobics or jogging. I was in need of a new one recently, so I decided to try out something called the Modern Fitness Sports Bra from Champion.

This sports bra is available with a couple of good featues, such as “double dry” fabric technology that helps wick moisture away, a mesh back panel for breathability, and flat seems for added comfort. Moreover, the bras come with a support rating system that is designed to let you know how tight the bra will be.

These sound like good features, but unfortunately, the result isn’t as comfortable as I had hoped. Perhaps it’s just me, since I’m right in the middle of two sizes. If I go up a size, there’s simply not enough support. If I go down a size, the bra is tight and uncomfortable. But since it’s a sports bra, I figured tight is better than not, so I went down a size.

The sports bra is wearable for me, but it’s very tight around my shoulders, so I’m always aware that I’m wearing the bra, know what I mean? If I were able to find one of these in a good size, it would probably be comfortable. But as it is, I hate wearing this thing!

Having used the same wallet for six years, I was desperately in need of a new one. My old one was battered and worn, and the clasp was broken, making it impossible to close the thing securely. So when I was at the mall last weekend, I stopped off at Carson Pirie Scott to check out their selection. I was hoping for a nice Liz Claiborne wallet because I had one a long time ago and loved it, but I ended up buying this Rolfs Ziparound Clutch instead.

What initially attracted me to the Ziparound Clutch was its size and features. I like that it’s roomy enough to hold everything I’m likely to carry in my wallet. There are plenty of slots for credit cards, two zippered sections that can be used for coins, two places for cash, a checkbook cover with ID display case, a pen holder, and picture inserts. The checkbook and credit card section of the clutch closes with a button snap, while the cash and coin sections close with zippers. The wallet is hefty for sure, but it’s nice to be able to have all of these things in an easily accessible place.

Another thing I like about my new Rolfs Ziparound Clutch is that it’s made from genuine leather. It looks very nice and is incredibly soft. I went with the black model so it would match my purse, and I’m extremely happy with my purchase thus far. The wallet retailed for $30, but was on sale for 25% off. After taxes and everything, I ended up paying $24.47, which is not a bad price at all.

If you’re looking for a new wallet, I recommend checking out Rolfs. This might not be the first brand you consider, but I really like my ziparound clutch and think it was a terrific bargain!

It was my birthday last week, and my wonderful husband got me a great present. He knows that the Chicago Bears are my favorite football team and that I’m excited about the newest addition, quarterback Jay Cutler. So I was thrilled to unwrap a brand-new Jay Cutler jersey on my b-day!

It’s a Reebok jersey with Reebok logos on both shoulders, as well as the NFL Equipment shield on the front. It has the player’s name and team graphics screenprinted on it, as well as a jock tag for greater authenticity. My Cutler jersey is a women’s model, so it has a slimmer fit and isn’t as long as the men’s version, but it’s still an XL, so I don’t have to worry about quaffing diet pills in order to fit in it.

It’s gameday today and I’m planning to wear my new Cutler jersey while I watch my Bears play in HD. Yes, it does make the game more fun! Bear down!

I think online shopping is great for a number of reasons, but the best one of all has to be the privacy aspect. I know this is going to sound ridiculous coming from an adult in her mid-thirties, but I still get incredibly embarrassed and flustered when I have to buy certain personal items from the store — especially if there’s a snickering teen working the register or doing the bagging.

While I can handle buying tampons and condoms on my own, I draw the line at such things as vaginal dryness creams, over-the-counter yeast infection treatments, douches, home enema kits or anything of that sort. If I have a need for any of those things, you better believe I’ll be ordering it online!

Does that make me immature? Perhaps. But I so do not want to deal with this sort of thing at the drugstore or grocery store that I go to regularly!