Get properly pumpified for $50

I’ve written before about my woefully under-used membership at my company’s gym. Recently, I’ve teetered really, really close to just canceling it. What’s more, Mister Redhead doesn’t have a cheap gym option. So we made a tiny investment on Monday night: We are now the proud owners of a 100-pound weight set. And it was only $50 at Modell’s. If you’re looking for a cheap set of weights, I suggest you go there (sorry, it doesn’t look like they’re selling the set online).

They have a third-party delivery service, but we didn’t inquire much about it. We figured a $10 cab ride home would be cheaper. That means the two slightly out of shape Redheads had to get this 100-pound box out the store, into a cab, and into our building. I couldn’t get a good grip on the box, so eventually it was just Mister Redhead hoisting it around as I ran ahead to open doors. He then collapsed on our living room floor. True story:

The weights take up a big chunk of the bedroom now, and even though they’re ugly to look at, it’s worth it to have a barbell and dumbbell set at home. Tonight, I actually worked out while watching Survivor and The Office (side note: Jim and Pam’s big news=OMG!!!). I’m holding onto the gym membership for now. Maybe if we invest in a treadmill I’ll cancel it…

What do you think? Does it help having a ton of equipment to use at home? What should our next fitness investment be? How often should I be using the gym at work to justify paying $30 a month for it?

Cheap dresses and skirts!

I’m having the best luck finding cheap summer clothes lately. This will be my fourth summer in NYC (hard to believe!), and I’m finally accepting that I cannot wear jeans around town on those 90-degree days unless I want to have heatstroke. The alternative: sundresses and skirts. It’s usually a challenge to find ones that are cheap and fit well, but here are a few places to check out right now:

• Old Navy. Last week I bought a navy-blue dress here. It’s plain, but it’s actually cut well (that’s shocking to find at Old Navy!). I’d post a pic of it, but it’s not on the store’s website. Must have sold out already! I can see why:  Originally priced at $24, it was on sale for $15. Plus I used that coupon for 30 percent off, so the total cost ended up being about $10, which I paid with a gift card from our credit card rewards program. Beware: There are a million different colors and prints of this seemingly cute sundress, but it’s unfortunately a typical Old Navy dress (read: potato sack).
• Target. Target always has dresses, but they’re often in odd colors and materials. I don’t think I’ve ever bought a dress there, actually. Until last weekend. Behold:I’m not sure what’s wrong with the model’s hip, but believe me: It’s a cute dress when you stand up straight. It’s also available in solid colors, and it’s on sale right now for $19.99 (down from $24.99). And yes, I also bought this with a gift card.
• New York & Company. Their dresses? Meh. Shapeless shifts, mostly. (And we know New York & Company is notorious for just downright weird fitting issues). Right now, though, they have really nice pencil skirts–for $35! I am generally not a fan of pencil skirts at all. But I tried one on last weekend and loved it. I’m going back this weekend, armed with a coupon my mom mailed me and the remaining balance on the gift card used to buy my winter coat. I’m leaning toward this one (so no one buy it before me):

The solid-color ones are even cheaper–$29.95–so I might pick up a black one as well.

Is anybody else just tripping over great summer clothes already? What other stores are good for finding cheap, cute dresses?

Deal alert: 30% off at Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic

Through Sunday, you can get 30 percent off as part of the Give & Get program in-store at Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic. Five percent of the proceeds go to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Everyone wins! Click here for the coupon. Bring it with and use it as many times as you like.

Deal alert!

Have $1.50? You could buy a bottle of pop, do half a load of laundry…or get a yearlong subscription to Glamour. In honor of the mag’s 70th birthday (pretty amazing, isn’t it?), you can get 12 issues for $1.50 (the cost in 1939). That’s 12.5 cents an issue. I am doing this. The offer expires March 15, so head over to Glamour now to cash in.