Saving money is an attitude; it requires a lot of effort and something that we should have learned in our economy class. This may be considered as one of the biggest problems that many of us face. I will be a hypocrite if I will say that money has never been my problem. Well, temptations are everywhere. I would say that I will save for the rainy days, but just after 10 minutes of swearing that I won't buy a new pair of jeans, here I go again, contemplating which jeans would look good on me.

We see friends flashing their Prada outfit and Louis Vuitton bags. You see your neighbor having a new porsche. You see people in your office wearing shiny stiletto killer shoes that costs a fortune. You bumped into an old buddy that has the latest ipod that you have been wanting to buy...What's worse? You watch cable and see those Hollywood actors looking great on those expensive suites that you have been dying to have.... 

You will definitely look like a star if you wear an Anne Klein's blouse to match with a tight-fitting Versace jeans. But is it worth it? Do you want to end up old paying your endless debts?

You can always look fab without having all those luxuries in life. It's how you look and NOT HOW MUCH it costs. Here are some helpful ( I hope so...) tops on how to be FRUGAL but still LOOK FABULOUS.

• DO NOT BUY DESIGNER LABELS - Hollywood celebrities have all the rights in the world to wear Prada, Burberry, Armani or what have you. Admit it- you're no celebrity so settle for something that looks good on you. They have money to splurge and you DON'T. Even if you can buy a branded outfit, do you go around and tell every person you bumped into "Hey, I bought this outfit at Dolce and Gabana for two thousand dollars". And even if you tell people about it, do you think everyone will believe you? Remember, there are lots of fake stuff coming in the market now. So why not buy something "un-branded" that looks really great on you, right? Check department stores or thift shops, I'm sure they offer same styles at a lesser amount. You will fab on a halter top that you bought on sale, the trouser that you saw on one of the second-hand stores nearby, with matching tight fitting leather jeans that you got from a garage sale. IT'S HOW YOU LOOK THAT MATTERS AND NOT THE PRICE OF THE CLOTHES YOU'RE WEARING THAT WILL MAKE YOU LOOK SOPHISTICATED.
• FOOD!ALCOHOL! - I'm not really discouraging you NOT to have dinner outside. I know we would want to treat ourselves for all the hard works and accomplishments that we have. Ideally, we can go to elegant restaurants during your birthday, or any special occasion. It seems a little absurd to think that you will have to dish out a ridiculous amount of money just to be able to have the pleasure of eating in a fancy restaurant just by eating a small portion of ribeye when you can cook it at home, and not having any stock inside your fridge because you ran out of budget, blah, blah. So you have no choice but to use your credit card to buy food for your house which is A NECCESSITY. End result? Having loads of debts to pay and not being able to SAVE AGAIN. Or if you are really antsy to go out, have a STRICT BUDGET, a bottle of beer and one appetizer can last a night. But please, don't make it a habit.

• CHANGE YOUR CAR - Yes, you have your dream car, a miata that can run a mile per minute. But if you think about it, you spend a thousand bucks for the gasoline and that won't last the whole week and by the time your next pay check comes, you will just pay off your debts, and you're counting the days left to get your next oay check.  You can still look elegant on fuel-saver cars, trade yours with a lower value car. You are saving the cost of the gasoline, and at the same time, you earned a little for downsizing your car. Best of all, you still have a car.
• FORGET THE GYM - I know you want to look fit so you can wear your tight fitting outfits without any struggle. I'm not asking you to forget to have some exercises altogether. Just quit the gym, which will save you from paying the membership fee. You can always do some stretches at the comforts of your room. Replace your treadmill sessions at the gym to running during mornings or riding a bike to and from your office. You cut down on your expenses, you're still fit without paying any, and you don't use your car. Sounds good, right?
• VACATION - Everyone would want to experience a terrific vacation. I know we want to get away from all the pressures at home and at work and vacation just sounds right at the moment. Do not book your ticket and accommodation right away. Check other options. Check if there are offers going on. If you can hold it until the holiday season, that will save you big time, since rates are lesser during off-peak seasons.