Well ladies, here it is! My very first "haul" video for ABC Family's Jane by Design blogger challenge (details here).

For our first challenge, we were given $50 to shop for whatever we wanted. I used my money to create three celebrity-inspired outfits using items that I picked up at the clearance racks at one of my favorite stores.

If you have a minute to help me out, please give a shout-out to The Budget Babe on the Jane by Design Facebook page! You can also upload your own haul videos (a great way to gain exposure if you're a blogger). And thank you if you already have, your support means a lot!

This is not a sponsored campaign or anything. The winning blogger gets a mention on the show and gets to choose one of their readers to be featured on the ABCFamily.com style site.

Procrastinators rejoice! Today is Free Shipping Day and over 2,500 merchants are offering free shipping with guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve. With deeper discounts on top of the free shipping deals from some of the most coveted beauty, fashion and shoe brands, you can get gifts on the cheap for friends and loved ones in time for the holidays.

Here's a glimpse at some of the top beauty and fashion deals available today, brought to us by money-saving expert Andrea Woroch. Be sure to hit up www.FreeShippingDay.com to activate these deals.

FASHION

• Express - Free shipping plus 30% of all orders, plus $25 off orders of $100 or more.
  


• JCrew - Free shipping and 30% off all orders.
  


• Ann Taylor - Free shipping and 40% off your order.
  


• Inhabit - Free overnight shipping on all orders.
  


• Gap - Free shipping and 20% off your order.

BEAUTY

• The Body Shop - Free shipping on all orders.
  


• Philosophy - Free shipping on all orders.
  


• Bobbi Brown - Free shipping on all orders.
  


• Beauty.com - Free shipping on orders of $25 or more.
  


• Sephora - Free shipping and returns on orders over $25.

SHOES

• Shoes.com - Free shipping and free returns plus 20% off your order.
  


• Puma Stores - Free 2-day shipping and free returns on all orders.
  


• Hush Puppies - Free shipping plus $10 off your order.
  


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• Chinese Laundry - Free shipping on all orders.

Got a great free shipping deal? Share it in the comments!

A few days ago, my doorbell rang and I opened the door to discover a ginormous box on my front steps. At first I assumed it was the snowblower my husband recently purchased online, but then I saw a purple sticker with the words "ABC Family." Clearly, this was not the snowblower. Then, a lightbulb went on and misty memories from a few weeks back crept into my mind, reminding me that I had, in fact, applied to participate in a blogger challenge hosted by ABC Family in conjunction with their upcoming show, Jane by Design (premieres Tuesday, January 3 at 9/8c on ABC Family).

Jane by Design is a show about a teenager who is mistaken for an adult and gets hired to work for a a high powered executive in the cutthroat, albeit fabulous, world of fashion.



{The mysterious contents of the chest include a body form, tacky Christmas sweater and pretzels.}

My challenge, as it were, is to imagine that I am interviewing for the open blogging position at Donovan Decker, the hip fashion house where Jane works. Each week, I'll be given a different challenge. If I pass the test and make it through each round, I'll win the grand prize - a mention on the show!

Clearly I can't do this myself, I will need your help and support and words of encouragement. My first challenge is to go shopping with a $50 giftcard and then do a haul video about my finds. A HAUL VIDEO. Eek! Am I terrified? Yes. Excited? Most definitely.

But don't let me have all the stress fun. Head to the Style by Jane Facebook page and share your own haul videos or just give a shout-out (mention BB sent you!)

I did a little shopping today and my plan is to finish up tomorrow, so stay tuned to see what I hauled, ya'll.

In case you haven't heard, the latest addition to the BeachMint family is called BeautyMint, created by fashion powerhouse Jessica Simpson and Beverly Hills skin care expert Nerida Joy.

If JewelMint is for jewelry, StyleMint is for tees and ShoeMint is for shoes, then (you guessed it!) BeautyMint is for beauty, specifically, a personalized monthly skin care system featuring exclusive products developed by Nerida.

Here's how it works: Start by answering a series of questions that will determine your customized skin care regimen. Then, take your pick between two packages: the Comprehensive 4-Piece System ($39.99/month) or the Advanced 5-Piece System ($49.99/month). BeautyMint.com has a satisfaction guarantee so you can return any items you're not happy with. If you would like to skip a month you can do so up to 2 days before your billing date.

I like the idea of a personalized skin care system. Since I turned the big 3-0, I feel like I could use some professional advice to pick the right items because there are so many to choose from.

Have you tried BeautyMint yet? Are you gonna? Let me know in the comments. And if you want to give it a try, use coupon code BUDGETBM to get $20 off your first month until 12/31.

Shop it online:
BeautyMint.com

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

I ducked into Kohl's yesterday to check out the latest from the LC Lauren Conrad line, and wow, the store was crazy busy and the racks were super full. The reason, no doubt, is that the holidays are almost here and Kohl's was having a big sale (when are they not?). All the LC stuff was 60% off, knocking the prices down to between $14.40 and $30.40. Nice. I was too lazy to un-bundle and try stuff on, so just trust me when I say that a lot of these pieces looked better in real life than they do in my photos. A black and nude lace-print dress would look amazing for holiday parties, as would a satiny, floral print flowy top, pair that with skinny jeans and heels and you're set for a casual night out. The main attraction, however, had to be the colored cords, I must go back and get a pair in both eggplant and terracotta - great dupe for those J Brand jeans so popular this season. What stands out for you this month?