Heck this is a lot more lucrative than a Tupperware party.  You receive money instead of spending money. Get your friends to gather up broken bracelets, tangled chains, orphan earrings and that gaudy necklace from the 80s. With gold trading at a 30-year-high, now is a good time to change all that sparkle into hard cash. Gold Party Canada, a Montreal based company will buy all of their unwanted gold jewelry on the spot after quickly and expertly appraising it.

Hostesses (besides buying your unused gold jewelry for top dollar) will receive $25 for every guest who sells a minimum of $200 of gold. If that wasn’t good enough, they even give you money to host the party in style. You are give a $100 credit toward food and drinks (no receipts necessary). Invite 10 people, earn $350.

Guests go home with an average of $750.

www.goldpartycanada.com

For my Smart Shopping Montreal fans, I have so much cool new stuff in this edition:

I bumped into green shopping everywhere in the city. I loved Bamboo Entrepot with its bamboo flooring, kitchen cupboards, couches, wine bar, bathtub, clothing and linens. There are environmentally responsible friperies like Folle Guenille or Pre-Loved who take vintage or just pre-worn clothing and rework them into hot one-of-a-kind fashions. Eco Reno is part of the ecological hardware and furniture movement.and offers up old doors, windows, mouldings, bathtubs and plumbing parts so you don’t have to buy new. Or how about Couche Maman Ecolo, the diaper fairy who comes once a week and saves our landfills of mountains of plastic diapers? In Montreal there are local manufacturers for: gift wrap, plaster mouldings, sofa-beds, maternity wear, paint, comforters, cribs, cardboard boxes and even bountiful farmer’s markets.

Once you pick up “Smart Shopping Montreal” it is hard to put it down, as you discover:
– liquidation locales: Lindt chocolate, home theatres, designer shoes, pianos, house renovation products, sporting goods, bras, pasta
– services: people who scoop poop, rent paintings or fur, monogram gifts, send cakes for a special day
– second-hand shops: computer games, maternity clothes, laptops, ergonomic chairs, mouldings

People who treasure saving objects from obsolescence and enjoy the work performed by master craftsmen will find solace in the chapter on repairmen. Do you know where to go to get your espresso machine fixed, costume jewelry repaired, boots widened, baby strollers washed, antique carpets cleaned or holes fixed in your leather couch?

Montreal is lucky to have a large mixture of ethnic groups. Reading through the International Food section takes you around the world with a smorgasbord of stores to entice you to try new flavours, perhaps English marmite and vegemite or “skinny” donuts or pickled mudfish.

In every budget, there is always a place where extra money is spent solving shopping problems. In, the specialty stores (which are often pricey) you’ll find: custom bathing suits, snakes, made-to-order couches, cake decorating, wigs, hard-to-find DVD’s, lace, and moving boxes

It’s time to join up for my Smart Shopping Club www.smartshoppingmontreal.com and receive your own autographed copy of my book. Happy Shopping!

By joining in parties or making personal appointments, buying a cocktail dress or gown (sizes 2-20) can actually be fun – and inexpensive, about 70% off. With the owner guiding you through the choices (or ordering what you need), you can score aa BCCG, Bari-Jay, A.B.S. , Laundry, Anne Klein, Evan Picone, Kasper, Scala or Betsey Johnson creation. Even bridal gowns can be purchased for about $70-$160. An extra is that her Mom is an expert seamstress who can adjust them all.

Tel: 514-428-5907
Hours: by appointment
www. homeofdesignerclothing.piczo.com

If you pined for the furnishings in the DixVersions stores but couldn’t afford them, everything in this DixVersions Depot, store is from there but discounted significantly. The accessories are 50% of what they sold for in the store and furniture is 30% to 70% off. This is the best part – they then take an additional 20% off here. Expect to find furniture, lamps, tables, vases, sofas, shower curtains, stools, rugs, desks, mirrors, etc. This is a temporary location which could be closed by November – or not. This location is closing at the end of April and proceeds from the sell off are being donated to pediatrician Dr. Julien’s clinic for street kids.

8530 De l’Esplanade Ave. at the corner of De Liege
Phone: 514-745-3610
Hours: Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m, Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you’ve every dreamed of having your own personal driver, then perhaps Hinda Bilenco, a “Senior Services Provider” will fit the bill. She specializes in taking seniors (who live in VSL, TMR or the West Island) to medical, dental, lab, rehabilitation and physiotherapy appointments. However, if you need her for hairdresser appointments, grocery or clothes shopping, to go to the bank or other daily activities, she’s there for you too. Even if you just need some company for lunch, afternoon tea, to go to the movies or a drive to the airport (to exit this frozen mess), just give her a call. Her services are limited to non-emergency transportation and she is reliable and courteous.

Phone: 514-956-9267 or cell 514-497-0630