Within my circle of friends, I'm known for taking fashion and fun to extremes on a shoestring budget—I’m so good at it I created a show on the local access television network. I call it “Living Low Rent,”a spin off of Martha Stewart’s Living, but ... I won’t even go there. My show is geared toward an audience more interested in Ramen noodle dishes than in lamb souffles.

One of my favorite episodes was based on a simple concept: how to add loads of style without dropping a dime. The first rule: never throw away your jewelry—no matter how worn or how unfashionable. Your look can be totally updated simply by changing how you wear certain pieces. Here are some examples:

Use your brooch in place of a button on your favorite cardigan. You can also dress up a choker by pinning your brooch to the side. If you don’t have a choker, ribbon will work just fine, as will a scarf.

Too swollen or too skinny? Pull those rings off your fingers and wear them dangling from your favorite gold or silver chain. You can also hang some of your favorite bangles from a chain.

If you’ve inherited an abundance of your grandmother’s clip-on earrings, putting them to work is simple. Move right past your ears and turn them into hair clips instead. They add color, glamour and a look that’s all your own.

All those stretchy beaded bracelets that were so big a few years back may have lost some of their elasticity and luster, but there’s no need to retire them. Just loop them several times around your ponytail to add a snap of sophistication. Not only does your “do” look more elegant, but you’ve extended the life of these bracelets.

Like me, you’ve probably got a dazzling collection of earrings ... with one minor drawback —you’ve only got one of each pair. Take pliers, clip the backs and glue these once lost and lonely pieces to a belt buckle.

Your favorite pendant and charms don’t have to dangle from your neck or wrist; take what you love to a jeweler and have him turn them into chandelier earrings. This is an added bonus because you control the design.

I hope I’ve inspired you as much as I did my audience. I’ve gotta run. There's a rollerderby party that’s requiring I wear hot pink and black. You should see the way I look with Grammy’s clip-ons (braided into my hair) which match my little choker which goes with my belt buckle. How could I stay in when I look so good spending nothing?

Click here to find a jeweler who can share his or her insight with you, too.