Shiran Teitelbaum & Jennie Sardo / Co-Founders

Shiran and Jennie have always loved discovering steals and deals. After meeting at McGill and becoming the best of broke friends, they wanted  to share their precious finds with like-minded gals. City Bandit became a place to discuss their favourite new brunch spots, beauty secrets and girly freebies.

Steal they can’t live without: “Cheap greasy breakfast.”

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Sara Potkonjak / Editorial Director

Getting a degree in English and History from York University taught this bandit one thing: she’d better start looking for some deals, because she sure can’t count on making lots of money. Sara has just recently started her MA in Ottawa and is stoked to expand the CB love to the true-North, strong and free capital. When she’s not studying (and often even when she is), Sara continues her lifelong search for signs that read “Happy Hour” and “49 cent wings.”

Steal she can’t live without: “Free food samples. Always take an extra one for your ‘friend’.”

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Erica Leibner / Outreach Coordinator & Toronto Contributor

Erica is a veg-head with a smoothie addiction she has no intention of getting a handle on any time soon. She can often be found scouting out the latest and greatest in all things eco-chic and animal-friendly, from Matt & Nat handbags in Montreal to brunch at Fresh in Toronto. With a BA from Dalhousie University and almost two years working for a hospital fundraising non-profit under her belt, she is thrilled to be the newest member of our City Bandit family.

Steal she can’t live without: “My EO organic lavender hand-sanitizing spray with Echinacea, from Whole Foods”

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Lauren Lindsay / Copy Editor

Lauren grew up on the East Coast, reading more books and magazines than is  healthy for a growing child. After getting her Bachelor’s from Queens and leaving Kingston, she knew two things: she needed to work with words and she needed to move back to Ontario. She is now pursuing a certificate in copywriting in Toronto and cultivating an eclectic personal style on the (sort-of) cheap.

Steal she can’t live without: “Free books from the public library.”

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Jordana Rapuch / Toronto Contributor

Jordana has lived in Toronto for her entire life, but still manages to get lost due to a severe case of direction-itis. Yet, wandering aimlessly around the city has contributed to her vast love for it.  She recently graduated from Ryerson University’s journalism program, and is now working as a copywriter. When she’s not writing, she’s teaching dance.

Steal she can’t live without: “IKEA’s Agen Baskets. They make any clutter look organized.”

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Gillian Sonin / Montreal Contributor

Growing up with a mother who is addicted to sales, coupons and returning anything and everything, Gillian was pretty much born with bargain hunting genes. After graduating with a BA from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Gillian is thrilled to be able to follow her passions, writing freelance and working as a marketing manger for an education company.

Steal she can’t live without: “A café misto at Starbucks (aka the poor woman’s latte).”

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Molly Teitelbaum / Montreal Contributor

Growing up in a household where television was shunned (years later, the whole family is addicted to Project Runway), Molly had too much time to focus on her creative sensibilities. Consequently, she sings, writes music, paints/sells her artwork, and has a flair for fashion. She also has what some would consider a sick obsession with her overweight boxer named Lenny. While pursuing her BA at McGill University, Molly plans on exploring the city for bandit steals.

Steal she can’t live without: “My plethora of designer jeans fresh off of eBay.”

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Mandy Poon / Montreal Contributor

Mandy is a food lover with an extra sweet-tooth. Easily seduced by cutting-edge cuisine, she becomes extremely vocal when she discovers new quality eats. She enjoys undertaking cooking projects (Indian food being the most recent), reading e.e. cummings, and learning new languages. After receiving a BA from McGill University, Mandy is currently pursuing graduate studies in Public Relations.

Steal she can’t live without: “Butter. It’s not expensive and it will absolutely change everything you cook.”

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Jen Boshan / Toronto Contributor

After stretching her pennies across the globe, Jen has followed the map back to the Big Smoke, where it all began. Her lasting love affair with words and her voracious desire to ‘have it all’ have led her to life as a Bandit. Hotdog stands, Champagne, and doing what she wants for less are a few of her infatuations. Jen’s next step will be figuring out where her overpriced education fits in all of this.

Steal she can’t live without: “Julie D’s closet.”

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Bojana Culum / Toronto Contributor

When Bojana’s not redecorating her room every six minutes or watching the latest episode of Rookie Blue, she’s reading up on her Canadian history or traveling through time with some of the world’s greatest (and underrated) literary figures. With a BA from York and a BEd from Western, she has taken up unemployment and is looking forward to retirement! All this free time has given her an excuse to  look for deals, as she can’t afford anything less than amazing (or anything at all…)!

Steal she can’t live without: “Used books!”

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Lauren Pincente / Toronto Contributor

A Toronto girl who has traveled the globe on a shoestring budget, Lauren is madly in love with her home city and happy to be home after teaching English in China. A University of Toronto Film Studies graduate and pop culture junkie, she works as a screenplay analyst. When Lauren’s not writing, she can be found wandering her favourite neighbourhoods, buying used books and satisfying her sweet tooth with cupcakes.

Steals she can’t live without: “Nivea Essential Lip Care balm–it’s the cheapest and the best!”

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Ashley Faragher / Ottawa Contributor

Being raised in a home where Value Village was commonly referred to as The V.V. Boutique, searching for deals is a skill Ashley’s had her whole life to master. After leaving Sudbury 7 years ago and earning her BA in Psychology as well as her BEd at OttawaU, Ottawa has officially become her stomping ground. Ashley is currently pursuing her goal of being a modern-day housewife while supporting herself as a freelance writer/blogger. When not writing she’s most likely in the kitchen baking up a storm, or in the craft room making pillows and trinkets.

Steal she can’t live without: “OC Transpo Lost and Found Sale! Twice a year I stock up on umbrellas and gloves, so I can afford to lose them on the bus!”