Affordable Art
"The easiest way to get affordable art is to buy prints." So says the author of the ultra-popular blog, Design*Sponge. Here are her picks from Etsy.com.
March 18, 2008
February 26, 2008
Cheap Ways to Clean
Looking for a cheap, non-toxic way to clean your home? Here are some ways to create your own cleaning solutions with items you probably already have in your home and that are safe for the environment and yourself!
* Baking soda: Use baking soda in a parmesan cheese container (glass one with the stainless steel top with holes in it) and sprinkle on any surface. This is great for bathrooms and the kitchen. You can also use baking soda as a natural fabric softener in the dryer.
* Vinegar: Vinegar will clean just about any surface in your home: windows, countertops, floors, etc. You can even use it in the wash cycle with your laundry to keep fabrics from fading. For specific recipes and uses visit http://www.versatilevinegar.org/usesandtips.html.
* Borax: Borax is effective with laundry and also removes mold in the shower.
* Hydrogen peroxide: Use hydrogen peroxide for disinfecting and whitening instead of bleach.
* Vodka: Vodka dispersed from a spray bottle will freshen up fabrics and upholstery. It’s cheap and non-toxic. The alcohol evaporates.
Source: Jeanne McLaughlin, International Institute for Bau-Biologie and Ecology via Mercola.com
February 02, 2008
DIY Mural
This article outlines how to paint your own mural using one of those handy-dandy mural kits and how much you'll save: 82% instead of hiring an artist to do it for you.
There are a lot of sites offering cheesy mural kits for kids' rooms. Here is one of the better ones I've seen:
http://www.rosenberryrooms.com/wall-mural-kits-for-nurseries.html
January 21, 2008
$15 Off Tax Prep
Here's a $15 off Jackson Hewitt coupon: http://jacksonhewitt.com/library/print/?OfficePromotions.
RedPlum.com
I'm checking out http://www.redplum.com/ — a new site that catalogs deals and coupons in different categories like groceries, entertainment, lifestyle and more. The grocery section will soon have a function where you can enter your grocery list and it'll match up coupons to the items you're already planning to buy. Cool!
It's got local and national deals, but you have to register (it's free). Check it out. Let me know what you think.
January 08, 2008
Free Peanut Butter
There's a coupon in this past Sunday's paper for $1 off any size Peter Pan peanut butter. Publix has the small size jar on sale for $1 through tomorrow, so if you use the coupon, it's free!
January 02, 2008
The Frugal Life
A great article about real people who are really living the frugal life: "Free advice for the frugal life"!
December 13, 2007
Manatee Tenders
This has nothing to do with cheap ways to do anything ... well, except it's about eating at home, which will definitely save you money ... but tonight my husband was baking some chicken tenders when he noticed that they were in the shape of a manatee family, complete with mommy, daddy and baby manatee. Pretty hilarious if you've ever listened to comedian Jim Gaffigan.
Some people see the Virgin Mary in their food — we see manatees. Save the manatees!
December 09, 2007
Candy Cane Creations
Buy candy canes in bulk and make a variety of holiday treats that are easy on your budget.
Shop at a warehouse store like Sam's Club or Costco, or shop online for bulk deals.
Peppermint Bark
Buy meltable Almond Bark from your grocery store. Melt it in a microwavable safe dish, then pour it into a 9x13 pan. As it begins to cool, sprinkle crushed candy canes over the top. After it has hardened, use a knife to break into uneven pieces. These make great gifts packaged pretty.
Gift embellishments
Top your hand-delivered Christmas cards and gifts with wrapped candy canes.
Sweet Stirrers
Use your candy cane as a stirrer in hot cocoa. You can also place a hot cocoa packet in a pretty mug, then place a candy cane in it as an economical gift for coworkers.
Ornaments
Use any leftover candy cards to decorate your Christmas tree as ornaments! Let your child (or yourself) eat one each day until Christmas.
Cardboard Christmas
This year, don't throw out the cardboard boxes your kids' (and big kids') gifts come in (large screen tv anyone?) Keep them to create forts, castles, houses and anything else your kids will enjoy for months to come. Ribbons and bows from packages can trim windows and discarded wrapping paper can create a quilt-like covering for your abode. Let the kids go crazy with markers to add the rest of the details. It's really true that kids sometimes like to play with the boxes more than the toys! Help them do that this year and create memories that will last a lifetime (a lot longer than that tv will).
Cheap Ways to Celebrate Christmas
• What a card! Keep your Christmas cards each year. Cut the covers off and use them as postcards the next year. You'll save on postage and recycle! You can also attach these to gifts to use them as name cards.
• Cut it out! Reduce the number of people you send cards to or give gifts to! If you haven't talked to the person in a year, don't feel obligated to send them a card!
• That's a wrap! Use paper of all kinds to wrap gifts. Here are ideas on how to do it.
• Do your homework. Before buying (whether it's gifts or food), check the newspaper for the best deals. And for items that can wait, plan your purchase for after the holidays when clearance prices are at their lowest. Before you buy in the store, check prices online. Many sites offer free shipping during the holidays.
• Go out! There are lots of free holiday programs around Christmas. Check local church websites and chamber of commerce websites to find local parades, concerts and other free events.
• Get together. With many "buy one, get one free" deals around, get with a friend and split your purchases to save money and avoid buying more than you need.
• Give. If you're investing in new technology or toys this year, donate your old stuff to charity or a family you know needs it would appreciate it.
November 30, 2007
Winter Tablescape
This is my winter 'tablescape' -- to borrow a word from Sandra Lee. I'll call it "winter bling." I bought the three giant jars from Dillard's (they're their Noble Excellence brand) for $40 on sale. Previously, the smallest jar was $40 at full price. Some of the ornaments were bought at an after Christmas sale from Cracker Barrell and the others were bought last week from Old Time Pottery at their after-Thanksgiving sale. The chargers, coasters, napkins, napkin rings and crystal glasses were all gifts, bringing this blinging tablescape to around $50. And when I'm through with them on the table, they can adorn the top of our entertainment armoire (so people can see each other when they're eating :)
October 29, 2007
1/2 Birthday Bash
So I'm thinking of throwing a little "1/2" party for my daughter, Madilyn, when she turns 6 months old. I saw the idea a couple of places on the Internet, so I can't take credit for the cute idea.
It will just be a small party for the family at our home, and I'm thinking of some ideas for it. I thought you might have some ideas as well. In the comments below, let me know if you threw one of these for your kid and even if you haven't, share some ideas you might have. Remember to keep it "cheap"!
The centerpiece for a "1/2" party is always the birthday cake. This could be a regular sized cake cut in half then decorated to say "Happy 1/2 Birthday, Madilyn," or it could be a half-moon shaped cake decorated. I think I'm going to go with that option.
To continue the "half" theme we can serve:
• Ice cream that comes in half vanilla/half chocolate cartons
• Arnold Palmers (half tea/half lemonade)
• Coffee with either half & half or half coffee, half hot chocolate
• Pastries and/or cookies cut with a crescent cookie-cutter
For a gift, my husband and I can get her several "half dollars" with the year on them to go in her piggy bank! When she's older we can tell her about the special party she had when she received them.
What else should we serve? Any ideas for decorations?
Since the party is three months away, I have time to make what I need, plus I can take my list of things to buy and watch out for sales!
Oh—we could encourage guests to come in "half" costumes and see what they can come up:
• half man/half woman
• half adult/half baby
• a costume cut in half
• a half moon (also known as a plumber's costume — get it?)
Any other ideas?
October 23, 2007
Kids' Rooms Makeovers
Mom and I were at Target this morning when we saw orange storage bins and Tupperware in the seasonal section for Halloween. The storage bins were 56 gallon size and were on sale for $3.77 each — which they claim is the lowest price of the season. My guess is if there are any left they'll probably go on sale after Halloween even more. And those orange-topped Tupperware-ish plastic storage containers will probably go on sale as well. I'll keep an eye out. Storage containers are expensive, and who cares if they're orange? If you need 'em, get em while they're on clearance.
In fact, the orange bins, which do have black tops, making them definitely look Halloween-ish, would be great in a little boys room for all those toys.
Here's an article I found today about Cheap Kids' Room Makeovers. The first idea they suggest is using storage containers as functional decoration! Check it out here.
October 13, 2007
Great Deal on Sheets
Amazon.com has a great deal on a set of sheets right now. Pike Street Ultra Soft Sheet Set (in king, queen or full) is just $14.99. That's 81% off retail. The sheets have gotten very positive reviews. Stock up!
October 10, 2007
Cute as a Button!
Here is an adorable idea for decorating with pumpkins this fall from iVillage.com. Cheap tip: Use stray buttons you already have around the house.
Also from iVillage, check out more ideas for DIY costumes.
You can also spray-paint pumpkins and gourds. My friend Anna, who put together my wedding reception, spray-painted pumpkins gold (the theme of my wedding) and mixed them with fall foliage and candles for the centerpieces. They turned out beautifully!
October 05, 2007
Fall Decorations
I'm a big proponent of decorating your wedding with items you can keep and use in your home afterward. Because my husband and I married in November, we have lots of wonderful 
fall decorations that I get to pull out each year. They remind us of our wedding and they help us not spend money on making home beautiful in the fall.
This is my "table scape" I put together this morning. I bought the purple tablecloth and napkins 70% off at Joann's a couple of years ago. I think I paid $6 for both of them. The silver chargers and coasters were a gift from my mom. They're from Target, so they're not that expensive either.
The basket was apart of a baby gift we got earlier this year. The floral pieces, leaves and candles are all from our wedding decorations. The baby pumpkins were purchased from Wal-Mart for $5 (for 6).
The wreath/candle combo is in 
our foyer. The wreaths are on sale now from Wal-Mart for $8 ... a little more than I normally like to spend, but these days convenience is more valuable to me. I don't have time to go to multiple stores to find or make one for cheaper.
Again, the candles and leaves are from our wedding. I bought the string of pearls for a quarter at a yard sale two years ago and have used it in another decoration in my house before.
The plant pictured here is called a croton. These are fabulous to decorate for fall with. I have two potted crotons on either side of my front door. They're exploding with rich fall colors. Each plant was $12 from Wal-Mart. These are in abundance in Florida and do well in moderate sun. We have several planted along the walkway to our front door as well. They're hearty, big, beautiful and easy to maintain.
October 01, 2007
'The New Mommy Track'
"The New Mommy Track" is a recent article in U.S. News and World Report about the growing trend of mothers who are gaining flex time in the workplace in order to meet their needs in the home. In this chart published on their site, mothers are doing what it takes to have the best of both worlds: being a home with the kids and providing income for the household.
Today I joined those ranks.
Friday was my last day at Relevant Media Group, where I worked as editorial director over their websites and publications. I was there nearly six years. With the birth of my first child, Madilyn, this summer, I prayed about an opportunity to be with her and still provide the extra income our family needs. A job opportunity arose that is allowing me to become a full-time freelancer from home. My first full-time client is the INSP Networks, which has a Christian women's magazine called Everyday Woman. I will be editing this magazine for a monthly retainer, which allows me the flexible work hours that I need, while fulfilling a need that uses my strengths and experience. I thank God for this.
I have a friend who is a college student who watches the baby three hours a day so I'm sure to have that time uninterrupted. Then my husband comes home in the afternoon and takes over. I believe we will begin to have an unprecedented quality of life. And I'm so excited about this new season.
As you can tell with all the new posts on the site today, this also allows me to dedicate more time to this site. Check back often for tips on smart ways to spend and save. In the meantime, check out my other websites:
carandavis.com (my freelancing website)
davisbaby.wordpress.com (Madilyn's blog)
Pumpkin Time!
Carving a pumpkin this month? Instead of throwing away the slimy innards, pick out the seeds and toast them for a healthy and delicious snack. You can also use them in soups and on salads.
Click here for the full recipe. The short version is to roast the seeds at 300 degrees and add seasonings when they're finished (they're finished when they look dry on the outside and they smell good).
June 21, 2007
20 Cheap Tips
MSN.com has a link on their homepage today to an article outlining 20 ways to save money each day at just 15 minutes a pop. They suggest simple activities like cleaning your car's air filter and making dinner instead of eating out. Click here to read the full article.
Also on MSN is a link my friend Tammy sent me that will give you the cheapest gas stations in your area; it’s updated every evening.
June 19, 2007
Grocery Shopping on the Cheap
I was checking out this website, AllRecipes, tonight after making their easy recipe for banana muffins (they turned out great, by the way) and clicked on a link about cutting grocery costs. These are all principles that I follow and they're practical and sustainable over a period of time.
* Shop the sale circulars before heading to stores (I always look at the online version). Plan out menus based on specials and in-season produce.
* Always make out a shopping list and stick to it. I use Publix's cool online list generator. It's fun and efficient.
* Clip coupons from newspapers, magazines and the Internet. I use coupons for products that I need that week for recipes, but mostly I save them and wait for them to go on sale and then use the coupon to maximize the savings.
* Stock up on frequently used items while they're on sale.
* Go through cabinets routinely to use up staples. This is a great place to start when you're planning a menu for the week. What do you already have on hand to use as a foundation for a recipe?
May 18, 2007
Garage Sale Locations
Looking to go yard-saling this weekend? Outside of your local paper, check these sites for postings for this week’s sales locations:
www.craigslist.org
www.garagesalehunter.com
www.yardsalesearch.com
Happy hunting!
April 26, 2007
Unique Publix Sale
Beginning this week, Publix is offering free store-brand products when you purchase select brand-name products. Each week for the next five weeks, they will designate three products—this week it's grape juice, crunchy raisin bran and English muffins. See more info here: http://www.publix.com/publixbrand/
April 21, 2007
Free Compact Fluorescent Lightbulb
In honor of Earth Day, Home Depot is giving away free Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFL) at its stores tomorrow, April 22. Click here for details.
April 15, 2007
Organic Produce
A reader posted a comment asking how the Orlando Organics is going. I've been meaning to post about that. Just this past week, I placed our account "on hold" online, so we won't receive another delivery until I undo.
I've been very happy with the service and the produce. We even share part of our goods each week with one of my coworkers who pays for her share. However, I'm finding that there are too many items that we just don't care for. I'm a pretty picky eater and there are just some staples that we like to eat. Sometimes there are too many greens and they go to waste. Or we end up not liking a different fruit than we're used to. And we'd only get a handful of bananas and I was having to go to the store to buy more each week.
It's been fun trying new things but I think I'm going to go back to buying at the grocery store or at a farmer's market (which I did this week). The best part about the experience has been that it has us in the habit of eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. And the way the account is set up online, all I have to do is reactivate our account with the click of a button and our service can resume.
April 12, 2007
DIY Upholstery
My friend Nita recently recovered/upholstered her dining room chairs—updated them from an old-fashioned looking floral to a modern stripe. Each chair would cost approximately $200 to be professionally recovered. “I decided to bite the bullet and take a stab at it myself,” she says. “It wasn't really that hard. Now, I know they are perfect/totally professional, but most people will never know the difference. I am pretty happy with them. Now the colors blend well with the family room and kitchen. It makes me happy:)” Thanks for sharing your project with us, Nita!
Half-Price Living
I’m reading Half-Price Living, a new book from Moody Publishers by a Christian author named Ellie McKay (www.elliekay.com). The book is super practical and has good advice about living on one income. She has five kids, too! Her website has good links to coupon and saving money sites.
A friend has recommended I check out The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn. The friend who suggested it said “some of her suggestions are a little ‘out there’, and I would never consider them (like not using my dryer because it saves $179 a year), but most of her suggestions are really good and practical. She, in essence, went from a spend-thrift to a tightwad in order to live in a farm house in Connecticut. You might enjoy it.” I told her I’d check it out from the library!
March 19, 2007
Strawberry Trifle Recipe
A reader asked for the strawberry trifle recipe. Here's the link to the one I used: Strawberry Trifle. I often use About.com's Southern Food section for recipes. It's great. Also, to make my recipe "cheaper," I used a yellow cake mix I bought for half off at Publix (I wait for the BOGO sales and buy a couple each time); and instead of buying a small bag of slivered almonds for $5.99 (seriously!), I chopped up some whole almonds I already had. I like the smaller pieces the hand chopper created than the larger slivers anyway.
Strawberry Delights
This past week the local grocery store had a special on strawberries (about $1.25 a pound). I bought and cut 10 pounds this weekend and froze most of it, but also made strawberry muffins, strawberry-banana bread, homemade strawberry ice cream and a strawberry trifle (pictured). There's something about baking and making sweet treats that's therapeutic. And it's fun to watch friends and family enjoy the fruit of your labor. I froze most of the breads so we can enjoy them for longer than the shelf life.
March 02, 2007
Organic Produce
A friend sent me a link to Orlando Organics this week. I checked it out and decided to start a weekly produce subscription. This family-owned business distributes fruits and vegetables all over the Orlando area. Most of it is locally grown; some of it is from out-of-state since it's not grown here (like potatoes). I got the medium package for $32 a week and my single co-worker is going to split the order and cost. I'll keep the blog updated on how it goes for us and how it affects our regular grocery bill.
January 03, 2007
Save Money All Year Long
Real Simple has posted tips on ways to save and spend wisely throughout the year. Check it out here.
November 28, 2006
Christmas Decorating Tips
Stick to decorating just a handful of areas: the door/entrance, the Christmas tree area, your mantle and dining room table. And when doing so, go all out. Choose your focal points and make a statement. By focusing your efforts in just three places instead of the entire house, you can pool your resources. (And whatever you end up buying, try to make them pieces you can reuse next year or ones you can keep up all winter).
October 17, 2006
Hang Posters with Binder Clips
A couple of people in my office have showed me creative ways to use these binder clips. They have hung posters from the clips and affixed the clips to the wall using push pins. The clips look cool and anything lightweight can be hung with little damage to the wall. Real Simple suggests using the clips to display photos, pretty cards and even recipes when you're cooking. A photo and description are here. Click through the online gallery for more cheap decorating tips.
October 02, 2006
Wallpaper Woes
Carrie posted this comment on a post from awhile back about our new home and a tip we had heard about getting wallpaper down: “Hi there, I found your site while Googling for wallpaper removal tips. I realize this is an old blog but I was wondering how the wallpaper removal with Fabreeze worked out for you? I need some tips and was hoping that this one worked. Please let me know. Thanks!”
Well, Carrie, as it turns out, most of the “wallpaper” tips we heard seemed to be old wives tales. We tried soap and water, DIF, Fabreeze, the roller that perforates the walls to allow liquid to soak in … none of it worked magic. My husband and I worked eight hours on one part of one wall and barely made progress.
Condos & Young Buyers
Today's twentysomethings are committing to mortgages about three years younger than the two previous generations. The average young professional buys a home at age 26 these days—and for the first time, they're making up a significant chunk of the condo market. Because of that, condos are being designed much hipper and cooler.
I bought a condo a year and seven months after renting a place. I had help from my parents on the downpayment. After I was married, we stayed there nearly two years until we bought the house we're in now. The only way we were really able to afford the housing market was because of the money we made on the condo. It was a great investment at the right time.
June 13, 2006
Cheap Date Ideas
You can't buy moments like these. This was taken at a park and dock in Mount Dora, about 30 minutes from where we live, this past Saturday evening. Walks on docks and in the park make great cheap dates (especially if ice cream is involved). Always carry a digital camera with you to capture moments and memories. Here are more ideas for cheap dates or group gatherings.
June 08, 2006
Cheap Ways to Throw Birthday Parties
Americans spend around $10 million dollars on birthday celebrations each year, according to Hallmark. This Orlando Sentinel article has tips on how to throw a birthday bash with less cash.
May 09, 2006
Easy, Cheap Crockpot Cooking
My wonderful mother-in-law, Ginger, bought Jeff and I a slow cooker/crock pot as a house-warming gift. The first weekend we cooked a ham with a can of pineapple over it. It was great, but I was looking for more easy recipes, with limited ingredients! I found this site today and it had several recipes I was looking for, plus a lot more. CheapCooking.com. Enjoy!
April 07, 2006
The House
Here are some photos of the house: a work in progress!
Our breakfast area. The French doors to the left lead out into a giant screened-in porch. I love it! I got the table and chairs used for $150 from a craigs list ad. The gorgeous flowers are from our real estate agent, Mike.
April 05, 2006
Get Framed!
JoAnn's is offering 60% off custom framing if you have three or more prints framed through April 24 (the orders will be in before Mother's Day). If you have one print, you'll still get 40% off and 50% off if you only have two.
This is perfect for me. I've been holding on to 9 prints to get framed for our new house and having been waiting on the best sale of the season. It's here!
March 26, 2006
Yard Sale Treasures
My friend Tia and I hit a few yard sales Saturday morning ... I had great luck. For a grand total of $18, I got: a French Press coffee pot, a bunny rabbit Easter candy dish, a rock fountain (for Jeff), a hanging pendant lamp to go over my breakfast nook (it's a current style that's being sold at Home Depot for $50-$80) and a wooden coffeetable. The coffeetable was light wood and showed signs of wear on the varnish, but its structure was still sound. Jeff bought a little can of Apple Red paint from Home Depot and voila! We have a fabulous coffeetable to accent our black leather couches (which we bought used from Craig's List classifieds) in our new home! We close on our new house Tuesday and look forward to moving in and putting all our great finds together.
March 17, 2006
New Scale for Credit Scores Announced
The three major credit reporting agencies annouced a new way of calculating credit scores this week. The new scale, called VantageScore, resembles an academic scale.
March 08, 2006
Budget Remodel for Best Resale Values
My husband and I are about to move into our first house. Our real estate agent ended up finding us a house in our budget that was way better than the other houses we had been looking at—it’s fabulous and exactly what we need. We will want to update a couple of rooms eventually in the home—the kitchen and master bath—so my husband has been doing some research. He found a great article today on MSN’s Real Estate section that talks about how to remodel to maximize the resell value of your home.
March 06, 2006
All Growed Up
Jeff and I sold our condo a couple of weeks ago. This being the first time we've ever had this much cash in our hands from the transaction, we made some responsible (and fun) choices of how to manage it.
A portion went to the church, then we paid off my car (a used Honda Accord we got one year ago that will hopefully last us for a long time!), opened individual Roth IRAs, set part of it aside for the downpayment on our home we're closing on this month, set another part out to beef up our savings, set a small amount for home improvements, furniture, etc. and then bought two iPod nanos! (that was the fun part)
It certainly is hard to hold on to cash once you get it. But I feel we made some good choices and look forward to those investments doing well for us down the road. I like having a plan with money!
February 28, 2006
Innovative Money-Saving Tips
Here is some sound practical advice from the Detroit Free Press, which is reporting on the February issue of Consumer Reports and the March issue of Real Simple:
February 27, 2006
Tying the Financial Knot
There's was a great article linked here in the Orlando Sentinel yesterday (original to The Dallas Morning News) called "Tying the Financial Knot," about couples merging their finances after marriage. The article suggests talking thoroughly about your finances before you take the plunge and to start planning right away.
Here are several strategies the article proposes:
January 31, 2006
Babies Ain't Cheap
The average cost of raising a child from birth to four years is about $250 a week, according to a 2004 survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
They estimated that families making $70,200 a year or more spend a quarter of a million dollars on child from birth through age 17. The survey interviewed and visited 5,000 households four times a year.
This article on Money Central at MSN, which cites the survey, offers some general principles on keeping the costs down. The first and most compelling one is: don't buy more house. The bigger you buy, the more you'll pay. Make the most of what you have, and like many in hot real estate markets, consider remodeling and/or expanding instead of altogether moving.
January 18, 2006
I Heart Craigslist.org
I check Craigslist's listings for furniture classifieds in Orlando periodically. Since my husband and I are moving into our first house in a month, I've been looking for used furniture. This week I found a listing for 2-year-old black leather sofa and loveseat and dining room set from American Signature listed for $875 and $250, respectively. We negotiated and ended up at $950 for all the items. The pieces retail for $2,700. The seller was moving this week to San Francisco and found it easier to sell it than transport it. My husband and his brother brought a couple of trucks to his apartment and loaded it up last night. The furniture is beautiful. Mint condition. The seller was super nice. It was a great transaction. You better bet I'll be scouring Craigslist for other good deals in the future.
Some have requested a direct link to Craig's List. Here is the page I have bookmarked: Orlando Furniture.
January 13, 2006
Save on Video Rentals
It’s the weekend and my husband and I will head to Blockbuster at some point to rent a couple of flicks. We received a coupon in the mail earlier this month for unlimited rentals for $2.99 each. Blockbuster is really trying to hold onto the movie store market in the face of fierce competition from Netflix, who will deliver DVDs to your mailbox. Here is more information about Netflix and Blockbuster’s attempt at offering the same service to survive, written by Relevant intern, Omote Ekwotafia.
“Usually, services that offer convenience also require an extra handful of your money. Many people have found this is not the case with monthly subscriptions to video rental services. In a recent article, movie enthusiast Jason Vocque said, "You couldn't pay me to go to a v