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August 12, 2010

5 Uses for Shoe Boxes

I always cringe at getting rid of shoe boxes. Here are some ways to reuse them.

recipbook.jpg

1. School projects. We always used shoe boxes for Valentine's Day boxes. My daughter's school uses cereal boxes, though. There are still a myriad of uses for these and kids crafts, like a sewing box, puppet stand and recipe book (pictured above).

2. Gift boxes. Cover them with Kraft paper and mail as a package or, using spray adhesive (detailed instructions here), wrapping the lid separate and create a gift box. Use raffia to tie the package together and you have an elegant gift (similar to the image above). You can also turn the box itself into a gift ribbon dispenser, making wrapping regular gifts easier.

3. Storage. Again, cover boxes and their lids with Kraft paper (see link above) use them to store small items. Write on the ends of the boxes with Sharpies to identify the contents.

4. Craft box. The image above uses a sandwich box but you can use a larger shoe box to hold a plethora of markers, crayons, colored pencils and more.

5. Art. Of course if you're an artist with made skills, you could try this: Sneaker Sculptures

Finally, Puma is rolling out a new kind of shoe box that eliminates up to 65 percent of the waste that shoe boxes create. Watch a video about the project below:


November 03, 2009

Black Friday at Lowes.com

Lowes.com is offering a sneak peek at their Black Friday and post-Thanksgiving weekend deals. I'm personally eyeing the $38 6.5 ft. 400-Light Clear Pre-lit Christmas Tree (normally $98) and the 5x7' rugs on sale for $24.98 (normally $68). There's lots of other great deals. I'll be interested to see if they offer free shipping along with these deals.


ShopVac 14-Gallon, 4.5HP Wet/Dry Vac with Bonus Micro-cleaning Kit

* Item# 314974

* was: $79.97
* $29.00

Stanley 26-LED Bar-Flex

* Item# 310030

* was: $29.96
* $14.97

Rival 3.5-Qt. Slow Cooker

* Item# 184214

* was: $19.99
* $9.99

2D or 3D LED Maglite

* Item# 217110, 244299, 125548, 217175, 218125, 135193

* was: $29.94
* $14.97

Skil 18-Volt 4-Tool Combo Kit

* Item# 552

* was: $129.00
* $59.00

DeWalt 18-Volt 1/2" Cordless Compact Drill/Driver Kit

* Item# 185475

* was: $159.00
* $99.00

DeWalt 100-Piece Drilling/Screwdriving Set

* Item# 195205

* was: $49.97
* $19.97

Multi-Purpose Cabinet

* Item# 90990, 271705

* was: $88.88
* $44.98

Eureka Surfacemax 200 Bagless Upright Vacuum

* Item# 30749

* was: $79.84
* $49.84

6.5 ft. 400-Light Clear Pre-lit Christmas Tree

* Item# 175098

* was: $98.00
* $38.00

Campbell Hausfeld 2-Gallon Portable Air Compressor Combo with 17 Piece Accessory Kit

* Item# 103500

* was: $109.00
* $59.00

Step 2 Children's Real Projects Workshop

* Item# 18161

* was: $69.99
* $49.98

Skil 100-Piece Drill Bit Set

* Item# 176028

* was: $19.97
* $9.97

Char-Griller Super Pro Charcoal Grill/Smoker

* Item# 44754

* was: $139.00
* $99.00

Chamberlain 1/2-HP Chain-Drive Garage Door Opener

* Item# 248730

* was: $138.00
* $98.00

5'x7'2" Rugs - Available in Other Styles

* Item# 276042, 276054, 276063, 276065, 276149

* was: $68.00
* $24.98

Task Force 51-Piece Tool and Socket Set

* Item# 314799

* was: $29.98
* $9.98

Cuisinart 12-Cup Stainless Steel On-Demand Coffeemaker

* Item# 119479

* was: $99.84
* $49.84

Euro-Pro 1.5-Quart Compact Stainless Steel Deep Fryer

* Item# 216471

* was: $29.84
* $19.84

Honeywell Waterproof Fire Safe

* Item# 163082

* was: $39.97
* $19.97

Dremel 1.15-Amp Keyed Rotary Tool

* Item# 225167

* was: $54.97
* $27.97

TaskForce 20-Piece 1/4" Drive Socket Rachet Set

* Item# 96603

* was: $14.96
* $7.48

Char-Broil Quickset Gas Grill

* Item# 140390

* was: $99.00
* $79.00

Black & Decker Bullseye Auto Laser Level with Stud Finder

* Item# 228597

* was: $49.98
* $24.98

7-Piece LED Flashlight Gift Set

* Item# 316952

* was: $14.97
* $7.97

The ad says they'll be advertising more deals on 11/5.

October 15, 2009

Great Deal on a Gorgeous Diaper Bag

Check out this great deal on a gorgeous monogrammed diaper bag from Pottery Barn Kids ($30). ($6.49 for personalization but shipping is free.)

September 10, 2009

Tuesday Morning: Extra 40% Off Summer

Tuesday Morning has summer items and some handbags priced 40% additional off through Sunday, Sept. 13.

September 09, 2009

Restaurant.com 90% Off Today

$25 Restaurant.com gift certificates are just $1 for 99 hours this 9/9/09! Use coupon code NINETY.

August 29, 2009

Southern Living: $5

Southern Living magazine is on sale this week on Amazon.com for just $5 for an entire year. Folks, this is a great deal. It's one of my favorites!

August 27, 2009

Clogs Half Off at CVS

I'm always looking for those little cheap imitation clogs on sale for my toddler, and I found some today on summer clearance at CVS for $4 in the middle section of the store. Happy shopping!

August 02, 2009

Country Living Magazine: $5

A one-year subscription to Country Living magazine is $5 this month through Amazon (discount applied when you go to check out.)

July 29, 2009

You Don't Need Coupons to Save Money

Northern Cheapskate reveals a secret: You don't have to use coupons to save money. *Gasp!* I know, right? She offers a handful of ways you can skip the clipping, like buying generic and shopping online.

50% off School Uniforms at Amazon.com

Amazon.com's "Deal of the Day" is 50% off school uniforms (discount already reflected in price). They've got polos, shorts, skirts, pants, jumpers and more, and since they're direct from Amazon, they're all eligible for free two-day shipping for members of Amazon Prime.

July 14, 2009

Clearance Event at Tuesday Morning

Now through Saturday, buy one item on clearance and get the second clearance item 50% off at Tuesday Morning. Click here for details.

June 23, 2009

Dollar Days at Borders

Starting today, Borders has thousands of items under $5 and hundreds for $10 or less. No coupon necessary.

June 04, 2009

Tuesday Morning: Extra 50% Clearance

This Saturday and Sunday only, take an extra 50% off clearance prices at Tuesday Morning. Click here to view the ad.

May 22, 2009

Memorial Day Sales

I've compiled a MASSIVE list of Memorial Day sales at the Go Frugal Blog. Here are a few addt'l ones to add to the list:

Old Navy:
• $1 flip-flops (solid colors) *Saturday only*

Expressionery.com:
Sale through Wednesday
• 40% off with code: MEMORIAL40

Joann Fabric and Craft Store:
Sale through Monday
• 5 for $10 T-shirts
• 50% off fine art canvas
• 50% of everyday plastic storage

May 21, 2009

Free Stuff and Nearly Free Stuff

Here are some cool deals I've run across this week.

Nearly Free Music
First up, Paste magazine is running a "Save Paste" campaign to prevent their mag from shutting down. Donate at least a dollar and you'll get free access to their download vault with about 120 quality songs (from good artists you've actually heard of) available. Trust me, it's worth it. Donate a buck or two.

Free Book
Available as a free digital download, Scared is a novel by Tom Davis, the director of worldwide orphanage and relief organization Children's HopeChest. The book depicts what life on the ground is like for kids growing up in Swaziland, and other parts of poverty-war-and-pandemic ravaged Africa. HopeChest hopes to raise $1 million to support educational projects in Swaziland. Until June 5, tell three friends about Scared, and get a digital book download for yourself.

Free Camps
This summer Apple retail stores are offering free “camps” for kids. The three-hour workshops range from creating movies, music, slideshows and photography. You must register, as you can imagine space will be limited, but there is no limit to how many your child can attend. More info here.

May 06, 2009

Kohl's Deals

A friend sent me this tip today:

"Kohl's is a great place to get kiddos clothes 60-90% off - just bought 10 outifits/adorable dresses today for $29 - a lot of Carter's included."

I regularly check the clearance aisles. I also get their email newsletter and printed material. I just got an extra 15% anything in the store coupon to use this weekend.

Sign up for their email newsletter and get $5 off in-store or $10 off online. And although the latest round is ending today, they often offer Kohl's Cash where you get $10 credit for every $50 you spend.

May 05, 2009

Amazon Prime: Is It Worth It?

I've been using Amazon Prime Membership for three and a half years now. The membership features:

• Unlimited two-day shipping on Amazon items sold on their website
• An option of overnight shipping for an additional $3.99
• No minimum size order required
• Up to four household members may share this membership

When I worked a full-time office job, I rarely had time to shop in physical stores, much less bargain shop. Amazon.com has below retail prices and great customer service. I even signed up for an Amazon.com credit card and my husband and I put all our expenses on it and paid it off each month just so we'd get the credit vouchers for Amazon.com.

Lately, we've been switching back to the debit card and cash, and I work from home so it's easier for me to shop in stores. With a $79 Amazon Prime Membership price tag, I've been wondering if it's worth it.

Plus, I've noticed that Wal-Mart online often has cheaper prices on similar items and very low shipping (it's also very slow). But, Wal-Mart doesn't have some of the name brands like Amazon does when it comes to clothes and shoes.

So I looked up how many orders I placed each year on Amazon.com:

• 2008: 37. ($2.13 shipping average)
• 2007: 78 (about a dollar per order -- I had a baby that year and didn't leave the house much!)
• 2006: 39 ($2.02 shipping average)

With the cost of postage rising this month, I think it's a deal worth keeping around.

Is it worth it for you? It is if you:

• Place more than 16 orders a year on Amazon.com
• Don't have time to bargain-hunt in store or online
• Buy a lot of books and music
• Often need your items quickly

This service is also great for last-minute birthday gifts.

DSW Men's Dress Shoe Sz 7 - $9

from http://www.dsw.com

Response by Robert Wayne Venus Leather Slip-On
Item Price: $9.94
Compare at $119.00
Savings 92%

April 28, 2009

National Mom’s Nite Out

Thursday, May 7, is National Mom’s Nite Out. Apparently, we need a night off so badly we can't even spell correctly.

From the website: The evening will consist of local events held across the country, as well as mom-organized parties and virtual activities. To allow moms everywhere to join in on the fun, mothers will be invited to throw their own mom’s nite out event by downloading party ideas and elements from The National Mom’s Nite Out website. The night of the event moms can join in the fun through online chats, Skype and Twitter tweet-ups.

Personally, that afternoon I'm picking my Mom up from the airport and we're going to head over to the Children's Orchard, a resale shop that's featuring a special Mother's Nite Out sale and multiple giveaways from various vendors.

What are your plans?

April 22, 2009

$30 Worth of Food for 30 Days

Kirby Trapolino is living on $30 worth of food for 30 days to help bring awareness of the plight of the world’s poorest who live off of an average of $1 per day. He's calculating what he would have spent on food during that same time, and donating that to the orphanage he helped found in India.

This blog chronicles his 30 days (he's on day 23), lists what he bought for $30 and includes recipes and pictures of what he's making.

April 14, 2009

e-Mealz.com - a Menu-Planning and Money-Saving Website

A friend turned me on to e-Mealz.com -- a subscription site that combines meal-planning with the current deals at store of your choice.

For $1.25 per week you login to your account for ...

1. a family-friendly, concise 7-day dinner meal plan for 4 to 6 people, or a 5-day dinner plan for 2 people (with concise and easy to follow recipes and directions)
2. a complete, corresponding grocery list - just print and go shopping!

Looks like a great time-saver, and if you're following a special diet, they include those options as well (low carb, points, vegetarian, couples-only). They also have holiday menus.

I'm a big believer in menu-planning as a way to save money. Has anyone tried this service? Let me know what you think!

April 13, 2009

The 20 Healthiest Foods for Under $1

Brie Cadman for DivineCaroline.com writes about 20 healthy affordable foods, which include:

1. Oats
2. Eggs
3. Kale
4. Potatoes
5. Apples
6. Nuts
7. Bananas
8. Garbanzo Beans
9. Broccoli
10. Watermelon
11. Wild Rice
12. Beets
13. Butternut Squash
14. Whole Grain Pasta
15. Sardines
16. Spinach
17. Tofu
18. Lowfat Milk
19. Pumpkin Seeds
20. Coffee

April 11, 2009

Hooked on free Web services? Prepare to pay

This article has gotten quite a bit of face time in newspapers and websites across the U.S. It says that web services we take for granted now (like free photo storage on websites) might come with a price tag soon.

"Eastman Kodak Co. says it'll begin charging $4.99 to $19.99 annually for its previously free online photo-storage service, Kodak Gallery.

"If you don't pay by May 16, the company warns, all your photos could be deleted."

In response, Shutterfly.com's CEO sent an email out this weekend to its members promising continued free high resolution storage.

"As a father of three boys, an avid photographer, and someone who knows the importance and the satisfaction of sharing life’s joy, I want to assure you we understand these are not just photos, but your treasured memories."

April 07, 2009

Target: $2 Baby & Toddler Shirts

I picked up this shirt for $1.98 at Target a couple days ago. I also bought a black & gray one in the same style. They had infant and toddler sizes. They are on the 75% off rack in the baby/toddler clothes section. Happy shopping!

shirt2.jpg

April 06, 2009

Craft-E-Family.com for Unique Gifts

babyblock_profile2_lg.jpgOne of the most unique gifts we received when Madilyn was born was a personalized engraved block with Madilyn's initial, name and the details of her birth. The block sits in her room as a beautiful and unique reminder of the specifics of her birth. The company, Craft-E-Family, that made the block is a family-owned operation out of Indiana that specializes in personalized wooden crafts, and they have something for every occasion. If you're looking for a unique gift idea, this is a great place to start.

There are similar companies who sell on eBay, but I can attest to the quality of this product, and it's comparable to the prices on eBay.

I recently bought one-sided blocks that spell the name of a new baby we're buying a gift for, and today I looked at their "holiday blocks." One set of Holiday Blocks ($32) can be arranged to spell more than 150 different holidays and occasions. Perfect for someone who loves to decorate seasonally.

These ideas aren't necessary cheap, but they aren't expensive either, and they're made in the U.S. and they're unique, which makes them a CheapWaysTo winner.

April 03, 2009

50% off Sale Items at Sak.com

1025_pink_berry_l_thumb.jpgTake an extra 50% off sale items at Sak.com with the code found on this link.

April 02, 2009

$10 Off $30 Purchase at Crazy8

Sign up to receive Crazy8.com's email newsletter and they'll email you a code to take $10 off a $30 purchase. It took me less than a minute to sign up and receive the email. The $30 mark doesn't include shipping, and shipping is $5, so really the promo code only lands you $5 off.

(The fine print: The promotion only valid for new email addresses and is only available online at crazy8.com. Offer is not valid in Crazy 8 stores. Existing and re-subscribed email addresses are not eligible for discount. Offer valid until April 26, 2009. Coupon is valid for one transaction only and only one coupon may be redeemed per customer.)

March 19, 2009

Expressionery.com: 40% off + Free Shipping

Limited Time Offer - Valid through May 12, 2009. Receive 40% off Expressionery.com products when you enter offer code "MOM40" in the offer code box at checkout. The 40% off discount is for Expressionery products only, and cannot be used on shipping, handling or sales tax. A separate fee will be charged for handling.

Flip Ultra - $59

31jhn4VDrqL._SL500_AA280_.jpgCheck this great deal on the 30-minute Flip Ultra in white. Simply add the Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder to your Shopping Cart, enter promotional code 67P7PZO3 at checkout, and Amazon will apply an additional $10 savings -- so you'll get it for only $59.99.

Thanks, Kristy!

February 09, 2009

Carlton Cards Sale

Carlton Cards is going out of business and if you have a local store, you can score some good finds at 75% off. Their Valentine's gifts are now 50% but I'm sure they'll go 75% after this weekend.

February 02, 2009

$10 QVC Credit

Click on the link below, then sign up for a QVC account and they will credit $10 toward your next purchase.
http://www.thethriftymama.com/2009/02/get-10-free-from-qvc.html

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

January 15, 2009

Target Clearance Toys

I received this tip from a friend today ...

"Since I know both of you have tots and love sales, thought I'd let you know about the Target sale. I was in there today and they had several aisles of toys 75% off. I bought most of my Christmas for next year and some b-day gifts too. Some of the toys were more than 75% off, including Leap Frog and V-tech items. Now where to hide all of this until Dec! James will have to climb up in the attic. Oh, and they had kids clothing 75% off too. Not a lot left but I did manage to buy some things. They were just pricing down the toys today."

Thanks, Tammy!

January 08, 2009

Gymboree Semi-Annual Sale

Gymboree is having a semi-annual Big Red Balloon sale. Save up to 60% of the original price on select items. Some accessories are marked down to .99. Tops and knit pants are $4.99.

Stride Rite Final Clearance

Stride Rite is having final clearance. Shoes that are marked with .95 as the ending to their price are 2 for $30 (Jan. 9 - 19). Find a store here.

Free Pillsbury Coupon Booklet

Sign up for Pillsbury email newsletter and get a free coupon booklet. I received mine the other day and it's full of easy recipes and great coupons.

And here's one from Betty Crocker.

January 07, 2009

Coupon Spreadsheets

This Mommy blogger is sharing her spreadsheets complete with formulas to track grocery shopping savings, by the week and by the year. Enjoy!

December 24, 2008

Expressionery.com Holiday Sale

Expressionery.com has cute cards and labels, now 70% off. And it's not just holiday cards, although there are plenty of those on sale as well. Enter code "MADNESS" at the check-out.

December 09, 2008

Linens 'n Things

Linens 'n Things is going out of business so they're stuff is majorly on sale, including 75% off Christmas items. All sales are final.

November 27, 2008

CVS Open Today

Snagged some good deals at CVS this morning. They're open Thanksgiving with the sales that run through Saturday. I spent $48.30, saved $48.20 and got $14 in Extra Care Bucks to use on my next purchase.

November 26, 2008

Black Friday Deals at CVS

CVS has some great deals advertised for the day after Thanksgiving. There are a number of items you can get for free once you combine coupons and Extra-Care Bucks you'll receive on your receipt including toothpaste, lotion, shampoo, razors and more. Click here for the run-down.

Don't need the items? Pick them up anyway and donate them to an organization like Samaritan's Purse just in time for the holiday season.

November 19, 2008

Publix Deals

I went to Publix to take advantage of the free Martha White muffin mix deal they have. Of course, they were out, with it being the last day of the sale, but I got a raincheck -- so when they get a new shipment in, I should be able to get 10 mixes free!

I did snag these other deals from the same aisle though, so the trip was not lost! I had a coupon off the baking cups and two coupons for the frosting, which was buy one get one free. The cake mix was BOGO and so were the grinders -- plus I had a $2 coupon, making them free.

My total for all this was $3.45 -- and had I come sooner in the week, you'd see 10 bags of muffin mix with it!

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October 23, 2008

$5 off $20 Walgreens Purchase

Friday and Saturday get $5 a $20 purchase at Walgreens with this coupon. Includes photo purchases as well. Stock up on last-minute Halloween supplies, or get a head start on those Christmas photo cards!

Speaking of Christmas photo cards, I believe Costco has the best deal. I ordered 50 cards with envelopes for just $16. I did a similar card on Shutterfly.com and the total was around $100!

October 09, 2008

Exotic Handbag Purchase on the Rise

"During the worst financial crisis in at least a generation, sales of exotic handbags are actually on the rise, says Portfolio.com." —CNBC

September 27, 2008

Free Ice Cream w/ Purchase of Cake

Print this coupon and bring it to your local Baskin-Robbins store to receive a free pre-packed quart of ice cream with any cake purchase of $15 or more. Offer expires 10/06/08.

September 26, 2008

Walgreens Coupon

Walgreens has a $5 a $20 purchase today and tomorrow here. I used it to buy 2 12 oz Dunkin Donuts coffee (on sale for 6.99), a container of Huggies wipes (with a .50 off coupon), a gallon of milk and two Walgreens Activities Books for .99 each (they contain coupons). I also had a $10 register rewards coupon so my total came to $4.91! That's a deal. My total savings was $16.09.

For more Walgreens deals, check out: Money Saving Mom.

September 24, 2008

Old Navy Bargains

Old Navy has some great bargains right now. I picked up two shirts for .97 each yesterday for my little girl. It's also a good time to think about buying a bathing suit for next year. They've got them for until $6!

August 30, 2008

Have an 'Eat Down'

This blog describes what many of us do when we realize our pantries are full but we have no food, if you know what I mean. This blogger calls it an "Eat Down." Dig through your pantry and see what creative combinations you can come up with to use up the food you have. Then, make a list of the rest of the ingredients and either find recipes and buy new ingredients at your next store visit, or just keep the list with you on grocery trips so you can find things to combine with them to use them up.

Forget Powder, Use Lemon!

lemon.jpgA cheap and green way to care for your skin and avoid unsightly shine is to use lemon instead of prepackaged cosmetics.

Planet Green suggests the following one-ingredient recipe:

• Before bed, apply straight, fresh lemon juice to your face with a clean makeup brush. Leave on for five minutes. Rinse. Temporary redness from the citric acid is normal.

• In the morning, combine 10 drops of lemon juice with one half cup of water. Apply with a cotton ball and do not rinse.

August 22, 2008

Mint.com

Thanks to this blog for a preview of a free personal finance software that looks fun and easy to use: Mint.com.

July 31, 2008

$15 Babies R Us Card w/ Purchase

Get a $15 Babies R Us gift card tomorrow with a purchase of two boxes of diapers (92 count or more). They'll be open 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sales, Sales, Sales

It's tax-free weekend in some states, plus: Dillard's has an extra 40% off their permanent markdowns, and The Children's Place has some wicked deals on Amazon.com. I bought about 10 items, used my vouchers from my Amazon Chase credit card, and only paid .87!

July 03, 2008

Dillards Sale

My mom is a big fan of Dillard's and they're currently having a holiday weekend sale -- extra 30 off markdowns. I checked it out today and they have quite a few ECCO shoes on sale, which is rare. I got a pair of tennis shoes for $53 -- originally $120. My husband got a pair of casual shoes for $101 -- normally $180. Mom got 5 outfits for the baby -- each for $14 or less!

Cheap Stuff Cheat Sheet

Beyond Craigslist: 50 Other Sites to Buy, Rent, or Snag Goods (and Get Cool Free Stuff)

June 17, 2008

Amazon Deal

Buy $25 from any one seller in the Beauty department at Amazon and receive a subscription to US magazine -- OR -- request a rebate for the amount of $19.80. Fill out the form you receive with your email and send it to the address provided at the bottom of this page. I bought a bottle of perfume I've been wanting for $27.

June 02, 2008

Free Nail Polish

Publix has Cover Girl nail polish 40% off until Wednesday ($1.97 with discount), and their in-house circular (in Sunday's paper and in the front of the store) has a coupon for $2 off any Cover Girl product -- making it free!

May 22, 2008

$5 Off $20 Walgreens Purchase Friday

Get $5 off your in-store purchase of $20 or more at Walgreens tomorrow with this coupon.

May 05, 2008

What a Mom Wants

Want to know what a mom really wants for Mother's Day?

April 28, 2008

JCPenney Coupon

JCPenney has a $10 off coupon in Sunday's paper. I used mine today to buy a pair of pink Converse for my baby girl. They were marked down to $14.99 from $20. With the coupon, I got them for $4.99!

April 07, 2008

Become a fan of FreeShipping.org

My friends have created a website where you can find free shipping coupons for your favorite online stores. If you love free shipping, or like me, think that shipping should always be free when you're shopping online, become a fan of FreeShipping.org.

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

January 21, 2008

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.

Free Tote from World Market

World Market is giving away eco-friendly cotton tote bags with a $25 purchase. Click here to view the ad and see the bag. It's cute!

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 03, 2008

Soccer Mom Sale

soccer.jpg The Sak has this really cute bag on clearance for $20. Proceeds from this bag to AMERICA SCORES, a non-profit organization that develops programs to inspire in urban children a lasting dedication to education, healthy living and civic responsibility, through teamwork learned by playing soccer. Check it out by clicking here.

A great gift idea for Mother's Day if you buy it and put it away until then!

January 02, 2008

Cheap Baby Shoes

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Two-dollar shoes for your baby! Darlingshoes.com

The Frugal Life

A great article about real people who are really living the frugal life: "Free advice for the frugal life"!

December 20, 2007

Free 8x10 from Walgreens - Friday Only

Friday, Dec. 21, Walgreens is offering 1 free 8x10 when you use the coupon code: VERYNICE.

Very nice, indeed.

December 15, 2007

Cheap Trend? Rent a Designer Handbag

purse2.jpgSome women are opting to rent high-end designer handbags, thanks to websites like BagBorrowOrSteal.com and FromBagsToRiches.com.

A Boston Globe story explains how BagBorrowOrSteal works: "Customers pay a monthly fee for access to a collection of authentic designer handbags. Membership levels -- ranging from Trendsetter ($19.95) to Diva Deluxe ($174.95) -- determine whether a customer borrows a Coach minibag or an expensive, hard-to-get Hermes tote. Members may borrow the bag for as long as they like, and when they're ready for a change they can go online and order another. The company also offers the option to buy the bag at a discounted price determined by the bag's age and condition."

Interesting trend! What do you think about it? Post below.

December 12, 2007

Canon Cameras on Sale

217C1F8PPWL.jpgCanon Digital Rebel DSLRs are now about half-price on Amazon.com. Plus, shipping is free. I have one of these and have really enjoyed it. Although better lenses do exist, I find the one that comes with it is fine for regular photography.

December 09, 2007

Get 6 free songs on Amazon.com

Amazon.com is offering six free songs (no strings attached). Go to the mp3 section and click 'holiday deals', scroll down to the bottom to see and download 4 of them. Do a search for KT Tunstall for the fifth one and Brian Setzer for the sixth. Enjoy!

FREE MP3 Songs:

"So Long, You Fool"
by Sophie Milman

"100 Days, 100 Nights"
by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

"Holiday Twist"
by Los Straitjackets

"Thick As Thieves"
by Dashboard Confessional

"Saving My Face"
by KT Tunstall

"Take A Break Guys"
by Brian Setzer

Candy Cane Creations

candycane.jpgBuy 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

918252_old_box_opened.jpgThis 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

916463_christmas_decoration.jpgWhat 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 22, 2007

Black Friday

Before you head out tomorrow to shop, do you research. Go prepared to get the best deals! Here's an article with some tips.

November 03, 2007

Recalls

Having trouble keeping up with all the children's recalls? Click here for a landing page from BabyCenter.com/

November 01, 2007

Photo Deal

Walgreens is offering 25 free photos with the purchase of 25 through Nov. 10 with the code "TREAT" at checkout. Details here. It's also valid 10 times per account!

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 26, 2007

Watch out for shipping charges!

Kohl's is promoting a sale with their lowest prices of the season. There are even items for $2 in the clearance section. I found several I was interested in buying, but when I went to check out, the shipping was more expensive than the total amount of my items, so I didn't buy them. However, you might want to check it out. If a shirt you're interested in is listed for $2 and ends up being $4 because of shipping, it's still a good deal if you need the item and would pay more for it elsewhere.

October 23, 2007

Kids' Rooms Makeovers

125615_kidsroomdecoratingphotosmall1.jpg 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

41nCc+bIuvL._AA280_.jpg 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 12, 2007

Mom Spit?

I cannot believe this.

October 08, 2007

Practices of a Smart Consumer

I have a friend named Kyle who is often an inspiration for this blog. He has made it a practice to buy expensive things from Costco ... mainly electronics. If they break or develop a problem, Costco is great about allowing you to return the item or exchange it.

Kyle bought a Lexmark laser printer last year and got an error this week that would cost $500 to fix. He only paid $400 to begin with, so off it's going back to Costco. If he bought it at another retailer, he might not have that option.

He also regularly watches Craigslist on items he's thinking about purchasing, like tires and rims. He watched a set go from $700 to $500 — which would be the cost of new tires alone. So essentially he will be getting the chrome rims for free.

What "practices" do you follow to regularly save money — on big or small items? Post your answers in comments.

I like to "barter" services for other services. For instance, right now I'm building a website for a friend who has a small business making accessories for babies. She pays me in product. With me having a nearly 3-month-old, this is worth more than cash!

October 04, 2007

Scary Spending for Halloween

ballerina.jpg According to a National Retail Federation's Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, the average American plans to spend almost $65 this Halloween season on things like costumes, candy and decorations. This is up from approximately $60 last year.

Nearly 60 percent of people celebrate in some way, spending an estimated total of $5.07 billion nationally.

Looking for ways to save? Parents magazine has eight adorable handmade costumes (like a bee, dragon, superhero and more) for your little one. You might just pick up and idea or two for grown-ups as well.

My favorite is the ballerina – with the tutu made from strips of wax paper, plastic bags and mesh onion sacks! Cute and cheap.

October 02, 2007

'The Ultimate Gift'

ultgift.jpg I'd like to recommend a movie if you haven't seen it yet. The Ultimate Gift is a film that came out last year based on a book by the same name written by Jim Stovall. It is one of the most stirring and impacting movies I've seen in a long time.

I wrote an essay about the film for Everyday Woman magazine and I'll post a portion of it on this post so you can get a feel for the plot.

There is also a family resource kit to coincide with the book and the movie that is a great way to introduce the values found in the film to your children.

So if you're looking for a unique gift for a birthday or the upcoming holiday season, I highly recommend this DVD, which just released in August. The film stars some major actors including James Garner, Drew Fuller, Bill Cobbs, Lee Meriwether and Abigail Breslin.

Continue reading "'The Ultimate Gift'" »

September 07, 2007

'IPhone Owners Crying Foul Over Price Cut'

Sometimes it doesn't pay to be an early adopter. Just ask those who bought the iPhone earlier this summer: “I was a $200 iPhone beta tester for Apple.”

September 04, 2007

Photo Framing Online

I found a website called American Frame where you can buy custom size frames and mats for pictures at a fraction of what it costs to get them framed. You just mount the photo and put the pieces together... the frames are assembled and the mats are cut.

August 30, 2007

Price Discrepancy

shoe.jpg So Endless.com, the semi-new shoe and handbag website developed by the folks at Amazon.com, has been getting a lot of buzz because they give you five dollars off your order and free overnight shipping. However, I find that their shoes are very expensive. And just today, I see an exact pair of shoes that are double the price they are on Amazon.com. Seems strange to me! I'm not sure why there is such a price discrepancy, other than the clientèle targeted seems more high-brow at Endless, so I guess they can get away with charging more. (?)

Here is the shoe on Amazon.com (for $23) and Endless.com (for $49).

July 04, 2007

25 Free Walgreens Prints

Order 50 4x6 prints at Walgreens.com through July 9, 2007 and get 25 of them free with this code: 25FREE.

June 21, 2007

20 Cheap Tips

fork.jpg 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

grocery.jpg 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?

June 11, 2007

CVS Coupon

cvs.jpg CVS has a e-coupon right now for $10 off a $50 purchase, plus free shipping. It's nice if you have items you know you need to buy that you can't get with coupons, sales, etc. You'll see it on the top of the second column of promotions here: http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/promotion/default.

June 07, 2007

Free Root Beer Floats

rootbeer.jpg Thanks to Craig T., for this tip!

"Just FYI, today, June 7, is Free Root Beer float day at Sonic. Between 8 pm and 12 am, free root beer floats."

May 21, 2007

Food Stamps Challenge Lawmakers

Thanks to reader Stephen M. for this news tip!

Twenty-six million people are relegated to a food stamp budget of $21 a week as part of a government the food stamp program, which helps families buy food as they make the transition from welfare to work. Four members of Congress took a challenge to eat off the same budget for one week. Launched by Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski and advocates for low-income Americans, The Food Stamp Challenge Week, which ended May 21, aimed at raising awareness for the farm bill coming up for reauthorization this summer in Congress. It asks for hefty $4 billion to be added to the yearly $33 billion dollar budget for anti-hunger programs. The result could mean an additional $48 a month for a family of four on the food stamp program.

Continue reading "Food Stamps Challenge Lawmakers" »

May 18, 2007

Create Your Own Stamps

It won't save you money on postage, but this is a creative and fun way to add a personal touch to your stamps (a great idea for wedding gift thank-yous or seasonal mass mailings). There is a contest involved which may lead to some cash or prizes, so it may be worth your while!

Garage Sale Locations

yard_sale.jpgLooking 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!

May 13, 2007

Crazy for Corn

corn.jpg Publix has 8 ears of corn for $1.99. They have a choice of yellow, bi-color or white corn. Mom and I bought 32 ears of white corn and Mom spent Saturday afternoon cooking them. They are delicious. We went to the farmer's market that morning and they were selling 6 ears for $2, so Publix had the better deal this time. We are enjoying it!

May 03, 2007

Tax-Free Days for Hurricane Season

In preparation for hurricane season, Florida will have tax-free period (June 1-12) on supplies related to hurricane preparedness.

April 27, 2007

Gift Card Reprieve

darden.gif Legislators in Florida are working toward a ban on expiration dates and dormancy fees for gift cards, according to a story in the Orlando Sentinel. Florida is the latest in a string of several states, including California, moving in this direction.

One study cited in this story says the value of unredeemed gift cards and certificates could be as high as $430 million in Florida.

Continue reading "Gift Card Reprieve" »

April 26, 2007

Dell Deal

dell.jpg Through May 2, Dell Dimension E520 desktops are $280 off (use this e-value code: DDDWAR4—that info's also on the website). This specific model (which uses Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo processor) is rated as a "best buy" by Consumer Reports for features, performance and price point.

The deal also includes a 20-inch widescreen digital flat panel monitor, which is a nice upgrade. Again, their offer expires 5/2/2007.

Unique Publix Sale

grape.jpgBeginning 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 24, 2007

Freecyle - Free Stuff

freecyle.jpgWhile we're on the subject of "free," check out this service if you haven't already. Freecyle.org is a grassroots network of communities who post items they want to give away, and in return, get items they're interested in. I have signed up for two of my local areas, Apopka and Altamonte Springs. I get a daily email of postings. You have to have a Yahoo email account (or sign up for a free one) to join.

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

chairs2.JPGMy 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!

March 20, 2007

Free Iced Coffee Tomorrow

dunkin.jpg Tomorrow, Wed. March 21st, is free 16 oz. iced coffee day at Dunkin. Visit their website for details and a "send to a friend" e-vite.

March 19, 2007

Strawberry Trifle Recipe

trifle2.jpg 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

trifle.jpg 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 14, 2007

Free Coffee

starbucks.jpg From 10 to noon tomorrow, Starbucks is giving away free cups of coffee. I don't think you need a coupon.

Also, the local Orlando Borders newsletter this week has a coupon for a free drink from their grand opening of Seattle's Best Coffee café on Saturday.

And if you're looking for something cold and sweet to follow that cup of joe, wait for April 17 for Ben & Jerry's 29th annual Free Cone day.

March 02, 2007

Organic Produce

pearsbartlett.jpg 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 22, 2007

Shop Goodwill Online

A co-worker told me this morning about a website where you can shop online for Goodwill: http://www.shopgoodwill.com/. A great way to bid online for a good cause.

January 06, 2007

Save Money on Groceries

Coupons aren't the only way to save at the grocery store. This article outlines seven strategies, including downloading your local store's circular to plan your trip around sale items before you enter the store.

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.

Dresses on the Cheap

dress.jpgThe first line of thinking for a bargain bride is to find a dress you could borrow from a friend who is the same size. My aunt wore my mother’s wedding dress a year after my mom was married. Was she scarred for life? Hardly. Each of their personal styles were so different no one noticed it was the same dress. The accessories and bridal party style gave the dress an entirely different look.

Or maybe your mom is hoping you’ll wear her wedding gown—if it’s anywhere near your size, don’t write it off. Take it to a seamstress who can suggest some alterations to make it fit your personality or feel like a more modern dress (with your mother’s permission, of course).

Visit local consignment shops to find used wedding dresses. You can find new and used gowns online at sites like: craigslist.org, eBay.com, www.nearlynewbridal.com and a broker site called www.usedweddingdresses.com.

Continue reading "Dresses on the Cheap" »

Making Green Choices in the New Year

globe.jpg Often, there are easy steps you can take to reduce your environmental footprint, which seems to be all over the news these days, and at the same time, reduce your bills. GreenerChoices.org, a website from Consumer Reports, offers looks a products and ways to do both. Be sure to check out their "calculators" section.

December 05, 2006

Car of the Year

camry.jpgMotor Trend has named the redesigned Toyota Camry the “Car of the Year,” recognizing all versions of the sedan, including the hybrid. The Camry has been the best-selling car in the U.S. for a number of years, beating out the Honda Accord.

November 28, 2006

Dollar Store Finds

I went to the dollar store today to pick up some Christmas wrapping paper, bags and bows and found a lot of party items and holiday finds on the cheap like large candles, decorative trees, stocking stuffers and blue and white wintery items that I could keep up all season.

November 17, 2006

Amazon Offering Xbox Deal

lp_75x85_xbox._V35895595_.gif
I don’t know anything about video games, but Amazon is going to be offering this system with a big discount. There are only 1,000 of them and they go on sale at 11 a.m. Pacific Thanksgiving morning.

Xbox 360 Core System
Normal price $299.99 Amazon price $100.00 (1,000 units at this price)

A co-worker tells me there's an upgrade to this system that cost about $400, but you could still score a sweet deal on the basic unit.

November 10, 2006

Cheap Christmas Gifts, Part 3

gift.jpg In this post I cover: service-oriented gifts, subscriptions, personalized gifts, photo, print and video gifts, themed gift baskets and gift cards. Also, I link to an article Radiant ran in its current issue that highlights $20 for $20 this season.

Continue reading "Cheap Christmas Gifts, Part 3" »

November 07, 2006

Cheap Christmas Gifts, Part 2

gift.jpgIn my last post I talked about the approach I recommend for planning Christmas gifts. In this post I’ll talk about specific gift ideas. I’ve broken them down into categories to give an overview. My hope is that these broader categories spark other gift ideas, even if the few specific ones mentioned don’t work for you.

Please share! Post your comments with your own ideas—I’d love to hear some additional gift ideas and how you guys approach holiday buying.

Continue reading "Cheap Christmas Gifts, Part 2" »

November 06, 2006

Cheap Christmas Gifts, Part 1

gift.jpgReader Danielle posted this comment on the previous post:

“Do you have any good ideas for cheap Christmas gifts? Christmas is coming quick—and I’m just trying to think of how to be creative and still give a nice gift to everyone on my list from ages 2-52. Any tips or do you know of any good websites that don't just teach you how to make ornaments, candles, and potpourri—that's all I've really found. Any thoughts on the whole Christmas gift thing?”

Great question! Thanks for the prompt, Danielle. Gifts are my dominant love language so I have a few strong opinions in this department.

Continue reading "Cheap Christmas Gifts, Part 1" »

October 27, 2006

.15 Cent Prints from Walgreens

Walgreen's has a "treat" for customers this Halloween. Through Oct. 31, enter "GHOST" as the promotional code at Walgreen's Photo Center and get 4x6" prints for .15/each. The "trick" is you have to order 100 or more prints. It's worth it if your digital photos have been piling up on your harddrive like mine ...

September 29, 2006

Brown-Bagging It

paperbag.jpg
Here's an article about how 20-somethings spend so much money on food because it's too depressing or inconvenient to pack a lunch. I liked one of the suggestions from one of the people interviewed: Twice a month, he goes to the grocery store and buys two week's worth of sandwich supplies and keeps them in a brown bag in the lounge’s refrigerator. So he doesn’t have to worry about making a sandwich each morning. Genius. He keeps the non-perishable snacks in a drawer at his desk.

June 17, 2006

Farmer's Market Finds

produce.jpg
Finally made it out to the local farmer's market this morning. We picked up the produce you see in the picture for $5.50. I've seen pineapple for that price at Publix when it's not on sale. All in all, not a bad deal. Fresh produce, cheaper price and hopefully we're supporting local growers.

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 31, 2006

Save that Money, Baby!

Here's some good, fresh tips on ways to save money while you're spending (is that an oxymoron?) from ABC News. They are ideas from the author of Greatest Secrets of the Coupon Mom including combining online coupons and rebate programs, getting a refund for items that go on sale for a small period of time after you bought it (called a Price Guarantee), taking advantage of store coupons and which stores accept competitor's coupons and price matching.

May 15, 2006

Prices, Rebates and Dollar Stores

This article digests some tips from a recent Good Housekeeping issue. A few fresh ones:

PriceRunner.com updates prices on over 500 items every week.
Ebates.com lists more than 800 retailers that offer cash rebates up to 20% off.
• Dollar stores: Good Housekeeping recently found a 100-ounce bottle of Liquid Tide laundry detergent selling for $6.50 at a dollar store and $9.85 at a nearby grocery store.

Good tips!

May 13, 2006

Weekend Away

jorah.jpg
Last weekend I visited my family in East Tennessee. Plane tickets were insanely expensive, but I did use Priceline.com and saved $68. Better than nothing. I celebrated my birthday there over the weekend. We got in plenty of shopping and time with family (here’s a photo of baby Jorah, my cousin Tiffany’s baby. She is adorable!).

Continue reading "Weekend Away" »

May 01, 2006

The Deal that Almost Wasn't!

couch.jpg I got a great deal on a couch this weekend. I keep my eye on postings from a local dropoff eBay store. If I bid and win items, I can swing by and pick them up without paying shipping. I found a great couch and the bidding started at $9.99. I had the highest bid at $20.50 for four days ... When the time on the auction was four minutes and counting, I logged on to make sure no one snagged my bargain in the last minute. I'm so glad I did—someone jumped in with 10 seconds remaining and outbid me! I immediately posted a higher bid and won the auction with like two seconds remaining. Unbelievable! Total price: $32.87. Not bad!

April 24, 2006

The Customer Is Always ...

donatos.jpg A new Donatos opened up around the corner. Jeff and I ordered a spinach and tomato pizza friday night without sliced garlic (and the order taker confirmed our order). When I got the pizza home, it had a ton of sliced garlic. So, while the pizza was delicious, we stank! I sent an email to the website explaining the order inaccuracy. I got an email this morning apologizing and that a free pizza coupon is on its way to us.

There's no harm in letting a company know when it messes up (as well as praising them when things go exceptionally well). Chances are you'll get something free for either kind of report. Not a bad deal...

Cheap Ways to Make a Purse

purse.jpg Jeff and I shot photos for a wedding this weekend. I met a lady who had made this adorable purse for less than $2. Can you guess what it is?

Continue reading "Cheap Ways to Make a Purse" »

April 14, 2006

Coupon Queen

walgreens.jpg So I'm feeling like a coupon queen now between my savings at Publix and Walgreens, using The Grocery Game lists. Here's a pic of all the stuff I bought at Walgreens Monday night. The items retail for $35.92 and I got them for $8.66. Not bad! The Walgreens list is free for anyone who takes a demographic survey for the site. Walgreens has an "easy saver" catalog you'll want to pick up in their stores which has several "free" items that you send in receipts to get the rebate.

April 05, 2006

Get Framed!

102552.jpg.fpx.jpg 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 31, 2006

Creative Financing?

hundred.jpg Here's a creative way to use a big tax refund. This was sent in from Jake who works at a financial firm (in the IT department) in Kansas. Tell me what you think!

"My wife and I adopted our daughter from China last year. The U.S. government gives a $10,000 tax CREDIT to off set the costs of adopting. Needless to say we are receiving the largest tax return we've ever had. We're taking this money and purchasing a whole life insurance policy. What!?!! You say? But wait, it gets better."

Continue reading "Creative Financing?" »

March 26, 2006

Yard Sale Treasures

coffetable.jpg 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 23, 2006

Cheap Prom Tips

yellowflowers.jpgMost of you reading this blog have survived prom, but a few of you might have younger sisters or daughters who are entering prom season. Here are a few tips on how to do it on the cheap:

1. COSTUME JEWELRY Hit your grandma's or your mom's jewelry box up for retro costume jewelry or a small clutch or handbag.

2. SWAP PARTY Invite your friends over to swap accessories, purses, shoes or even dresses that they may have worn the year before or to a different event.

Continue reading "Cheap Prom Tips" »

March 22, 2006

The Dark Side of Whole Foods Markets

060317_cb_wholeFoodsTN.jpg Here's an interesting editorial from Slate questioning whether the image Whole Foods markets present is accurate. They lead customers to think their food supports small, family-owned organic farms, when it's widely known that a few large farms in California supply the majority of the produce.

It also questions the logic in flying in produce from Chile (just because it sounds sexier than produce from New Jersey. The food would be cheaper and fresher from New Jersey—because of that, it asks if maybe Wal-Mart is the better choice.

Food for thought (hehe)... Here's the article.

March 20, 2006

Coupon Fraud

You know that feeling when something is just too good to be true? I got that last week when a friend forwarded an email that said attached was a document full of coupons—some for $5 and some for free products—from major brands. The email said it sounded too good to be true, but the person used some of them at the grocery store just the night before and they worked. So I happily printed and cut them out and started flipping through them.

Continue reading "Coupon Fraud" »

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.

Continue reading "New Scale for Credit Scores Announced" »

March 13, 2006

Create Your Own Grocery Game

Okay, so I'm obsessing now over this grocery game business. I found this article that actually walks you through how to set up your own database, of sorts, of figuring out when things really are on sale at the grocery store and what weeks of the year the store runs the best sales on individual items.

This article is found on The Dollar Stretcher, which is packed with useful tips on spending less and saving more. Enjoy!

The Grocery Game

tgg3_header4.gif Thanks for Lindsay who tipped me off about The Grocery Game ( www.thegrocerygame.com), a website you can subscribe to that gives you the lowest sales prices for items at your local grocery store and tells you which coupons to use. You can do a trial subscription for $1 and after that, it's $10 every 8 weeks. The site claims to save you $350 a month and around $3600 a year. Definitely worth checking out.

March 10, 2006

Free Stuff

I mentioned a while back about getting some coupons in the mail after I emailed a company about their product. Here's a blog of a guy who did an experiment: He mail letters to 100 companies about specific products and is blogging about the coupons and free stuff he's getting as a result. Already he's racked up more than $100 worth. Amusing ... this guy has too much time on his hands, but it does make me want to write to companies more often when I have a comment for them.

March 08, 2006

Budget Remodel for Best Resale Values

kitchen.jpg 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.

Continue reading "Budget Remodel for Best Resale Values" »

Oops! Two Hybrids Do Save You Money

Consumer Reports now says it made a mistake when calculating hybrid ownership costs: Toyota Prius saves $400 and the Honda Civic saves $300 compared with gasoline-only models.

March 06, 2006

All Growed Up

step1_ipodnanohero_060207.jpg 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!

March 03, 2006

Hybrids Cost More Money!

prius-vsm2.jpg In this same issue of Consumer Reports that I mentioned yesterday, there's a report about the expense of hybrids. They say gas-electric hybrids end up costing owners from $3,700 to $13,300 more over five years compared with similar gasoline models. Some of that comes from the car being more expensive up front, but the cars also don't hold their value like the gasoline models.

March 02, 2006

Costco for Scrapbooking Supplies

923099h.jpg Scrapbooking is so mainstream now you can pick up supplies everywhere from Walgreens to Target, not just specialty boutiques or craft stores like Joann's and Michaels. But I was surprised to find them at Costco (a discount warehouse store like the Wal-Mart owned Sam's Club). They were selling two bonded leather (does that mean fake leather? I'm pretty sure it does) 12x12" scrapbooks for $14.

Continue reading "Costco for Scrapbooking Supplies" »

Hondas Still the Best

Consumer Reports has released their best picks of 2006, and Honda cars top the list:

images.jpg The Accord was named the magazine's pick as top family sedan for the fourth straight year.

The all-new Civic was named top small sedan.

Honda's first-ever pickup, the Ridgeline, won top truck.

Honda's Odyssey was named top minivan.

Continue reading "Hondas Still the Best" »

February 07, 2006

Savvy Shopping Online

ConsumerReports.com posted a new report in January about online shopping sites.

They shopped for 10 brand-name products on the biggest online outlets: Froogle, NexTag.com, PriceGrabber.com, Shopping.com, Shopzilla, Yahoo Shopping and a new site, Become.com.

Continue reading "Savvy Shopping Online" »

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 30, 2006

Sell Your Books on Amazon.com

A quick, fun and easy way to score extra cash is to sell your books on Amazon.com. Click the "sell your stuff" link on the site, enter the ISBN of your book, answer a couple of questions about its condition and set a price. I always price mine just below the lowest listed price, so the listing will go to the top of the list.

Just recently, I listed Freakanomics and Widow of the South after my husband and I purchased and read them ... We got $20 for them and they sold within hours of the posting.

January 27, 2006

It Pays to Be a Nerd

So occasionally I get the urge to contact a company to share my experience with their product or restaurant, etc. A couple of weeks ago I emailed the customer service department at Birds Eye frozen foods to let them know how much I was enjoying a new product of theirs (Italian Herb Harvest Vegetables) and how I often bring it for lunch at work. I also suggested that the packaging needed some more thought, as it's terribly difficult to pull that plastic lid off when the food is like 400 degrees when it comes out of the microwave. Anyway, I received a nice email back and a few days later, a packet of coupons for their products arrived. Coupons for free products and some with nice discounts. It pays to be a nerd!

I emailed Chick-Fil-A a couple of years back and received a coupon for a free sandwich. Why not think of some products you enjoy, email the company and let them know, then check your mailbox for a nice surprise a few days later?!

January 23, 2006

ReadyMade Magazine's New Issue

The new issue of ReadyMade magazine (the publication that inspired the look and feel of my book, Cheap Ways to Tie the Knot) landed on my desk today—and the entire thing is on weddings. Like cheap, DIY weddings. Like what my entire book is about. My book would have been perfect for coverage in it. Unfortunately, about the time this issue was being planned the book wasn't even designed yet. You win some, you lose some. But, if you like my book, you'll definitely want to check out this issue of ReadyMade.

"The Love Issue" covers:
• 69 Ways to Woo
• Nuptial Know-How (ingenious ways to beat the wedding industry at their own game)
• Six Irresistible Proposals
• Wedding crib sheet: inspirational invitations, tree-trunk chuppah, tabletoppers
• personalized matchbooks, diy ring pillow
• buyer's guide

We'll still send them a copy of the book. Pray that they'll review it in their June issue!

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 16, 2006

eBay Quick Drop Sites

I went to one of a QuikDrop eBay storefronts (where they will take the stuff you want to sell on eBay, photograph it, list it, collect the money and ship it for you) just to get more information about their service and the fees, etc. What I found was:

• they only want to list items worth $50 or more.
• They get a whopping 38% of your purchase price on the first $200 you sell
• Those fees do not include the regular eBay fees
• Items not sold within 15 days and not picked up are donated to charity or thrown away.

To me, it’s not worth it. If I have a valuable item, it’s worth my time to list it myself. My problem is I have a bunch of smaller items I’d like to see what I could get for, but after talking with the owners of this store, I realize I’m better off having a yard sale and then donating what doesn’t sell to charity.

People who could benefit from using this service are those who:

• Don’t have a digital camera
• Have a valuable or large item like furniture for pickup
• Aren’t familiar with how to use eBay
• Have a poor feedback on eBay

If you are interested in using this kind of service, here are items they say are hot on eBay right now:

• Cars, boats, watercrafts, motorcycles
• Pottery, china and porcelain (Roseville, Royal Doulton, Hull, Herend)
• Figurines (Goebel Hummel, Lladro, Limoges tricket boxes, Chintz)
• Musical Instruments (any)
• Antiques
• Anything Disney related
• Golf Clubs
• Cameras
• Cell phones less than 18 months old
• Real Estate books, audio books, etc.
• Sports memorabilia
• Surfing, diving and skiing equipment
• Motivational tapes, CDs (i.e. Tony Robbins)
• Medical Equipment
• Vintage Toys
• College Textbooks (fairly new)

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 video store right now.” And why should he when he could walk to his mailbox? Blockbuster and Netflix are two services that allow you to rent three movies at a time. Once you’ve finished viewing them, just mail them back and your next three will be sent. You don’t have to rush them back to the store, because you can mail them back whenever you are finished. If renting DVDs is a part of your weekly routine, paying one fixed price might just be better than spending four bucks a movie at your local video store.”

January 11, 2006

Five Star Living on a Two-Star Budget

Two friends and fellow writers have a new book out called Five Star Living on a Two-Star Budget (Harvest House Publishers). One of the authors, Margaret Feinberg, has shared many “cheap ways to” tips with me over the years (and was a contributor to the first book in our series called Cheap Ways To). Here are some tips from their new book. Check it out:

• pp 19 “Even if your bills are on auto pay, you should always review your monthly state-ments to check for excess or erroneous charges”

• pp 35 “Think diamonds are a girls best friend? Visit www.jemznjewels.com for gently used jewelry from companies like Tiffany & Co. and designer watches from companies like Bedat.”

• pp 106 “On some airlines, bump tickets or volunteer tickets actually have a higher priority when it comes to booking a reservation that using frequent flyer miles. So if you are trying to book a ticket with frequent flyer miles and there aren’t any available flights, use one of your free bump tickets-- you just may get the seat.”

• pp 133 “Panera restaurants nationwide offer free wireless in their restaurants. You can also find a comprehensive listing of wireless hotspots around the country at www.jwire.com

• pp 144 “One general rule of thumb when figuring out what house you can afford is that your housing costs should fall between 18 and 24 percent of your net monthly income.”

January 10, 2006

Hybrids Bring Tax Credit, but not Much Savings

A new energy bill that went into affect this year allows hybrid purchasers to file for a tax credit. This article says the 2006 break is better than the 2005 tax deduction because a credit directly reduces the taxes owed.

The IRS hasn’t assigned a dollar amount per car yet, but it looks like the Toyota Prius will have the most, with a possible tax credit of $3,150.

The tax credit is in affect until each manufacturer sells 6,000 hybrids. That will probably happen around April, the article says.

The requirements:

• The vehicle must be purchased in 2006
• It must be new
• It must be used or your own personal or business use
• You can’t turn around and resell it

Some states offer additional tax incentives and some insurance companies offer discounts to hybrid buyers.

But while hybrid cars may give you a tax break and save you some at the pump, over the course of the car’s life, you’ll end up paying more than you would for a regular gas-powered car.

This article features a study that showed how a Honda Accord hybrid could cost $3,800 more than a regular Honda Accord EX V-6 over five years. That includes the purchase price, maintenance and gasoline expenses.

Get smart and save money on fuel in other ways:
• Drive more gently; don’t accelerate aggressively or speed. By doing so, you can improve your gas mileage by 30%, according to driving tests by Edmunds.com.

• Consider diesel engines. They qualify for the new tax credits in 2006 as well. They get better gas mileage than regular cars because of their more durable engine. Plus, diesels have a higher resell value than gas-powered cars.

• Look to more fuel-efficient non-hybrid vehicles. Ditch the big SUVs and opt for a lighter car. You’ll sacrifice engine power, but what’s more important to you? Saving money or riding in style? Hopefully you can find a model of car that accomplishes both.

January 09, 2006

New Priceline Feature

Priceline.com has announced some upgrades and changes to their website. One of their new offerings is called PriceBreakers. The PriceBreakers page or email newsletter lists their best and lowest last-minute travel deals each day. It includes cruises, flights, hotel and other package deals.

January 06, 2006

Cheap Ways to Buy Food

Chances are food is one of your biggest daily expenses. An easy way to save $10-$15 a week is to limit and/or eliminate your visits to convenience stores. You can save hundreds of dollars a year by shopping at lower-priced food stores. Convenience stores often charge the highest price.

Have you ever thought about the price of bottled water in these stores when compared the price of gas? A bottle of water at a gas station typically costs about $1.20. Gas is about $2 per gallon. If you were to buy a gallon of Dasani, you could pay about $7.68 before tax. That makes high gas prices look like the deal of the week.

Spend less on food by reducing the times you eat out. The average person spent $2,276 a year on eating out in 2002. When do you do eat out, try to order water instead of a $2.25 beverage. When you shop, take a list and come armed with coupons and knowledge of that week’s sales from the store’s flyer. Websites including www.couponcart.com and www.coolsavings.com have free coupons you can download—double your pleasure by shopping at stores that honor double-coupon days.

Avoid buying prepared and packaged goods. Compare price-per-ounce costs of other units on the shelf. Stock up on items with lower per-unit costs (two pounds of carrots can cost $1.29, compared with $7.16 for the same amount of precut carrot sticks). When you find a great deal (like turkeys that are slashed in price after a holiday), freeze it until you can use it.

January 01, 2006

Discount Furniture Through Hotel Liquidators

This tip comes from the Fall 2005 issue of Bargain Style magazine: Major hotel chains (Hilton, Doubletree, W) often liquidate their furniture when they remodel their interiors. The outlets this furniture lands in are bargain hunters' dreams. Here are two sites that will have you drooling:

www.furnishcheap.com—A new location in Tampa, Fla. (close to me!) Armoires for around $130 and nightstands for $36. You can't beat it.
www.hotelsurplus.com—Browse "hot deals & specials" for extra cheap finds.

Skip the Coin-Counting Fee with Gift Cards

You can avoid paying the coin-counting charges at Coinstar kiosks now by opting for a gift card instead of cash. When you cash in your coins, you pay 8.9 cents for every dollar counted, but through their new program, you can choose gift cards and e-certificates instead from: Starbucks, Amazon.com, Pier 1 Imports, Hollywood Video, Linens 'n Things or Borders.

How to Skip the Coin Counting Fee at Coinstar Centers:

1. Select Prepaid Card from the main menu.
2. Select the Gift Card or eCertificate you'd like.
3. Select new card or reload.
4. Follow the on screen directions to get a new card from the machine or to reload your existing card.

Buy Your Christmas Gear Now!

Now is the best time to buy Christmas decorations and seasonal gifts for next year (right after Christmas, stores mark down their Christmas merch 50%. The next week—which is now—it normally goes 75% off). While you're taking down your tree and packing up your decorations to be stored for another year, head out to the stores (or shop online) for 50-75% off lights, greenery, ornaments, dishes/plates, Christmas trees and even Christmas cards! Before you store your current inventory, throw in your new items so you'll have everything stored together for next year.

If you don't have a Christmas tree, but think you'll want one next year or the next, go ahead and invest in one now (along with a few basic ornaments and boxes of Christmas lights) so you don't shell out top dollar come November or early December this year.

December 30, 2005

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Clearance Season!

I love to receive gift cards for my favorite clothing stores for Christmas. Instead of my mother or mother-in-law picking out a sweater I may or may not like (and will most likely not wear in the Florida heat), I get a little piece of plastic that allows me to spend it on whatever my little heart desires. Unfortunately, gift cards burn in my hands like hot potatoes—I cannot wait to spend them. Fortunately, end of the season clearance happens right after Christmas. The clearance season is the most wonderful time of the year (not Christmas). The clothes that I’ve longingly looked at in catalog after catalog now become attainable—not just because I have a gift card to the store, but because they’re finally marked down to semi-reasonable prices (don’t just buy clothes on sale, but them on clearance, which should be 50% to 75% or more off retail). The Christmas gift card always comes at just the right time. Happy Holidays, indeed.