Lowes holds free kids Build and Grow clinics once a month on Saturday at 10 am until 11 am. They just wrapped up the last two clinics for 2015. November was a Pullback Racecar and December was a Holiday Train. 

The Lowe's Build and Grow calendar will show you the next two clinics and allow you to register your child for them.

If you'd like to see the clinics coming up after the next two, you'll need to visit the Lowe's Build and Grow calendar after the first one on the list is over.

Lowes Build and Grow Clinic Schedule

We have not been able to get our family to one yet but this year is the year to do exactly that. I went to their website and currently, they are in the process of performing some maintenance, as the site informs.

“In the next few weeks, we will be launching an all new Build and Grow website! Check back soon to see the new look and features! Please note that once the site goes live you will need to create a new account to register for the upcoming projects." SamiCone.com's website says. 

I was unable to find that information and instead, encountered a friendly image telling me that they are performing some maintenance and will be back soon.


Lowes Build and Grow Clinic

The Best Days of the Week to Buy Electronics, Books, and Other Popular Purchases Online

The Best Days of the Week to Buy Electronics, Books, and Other Popular Purchases Online

The Best Days of the Week to Buy Electronics, Books, and Other Popular Purchases Online.

National Suit Drive - Men's Wearhouse

At Men's Wearhouse, we know that not being dressed appropriately can affect employment opportunities. Although we donate millions of dollars of our slow-moving merchandise, we are not able to provide professional attire for many men across the nation. That's why we have started hosting an annual National Suit Drive during the month of September. We partner with over 200 nonprofit organizations across the country to distribute the gently used, professional clothing items we collect to men transitioning into the workforce. For many of these men in crisis, the clothing they receive will give them a first confident step towards a second chance, while the nonprofit services provided will help transform them on their road to self-sufficiency. We are confident that the impact made by helping these men become independent will positively affect their families and their communities. In order to assist the thousands of men that are unemployed at this time, we also partner with businesses and community organizations by encouraging their employees and members to donate their gently used professional clothing. Members of Congress and the American League of Lobbyists kick off the spirit of giving the suits off their backs at the Annual Capitol PurSuit Drive event on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Learn more about ourcommunity partner relationships. Participate in our National Suit Drive and donate your clothing. If you are a nonprofit or know of a nonprofit organization that would be interested in receiving clothing from the Suit Drive, click here.

15 ways stores trick you into spending

15 ways stores trick you into spending

Ever notice how you can go to a store to pick up just one thing and then, by the time you get to the check stand, you have five or six things in your cart and a bigger bill than you had anticipated?

This happens over and over because department stores use an array of techniques (grocery stores use many of the same tactics) to get you to pick up these items. By itself, each technique isn't very strong -- it's the use of them in combination that is powerful.

Here's a list of 15 of the best tricks. After the list, watch for 10 ways to combat these techniques so you can get in and out of stores with your finances intact.

1. Shopping carts. Most department-store customers enter the store intending to buy only an item or two, but the shopping carts are right there by the entrance and, oh, wouldn't it be convenient to have it so I can lean on it a bit while walking around and to put my stuff in it?

The cart has a huge bin compared with the size of most items for sale in the store, making it psychologically easy to toss in an item you don't need -- after all, there's room for plenty more, right?

2. Desirable departments are far away from the entrance. Most of the items I go to a department store to buy, such as light bulbs and laundry detergent, are located many, many aisles from the entrance. This means I spend my time walking by a lot of consumer goods on my way to find the item I want.

Because these consumer goods are effectively marketed to me, there's a good likelihood that I'll spy something that I don't necessarily need and toss it in the cart.

3. The toy section is far, far, far away from the entrance. Naturally, if I take my son to the store, he wants to visit the toy section. He gets excited and starts shouting "Ball! Ball!" to me when we go in because he remembers the enormous plastic balls in the toy section.

I tell him that if he's good, we'll go look at the balls, and at the end of the trip, we usually make our way over there. What do we see? Lots of children in that area, which means that there are parents that follow their children.

4. Impulse-oriented items are near the checkouts. Stores stock the latest DVD releases and "froth" magazines there, along with overpriced beverages and candy.

Why? Because people leaving the store are thirsty, and they're going to be standing in line for a bit, which is the perfect place to hook them with some entertainment options.

5. The most expensive versions of a product are the ones at eye level. Take a look sometime at the arrangement of different choices for a particular product, such as laundry detergent. Almost every time, the most expensive options per unit are placed at eye level, so you see them first when you enter an aisle. The bulk options and better deals are usually on the bottom shelves.

6. Items that aren't on sale are sometimes placed as though they are on sale, without using the word "sale." I noticed this over and over with diapers; the department store would display a rack of them with a huge sign above them displaying the price, but it would be the same price I paid for them a week ago. Unsurprisingly, the diapers displayed like that were always the most expensive kind.

• Smart Spending blog: Check out the latest money-saving tips

7. Commodity items, such as socks, are surrounded by noncommodity items, such as shirts and jeans. If I'm looking to buy some socks, I have to traverse through a number of racks full of different types of clothing in the clothing section just to reach them.

Why? If my mind is already open to the idea of buying clothes, I would be more likely to look at other clothing items.

8. Slickly packaged items alternate with less slickly packaged items. Look carefully at an aisle of, say, potato chips. The ones with the bright and slick packaging are generally more expensive, which isn't surprising.

But notice that there usually isn't a section of just inexpensive chips -- in most stores, they're sandwiched between more-expensive items. If there is a section of just inexpensive items, they're down by your feet (think about the inexpensive bagged cereals at your local supermarket).

9. Stop, stop, stop. You add items to your cart only if you stop, right? So stores are designed to maximize the number of stops you have to make: aisles in which only two carts can fit, colorful and attractive layouts, escalators and, my favorite of all, sample vendors. Even if it's not conscious to you, every time you stop moving in a store, you increase your chances of putting something into your cart.

• Video: 4 'off-the-menu' bargains

10. Staple items are placed in the middle of aisles, nonessential and overpriced items near the end. Why? If you enter an aisle to get a "staple" item (i.e., a high-traffic item), you have to go by the other items twice -- once on the way in and once on the way out. That gives these items two chances to make their pitch at you.

11. Prices are chosen to make comparison math difficult. Instead of selling the 100-ounce detergent for $6 and the 200-ounce detergent for $11 (making it easier to figure out the better deal), they sell the 100-ounce for $5.99 and the 200-ounce for $10.89.

Hey, look, they're basically the same, right, because five is half of 10? Uh, no.

Continued: More tricks and 10 ways to fight back

12. Stuff in bins isn't always a bargain. Higher-end stores will sometimes put items in "bins" to emulate the bargains found at cheaper stores, but the prices are still quite high. They just use the visual cue of a "bargain store" to make you think it is a bargain.

13. High-markup items are made to look prestigious. If you see something in a glass case that has lots of space around it, your gut reaction is to believe that it is valuable and prestigious to own, and for many people it can be as attractive as a light to a moth. The truth is that these items typically have tremendous markup -- you're literally just buying an idea, not a product.

14. The most profitable department is usually the first one you run into. Ever noticed that at Younkers, JC Penney, Kohl's and such stores, the cosmetic department is front and center? That's because it's very profitable, and by putting it in a place where people walk by time and time again, customers are more prone to making a purchase on an item with a very big markup.

15. Restrooms and customer services are usually right by the exit or as far from the exit as possible. Why? If you need to use either one in the middle of a shopping journey, you have to walk by a lot of merchandise to reach the needed service, thus increasing your chances for an impulse buy.

• Video: 4 'off-the-menu' bargains

Want to see more? Look at this presentation on the art of department-store layouts to get an idea of how much thought goes into making sure you buy more, particularly those items that are marked up a lot. I didn't even get into some of the more complex techniques, such as sensory marketing, that are more subtle and harder to avoid.

How can I fight back?

Is there any wonder why people end up buying more than they need or buying sizes that are poor deals? With an array of techniques at their disposal, retailers can make a mint.

Had enough? Here are 10 things you can do to fight back against these techniques:

1. Don't use a shopping cart unless you need it. A cart, most of the time, is just a place to put stuff you don't need. If you're carrying a product, you're a lot more likely to consider whether it's a worthwhile purchase.

2. Make a shopping list and stick to it. A list makes you focus on the items you intended to buy. Without it, you are much more prone to wandering and stumbling into "great buys" that you don't really need.

3. Look at nothing but the prices and sizes. That's all the information you really need -- everything else is marketing. Find the one that has the best price for its size, get that one, and move on.

4. Start at the back and work toward the front. If this is an option at all for you based on the store layout, do it. When you go in, head directly for the most distant item, then progress back toward the checkout aisles. If you do it the other way, you're prone to walk more slowly and tiredly toward the front after your shopping is done, leaving you open to lots of impulse buys on the way.

5. Always look at the bottom shelf first. If you've found the section you want, start looking at the bottom shelf first. This is usually where the better per-unit deals are.

6. Don't stop unless you're actively selecting an item. Displays are designed to beg you to stop for a moment and just look, which is often enough to get you to pick out the item. Even if something looks interesting, keep walking. You can study it as you go past and make up your mind later about the item.

7. Never go by an item twice unless absolutely necessary. If you go down an aisle, start at one end and continue all the way out the other. Walking by an item once lets it sink into your short-term memory, giving just a hint of familiarity when you walk by it again, sometimes just enough to persuade you to buy it.

• Smart Spending blog:Check out today's best money-saving tips

8. Carry a pocket calculator -- or know how to use the one on your cell phone. Do the math yourself to find out what the best buy is because stores try to choose numbers that make drawing false conclusions quite easy.

9. If you don't know for sure that it is a good deal, don't buy because you think it is a good deal. Stores use all kinds of visual cues to make you think something is a bargain when it's not (like the bin trick mentioned above). Don't buy anything because it's a "deal" unless you're sure that it really is an excellent bargain -- just walk away.

10. At the checkout, rethink everything you put in your cart -- and don't hesitate to hand an item to the cashier and say you've changed your mind. Many people seem to have a guilt, or obligation, to buy an item that they've put into their cart. Don't. You're the customer -- you have the right to choose whether to buy. If you find something you don't want to buy, tell the cashier and don't buy it.

This article was written by Trent Hamm, the founder of The Simple Dollar, a blog offering a peek at his recovery from near bankruptcy.

Updated Nov. 28, 2007

Circuit City Liquidation: What You Need to Know

After going into bankruptcy, Circuit City was unable to find a buyer and is going out of business. This means that all of its stores must be shut down. There's a massive liquidation underway of all of its products. So what does this mean for you, the consumer? We poked around the web to see what we could learn and have compiled a list of information below. First Off, the Numbers. Consider the following: Four firms that specialize in liquidation events purchased Circuit City's assets (the products it sells) at a discount to their retail and wholesale values with the hope of selling the items for more than what they paid for them. Here's how it breaks down: $1.8 billion -- the full estimated retail price of all of the goods acquired by the liquidation firms $1.2 billion -- the full estiamted wholesale price of all of the goods acquired by the liquidation firms $846 million -- the price the liquidation firms paid for all of the assets (70.5% of the wholesale value) Okay, so what does this tell us? Well, for one thing, we know that the liquidators paid just 47% of the retail value ($846 million/$1.8 billion). So the liquidators stand to make a decent amount of money. For example, even if they sell all of the items at the wholesale price, they would make over $354 million and get a nice, handsome return of over 40% on their money (and in less than one year -- a pretty amazing annualized return, no matter what the economic environment!). But to be fair, the liquidators do have expenses, both their own operating expenses as well as the costs to operate the Circuit City stores while they liquidate (they are on the hook for all of the store operating costs). And in some cases, liquidators have arrangements to give some of the profits to the bankrupt company. Still, they should do reasonably well if they can move all of their merchandise. What the Numbers Mean for You For the consumer, this is good to know, because you can see that the liquidators have a fair amount of wiggle room to lower prices and still get a hefty return on their investment. The liquidators have an incentive to sell these items as quickly as possible, too. They incur costs when the stores are open, and they have their own operating costs, all of which eat into their margins. So at some point, it's more cost-effective for them to lower the prices of the items and get them sold than to hold out hope that all of their products will sell at the current prices. You can't ever be sure how supply and demand will work together. If consumers are afraid that the products will be gone tomorrow and thus feel compelled to buy today, then demand trumps supply and prices won't fall further. But in a slowing economy like the one we're in now, this is probably less likely than at other times. A lot of people just can't afford to buy the goods at the current prices. Period. Be Knowledgeable About Prices The website Consumerist.com posted an article about Circuit City recently that quotes a reader who says he is a current employee. Among the interesting things he has to say is this quote: "All of what you have seen is correct, not much is actually on sale. Looking at items I remember from a couple weeks before, most everything is more expensive. Especially things like blank CDs, flash drives, and anything in the computer area. Cables are less expensive than usual, but still way more than online. Game systems are not a bad deal either."  So one tip is: Don't assume that just because you're walking into a store that is in liquidation and must sell their entire inventory, everything is a "deal". Some items may not be discounted at all, or their discount may be less than a discount that was offered weeks ago -- particularly around the holidays when big sales were in place. Shop around online before you hit Circuit City and make sure you know the price ranges for items of interest, and make sure that you don't get caught up in the excitement of a going out of business sale and overpay. Discounts Vary Also keep in mind that products are discounted differently. Apparently, big-ticket items like TVs haven't been discounted much so far -- maybe 10% at most. Other items, like game systems, as the employee cited above notes, might be discounted as much as 30%-40%. As a recent Business Week article noted, "liquidation sales trim the price of items that normally don't go on sale, such as the game accessories ... or leftover iPods, which are rarely discounted." An iPod that is discounted at 10% might be a great bargain, because iPods are rarely discounted and will probably be scooped up quickly. So it might be worth it to pick up an item like this at a small discount, just because there will be more demand than supply and you might not see the discount go below 10%. As the Business Week article notes, the "psychology, typical of going-out-of-business sales, is heightened by the recession that has consumers paring back. Liquidators acknowledge that they'll sweeten the deals as the sale goes on, but they also warn that items in demand will move before then. Still, liquidators worry they may have paid too much for inventory that newly thrifty shoppers may not buy." When to Buy Okay, so nobody has a crystal ball and it's tough to know with certainty when to buy a product and when to wait. A discount of any kind is tempting, particularly large ones. But what if prices drop further? It's really a roll of the dice, and at some point you have to take in all of the facts and then go with your gut. Time magazine notedthat the liquidation "will likely take eight weeks". So if that's true, it might be worth swinging through the store a month from now to see what's left, as it might be massively discounted by that point. And the liquidators are ready to drop prices should they get the sense that items aren't moving as hoped. Again, according to Time magazine (referring to a liquidator involved with a Circuit City store), "in a stockroom, he's got hundreds of additional discount stickers piled up — 40%, 50%, all the way through 80% off. Electronics are rarely discounted as desperately as, say, clothes, so 10-20% deals alone could move the merchandise. According to the liquidation firms, Circuit City sales are beating projections thus far. But with consumer spending so dismal, and so many stores desperate for dollars, Fried [the liquidator being referenced] might need to shift those stickers to the sales floor. 'It used to be that if you were doing a liquidation, you were the only one out there,' Fried says. 'Now, there's much more competition. You have to be sharper.' And ready to sell a 40-inch plasma for chump change." Buyer Beware One final note: In most -- if not all -- cases, once you purchase an item from Circuit City, you cannot return it. So make sure that you really want the item, and understand that if you run into a problem, you're stuck with it.

Free Money, 0% APR Loaans, Grants; Bailout is for YOU Too!

Free Money, 0% APR Loaans, Grants; Bailout is for YOU Too!

New economic hardship grants for everyone. Our bailout is GRANTS! There is always help, you just have to know where to look! The government is bailing out corporations, and it's only FAIR to bail out YOU TOO!

Due to the extra money being invested by the United States Government, there is billions of dollars in grant money waiting for you to take. These are the deals of a lifetime for the next couple of years as they try to rebuild the economy. Things are about to change! It's already happening. Take a look around.

This is our form of bailout, amazing amounts of grants for anyone. Some people qualify for up to $750k depending on debt, and family size. Consider the economy to be a grant "Super Sale", so you should search multiple offers before committing to only one. No one ever takes the few seconds out of their day to search for what is really out there. The more grants you research the higher chances you'll succeed.

Out of ten surveyed, all ten were surprised at how much cheap or free money is out there in form of new grants after doing 5 minutes of research.

Thankful to the resources that brought me to my next car

Just some places I searched online to find a car and which, led me to my next car. I have to say, the internet has saved my @ss so many times and has helped me tremendously. It IS the greatest tool.

Craigslist
kijiji
AutoTrader
Mashable and also, Mashable
AutoMart
MySpace

How To Book A Flight For $25

Book Flights Online

Everyone loves to vacation. Not everyone loves to pay full price for airline tickets. There are ways to get around paying full price for an airline ticket that most people don't know about. These are all legal ways too!

The most widely known way to save money is to fly standby. This is somewhat of a hassle, and can leave you traveling all day and at unknown times. For those of us that like to know, there is a way.

Times are tough right now, and the economy is generally sour. People aren't flying, buying, driving, etc. Companies are practically at their knees begging for business right now, and that includes the airline industry. Most airlines offer various rates, if the customer demands.

When I go to book a flight, I never pay more than $100 for my family of four to fly from Florida to Washington. $25.00 per ticket? Yes that's right, with tax and all fees. This is how I do it.

Look at all companies offers first, and record what each companies deal is for the flight you want. Record flight numbers, times, departures, and aircraft types if possible. Then start haggling. Tell them that you have a friend with a private plane and he will fly you for the price of fuel. Or tell them that the cost of gas is lower now and you'd rather drive. This is a good way to start negotiations. If you flew with them before, tell them it was unsatisfactory. Be creative in your haggling. Only tell them it was unsatisfactory based on actual observations. It's not that hard to find things to complain about.

The most important thing to remember is to consider all offers, because you never know which one is going to have the lowest rate. Starting with the lowest rate is sometimes the best, however, I've found higher rates like Delta and others will haggle even more if you're willing to spend slightly more for first class seating. It is possible to get lower prices if you provide proper research in a ethical nice manor, never be rude or curt.

2008 Budget Holiday Gift Guide - Great Gifts Under $25

Introducing ThinkComputers.org, our first male Budget Babe! Welcome to the Budget Babe Brigade! Great, cool and modern gift ideas for reasonable prices.

ThinkComputers 2008 Budget Holiday Gift Guide:
2008 Budget Holiday Gift Guide - Great Gifts Under $25

This holiday season is different from many that we have seen in the past. The main reason for that is because the economy is horrible right now. Most people are spending less than they ever have before on holiday gifts this year. Things are so bad that most stores do not even have those amazing deals that we are used to seeing this time of year. If you look at Black Friday's deals none were really earth-shattering. So with that said here are some things you can get for that computer enthusiast or yourself on the cheap.

My Recent Dose of Self-Help

Today Tooheyworld, the TooheyBugs and I went for a drive to Holyoke. I wanted to get Tooheyworld his birthday present, early. I wanted to have him come just incase there was a different or better one that he may have wanted.

What was it? A Record Player. The house is filled with a very impressive selection and collection of Records. 

The problem: They look great sitting on the shelf, but would sound even better being listened to and enjoyed.

Solution: Get a Record Player

So we went to Bed Bath and Beyond and looked at this Record Player. I have been doing research about a recordable one for a while now, and through my searching, I found this one to be the "best" and a decent price, too. I thought it would be perfect. It looked like an old radio but had today's technology and conveniences built into it. It had a Casette Tape player, which I thought recorded from Casette to CD; Tooheyworld doesn't think you can. 

We have a nice set of Bose Speakers at home, I thought records would sound great on them; Tooheyworld said that it wouldn't be able to plug into the speakers at home.

And the most important feature? It records Records onto CD.

So, my plan backfired. Although the excitement and curiosity levels were great; the plan, not so much. 

He looked at the other kind that they have. The kind that is only a Record Player, but with USB. In other words, it has to be connected to the computer, because it records Records through the computer. It doesn't just record right onto a CD, kind of like an extra step, but missing a few luxuries. 

I could be wrong about this. So, if you have a suggestion or comment about this topic, I want to hear what you have to say.

So, we left and went over to Circuit City to see what they had. We found two of the USB kinds and none of the Old Fashioned kind. 

But I see as I sit here writing this post and going to the websites to get the links, they have a way better selection online than in store stock. Why is that? There are just some things you want to see, touch and feel before purchasing it. Which is why online shopping isn't for everything.

He wanted to think about which one to pick and think about it, so we walked around for a bit. We let each of the TooheyBugs pick out a Wii game. Jacob got Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots and Daniela got a Bratz The Movie one. Shawn got 2 CD's. FYI; one CD is listed for $12.99 online and we paid $9.99 at the store, so we saved $3.00 and the Wii games were originally $29.99 and $39.99 and we paid $19.99 each. So, that is a savings of $30.00 for the Wii games. That's $33.00 total saved. 

I wanted to go to Barnes & Noble to see if they had the book I have been looking for for a few months now. 

It is always out of stock when I go stop in at Borders. I have had them special order it for me, but both times, I couldn't get there to pick it up. So they end up putting it on the shelf and selling it. It was almost driving me crazy. Why is this book always sold out? 

So, we walked around for a bit. There must have been a Book Club or Study Group going on, because the cafetaria part was fully occupied; No Vacancies. 

Barnes & Noble seems to me like it would be the perfect place to hold a Book Club. Speaking of Book Clubs, does anyone know of any in the Springfield, MA area or surrounding areas? I am interested in joining a Book Club.

While exploring and sifting through books, the kids needed to use the bathroom, as usual when we get to anywhere, all the time, at every stop. Why do kids need to do this?

So, we went up the escalator and let them use the bathroom. We waited outside of the door for them. When they came out, we walked over to the Self-Help section. That is my most favorite section. I was looking through seeing if I could find that book. I didn't see it. So I went over to the computers that you search for a book on. It said that it had one in stock. I asked an employee to tell me where to get that book. He told me that they had one and that it must be inside of a box or behind a box; or something like that. I was hoping that their inventory was right and that I wasn't getting my hopes up for nothing. I asked him politely if he could find that book, and he did. It was even more awesome because I went there to get that book knowing it was going to be around $20 and I was willing to pay what they were asking for it because I wanted it so desperately at this point. When he gave it to me, it said $4.95! How awesome was that? Barnes & Noble's website wants $19.96 for the hardcover edition and I only paid $4.95 at the store. I saved $15.01 total. How exciting!

And in the meantime of waiting for him to tell me if he found it or not, I found another book that caught my eye and called out to me. And, I have been Organizationally Challenged for quite some years now. It began before Daniela was born, but after I was pregnant with her. I think it was because of everyone giving me baby stuff and sending me their hand-me downs and then keeping it all for the next child, I learned how to collect, save and clutter. I am really good at it now! {Bad Joke}

I believe in fate; that everything happens for a reason and people, things, situations, circumstances and etc. are presented to each one of us at a particular time for a reason. I may sound like a fool here, but I think that the book was put in front of me at this time in my life, this time at the store and not prior or later because I am supposed to read this book now, not prior or later.

Anyways, I decided to start reading Let Go Of Clutter by Harriet Schechter - The Miracle Worker first.

Funny how things work out, right?

How To Save Money At The Gas Pump

How to get more of your money's worth for every gallon..  

• Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. (Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground.) The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.  A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

• When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.

• One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is half full. The more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Every truck that transports gasoline is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.

• If there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.

Black Friday Deals: 10 Best Resources

I was introduced to some of these Black Friday Sites a few years ago by my dad. It's good to see the original ones around and thriving still and nice to see some new ones, too. I remember back in the day, they would get leaks of the ads by annonymous employees/ex employees and be threatened by the stores of a lawsuit if they didn't take the ads off their sites. It's funny how times have changed. Some still do not like their ads put up on the internet, but most have figured out that this is good for business and they can check out what the competition is offering and they allow it to be posted. Not all of them are coming from annonymous sources anymore, rather the stores are submitting their own ads.

He was a great deal seeker and that is where I get my thriftiness from. Having 5 kids, they didn't have much choice but to find ways to make a dollar stretch. Since he always loved the craziness of Black Friday and his birthday is coming up, November 30, this one is in memory of him. I personally have never shopped on a Black Friday, rather working them; marketing products in stores for the Christmas seasons. Maybe this year will be a first. But I will tell you, I won't be waking up at 2 am to wait in the freezing cold, rather, I will be using the power of the internet to get my Black Friday Finds!

In the United States, the day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday. Many stores offer tremendous discounts starting very early in the morning. For some, the day becomes a major operation as they strategize where to go for the best deals.
Luckily, there are websites that provide information from various retailers’ ad circulars in one handy location. Here are 10 sites to help you research deals to plan your Black Friday.
You can look up ads by retailer or category, or just sit back and talk about your favorite Black Friday stories on these sites’ various forums. What are your plans for the biggest sale day of the year?

BFADS.net - Keeps you posted on current hot deals as you wait for all of the Black Friday ads to roll in. Also has a message board for users to trade experiences and ideas related to the day.
Black-Friday.net - Offers some discount codes beyond the standard Black Friday ad scans, but that is the extent of this site.
Blackfday.com - Blackfday presents not only the sales info for the traditional brick & mortar stores, but also all of the big online retailers.
BlackFriday.fm - Partnered up with DealsPlus, BlackFriday.fm brings you the latest circular ad scans as well as a video explaining what Black Friday is.
BlackFriday.GottaDeal.com - GottaDeal offers up chances at bargains every day, but for Black Friday they have a dedicated section. Besides the standard method of looking up the sales by retailer, you can also look them up by product category to quickly see who has the best deal on your desired item.
BlackFriday.info - This Black Friday site brings you hot deals and coupons throughout the year, but for the actual big day they not only show you the ads early, but provide you with a shopping list of what will be available.
BlackFridayAds.com - Lets you look up deals by store or category, as well as prepare shopping lists so you are set to go on Black Friday morning.
DealTaker.com - DealTaker offers information for Black Friday and Cyber Monday along with tips on how to make the most out of both events.
TGIBlackFriday.com - TGIBlackFriday puts up circular ad items and lets you compare the Black Friday price to the everyday price from PriceGrabber.
TheBlackFriday.com - Offers pretty straight forward listings of stores in alphabetical order. Will be updated as ads come out.

10 Gallon Challenge: Ten ways to save 10 gallons of water every day.

I'm up for the challenge. I can't guarantee that all these will work for me, but some of the ideas are great! I especially like the pet water idea for the plants, I always do full loads of laundry and we never water the lawn.One of the hardest ones for me will be to turn off the water while brushing my teeth. I'm not sure if it is an OCD thing, but my teeth feel cleaner when I have the water running to readily rinse my mouth or toothbrush. So instead to make up for that, I brush my teeth while I am in the shower. I am not sure if this saves any money, but somehow in my head, I think it does.

Last week Kathleen Shecter witnessed a crime scene. There was no blood or dead body. The crime was a crime against her community and future generations. Kathleen saw an older man power washing his driveway.

“Unless it’s a murder scene and you are the chief suspect and therefore washing away evidence against you,” Kathleen joked, “there is no reason to wash a dirty driveway.”

Only 1% of all the water on Earth is usable. The rest is salt water or frozen. The average family of 4 uses 400 gallons of water a day. That is about the same as taking 10 baths.

The nation’s water supplies and distribution systems are increasingly stressed by the public demand for water. A recent government survey showed at least 36 states are anticipating water shortages by 2013. By using water more efficiently, we can help preserve water supplies for future generations.

Kathleen, who is my green guru, offers the following helpful suggestions on simple ways to decrease water consumption on a daily basis:

1. Install a low flow showerhead for each bathroom. Most showerheads use twice the water needed for a thorough shower. Every day 3 billion gallons of water flow through showerheads in the United States.

2. Turn water off when brushing teeth. Why do we feel the need to leave it running? Water savings: 8 gallons per day.

3. Use the “old” water from pet bowls to water plants. Hey, the plants don’t care!

4. Make sure every load of laundry is a full one. Don’t wash partial loads. Water savings: 15 gallons.

5. Don’t rinse dishes. Just scrape the food off and then load. Run only full loads. Water savings: 2 gallons of water per day.

6. Use run off water. When I rinse produce in my salad spinner I remove the basket, dump the water into my watering can for later plant watering or dump it into plants right then. And then I spin.

7. Don’t wash your car at home. I wash my car at one of those self-wash places that recycle the water. It goes down a drain in the carport and gets recycled. No washing the car in the driveway for me. Water savings: 25 gallons.

8. Don’t power wash sidewalks, driveways, or decks. The number of gallons of water used in those high pressure gadgets is alarming. Instead I get out the stiff bristle broom, some good biodegradable soap and scrub with a bucket of water. Then you can use the regular hose to rinse. Hey, who needs the gym? Great upper body workout, and the calories burned……wow! Water savings: 22 gallons per week.

9. Don’t use the toilet as a “trash can”. This can save you 1.6 gallons daily. Be sure the toilet you DO have is low flush one. They use half the water for each flush. If you can’t afford to replace (though it pays for itself in the long run), put a brick in the tank. Does the same thing, low-tech. Water savings: 8 gallons at 4 flushes daily.

10. Don’t water the lawn or other landscaping at the peak of the day. I see so many sprinklers going off at noon! Water before 6am or after 8pm when the temperature is cooler. Be sure all sprinklers are in working order and that you aren’t watering the sidewalk! If it’s running down the gutter you are wasting water (and your money - be prepared for a rise in your water bill - it’s coming.) Water savings: 20 gallons per day.

This week for our Monday mitzvah join me in taking the 10 Gallon Challenge and shave 10 gallons off of your daily water consumption. What other ways have you found to save water?

Sarah Palin Shoes: The Look For Less

I have noticed these shoes for about a year now. I think that suddenly when someone famous wears something, all of a sudden that beautiful item hits the popularity charts, meanwhile, they were being sold at stores everywhere. Anyways, I like the fact that you don't have to spend hundreds on a cute pair of shoes and I especially love the fact that they are under $30.00. How sexy is that?

Sarah Palin Wears the Same Kind of Shoes As Paris Hilton

Palin in her Naughty Monkey shoes.Photo: Getty Images

The Wall Street Journal today reported an interesting little tidbit: The addition of Sarah Palin to the Republican ticket has sparked a "buying frenzy" among women who want to copy her style. They want her glasses, lipstick, shoes, and even her updo. Companies are jumping at chance to cash in on the Palin craze. Take WigSalon.com, which now markets a line of Sarah Palin hairpieces:

In the past week, the company has sold about 25 Palin-esque wigs, ranging in price from $100 to the "Bargain Sarah Palin" wig for $46. "And it's not even close to Halloween," [WigSalon.com owner Joe] Aronesty says. Early next week, Mr. Aronesty plans to send a newsletter to his 25,000 subscribers highlighting Palin wig options and styling tips.

Even more surprising than that, though, is Palin's choice of footwear. When John McCain introduced her as his running mate, Palin wore a pair of bright-red, peep-toe pumps with three-and-a-half-inch heels by Naughty Monkey, which is generally marketed to "women in their early to mid-20s who go clubbing." Sales of Naughty Monkey shoes have increased by 50 percent on Amazon since Palin wore them. But there's more.

Celebrities like Paris Hilton had been photographed in the brand's shoes, but seldom, if ever, a 40-something politician.

[Naughty Monkey rep Jay] Randhawa plans to send Gov. Palin some additional pairs of shoes and approach her about some kind of partnership. "We have to capitalize on it pretty soon," he says.

Paris Hilton, eh? What an interesting, er, alignment for the McCain party. As for this partnership Naughty Monkey speaks of, should we prepare ourselves for an onslaught of fashion fund-raisers for Palin? Maybe not.

CFDA executive director Stephen Kolb said he couldn't imagine designers supporting Palin with anything close to the gusto with which they support Barack Obama. Palin has also expressed affection for Patagonia, which Patagonia has resolutely stated it shall not exploit as they have very different environmental missions. Lastly, Palin has named Escada as her favorite label, but a spokeswoman for the house told the Journal "she was unable to identify any of Gov. Palin's outfits on the campaign trail as Escada and was unaware that the governor liked the brand." You know who else we bet has Escada in her closet? Paris Hilton.

Palin's Style Sparks Buying Frenzy, And Fashion Firms Rush to Cash In [WSJ]

How to get Sarah Palin's Shoes for less:

What: Sarah Palin’s shoes, for less of course

What We Say: Whatever your politics may be—and we’re not taking sides here—you gotta admit that Sarah Palin’s footwear choices are frequently super hot. So, in the name of equal opportunity fashion, we figured we’d give you the lowdown on how to get her shoes for less. Because we don’t all have a governor’s budget, natch.

Buy It For Less:

Red buckle pumps (like those seen above): Women’s Mossimo Danae Buckle Pumps, $26.99, Target

Red patent pumps (like those seen here): Pleaser’s Women’s Seduce-420 Pumps, $19.95-$20.36, Endless.com

Black patent pumps (like those seen here): Peep Toe Buckle Pumps, $29.99, Chadwick’s

Image courtesy of NY Magazine

Thank You All Mighty Shopping Gods!

Hello ladies. Let's talk shopping! It's therapeutic, right?

It's exhilarating. Yeah, well maybe sometimes, but most of the time, it is a pain in the rear (a tight but voluptuous rear, of course). Finding the time to swing over to the mall, fighting traffic, and more frustrating yet, trying to find a parking space, is daunting! (I live in Los Angeles. Finding a parking space can take longer than my mission in the store...if I am focused.) In fact, I keep a running list of things that I need (okay, things that I WANT). My list grows longer faster than I can actually pick up these things I need.

Enter the INTERNET! Thank you all mighty shopping gods! A way to get my skin care delivered to my door without the dents in my passenger side door. Nice...a way to get the pup's Advantage without a trip to the vet!

First and foremost, we're busy. We are power-suit-wearing, working women, we are Moms-of-the-Year, we are class-act students, and WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING!

I can hear you now, "So...tell me something I don't know!" All right, all right...I have so many great things to say that I would like to break them up into small, easy-read blogs. Let's get started, shall we?

I am part of a group of people who shop online and actually get money back every time we shop. I know. I know. You're thinking, "It was going so well, now here's the sales pitch." Nope. Nothing to sell you, well, okay maybe I want to sell you on the CONCEPT. But the concept is FREE so really...nothing to sell.

I want to tell you how this works. Then, in another blog, I will tell you WHO can benefit from this. Then, let's talk about how this can make the world a better place! What?

So here's the skinny...when you sign up (for FREE), you get access to an online shopping website. This is basically your virtual mall. This mall has over 1100 stores to choose from, and there are brand name stores like Target, Gap, itunes, Cheap Tickets, Overstock, Best Buy, Macy's, PetSmart, Sephora, Steve Madden and more...

Link to these stores directly from your mall, and when you make a purchase, you get money back. Simple enough! The rebates range anywhere from 3-50% depending on the store, but every store gives you something.

Your rebates pile up in your account, and you will start to receive monthly checks in the mail. I kid you not! (No catch except they won't cut checks until you have reached $25 or more but your rebates will never expire.) The more you shop, the more money you rack up.

So how do you accumulate points without going broke? SHOP SMART NOW so you can SPEND FRIVIOUSLY LATER.

Discount Shopping Tips

Try some shopping tips I have for you. Never go shopping alone. It's important to have someone with you who can guide you through. Best shopping experience can be with a friend. Go shopping with your friend but be causious the person should be real friend not a sort who want you to look ugly in a dress.

Secondly whenever you are shopping, make sure you have checked the fit from all angles. Thirdly rather than splurging on individual items like buying odd shirts, belts or caps try to look for a stuff to match with the designs you already have in your wardrobe.

Before going to shop you should check your selected items price online, offers may be tempting so you should save your money by checking it and you can hassle with shopkeaper for it, you can say it is low price online. otherwise you can shop online with discount coupon gifts and other free promotional codes.

Carrying an ATM, debit or credit card is a better option at shopping than carrying loads of cash and flashing the bundle at every counter. Theres always a risk of loosing a cash.

Last not the least keep track of all your shopping bags and if possible count and carry them

So friends hope you enjoy the above shopping tips. But yes if you want a hassle free shopping experience online shopping has always been a better option.

Try some shopping tips I have for you. Never go shopping alone. It's important to have someone with you who can guide you through. Best shopping experience can be with a friend. Go shopping with your friend but be causious the person should be real friend not a sort who want you to look ugly in a dress. Shopping Tips and Technics for Bargaining

Personal Budgeting: 6 Money Savings Tips for Today’s Economy

Are you making any changes to your personal spending habits due to the economic crisis? Have your re-evalutated your family budget to determine where to cut back spending? How much have you told your kids about your money situation? As a full time career mom I pay for convenience. I don’t have the time to scour the sales, I pay extra for pre or partially made dinners and we order take out probably more than most but….

Today is still a good time to sit back and assess wants and needs and understand that even little changes go a long way. Here are 6 things I have done in the past couple of weeks.

1. Credit card balances. Thankfully, I don’t have much on the cards but there is still no reason to pay interest rates just so I can keep some extra money in my pocket…which I will inevitably spend any way. So, I scraped together what I could and just paid off my balance. Do I have less in my pocket? Yes…but that’s a good thing…now to not bring out the plastic again!
2. Water - wow, does my family go through water bottles. It started to get out of control when we would go through 5 bottles at dinner…that’s just wasteful and bad for the environment. Our tap water tastes very good so this is just pure laziness on our part. Now, each night the kids fills up a pitcher of water and leave it in the refrigerator. Bottles are strictly for school lunches…big savings there at $6.99 for a 24 pack of Poland Spring and by drinking tap water we’re actually getting some flouride.
3. Gasoline - It’s hard to cut down on gas when most of my driving is for my daily commute, but little things help. For instance, I no longer idle when picking up my kids from their destination, I also no longer heat up the car before I get into it - yes I freeze for a few minutes but come on, we can all suck it up a bit, right?
4. Food - Prices seem to have no limits and even though gas prices have decreased recently, food prices have not followed that trend. My food bills are frightening but now I’m even more focused on the sales. When something goes on sale, like pasta I buy a dozen boxes which will generally carry me a few weeks until it goes on sale again. At the supermarket sale items generally cycle every 3 weeks, so buy something you know you will use in a 3 week supply and by the time you run out it should be back on sale again.
5. Educating the Kids - Last night my 10 year old asked me the difference of credit and debit. I defined it simply. Credit is when the bank loans you the money and you need to pay it back with interest. So, basically your $50 Wii game comes with 10% interest so you actually pay $55 for it - $50 goes to pay for the game and $5 goes to the bank for the privilege of letting you borrow the money. And, if you take too many months to pay off the game, the bank keeps adding fees and you could actually end up paying more than $50 in fees alone…where all those fees could have gone to save up for another game! My explanation for debit was it’s the same as a checking account. You can only spend money if you have it in the bank so if there’s no money in the account you can’t buy it…plain and simple..I prefer debit.
6. Holidays - See number 5 above. If you drill it into your kids’ heads enough believe it or not they do get it. My kids just started their holiday lists. When I warned them to go easy they moaned, “we know - the economy”. Perhaps they’re tired of hearing it but they each gave me a very short list and said they don’t expect much this year. I would have preferred they said they don’t expect anything…but I’ll take what I can get.

I’m looking for more money saving tips during this economic crisis. What are you doing to cut spending from your family budget? And, how are you communicating your spending cuts to your kids?

Lessons learned from being a cheapskate

This basically sums it up for me. I always by-pass everything in the store and go straight to the clearance racks. I usually say thank you first, but yes, I do love to rub it in how much I paid. As with Mir, frugality has always been a way of life for me, as well and being frugal is a sport. Growing up with 2 brothers and 2 sisters, my mom working or going to school and my dad being a stay at home dad, my parents had no choice. There were times they had to choose between food or heat.

My name is Mir, and I am a cheapskate.

I'm an unapologetic cheapskate, in fact. More accurately: I'm a braggart of a cheapskate. Tell me you like my shoes, and rather than responding "Thank you!" like a normal person, I'll probably grab your arm and say, "I know, aren't they awesome? And they were originally $120 and I only paid nine bucks!"

People sometimes inch away from me when I do this. Hey, that's fine. They probably paid full price for their shoes. Suckers.

For me, frugality has always been a way of life; it's my inclination and I don't find it particularly difficult. But I realize that 1) this isn't the case for most people and 2) even for folks like me who find joy in every little bargain, there are lessons to be learned. So here's what I would consider my top five take-aways from the life of a cheapskate, applicable both to my fellow cheapies and those looking to become more frugal.

1) Frugality can be learned. I often hear from people that "I'm not like you, I don't have the patience to hunt around" or "I just can't be bothered." Maybe in a different sort of economy that reasoning would fly, but I don't know anyone who wouldn't benefit from a bit of belt-tightening these days. But here's the thing: It's really not that hard, especially in this Age of Internet (hello, comparison shopping from home in your jammies). You can figure out ways to trim your budget, and there are as many ways to do that as there are personalities; find the method that's right for you, rather than declaring you simply can't. Not everyone is cut out for Dave Ramsey's plan or Suze Orman's plan. But I promise that there is a plan that will work for you, that you'll be able to stick to without much difficulty.

2) The lesser plan you stick to is better than the grander plan you can't tolerate. Little changes are nearly always preferable to larger ones, because you're more likely to actually do them. We've all heard the math on cutting out your morning Starbucks or your lunches out, but going cold turkey is going to feel like deprivation and eventually you'll not only cave, you'll spend even more because you'll feel justified. If you eat lunch out five days a week, take your lunch from home one day a week, to start. Dream big, start small. You'll get there.

3) Planning (and spending) ahead saves money. I buy a lot of things in bulk, and/or on sale, as well as doing things like buying toys on clearance for my "gift closet" (which is then our source for birthday party gifts and the like). Sometimes you have to spend money to save money. Of course, this can only be done if there's enough wiggle room in your budget to allow for slightly larger expenditures now to save money later. Planning dinner menus has cut down on my grocery bills, too, and buying clothes on clearance for next year for my kids has saved me a ton of money. But you've got to have some long-range vision to take advantage of these sorts of things.

4) Too much of a good thing is... well, too much. Not every bargain is a bargain. If you don't need it, it's not a bargain, no matter how cheap it is! Stocking up your gift closet with items you'll be able to use for hostess and birthday party gifts is great. Stocking up your gift closet with items nobody wants or needs is a waste of money and space. Again, think big but start small. Ask yourself before every purchase, "What is this for?" If you don't know the answer, put it down and walk away.

5) There's a difference between being frugal and being miserable. All things in moderation, right? If you're doing frugality correctly, you're saving money and more or less enjoying yourself. If you're financially miserable, something is wrong. It's okay to not be frugal, sometimes. We love making our own pizza at home, from scratch, but sometimes it's just more convenient to order out. I don't beat myself up over it; my budget is structured such that I know we're saving enough money in other places that I don't have to sweat the occasional meal out or special event. The right spending plan has a bit of play in it, so that you don't always feel like you have to watch every penny.

I think that most people face budgeting and cost-cutting as a necessary evil. Trust me, it can easily be turned into a sport, and that takes out quite a bit of the sting. Don't believe me? Let me tell you about this sweet leather coat I got for twelve bucks....