A few weeks ago, we wrote a post of 10 Worst Gifts for Mother’s Day. Now it is time for Father’s Day. What is the best Father’s Day gift? There is no best one for everybody. Ask your husband what he wanted. If you want to give him a surprise, pay attention to what advertisements he is reading or watching recently. If he is interested in a new watch, he will talk about watches with you more often. If he wanted a new iPad, he may have walked into the Apple stores a few times in the past one month. Just pay attention, you will find out what he really wanted.

1. Flowers

General speaking, men are not as romantic as women. Giving him a rose is no different from giving him a cauliflower. Imagine what his face will look like when you hand him a cauliflower as a Father’s Day gift. Well, he will probably say thank you nicely and give you a kiss as a gentleman.

2. Cakes/Candies/Chocolates

Most men do not like cakes, candies or chocolates. If he does like them, it is very likely he shoud be on diet and giving him such gifts is not a good idea.

3. Gardening Tool

Most men like gardening tools, as well as many other power tools. That doesn’t mean they like to work on the garden. Most men are lazy. It is Ok to give them a gardening tool as a toy, but please do expect them to spend more time on your back yard.

4. Books & DVDs

Fiction books and DVDs are perfect for gifts. But books and DVDs about self imprvement, how to succeed, how to become rich, how to find a job, how to loose weight, how to become a manager, are worst gifts for every husband.

5. Socks

If you are the wife who buys socks for everyody in the family, don’t buy socks again as gift for Father’s Day! Man will ignore those socks completely.

6. Dress Shirts

They will think: “Again? Didn’t you just bought them last month?”. Dress shirts are men’s daily life, just like a cup of coffee every morning. There is no special about it. They will ignore them as they ignore the socks.

7. Ties

Ties are actually among the top gifts wives buy as Father’s Day gifts. But according to my personal experiences, men don’t like to receive a tie as gift, simply because most of them don’t need one.

8. Cologne/Deodorant

Do I smell? This would be the first question pop into his mind when he received such gift.

9. Tooth Brush

There is no gift that can be worse than this one! Probably it is not a bad idea for April Fools’ Day, or as a gift for someone you hate.

10. Sex Toys

If you and your husband are having great sex life and use sex toys regularly, it is OK to buy him a new sex toy. But otherwise, please don’t do that. The implication of buying such toys is that he can’t satisfy you.

Mother’s Day was just two weeks ago. Now Father’s Day is around the corner. For women who like to shop for gifts, it is a good chance to buy some gifts for their beloved ones, and maybe something for themselves too. I am not an expert on buying gifts, but every time my husband was happy no matter what gift he received. Here are my secrets I want to share with you:

1.Ask Him What He Wanted
Simple enough? Men will appreciate if you ask. It means you care what he likes and you want him to be happy. Make suggestion for him, but please make decisions for him.

2.Don’t Try to Surprise Him
Men are not as sensitive as women, and most men do not like surprises. They need everything in order and in control. If you really want to play the trick, at least tell him what kind of gift you are buying, and what price range it will be.

3.Don’t Spend Too Much Money
Men worried about their financial status more than women do. If you spend too much money on a gift for him, he will feel guilty about it. If your budget is tight, he will understand and appreciate a cheap gift. Acutally some gifts can be free too: a kiss, a love note, or a sex.

4.Ask Your Kids To Be Part of It
Ask your kids to say something nice to their dad on the day. Or ask them for write a thank you note. Take your kids to celebrate the day with their grandfather is a good idea. If you can’t gather together, ask your kids to write a letter for their grandfather.

5.It Is OK to Forget About The Gift
It doesn’t mean you can forget about the day, although statistics shows that more than half of the dads don’t remember the day, – if you don’t remind him. You don’t have to prepare gifts for Father’s Day, but you have to treat him special on the day.

Unlike big chain stores such as Nordstrom or Gap, a boutique is a small retail store that focuses on selling clothing, jewelry or fashion accessories in a niche market. Today we compile this list of best boutiques for you to shop online. If you are used to walk into a boutique to look for something unique, now you can do that online. Besides, you will find more selections and designs from all over the the world.

Fashionable Clothing

80sPurple.com: Fashions for young chicks. Featuring 80s collections.
AndrewMarc.com: Collections from Andrew Marc and Marc New York.
DrJays.com: Urban jeans and sneakers.
PeruvianConnection.com: Luxury alpaca sweaters for older ladies.
SuperDry.com: Asian styles for teens and young girls.
TopMan.com: UK fashions.

Sports Clothing

KillerDana.com: Many water sportswear available.
Lucy.com: Activewear yoga, running, or any exercise.

Shoes

GravityDefyer.com: For people suffering heel pain or knee pain, try get a pair of shoes from Gravity Defyer. You will feel like walking on a spring.

Jewelry

HotTopic.com: Urban style fashion jewelry.
diViene.com: Cheap jewelry for daily wear.

Momorial Day is the day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s services. It also one of the hottest shopping day for all Americans. The in stores sales will start from Friday till Monday. But you don’t have to go out in this hot weather days and waste your money on gas. All the sales you will see in stores can be expected online. Besides, on top the sale items, you can also use online coupons to save more! Here is a short list of merchants that are running Memorial Day Sale. They usually started today. Don’t wait before the hot items are gone.

Clothes
Appleseeds.com
In case you don’t know about it, Appleseeds is the place for classic clothing for women of 40 years or older. You will see a large selection of classic designs of sweaters, blouses & shirts, knit tops, jackets and pants here. Its Memorial Day savings is a 25% Off everything online! No coupon code needed.

Bebe.com
Extra 25% off Already Reduced Select Styles. No code needed.

Dockers.com
Dockers pants are my favorites. They also sell polos, shirts and sweaters. For this weekend you get 30% off your entoire order with $100 order or more. Coupon Code: MEMDAY.

Express.com
Get $15 off back for every $75 you spend. Use code 1409 to receive the discount.

Gap.com
Up to 40% off this weekend on everything. This year’s Gap designs for littler girls are terrible, their colors are always greyish. Not bad for boys though.

HotTopic.com
Loved by many teens. For this weekend, shorts and tanks buy one get one 50% off, and sunglasses buy one pair get one 50% off.

Levi.com
You got to have a few Levi’s classic jeans, suitable for any occassion. Save 30% off when you purchase 2 or more items this weekend, plus free Shipping on orders $75 or more. Coupon Code: MEMDAY2012.

Maidenform.com
Extra 25% off during Memorial Day Sale. No coupon code needed. Valid on all purchases.

PacSun.com
Are you summer ready? Visit Pac Sun to get you geared up. For this weekend you will get BOGO 50% Off sitewide.

Shoes
6pm.com
Memorial Day Super Sale will start on May 25, 6AM PST. Prices of over 25,000 items are dropped below $25! 6pm.com is not only a shoe store, but also sells clothing, bags and accessories. They sell branded items only. You won’t those cheap clothing and shoes as you saw at Walmart.

OnlineShoes.com
20% off entire order with coupon code 20MEMORIAL. They offer 20% off coupon for all national holidays. If you missed it this time, come back on July 4th.

Department Stores
Hayneedle.com
Use coupon code MEMDAY to save $25 w/ $250 order, or save $50 w/ $500 order, or save $100 w/ $999 order. Many brands excluded from this offer though.

Overstock.com
If you can find the item you need at Overstock.com, you are most likely find the lowest price. For this weekend, you get 15% off All Area Rugs, 10% off select bedding, 10% off select mattresses, and 10% off select beds! Discounts not big enough? That’s because their prices are already very low!

Appliances
Home Depot
10% Off Appliances $397 or more if you shop online. Plus, Free Delivery & Haul Away. Valid 5/24 – 5/30.

Home Decor
Serena & Lily
Want to get beddings and decors made of higher standards? Visit Serena & Lily! You get 20% off everything this weekend. Use code ENJOY20 to save.

Beauty Products
BHCosmetics.com
For this weekend most products are marked 35% to 45% off their original prices, including most popular eyeshadow palettes by BH. Save extra 5% with coupon code SHPHM.

When you get older, you need to spend more on medicines. Some pharmacies offer discounts to senior citizens, some offer discounts for those signed up as a member. Here is the list of pharmacies that offer member discounts. Not all membership are free. With a paid membership you get deeper discounts on drugs. So it is worthy to consider to pay for $10 to $20 every year to qualify for member discounts.

A&P Supermarket
A&P Supermarket has stores throughout New York and New Jersey. When you signup their Live Better Wellness Club, which is free to everyone, seniors of 60 and older will get 10% off on your presciptions. Non-seniors also get discounted prices. See details here.
 
CVS
CVS used to offer 10% senior discount, but not any more. Now they offer Health Savings Pass discounts to everybody who signed up at a cost of $15 per year. Visit www.cvshealthpass.com for details. You pay only $11.99 for a 90-day supply of over 400 generic prescriptions, and many other benefits.
 
Duane Reade
Powered by Walgreens Prescription Savings Club. See below for more details.
 
Kmart
Like CVS, Kmart used to have a GoldK program for seniors to save on presriptions. But now they have a Pharmacy Prescription Savings Club. When you signup with a $10 annual fee, you get over 500 Kmart preferred generic medications at prices starting as low as $5 for 30 day supply ($10 for 90 day supply), and 5% to 35% savings on all other medications. Click here for details.
 
Kroger
Get 30 day supply of generic drugs for only $4, or 90 day supply for $10. See details here.
 
Rite Aid
Their Rx Savings Program is Free. You can save up to 20% on thousands of prescriptions. Pay only $8.99 for a 30-day supply of select generics, or $15.99 for a 90-day supply.
 
Target
Like Kmart, you pay $4 for a 30-day supply, or $10 for 90 days supply of hundreds of generic drugs. See details here.
 
Walgreens
Walgreens Prescription Savings Club will cost you $20 every year, for $35/year for entire family. The club benefits include discounts on thousands of brand-name and all generic medications. See this PDF file for details. For example, FLUTICASONE Nasal Spray is $42 without member card, but only $15 with member card.
 
Walmart
Save on hundreds of prescription medications priced as low as $4. See details here.
 

1.Memorial Day Parade
Check your local news. Besides Memorial Day parade, you will probably find some other activities free to everyone.

2.Picnic
Plan a picnic at your local park, prepare food with your kids together. Don’t forget apply sunscreens before you go.

3.Go Fishing
Fishing is fun. Find a pond in your neighborhood or local park. A picnic after fishing is more fun.

4.Shopping Mall
Shopping mall is fun for all ages. Kids can play in the playground, play video games at Gamestop or iPad at Apple store. You don’t have to spend money at all.

5.Shopping in The Street
There will be more flee markets and farmer’s market opened on Memorial Day. Read your local news to find out.

6.Work on Your Lawn
Summer already started. You need to spend some time make sure your sprinkler system works fine. It will reduce your water use and keep your existing grass healthy. But do you know kids love to play with sprinklers? It is like playing in a water park!
 

 
7.Camping
It doesn’t mean you have to drive a long way, – it is not wise to spend money on gas when the price is so high. You can go to a local park, a preserve, or even camping at your backyard! Spend a night in the tent, tell stories, watch the sky, hear the sound from the nature, there are many things you can do.

8.Storytelling Session at your Library
Libraries will be closed on Monday, but still open on Saturday and Sunday. Take young kids to one of the storytelling sessions for free.

9.Visit Your Recreation Center
If you have family membership, that’s great. You don’t have to spend a dime and yet you can have whole day fun. Find the open classes, such as art classes or Korate classes, for Memorial Day by calling them or visit their websites. If you don’t have membership, ask for a one day trial.

10.Visit Fire Station
Call your local fire station and make a reservation first.

Best Sunscreen for Babies

Blue Lizard Australian Suncream Baby SPF 30 is recommended by many pediatrics. But it is no cheap. A 5oz bottle will cost $14.99 at Walgreens. But parents who always want the best for their children will just grab one without looking at the price tag. My recommendation is Johnson & Johnson Baby Daily Face and Body Sunscreen Lotion SPF 40. A similar size is only $9.99 at most stores, such as Walmart and Amazon.

Bug Repellent with SPF

For those boys and girls playing in the backyard all summer long, get this SKIN SO SOFT Bug Guard Plus IR3535 SPF 30 Gentle Breeze Lotion at Avon.com for only $6.99, was $14. You saved 50%! It repels mosquitoes and other most commonly seen bugs, and protect the kids from sunburn at the same time.

Sport Sunscreens for Kids

For young soccer players a sweat proof sunscreen is needed. Apply the sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside. Vanicream Sunscreen Sport, SPF 35, is the best sport formula sunscren. A 4 oz bottle is $11.95 at Drugstore.com, the lowest price found online.

Sunscreens for Water Fun

Weather you are going to swiming pool, a water park, or a beach, you need a water proof sunscreen. The NO-AD Sport Sunblock Lotion, SPF 50, is best for you. It is water resistant, up to 90 minutes. Applying every hour is recommended. Get one from Kmart, if you prefer to shop in stores.

All Natural Sunscreen

Tropical Sands SPF 30 is a 100% natural and earth freindly sunscreen, no harsh chemicals contained. For kids that are allergic to certain chemicals you have to try this one. It is more expensive than regular ones, but still acceptable. A 8oz one is about $19 at Amazon.

If you ask your kids what he/she wanted for this summer, the answer will be most likely a video game. Don’t you hate video games like I do? Summer is the time to go out to have fun. Go to a outdoor swimming pool in your community, hike for a new trial, ride a bicycle to your neighborhood friends, that is what I did when I was their age. But nowadays it is very hard to ask the kids to move away from the computer screen. They are either playing games, or doing something that they don’t want you to know. Buying a telescope is good idea to encourage them to go out to observe a bird or a rabbit. May is the best time to shop for a telescope, especially during the Memorial Day weekend.

I am not an expert on telescopes, so I will not teach you which model to pick. Today I will the best deals on these most popular models, rated positive by hundreds of other buyers.

Entry Level Telescopes:

Celestron 21035 70mm Travel Scope

Only $59.95 B&H Photo-Video-Audio or Adorama. Tripod, mount, and backpack included. It is lightweight and portable, great for carrying while hiking, discovering the beauty of the nature. If you want to try it first, get a Celestron AstroMaster 76EQ from Cost Co. It is only $89.99 before tax.

 
Mid-Range Telescopes:

Both of the following models can automatically find thousands of stars and galaxies at the touch of a button. Software included in the package. The young astronomer will have hours of fun every night.

Celestron NexStar 4 SE Telescop: $499 at all stores.

Celestron NexStar SLT Series 130 SLT Telescope: The best deal is at Amazon, $399. No tax + Free Shipping.

 
Semi-Pro Telescopes:

Celestron NexStar 6 SE Telescope, $799

If you owned an entry level telescope before and wanted to upgraded to a computerized one, this is the one I would recommend. It has a lense as large as 6 inches, which means you will get a brighter view of the dark sky. No need to do the price search. It is fix priced at $799 in all stores. But there is general coupon at BuyDig.com: $15 off $500 with coupon code BGSaveinMay15. After the coupon, this is the lowest price. Don’t bother to try Hayneedle.com, their coupons are never valid on any telescopes. Actually they send 5% off coupon to me in the email quite often, but I have not found any item that can use the coupon so far.

1.Tank

You will find these tanks only at Urban Outfitters. Different colors available. The prices are from $30 to $45 each. Shop today and get 10% off your entire order.

 
2.Shorts
See our post a few days ago. Find the shorts best suit you. For denim cut-off shorts, the best deals are at Old Navy: 9 different colors available, all at $18.50 each!

 
3.Rashguard
Too much sun will lead to wrinkles and raise the risk of skin cancer. A rashguard is the best companion to protect you from sun burn when you go to beach or outdoor swiming pool. An O’Neill Women’s Basic Skins Long Sleeve Crew Rashguard is only $29 at Altrec. Or get one from Athleta, a sub-brand of Gap, Inc, with a coupon code EXTRA20 for an extra 20% off on all sale items.

 
4.Sandals
Two deals are runnning at Endless.com: 40% off sandals, and get 20% off with $100 orders on select styles. There are 1,864 pairs of sandals to choose from! This Grazie Women’s Giada Croco Sandal was $62, now $31!

 
5.Flats
If you are planning a summer vacation, a pair of flats is a must-have. At 6pm.com, you will find 2728 women’s flats listed with discounts from 30% to 80% off MSRP!

 
6.Hat
I don’t recommend to buy hats online. Visit Nordstrom, they have lots of wheat straw hat with different colors both women and kids. If you know what you wanted, visit VillageHatShop.com. Their prices are lower than those of Nordstrom.

 
7.Sunglasses
At BestBuyEyeGlasses.com, you will get sunglasses of big brands, such as Carrera, D & G, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Persol, Prada, Ralph, Ray Ban, Versace, at 50% of the original prices or lower. Plus you can save an extra 10% with coupon code MEM2012 before May 20.

 
8.Bracelet
We have seen enough silver or gemstone bracetlets. But what bracelet you should wear with a swimwear when you are out there on a beach? Try to get one from Tillys.com. See the one below. You will see many unique designs only at Tilly’s. Many of them are qualified for Buy One Get One 50% Off.

 
9.Smearproof and Waterproof Lip Colors
Highly recommend the LIP-INK Sampler Kit, including 2 LIP-INK Lip Colors, Lip Shine Moisturizer, Off Vial and Refill Bottle. The Lip-inks are semiperminent, which give you a long lasting worriy-free lip colors.

 
10.Suncreen
I should not have listed it as the last item. It should be the number 1 item you should consider when you go outdoor in the summer. The sunscreen you get from pharmacies or grocery stores are usually too tink or too oily. Recommend this Murad Oil-Free Sunblock SPF 30, which I have been using for years. It is $31 for 1.7 FL. OZ. Now Murad.com is running a 20% off Friends and Family sale, – use code SAVE20 to save 20% on your entire order by May 22!

What age to stop breastfeeding would be suitable? The TIME Magazine released its newest cover with a young woman breastfeeding her almost 4 year old boy while standing on a stool, which caused much controversy these days. The 26-year-old Jamie Lynn said, “I was breastfeeding for up to 6 years old. And my mother’s breast makes me feel warm.” I don’t want to agree or disagree with here. Here we collected some funny comments on the story.

—I will stop when I want a cup of coffee. When I don’t want coffee, I will miss my mom’s breast.

—Go on, until the boy finds a breastfeeding girlfriend.

—Fake! Her breasts are too small!

—Mom? I want cold milk.

—Mom? I want warm milk.

—Mom? I want an ice cream.

—Mom? I want a yogurt.

—Agree. Formula is too much trouble, especially at night.

—Mom? I want a cheese.

—Mom? Why are you feeding me yogurt?

—Dad? I want milk.

—Mom? Can I try a different brand?

—Best money saving tip this year!

The temperature is rising. For girls who want different denim shorts, you have more colors and material types to choose from. For girls who want a sexy look this summer, you have more options than hot pants now.

Boyfriend Shorts
Most tranditional denim shorts for everyone to wear. Pair it with white shirt is good for any occation in the summer.

 

Cut off Shorts
My favorite ones are J Brand Denim Cut-off low-rise denim shorts. Choose from either regular or skinny cut. Pait it with a pair of Converse sneakers to have a more active look than a boyfriend short.

 

Hipster Shorts
Show your perfect hip curves! Shorts with sparkling and blingy embellishments are cuter.

 

Hot Pants
Nothing is too short! Shining silver or black colors are sexier! Best for summer vacations.

 

Printed Shorts
Printed shorts can be cut in any style, with most of them made of floral denim. Stripes or dots are popular this year, while vintage styles are still my favorite.

 

Bright Color Shorts
Get all 4 colors if you can afford. These bright colors give me a bright mood too.

 

Draped Shorts
Feels great when wearing a drpaed shorts made of silk. It looks like and feels like a short skirt, but give you the convenience of shorts.

 

Bermuda Shorts
Classic longer shorts can also give you different look. Look at the one below, with loose waist and tight cuffs. Wear it with a white long sleeve shirt!

 

Lace Shorts
You have see it from many fashion magazines worn by many celebrities. You don’t have to spend a lot though. You canget one pair for as low as $20 at JC Penney.

 

Silk Shorts
You will look more feminite wearing this silk Elizabeth and James Katia Shorts, with a flared hem design. It is $295 at Shopbop.

 

Memorial Day weekend is a big day for almost all retailers. You will see plenty of sales from both online stores and local stores. Although there are many price drops on clothing, it is not wise spend all your time shopping for clothing, because those retailers offer coupons all the time. You should spend your efforts looking for bigger or more expensive items, such as large appliance, computer & electronics, furniture, mattress, etc.

Large Appliances
Sears: Buy more and save more on apliances of $399 and over. Buy 2 save 15%, buy 3 and save 20%, buy 4 and more and save 25%! Plus an extra 10% off on KitchenAid appliances! Sears is always most people’s favorite place to shop for large appliances, and you will get big dicounts during this Memorial Day weekend. Don’t forget to use our coupons to save $5 (sometimes $35) if you shopping online.

Home Depot: If you shop online at HomeDepot.com, you will get 10% off on all appliances of $397 or over. I do not recommend to shop at Home Depot usually, because of the prices are never as good as other stores even after 10% off. But during the Memorial Day, you should expect a bigger discount than that. Besides applaices, select patio furniture are 50% off.

Furniture
Wayfair: It sells everything online, very much like another Amazon. Currently their patio furniture and grills are on sale with up to 30% off. But during the Memorial Day weekend, you should expect a deeper discount for a limited time.

RoomstoGo: They run Memorial Day sale every year, both in stores and online.

Computer & Electronics
Before you buy, always do a price comparison. But it won’t be suprised that you find the lowest prices at following two stores.
BH Photo Video: Always lowest prices on all desktops and laptops, TVs and home theaters.
Adorama.com: Always lowest prices on digital cameras and camcorders.

Golfing Gears
TGW.com: Now it has a coupon for 15% off any one item. But during the Memorial Day weekend, you should expect a bigger discount sitewide!

Mattress
Local Stores: If you prefer to shop local, be sure to read this before you go! You save at least save 50% off the marked price.
Sleepys: This is the place shop mattress online. Wait for the Memorial Day, you won’t be disappointed.
 

Moms, what this your Mother’s Day gift this year? The top 3 gifts husbands bought for their wives are: kitchenware, jewelry, and flowers. They won’t bother to buy clothing for you, because they either don’t know your sizes, or don’t know what to buy. Since tomomrrow is the Mother’s Day, this weekend is actually the best time shop for clothing for women. Many online apparel stores are offering price drops or coupons for this weekend. We have compiled a list of upsacle fashion stores online for you to shop!

AK Anne Klein
Anne Klein’s prices are well below major designer-label, yet still much better quality than other budget lines. It has a 15% off discount with coupon code: STRETCH15.

Boden
Boden was founded by Johnnie Boden in 1991 in UK. Its Mini Boden for kids is always my favorite. Its collection gives you bright colors and unique patterns. Check out their Limited Edition today. The prices are 25% off the original tags.

Couture Candy
Couture Candy has large list of fashion designers. The brands you saw at Nordstrom can also be found here, only with lower prices. Don’t miss the 20% off Mother’s Day coupon (Coupon Code: MOM).

Max Studio
Max Studio sells through department stores as well its own retail stores. You know you are different from others when wearing a Max Studio dress. The dresses are most up to date trendy fashions from Style magazines or runways. You can save $50 with $200 order or more. Use code MOM512 during checkout.

Editors Closet
It is a member’s only fashoion shopping comunity. You get exclusive designer brands at discounted prices. I don’t like to shop at this kind of websites, just like I don’t shop via Groupon. But some people like it very much because of of the low prices. No coupons as always.

Shabby Apple
Shabby Apple is for ladies who wanted to dress like those in 70s movies. Their vintage inspired collections include twin palms, the block, silent era, mad hatter, and many more. Today you can save 15% off with coupon code Mom.

Tory Burch
I have to introduce Tory Burch to you, even though it has no coupon today. Tory Burch, American fashion designer, began her fashion label in February 2004. Her designs are recognized by brightly colored caftans, shifts, and cardigans. Prices range from $100 to $400. You can find the brand at Neiman or Saks. But shopping online gives you a lot more selections.

White House Black Market
White House Black Market gives you upscale looks but without the price. The black and white dresses are perfert for business casual. The coupons for this weekend are:
$20 off $80, Coupon Code: 18416
$25 off $125, Coupon Code: 14092
$50 off $200, Coupon Code: 10344

 

Today I am not trying to give you tips on how to save money by spending less or using coupons, but show you that you may be losing your hard cashes in many ways. By following our advices, you can at least save a few bucks every month, or up to $100 a month!

1.Extra Bank Fees
Don’t withdraw money from ATM that doesn’t belong to your own bank. You will get charged $2 to $3 by your own bank, and aother $2 to $3 by the other bank! Some banks or certain bank accounts require minimum balance. If your balance is below the number, say $1000, you will be charged $25 or $50 for the month.

2.Late Payment
Every month you need to pay your credit card bill, mortgage, water bill, utility bill, phone bill, insurance bill, and probably many more. Always avoid late payment as each one will result in a $25 late fees. Set a reminder on your computer or smartphones. When it does occur, always call and ask nicely to get your lates fees waived. If you have a good history, you will get the money back for sure.

3.10% Tips Only
When dining out, don’t pay tips more than 10%. Some restaurants may have include the tips in the bill. Read it carefully. If you eat at a buffet, you don’t have to pay tips.

4.No Tips To Mom and Pop Owned Salons
The stylists are the owner. Unlike the waiter or waitress in a restaurant, they have already made enough money from you. There is no need to pay them extra money for tips.

5.Deposit coins before you lose them
If you don’t deposit them, you will either lose tem or spend them before you knew it. Go to your own bank with a coin counter. The counter at a grocery store will take 10% from your total. What a ripoff, isn’t it?

6.Renew Contract Before It Expires
When you first signed up utility, electricty, cable, high speed internet, or wireless service, you usually get a discount by signing a 12-month or 24-month contract. Once the contract expires, you will get back the “normal” (higher) rate. Call and renew the contract before it expires. You can even ask for a lower rate by stating that you are such a loyal customer.

7.Library Late Fees
For one book, some library charges 25 cents per week, while some charges 25 cents per day. You could be losing money very often.

8.Always Ask Handyman For Discount
Most handymen change you based on the time they spent on the project. But a professional may only take 10 minutes to fix the faucet leak, while a poor trained amateur will take a whole day. How would you pay them based on time? Bargain with the handyman every time, for whatever reason you can think of.

9.Always Ask for Member’s Discount
Many grocery stores offer special prices for members. Although memberships are usually free, many are too lazy to carry them around. Just tell the chshier that you have membership and ask him to apply the member’s discount. The cashier will most likely scan his own member card to give you the discount without asking anything.

Inventions made our lives easier, while some of them made us laugh. See these funny invenstions. I wonder if there are people actually make them. If they do exsit, I want to buy them!

Dog Cleaner
Too busy to clean your house? No more worry. Tie this cleaner to your dog (or a big fat cat). Let it do the job for you. Attach a Lysol disinfecting wipe on the brush to get better results. The next version of this dog cleaner should come with a cleanser bottle!

 
Tricycle Lawn Mower
Did your child watch too much TV? Ask him to go outside while doing some yard work at the same time. No more expensive lawn mower, or paying someone $30 every week to mow your lawn.

 
Threesome Cup
Glassware are expensive. Owning this threesome cup can reduce the numbe of glasses you need for your family. Just don’t forget to write the name down on your side of the cup.

 
Salad Shower Head
Wash vegetables while you take a shower – what a great idea for a green life. Save the water conservation when you can!

 
Reusable Toilet Paper
As long as you feel OK with it, you no longer need to buy any toilet paper! The problem is how often should I wash it? If you live in Seattle, just let the rain wash it for you. You will save big in your life.

 
Magic Trash Bags
These trash bags have “Property of US Mint” printed on them. Leave them anywhere outside your house at night. They will disappear magically the next morning before you knew it. Now you don’t have to pay the city to dispose your trash! You saved around $20 every month!

 

Most people don’t wear socks when they are wearing sandals in the summer, simply because they don’t like the plain white socks. Those are the socks you wear when you hike, run, and do excercise, not for casual wear sandals. Today let’s introduce some new types of socks for you to pair with your summer sandals to have a more colorful look and yet protect your toes or heels at the same time.

Mix and Match
You will find the largest selections of mix and match socks from littlemissmatched.com. Socks are sold in 3 single ones, you can mix any two of them.

Half Socks
They are designed for ballet dancer. But they also look good on sandals. Find more half socks at discountdance.com. Use your imagination to mix and match them!

Toesocks
Search Injinji socks at Amazon you will find plenty of them. With toes seperated and covered, they are perfect for thong sandal styles.

Half Toe Socks
Search ToeSox at Amazon to find these types of socks. Designed with 5 toes seperated and open, they offer you with greater flexibility and strength.

Heel Socks

For those who need to protect their heels while want to display their becautiful nails, these heel socks are you.

Open Toe Half Socks
They do not protect your heels nor toes. But they definitely add more colors to your sandals!

Ballet Liner Socks
They look like a pair of ballet shoes with more colors. Wear them with your fashion sandals and add some serious glamor to your look!

Most online stores are doing business with honesty, and they got rewarded by happy returning customers. But there are stores that didn’t do business that way. I can’t list all of these stores by their names, there are just too many. But you should learn the way they are doing business.

1. List Lowest Prices on Comparison Engines
Lots of people do a price comparison before they buy. That’s a good habbit. But it is usually not wise to go for the store that has the lowest price. Most price comparison engines add shipping cost into the total when they compare prices, but some don’t. Watch out, there are dishonest stores that list lowest prices and free shipping. When you enter their sites and ready to checkout, you will notice that there is a handling fee!

2. Low Price With Low Configurations
My email account is stuffed with Dell’s promotional emails. I bought once from Dell.com years ago, when their prices were lower than most other major brands, such as IBM (there is no Lenovo at that time) and Compaq (before it was sold to HP). It is not the case any more. You may see an unbelievable low prices from one of their ads. When you enter Dell.com, you notice the price you saw is for computers with outdated CPUs, or discontinued hardwares or operating systems. You have to pay a lot more to to custimize a machine to fit your needs.

3. Low on Main Item, High on Accessories
There are some electronic stores, especially some stores that sell digital cameras, who listed very low prices on their websites. But if you need some extra accessories, such as SD card, tripod, or camera bag, you will be ripped off. Those prices could be a few times higher than they should be. They don’t make profit from selling cameras, but get enough conpensation from accessories. In some worst cases, they will call you and ask you if you need filters or something else, if you refused you will be told that the item you wanted are out of stock.

4. Amazon Marketplace With Super Low Prices
Some stores do not get enough traffic. So they open a store at Amazon, called marketplace. They may list a much lower price than Amazon can offer, but you have to pay a very high shipping fee. If you don’t pay enough attention, you’d think the item is sold by Amazon and probably add the item to cart without blinking an eye.

5. List items that they don’t have
Lots of stores do that because they think they will get more people to visit their sites. And it is very likely that people probably end up buying something else they do have. Bestbuyeyeglasses.com and Shoes.com are among them who use this trick.

6. Stores Located Outside of USA
You thought a website written in English and priced in dollars is an US site? Probably not. Even if they have an US address and phone number, they are not necessarily an US-based website. Many honest aboard retailers will state it very clear on homepage they ship from other countries and may take a longer time to deliver to you. But dishonest stores do not say anything or hide that information deeply. When you saw something unbelievable cheap, raise a question mark. Check out their shipping policy or contact them directly by phone. PriceAngels.com is one of them.

7. Sell Replicas At Prices of Real Ones
I am against the websites who sell replicas. But at least you tell people that the items are replicas. Unfortunately websites like PrimeRunway.com and DolceFugo.com sell replicas as if they are selling real ones. Remember, most luxury bags and watches are direct sale only, which means you can only buy them at their official web stores if you wan to buy only.

I am sure you have done enough researches online or in stores before you buy any appliance or power tool. They cost you from a few hundred dollars to a few thoudand dollars, you’d better be very cautious when you are ready to pay. Unless it comes with defects, there is no free return, because you will be charged of delivery fee or installtion fee or even restokcing fee as high as 10% of the total price. Read following tips before you go out and shop, they may save you hundreds today, or in the future when you need services or extra accessories.

1. Think Again Before You Buy
If you want to upgrade your car, build a new deck, or mow the lawn on your own, please do the math first: how much you will need on the materials and how much you need spend on the tools. Do you really need a new set of tools? Can the old ones do the job?

2. Is Renting Tools a Good Idea? It Depends.
Renting a power tool can be as expensive as buying a new one. If you are going to use the tool more than once or twice – which is very likely, you’d better buy it. If you really need it for once or twice, why not ask your neighbours or friends? In some cases it makes sense to rent one, for example, if you want to complete a single project.

3. Home Depot or Lowes Don’t Have The Lowest Prices
When you are ready to buy appliances or power tools, the first name pop into your mind is probably Home Depot or Lowes. They can get large volume discount on commodities like lumber or drywall, but not on appliances or power tools. If you perfer to shop at local stores, Sears is the best place. But I would highly recommend to buy power tools online at NorthernTool.com, or appliances at AppliancesConnection.com. Shipping are always free, and you don’t have to pay state sales tax. There is no need to compare the prices with Home Depot and Lowes. You can be assured they offer better prices, that is what they live for.

4. Big stores’ serivces are worse than family operated stores
If you think big stores can offer better services, you are wrong. When you make a phone call to their call center, you are probably talking to someone located in India. It is impossible to connect you with either your original salesperson or a service expert. When you call you, you will be directed to representtives one by one, and you need to explain your situation over and over again. This is not the case when you purchased from a mom and pop operated business. The serive man could be the owner of the store. You will get your problem solved much quicker than dealing with those big sotres.

5. Big stores don’t have their own installers and service men
Neither Home Depot nor Lowes has their own service team. They outsource their jobs to small businesses or independent personels. So don’t expect big stores have professionals that are more knowledgeable on how to solve your problems.

6. Ask For Parts Availability
Before you decide to check out, be sure to ask the sales man that if the item you are buying accepts compatible parts & accessories. If not, you ‘d better thank again. If accessaries are needed regularly, for example, filters and batteries, they could be very costly, while compatible replacements could be a fraction of the original prices.

Last week we wrote a post on 10 Priceless Experiences You Should Give to Children. Today we want to continue on 10 priced experiences you should give to your children. Some will cost you $100, some may cost more than $10000. Some of them may be your dream when you were a kid, but never realized. Some of them you can do every week.

Chuck E Cheese
Kids under 10 years old all like Chuck E Cheese. Not beucase of the pizzaa, but the arcade games they can play. Remember the arcade game Pac Man you played when you were young? You can still find it at Chuck E Cheese. Don’t forget to print some coupons online before you go.

Six Flags
When kids grow up, Six Flags is the number one place they want to go with their friends. But you can start to take your kids to Six Flags when they reach 36 inch tall, otherwise there are many rides they can’t go even with an adult. Be sure purchase admissions and parking online. For Six Flags Over Texas, each ticket you can save $17 if you buy within 72 hours of your trip, or save $20 if you buy 3 days in advance.

Water Park
Water parks are all kids favorite. Water slides, wave pool, raft adventure ride, or lazy river can all be hours of fun. If you live in a big city or even a mid-size city, you should be able to find the one in the local. Be prepared to stay there for whole day.

Disneyland
Personally I don’t like it at all. Not because it is no fun, but because the line is too long. Even with a flash pass, you still need to wait. It will be worse if you visit during the holidays. But it is every kid’s dream to visit a Disneyland.

Live Sports
If you or your husband is a sports fan, take your kids to the games you like. If not, try to enjoy the games your kids like most. It is not about what games you like, it is the quality time you spend with them.

Beaches
I used to play sand a lot when I was kid. Now it is my kids’ turn. They seem to enjoy more when playing sand than swimming. A beach resort with a water park built in is perfect for kids of all ages. You can drop off the kids in the park and enjoy some couples’ time with a few drinks.

Ski
Start teaching kids to ski when they are young. Go to Colorado or Utah, the best ski resorts and ski schools are there. If you don’t want to ski, you can leave your kids with a personal coach. One coach can usually teach 6 kids or less at a fixed price. You can save some money if you find someone to share.

Yellowstone
Yellowstone is one of national parks you have to go. Some of my friends even drove there every summer. 2 days in the park is enough. But it would be nicer if you could slow down and spend a few days more.

New York
There is no other city like New York city. You don’t need to go to Times Square, because it is no bigger than a football field and crowded with hundreds of tourist. But Empire State Building, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Statue of Liberty are the places you can’t miss!

Foreign Countries
Visiting Europe is expensive. An alternative is to visit China or India. The majority cost is the airfair. You wouldn’t spend too mcuh on food or lodging. Mexico is another not bad choice.

Moms, we have been working hard for kids and dads, haven’t we? What do we get in return? Maybe more work? Now it is time to treat ourselves nicely. You can’t reply on dads to get you some nice gifts you really wanted. You probably receive these worst gifts year by year from them. Shopping in the stores is nice when you have enough time. If you are too busy to go out, here are some places you can shop online safely for luxury gifts you deserved.

Luxury Clothing
Shopbop.com is my number one choice for designers’ dresses, tops, denims, skirts, and pants. If you have your favorite designers, go direct to Designer’s Index. Otherwise check by categories. Don’t miss the “What’s New” section. The dresses you saw on InStyle magazines or on runways can be found here as soon as available.

Designer Index

Luxury Plus Size
IGIGI proved to you that plus size dresses can be sexy too. Dresses are display on real plus-size models with both front and back views. Now you know what it will look on you. If you shop today, we have a 10% off coupon for your entire order.

Luxury Maternity Dress
For moms to be, IsabellaOliver.com is highly recommended by thousands of other happy shoppers. Here you can found dresses featured in Vogue magazine, worn by Emily Deschanel.

Luxury Bags
Bluefly is offering $40 off and free shipping for this mother’s day. But even without this coupon, Bluefly’s prices are much cheaper than those at Neiman Marcus. You don’t find all the luxury bags here online at Bluefly.com, but the ones listed here are deeply discounted with up to 80% off the listed prices. You could find designers handbags from Chloe, Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Gucci, and many more.

Luxury Shoes
I usually don’t recommend to buy shoes online, especially luxury shoes. You need to try shoes on and walk for a few minutes before you buy. Nordstrom is the best place to buy luxury shoes, both in store and online. Its online store offer free shipping and free returns. Or you can return to stores if you like. That means you can buy several pairs online, try them on at home, and return the ones you don’t like.

Luxury Swimwear
You don’t find these kind of luxury swimwear at Victoria’s Secret or Pac Sun. The orchid boutique offers high end swimwear with prices from $100 to $300. You can top designers like Agua Bendita, Badgley Mischka, Paradizia, Salinas, Vix, and many more. They are a few times more expensive than regular ones, but they can last a few years longer than those too.

Driving Around for Cheaper Gas
Within range of a few miles, the gas price could be 3 cents to 5 cents different. Let’s do the math. Now the average price per gallon is $4.00. Driving 2.5 miles (5 miles for a round trip) on a 25MPG car will cost you $4*5/25=$0.80. If you found a 5 cents cheaper gas station, for a 12 gallon tank, you can save $0.05*12=0.60! You see, you are not saving money at all! In some cases you could probably save a quarter or two, if you have a bigger tank or the gas station you found are selling gas at 10 to 20 cents cheaper. But why don’t spend a few more minutes with your kids? Besides, you can easily save more money by turning off the light when you leave the room.

Cut your own hair
I actually tried a few times myself. It didn’t work out. The worst part is that I felt terrible for at least a month! It is just not worthy to save $10 to $20 every month on hair cut.

Get a cheap dress
You probably wear dress once or twice every year. When the moment comes, you don’t want to embarrass yourself with cheap looking dress. It also applies to men. A good suit or a pair of dress shoes can last for years.

Get Cheap Luggage
When you purchase a luggage, you should pay attention to warranty. A good brand can come with 10 years or even 30 years of warranty. And it can last your whole life with good care, while a cheap one can last at most 3 to 5 years.

Shop for Promotions
Not all sales promotions are born equal. “Save 10% with any purchase” is a good one. But “Save 10% with $100 order” is not. You end up buying something you don’t need. Ignore the sale tag that marked with “80% off MSRP”. The MSRP could have been raised 800%.

Shop Black Friday
Standing outside the store and waiting for the Black Friday sale is the worst idea to save money. You probably get bunch of cheap items. But ask yourself, do you really need them? Isn’t it better to stay with your family and not buy anything at all?

Buy things in bulk
Buying things in bulk from Sams Club could reduce the cost per item, but you waste a lot as they went bad before you could consume them. Buy only as much as you can consume. Or if possible, split the bulk items with your friends or neighbours.

Get cheap insurance
Many people have turned online to shop for health or auto insurance. There are many cheap ones for you to choose from. But a good insurance doesn’t come cheap. Read the fine print carefully to find out. If you are not sure, go visit a insurance agent and get the answers.

Refinance Unnecessarily
Refinance is a good way to save on your mothly mortgage payment. But it usually comes with a one time fee, – read the GFE (Good Faith Estimate) and locate the fees and costs associated with your loan. There are many articles that cover this issue. Do your research before you refinance.

Do your own tax
Turbo tax is a good software, you could finish the tax report if you spend a few nights. But if you spend a hundred dollars on a tax professional, you could probably get a few thousand dollars in return!