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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!

Hello, daddies, don’t make the same mistake you did last year! A wrong gift can be worse than no gift at all. Mommies may have told you that we need something for our house, or she needs to buy something. That doesn’t mean they actually want those for their Mother’s Day gifts.

Weight Loss
Weight loss books, DVDs, programs, software, gadgets, equipment, or supplements are ranked as number 1 of worst gifts you can give to your wife as Mother’s Day gift. It is OK for them to complain to you that they are over weighted, but they don’t want to agree with that. Even if they are using these products

 
Self Improvement
Your wife may love to cook, it doesn’t mean they need a cooking lesson, especially as a gift from you. Because it implies that she needs to improve her cooking skills. A book about how to improve marrage or how to cope with anger is only worse. Religious books aren’t any better.

 
Clothes/Shoes/Bras
Unless you know exactly her sizes and the manufacturers make the exact cut according to the size chart, don’t buy any clothes, shoes or bras as Mother’s Day gift. You will end up returning the items to the stores.

 
Cleaning Supplies
A toilet-bowl brush set, a vacuum cleaner, a roomba are the worst gifts for mom. They deserve to have one day break on Mother’s Day!

 
Cooking Supplies/Appliances
A set of pots, an apron, a coffee maker, a toaster, or a juice maker are as bad as above cleaning supplies.

 
Home Improvement
No women like home improvements, especially when it follows with spending time during the weekends. Moms are busy already, what good a screen door, blinds, or curtains can do to them?

 
Auto Accessories
Your wife complained that her car keeps getting dirty by spilled milk or food, or muddy from children’s shoes. Will a WeatherTech mat set work? Well, it will work for your car, but it is not a good Mother’s Day gift. Because it is supposed to be your job to buy one and install it for her car, not as a gift for the special day!

 
Coupon Books
Whether you made one by yourself, or bought one from Entertainment Book, it is a good idea for mom only if you are 10 years old.

 
Gifts Dad Like
Most dads want to get a new gadget for Father’s Day, such as a big screen TV, digital SLR camera, computer accessories. Please don’t assume that women like those too.

 
Pets
Moms can be dog or cat lover as you are, but they definitely don’t want to get one for Mother’s Day, especially as a surprising gift. Besides, raising a pet can be a big responsibility. Ask her in advance if she really wants one.

 

Children bring laughter to your life, children give you a happier marriage. But raising children is sure no easy. It is not about giving them food and clothing, nor pushing them to study to be a pianist or a doctor in the future. I do not agree with the tiger mom. I think she rasied her children in the worst way I could imagine. Maybe that’s because we have different expectations for our lives. I want my children to be happy, and be able to love in their life.

10 Priceless Experiences
1.Experience of A Happy Family
Children need the connection of a family. They need to have a feeling belonging to a family, no matter you are divorced or not. Give them a family that is happy, safe, and stable.

2.Experience Love
Love not only comes from the family. Show your love and help others in need. Your children will learn from you.

3.Tackle a problem independently
Let them solve the problem on their own. Let them try. You need to give them the guidance, but not doing it for them.

4.Participation in work
Give them a work that they can handle. Pay them if needed. They should be able to enjoy the work as part of their life.

5.Dealing with a different opinion
When children have a different opinion, listen to them, tell them to try. When you are able to listen to a different opinion from them, they will listen to yours as well.

6.Taste the failure
Nobody can be plain sailing in the entire life. Learn to accept failures. Ask them be strong. Stand up with them. Work a way out with them.

7.Go out with them
Go fishing, camping, hiking with them during the weekends. Or ride a bicycle with them if you don’t have too much time..

8.Share Your Emotions
Sharing happyness is easy to do. But there is nothing wrong to share your sadness with your children. They will learn how to deal with negative emotions from you.

9.Share Your Past
Tell them the stores in your childhood. Tell them what you did wrong or right, what you learned in the past. Children will open their hearts to you too.

10.The experience life and death
Tell them the truth about life and death. Help the young and the old that in need. Learn to respect the life.

We will continue next week for a list of 10 priced experiences you should give to children…

Some people are short of money all the time. It is not because they made less money than others, but because they spent a lot more than others. Are you one of them? See following 5 bad buying habits. If you have one of them, please think again that you may want to stop doing that starting from today. If you have all of them, I bet your life is a mess, you may need seek professional help.

Impulse Buy
This is the number 1 bad habbit, and it is very hard to change. Ladies, how could resist a new fancy dress, despiting you have more than 20 similar ones in your closet, right? It is also very hard for man not to buy a new gadget, such as the new iPad. Here is the trick that might help you to change your mind: when you are ready to buy, say to yourself “Let’s buy it tomorrow”. It is very possible that you change your mind a day later.

Buy Because of Promotions
Promotions are the tricks that retailers use on you to spend more than you should. Buy one get one 50% off, sounds attractive? The truth behind it is that you end up spenging more, and retailers make more money. 20% off with $100 order or more? That means you have to at least spend $100, while all you planed to spend was probably $10.

Stick to a store because of rewards points
Many retailers offer reward points for your purchases. Usually $1 is equivalent to 1 point. You can redeem these points for some free products (such as Sephora) or even use it as cash for future purchase (such as Buy.com). I am not saying that these reward programs are bad. Actually you should join them to save some money or get something free. But please don’t stick to these shops because of the points, other shops may provide same products as lower prices.

Financing Unncessarily
When you buy an expensive item, such as a large appliance, furniture, or a diamond ring, many retailers will offer financing options, with no interests for the first 6 months. You may be eligible for additional discounts and promotions. The truth is that if you can’t afford it today, you are very unlikely that you can afford it 6 months later. If you still think you can, wait for 6 months and see.

Pay Later
With BillMeLater or Easy Pay, you won’t get billed until 30 days later. And after that you can choose to pay in full, or pay month by month with APR rate as high as 19.99%. Sounds pretty much like the above financing plans, right? But only worse. Financing does not hurt your credit scores, but BillMeLater or Easy Pay will. With a lower credit score you will pay high interest rate on your mortgage and car loans, or affect even your inurance rate!

Mother’s Day is May 13th. You start to get a headache because of not knowing what gifts you should get for your mom and your wife, don’t you? Here is the rule: give the gifts according to how fat is your wallet. You don’t want to get an equity loan just to buy her an expensive gift. Mother’s Day is about appreciation, about love. Say something nice to her, help her to do the laundry, or a thank you from your deep heart is probably better than any other gift.

A Gift for Free
Handmake a mother’s card with paper flowers, or dry flowers from your backyard. Write something nice on it. There are many craft ideas for Mother’s Day here. If you are too lazy to do anything, at least you can send an e-card via email. Not recommending, though.

$10 Gift
10DollarMall.com is my favorite place to shop for gifts under $10. See following necklaces, only $5 or $7.50 each! They look like $100 pieces at Nordstrom, don’t you think so? For gifts under $10, the standard shipping cost is $2.99. That means with $7.99 to $10.49 you can get ne of these necklaces. There are more than 400 styles to choose from. No tax paid if you live outside of the state of California.

 

 

$20 Gift
OneHanesPlace.com is running a 50% off sale on Bali bras. It is valid on all Bali bras! See the following beautiful bras, only $18 each! There are 41 styles to choose from today, but will be gone fast. If you shop today (4/25) and tomorrow (4/26), there is an extra 25% off everything with promo code SAVE25, no minimum purchase required. If you buy a $18 bra, minus 25% off ($4.50 off), add a $5.99 shipping, a $0.56 estimate tax, the total brings $20.05! Customized T-shirt is another way of showing your love. Print your words on the T-shirt, or soemthing special between two of you, or even a picture of your last vacation. Try CafePress or Spreadshirt, you can one shirt at around $20.

 

$30 Gift
If you want to get some better jewelrys, try Chicos. Their designs are very unique. Prices are from $40 to $60. But there is a 40% off coupon for Mother’s Day gift shopping. Just enter code “17424” to get extra 40% off these jewelrys, which brings the total price down to $30 to $35.

$50 Gift
With $50 in your pocket, you now have a very large selection. You can get a pair of shoes at Payless.com. You can get a bottle of perfume at FragranceNet.com. Please don’t try to get skincares and makeups for ladies. You don’t know what to buy and you don’t know what your lady needed. Perfume is OK, as long as you buy the most popular ones.

 

$100 Gift
At Stauer.com, you can get a very decent jewelry for $100. From now to 4/30, you can get this Tanzanite Sunburst Necklace, with a matching studs for only $99! Must use promo code 38697 during checkout to receive the discounted price. There are many other $99 items to choose from, eg: Stauer Avalon Ring and Earrings, Item # 21020; DiamondAura Riviere Bracelet (20 1/3 CTW), Item # 20244; Amethyst Maiden Bracelet & Earrings Set, Item # 21747, etc. Shipping is free, no tax, all you pay is $99! So far I have not seen any other jewelry store who can provide such low prices.

 

Recently we have received many phone calls and emails regarding the issues people ran into while using our website. I have been using coupons for years, everything seems to be pretty straight forward to me. But apparently they are not to everyone. There are people who don’t know how to use coupon code, people wanted to find out why coupon doesn’t work, people called us complaining the order did not go through, people emailed us complaining that his credit card was over charged, people complaining shipping was too slow. For this reason, we list the frequent asked questions here and hope our answers can solve your questions, and help you to make full use our coupons and save your money you deserved to.

1.What is online coupon?
Like the coupons you clipped from your Sunday newspaper, online coupons are used to save your money while shopping online.

2.How to use online coupons?
There are two types of online coupons: coupon code and coupon link. Coupon code can also be referred as discount code, promo code, promotion code, offer code, promotional code, gift code, catalog code, referal code, source code, redemption code, priority code, key code, etc. When you are ready to check out from the retailer’s website, copy the code listed on our site and paste into the textbox on the retailer’s checkout page where it says “Coupon Code:” (or similar phrases we listed above) and click “apply”. Coupon link is a type of coupon without any code. All you need to do is to click on the link and enter the retailer’s website, do your shopping as you usually do, discount will be applied automatically when you check out.

 

3.What if coupon doesn’t work?
Well, if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. We can’t do anything about it. Retailers have the right to allow or disallow the coupon. And we do not guarantee the coupon to work.

4.What if I have trouble while shopping online?
I hate to say this, but we have nothing to do with your shopping. If you ran into trouble, please contact the retailer directly. You can always find their contact information on their website. You can either call, email or live chat. If you can’t find their contact info, stop shopping immediately!

5.What if I have questiones after I placed the order?
Again, please contact the retailer directly.

6.What if I did not receive the item?
If you have a tracking number, track your order at USPS.com, Fedex.com, and UPS.com. If not, contact the retailer, not us, and ask why.

7.How did you get those coupons?
Every day we read the retailers’ newsletters, read their tweets, read their facebook fan page, and check their websites to see if there are new coupons available. Some retailers also write or call us to list their coupons.

8.What can you offer to us?
We collect coupons and list as many and accurate as possible for you to use. But we can not gurantee all of them to work, and we do not have the man power to verify them every day. We list them all for free.

9.Can I use these coupons in stores?
It depends. Some stores will allow you to do that. But to make sure please call the store before you go.

10. When should I use your contact form?
We have a contact form. Contact us if you found a broken link or an invalid coupon. We will try to update our page within 24 hours. But please don’t contact us if you have trouble during or after shopping. We can not help either. All we do is collecting coupons for those online retailers. We had nothing to do with them.

A good mattress will usually cost more than $2000, and will come with a 30 year warantee. But do you really get a new mattress every 30 years? The normal lifespan of a mattress is 5 to 7 years, depending on the amount of use and original quality. The top quality mattress can last 8-10 years, but no more than 10 years. Actually the biggest issue is dust mite infestation, not the mattress quality. When you feel uncomfortable or when you get backpain after when you wake up in the morning, it is definitely time to get a new one.

Before you leave home to shop, watch the following video for some mattress basics and learn how to choose a mattress best for you.
 

Local Mattress Stores:
Mattress Firm is my favorite store to shop for mattress. Reason? Because it is closest to my home. If you are very picky about your mattress, you have to visit one of the local mattress stores. Take your time during the weekends, go visit Mattress Firm, Mattress King, or Mattress Giant, and try the mattress one by one. Do you know prices at these stores are negotiable? Don’t be afraid to ask the salesman for discount. If you don’t ask for a discount you won’t get one! You should ask for at least 50% off the final marked price. Don’t be fooled by the original price on the tag, because these retailers usually mark up the prices as much as 500% or more. If you don’t get 50% off, walk away. Here is te trick, leave your phone number to the salesman. Wait for a few days, you will most likely recevive a phone call from them. Ask for the lowest price they can offer. You should be able to get a 60% off the price.

Online Mattress Stores:
If you know what brand and model for buy, visit online mattress stores such as Sleepys.com or 1800Mattress.com. Sleepys.com is running a 1/2 off every mattress sale recently. But the truth is their prices are always around half of those in local stores. Don’t forget to use their online coupon codes. They currently have a 10% off coupon, sometimes even a 20% off coupon! Number1Direct.com is another place I want to recommend. They don’t offer cash discount coupon, but the mattress prices are usually 1/3 of the MSRP! If you could find te model you like, this is the best place to shop.

Department Stores:
It is hard to compare the prices between stores, because the matress manufacturers call the exact same product by different labels depending on who is selling it. But when you shop at wholesalers such as Costco and Sams Club, you should be assured that the prices are competitive. It is not easy to try mattresses at Costco and Sams Club. But it doesn’t mean you can’t try. Other department stores that sell mattress are JC Penney, Walmart, and Sears. Sears is the only one I would recommend. Their prices are good when on sale. Sign up their newsletter to get notified when their mattresses are on sale. Today there is 10% off all Sealy mattress at Sears online with coupon code SEALY10. Enjoy!

Tell me: how many times did you have sex every week in the first year of your marriage? Maybe 7 days a week, or even more? After more than 10 years, how many do you have now? A better sex will not only improve the relationship between you and your spouse, but also good for your health. Read a dozen reasons why sex benifits your body if you don’t believe me. Today we list 10 must-haves for you to improve your sex life, and where to get them at lower cost.

Condoms
Condoms can protect both man and woman from sexually transmitted diseases. They also can be as pleasurable as many other sex toys if you got the right one. Highly recommend to get this Durex Pleasure Pack – 48 Pack, inclucding 8 Sensi-Thin, 8 Intense Sensation, 8 Tropical, 8 Her Sensation, 8 Extra Sensitive, 8 Pleasuremax. It is only $12.29 at Costco. Please don’t take the risk to get those cheap ones at Amazon. They are mostly made in India, possiblely fake ones.

Massager
I bet this Hitachi Magic Wand Massager is originally designed for back massage, otherwise it won’t be so big! Now it is the most popular clitoris massager in America. Today the cheaptest place to buy is Amazon for $54.95, with no tax and free shipping. Eden Fantasys is offering a 20% off coupon site wide on full price items. But too bad this magic wand is so popular that it is sold out already.

Rabbit Viabrator
Every woman loves rabbit vibrator. Before you buy, make sure you find the right size. Its width can be as thin as 1 inch, or as wide as 2 inches! Get the right one you are used to. AdamEve.com or AdamEveToys.com is the best place to buy. You can find 68 different rabbit vibrators for you to choose from, prices range from $39 to $69. Don’t forget the use the 50% off one item coupon. After the coupon, you definitely get the best deal.

Annal Viabrator
Mini Internal Sensations Vibrator is the best annal starter for both men and women. It is rated 5 stars by users at Adam and Eve, and price is $24.95. But you can get it for only $15.59 – a 40% saving, at EdenFantasys.com.

Lubricants and massage oils
You can get them for free at EdenFantasys! This website offers free lubricant offer very often. Today it has a free Blueberry Glide lubricant with purchase of Waterproof turbo glider blueberry bliss – traditional vibrator.

Sexy Lingerie
ForplayCatalog.com offers the sexy lingerie at the most affordable prices. You don’t need them to last for years, cheaper is better, because you can get one every month at the cost of two cups of coffee at Starbucks. See the unbeatable price below: only $10.99 each! It would cost more than $40 a piece at other stores. If you want to something different, try Funlove.

Sexy Costumes
Get a new look with sexy costume, not for Halloween, but for your romantic night. Men will get turned by them. Amiclubwear is the best and cheaptest place to buy. Please wait for the 40% coupon to get a better deal, as it comes several times every month. Actually there is an active 40% off coupon, code: MOVING40. Prices vary from $50 to $100, but after the coupon it is not so bad, because you sure get some unique looking costumes with quality. There are hundres to choose from, dived into many categories, such as: Animal Costume, Pirates Costume, Bug Costume, Schoolgirl Costume, Nurse Costume, Gangster Costume, Storybook Costume, Army Costume, Sports Costume, and many more!

Sex Furniture
This is the one you must have. The original label Esse by Liberator can give many postions you have never experienced before. It comes with a position guide booklet for free with your order. Be creative, you will probably find hundreds more positions!

Adult Videos
There is no need to buy any adult DVDs. You can get many free ones from Adam Eve. At our Adam Eve coupons page, there are many coupon codes and coupon links for 50% off one item plus free gifts. The free gifts usually include 3 free DVDs. Sometimes they offer coupons for 40 free videos!

Sex Positions App
Get 400+ A Sex Postions Free! Try the ones rated 5 stars by hundreds of couples, you will know how good they are, or explore something new.

April 22 is the Earth Day every year. There are hundreds of ways to save our earth, but they all start with you! Start today and conserve water, converve electricity and energy, go paperless, etc. But when it comes to shop for earth friendly products, the first thought popped into your mind might be: are they more expensive? You are probably right. Paper bags costs more than plastic bags, hybrid cars are more expensive than regular cars, organic food are more expensive too. But it is not always true. We want to list some stores that offer Earth Day discounts:

Toms Shoes
Toms Shoes is not the only shoe maker that sells earth friendly shoes. But sure it is the most popular one. There are a few $5 off coupons for you to shop online at Toms.com. But you can expect a bigger discount on Earht Day. Mark your calendar and shop Toms.com on 4/22.

Read ebooks
Buy ebooks and save our trees! And eBooks are usually cheaper than paper books. If you are used to buy ebooks at Amazon or directly from your Kindle Fire, you are definitely overpaid. Shopping at Kobo Books can save you as much as 50% compared to those at Amazon. Plus, we have many 20% to 40% off coupons available. If you need college textbooks, try CampusBookRentals.com to rent one. Some 5% to 8% off coupons available on our site.

Eco-friendly Mattress
Mattresses, pillows and memory foam from Keetsa are all made from natural plants. In the month of April, you can save 5% on your entire purchase. Their mattresses are price competitive if you compare to those at Mattress Firm. For example, the best sell Keetsa Plus mattress is $471.45 for Twin, $576.45 Full, $681.45 for Queen, and $891.45 for California King.

Eco Friendly Paper
If you can’t go completely paperless, please try to use eco friendly paper, which are recyclable or tree-free. Earth friendly paper can be same cheap as normal paper. Go to Quill.com to find these paper at lower cost. Many coupons are ready for you to save at Quill.com.

Replace Light Bulbs
When you buy light bulbs, please spend a few dollars more to get engery efficient bulbs, or compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs. They will usually save 80% off electricity: a 13 watt CFL bulb is equilalent to a 60 watt conventional bulb. Shop online and buy bulbs in bulk to save money. BulbAmerica.com is the place I will recommend. You can expect a 10% off coupon once every month.

Organic Personal Care Products
It is ok to use synthetic ingredients in personal care products. In fact some synthetic ingredients are currently allowed under the USDA National Organic Program. But here are The 10 Most Unwanted Ingredients In Personal Care Products. Try to avoid them! If you can’t remember, look for “USDA Certified Organic” seal on the bottle. To celebrate The Earth Day, Taget listed all the organic personal care products on one page. You can shop with confidence at Target.com.

Green Cleaning
You can find top green names, such as Simple Green, Seven Generation etc., all at Staples. Here is the page for all the green cleaning products. Staples ships to your home if your order is over $50. And there are many coupons available. You will get a better deal than shopping at your local Whole Food for these green cleaning products.

Organic Gardening
SaferBrand.com offers organic pesticides products and organic fertilizer. If you are pregenant or have a little baby at home, you’d better use these safer gardening products. To celebrate The Earth Day, SaferBrand is running a 20% off discount on their entire stocks, enter code SBEARTH2 during checkout!

Review Expenses on Grocery Shopping
If you don’t have the habbit to review your credit card or bank statements, you should start to do it today. Do it monthly, it won’t take you more than 10 minutes. You should know how much you spend on groceries every month. Are they in your budget? Are they out of your budget? What had happened? This is the first step to lead a frugal life.

Simple things add up
Don’t neglect simple things. Do you buy a morning coffee at Peets everyday? Quit it and make one yourself. Do you buy washed lettuce? Wash your own lettuce instead. Are salad dressings in your shopping list. Erase them and make your own salad dressings.

Get Discount Cooking Gear
If you are familiar with cooking gear brands, you should be able to find cheap one at a flea market or yard sale. If not, don’t bother to try.

Save Energy
Do you know how much you spend on electrity or natural gas every month? Besides the air conditioner, most of your electricity or natural gas are used in your kitchen. The tips here could easily save you some bucks. And it is not just to save your money, but to save our earth.

Save Your Messed-Up Meals
Overcooked? Overslated? Overly Spicy Foods? Don’t trash the meals, because here are the tips to save them. All you need to do could be as simple as adding a few spoonfuls of sour cream. It is not just for saving money. You probably don’t have time to cook another dish, especially when you are preparing food for a party.

Shop Kitchenware Online
Williams Sonoma is a good place to buy top quality cookware. The prices are high, though. Visit them if you are rich enough and all you care is to get the best products. Otherwise shop cookware online. If you know what need and what brands are the best, try Overstock.com first. If you found what you wanted, it usually offers the lowest prices. Amazon.com is a good place to read customers’ reviews. But you are not likely get the best price. Wayfair.com and Stoneberry.com are the websites I would highly recommend to shop for kitchenware. You will always find the best prices at these two websites. Lakeside Catalogue may not offer as many items to fit all your needs. But they definitely offers some great deals on cookware.

Save on Wines
Statistics shows that Americans consume 15.5 bottles of wines per year on average. And it is growing year by year.
Buy by the case: If you drink wines more than average, you have probably spent more money than you should have. Ask the clerk for case discount. Most of time 12 bottles is one case, but sometimes you only need to buy 6. You will usually save 10% after case discount.
Try different Wines: Who is producing high-value, low cost wines? Spain is my number one choice, but don’t forget Chile, Argentina and Australia for good quality wines at competitive prices. When you walk into a wine store, don’t be afraid to ask: what is the everyday red for under $10 you would recommend? Try something different once in a while.
Join Wine Clubs: WSJWine.com, ZagatWine.com and LaithwaitesWine.com are the ones I would recommend. Only high quality wines are offered by them. After join the club, you will receive 12 bottle of wines selected by experts every 3 months at discount prices (20% cheaper than non-member). They are also good places to buy wines in cases.

Last week we wrote a post on how to save money on international travel. To continue on the topic, we want to share some secrets that airline companies don’t want you know. You can use them to get a better seat, a free meal, free upgrade, etc.

Waive Penalty Fees
It is very common you need to change your airline tickets. When something comes up – your kid may get sick and your mom may come to visit, you have to call your airline company to reschedule your flights. You will be hit with the penalty fees, often well over $100 per ticket – AA charges $150 per ticket! There is something you probably don’t know: the penalty fee is negotiable! The agent may deny it, – you have to make up a good story and ask for it nicely. If rejected, ask to speak to the supervisor. You should at least get the fees partially waived.

Don’t Settle for The First Bump Offer
When the airline is overbooked, the gate agents will offer a nice coupon for the future flight if you agree to take another flight. But don’t accept the first offer. Last Christmas, when I was sitting in the airport waiting for my flight to New York City, the speaker anounced that 5 volunteers needed to take the next flight. The first offer is $200 coupon for each passenger, the second attempt is $400, the third time is $600, while the one way ticket was only sold at about $500. Someone actually made some money from it! Don’t forget to ask for a free meal while you are waiting if you have been bumped from a flight.

Best Time To Get Last Minute Airfares
The price of non-seasonal airfares remains relative constant up to about 21 days before the flight takes off. Then it start to change constantly with time, but usually hits highest around 2 weeks before the flight is set to take off. Then it starts to drop, and hits the lowest 48 hours to 72 hours before the flight takes off. That is when you should start to look for the last minute deals!

Upgrade Your Seats For Free
It is nealy impossible to cash in your frequent flier miles or buy tickets. But you can use them to upgrade your coach seats to business or first class at no extra cost. You can do that at the gate, but it is better to call the airline a few hours before the flight takes off.

Get a Better Seat
Please don’t let anyone know that I told you this trick. You can “accidently” spill something onto your seat and complain it to air hostess. As long as there is another open seat available, you will be moved, or even moved to a business class. Please make sure there is another seat available before you do so, otherwise you have sit on your own wet seat!

Higher gas price, weaker US dollars, international traveling are getting more and more expensive these years. We want to share with you some tips from our long time friend, Jim (he asked me not disclose his full name), who had traveled more than 50 countries in all five continent in his life. These tips will help you keep your budget without compromising quality.

Explore New Countries
Euros are getting stronger in 2012, which means you need to spend more and more dollars on a same trip. So don’t lay your eyes only on Europe. There are many other countries for you to explore. How about Brazil? China? Or India? You need an expensive round-way tickets, but you end up spending a lot less in those countries. To save more, see the next tip “Fly local”.

Fly Local
After you arrived in the country you are visiting, book tickets through the local airline companies or travel agents. If you don’t know any one in that country, ask your friends or friend’s friends. Having someone in local could save you big on hotels and food as well.

Take A Cruise
If you still want to visit Europe, take a cruise. Taking a cruise to Europe is much cheaper than taking a flight, because your primary food and lodging costs are already covered on the ship. A cruise line that hits major ports of call around Europe is as fun as traveling on the ground if not better.

Check out Local Travel Agents
You are probably use to book your entire trip via Expedia or Travelocity. The truth is they are not the cheapest as they used to be. Do a price comparison online before you book. Take some time to do the research. Then print the deal and call your local travel agent you are comfortable with or refered by your friends. And ask them if they can beat the deal. The chances are you will get a better deal from your local travel agent.

Try Airline Companies
Some airlines, such as AA and Delta, offer cheapest airfair only through their websites or phone reservations. You can also book hotels or activities through them, at the same rate as other major online agents. Don’t forget to use your milages.

Go out of Season
If you are planing a family vacation to Europe in summber, consider to go in the winter. If you want to go to Caribbean, consider June/July instead of winter. Off season tickets and hotel costs are much cheaper. You could save 30% to 50% on your entire trip!

Try Road Scholar
If you are a senior, consider Road Scholar. Road Scholar, the not-for-profit educational travel created by Elderhostel since 1975, offers 6,500 educational tours in all 50 states and 150 countries. Not only you can get an extremely low cost domestic or world-wide traveling, you also get to know many freinds in your age. Check out their website: RoadScholar.org for details. Don’t know where to start? Click on the “Most Popular” on left navigation menu to find out what others are thinking. A two week adventure to ITALY / CROATIA / GREECE is only $4825, about half of the price compared to most of travel agents.

Before the Internet era, it could be very inconvenient for the big and talls to buy clothes, shoes or swimwear, especially for those live in a small town. The places I used to visit is Ross and Marshalls. They sometimes have plus size dresses and pants for sizes between 12W to 18W. Today everything is made easy when you shop online for plus size tops, pants, dresses, shoes, swimsuits and underwears. Besides, most of these e-retailers offer discount coupons from time to time. All you need to do is to search “store name + coupon” in any search enigine, such as Bing or Yahoo.

Discounted Plus Size
BCOutlet.com: At Bargain Catalog Outlet, you can buy pant and get top 50% off with promo code 15589 today. Coupons like these are offered very often. They also have a section called “9.99 and under”, everything here are 50% to 75% off the original prices. Anyway, if you want it cheap, this is the place.
OneStopPlus.com: The name says it all. It has everything you need, including clothing, bras, shoes, swimwear, even men’s big and tall clothing. It has 25% off coupon today, code: OSPSPRINGTOP. The best about it is the list of brands available, which has about 200 brands listed on one page.
Roamans.com: It is the same company as OneStopPlus. But everything here are slightly cheaper. You can expect 20 to 40% off coupon to come in the next few days.

Plus Size Undergarment
JMS.com: Just My Size is the one recommended by many of my friends. It has the most selections of plus size bras, panties and sleepwears than other stores. Today it is offering a 20% off coupon for all swimsuits on top of the swimwear sale with up to $15 off.
HerRoom.com: It is not designed for plus size. But their plus size section has a very large selections on bras and panties. No coupons ever.

Formal Plus Size
LongTallSally.com: Mostly for office lady. Today it is offering 20% off all their workwear. Request a catalogue for free if you like.
Avenue.com: It is not exactly for work women. But their workwear section is the one I like most, with lots of unique designs not seen anywhere else. 30% to 50% off coupons are very common. Never check out without using any coupon!

Fashionable Plus Size
LaneBryant.com: Plus size can be trendy too. Until this weekend you can get 40% off with $150 order, or 50% off with $250 order. Just enter Code STYLE4YOULB during checkout. Coupons like this come quite often. Don’t get upset if you miss this one.
Torrid.com: Prices here are much higher than those at Lane Bryant. But you can expect much better quality here. They have local stores in 40 states. Check out if there is one if you area by entering your zip code. A 10% off coupon can become valid for a few days every month. Currently it is offering $10 off for select tops.
JessicaLondon.com: Click on the Spring 2012 on the top, you will see the new spring/summer styles by designers. Today you can get 40% or 50% off all clearance items. Enter the websites to see the promo codes.

Plus Size Swimwear
We wrote a post in Feb on swimwear shopping, in which we mentioned these two for plus size swimwear.
SwimsuitsForAll.com: Many coupons running in April. Better get one before summer. Today you can use promo code SAVE to receive up to 50% off your entire order.
CyberSwim.com: Check out their Miraclesuit! No coupons ever.

For men
DestinationXL.com: One stop shopping destination for big and tall men, shop your favarite brands such as Rochester Big & Tall, Casual Male XL, BT Factory Direct, ShoesXL in one place. It has $20 off coupon with minimum $100 order.
JosBankBigAndTall.com: Big and tall branch from Jos A. Bank, offering formal clothing for mens only. No coupons ever,

Large Size Shoes
Masseys.com: Masseys offers shoes for all sizes for both men and women. But its women’s wide width shoes are designed with extra comfort. Highly recommended. You don’t see coupons for this website very often. But you can usually expect one during national holiday days.
ShoesXL.com: Part of Destination XL. Large size dress shoes, casual shoes, and athelete shoes.

 

Having a dog is much like raising a child, except that you will get tax credit by having a child, but not by having a dog. It is a big responsibility. Ask your yourself if you are ready. I didn’t mean if you are mentally ready, but if you are financially ready. Buying a dog costs a few hundred dollars. But that’s not it. Keeping a dog will cost you more, usually from $500 to $1000 a year, depending on its size. Pet care costs can add up. Do more research, ask people you know that own dogs how much they spend each year for their pets, call a vet and ask for the costs of spay/neuter, shots, etc. Don’t forget grooming cost, it could be a big expense for some dogs.

 

Minimize the Cost of Buying a Dog

Going to a pet store to buy a dog is the worst idea to get a new dog. Not only because its price are always higher than it should be, but also because pet stores usually can not take good care of dogs, especially new born dogs. You don’t want to beark your heart by having a dead dog a few weeks later. My first choice would be the local pet shelters. Try to find one by zip code online at www.petfinder.com. You won’t get one for free, because there is an adoption fee applied, usually $200 to $300. But if you are a senior, you can definitely ask for a discount. If you are OK to spend more, try your local breeders, you can easily find one at www.breeders.net. If you want to save more, try craigslist. If you are lucky, you can get a good and healthy dog for as little as $30.

 

Minimize the start-up costs

Before shopping for dog crate or toys, ask your friends that that own dogs if they have dog crate or toys ready to give away. You probably won’t get a crate, but I am sure you can get some toys for free, or even dog belt or clothing for free. If you are thinking to get one at your local Petco or Pet Smart, don’t. Look at the following popular dog house. Its price varys greatly from store to store. Wayfair.com is the one I would highly recommend. Their pet supplies are always much cheaper than other stores, even without using any coupon. Amazon is the worst online store to buy dog crates, – not only because its price is the highest, but also because it charges shipping costs sometimes. If you are not comfortable with online shopping, go visit Sears.

 

 

Merry Products Ice Cream House for Dogs

Wayfair.com $89.99
Sears: $98.69
Petco.com: $107.99
Amazon.com: $129.99

 

 

 

 

 

Spend Less on Pet Food

Again, there is no need to visit Petco or Pet Smart store for dog food. Wayfair is the winner for buying dog food online. If you prefer to shop at local, visit Wal-Mart for cheap dog food.

 

 

AvoDerm Natural Chicken Meal and Brown Rice All Life Stages Formula Dog Food – 15lb
Wayfair.com $29.95
Petco.com: $31.89
Pet Smart: $33.99

 

 

 

 

Do consider Petco.com’s repeated delivery if you buy same dog food every time. Repeated delivery can save you about 10% on each bag, for example, the above dog will be $28.70 each, instead of $31.89. It is a big chunk of money every year! You can schedule once every week, every 2 weeks, or up to every 12 weeks.

 

Spend Less on Pet Medication

Shop around for pet clinics. Fees charged by veterinarians varied case by case, you have to try a few to find out. Shop around for pet medications as well. Ask your vet for prescriptions, not pills. There are many only stores who offers discounted pet medication. PetCareRx.com and 1800PetMeds.com are the ones most people visit. Besides, these online stores offer coupons very often, which could save you 10% to 20% each time.

 

When it comes online shopping, most of people have the impression that shopping online must have lower prices compared to that of the local stores. Is that what you were thinking? That is what I thought. My son loves board games. I will purchase one for him once every month. Most items are from Amazon. Why? Because in my experience they always have lowest prices. Well, that’s find out if it is true. I went to Wal-Mart yesterday and took pictures of 7 most popular board games along with price tags.

 

1. Monopoly Electronic Banking

Amazon: $28.71; Walmart: $24.76

 

2. Monopoly Cars

Amazon: $18.51; Walmart: $19.84

 

3. Monopoly Classic

Amazon: $13.45; Walmart: $11.97

4. Sorry

Amazon: $17.14; Walmart: $15.86

5. Connect 4

Amazon: $18.94; Walmart: $15.86

 

6. Blokus

Amazon: $24.17; Walmart: $24.97

7. Guess Who Extra

Amazon: $18.61; Walmart: $24.97

4 out of 7 the Wal-Mart store is clearly the winner with lower prices. 3 out of 7 Amazon offers lower prices, but only slightly cheaper. When you add with the sales tax, Wal-Mart is still the winner, but not much this time.

In conclusion: If you go to Walmart regularly, there is no need to buy toys at Amazon. Beside, it is easy to return or exchange items at your local Wal-Mart stores. If you don’t visit Walmart very often, Amazon is a not bad choice though. If price is sensitive to you, go visit Walmart.com and click on “Value of the Day” on top, you will see all price rollbacks and all clearance items. All the items here are guaranteed to have lower prices than other stores. Buy them online at Walmart.com and pick up at stores to avoid shipping fees.

 

Clever con artists always taget the older, female, and people who live alone. If you are one of them, be sure to read the following article to avoid scams. This article is mostly about Internet safety, tips to protect yourself, and to introduce you some of the scams you should avoid.

 

1.Protect Your Identity
I put this in the number one position, because it is the most important rule. Con artists can only reach you if you have your identity leaked. Did you ever leave your name and address in a contest? Regiser a gaming site or a forum with your real name? Don’t do that!

 

2.Don’t give out your bank information
This is actually as important as rule number 1. What con artists wanted from you eventually? Money, of course! They will talk you into the senario that you are willing to give out your bank information. If you are in it, talk to your friends, your family, or police for help.

 

3.Don’t send a check to someone you don’t know
Did you ever receive mails or emails asking you for donation? They may come from your college you graduated 20 years ago. Or claim to help children in Africa. Or claim you have voilated some city code that you need to send money to correct it. Con artists are very creative, arn’t they?

 

4.Unbelievable cheap? Then don’t believe it!
A luxury bag or watch on sale? 90% off the retail prices? Bid starts from $1? Sounds familiar? Yes, they are scams. If you are lucky, you will receive a fake item. If not, you won’t receive anything.

 

5.Avoid Phishing Emails
Phishing emails can have thousand of forms. If an email tells you that you have won a prize, it is a phising. Or it tells you you need to update your bank or credit card information, it is a phishing. Or it will tell you that debit or credit card has an unauthorized transaction. But be careful, this one is very tricky, because many legitimate bank or credit card companies do send out such warnings. If you can’t be sure it is a scam or not, be sure not to click on hyperlinks in emails. Hand type in the URL of your bank, credit card company, or the site you want to visit.

 

6.Avoid Phishing Sites
Phishing sites are actually very easy to tell. First, pay attention to the address bar of your Internet browser. Is it the one you think it is? Can you tell the difference between Paypal.com and Paypa1.com? Second, when you shop online and during the last check out stage when you need to enter payment information, make sure the address bar shows “https://” and the address bar turns green or blue to indicate that it is a certified website. If it is red, leave immediately.

 

7.Install a Internet Secuity Software
To avoid phishing emails or phishing sites, the simplest way is to get a internet security software. You can get one from Zone Alarm, AVG, Norton, or McAfee. Or even get one from Microsoft, Microsoft Security Essentials, for free.

 

8.Avoid Nigerian money transfer scams
It is a very typical advance-fee fraud. It starts with an email from a government or a wealthy foreigner that there is a large amount of unclaimed money or gold which he cannot access directly, and need youe help to retrieve it. In return, you will receive a big share of it. But you will need to pay some fees in advance. This scam started more than years ago. But there are still many victims fell for it and lost millions of dollars every year. There are many variations of this type of scam. See more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_scam.

 

9.Avoid ebay scams
No matter you are buyer or seller, there are many traps waiting for you on ebay. My suggestion is never use ebay! Read how you could be a ebay victim at http://www.scambusters.org/ebayscams.html.

 

10.You can’t get rich in one day
If someone, or some email, or some website tells you that you could be next millionair easily, it is a scam! It could be Pyramid schemes (or Multilevel marketing (MLM) schemes), detail is here, or Ponzi schemes.

I visited Nordstrom Rack yesterday. Just can’t resist the sale prices. Look at the price tag below, a Nike running pants was $60.00, now sale at $34.97; a Nike trainging pants was $75.00, now sale at $39.97; and a Under Armor was $24.99, now sale at $16.97! They fit very well on my husband and he is very happy about it. Guess what, today I found there are many websites have sportswear on sale. Let’s find out if we can find better deals.

 

ChristySports.com

Winter Clearance Sale – SKi clothing on sale with 40% off, Skies on sale with 40% off, and 40% off all winter jackets and pants. Opps, only ski gears are on sale.

—>Next

Sports Authority

See our Sports Authority coupon page, there is a 25% off coupon good for one item, valid through 4/10. It can be used both online and in store! You don’t see this kind of coupon very often. I am going to buy a bike for my son this weedend!

—>Next

Reebok

If you like Reebok, visit their online store at Reebok.com. With purchase of any RealFlex footwear, you can get 30% off apparel! This coupon will start from tomorrow(4/6), just enter code FLEX30 during checkout. A classics fleece pant costs $45. No good.

—>Next

Sierra Trading Post

Men, I love this store. It always offers many big discount coupons. For example, today it as a 40% off coupon, code: ALBRIGHT2. Not sure how long it will last. But you’d better hurry. It has many men’s running & fitness pants and tights on sale. I didn’t find the similar item I bought from Nordstrom Rack.

—>Next

East Mountain Sports (EMS.com)

Starting from 4/8 till 4/12, EMS offers buy one outlet item get second one 50% OFF sale. Find one in their outlet at deep discount: EMS Men’s Microfleece Pants was $39.00, now on sale at $19.98. If you buy two pairs, the second is only $9.99! What a deal, isn’t it? Tip: you’d better add them into your cart before 4/8, and check out in the early morning of 4/8.

 

In conclusion: I did not find similar items I bought at Nordtrom Rack for lower prices. But there are many other deals for your sports need. Particularly, you should check out EMS, and enjoy the buy one get one half off on outlet items. You need to click through the coupon link at our EMS coupon page to activate the discount.

Recently there are many coupons for buying shoes online. Here is part of the list:

Payless.com – 25% off, promo code: 65814.

Sears.com – 15% off Sears shoes with coupon code SEARSAPRIL.

Shoes.com – 10% off with code WANT10.

Shoecarnival.com – $5 off $40 or $10 off $75 with code BUNNY.

Puma.com – 20% Off Footwear & Free Shipping. No code needed.

Shoemall.com – 20% off Sitewide and Free Shipping with discount code EGGSTRA20.

If you are thinking to get one pair recently, don’t forget to use these coupons before Easter.

 

I bought a Chinese Laundry dress shoes from Shoes.com at $65 two weeks ago. It looks gorgeous, isn’t it?

But after wearing it to work for one day, I got a blister on the back of my heel! My husband gave me a terrible advise: wearing two pairs of socks. I actually listened to him. At first it feels alright. But one day later, it got worse. I figured it is because two pairs of socks made the shoes tighter than before. Well, my lovely husband gave me another advice, see the picture below. Guess what’s in the dust tape? A bandage! It is better than the first idea, but my skin react to the sticky dust tape by turning red.

The third day I have to leave the new shoes on the shelf. After asking my friends and did a little research online, I am supprised that there are many people talked about this and have come up with many ideas.

Heel Liner or Heel Inserts – Free!

Search heel liner or heel inserts at Amazon, I found many of them for $2 to $4 per pair. For a cheapskate like me, I don’t want to spend a dime on something I can do it myself. I found this video at Youtube which teaches how to make heel liner from scratch. It tooks me less than one hour to make one. I am proud that it actually worked! And I saved a few bucks!
 

 

Other products may be helpful

Band-Aid Friction Block: It forms a clear coat on your heel, reducing rubbing on skin. I have heard many positive feedbacks on this item. That’s why I would recommend this one to you in case you need it. Drugstore.com has the lowest price, only $5.99, plus free shipping and no tax if you live outside of Washington, New Jersey, Nevada, Connecticut, Illinois, and New York.

Dr. Scholl’s: Dr. Scholl’s is an expert on foot care products. You can find them easily at Target. Dr. Scholl’s Blister Defense Anti-Friction Stick is similar to Band-Aid Friction Block, but $1 more expensive at Drugstore.com. Or you can try Dr. Scholl’s For Her Rub Relief Strips, or Dr. Scholl’s For Her Rub Relief Stick.

Artificial Skins: 3M Tegaderm Transparent Film Dressings is the one. It is quite expensive though. Can be found at Walgreens.

To save money when shopping online, everybody knows that you should search coupons and deals online, or do price comparison for a certain item, or shop during the holidays. Today I want to share a few little-known secrets to save you even more.

 

1.Do Not Shop At Auction Sites

Well, technically, this is not a tip, but a RULE! Don’t ever shop at any auction site, especialy ebay.com. I have tried a dozen of times at ebay.com, each time I ended up with fake products or differnt items. And half of the time, I have trouble to get my money back. I don’t think I am the one with bad luck. It is human nature that people love lower prices, that’s why ebay attracted millions of users. It is also human nature that people love to make money in a dishonest way if they can easily get away with it.

 

2.Set a Price Alert

Some price comparison sites offer a function called price alert. Enter your email and the price you wanted, then sit back and wait. When the price reached the target,you will be notified by email. If you have the time to wait, this strategy works extreme well on electronics and computers. PriceGrabber.com is the one I love all these years.

 

3.Use Your Credit Card Wisely

First of all, if you don’t have a reward card, get one today. You can at least save 1% on everything you spent. Chase freedom card offers 1% cash back, while CapitalOne Cash Rewards card offers 1.5% cash back (in which 0.5% will be rewarded at the end of year). Currently they are the best reward card. Chase freedom card sometimes offers 3% to 5% back on select purchases, such as grocery this month. Don’t throw away all the mails sent by your credit card company. You may have missed many great opportunities. Also don’t forget to check out here if you are a Visa holder.

 

4.Check Coupon History

If you have visited our coupon page, you probably noticed that we have a section called “Recent Expired Coupons”. Click on the tab and review coupons expired in the past few months. Now you know how often the retailer will offer coupons, and how big the discount you should expect. Many retailers offer coupons only valid for a few days. If you found many coupons expired recently, then you should wait for the next coupon to come out.

 

5.Use Live Chat to Get Discount

Did you see a Live Chat button on the retailer’s website? If you do, click on it and ask if you could get a discount. Most of the cases, you will, but not for a big one. Still better than nothing, right?

 

6.Keep The Item In Your Cart for A Day or Two

If you don’t need the item right away, just add it to your cart and leave it for a day or two. Enter all your information except the credit card number. Within a day or two, you will probabaly received an email asking if you need any help to check out. Sometimes the retailer will just attach a coupon in the email to encourage you to check out. If no coupon, reply the email and ask for one.

 

Before the Internet era, in order to get something special, or something hard to find in the stores, the only way is to order via a catalog. Until now, it is still the number one choice for many people, especial for the older people. But is it still a good idea to do so today?

 

 

Are you paying higher prices on catalog mail orders?

Yes, you are

If you are ordering office supplies or computer accessories via catalog, you are most likely paying extra unnecessarily. I used to receive catalogs from Staples, Office Depot and Office Max. The prices listed on catalogs are same as those of in stores and on websites. But you don’t get the deals that offered in stores and coupons for online use only. Remember, these products have very thin profit margin. If companies have spent extra on catalog marketing, their prices are definitely higher than those don’t offer catalogs.

If you are ordering clothes via catalogs such as dELiA*s, Soft Surroundings, Woman Within, Jos. A. Bank, Alloy, Bealls Florida, or Blair, unfortunately, you are paying higher prices that you shouldn’t be. These retailers offer coupons, sometimes big discount coupons as higher as 40% off entire order, very often for you to use online. Browse these catalogs for fun. But when you decide to order, you’d better to place order online and try use some coupons.

If you like household items from Bellacor, Sure Fit, Terry’s Village, Lamps Plus, Miles Kimball, Fitz and Floyd, or BrylaneHome catalog, don’t just pick up the phone and place the orders from the catalog. Spend a few minutes to visit them online. It is possible you can find some promotions from their own websites. And you can easily find 10% or $10 off coupons for these retailers by searching at Google.

 

No, you are not

Some retailers hold one-price policy across all their marketing channels. Lego is one example. No matter you buy Legos from Toys R us, or from their chain stores, or from Lego.com, or from their catalogs, the prices are exact the same. They do not offer coupons at any time. Pillow Decor, Lakeside, Abc Distributing, LTD Commodities, Potpourri are this kind of retailers. You can order from their catalog, or from their website, all at the same prices. And they never offer coupons.

Some retailers offers coupons for their catalog orders as well as online orders. When you recieve the catalog, you should be able to find a coupon code hiding somewhere in the catalog. Just mention this code to the sales representative when ordering over the phone. Don’t use mail order, otherwise you won’t get the discount. Stauer is one of these retailers. Don’t knows how they manage to sell jewelry at such low prices, though.

 

The sun is shining, the leavies are turning green, and the birds are chirping. It is the perfect time to play golf! It ain’t cheap to play golfthough, not only because of the all the euipment you need, the golf course will also charge at $60 for each player. For amature players, it is not a good idea to buy an annual membership, which usually costs hundreds of dollars every year. You are probably used to by golf equipment at Golf Smith or online at The Golf Warehouse (TGW.com). Here are a few tips to save you more.

 

Book golf courses online

If you decided to go golfing this weekend, you’d better make a reservation in advance. Find the website of the golf course you are going. Making a reservation online is easy and will usually save you some money compared to the price at the counter. GolfNow.com is the one you should definitely try. It has over 3700 golf courses in their network. Just select the state and city you live in and find the course you are interested, and make a reservation online. It will save you 25% to 70% off the retail price. Think how much you can save every year!

 

Get Equipment at Outlet Store

Outlet stores will offer prices much lower than that of The Sports Authority in the shopping mall. Even better, there are plenty of golf outlet stores online, offering even lower prices. They probably don’t have everything you need, and the number of sale items are very limited. But the prices are unbeatable. For example, we listed a golf bag from GolfOutletUSA.com yesterday. The retail price was $249, and it was on sale at $64.99 for one day only. If you are a golf fan, signup their newsletters to receive such daily deals. RockBottomGolf.com is another one I like, they always offer some goodies for free with purchases.

 

Buy Preowned Equipment

A good golf club will last for years. Buying certified clubs from CallawayGolfPreowned.com will save you big money. For example, a popular RAZR X Tour Hybrids only starts at $91 (prices vary depending on conditions), while a brand new one at Golf Smith or Global Golf will cost $159. That’s not it. There are many coupons available for CallawayGolfPreowned.com. For a limited time yo can save 20% off your entire order with promo code CPOMAIL20.

 

Wholesale Golf

Do you know you can get golf tees and balls at wholesale prices if you buy large quality? Try GolfTees.com to buy tees in bulk, and Knetgolf.com to buy used golf balls in bulk. GolfTees.com don’t offer coupon ever, but Knetgolf.com offers 10% to 20% coupon from time to time.

 

1.Non-necessary Upgrades on Home Appliance

When you walk into Best Buy or Home Depot to get a new refrigerator, the salesman will introduce you the most expensive one according to your budget. They don’t care what is good for you, because their life depends on the commissions. You should get one with a LCD screen! This refrigerator has weather forecast! This one has a built-in LCD TV, and this one has a built-in cookbook! Do you really need them? Don’t be fooled. They are just trying to get extra bucks from your wallet. If you have the brand in your mind, just buy it online. AppliancesConnection.com is one of my favorites, always offering the lowest price. Plus you can save $10 to $900 with use of these coupons. If you prefer a local store, go to Sears and get a Kenmore or Maytag without any unnecessary funtion. Sears is online too, and by buying at Sears.com you can save $5 to $35 on any appliance with these coupons.

 

2.Buy Extra Accessories

If you bought a digital SLR camera online, the retailer will suggest you to buy a lens kit or extra memory card. If you bought a TV or speaker system, the retailer will suggest you to buy a surge protector. If you bought a pair of pants, the retailer will suggest you to buy a belt. If you bought a telescope, the retailer will suggest you to buy some filters. If you boght a computer, the retailer will suggest you to buy an external hard drive. Don’t buy any of them if you are not sure or 100% necessary. This is the way these retailers make money! They probably offer the lowest prices on the item you needed, but the accessories could be marked with higher than normal prices. If you think you really need them, do a price compare again to find the lowest prices.

 

3.Get A Fastest Computer

Every year or every few months Intel and AMD will have a faster CPU. The computer with a latest CPU will always cost you a few hundred dollars more. Beside, if you get the fastest one today, it won’t be fastest a few months later. So why bother to get a fastest CPU? Ask yourself what you need the computer for. If you are not a computer game geek, just get a computer which is manufactured a year ago. It is usually a lot cheaper and offers enough speed and features. The easiest way to get a good deal on computer is go to sam’s Club or Costco. Or buy online at Adorama.com, BHPhotoVideo.com, or Newegg.com. Never customize your computer, they will cost more. And never buy from manufacturer’s website, such as HP.com, Lenovo.com, Dell.com, or Sony.com unless you find a big discount coupon, their prices will be the highest without a coupon.

 

4.Get A Latest TV

TV technologies have changed rapidly beyond my imagination. A latest TV today would be outdated a year later. So don’t be fooled by those fancy technology terms. If all you need is to watch TV at night, any TV will work. If you prefer brigher colors, get a Samsung, – Sony TV is good, but too expensive. If you can’t tell the difference, get a Vizio.

 

5.Use Premium Fuel Unnecessarily

The premium gas reached $4 recently, while the regular is about 50 cents cheaper. Unless you are asked to use premium gas by the user’s manual, you’re wasting quite a lot of money. In most cases, your car manufacturer will only “recommend” you to use premium gas. It is not 100% required. You don’t need to pay for the extra that you don’t need to.

 

6.Power Company With a Flex Rate

Take a minute or two to read your electricity bill. Find out how much it costs on every kWh. Most power company will offer you a very low rate when you first sign up. During the contract period, usually a year or two, the rate is locked. But after it expired, the fix rate will change to flex rate, and the unit price will go up as much as 50% or more. If you are not going to move, you should renew your contact and lock into a lower rate. Or switch to another power company. You can compare the rate online by search “compare power company” and find the best that suits you.

 

7.Buy Extra Warranties

Appliance manufacturers will usually offer a standard one year warranty. But every time when you buy a large appliance, the salesman will offer you extended warranty. Don’t buy it. It is totally not necessary, unless you just want to waste your money. It is very less likely that you are going to use it. Some online retailers also ask you if you want to buy extra warranties after you finish your order. Just ignore it.

First of all, you need to join beauty insider. As a member, you can get 1 point for every dollar you spend at Sephora.com or in stores. Once your points reach 100 or 500, you can redeem them for free beauty packages. That is not all. You will also receive special promotions as a member. Here are the list of promotions for the week of 3/29 and 4/5:

1. Free Umbrella

2. Extra 15% off

3. Special Sample Bag

and more…

With every purchase online, you can receive some free samples. Sephora offers different freebies everyday, for a complete list of free samples, visit here.

 

Not happy yet? If you like Estee Lauder, make a purchase of $42.50 or more at Bloomingdales.com, you can receive 7-piece deluxe gift set for free. Create your own gift set any way you want: read the details here.

Another place to get free beauty samples is Macys.com. Today it is offering a 7-piece Clinique gift set for free ($60 value) with any $23.50 Clinique purchase. Read full detail here. Don’t forget to use the 15% off coupon at checkout. Just enter code SUPER into “Have a Promo Code” box and click apply.

E.L.F. (EyesLipsFace.com) is offering a 25% off coupon this week for the new spring collections. Enter code LOVEIT to receive the discount. Valid through 4/2. With any $25 purchase, you can get some nice mineral samples. See details here.

 

Spring is alredy here. It is time for some new dresses and shoes, isn’t it? I don’t buy luxury apparels very often, because each peiece will usually cost me a few hundred bucks. Last time I purchased at Saks Fifth Avenue was last December in the holiday shopping season. I have been waiting for 3 months before I found great deals again. I have to share them with you, because they don’t come very often, and will only last a few days.

 

Saks Fifth Avenue

Now through 4/1, you can receive $100 gift card with $500 purchase, or $250 gift card with $1000 purchase, or $350 gift card with $3000 purchase. Use coupon code CONTEMP2 to redeem this offer if you shop online at Saks.com. Or mention it to your sales at the store. This offer will start from 3/29 in stores. Plus receive a Rebecca Taylor silk scarf with a $250 women’s contemporary apparel purchase and a promotional code CONTEMPWA at checkout. The two codes are stackable, which means you can get both offers at the same time!

Bloomingdales

Bloomingdales closed many of their local stores in the past few years. Now you don’t have to pay sale tax if you live outside of California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Marryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, which can save you quite a bit of money. Shipping is free with $150 order or more – valid any time, return is also free if you shop before 4/29. Now through 4/1, most items at Bloomingdales.com are 20% to 30% off! Plus you can receive 10% off instantly if you signup their newsletter. Coupon is for one time use only.

Alternative Antacid

Taking Maalox, Tums, or Mylanta? Forget about spending money on these antacid at the pharmacy next time you have heartburn. Simply mix 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda into 4 fluid oz water and drink up. If you have heartburn very often, it could save you some dollars.

 

Alternative Air Freshener

The cheapest air fresher I can find at Walmart is Febreze, 9.7 oz, $2.97. Now I don’t need to spend money on these chemicals. Soaking a hand towel in white vinegar, wringing it out completely, and swinging it over your head a few times.

 

Alternative Windex

Windex is not only harmful to your health, but also a pollution to our environment. For window cleaning, try mixing 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1 quart warm water. Apply with a spray bottle or sponge, and wipe with crumpled newspaper instead of paper towels for lint-free results. Or dissolving baking soda in hot water for stubburn spot.

 

Alternative Carpet Cleaner

Spill red wine or grape juice on carpet? Don’t worry. There is no need to buy expensive carpet cleaner or rent a rug doctor. Simply pour a pile of salt on the spill, and leave the salt on until it dries. Clean it with a vacuum and you will the stain is gone!

 

Alternative Confetti

Why buy confetti, which is just small pieces of paper? Save leftover wrapping paper, even small pieces will work. Then use a hole punch or little scisors to create lots of color confetti. Vacuum them up for next use.

 

Alternative Deodorant

Dusting baking soda under your arms, they are as good as deodorant.

 

 

This is a guest post by our friends, Anna, a mother of three kids, who needs to shop for clothing every month, if not every week. She suggested 5 places you should avoid buying kids clothing from. – Editor.

 

1. Walmart

Walmart is a great place to shop for grocery and low cost merchandise. But when it comes to clothing, no good. You might think that it is ok to buy kids clothing at Walmart, because you don’t need them to last for years. But the truth is that they will probably last a month or two. See the following leggings I bought for my girl a month ago. It is cheap, – only $7 for a pack of two. But I have found tiny holes here and there already after a few washes. If you are comfortable to buy clothing while you are shopping grocery, try Target. Target has the similar low price policy as Walmart, or may be a few bucks more expensive, but they have better quality.

 

2. Children’s Place

I don’t know how they have survived all thse years. Their product qualities are barely accetable. The worst part is their designs. Fire all the designers if the CEO from Children’s Place somehow read my post! I can’t show you the pieces I bought from Children’s Place,  because they were trashed long time ago. At the first glance, many pink tops at Children’s Place look adorable, but you will feel completely differently after wearing it. They just look cheap. Look at the following girls tops I clipped from their website. It proves that their designers are as lame as before. Try Gap, if you may. From the past years, I can definitely tell that their designs are improving. Gap Kids usually hires big name designers in high-fashion circles.

 

3. Gymboree

I was attracted to Gymboree by their Gymbucks, – for every $50 spent, I can get $25 Gymbucks good for next purchase. Sounds a good deal? But be aware, many items are not qualified to receive Gymbucks, such as socks and other accessories. The Gymboree store I went to is always a mess. It is very hard to find any thing I needed. Try Pumpkin Patch instead. They have got some cute and unique designs.

 

4. Amazon

Lots of people are just used to buy everything from Amazon, including me. But it is not a good idea to shop for cloting at Amazon after a few failure attempts. First of all, you can’t trust the source of the clothing. Amazon is a Internet company, they don’t make clothes. And they don’t have their own buyers or designers to pick the clothes for you. All they worried is the profits they can make. Recently Amazon teamed up with many fashion design companies and started Amazon Clothing Store. Now you can shop for brands like BCBG, Ann Klein, etc. But other than these big names, don’t shop clothing at Amazon, especially not from Amazon’s Marketplace, – goods sold by smaller sellers, not Amazon. If you like to shop online for clothes, try Nordstrom.com. Recently they started to offer free shipping and free return. No minimum purchase required. They offer high quality clothing at reasonable prices. And you can return the items to the local stores if you like.

 

5. Kohls

I have terrible experience with Kohl’s. Last time I went to Kohl’s was a few years back. I bought a few shorts for my son in the clearance section. Each was from $5 to $10. I thought I got a great deal. After I got home I found there is a hole on the front pocket. When I tried to returned it the next day, I was refused. Their customer service told me it is a final sale, no return. I insisted it is quality issue and I should get my money back. Then I was told it was on sale because there is a minor issue, otherwise it won’t be so cheap. How I wanted to throw the short on her face and walk away. It ended up in the trash can in front of the customer service. Kohl’s is still a good place to buy low cost clothing. But please ask the sales if the sale is final before checking out. Try JC Penney if you want to get the similar deals.

 

Unfortunately I have to hire a handyman today. My boy always opened the refrigerator but forgot to close it. After a few times, the temperature won’t go down any more. It is frustrated enough that I have to spend another $100 at least. I guess this kind of situation happened to many families all the time. I want to share a few tips that work on my family. Please let know me if you have any better ideas.

 

Trick 1: Get a Home Warrantee, Or Not

Well, this is debatable. My husband insists to cancel the home warrantee from American Home Shield. It costs us about $1200 every year. And for every visit I have to pay $60. It saved me huge bucks on broken air conditioners last year. But if nothing serious happened, it is just a waste of at least $1000 every year. Do the math yourself, if over the past years, you spent more than $2000 on handyman every year, you should consider to get a home warantee. Plus the home warantee company will get you qualified experts to help, which saved you the headache.

 

Trick 2: Find a Handyman at Service Magic

Register free at ServiceMagic.com, and post your issues or projects. Two or three service providers will contact you. Read their reviews, get the quote, and pick the one you are satisfied. I have used this websites many times, and every time I was very happy about it.

 

Trick 3: Reseach the Handyman before Hiring

Other than Service Magic, I would get recommendaitons from my friends or neighbors. But if you don’t know the handyman you are hiring, research him on the Internet. Most likely you can find him on Facebook or some other social websites. See how others have to say on him. You should do this for your own safety as well.

 

Trick 4: Ask your Handyman for Guarantee

After the service done, ask your handyman for guarantee for as long as you can. If you can’t get a one year guarantee, you should at least one for a month. And have it written on a paper or receipt.

 

Trick 5: Shorten the repair visit

Most of the handymen change you by service time. Please try to explain your problems over the phone, not to wait until he gets to your house. And if possible, ask him to what he will need for the repair. Get ready before he comes. Finally, don’t ask the handyman to clean up your house. You won’t like it anyway.

 

Trick 6: Do-It-Yourself

Is this a trick at all, you may wonder. Sometimes they are not as hard as you thought. Ready our blog last week: Stop Hiring Handyman: 7 Easy Do-It-Yourslef Home Projects.

Sometimes people hire a handyman because they are too busy, sometimes it is because they have absolutely no idea on how to do it. But most of the time they are just being afraid especially when it is the first time to repair something. Here are list of things I am sure you can do it yourself and save the money on hiring a handyman. Thanks yo Youtube, you can find many easy-to-follow how-to videos. After you have done it once, you will see how easy they are.

 

Fix A Dripping Faucet

It can most likely be fixed by replacing a washer. All you need is a scewdriver and an adjustable wrench. And you don’t have to find an identical washer. Most brands are exchangeable as long as they have the same size. Here is the video to guide you through the whole process.

 

Clear Clogged Sink

Many clog removers claim they can dissolve most tough clogs. But the truth is I have tried many brands, the Liquid Lightning Drain Opener is my ultimate and only solution. It is usually a black bottle wrapped in a clear plastic bag, and very easy to find it at Walmart or Walgreens. Be careful, this solution is very dangerous, and it could stain your sink if you leave it through the night.

Install Window Blinds

We have recommended a few sites for you to shop blinds online. Measure the window size and place order online, you will receive blinds up to 90% off that can get at Home Depot or Lowes. The tools you need include a cordless power screwdriver, a twist drill bit set, a measuring tape, and a pencil. The blinds will come with a easy installation guide. It won’t take more than 5 minutes for you to figure it out. Or watch this video to get you started.

 

Fix A Rattling Fan

The rattle is annoying, but most people may fear to fix something hardwired. As a fact that esacpes most of homeowners, many exhaust fans are a snap to repair. All you need to do is to remove the fan from ceiling and put a couple drops of oil on the fan shaft. Get on a ladder, pop off the fan cover and remove a few screws, you can safely remove the fan. Watch this video from Build.com.

 

Quiet A Squeaky Door

There is nothing easier than this. Just drop a few drops of oil into all the hinges, open and close the door for a few times. That is it.

 

Replace Faucet Caulk

It is very common that your kitchen or bathroom silicon caulk goes bad, – you can tell when its color turned dark. Water seeped in can ruin the countertop or drywall in time. Remove the old clauk, clean and completely dry the area, and apply the new caulk. Spending a few dollars today could save you thousands in the future!

 

Fix Leaking Toilet

This is absolutely a men’s job. But actually it is so easy that 99% of chances that it can be fixed by replacing a toilet flapper. Watch this short video on how to replace a flapper. A general flapper that fits most toilet can be found at Walmart for $2 to $5 each. For a special brand, such as Kohler, you need to find the exact model for your toilet. Go to PlumberSurplus.com and find what you need.

 

Easter is near. Kids love it because they can eat as many as candies as they can. Every year my daughter wanted a new bunny basket, even the one from last year is still brand new. And if you are sick of candies from Walmart or Target and wanted to try something new like I did, you can get special M&Ms or Jelly Belly or old time candies online that you have never seen in any grocery store. We also want to recommend some online stores for you to shop for Easter gift baskets, personalized Easter gifts, or Easter costumes.

 

Easter Candies

MyMMs.com – You can create your own M&Ms by choosing your own color, image and message. Save $20 with $150 order or more, coupon code: MEMORIES.

JellyBelly.com – Fill with your Easter eggs with individually wrapped Jelly Belly. Get a 5 lb pack for $57. Get 10% off with promo code: EASTER.

OldTimeCandy.com – Get Old fashioned candies from the 1950s, 60s, 70s or 80s. Save 15% on Easter Candy with promotion code: bunny12.

 

Easter Gift Baskets

Godiva.com – Belgium chocolate gift box or gift basket. 15% off Easter & Spring Treats, Coupon Code: DELIGHT.

Figis.com – Baskets filled with candies, cookies, meat, bakery, nuts, or snacks. Shop Easter gifts and get 3 free gifts with coupon code: 225/2005.

HarryAndDavid.com – Baskets with the most delicious pears, or Easter cookies and truffles. Get 20% off Easter gifts with coupon code: EASTER20.

SwissColony.com – Luxury yet affordable, food gifts in wrapped in beautiful boxes or baskets. No coupons recently. But I just love the taste of Swiss Colony.

 

Personalized Easter Gifts

BuildABear.com – Build A Bear official website, build a bunny of your own. Receive a Free Easter Egg Kit with any purchase of $20 or more, no coupon code needed.

IdentityDirect.com – Personalize anything here, your kid will love a plush bunny basket with her name on it. Now there is $10 off $40 coupon, enter code 42318 to redeem the discount.

PersonalCreations.com – Not only you can personlize a bunny basket, but also you can create your own persinalized gift basket or gift bag. You can get
25% Off personalized Easter gifts, no coupon code needed.

 

Easter Costumes:

BuyCostumes.com – Costumes by age, occasion, theme, and price. Save 20% off All Easter items with coupon code: HOP20.

Meijer.com – Department store. Save 20% on Easter costumes. Discount automatically applied.

OshKoshBgosh.com – Kids clothing for all ages. Save 30% on Easter collections.

 

What are you up to this spring break? Vacation or stay at home? Beach or ski? Shopping online or in store? We want to share a few tips to have a smart spring break instead of a frugal spring break. We want you spending money wisely, not just being frugal by not spending at all. OK, let’s cut it short and get started.

 

1.Travel Tips

If you decided to spend a quality time with your children and spouse in spring break, you have to start your planning at least 3 months in advance. You need to get a week off your work, – coordinating with colleagues and your boss need time. Most importantly, planning ahead will save you lots of money on traveling expense on flights and hotels. Plus you will have more choices to fit your needs and budgets. If you are not the type of planning-ahead guy, try last minutes travel deals a fews days or even one day before the spring break. Don’t try to get flights and hotels within a month of your travel, otherwise you will get the highest prices.

 

2.Ski Equipment Sale

You go skiing at least once a year, you should consider buying your own skies or snowboard and boots, instead of renting them every time. Now it is the best time to buy them online. The-House.com has the largest selections of skies and snowboard, and all kinds of ski accessories including googles and helmets, etc. It is the one stop shop for all your ski needs at the lowest prices. They offer price match for all your gears, which gurantees that you will get the best prices. Currently there is a 10% Off coupon for all longboard skateboards and an extra 5% off Burton products on top of already 40% off savings.

 

3.Winter Gear Sale

For outdoor sport fans, it is time to stock up your winter gears, especially for adults with fixed sizes on shoes and clothing. You won’t be out-dated within a year, but you sure will save lots of money if you shop now instead of in November of December. Altrec.com and Backcountry.com are my favorite places to shop online for winter coats, fleece jackets, winter hats and gloves. The prices are up to 60% to 70% off compared to a few months ago.

 

4.Get Ready For Prom Party

Prom party is near. For families with teeage girls, this is big. It is time consuming, you’d better get prepared from now on. StumpsParty.com is the website I would recommend. You can start by requesting a free catalog. Don’t forget to use coupons even you decided to order by phone.

 

5.Not going any where?

If you are not going anywhere and if you have free time, do your tax return now. Don’t wait until the last minute. Invest some time to educate yourself on tax saving tips. Learning online is the easiest way, or get you a book. Or invest some money by hiring an expert to do 1040 for you. The money you spend will definitely worth it. Or try to refinance your home mortgage. Currently the 30-year fixed rate is as low as 4%!

 

My husband and I have been football fans for more than 10 years. A regular seat NFL ticket was about $30 10 years ago. But every year the price will go up $2 to $5. Now the price has been more than doubled compared to 10 years ago. Buying a season ticket is too expensive for me, and I don’t have the time for every game with 3 kids around. I used to buy tickets at Stubhub, but after a few times, I found Razorgator is actually cheaper after using the coupons. After the $10 or $20 discount coupon, the price at Razorgator is slightly cheaper.

If you are a diehard sports fan and want the excitements every weekend but can’t afford the pricy major league tickets, look around for other games you have missed, such as local teams, college teams, etc. You will get the thrill of a roaring crowd without paying for the roaring ticket prices.

 

College Games

Check out your local college’s calendars on football or basketball games. If your team is not ranked on the top, the price for a live game could be as low as a few dollars. And it will bring you all the fun as a major league game including cheerleaders and marching bands.

 

Women’s Game

Women’s games are always cheaper than men’s, even the top women’s teams. Women’s soccer game and Women’s volleyball game will probably bring you more fun than men’s games.

 

Watch Something New

Thinking of football, basketbal and baseball? That’s not everything. Try tennis, rugby, soccer, volleyball, hockey, golf, boxing, even a horse racing. Those tickets are generally much cheaper than that of NFL, NBA and MLB.

 

Support Local Teams

If you live in a big city, there are many recreational leagues. Check out your local news and find out. Join one if you could. Or go to the field to show your support. BTW, kids soccer is very fun to watch.

 

Local High School Contests

Check out the high school’s website for the game schedule. Enjoy an exciting basketball game crowded with parents and supporters from your neighborhood for completely free. Get yourself a horn or a flag before you go.

When you are getting older, especially when you are retired, you should get smarter on how to spend your money. Today we complied a complete list of department stores that offers senior discount. The discounts are usually offered to those 50 years or older, some may require 55 years old. Check with the cashier before you buy. A valid ID is required, and some may ask you to fill a registration form, so that they can send you promotions in the future. Some of them may require you to use their own credit card, while some don’t.

 

1. Banana Republic

Most Banana Republic stores offer a 10% senior discount everyday to customers 50 and older. The discount and age vary by location. It also offers many coupons for online use only. If you shop online you could save 20% to 40% easily. If you prefer to shop in store, don’t forget to use their printable coupons.

2. Bealls

If you are 50 years or older, you can save 15% on the first Tuesday of every month, and additional 5% if you use their own credit card, while the Bealls online coupon is only $10 off or 10% off. Ask for BEALLS BUCKS, you could earn $10 for every $50 you spend.

3. Belk

Senior Day is on also the first Tuesday of every month for customers 55+. With your Belk Rewards Card, you will save 15% on Home and Shoes, and 20% on all other items.

4. Bon-Ton

Most of Bon-Ton stores have one Senior Day a month which usually falls on a Wednesday for customers 55 and older. Varies depending on locations. You will receive 10% off on all Home items with any payment type, 15% off on non-home items with non Bon-Ton caredit card, or 20% off on non-home items with a Bon-Ton caredit card. Bergner’s, Boston Store, Carson Pirie Scott, Elder-Beerman, Herberger’s, Parisian, and Younkers are also part of Bon-Ton offering similar senior discount. Call them to find the detail.

5. Dress Barn

Seniors 62 or older will get 10% off entire purchase on every Tuesday. Some locations offer senior discount to 55 and older on every Wednesday.

6. Goody’s

Senior Day is the first Tuesday of every month. Customers 50 and older will receive 15% off entire purchase, and an additional 5% off with a Goody’s Credit Card. Need to sign up with a sale associate.

7. Kohl’s

Senior discount is offered on every Wednesday. Ages 62+ will receive 15% discount. Don’t forget their $10 Rewards with every $50 purchase. The rewards are good for your next purchase. If you purchase online, be sure to use our 20% off promo code.

8. Lord & Taylor

15% off on every Wednesday for customers 62 and older. May vary from store to stores.

9. Meijer

Senior Day is only one day a month, usually Monday or Tuesday. Call them to find out. For customers 55 and older a 15% off will be applied on general merchandise.

10. Peebles

On first Tuesday of every month, seniors of 50 and older will receive 15% off on all purchases, or additional 5% off when you use Peebles Credit Card to check out.

11. Ross

Customers 55 years of age or older will receive 10% off your entire purchase on every Tuesday. Need to sign up The Every Tuesday Club at Customer Service by providing an ID with your age or date of birth. The store will issue you a Tuesday Club Discount card.

Shopping for clothes has become one of my hobbies. I like to try on new trends, as well as 70s or 80s vintages. The clearance sections at major department stores can yield discounts much deeper than those full-priced items. All you need is to spend time looking for bargains. Try JC Penney, Macys, Dillars. You can easily spend a whole day the the shopping mall. But that’s not it, here are 5 smarter ways to shop for clothes.

 

1.Chain Bargain Stores

Ross, TJ Maxx and Marshalls offer brand name clothes at very attractive prices. For bargain hunters, walk straight to the clearance sections. Price drops may due to small defects which can hardly be spotted, or lack of sizes. Don’t forget Ross’s senior discount on every Tuesday morning. Kohl’s is also a good choice. Unlike Ross and TJ Maxx, clothes at Kohls are either discounted branded or private labeled. Kohl’s provides coupons from time to time. If you are using Kohl’s credit card, you would receive coupons in your mail box, otherwise, get some coupons from Internet.

 

2.Outlet Stores

Outlet stores could very crowded during weekends and holidays. They used to be many people’s number one choice to shop for bargains. But nowadays they are very much like a regular store offering full price items, such as Gap Outlet, Levi’s Outlet, Adidas Outlet. You need to check out their sale racks, otherwise you would end up buying items at full prices, although you may see price drop tags on them. Nordstrom’s outlet, Rack, is one of my favorites to shop upscale clothing.

 

3.Overstock Websites

SmartBargains.com and Overstock.com are the two bargain sites I would recommend. Smart Bargains mostly sell brand name clothing, shoes and handbags. You could find hundreds of big designers’ apparel here at a fraction of retail price. This website sometimes offers a 15% off or 30% off sitewide coupon. You need to stay alerted to get the big discount. Overstock.com sells everything, you need to dig in to find the real deals. Don’t forget to compare prices when you shop online. Google the item’s name and click on “Shopping” at the left to compare the prices.

 

4.Thrift Stores

Goodwill and The Salvation Army Store are the two most well-known thrift stores in the nation. But there are also hundreds of smaller one. Try searching thrift store in Google Map. You will find plenty in your area. The items at these thrift stores may not be exactly what you wanted. But they are really cheap. You could get a second-hand leather jacket for 5 bucks, or a pair of like-new Prada shoes for $10.

5.Garage Sales

You will never know what surprises you will get before you go to a garage sale. Bargain gently with the seller, you might end up with a really good deal. Examine the clothes very carefully, because you don’t have the chance to return it. Don’t pay for more $10 for any clothes. $1 for a Tee, or $5 for a hoodie is fair enough.

 

I visited the Ultra Beauty Salon once every two months. Every time I spent about $60 for a cut and blow, including tips. Toni & Guy is too expensive for me. Last Christmas I spend $350 at Toni & Guy, which includes $200 for a perm, $100 for haircut from a top stylist, and a $50 tip. It looked gorgeous on the first day. But a week later it is hard to tell if the $350 is better than the $60 or not. How I wish I had spent the money on smething else.

 
Guess what? Last weekend I got a haircut from an upscale salon for free! The pictures are taken before and after the haircut. I don’t want to disclose the name of the salon. But I want to share my story here with you. It is a top styling salon, the one Hollywood stars will use. I was told the haircut itself will cost more than $500, not  to mention the shampoo, conditioner, silky smooth gel, and many who-know-what sprays on my hair. I heard the trick from one of my friends long time ago and finially decided to try it once myself.

The secret is to become an hair model of these salons. Upscale salons use hair models to train their staffs. As a hair model you will get cuts, color and styling all for free. But before becoming a hair model, you will need to get an assessement so they can see if you have the hair they wanted. As long as you have enough hair, not too short, not too curly, you will be qualified.

Call your top salons in your area to find out if they offer a hair model program, or search Internet for hair models. Once you ae accepted, you will be contacted by phone to schedule a haircut. Hair styles are discussed before it is done and you will be asked for the permission to do the haircut. You will need extra free time to become a hair model as the haircut takes longer than normal ones, and you should be willing to try various styles. Buy you will definitely feel the difference after the haircut!

 

7.Fitness Equipment:

Most fitness equipments will cost at least a few hundreds of dollars. For husbands who like workout, these are the gifts they love.

Bowflex: Everybody knows Bowflex. They are not only smaller, but also cheaper than most of the trditional equipments. If you decided to buy one online, don’t forget to use coupons. You may get a large discount by using one of our coupon codes.

Mercantila: This site has a very large selection of all kinds of fitness equipment. You can get a price match if find a same item with lower price. Always save 5% with code SAVE5.

 

8.Supplements for him:

GNC: One of the most trusted brands. Get him some muilti-vitamins for men, ginseng, or Coenzyme Q-10. Use coupon code LiveWell12 for a 15% to 20% off your purchase.

BodyBuilding.com: For muscle lovers, shop at BodyBuilding for muscle building supplements, proteins, boosters, etc. Many coupons available.

 

9.Events Tickets:

Leave your children at home with a nanny for one night, and enjoy the alone time for just two of you. Movie is good, or go to a concert or any sport you and your husband both like.

Ticketliquidator.com: All event tickets can be found here, even NASCAR. Use our exclusive coupon code GOGO15 for a $25 off with a purchase over $250.

Razorgator.com: Another good choice by buying tickets online. Not much difference from Ticketliquidator, even the price. Use our exclusive coupon code GOGORG3 for a $15 off $100 order.

 

10.Sport fan gears:

TGW.com: The Golf Warehouse, best place for golf fans. Prices are always lowest, way cheaper than the local stores, even before you use our TGW coupons.

NFLshop.com: Official NFL shop, offers NFL jerseys and gears for fans of all NFL teams. Many coupons available.

store.NBA.com, shop.NHL.com: Official NBA and NHL stores. Signup their newsletter you will receive a coupon in the email for your first order. Coupons available on holidays. Next one will be St. Patrick’s Day, then Easters.

 

11. Outdoor gears:

Cabelas.com: Hunting, boating, camping needs. The most visited store for outdoor supplies. Many free shipping coupons available. But dollar off coupons only available during the Christmas shopping season.

BassPro.com: For fishing fans only. No coupons today. Mail-in rebates available on select products.