Egg-celent Ideas

After spending months, literally, trying to figure out what to do with leftover egg cartons (it's a long story that I'll share another day), I stumbled upon an article at FrugalVillage.com where DOZENS of uses for egg cartons are listed – toolshed organizer, loose change holder, travel container for jewelry, seed starters, desk organizer. The possibilities really are limitless. 

Tell me more! What do you do with those pesky egg cartons? What about milk jugs and oversize tin cans -- how do you recycle those?

Never Waste Money On Gifts Again!

I've been told that I'm an oddity when it comes to receiving gifts, in that I absolutely adore every single gift I get, from the blingy watch my husband bought for me a few birthdays back to the scribble drawing my three-year-old nephew created for me this birthday. I don't care what it is, as long as I get something. 

Build a Water Park in Your Backyard

I haven’t been to a water park since I was 10-years-old, but I remember it being one of the most fantastic places to vacation. I thought of going back this summer – a reunion of sorts – but was shocked by the ticket price to get in.

I’m not going to let that stop me (or you) from having a jolly ol’ time! I’ve tracked down the elements you need to fake a fabulous water park on your own lawn. All you need to add is water (and a few kids, so you don’t look like the big, grown-up dork in your backyard on the slip n’ slide alone). 

Small World Squirt 'n Spray Fire Nozzle, $12, Target.com

Finding Nemo Wacky Water Mat, $30, Amazon.com

Banzai Skimboard Surfer, $40, Toysrus.com

Warehouse Club Pricing Codes to Know

I don’t have a car, so I don’t get to shop in bulk at those glorious warehouse stores as much as I’d like. But, don’t cry for me. I’m good at talking a car-owning friend into dropping me off and picking me up; and when I do, my favorite things to buy at Sam’s or Costco are salsa, wine, and batteries – in bulk, of course.

I just found out that many warehouse clubs have secret pricing codes to indicate an item’s status – re-ordered, cancelled, etc. For example, at Sam’s Club if a price ends in $0.01 the price has probably been recently reduced due to cancellation or to make shelf space for newer items. At Costco, look for prices that end in $0.97, as this may indicate a markdown and a great reason to stock up.

Know any other secret pricing codes that I should know to get my salsa, wine and batteries for even less? Do share!

Good Things Come in $1 Packages

I recently read on Washingtonpost.com that the Dollar Tree, the nations third-largest deep-discount retailer, is one of the few retailers that is making gains in this tough economic market. Surprising? I think not.

The Dollar Tree rocks! Where else can you know your total cost just by counting the number of items in your cart?

Here’s a list of some the BEST things I’ve found at the Dollar Tree stores. What are your favorite scores at dollar stores?

Conditioner (use it as a moisturizing shampoo)

Gummy Bears (movie candy...hello!)

Cleaning supplies (buy in bulk)

Birthday cards (buy a batch of them for the entire year)

Picture Frames (get crafty by painting them or dressing them up with beads and crystals)

The Lost Art of Bartering

There’s a weekend flea market in the school yard across the street from my apartment. Vendors sit under umbrellas selling the usual fare – antique furniture, hand-crafted jewelry, homemade cookies.

Then there’s “The Lady in Red.” She is dressed in, well, red and sits cross-legged in the center of a large white sheet surrounded by a variety of baubles (cups, candy, mini-heart pillows). Her wares have no rhyme or reason (other than the fact that they're mostly red) and I recently found out why after trying to buy a cute pair of crimson hope earrings from her. “The Lady in Red” does not accept money for any of her items. If you see something you like, you trade her something of yours – as long as it’s red and/or white.

I ran home and scrounged around for something worth trading and decided upon a red and white popcorn bowl I’ve had lying around, but have yet to use. The Lady in Red was pleased with her new acquisition – as was I!


What’s the best barter/trade you’ve ever made? Click here to tell us about it!

The Country’s Best Dad

Still at a loss of what to get pops for Father’s Day? Here’s an idea: Take him for a scoop of his favorite flavor...for FREE! This Dad’s Day, TCBY (The Country’s Best Yogurt shop) is giving away cups and cones to all dads. Just visit tcby.com and print out the flyer as directed to bring with you.

Free Shipping Made Easy

Somebody's Treasure is Somebody Else's Treasure

Freecycle, the massive mailing list where people give away free items they no longer want or request items they need in cities across the country, just got even better.

Now through May 4th, Yahoo! will be plugging Freecycle with giveaways as part of their Earth Day promotion, Free is Good.

Here's how it works: After you sign up with a local community here HERE, start watching the offered freebies that begin to pour into your inbox from your neighbors. Hidden within these messages are hundreds about "Earth Day treasures." Reply as instructed and if you're the first to respond by email, you get the free goody (think: smart cars, vacations at eco resorts and Sheryl Crow concert tickets)!

Tell us if you win!

It’s "Best Things In Life Are Free" Day!

Sponsored by 1-800-Free411 (free directory assistance/directions), today (April 11th) is the day we get to throw a party (cake and ice cream, anyone?) for all of the great things in life that are free. You know, like those free days museums host sometimes or free meals at your favorite restaurant on your birthday. To commemorate the day, I've made a list of all of my favorite no-money-needed things I've encountered in my life.

What do you have to add to the list?

1. A free, annual scoop of Ben and Jerry's ice cream on April 17 (www.benjerry.com)
2. Free Product Samples (www.thefreesite.com)
3. Free Tech Support (help.protonic.com)
4. Blood pressure screenings at supermarkets and pharmacies
5. Home maintenance tips and advice for do-it-yourself projects at free in-store clinics provided by your local Home Depot (www.homedepot.com)
6. Old couches and other home furnishings found at The Freecycle Network (www.freecycle.org)
7. A copy of your credit report to make sure everything is as it should be (www.freecreditreport.com)
8. Books and media from your local public library (www.librarysites.info)
9. A day at the museum on free admission days
10. Online courses offered by MIT (www.ocw.mit.edu) or lessons on how to run a small business (www.sba.gov)
11. Classes offered at your local Apple store on business and entertainment software, music programs and computer basics (www.apple.com)
12. 1-800-FLIGHTS: 1.800.Flights is a new media company providing flight status by phone for nearly every commercial passenger flight arriving and departing the U.S. daily. (www.1800flights.net/index.html)
13. Hire your own (virtual) personal shopper that sifts through millions of products from your favorite stores and brands and proposes a selection of "just what you wanted" items (www.personalshopper.com)
14. Take advantage of a convenient way to find your next companion without having to leave the comfort of your own home (www.petfinder.com)
15. Receive the week's top travel deals straight to your inbox. It's like having your own personal travel agent - free of charge! (www.travelzoo.com)
16. Discover new bands that are tailored to your personal music preferences and listen to them for free over the internet (www.pandora.com)
17. Manage your money by taking advantage of walk-in financial advice from retail locations of investment banks like Charles Schwab (www.charlesschwab.com)
18. Build your new bathroom without breaking the bank by borrowing tools, equipment and "how-to" instructional materials from your local library (yes, library!) (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tool_lending_library)
19. Show your smarts by avoiding paying for pricey, premium textbooks and downloading them for free (www.freeloadpress.com)
20. Save time on figuring out who to vote for by getting a free evaluation of your political stance (www.selectsmart.com/president/2008)

There's No 'I' in 'Team'

This year, my husband and I have pulled in the reins on our holiday spending. This means we can't get as many gifts as usual for the people on our list.

But before you shed a tear for us, listen to our plan B:

We will buy for groups or families instead of individuals. Genius, huh? Everyone will still get something (each person gets one tear at the wrapping paper), and we'll get to keep more money in our wallets. Here are a few group gifts that are just as good as individual ones:

-Board games
-Wine
-Chocolate
-Gift jars
-DVD's


*What is a "group gift" that your group would be happy to receive?

Do a Left-Over-Candy Trick

Every year I have bags and bags of left over sweets because I overestimate the number of kiddies who'll ring my door bell. This Halloween was no different. But instead of eating all of the leftovers (I did that two Halloween's ago...bad, bad idea!), here are a few easy ways to get rid of all of those calories without consuming a one (well maybe ONE).

USE #1 Roll truffles in some crushed chocolate bars and freeze them until the holidays. They're a great gift on the fly.

USE #2 Donate the leftovers to a local food bank or children's hospital.

USE #3 Bring the candy to work and treat your coworkers.

USE #4 Butterfinger Cheesecake, anyone? It's delish!

USE #5 Fill a piñata (an instant party starter) with the extra loot.

USE #6 Make a holiday wreath or poster with kids. As you countdown to Christmas or Hanukah, remove a piece of candy and enjoy.

Halloween on a Shoestring

The last time I dressed up for Halloween was when I was five. Yes, it's been that long. My mother transformed me into a fortune-teller with a sparkly beanie on my head and a magic 8 ball in tow.

I've finally found two reasons to don another quirky costume in my lifetime. First, one of my good friends is hosting a huge costume party and you're not allowed in unless you're dressed up. Sneaky way to get all of your friends to participate, huh? Second, there are tons of websites selling great costumes for pennies. Here are some of the best. Happy Haunting (er, Hunting)!

HalloweenExpress.com w/ full costumes for women marked down to $19.99

ZoogsterCostumes.com w/ costumes for the whole family at 50-75%off

CostumeCraze.com w/ costumes for pets for as low as $6.95

CostumeDiscounters.com w/ a "Lowest Price Guarantee" on costumes for all ages

Into the Black

Black Friday. It sounds scary, because it is scary. If you're unfamiliar with this "monumental" day of the year, let me fill you in. Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving when the Christmas shopping season officially starts and stores offer deep end-of-the-year discounts on some of their hottest items. People usually camp out overnight (yes, overnight) to be one of the first to get in the store, then they run (yes, run) through the aisles to stake claim of their possessions. People can get nasty, too, swiping things from other folks' carts or dumping the entire shelf stock of DVD players into their cart (tell me again, who needs that many DVD players?).

I went Black Friday shopping with my mother ONCE. She loves it, but I vowed that I would never subject myself to that kind of frenzy again. For me, who prefers strolling down the aisles, enjoying the store music and thinking about my purchases before I buy them, my first Black Friday was a traumatic experience.

But, thanks to BFAds.net, I may have to give this out-of-control shopping day another chance. The site provides the public with the inside scoop on Black Friday deals in big name stores like Best Buy, Sears, Ace Hardware, etc. before they even happen.

So, here's my plan of action: I'll use the site to create a shopping list; a week or two before Black Friday I'll hide the items I want in random places throughout the store; then I'll stroll into the store an hour or so before the sale ends to make my purchases. Fingers crossed, the sales clerks don't go around checking for hidden items the night before!



*What's your Black Friday plan of action?

Bedding Fit for a Queen

I've come to the conclusion that no matter how messy (clothes on the floor, books falling off the shelf, garbage overflowing) your bedroom really is, it looks 100,000 times better after the bed is made. Which is why no matter how late my husband and I are running in the morning (and no matter how disgusting the rest of the room is), we make up the bed -- smooth the shams, straighten the bed-skirt, fluff the accent pillows...the whole nine. Oh, and since the bed is the focal point of the room, it's imperative that everything matches.

Instead of collecting cute little gnomes or thimbles from across the U.S., we fill extra closet space with bedding. Okay, okay. I'll admit it: We're a little over-the-top.

To feed our obsession, I was happy to find DesignerLinensOutlet.com where everything to outfit your bed (bed sets, sheets, quilts, memory foam, etc.) from big names like Liz Claiborne, Nautica and Hawthorne are sold for 50-70 percent off. No gimmicks, no catches, no fine print. Now, that's the stuff that sweet dreams are made of!

Save Big on the Hottest Kids Toys of the Year

Wal-Mart just announced it's offering an added incentive for checking off our gift lists early - more money in our wallets!

Below is Wal-Mart's list of the "Top 12 Toys of Christmas," whose prices will drop a little each week (or "rollback") in an aggressive move to help us save money on some of the most coveted kids toys.

My personal favorite: The Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader game from Hasbro. Santa, are you reading this?


Top 12 Toys of Christmas


· Kid Tough Digital Camera from Fisher Price (Ages 3 & up) A real digital camera that's tough enough-and easy enough-for kids to use.

· Smart Cycle from Fisher Price (Ages 3-6) It's a stationary bike, a learning center, and an arcade game system-all rolled into one!


· Air Hogs Havoc Heli by Spinmaster (Ages 8 & up) An amazingly small, infrared, remote control helicopter, the Air Hogs Havoc features a durable, EPP foam body and a flashing Blue LED for night flying.

· Spider-Man 3 Movie Action Figure from Hasbro (Ages 3-7) Both in his classic red and blue gear and now new black costume, Spider-Man will continue to be a hero that saves the day, specially with his new web accessories.

· Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Doll from Mattel (Ages 18 months & up) Girls will love playing mommy with this sweet baby doll-she's perfect for your child's first doll.

· New Elmo from Fisher Price (Ages 18 months & up) He's back on the list to tickle your funny bone. Find out why and what's new in November!

· Littlest Pet Shop Paws Off Electronic Diary from Hasbro (Ages 6 & up) Keep all your written secrets locked inside this voice-activated, electronic diary!

· Razor Ripstik Caster Board (Ages 6 & up) A cross between a skateboard and a snowboard, this high-action new sport is taking the streets by storm!

· Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader game from Hasbro (Ages 8 & up) Based on the popular game show, this enjoyable diversion features Jeff Foxworthy and five students putting ordinary adults to the test by having them answer real questions from the 5th-grade curriculum.

· Aqua Dots Super Studio from Spin Master (Ages 6 & up) Aqua Dots combine creativity and crafting to create multiple designs - just add water!

· Power Tour Electric Guitar by Hasbro (Ages 10 & up) Be the rock star and learn to play six different rock classics. Connect to your MP3 player and strum along, or rock out solo and compose your own anthem.

· FurReal Squawkers Parrot from Hasbro (Ages 5-7) Talk about cool! Squawkers McCaw is a talkin', squawkin' and totally unpredictable play pal.

Better Late Than Never

This past weekend one of the streets in my neighborhood hosted a stoop sale block party, where residents pulled out all of their unwanted wares to hawk on their stoops or front lawns. A whopping 30 houses on the block participated and I was ready to shop! The plan was to get up early, run a few errands and then be the first one there.

Of course, my plan completely backfired -- I woke up late and I didn't finish my errands until 4pm (the sale was ending at 5pm!). I managed to make it there just as most of the stoop sellers were packing up.

Being late turned out to be a good thing. As I sulked and gave puppy-dog eyes to the stoop sellers packing up their leftovers, I stumbled over a pair of Steve Madden black slingbacks sitting on the sidewalk with a sign that read "FREE" beside them. I picked them up to check out the size. Eight and a half -- that's my size! I shoved them in my bag and kept walking, with a little more pep in my step now. Then I came upon a corner house. The stoop seller was busy packing up, but I noticed there was one little table he hadn't gotten to yet and on it was a bunch of costume jewelry -- rings, chunky bracelets, and necklaces. The sign said $1, but when the homeowner saw me looking he yelled, "They're a penny now!" Score! I bought them all and it only cost me $0.50.

The moral of the story is this: A sale is not over until it's over.

Back-to-School Bargains

I don't have any kids but I do remember being a kid and getting ready for the first day back at school. The outfit had to be perfect; the school supplies had to be fresh and neatly packed into my brand new backpack; and I had to have a cool, colorful lock for my locker (which I had to save my own money for because mom was only buying the standard silver lock...hot pink? Forget about it!). Back-to-school was expensive -- and it still is. That's why I've round up a list of sites offering A+ deals on everything from pens to print tees.

Office Depot Hot Deals (special offers through 9/22/07)

Staples Back to School Bonanza (new deals every Sunday)

JC Penney (save 20-50% on school uniforms)

CompUSA Clearance Store (save $100's on laptops)

Britannica Back-to-School Sale (save up to 60%)

Drugstore.com Clearance Blowout (save up to 70%)

Toys R Us Back to School Clearance Blowout (free shipping and deep discounts)

Raymond Geddes The School Authority (weekly specials)

P.S. If you can wait until after September to go school shopping, do it. That's when most mass retailers drop prices to clear out shelves for holiday.

Free Flicks for Families

My husband and I LOVE cartoons. Happy Feet? We saw it twice! Ratatouille? Hilarious. Charlotte's Web? A classic. I guess you could say we're like big kids in adult bodies when it comes to our beloved cartoons.

It's during the summer when we both wish we really were kids again! Aside from the whole sleeping in aspect of a kid's carefree summer vacation, there are a ton of movie theaters across the country now offering FREE (or $1) flicks for families WITH KIDS throughout the summer months.

Hmmm...anyone want to adopt a couple of REALLY BIG kids for, ohhh, let's just say...90 minutes? We'll buy our own popcorn...

Where the free movies are:

» Clearview Cinemas

» AMC Theaters

» Regal Cinemas

» United Artists

» Edward Cinemas

» Classic Cinemas

» Cinemark Cinemas

» Dickinson Theaters

The Best Book EVER For First Time Parents

My best buddy is expecting her first baby in August. She is ecstatic to say the least -- she's even looking forward to 2am feedings! Crazy, I know. But she does admit that she isn't too thrilled about all of the requisite gear the baby will require once born-- strollers, blankets, clothes, furniture, etc. Sure, she'll get a lot of these things as gifts at her baby shower, but not all of it.

I plan on getting her this great book, Baby Bargains Secrets, by Denise and Alan Fields (available at Amazon.com), which gives thrifty ideas and product reviews to help her save up to 50% on all of that "stuff" her bundle of joy will need.

I was sold after I read this quote from the book: "Babies don't care if they're wearing designer clothes or sleeping on designer sheets." Amen!

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream

Lately, I've been avoiding ice cream like the plague -- eating lettuce and downing gallons of water to (hopefully) shed a couple of inches before swimsuit season. I can honestly say that after weeks of cutting calories, I'm in the zone. I scoff at junk food. And sweets? Well, they are no match for my will power...

But, when cones are free, I just can't resist!

Today (May 15, 2007) between 4-8 pm Haagen Dazs shops across the country are giving away free scoops of their newest flavors. Visit haagen-dazs.com/newflavorday.com to find a store location nearest you.

Today, it's Cinnamon Dulce de Leche (one of Haagen Dazs' new flavors). Tomorrow, I'm back on carrot juice -- promise.

Kids and Their Toys

Last Christmas my husband managed to get his hands on a hard-to-find (and kind of pricey) Tickle Me Elmo TMX for our two-year-old nephew. We waited with bated breath as he scratched at the wrapper and smiled when he cheered and hugged his new best friend.

Ten minutes later poor Elmo was lying face down on the kitchen floor.

Fast-forward a few months. We're all sitting around talking as our nephew frantically runs from one toy to the next. I pull out a bottle of bubbles that were burried in my purse from a wedding a week earlier and blow bubbles in his direction. He cheers, runs over and starts swatting at the bubbles.

Two hours later I'm down to my last few drops of bubble solution and my nephew is still having a blast.

The moral of the story: Sometimes the simplest (and cheapest) toys are the most fun. Sorry Elmo.