Thursday, November 1, 2007
Flipbook
I found a great gift idea for Christmas: Flipbooks!! You simply take pictures of yourself, one after the other, print them onto blank business cards and viola. Go here, and here for help.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Christmas On My Mind
Hey ya'll! Sorry for not writing in awhile. I'm being worked to the bone. But anyways, it's almost time for Christmas...in 2 months...but I'm already psyched for some Christmas tunes. I've found some cool links to get your spirits up:
Northpole.com - This site has been around for a long time. It has lots of fun activities for kids and even Christmas karaoke.
Accuradio.com - This online radio site has about a bajillion specified stations for holiday music. Whether you like country, oldies or even the modern stuff, they have a channel for it!
AllPosters.com - Go here for great savings on Christmas presents. They have a good money-saving sale practically every day and give you an extra savings coupon after your first purchase.
LOOK FOR MORE HOLIDAY POSTS AS THE TEMPERATURE DROPS...
LOOK FOR MORE HOLIDAY POSTS AS THE TEMPERATURE DROPS...
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Cheapskate
The best days to buy things:
Airplane Tickets
When to Buy: Wednesday morning.
Why: "Most airfare sales are thrown out there on the weekend," says travel expert Peter Greenberg, a.k.a. The Travel Detective. Other airlines then jump into the game, discounting their own fares and prompting further changes by the first airline. The fares reach their lowest prices late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
Books
When to Buy: Thursday.
Why: Price compare between major chains Borders and Barnes & Noble. The former releases its weekly sales and coupons on every Thursday; the latter, every Tuesday.
Cars
When to Buy: Monday.
Why: "Car dealers live for the weekend, which is when they make most of their sales," says Phil Reed, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com. "On Mondays, the low foot traffic makes it seem like the weekend will never come." That dealer desperation, paired with fewer consumers on the lot, give you more negotiating power.
Clothing
When to Buy: Thursday evening.
Why: That's the day when stores stock their shelves for the weekend, and when many retailers — including Ann Taylor, Banana Republic and Express — start their weekend promotions, says Kathryn Finney, author of "How to Be a Budget Fashionista." You'll find great prices and the best selection. "It's an effort to get people to shop in the middle of the week," she says.
Department-Store Wares
When to Buy: Saturday evening.
Why: Department stores have a lot to mark down for their Sunday circulars, so they frequently start the process on Saturday evenings before store closing, says Finney. "They're preparing for the big rush," she says. Bonus: Even if the markdowns haven't been made, many employees will honor the sale price if you ask. Print out the circular preview from the store's web site, and bring it with you when you head to the mall.
Dinner Out
When to Buy: Tuesday.
Why: Most restaurants do not receive food deliveries over the weekend. "Sunday is the garbage-can day of the week," says Kate Krader, senior editor at Food & Wine magazine. "No doubt, they're cleaning out their fridges. Tuesdays, they're starting fresh." Dining out on that day offers the best odds you'll get a meal worth paying for, no matter your price point, she says.
Entertainment
When to Buy: Wednesday.
Why: Plenty of movie theaters, amusement parks and museums offer extra discounts to consumers who visit midweek. Six Flags theme parks offer a $12 discount to AAA members — three times its usual discount of $4. AMC Theatres offers members in its free AMC Movie Watcher reward program a free small popcorn on Wednesdays. (This summer, it's also the day select theaters offer free Summer Movie Camp screenings.)
Gas
When to Buy: Thursday, before 10 a.m.
Why: The price of oil isn't the only factor influencing costs at your local pump. Consumer usage plays a role, too — and weekend demand is high, says Jason Toews, co-founder of GasBuddy.com, a price-monitoring site. Prices usually swing upward on Thursdays as travelers fuel up to head out the following day. By hitting the pump before 10 a.m. (when many station owners change their prices), you'll beat the rush and the price jump.
Groceries
When to Buy: Sunday — or Tuesday.
Why: Maximize savings by combining store sales, which run from Wednesday to Tuesday, with the latest round of coupons from your Sunday paper, says Mary Hunt, publisher of Debt-Proof Living, a money-saving newsletter. "It's a smart idea to wait until you have those in hand to match up with the week's sale items," she says.
To snag savings on items you don't need just yet, shop on Tuesday, advises Hunt. Chances are, the store will have run out of the sale items. "That means you can pick up rain checks, which allow you to buy those items later when you need them, and at the sale price," she says.
Hotel Rooms
When to Buy: Sunday.
Why: There are two kinds of hotel managers, and the kind that won't give you a discount on your room rate has Sundays off, says Greenberg. Call the hotel directly, and ask to speak with the manager on duty or the director of sales. These employees are open to negotiation, he says. They'd rather have a booked room at a discounted rate than an empty room. (The rest of the week, your call would get you a so-called revenue manager, who monitors profits — and is rarely willing to lower rates.)
(Source: Yahoo Finance)
When to Buy: Wednesday morning.
Why: "Most airfare sales are thrown out there on the weekend," says travel expert Peter Greenberg, a.k.a. The Travel Detective. Other airlines then jump into the game, discounting their own fares and prompting further changes by the first airline. The fares reach their lowest prices late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
When to Buy: Thursday.
Why: Price compare between major chains Borders and Barnes & Noble. The former releases its weekly sales and coupons on every Thursday; the latter, every Tuesday.
When to Buy: Monday.
Why: "Car dealers live for the weekend, which is when they make most of their sales," says Phil Reed, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com. "On Mondays, the low foot traffic makes it seem like the weekend will never come." That dealer desperation, paired with fewer consumers on the lot, give you more negotiating power.
When to Buy: Thursday evening.
Why: That's the day when stores stock their shelves for the weekend, and when many retailers — including Ann Taylor, Banana Republic and Express — start their weekend promotions, says Kathryn Finney, author of "How to Be a Budget Fashionista." You'll find great prices and the best selection. "It's an effort to get people to shop in the middle of the week," she says.
When to Buy: Saturday evening.
Why: Department stores have a lot to mark down for their Sunday circulars, so they frequently start the process on Saturday evenings before store closing, says Finney. "They're preparing for the big rush," she says. Bonus: Even if the markdowns haven't been made, many employees will honor the sale price if you ask. Print out the circular preview from the store's web site, and bring it with you when you head to the mall.
When to Buy: Tuesday.
Why: Most restaurants do not receive food deliveries over the weekend. "Sunday is the garbage-can day of the week," says Kate Krader, senior editor at Food & Wine magazine. "No doubt, they're cleaning out their fridges. Tuesdays, they're starting fresh." Dining out on that day offers the best odds you'll get a meal worth paying for, no matter your price point, she says.
When to Buy: Wednesday.
Why: Plenty of movie theaters, amusement parks and museums offer extra discounts to consumers who visit midweek. Six Flags theme parks offer a $12 discount to AAA members — three times its usual discount of $4. AMC Theatres offers members in its free AMC Movie Watcher reward program a free small popcorn on Wednesdays. (This summer, it's also the day select theaters offer free Summer Movie Camp screenings.)
When to Buy: Thursday, before 10 a.m.
Why: The price of oil isn't the only factor influencing costs at your local pump. Consumer usage plays a role, too — and weekend demand is high, says Jason Toews, co-founder of GasBuddy.com, a price-monitoring site. Prices usually swing upward on Thursdays as travelers fuel up to head out the following day. By hitting the pump before 10 a.m. (when many station owners change their prices), you'll beat the rush and the price jump.
When to Buy: Sunday — or Tuesday.
Why: Maximize savings by combining store sales, which run from Wednesday to Tuesday, with the latest round of coupons from your Sunday paper, says Mary Hunt, publisher of Debt-Proof Living, a money-saving newsletter. "It's a smart idea to wait until you have those in hand to match up with the week's sale items," she says.
To snag savings on items you don't need just yet, shop on Tuesday, advises Hunt. Chances are, the store will have run out of the sale items. "That means you can pick up rain checks, which allow you to buy those items later when you need them, and at the sale price," she says.
When to Buy: Sunday.
Why: There are two kinds of hotel managers, and the kind that won't give you a discount on your room rate has Sundays off, says Greenberg. Call the hotel directly, and ask to speak with the manager on duty or the director of sales. These employees are open to negotiation, he says. They'd rather have a booked room at a discounted rate than an empty room. (The rest of the week, your call would get you a so-called revenue manager, who monitors profits — and is rarely willing to lower rates.)
(Source: Yahoo Finance)
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
If I Can Dream
Remember watching the "Idol Gives Back" show on American Idol this past season? Remember seeing the Elvis & Celine duet and wondering to yourself, "How the hell did they do that?" Well, I found out.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Come On-A My House
While busy doing a playlist for an upcoming wedding, I happened across Rosemary Clooney's "Come On-A My House". It's so kooky in the beginning, kind of reminds me of The Adams Family or something... But the lyrics don't make any real sense, except that if you go to her house you'll get candy, peaches, plums and a-pomegranite too. Oh well, enough of me analyzing the lyrics. Here are some facts about Rosemary Clooney that you've--I'm sure--always wanted to know:
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Psychology Class Part I
I promised myself I would start writing down every cool thing I learned in psychology class each day, but it hasn't happened yet. I guess I'll just try to remember some now...
The stage of sleeping in which you dream you're falling is called "light sleep" and it's the first stage of Non-REM sleeping. It only lasts a few minutes, but falling off a cliff sure does scare the crap outta me!
Although your brain is active during REM, your voluntary muscle control is taken away. So if you're fighting Mr. T in your dream, your brain stops you from looking stupid on the couch.
Dreams, according to Freud, are unconscious, forbidden thoughts that need to escape. Example, you secretly wish the lunch lady would keel over and in your dreams, she really does.
The state of a car in your dream is meant to symbolize the state of YOUR health. My teacher explained that a friend of hers always told her about his dreams and spoke of one where he saw his old, beat up truck. She explained that the car's appearance related to a person's health. He didn't think anything of it. Years later, he was diagnosed with liver cancer and always remembered that dream. Kind of eerie, but it may or may not be true. Depends on what you believe in I guess.
Smell is the strongest trigger of memory. Studying with a candle burning or cookies baking helps you study better. On test day, when you think of that smell, you think of the answers for the test. (Also, studying before bed is a way to ace a test.)
A libotomy procedure involves the frontal cortex being seperated from the brain, therefore making a person dull. All personality is taken away. (SEE: Last 20 minutes of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.)
The Bobo Doll experiment, conducted in 1961 by Albert Bandura, showed that kids who were exposed to violent behaviors were more likely to act violenty themselves, compared to children who were exposed to normal, non-violent behavior.(Wikipedia Link)
Your brain generates 25 watts of power while you’re awake--enough to light a light bulb.
All of the above are some of the things I learned so far in my psychology class. It's pretty fun, actually, learning about your brain and body. I've always wanted to know why we do certain things. Maybe my little tidbits each day can help you learn something you never knew.
All of the above are some of the things I learned so far in my psychology class. It's pretty fun, actually, learning about your brain and body. I've always wanted to know why we do certain things. Maybe my little tidbits each day can help you learn something you never knew.
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