Morning Movie

Michael has been wanting to see National Treasure: Book of Secrets. I wasn't lucky enough to win screening passes through Ytic, so we were going to have to pay to see this one. I suggested that we use one of my coupons in the Entertainment Book because even for an evening show at Regal Cinemas, the price is only $6.00 (or $7.50 within the first 12 days of the movie's release). That's a good deal considering the regular price is $10.25 ($8.00 for a matinee) in the DC area.

However, Michael found an even better deal! AMC Theatres offer big discounts (no coupons needed) for their shows before noon on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. So, we went to the 10:30 AM showing of National Treasure this morning (MLK Day) for only $5.00/ticket. Half price! We also had no problems finding near-by parking, which was great because it's so cold out. The meter parking was free since it's a holiday. There weren't a lot of people there, so we got good seats without having to get there really early.

We grabbed lunch after the movie -- and it was a nice (and very affordable) date!

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Planning Ahead for Valetine's Day

Valentine's Day is less than a month away. Of course, if you are like most people, you are just coming off from a big spending time in December. But you don't have to spend a ton on your "valentine" to make him/her feel special. To me, Valentine's Day can be blown out of portion in terms of amount spent on gifts. It's far more fun to see how creative you can be in expressing your love on this day.

Michael is smart. He has always cooked a great meal at home for me on Valentine's Day. It makes a lot more sense and is far more special than going out for a meal that is probably over-priced for February 14.

While it can sometimes be hard to dream up, I try to think of some kind of little, inexpensive (but thoughtful) gift to give Michael. He wouldn't really appreciate flowers. He doesn't care much for sweets of any kind. So, it does become a little more challenging.

Last year, I bought a clear glass vase at the dollar store and tied a red ribbon around it. I also got a package of place cards (at Dollar Tree in the wedding/party section). I thought of 52 reasons why I love him (from completely silly things to more serious ones) and wrote one on the inside of each card. On the outside of each card, I wrote the title "52 Things I Love About Michael." Then, I sealed the cards each with a Valentine sticker. (I got a whole sheet of them from Dollar Tree and had enough leftover to decorate the vase too.) To make it colorful, I used 10 different colors of felt tip pens (which I got free after rebate at Staples) to write the messages. The place cards actually came 50 to a package, so I used other little papers I had on hand for the remaining two cards and still sealed them with a sticker too. After all of the cards were done, I filled the vase. So, I had a cute, thoughtful gift for a little over $3.00! I told Michael that if opened one per week, he'd have a year full of great thoughts. However, he couldn't wait and ended up reading one each day. That still lasted nearly 2 months. It was definitely a gift that kept giving.

I don't know what I'm going to do this year. However, as you can see, whether you are planning to cook dinner or hand-make a gift, it takes some time and thought. Better to start working on it now. Then, you won't have to run out and buy an expensive (and probably, cheesy) gift for your Valentine at the last minute.

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Before You Throw Away Your Christmas Cards

It's about time to start putting away all of the Christmas decorations. For me, that also includes recycling the Christmas cards that we've received. For the past several years, I've tried a tip that I've read several times in various places: turn this year's Christmas cards into next year's Christmas present tags.

I look at each card and see if it has a pretty picture that could be trimmed down into a gift tag. The only stipulation is that it can't have any of the personalized message on it/someone's handwriting. Obviously, you also don't want to use the picture of someone else's kids as a gift tag! However, still look at those photo cards. Some of them have nice graphics that you could cut out to use as a tag. If a card has a big design, it could still be used. Larger tags look nice on big packages.

Once you have them all cut out, save the tags in an envelope or paper bag. Store them with the rest of your Christmas gift wrap so that you'll be ready with tags next year.

When you pull them out next December, there are a few different ways you can use them. You could tape it down on the gift box and write the "to" and "from" message on the front. Another option is to punch a hole in the corner and tie it the gift with a ribbon. For this type, you could write a message on the front or back of the tag.

I've found that these gift tags look really nice on plain paper (no design). The tag is the focal point with a pretty picture. I've also been able to match a tag with the wrapping paper (i.e. snowflake tag with snowman paper), which is really cute.

At after-Christmas sales, you can get gift tags at a very, very low price. However, this is a good way to reuse part of your old Christmas cards and have unique, beautiful tags.

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Celebrating at 3/4 of the Price

For Michael's birthday, I took him to eat at The Warehouse in Old Town Alexandria. Mmmm! This is the 3rd year that we've gone there for his birthday. They have great steaks, so since it's a celebration, we both got the fillet minon...plus the blackened scallops for an appetizer to share. It's far more expensive than our usual dinners out; however, that's why I save on other things. I can then spend on special occasions without worry.

Yes, we do use coupons even for our birthday meals. One of my coworkers thinks this is so funny (and possibly, so cheap). However, we go to some of the nicest restaurants around for our birthdays -- if we can get a discount too, why not? Actually, I think it is an advantage to having winter birthdays. The fine restaurants in Old Town use coupons to lure patrons to an area that is outside in the cold without much nearby parking.

If you have reason to celebrate or just want an excellent meal at a reduced price, here's the link to the website where you can print the coupons to some of the Old Town restaurants. Unfortunately, they aren't as generous this year as they have been in the past. The last two years the coupons have been buy one entree, get one free. This year, it's buy one entree, get the second half off. But I'll take a 25% discount over none at all.

We save some additional money by eating dessert at home. Michael really likes cheesecake, so each year, I've made him a different variety for his birthday. (This is a perfect time of year to save on baking ingredients too!) This year, I chose a recipe from Southern Living for Warm Fudge-Filled Cheesecake, which has a pistachio crust. Mmmm!

Happy Birthday, Michael!

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Coupon Codes for Online Shopping

There's still time to do some online shopping before Christmas. A few years ago I discovered Coupon Cabin which is a website that lists a lot of online coupon codes. It took me a little while to remember to actually look before making a purchase, but now I always do. You might find that you can get a percentage off or free shipping for your purchase. Coupons can sweeten a deal that you were already going to buy at a certain place or help you decide where to make the purchase.

There are a lot of places where you can find coupon codes online. Coupon Mom offers them on her website. Sometimes you can find them on Upromise. Look around before you click "

A final tip about online shopping: be sure to check on shipping dates before you order. Obviously, even if you have a coupon code for a percentage off, if the rush shipping is going to cost a lot in order for you to receive it in time, it's not a deal. Think about braving the stores and don't pay for expensive last minute shipping.

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Gifts with Gift Cards

Gift cards have become a really popular way to give in the past few years. There are things to consider like: Is there a fee? Is there an expiration date? Will the recipient remember to use it? I suppose if you are a really good bargain shopper, gift cards aren't necessarily the best way to go. You might be able to get a better gift for less if you hunt for a sale than if you just gave your loved one money or a gift card. However, if you are giving to a bargain shopper who might search out the best deal (especially after Christmas), a gift card might be stretched to get a bigger gift than if the non-bargain shopper just grabbed something at regular price.

But there's something else about gift cards that I've noticed a lot this year: a bonus gift when you buy a gift card. You might be able to get a deal on a gift card and keep the bonus gift for yourself or add it to the gift you are giving. For example, for every $50 gift card you buy at Bertucci's, you get a free $10 gift card. At Baja Fresh, you get a free $5 gift card when you buy a gift card of $25 or more. At Rock Bottom, they will wrap each $50 gift certificate that you buy in their signature pint glass and gift box (only available in person -- I got the info from their e-newsletter).

If you frequent a store or restaurant that is offering a bonus that you would like and you know you will be spending money at that establishment anyway, buy yourself the gift card. In the Baja Fresh example, if you got the $25 gift card, it would be like getting a 20% discount since you get a $5 card free. If you have a coupon for a purchase at this place or if there is a sale, using this gift card you will get an even better deal!

Whether you are buying a present for someone else or would like to take advantage of a deal for yourself, keep your eyes open for bonuses with gift card purchases. (As always, don't forget to read the fine print before you buy. Some of the bonuses can only be obtained if you make the purchase in person.)

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Holiday Lights & Displays - Part 3

In Holiday Lights & Displays - Part 1 and Part 2, I've told you about some of the great Christmas decorations in the DC area (and ideas on where to look for displays in your town). Today I will tell you about 2 more of my favorites -- both of which are on Capitol Hill and are free to visit!

Michael and I made a great holiday find at the U.S. Botanic Garden two years ago. Outside, they have an amazing model train garden. The website claims that it will be "bigger and more dazzling this year." I thought it was exceptional the past two years, so this really is going to be a "must-see." Inside, they have seasonal plants and displays. The best part of the indoor decorations is the miniature National Mall made from all things natural. It's so incredible that the landscape architects are able to make models out of twigs and leaves to look like the monuments and memorials. I favor Christmas displays at night, so I recommend you visit on one of the evenings that the U.S. Botanic Garden is open until 8 PM. I also recommend that you choose a night when they have live music. It makes it all the more festive. A bonus to this one for me is that it's nice and warm inside the conservatory!

While you are visiting the botanic garden which is right next to the U.S. Capitol, go take a look at the Capitol Christmas Tree. This year it will be lit on December 5. This tree, unlike the planted National Christmas Tree, is brought in from somewhere in the United States each year. This year, it comes from Vermont and is decorated with ornaments hand-crafted by the people of Vermont. I'm hoping that it has really bright lights like the one in 2005 did because it makes for a great picture when it is really glowing.

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Holiday Lights & Displays - Part 2

Today I'm continuing to talk about holiday lights and displays in the DC area -- and these are free and definitely worth your time! If you missed it, check out Holiday Lights & Displays - Part 1 for some ideas on how to find seasonal activities outside of the DC area.

Last year Michael and I went to the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Museum Holiday Open House. You can find the event details for this year on their calendar. We took a tour of this nice museum to see the period rooms from 30 states and DC. For Christmas, the rooms are decorated according to the time and location that the room is exhibiting. They have carolers singing and offer hot beverages and great cookies. Santa was there talking to children. Admission is free! It's one night only (December 5th), so don't miss it.

One of my favorite Christmas activities is to go look at the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse in front of the White House. Of course, it's free! This year it will be lit on December 6, and then it is open to the public from December 8 - January 1. While it is open 11 AM - 11 PM, I highly recommend that you go after dark so that you can enjoy the lights. It is probably more crowded then, but worth it. What I didn't realize until I went down there for the first time several years ago is that not only do they have the large National Christmas Tree, but they also have small trees for each state, territory, and DC. Those trees are decorated with ornaments made by people from the respective areas. They also have several model train displays at the foot of the National Tree. There is a blazing hot yule log, a nativity, and a giant menorah. Many evenings they also have organizations performing holiday music (schedule).

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Free Holiday Music

Sing we now of Christmas, Sing we now Noel...

There's nothing like a good Christmas carol. Of course, it's even better when it is free. In most places, you can find a radio station that plays all holiday music through Christmas Day. However, live entertainment is best.

You can go to a free hour-long concert at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage every evening of the year at 6 PM. (Can't make it in person? They broadcast them online.) Here's a listing of the holiday concerts that are coming up in December:

December 9: Beltway Brass
December 11: The Peace Ringers & The Carol Ringers
December 14: Merry TubaChristmas
December 16: High Groove Steelers
December 18: Sweet Heaven Kings
December 21: The Junkyard Saints
December 23: Prelude
December 24: Monumental Brass
December 25: All-Star Christmas Day Jazz Jam
December 28 & 29: Alexandria Kleztet, Holiday Vaudeville, Sean Grissom, Mark Mitton
December 30: Last Train Home

Also, here is a listing of some other DC area holiday concerts (some of which are free) on About.com: Holiday Concert Guide.

For areas outside of DC, check About.com, Google, or your local paper for concerts. If nowhere else, many churches and schools have concerts this time of year that are free or low cost. But you might be able to find some in cool venues like Atlanta's Fox Theatre. On December 18, they are having the second annual Larry, Carols, and Mo!, a free holiday concert and sing-a-long with their organist in residence. As a bonus, it's followed by a showing of Miracle on 34th Street. Tickets are free but must be reserved in advanced. (Ticketmaster charges a small service fee or you can just go to the box office.) At this event, they will have donation boxes for new, unwrapped toys and/or non-perishable food for the needy. Consider taking something if you are going. (Read my post entitled Triple the Fun! for some ideas on how to get some inexpensive or free food items. This time of year you can find good deals on toys at most stores too.)

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Holiday Lights & Displays - Part 1

Like I mentioned on Tuesday, Michael and I enjoy finding some great Christmas lights and displays every year. The Washington, DC area is full of some really fantastic ones that are free or low cost. I found a decent list of some of the popular light displays in this area on About.com.

December is always packed full, so we try out some new activities each year and also revisit some favorites. This Saturday we are planning to catch the Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights on the Potomac River in Old Town Alexandria. We saw some pretty creative decorations last year in this unique parade of lights. I'm sure the boaters will have some cool ones again this year. Of course, since it's on the river, you can watch from anywhere long the water for free.

A few years ago Michael and I went to see the Festival of Lights at the Mormon Temple in Kensington, MD. It was okay, but since we didn't live nearby, it wasn't really worth the drive. However, I did like their indoor display of nativity sets from around the world. Two bonuses were that the people there were super nice, and admission is free.

Winter Lights at Seneca Creek State Park in Gaithersburg, MD is definitely worth a visit and the fee. If you go Sunday - Thursday, it's only $10 per car. However, you can also get a $2 coupon at Lake Forest Mall for a Monday - Thursday visit. Turn on some Christmas music and enjoy the slow 3.5 mile drive. It's quite beautiful!

One that I'd like to try out this year is the Bull Run Festival of Lights in Centreville. It looks like the best deal on this one would be to go Monday - Thursday ($15/car) and use the $3 coupon.

December is a great time to visit DC since there are so many affordable seasonal activities. The museums and other attractions are also less crowded. However, if you don't live in this area and aren't planning to visit this year, check out your local newspaper or Google "holiday light displays" or "Christmas" in your town. You could also check out About.com to see if they list anything for your city. For example, here's an article they have about the best holiday light displays in Atlanta.

Enjoy the season!

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More Christmas Entertainment Deals

In Discounted Holiday Fun, I wrote about some great deals on holiday productions that are available through Goldstar. (Incidentally, I've noticed that they've added some new tickets which are worth checking out.) There are other ones in the area that budget-friendly too.

The Little Alexandria Theatre is putting on a production of A Christmas Carol. Tickets are only $10 each (plus a $1.50/ticket service charge to buy them online). Michael and I went to see this last year and really enjoyed it. There are no bad seats (even the very last row) at this community theater because it is so small. It only runs through December 9, so get your tickets soon.

The National Theatre in DC offers free performances on Monday evenings and Saturday mornings. In December, they have 3 holiday productions that include:

December 3: Songs for the Season
December 10: Christmas with the Camerata
December 15: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

First Baptist Church of Alexandria does a production of the Living Christmas Tree. Michael and I went to this one year and enjoyed it. The music is really good and the tree is so cool -- but I have to admit the play was a bit cheesy. Nevertheless for $5 per ticket (plus $1 service fee), I recommend it. The only problem is that they sell out fast for the 7 shows. It looks like Thursday night and Sunday night are still open.

You can definitely find quality entertainment that fits into your budget, even during what can be an expensive time of year.

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Discounted Holiday Fun

There are so many fun things to do in December. What's even better is that many of them are free or low cost. In the coming posts, I'll highlight some Christmas/winter activities and events in the DC area that are budget-friendly. I'll also point out some websites where you can find other things to do during December in this area as well as other cities across the country.

I just bought tickets for Michael and me to see A Christmas Carol at Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre on Sunday afternoon. The regular price for the Sunday afternoon show is $30, but through Goldstar, I was able to get 2 tickets for just $39. ($15/ticket plus $4.50/ticket service charge.)

This is probably the only holiday event we'll attend this December that costs more than $5 per ticket. (Of course, we will be doing lots more fun stuff that I'll write about in the coming days and weeks, but those things will all be less expensive.) However, there are lots of other good holiday options available through Goldstar:

The Second Shepherds' Play at Folger Theatre for $24

Seasonal Disorder at Source Theater (Washington Improv) for $6

Forgotten Holidays at Source Theater (Washington Improv) for $6

Yes, Season Six, There is a Santa Claus at Source Theater (Washington Improv) for $6

The Nutcracker at Warner Theatre (Washington Ballet) for $40

A Solstice Celebration: Turtle Island String Quartet with Leo Kottke at Strathmore for $18

Babes in Toyland at Atlas Performing Arts Center for $20

A Christmas Carol at Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre for $15-$17.50

SpaJama's Pampered Holiday Shopping Event at Kahler Hall for $17.50

Holiday Wine Tasting at P & C Art Gallery for $15

Christmas with the Camerata in 3 different locations for $12.50

Each event has a service charge which varies, but even with that fee, it's a lot cheaper than paying full price. Goldstar sells out many of their tickets. In fact, the ones for the Holiday Parade of Lights Wine Cruise on the Potomac and the Matzo Ball are already gone, so don't wait until the last minute to buy.

Also, I've just listed the holiday events in the DC area, but through Goldstar, you can also get half-priced tickets to holiday events in Los Angeles, San Franscisco, San Diego, Orange County, San Jose, Chicago, New York, Boston, and Las Vegas.

It's free to join Goldstar, but you have to be member to view all of the info about an event on their website and to get the discounted tickets.

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Preparing for Black Friday

Only in the past few years have I become a Black Friday shopper, hitting the stores to find the best deals on the day after Thanksgiving. There really is an art and a science to being successful at shopping and saving on this day. Read Donna Montaldo's Top 10 Tips to Getting the Best Bargains on "Black Friday" article on About.com for some good ideas to get started.

Preparation is key to survive this shopping madness. Know what people to whom you will give gifts want. Black Friday (particularly during the Early Bird special time period...usually before 10 AM or 11 AM) is no time for window shopping! There are huge crowds of people, frantically trying to get the deals for which they came. It's a crazy scene, and you have to be mentally and physically prepared to navigate through it. You will also have to enlist the help of friends and family (willing and able adults and/or teens) if you are after several hot bargains, even if they are all in one store. More than likely, it won't be possible for one person to do it all. You (and your helpers) will also have to get to the store early (before it opens, which is well before the sun rises). The best deals can sell out within minutes or an hour of the store opening. It's probably going to be cold, waiting outside the store in the dark of the wee hours of the morning, so dress appropriately.

Last year I had my first real experience with serious Black Friday shopping. In the past I had gone to get some bargains, but I knew that if I missed them, it wasn't going to be a big deal. However, last year my brother (and sister-in-law), sister, and I decided that we were going to get Mom and Dad a new computer. Barry found a good one for a great price during Circuit City's Early Bird sale on Black Friday. Actually getting it required the greatest form of sibling team work! We wanted to give this gift without spending a ton.

Barry was at his in-laws in North Carolina. He wasn't too keen on the idea of crawling out of bed before dawn to go to Circuit City, but I convinced him that this was what we needed to do. (Later, he agreed that this was the best strategy. He didn't realize it would be so intense.) Meanwhile, in Northern Virginia, Angie and I split up, staking out two different Circuit City stores in the area. We were all connected by cell phone and reported in to each other once we were in line, as well as our progress once we were in our respective stores.

Unfortunately, poor Angie never even made it into the store. (That's how crazy it was.) She nearly froze too. Barry got into the store, but he was dealing with a new seasonal sales associate who ended up sending him in the wrong direction inside the store, throwing a big road block in between him and the computer we wanted. They sold out before he could get it. I got lucky and probably by chance got into the right line inside the store. When I was actually paying for the computer, I called Barry and Angie to say that I got it. Angie headed home to thaw. I had a bit of a panic moment when it appeared though I had paid for the CPU and monitor, they might not have the CPU in stock because of confusion between the sales associates and stockroom. I called Barry back, and even though he thought it was too late, being a great sport (and having in an interest in getting this deal), he attempted to get back in the computer line. In the end, I got the whole package. Barry also managed to pick up a few smaller items that were deeply discounted in between the time I said I got the computer and when I called back to say I wasn't so sure. (There would have been no way possible for me to manage doing both.)

Mom and Dad got a great new computer. Barry, Tammy, Angie, and I were done our Christmas shopping for them within an hour, getting what we wanted to give them. And we didn't blow our budget doing it -- we saved about $400! Time well spent.

One final tip: if you know you are going to be seeking a hot item, go to the stores this week where you think you might be getting it. Ask a manager or knowledgeable sales associate how the lines will be handled on Black Friday during the Early Bird special time period. If you know in advance where to go, you probably won't run into the situation of being sent in the wrong direction that Barry did at Circuit City last year. For example, if they have separate lines for big screen TVs and computers, you'll want and need to know that before Friday morning.

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Treat Your Credit Card Like a Debit Card

I've found some really great tips through Bankrate's Frugal $ense contest. Click here to read my all-time favorite submitted by Patrick Hardy of Cumming, GA.

Like my financially-savvy mom taught me, I've always paid my credit card in full. I use rebate cards like Discover Card so that I can get a bonus for buying every day stuff (i.e. groceries) and bigger things too (i.e. plane tickets). Everything goes on my credit card, partly as a nice way to consolidate bills and partly as a way to maximize the card's rebate. I believe my money should work as hard as I am, and the credit card rebate is one way my money is producing income. However, Patrick's tip helped increase my earnings through the credit card.

I tweaked his tip a little bit to work better for me. I have a certain dollar amount transferred from my checking account to my high-yield savings account automatically semimonthly. Then, I pay my credit card bill from the savings account. (Of course, if you try this tip, be sure you aren't taking too many withdrawals each month from your savings account or your bank will penalize you with a fee.)

If it's a month when I have spent more than what I automatically transfer, I will manually send more money from my checking account to my savings account. If I've spent less, I just leave the money in the savings account for the future. I've been doing this since April. I have been able to keep my expenses low most months. So, now that extra money is my Christmas gift fund! Of course, it's been earning decent interest over the months too.

If you want to use this tip and need a high-yield savings account, email me. I'll send you an invitation to get $25 when you open a new ING Orange Savings Account. (Surly, you've seen ING's ads, commercials, and sponsorships everywhere. It's a legitimate online bank. It's the bank that is now the title sponsor of the New York Marathon and the Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon -- the latter of which Michael and I completed this past March.)

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Online Shopping & Shipping Tip

During the holiday shopping season, online merchants will often offer free shipping for either all purchases or for purchases over a certain dollar amount. When the latter is the case and I haven't reached the minimum amount to get free shipping with my intended purchase, I check to see how much the shipping charge is. If it is equal to or greater than the additional amount I would need to spend to be eligible for free shipping, I'll find something else to buy that will push my purchase to the minimum amount to get the deal.

For example, last December I wanted to give my boyfriend Michael new running shorts for Christmas. They cost $20. In order to be eligible for free shipping, I would have had to spend at least $25. Shipping for the shorts was going to cost $5. So, I found a package of socks that cost $5 and added them to my purchase. Then, I got the shorts and socks (including shipping) for the same price for which I could have gotten just the shorts with shipping. It was like getting the socks, which I added to his gift, for free!

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10 Ways to Spend Less in Stores (for the Holidays)

Stephanie Nelson (aka Coupon Mom) has an article in the December issue of Good Housekeeping. Check it out here and see if you recognize anyone mentioned (hint: in tip #6)! I'm online and in print now! The article is on page 121 of the magazine -- look me up this month when you are in line at the grocery store. ;-)

Like I said in my tip, you can get some really good deals for Christmas by using rebates. Last year, my sister had a flash drive on her wish list. I got one (1 GB) at Office Depot which had a regular price of about $60 for $12 because it was on sale and had $32 in rebates.

Each year, my sister and I get some gifts for the Salvation Army Angel Tree kids in Lynchburg. I got Twister and Connect Four for part of the gifts last year. I saw them for regular price at Toys R Us for $14 and $13, respectively. However, I got them the day after Thanksgiving at Target for $7 each, and I had a $2 rebate from the manufacturer for each game. That made them just $5 each!

As part of our gift to our brother last year, my sister and I got him an Ethernet adapter. The brand he wanted runs about $60-$70 regular price. I found it on Buy.com for $44 (after a $20 rebate), and they were offering free shipping...and there's no sales tax charged for shipping to Virginia!

Actually, Buy.com was a really great discovery. Last January, I got a $45 1-GB disk for my digital camera for free after rebate. They didn't charge shipping or tax. Okay, if you want to get technical, I may have had to actually mail in the rebate versus submitting it online (which some places offer), but then it was only the price of a first-class stamp.

I've added the link to Buy.com's Deal of the Day to my blog (left column). You can find some really great deals (like my free camera disk) that way. You can find other great deals on everything from toys and baby products to sporting equipment and books to appliances and computers to cameras and electronics through Buy.com too. Free shipping is available on many items. Tax is only charged for items being shipped to CA, MA, and TN.

Here's to having an enjoyable, but less expensive, holiday season!

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Deal for Veterans' Day

Happy Veterans' Day to all of the men and women who have served and are currently serving in the United States military! I appreciate your courage and bravery -- and for putting up with all of the "less glamorous stuff" that comes along with being in the military -- in order to keep this country strong and free.

On Tuesday, I will mail a Thanksgiving card to my friend Amy's husband who is currently serving in Western Iraq. I can only imagine that it would be nice to get a greeting card now and again from home if you are helping fight a war in a far off land. And it's fun to send mail too.

I agree with Kristi's comment (on the 11/8/07 posting) that e-cards are great. I really do enjoy getting email and e-cards from friends and family and sending them too. However, there is something nice about actually holding a card or letter in your hand...but mostly, finding a little treasure in the mail. Apparently, Craig agreed. He even wrote me back! What a nice surprise!

Especially with the holidays coming up, you might consider sending a card to a deployed service person even if you don't know one. The military will no longer accept mail addressed to "Any Solider," so ask around. You probably know someone, who knows someone, who is fighting the current war or is deployed elsewhere. Send them a greeting!

Postage to military addresses abroad (i.e. APO) is the same price as sending domestic mail. So, instead of the regular price of sending a card to Iraq (90 cents), it only costs 41 cents. What a deal!

Today, I went to the Dollar Tree to get some greeting cards. They sell decent ones for just 2 for $1! (Dollar General does too.) Even cheap cards at other places are usually a dollar, so 50 cents is a great deal. But I got them for even less! Discover Card sent me a coupon in a recent credit card statement for 10% off a $20 or more purchase at the Dollar Tree when I pay with my Discover Card. A coupon at the dollar store?! I really stocked up on cards. With the discount, they were only 45 cents each! (5% off each card since they are 2 for $1.) Most people read and then throw away cards anyway. Getting less expensive ones makes sense. Like I said, these cards are nice, so even if someone does keep it forever, it's good enough to be a keepsake. So, I'll be sending a little bit of happiness to Craig for less than one dollar! Now there's a deal!

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