I know that cold weather has it’s place. I mean, the snow and ice kill alot of those pesky bugs which is nice for me considering I live out in the country. (I’ll never forget one year where the grasshoppers were so bad when I walked through the yard it looked like a sea of grasshoppers parting. That was a heck of year as I am not a bug person but I digress) And while I appreciate winter, I love spring. It’s a time of renewal and new beginnings and everything just seems cleaner.
Usually the first sign of spring for me is the robins. This year they showed up in abundance. The snow had just melted and I was standing staring out the front door wondering if the front yard was ever going to dry up when a flock and I do mean a flock, of robins landed in the yard. I have never seen so many in one place. It was amazing and awesome all at the same time.
The second sign of spring is the pretty white blooms on the Bradford Pear trees that line my driveway and the front of the house. They are so pretty. Springtime is so short in Texas that you have to really enjoy it while it’s here.
Birds, flowers, bright colors and long rides on the Harley mean Spring is really here so get out there and enjoy it while it lasts. For those of us in Texas, we know that the moderate temps and green grass won’t last for long as summer, with it’s 100 degree heat and little to no rain, is right around the corner. Happy Spring!
Over the last week, I have been forced to face the grim facts of life; the fact that I will have loved ones fall sick & I will have loved ones pass away. It is part of all of our lives. It is one of the ’staple’ things we can expect, taxes & passing away. Even though some of us are sheltered from sickness/death at points in our lives, if we have any friends or loved one, we will eventually have to deal with it.
While being faced with this over the last week, I have started thinking about a conversation I had with my dad when I was really young, about 6 or 7. He said to me, “Do you know why I ALWAYS tell you I love you when I leave or get off the phone?”
I answered, “No.”
Affiliate marketing has been a staple of online marketing for over a decade in the United States. I have personally enjoyed it as a retailer and as an affiliate for almost ten years now. Europe has also extended into this channel and is really focusing on stronger development of this performance marketing channel. At DealTaker we recognize that the US is a small part of a big world and we are planning to attend the a4u expo in Munich, Germany this spring. After going over to London last year to attend the Linkshare Symposium there and meeting many great merchants and learning more about the retail landscape there, we felt compelled to launch our first non-US marketing page specifically for the UK – DealTakerUK. We have been pleased with the ensuing results.
In attending the a4u expo in Munich this year, we are more excited to meet a broader range of merchants and also creative marketing professionals with a different view than our own. Personally I love Europe and e-commerce and the opportunity to put those two things together. DealTaker may still just participate in the UK for awhile since the US is clearly our focus, but new points of view and the ability to interact with our global peers is an exciting proposition.
The first thing you should know is that many years ago my sisters and I nicknamed my Dad, Ranger Gene. This was not some random name noooo,…. my Dad can name almost any bird, tree or rock formation. Our vacations as kids were to all the national parks to “see the scenery”. Well when you’re 8 or 9 years old, one tree/canyon, national park looks pretty much like the next. It used to drive him crazy that we weren’t soaking up nature and we’d rather stay in the hotel room and play.
Now Dad liked to bring that “Ranger Gene” spirit and apply it at home. As far back as I can remember he had a green thumb and would grow trees from acorns, flowers from seeds. As a matter of fact, most of the landscaping around my parent’s house is something that Dad has grown from infancy. One of his prize plants was an oak tree that he planted in the front yard some 32 years ago. This tree truly started from an acorn. It grew every year as Dad carefully tended to it. It grew to be a big beautiful mighty oak that provided a ton of shade. I have alot of memories of playing in that tree and later, Mom and I sitting under the tree talking about life and all those “bumps” in the road I seem to hit. That tree was the personficiation of home for me.
You ordered a gorgeous framed print online and it was just delivered to your house. You’re excited as you peel off the packing tape. You’ve spent the past week bragging that you saved $100 on this amazing piece that will look perfect in the living room. You open the box and take out the packing bubbles anxiously waiting to admire your purchase. You lift it out of the box to examine it. Gasp! The frame is broken and there is a crack in the glass. To say the very least, you’re pissed. What do you do now?
1. Allow yourself to calm down first. Addressing an issue when you’re heated is not a good idea. Once you’re calmed down, sit down and compose a letter to the company. From experience I have found that sending an e-mail to the customer service department yields much better results.
2. Start the letter by saying something nice about the company. I also know, from experience, this can prove to be a bit challenging especially if you’re angry.  If you begin the letter by informing the company that they suck and they can all go to hell…well, let’s just say that won’t solve the issue. Say something nice about their site or how impressed you were to find such great deals. Anything.
I am a busy, working mom of three. I love my children & I love working, but when you try to fit anything else into any day, it is nearly impossible. It is like having two full-time jobs and trying to live life on the side. I have to streamline as many of my mommy chores as possible. I have found a way to save time in making out my grocery lists for the cooking I do throughout the week, and it has helped me from forgetting to get any of the ingredients needed to cook! (Which is SO me to do!)
You’vegotsupper.com makes my life easier in this regard. I can pull up a new recipe the family will enjoy (and one that won’t be too time consuming to make) and it will also give me my grocery list. I just X out what I do not need to buy and go on my way. It is very refreshing.
This is my next new recipe I will be trying; Sweet Bourbon Salmon – Servings: 4, Prep Time: 10 min. + 1 1/2 hours to marinate, Cook Time: 10 min.
All things considered, that is an extremely easy main course to make. Once I find the recipe I want, I click the ‘Print My Recipes & Grocery List’ and I’m finished. Easy easy!
Normally this time of year our house is decorated both inside and out. There are presents under the tree and we’ve had our fill of Christmas movies accompanied with hot cocoa and popcorn. Holiday platters are scattered on the counters filled with every kind of cookie imaginable. We’re usually planning out the final touches on our huge Christmas dinner.
This year things are different. The Christmas tree has already been taken down, the house isn’t decorated, there are no presents and we’re not having a huge traditional dinner like we normally do. We haven’t watched a Christmas movie since the first week of December and there are no candy canes to stir the hot cocoa. To be honest, it doesn’t even feel like Christmas. No, we’re not related to Scrooge. Between working on renovations, packing, moving and taking care of other things, there just hasn’t been time.
None of this bothers me in the least bit. Surprisingly,  this has been one of the best Christmas seasons yet. I have learned that Christmas does exist beyond the brightly wrapped presents, cookies, festivities, parties, lights and endless cups of minty hot cocoa. It’s that place where you can take a good look around and see what’s in front of you. It’s that peaceful warmth that surrounds you when you realize that the most precious of all gifts can’t be wrapped and put under the tree.
Without sounding like a sappy Hallmark card, I have found that place. Through the hard work, stress, little sleep and emotional roller coaster of the past few months, I am there. I look at the two renovated rooms that we completed and I’m so proud of the fact that we did it. I look at Mom sleeping on the sofa peacefully and realize that we gave her the gift of security so she can sleep soundly. I think about the people in my life that I am close to who love me unconditionally. I think about a special friend of mine who is always there with my virtual coffee and who listens to me vent without judgement.
I think of all of those things and more. That is Christmas to me. Being too busy this year to partake in our usual Christmas hoopla and gift giving has opened the door for a much greater awareness. It’s been refreshing. I hope that you can take a few minutes this year and open that door to reflect on all the goodness in your life. Look beyond the gifts and plates of fudge and just take it all in. Whether it be spouses, loved ones, friends and family. Take that moment.
Boy, am I glad we didn’t buy a house. We’d been looking since August and were scrambling to beat the first-time homebuyer’s tax credit deadline of Nov. 31st. For the record, it takes 30 days to close on a house in the best of circumstances, but the average is closer to 45-60 days. Just before Halloween we found out that my wife would be losing her job at the end of the year.
A couple of days before we found out this distressful bit of info, our realtor brought to my attention that we’d been shown 137 houses in three months. We’d made five offers, all of which had fallen through in negotiations. Her tone conveyed that we were running out of options if we wanted to beat the deadline.
Negotiations. If there was anything during these hard times I’d heard over most of 2009 with regard to home buying, it was: “It’s a buyer’s market”. “If a seller can’t pay your closing costs then they’re being unreasonable”. “NO ONE pays list price on a house nowadays”. None of these suggestions came directly from our realtor, but she also didn’t disagree with them. And so we approached our offers with these jewels of advice in mind.
It just never worked out the way we heard that it would. On two of the houses, the sellers were insulted by our offers of a few thousand below list and closing costs – so incredibly insulted that they considered not even counter-offering. Hey, we were just entering the negotiations expecting the seller to counteroffer, not trying to lowball them. But on all of the five houses, there was just no compromise. We’d been told that paying list price was just ridiculous, yet any time we entered negotiations the sellers seemed unwilling to come much off their list price even if their home had been on the market for 30, 60, 90 or 180 days!
I’m so glad we didn’t jump into a mortgage just to beat some deadline. Was our negative first-time homebuyer experience in this economy just a result of an unfortunate series of unreasonable sellers? Or was word of mouth wrong about it being a “buyer’s market”?
If you are from O-H-I-O or anywhere around there then you know what I am referring to. For all you others who don’t, let me explain. The term Buckeyes or Bucks is used to refer to Ohio State University sports teams and refers to all residents of the state of Ohio. Buckeyes are shiny dark brown nuts with lighter tan patches. They are poisonous nuts that grow on trees along rivers and streams and in floodplains.
Growing up my Mom taught my Sister and I how to make the edible kind of Buckeyes which are super yummy peanut butter balls dipped in milk chocolate. I remember gathering around in the kitchen before Christmas making these treats with them for hours. They are quite a chore to make but if you ask my family are worth the hard work once you get to pop one in your mouth. I wish I could say the more you make the less of them you mess up but that was never the case with us. We never could make them as perfect as what we would find in the store. We had lots of fun and made great memories though! Fortunately for you, I have found some Peanut Butter Buckeyes for you to enjoy without the time spent making them and a 25% off coupon to purchase them with.
A friend of mine shared this on twitter. I love things like this that inspire awe and wonderment. What can we each do to encourage creativity? (Click the picture to see the video)
Tonight is the premiere of The Office and I can hardly contain my excitement! Check out the sneak peak below. Make sure you get your swag at the NBC Universal Store, right now there are items up to 40% off.
Back in the day there was a time when bragging about how much you spent on something was cool. I can recall dozens of moments where I was amidst a conversation that began with, “Aren’t these shoes the bomb?!?! I spent a fortune on them…more than I should have, but when people see me in these!” I usually faked a smile hoping that it was enough to give the impression that I shared the same excitement. I would mentally sigh, shake my head and look down at my casual thong sandals that I had happily bought on clearance for under $10.00. I was proud that my sandals didn’t require monthly payments and an obnoxious interest rate.
Where I lived,  there weren’t too many places to shop and serious bargain hunting required me to travel to the malls in the larger cities. I knew precisely which stores to hit and what time of year to hit them. It was a science…a well planned out calculation of codes, numbers, dates and lists. To go or not to go. To buy or not to buy. Should I grab it now or wait? It was a game of chance. It was a shoppers Russian roulette. In the end, I save. I win. And, to those who would listen, I would brag.
Down the road something changed. People woke up and realized that the area I lived in was a heavy tourist attraction in the Summer and Fall. The tourists wanted something more than chain restaurants to eat at, a pretty lake to look at, overpriced lake house rentals and the usual New Hampshire souvenirs. They wanted to shop. It was then that the Tilton Factory Outlets was born; a huge shoppers paradise that offered nothing but outlet stores…and lots of them. It was like taking all of the stores at the mall on the best day to shop for deals and putting them into one place. It was a bargain hunters haven for year round deals.
I remember my first visit there and the amazement of how large this outlet plaza was. I got out of the car, sucked in my breath and just stood there with my mouth hanging down to the ground. Time stood still. My eyeballs shifted from one end of the outlet to the other. Where do I start? There must have been at least 50 stores. Breath in. Breath out. I shivered at the excitement. People starred at me. Is she okay? Yes. I was having a moment. It was better than…okay, you get the picture.
The trend quickly spread and outlet malls and plazas were popping up everywhere. The malls were a thing of the past. I no longer needed to cling to that fine science. It became simple. I could get great deals all the time at the outlets. Conversations shifted too. It was no longer cool to brag about how much you paid for something. People were no longer impressed. They didn’t care. They shifted their attention to those that bragged about how much money they saved. I could finally, with enthusiasm and no fake smiles, participate in these conversations.
With time, and a large dose of modern technology, came the ease of online shopping and retailers got the hint that people wanted to save money and get the some killer deals online that were offered in the stores.  We love the sales and the online clearance pages, but how about those year round deals that didn’t require the hit or miss threat?  They listened. Over the past couple of years more and more of the online retail stores are now offering outlet pages…a bargain shoppers dream!
What does that mean for you? It means you can get amazing deals year round on just about everything while saving up to 95%! Which stores have outlet selections? A lot of them do. Don’t have the time to click on your favorite stores and find out? Well, we’ve done that for you. DealTaker has over 1800 stores and searching for the stores that have outlet pages takes time, but so far, we’ve found 100 of them for you! It’s an ongoing project, but we are determined to find them all! And, we will. So, while we’re searching, why not check out what we have so far. Happy shopping my friends.
We have been busy adding new businesses to DealTaker, check out all the new stores that are available.
Bird.com (coupons): They carry the most comprehensive selection of bird supplies online, at the lowest guaranteed prices. By listening to customer feedback, they feel that they have developed a broad product base where owners can find everything for their pet, whether it’s a Parakeet or a Macaw.
Ferret.com (coupons): Carries the most comprehensive selection of ferret supplies online, at the lowest guaranteed prices. By listening to customer feedback, they have developed a broad product base where owners can find everything for their fuzzy friend.
Fish.com (coupons): Is proud to carry the most comprehensive selection of aquatic supplies online, at the lowest guaranteed prices. By listening to customer feedback, they have developed a broad selection of products where you can find everything for your aquarium, whether it’s a freshwater wonder or a remarkable reef.
Harry and David (coupons): Delicious since 1934. Harry and David offers an extensive collection of gourmet gifts designed to delight all, including gift baskets filled with gourmet foods, Royal Riviera pears, chocolates, and much more.
Beyond the Rack (coupons): An online shopping club that provides members with exclusive access to private sales of coveted designer apparel and accessory brands at prices up to 70% off retail!
101 inks (coupons): Is the leading provider of high quality ink cartridges and laser toners online. They have been in business since 2000 and have set the standard for online sales of printer supplies.
VRBO.com (coupons): They are the largest for rent by owner website connecting travelers with great vacation rental accommodations.
Kidrobot (coupons): The world’s premier designer and retailer of limited edition art toys and apparel. Kidrobot merges urban street trends, fashion, and pop art to produce limited edition, collectible toys and apparel.
UseNeXT (coupons): Offers very fast, anonymous and uncensored access to the Usenet – the mother of all file sharing services. With UseNeXT’s unique software you get an easy-to-use access to the Usenet, which used to be so complicated that only internet experts could use it – until now.
Poster Brain (coupons): Is the easiest and best way to create archival quality poster prints and not spend a fortune doing it. Simply upload your digital print, select from several sizes and you’re done.
Total Pet Supply (coupons): One of the biggest and most affordable pet pharmacy online. We provide over-the-counter and prescription products safely and directly to your door.  Their prices are the most competitive online, which translate into savings of up to 60% for the customers. They also offer 125% price match guarantee.
Wrangler (coupons): Offers an entire collection of jeans, pants, shirts and jackets for the whole family with products for all occasions: rodeo & riding, workwear & safety and more.
Haute Look (coupons): Brings the thrill of shopping back to the consumer with exclusive, limited time, online shopping events featuring the hottest fashion and lifestyle brands. Free to join, HauteLook gives all its members access to savings of up to 75% off retail prices on top designer name brands.
Blinds Express (coupons): Is one of the largest and most affordable Blind, Shade and Shutter company in the world. They sell only the biggest and best brand names in the industry.
Brace Shop (coupons): Provides one of the largest selections of extremity braces, therapy products & accessories on the internet. Braceshop.com represents some of the most recognized manufacturers in the world of orthopedic braces and supports.
Exclusively Weddings (coupons): Since 1992 ExclusivelyWeddings.com has been serving discriminating brides. With the addition of our Web site ExclusivelyWeddings.com, brides can now see our extensive selection of upscale wedding accessories, invitations, wedding party gifts, and favors.
Great Big Canvas (coupons):  Premium provider of canvas wall art and panoramic canvas photos. Here you’ll find an amazingly eclectic collection of beautiful and LARGE canvas prints. You can also use a personal photo and have it made into a Great Big Canvas.
Lighting Catalog (coupons): An online leader in Home Lighting, Chandeliers, Pendants, Wall Lighting, Lamps, Lighting Fixtures, Ceiling Fans, Outdoor Lighting, Landscape Lighting and accessories.
Lydias Uniforms (coupons):  A top retailer of scrubs, medical uniforms, nursing shoes and medical supplies for over 40 years. They feature our own signature scrubs, as well as top names like Katherine Heigl, Urbane, Landau, Cherokee & Dickies.
As the Affiliate Marketers Give Back team fast approaches the halfway point in our fundraising efforts, it is time to pull in the big guns – a “not so silent Silent Auction” hosted by Missy Ward on the site she runs for AMGB. More details will be available next week. DealTaker is excited that one of our great merchant partners – Sandals - has donated a fabulous six night, all inclusive stay at any of their Caribbean Sandals or Beaches destinations. I would like to see many of our DealTaker community members make a bid to win this great item. The value of it is $4,995.
We have three weeks and two days until the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. We want our team to beat the $50,000 goal that has been set and we want to raise all the awareness we can. Please help us in this endeavor.
Earlier this week I attended Affiliate Summit in NYC. DealTaker has worked online with B&H Photo – Video – Pro Audio for a long time. Rarely do we get to actually meet with one of our merchants offline, let alone get a personal tour of their store. However, B&H is the consummate consumer experience and the gentleman that runs their online affiliate business invited us to tour their store and made sure that Alan and I understood, from top to bottom, exactly what B&H stood for and how they do business. At B&H, the motto is “we don’t make sales, we make customers”. That is apparent in all that they do. They have one store (yes only one store for the whole company) at 9th Avenue and 34th St. in the heart of NYC. When you walk in the door, the place is buzzing with thousands of customers (and it was a “slow day” when we were there) complete with conveyor belts to move items to the checkout, associates in every aisle to always answer questions, and every kind of imaginable product right there to be touched, tested and understood. Check out this video they have produced that shows their store - B&H in NYC.
Meanwhile I am reading a book called Word of Mouth Marketing by Andy Sernovitz (save 40% through buy.com). As I am reading it I realize time and time again that B&H is the embodiment of a concept that feeds word of mouth marketing. They provide service people want to talk about. They sell products people need that then tell others where to find it. They have free candy on their counters. They close for ten days at a time to celebrate holidays – and people respect them for that. They make customers – not sales. It is no wonder they are successful – not just in their one store in NYC; not just online in the US, but world-wide.
“Impressed” does not begin to describe how I feel about this valuable partner with whom we have the privilege to work; nor does “amazed”, “proud”, or “awe-inspired”. I am glad that DealTaker.com gets the chance to help B&H make customers.
Here are a few new stores that have been added to DealTaker this past week.
Yola (coupons): One of the leaders in browser-based website building, their easy-to-use tools and exceptional support has led to over 1.5 million sign ups in under a year.
Candy.com (coupons): They have fast delivery, the largest selections of candy on the web and guaranteed quality ensuring you the best tasting candy experience around.
Disk Doctors (coupons):  Their labs have designed and developed several PC Recovery, Optimization and Security applications and they are committed to providing more innovative applications in the time to come along with frequent updates to support the ever changing tech world.
Joma Shop (coupons): Provide a wide variety of luxury, fashion and sport watches as well as a broad selection of luxury designer handbags, all at the deepest discounted prices. All of their items are brand name, 100% Authentic and brand new.
A2 Hosting (coupons): Offer a wide range of highly regarded Linux Hosting products include shared hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated hosting.
Here are some great stores that are new to DealTaker.
philosophy (coupons): From skin care to bath and body products, they manufacture and sell the best products online that are endorsed by doctors, celebrities, their customers.
Vivid Seats (coupons): One of the nation’s largest independently owned and operated ticket marketplaces that buy and sell tickets to Sports, Concerts and Theater events nationwide.
DEB Shops (coupons): They specialize in junior and plus-sized apparel and accessories for women aged 13 to 25.
Rock.com (coupons):  Offers the most amazing collection of licensed logo band merchandise available online. At Rock.com you will find men’s and women’s t-shirts and hoodies, posters and fabric posters, infant and toddler apparel, hats and caps and much more.
Other than the four kids I have it’s the community garden. I was too embarrassed of my personal garden to take pix. Tuesday is my day off so yesterday I thought I would clean on the house and do a few things online. Well no. Took one step outside and was called to the garden. I picked corn and jalapeños yesterday. So I “jarred” 11 pints and one quart of jalapeños. Froze 19 quart bags of corn. I tell ya, corn is an all day thing. You have to shuck it, silk it, cut it off, and then partially cook before you put up. The corn stalks don’t agree with my lovely skin either. My arms are broke out from being in the garden. Now don’t get me wrong I love to garden and the food is so worth it. It just takes so much of your time. I already work 40 hrs a week and then the rest of my time goes into the garden. Soon they(my family) will be doing tomato juice. I will need to help with that if I am off that day. Next week the potatoes will be dug so I will be gathering those then.
Come checkout these new stores that have been added to DealTaker this past week.
Game Zone (coupons):  A PC and Video Game Connection with a list of features (far too long to list in one sentence!) that covers every facet of the gaming world and seeks to provide the PC and video gamer with an easy and enjoyable way to access and navigate those facets.
Automotive.com (coup0ns): Provides new and used vehicle pricing requests to our nationwide network of dealerships as well as auto loans. Its the leading information source on the Internet for the New & Used car shopper consistently ranking in the top 5 of all automotive related websites.
Moo.com (coupons): A printing company that print beautiful products, using images you’ve uploaded directly, or designs from their designer galleries. They specialize in printing custom Business Cards, mini Business Cards, Postcards, NoteCards, Greeting Cards and StickerBooks.
Skinit (coupons): Allows consumers to personalize their favorite electronic devices from the largest available collection of unique, branded designs. Personalizationsinclude NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, universities, fraternities and sororities, musical artists, major movies, fashion designs, comic book characters and more.
Chickdowntown (coupons): The premier online women’s contemporary clothing & accessories retailer featuring over 150 leading fashion designers.
Desktop Smiley (coupons): Allows the user to create and place Glitter, Smileys and Cursors on IM, email and Social Networking Sites. They also have free games, wallpapers, screensavers… all kind of goodies on the net!
Dropbox (coupons): Offers file sync, sharing and secure backup in one software application that integrates seamlessly with the user’s operating system and is also accessible from anywhere via the Dropbox website.
JibJab (coupons): A digital entertainment company that helps people BE FUNNY with its offbeat eCards to personalized videos and irreverent viral videos.
Quality Bath (coupons): Provides high end kitchen and bath fixtures throughout the United States by catering to building contractors as well a private residents remodeling their homes.
Toll Free Forwarding (coupons): Provides International Phone Lines to businesses that want to attract more international customers, and better serve existing ones. They offer Toll Free and Local Phone Lines in over 75 countries and 800 cities, including the USA. The calls hitting these international phone numbers are routed straight to the customers existing offices, or call centers.
Voices.com (coupons): An online community for voice-over professionals and companies looking to hire skilled voice-over talent.
Jump Start (coupons):  A leader in developing award-winning educational games, selling more than 15 million games. The JumpStart Learning System™ games are internationally renowned and have received over 500 awards.
Surf Fanatics (coupons): Sells licensed surf merchandise for Arnette, Element, Hurley, Lost, Matix, Nixon, Oneill, RipCurl, Rusty, Spy and many more. They also have a huge selection of Tee’s, Tanks, Board shorts, Jeans and much more.
Canvas Press (coupons):  Can expertly craft your treasured photos and artwork into the highest quality canvas prints and turn lifeless photos into vibrant wall hangings.
Examiner.com (coupons): Is the insider source for everything local. They are the fastest-growing local destination site on the web with city editions in over 90 major markets across the U.S., and millions of visitors.
Inkjet Superstore (coupons): The premiere destination for online printer supplies where customers can purchase original and aftermarket ink cartridges, laser toner cartridges, copy toners and drums, photo papers, cables, blank media and so much more.
Tool Barn (coupons): Has a large selection of power tools, air tools and hand tools, as well as fasteners and accessories available at guaranteed lowest prices with Free shipping on orders over $199, and a 30 day return policy on most items.
World Market (coupons):  A destination for those who crave original and handmade items from around the world.
Here are some recently added stores along with their descriptions. Happy shopping!
Hanna Andersson (coupons): Soft quality clothing for kids and families, inspired by Swedish Heritage.  Outfits that are made to last with butter-soft fabrics and energizing colors, comfy shapes. They also have a uniform selection with school appropriate clothing.
The Limited (coupons): An iconic fashion retailer that offers high-quality, private-label apparel for young professional women.Â
FetchDog (coupons): Has products for your dog that are sturdy, practical, yet beautiful to look at including toys, bedding and accessories. They also sell naturally healthy food, treats, and health care products free of chemicals and byproducts. Its a great place to shop for dogs or to connect with dog experts and other dog lovers online.
Graphic Mail (coupons): One of the leading email and mobile marketing services on the web. Offers and on-demand email marketing solution that is affordable and easy to use.
Haircare Discounters (coupons): Gives you the best quality salon products at the lowest prices.  They handle only the best products from the best brands that you know and trust.
Discount Tires (coupons): America’s largest independent tire dealer since 1960. Discount Tire offers the largest selection of tires including leading brands. Find the best selection of tires and wheels, plus enjoy free shipping in all 48 continental states.
Course Smart (coupons):  A new way for students to save an average of 50% on textbooks by buying digital. All titles allow search, printing, highlighting, note-taking, and copy and paste capabilities. Students who buy an eTextbook at CourseSmart gain instant access to their book and then have access anytime and anywhere they need it.
drop.io (coupons): Online collaboration and file sharing service that provides users with a simple, real time and private way to chat and share images, video, audio, documents and other digital content.Â
Golf Discount (coupons): Carries the most current golf equipment from industry leaders like TaylorMade, Callaway, Titleist, Nike & PING and they run countless number of manufacturer promotions as well as in house offers and discounts thought the year including always free shipping over $50 and no sales tax.
Fuze Meeting (coupons): The premier Web conferencing tool that allows you to conduct online meetings rather than travel to far off places. Some unique features include the ability to present and collaborate in HD including mobile devices.
My Tee Spot (coupons): An online retail store that specializes in officially licensed, pop-culture t-shirts. Shirts span both modern and retro, cartoons, movies, TV shows, video games, and much more.
Pixxlz (coupons): Specializes in eco-freindly, customized, sustainable printed products for home, office, dorm, or condo. Uses customizable templates will help you design that perfect greeting card, note pad, business card, letterhead, invitation, baby announcement, poster and so much more.
I know that cold weather has it’s place. I mean, the snow and ice kill alot of those pesky bugs which is nice for me considering I live out in the country. (I’ll never forget one year where the grasshoppers were so bad when I walked through the yard it looked like a sea of grasshoppers parting. That was a heck of year as I am not a bug person but I digress) And while I appreciate winter, I love spring. It’s a time of renewal and new beginnings and everything just seems cleaner.
The first thing you should know is that many years ago my sisters and I nicknamed my Dad, Ranger Gene. This was not some random name noooo,…. my Dad can name almost any bird, tree or rock formation. Our vacations as kids were to all the national parks to “see the scenery”. Well when you’re 8 or 9 years old, one tree/canyon, national park looks pretty much like the next. It used to drive him crazy that we weren’t soaking up nature and we’d rather stay in the hotel room and play.
You ordered a gorgeous framed print online and it was just delivered to your house. You’re excited as you peel off the packing tape. You’ve spent the past week bragging that you saved $100 on this amazing piece that will look perfect in the living room. You open the box and take out the packing bubbles anxiously waiting to admire your purchase. You lift it out of the box to examine it. Gasp! The frame is broken and there is a crack in the glass. To say the very least, you’re pissed. What do you do now?
Normally this time of year our house is decorated both inside and out. There are presents under the tree and we’ve had our fill of Christmas movies accompanied with hot cocoa and popcorn. Holiday platters are scattered on the counters filled with every kind of cookie imaginable. We’re usually planning out the final touches on our huge Christmas dinner.
If you are from O-H-I-O or anywhere around there then you know what I am referring to. For all you others who don’t, let me explain. The term Buckeyes or Bucks is used to refer to Ohio State University sports teams and refers to all residents of the state of Ohio. Buckeyes are shiny dark brown nuts with lighter tan patches. They are poisonous nuts that grow on trees along rivers and streams and in floodplains.
Back in the day there was a time when bragging about how much you spent on something was cool. I can recall dozens of moments where I was amidst a conversation that began with, “Aren’t these shoes the bomb?!?! I spent a fortune on them…more than I should have, but when people see me in these!” I usually faked a smile hoping that it was enough to give the impression that I shared the same excitement. I would mentally sigh, shake my head and look down at my casual thong sandals that I had happily bought on clearance for under $10.00. I was proud that my sandals didn’t require monthly payments and an obnoxious interest rate.
