November 29, 2006 | Product Talk, Questions Answered

I hate it when people ask me questions about things I know nothing about, and I actually have to, you know, think. It makes my brain hurt. But I do it, because I love you all. Also because it irritates me when I realize I don’t know something. Anyway!

Heather writes:

Hey Mir –

Since you were so very helpful on my coffee-maker purchase (I got the Gevalia one and love it, by the way) … I have another small-appliance question for you. I’m considering getting a rice cooker (or at least requesting one from Santa). But I see they come in a huge price range, from like $15 to more than $150. I don’t need a super-giant one or anything, and I do kind of like the veggie steamer function that many offer.

So, oh wise one, what’s your advice? Do I even need a rice cooker or will it just clutter up my counter? Do I go for the cheapest one I can find or spend a bit more?

I do not own a rice cooker. I’ve never used a rice cooker. But—to be fair—we don’t eat very much rice. Let me assume the role of Rice Consumer and see what I can do for you, here. (more…)

Hot Hot Hot!

Okay; if you’ve been reading me for any amount of time, you know how I feel about mugs for teacher gifts. Here, let me refresh your memory:

*yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn*

And while I am not recanting my position on that, the reality remains that sometimes people like to give mugs for gifts. To teachers, or to other people. If you absolutely, positively feel that you must give someone a mug (maybe they’re very thirsty, and you’re just that sort of humanitarian), it needs to be a really exceptional mug, wouldn’t you agree?

Check out these mugs. I love them. I love them deep down in the recesses of my blackened little heart. I think that if everyone was slurping their coffee or tea out of these mugs, the world would be a happier place.

And now through Friday, December 1st, you can take 25% off of your $75+ order with coupon code tryptophan. They have lots of other stuff there, too, but I am mesmerized by the mugs. Thanks, Kristy!

Retail gone wrong

I confess to being something of a name-brand moron, sometimes, but this Prada satchel really has me baffled.

I mean, ordinarily 84% off would make me feel tingly all over. But for something like this, I’m just left wondering two things:

1) Is that nylon interwoven with platinum threads?
and
2) At what price point, exactly, does the color fuschia become “fuxia?”

November 28, 2006 | Product Talk

I loves me some Miss Doxie, and she’s put up her holiday shopping guide for our perusal. She’s not only pretty and entertaining, she finds all sorts of wonderful things, many of them for not very much money. And if it wasn’t for her I never would’ve found these earrings, which I’m fairly certain will make my life complete.

Also, if you’re a dachsund fan (or just a Doxie fan), check out her new store.

For the kids, Hot Hot Hot!

I know someone was waiting for this one… Katie? Was it you?

Anyway, American Girl just released a $10 off of $30+ coupon—just use code 151676. I’m not sure when it expires.

You’re still better off getting the movie collection at Amazon, if that’s what you’re wanting, but it’s a great coupon to use towards other things.

And if your daughter is anything like mine, we can just rename December “begging for an American Girl doll month.” (Lord, grant me patience.)

Product Talk, Questions Answered

Today we have a question from the lovely Daisy about film cameras.

Hello, pretty Mir, I know you have a source for this information. (snicker, sneaky laugh). My college age daughter is a journalism major and budding photographer. She recently won a photo contest (her third so far), and part of the prize package was a roll of film Well, she usually shoots in digital, but this reminded her that she would like to take what she calls “pretty pictures” with a camera of reasonable quality that won’t break the college-tuition- paying bank. Any suggestions? Is buying used a safe thing to do?

I’m not sure why she can’t take pretty pictures in digital, but I turned your question over to Otto for his expert take, anyway. He took it very seriously and he’s really cute when he’s serious. (more…)

Hot Hot Hot!, Pets

So remember how we’ve been talking about all these Google Checkout specials? Someone pointed out that you can’t seem to use it on gift cards.

That’s true. Mostly.

You absolutely can use it on a gift card at PetCo. Now, you have a few options. If you’re willing to take emailed GCs (which can only be used online), you can use either the $10 off $30 promotion or your $10 off of $10 sign-up bonus (if you got in on that and haven’t used it yet), and buy exactly $10 or $30 worth. That’s a nice deal, but you (obviously) can’t use it at the store.

If you’d rather have a real gift card for in-store use, you have to do it in $25 increments. Though I might be tempted to get a $25 in-store and a $5 email GC, to get up to $30, if they were a store I regularly shopped.

Shipping on gift cards (real or emailed) is always free.

Hot Hot Hot!

Get free shipping on your $30+ order at E.L.F. through December 3rd, 2006. Just use coupon code JOLLY at checkout.

According to the email I received about this, all $30+ orders are guaranteed to arrive before Christmas, too. So go stuff your stockings. (Wow. Sorry. That came out a lot dirtier than I meant.)

November 27, 2006 | Hot Hot Hot!, What to Wear

There’s a new coupon out for Coldwater Creek: use code WJP9240 to take 40% off your entire order. It works fine in the outlet, too.

It probably works on these shoes right here, but I wouldn’t know anything about that. Except that the code makes them less than $20. Which would be a very good bargain if you cared. Which I don’t.

Look! Over there—something shiny!

Hot Hot Hot!, Product Talk

This one is going to get a bit convoluted, so try to stay with me on it.

Full disclosure: My cookware is all Circulon and I love it. Is it the best or the only cookware worth having? Well, that’s a matter of preference, I think. It’s certainly amongst the top brands. Hard-anodized aluminum gives superior, even heat conductivity. There are other brands, sure. (But mine is cooler. Neener, neener.)

Anyway, here’s the scoop:

The 14-piece classic Circulon set is currently on sale for $164.99 (down from $728). Put that in your cart, then add the Circulon tea kettle (priced at $39.99, down from $80) to get your total over $200.

With over $200 of Circulon on your cart, you now qualify for a free Circulon dutch oven, so go ahead and add that to your cart as well. (It’s currently priced at $34, but a $100 value.)

For some reason, when you do all of that, another $10 comes off. I don’t know why.

Now apply coupon code NOVSAVER for an additional $25 off your $125+ purchase, and you’ve got all that Circulon shipped to your door for $168. What a lovely gift for yourself if you need to upgrade your cookware.