Overstock’s weekend coupon
Gearing up for a large purchase? You have until 2:00 EST on June 19th to get a nice discount off your order. Dude. I’m not even sure what you could spend that kind of money on, at Overstock, but maybe you need some furniture…? Or a computer? Ummm… several cases of “Forever Yours Breast Enhancement” pills? (Yes, they really sell that. No, I’m not going to link you.)
Stop. It.
Discounted or not, free shipping or not… I can’t eat while my plate stares at me.
Gassing up
The incredibly baby-wise Denise mailed me about forty questions, so she is very pretty, if a tad bit needy. Ha! I kid, Denise! I kid because I love!
I closed my eyes and reached my hand into the swirling maelstrom of her email and plucked out the following:
Another question too—gas credit cards. Am I going to get a better deal with a BP or Amoco type card instead of putting my gas on a regular credit card?
I think this is a very timely question, given that gas prices always go up in the Summer, and that seems to go double (triple? quintuple?) for this year. Personally, I am still trying to sell my kids on the idea of pulling me around in a rickshaw, but being the ungrateful and lazy beasties that they are, I’m not prepared to get rid of my car just yet. read more…
Ugly shoes
I have to tell you, I think these are pretty ugly, though they’re the least offensive style of Crocs that I’ve seen. But, see, the thing is? If you simply must have those ugly shoes? You should have them for less.
Make the most of the deal: Have Zappos price match, if you want a color they offer (they will only match on exact style/color/size). And then you have free shipping and hassle-free return/exchange when you come to your senses and realize that grown-ups should not be wearing plastic shoes.
[Edited to add: Zappos’ price match procedure is very easy. The Crocs will be $25.94 shipped from them (they do add in the competitor’s shipping cost), and we are not going to talk about how I know that. Let’s focus on the free return angle, and call it a social experiment.]
Athletic shoes and more
Check out the Outlet at Eastbay for some fabulous deals on athletic wear. Shipping is limited to the U.S. (sorry Candians! I still think milk in a bag is sort of charming!) and can get a bit pricey, at $5-$8 base charge plus $1.99 per item, but I’ll make it worth your while. Use coupon code LKS16CF6 to take an additional 30% off.
This one expires at midnight tomorrow night (June 16th), so be quick about it if you plan to take advantage.
The code works in the rest of the store, of course, but why would you want to shop there? The outlet’s got a ton of deals, with items already up to 75% off, plus they carry men’s shoes up to size 18. (Does your guy wear a size 18 shoe? Well done, Madame. Well done.)
Ready, set, camp!
Today’s question is long, but because it starts off by telling me that I’m pretty, I’m reproducing it in its entirety:
Hi there!
I’m loving the new site; you’re pretty, too!
I live in NC, and camp occasionally, because I, too, love both the
frugal nature of the activity as well as the NATURE nature.I want to buy gear; I’ve been borrowing. My camping to date has been
drive-up, but I don’t disregard the possibility of some day doing
some backwoods hiking and camping. I have neither a tent or a
sleeping bag. Both those seem clearly to be necessities. I don’t even
know what else to consider! What about a pad? And what kind of tent?
And what kind of bag? And I’ve used a stove before; that’s super
helpful if you get caught in the rain.Speaking of weather, I live in North Carolina. I know it’s nowhere
near as cold as the Northeast, but if you head West to the mountains
in October, it gets really cold. Like frost cold. But there’s the
added complication of wanting to be able to beach camp. Um, cause
hello? It’s the beach.Could you help me make a list of what I’ll need and also how to find
that balance between price and quality?Thank you very much,
Lastewie
Ahhhh, camping. This one is surprisingly easy to answer. I have two words for you: Bug. Spray. You can have all the gear in the world, and if you forget the bug spray, you will be miserable. Trust me.
Oh, did you want more information than that? Picky, picky, picky. Okay, fine. read more…
It’s pedicure season
Here’s a great deal either for your inner diva or as a stock-up for the gift closet:
First, go surf the clearanced nail polishes at Hard Candy. Nice, yes? $5 per bottle when the regular price is $9.
Let’s make it better. Shipping is only $5 up to $50, and orders over $60 ship for free. Plus, you can take 30% off your order with code FF330 (expiration unknown).
The shipping terms and coupon work on the entire site, of course. I am just enchanted by the polish, because I am all about sparkly toenails. (I think I may need some of the Sell Out shade.)
Obviously you don’t buy this stuff if you’re happy with $2 nail polish from the drugstore. But if you like the good stuff and can afford to indulge (or want to give the gift of swanky), this is a good time to do it.
Free is my favorite price
Honestly, I don’t know what this “Bunco” thing is, but I hear a lot of women squawking about it like it might involve chocolate. So I guess I’ll give it a shot.
1) Go here and say hello to the nice Prilosec people.
2) Add one Bunco game kit to your cart.
3) Use coupon code mom to receive it for free.
4) Enjoy.
The last-minute gift
The very lovely Rebecca writes:
Mir, I have read all entries on Want Not, and have come to the firm conclusion that you are very pretty. With that out of the way, I am wondering what you do when you need a gift at short notice and nothing in your gift closet will fit the bill? For example, I’m getting together with my two best friends from college, both of whom had birthdays in May (we are all thirtysomethings). Any ideas? Thanks.
(I swear, I didn’t pay her to say that, or anything! She is just REALLY SMART!)
Anyway, I think Rebecca is unwittingly asking two questions here. She thinks she’s asking what to get for a last-minute gift, but she’s also asking what sorts of things should be in her gift closet. read more…
Always get a second opinion
A bargain isn’t a bargain if it’s a piece of crap. (Coming soon to a cross-stitch near you!)
Sometimes stuff is marked down and clearanced out simply because there is a shinier model in a new color coming out, and sometimes stuff is on sale because it sucks and no one wants it. This isn’t a big deal if you’re spending a buck, or buying something like, I dunno, toothpicks. It is a big deal when buying something which is both expensive and expensive—or impossible—to repair if it has a problem.
Do your homework. Shopping online? Read the reviews on the site. (My favorite object-lesson: There are some infamous high thread-count sheets often posted to deal boards because they’re offered so cheaply. The reviews are united in their assessment of said sheets as absolute garbage, possibly made of burlap and iron filings.) My favorite review site is CNET, because you can often get Editor review/picks in addition to the “Im BillyBob and I git this here kumputer and it dun work reel swell” type of user reviews.
For a primer before you shop (assuming you’re looking for a specific item like a mattress or a blender), check out Consumer Reports. For a couple of giggles and possibly some interesting information, there’s always Epinions.
Sometimes, expensive toys are frustrating or boring. Sometimes, certain technology is superfluous and other times it’s absolutely necessary. Make sure you know before you buy.
See? Second opinions go beyond turning to your girlfriend with a shirt and asking “Does this make me look like I have jaundice?”
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