Savings.com Blog - Loose Change

10 things to do with your pennies

SavingsMommie — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:00:00 GMT

(photo credit: Dans le Townhouse)

Happy Birthday President Lincoln! Did you know that he became the face of the penny in 1909? Since then, there's been so many sayings attached to the pretty penny including "A penny saved is a penny earned" to "In for a penny, in for a pound."

Honestly speaking, I actually have a penny-phobia. I've seen so many of them that are dirty it makes me wonder what sort of history it has (and not in the pleasant way). However, when I get a new cent in my hand, it makes me smile because it's so beautiful.

While you may feel like you can't buy anything with a penny which is probably true unless you have a high value coupon, there are 10 different things that you could do with it:

Make a wish. Since I was young, I believed that making a wish and throwing a penny into a fountain would make it come true. Now my children believe in it too. It's a great bonding experience with the family.
Souvenir. Whether you go to a local amusement park or Disney World, you can get your pennies pressed into a memorabilia. The kids think it's really cool and it will be the cheapest thing you can probably get at the attraction.
Donate. If you can save a penny, how nice would it be to pass it onto someone who doesn't have it. It's never too early for your kids to save a change full of jar and donate it to a local charity of their choice.
Education. I've found that pennies make for the perfect counters when teaching your children addition and subtraction. They visually identify how numbers are added and taken away.
Penny bracelet. With the pressed pennies that you've collected from various places, make a nice souvenir penny bracelet.
Penny ring. Love my rings and what a clever way to showcase a ring. This DIY penny ring is going to be easy to make and cute to wear.
Play a practical joke. Of course, we've got to have some fun. Penny lock a door and get a nice laugh out of it. Please do it on someone that will be a player so that you don't create enemies.
Skip granite, install a penny countertop. It looks very modern and sleek and I can picture this pretty much anywhere. Love the industrial and clean look to it.
Dance on it. If your child is going to their first tap class, make them temporary tap shoes to wear until you find out if they like it.
Add Flooring. We've got carpet, hardwood, laminate, tile, marble, vinyl, concrete and now you can add pennies to the list. Install pennies on your floors to make it stand out and make a statement.

Have these ten ideas inspired you to do something creative with your pennies? Please comment below.

(Source: Savings.com)
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Is TLC's 'Extreme Cheapskates', a little too extreme?

SavingsMommie — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 16:52:00 GMT

A few days ago, I had a little down time in the evening and came across Extreme Cheapskates on TLC. At first, I was curious to find out why these individuals would identify themselves as a "cheapskate" but I was also interested in knowing their lifestyle. I definitely have my cheap *ahem* frugal moments but I wouldn't consider myself a cheapskate.

The first episode I watched was a day in the life Kate Hashimoto, a CPA by day and a dumpster diving connoisseur by night. Here are some of the things she does to live a cheap lifestyle:

She has never bought furniture. Everything in her tiny apartment was either a hand-me-down or found in a nearby dumpster. The chair she found on the episode was actually pretty nice.
She is her own manual bidet. She will not spend money on something that will be thrown away, hence you will not find a piece of toilet paper in her home. You may find a water bottle filled with water next to the toilet, it's her handy-dandy self bidet.
She turned off her gas because it cost $17 to keep it on. She uses a table-top burner instead and uses her stove and dishwasher for storage.
She tries to haggle prices. She goes to a thrift store and finds a nice dress priced at $10. She approaches the clerk with $5 worth of coins and asks if he would accept it. He doesn't and she walks out empty handed.
She hasn't bought toiletries in ten years and she uses free samples to take care of the hygiene aspect in her life.
She takes a shower and does her laundry at the same time.
She cuts her own hair. She says that she used to go to a beauty school to cut her hair, but that was an additional $15.
She grocery shops at the dumpster. She said she gets to eat high-end gourmet food that she wouldn't pay for. In the episode, she offers her guests turkey meatloaf, chicken fried rice, chocolate and carrot cake, courtesy of the dumpsters in front of an Upper West Side market.

There's plenty of things I haven't listed. For Kate, this all came about after the dot.com crash where she was laid off. She says she was always frugal, but the layoff took her to the extreme. She seems like a nice gal, but I think this extreme lifestyle is more work and while she's able to save a little dough, she loses out on the day to day pleasures of life.

I personally think Kate should hook up with the couponing ladies of Extreme Couponing and start couponing for household items and food (she's in accounting, so calculating those match-ups will be a cinch). No more dumpster diving and maybe she'll even use some toilet paper to wipe.

What do you think about the extreme measures these folks are taking to be extreme cheapskates? The positives I do see are that they're extremely eco-friendly!

(Source: Savings.com)Add a Comment

Behind The Scenes: Employee Spotlight with Allegra

ashleywade — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT

This week, we're rolling out a new part of our "Behind the Scenes" look at the company, where we spotlight different employees in our company. While some of these people are more visible on our site (such as myself), the deals on our site don't just find themselves, and we have lots of help making sure our site stays current. We pride ourselves on having an incredible group of people working here at Savings and the drive and dedication they have to their job. First up in our series is Allegra Ringo. If her name looks familiar, it's likely because you've talked to her over in our Community! She currently serves as Community Manager for Savings.com, where she gets to interact with our favorite members on a daily basis.

Allegra took a moment from her busy day to put down the cubicle wall separating us (only kidding, we don't actually have cubicles in the office) and chat with us.

1. Where are you from? Costa Mesa, CA

2. Why Savings.com? I love "the frugal lifestyle" and I hate paying too much for things. I try to live non-wastefully, and I try to minimize my participation in consumerist culture.

3. So... what is it you'd say you do here? I would say I'm the onsite community manager, and my hire documents would back me up on this one. I manage our onsite community, specifically our forum.

4. What hobbies do you enjoy outside of work? I love writing sketch comedy - I write for a weekly topical sketch show. I'm also a beginning soprano singer. Most importantly, I'm NUTS for small dogs (as anyone at Savings will attest to).

5. Best deal you've ever gotten? I got a gingham dress at a Goodwill in Hawaii for $1. That was seven years ago, and I still wear the dress - and get complimented on it- all the time!

6. What do you like to splurge on? I like to splurge on fancy dinners and road trips once in a while.

7. Who's your spirit animal? I just found out that it's a hawk. I took an online quiz to determine this. I expect to be compensated for the high level of research that went into this answer.

8. MAC or PC? I prefer using a Mac, but I'm not one of those people who would take a bullet for Apple.

9. Favorite cultural influences? Site: The Hairpin. Book: Dark at the Roots by Sarah Thyre. TV show: The Twilight Zone. Movie: Head-on.

10. Why Los Angeles?A large percentage of the activities, places and people I love are here. I like going to comedy shows and screenings of old movies. I love film history. I love that small dog ownership is rampant here. Many reasons!

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Saving for Graduation Season

savingtools.com — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 23:04:00 GMT

Trees are starting to bloom, the air has a scent of fresh cut lawns, and the weather is finally warm enough to go outside without wearing your winter parka. You know what that means. Graduation season is just around the corner!

With over three million students graduating from high school this year and over two million graduating from colleges, universities and grad schools, there will be a lot of celebrating going on this Spring. Chances are you are going to have at least one graduation party to attend and possibly one to host.

Giving a gift to a graduate or hosting a party can be a wonderful feeling. You know you are celebrating one of the most important milestones in your loved one's life. Whether you are the host or an attendee, here are some great ideas about how to celebrate without breaking the bank.

Planning the Party

From decorations to paper products to favors, planning a party can be stressful and a big expense. It can be difficult to know where to start your party planning. If you start by checking out at the coupons available, it will not only help you stay within your budget but also get your creative juices flowing.

Do you need invitations? Expressionery.com offers some fantastic deals on personalized invitations. Do you need party supplies? Companies like Oriental Trading and Party City can be a great place to start looking for tablecloths and paper products.

If you are looking to create a truly themed party, you can order anything from balloons to banners to personalized candy bars from the online party store Shindigz. Flowers, personalized treats and mementoes to cherish are easy on the budget when you partner with Savings.com to source coupons and savings codes.

Giving the Perfect Gift

Graduating from high school is an exhilarating experience, but once the party is over, it's time for the graduate to start the next chapter of their life. Heading off to college often means moving to a new apartment or dorm room that will be in need of comfort items like linens, towels and cozy comforters. A word to the wise, make sure to ask your graduate if their new dorm room bed will need specially sized sheets as some dorms only offer extra long twin beds. Don't forget about other dorm room items like picture frames, desk chairs and trashcans.

Do you prefer to give more of an academic gift? Gift certificates to Barnes & Noble can be a useful treat for any graduate. Of course you know your grad is going to need to update or upgrade their laptop for all of those papers they will be writing. Why not think about an electronic gift?

Saving with Style

Graduation is the time to celebrate an important milestone in your loved one's life. It can be stressful to plan a party or search for the perfect give, but if you let us do the searching to make your graduate's day awesome, you can focus on celebrating instead of on your wallet.

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The Tech-pert: Give That Old Laptop a New Lease on Life

Rick.Broida — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:06:00 GMT

So you've finally decided to cut bait on your old laptop. You're tired of waiting 10 minutes for Windows to boot, tired of programs that take forever to load, and tired of viruses and spyware gumming up the works.

In other words, it's time for a new machine. And for around $500 (less if you're willing to buy a refurbished or closeout model), you can get yourself something mighty nice.

But what about the old laptop? What should be its fate? You probably can't sell it for much, and in its current condition, it's not much good as a hand-me-down.

Know what I'd do? Wipe the hard drive (after retrieving all your data from it, of course) and install Linux. That may sound like a techie, nerds-only solution, but hear me out. The whole process is easier than you might think, and it results in a laptop that feels brand new—maybe even better than new.

In case you're not familiar with it, Linux is a computer operating system, just like Windows and Mac OS X. But Linux is open-source, meaning no single company owns it, and you can use it free of charge.

Linux also tends to have much lower hardware requirements than Windows, meaning it can run smoothly and speedily on older machines.

There are lots of Linux variants floating around the Web, each a little different in the features it offers and interface it employs.

My pick: Zorin OS. It's the first Linux version I've seen that makes a concerted effort to mimic Windows 7—and it does a darn good job of it.

To wit, you'll see a familiar selection of icons across the desktop, and a familiar toolbar along the bottom, and a familiar-looking "start" button in the lower-left corner of the screen. Click that button and you'll see a pop-up menu that's almost a dead ringer for Windows 7's.

In other words, Zorin OS eases the transition from Windows to Linux by making the latter look and feel more like the former. That gives it a definite edge over most of the other Linux variants I've tried, all of which hit you with a steeper interface learning curve.

The OS also comes with a wealth of pre-installed software: an office suite, a music manager, a media player, an image editor, and lots more—everything most users need.

Okay, but what if there's an important program that's only available for Windows? Zorin comes with WINE, an emulator that allows many—if not most—Windows apps to run within Linux. In my case, that means I can continue to use iTunes and SugarSync—two programs I'd be hard-pressed to give up.

Enough with the hard sell. What you should do is test-drive Zorin for yourself, which you can do even before wiping your laptop's hard drive. By loading the OS onto a USB flash drive and then booting your PC from that drive, you can run Zorin in all its glory—without it making a single change to your existing setup.

Don't know how to create a bootable flash drive? There's a killer utility that makes it easy. Check out my post, "Create a Bootable Linux Flash Drive in Three Easy Steps."

If you decide you like Zorin, great—just boot from that flash drive again and choose the "install" option. When the process is complete, you should find yourself with a fast, familiar, malware-free laptop that's ideal for e-mail, Web browsing, word processing, and all the other computing basics. Heck, you might decide you don't even need a new laptop, now that your old one is working so well.

Your only cost: a little of your time.

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5 Easy Things To Make With Apples

JulianaWeissRoessler — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 17:30:00 GMT

One of the reasons that apples are so popular and prevalent in our society is their versatility. Apples make great desserts, delicious drinks, and interesting additions to everything from salads to entrees. You can even use apples for decoration. In celebration of the apple, below are just a few interesting things to do with Johnny Appleseed's heritage.

Applesauce. Sure, you could go for store brands, but why when making your own is so easy?

Peel and core your apples, then slice them into small pieces. The smaller the pieces, the faster they'll cook.
Place the sliced apples in a heavy pan over low heat and cover. You'll want to stir quite a bit until the apples start breaking down.
That's it! If you want to add your own seasoning – cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, etc. – you can, but plain fresh applesauce is delicious on its own.

Baked apples. A healthy treat that smells great while cooking and tastes even better, these are well worth the moderate amount of effort involved.

Horizontally slice the top and bottom of each apple and remove the core.
Stuff the empty space where the core used to be with whatever sweet deliciousness sounds good – chopped nuts, dried fruit, oats, cinnamon, honey, maple syrup – then put a dab of butter on the top of each apple.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until soft.

Apple candle-holders. For a bit of homey, rustic chic-ness, wow your guests with these.

Wash, polish, and core as many apples as you want for candle-holders, making sure that they stand flat.
Place candles of your choosing in the space left by the apple core.

Apple placecard holders. If you thought the candle-holders were simple, check this out.

Wash and polish the apples, then remove the stems.
Cut a quarter inch slit across the top length of each apple for your placecards to go.

What's your favorite thing to make with apples?

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Wacky Product of the Week: Worst Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

snarkydeals — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:30:00 GMT

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and as one of the world's least loved holidays, I think it's high time we created a list of some of the worst gifts you could possibly give or receive. It's not too hard to find these, sadly, and I'm sure many a recipient has received them or something like them.

First up, there's no faster way to a woman's heart than letting her know she's sporting a double-chin with the Neck Genie Neck Line Slimmer.

It's only $13, and as a woman, I can say that at least I have thought about this from time to time for myself, so if my partner gave this to me on V-Day, I think I'd be incredibly annoyed...and then start using it immediately after kicking said partner to the couch for the night. If you really want to ensure this gift is taken to heart, include a poem to sweeten the mood: Roses are red; violets are blue - your neck is fat, so I bought this for you. Yep. Pure romance.

Next up is The Ex - Knife Holder, the best gift you can gift to your partner to let them know how much you love them and that if they ever cheat on you or hurt you or look at you wrong, there are severe consequences that can be met. What? It's not like I've thought about this or anything. Also, look - shiny! It actually comes with a set of awesome knives, so, you know, it's totally practical too. And your significant other will certainly treat you right after a gift like this.

Last but not least, if you can't afford the sweeping romantic gesture of buying real flowers for your partner, try this 8-Bit Flower Bouquet of awesomeness. The selling points for this lovely gift include: you never have to water them, it comes with a free pixelated vase, and it's cheap-o-mccheap at just $15 from ThinkGeek. Why spend a fortune on something that's just going to wither, when she can appreciate these pixels as long as she wants. Let her be your pixelated princess. If she doesn't like it...well you should probably have a backup bouquet on standby.Add a Comment

Herding Cats - The iPad 3, Amazon Goes Retail, & Saving on Valentine's Day

Dealman — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:02:00 GMT

This week we have Pepsi's problems, iPad rumors, Amazon opening a store, mortgage news, saving on Valentine's Day meals, and ways to buy in bulk.

Plus, two cubs playing.

Reuters: PepsiCo's plan fails to quench market's thirst - Pretty strange times to see such stalwarts (like Kodak) falling on hard times. Also it's confusing: on the one hand there is a very real obesity epidemic in the U.S., yet somehow Pepsi's profits are still affected by more health-conscious consumers. Then again, they've made some bad choices: "She has been criticized for taking her eye off the core business of sodas and salty snacks such as Fritos and Doritos chips to expand into healthier options such as hummus and drinkable oatmeal." Drinkable oatmeal? Here's the lowdown: Tropolis.

Fox News: Feds announce $25B settlement over foreclosure abuse - On the surface, it sounds like help for those who are underwater, but then you read the find print: homeowners get $2000. How much does that go towards home ownership, especially if you've already been foreclosed on? Considering that TARP was $700 billion to bail out banks, something is amiss. At least it's something, however.

CBS News: iPad 3 mini on the way, says analyst - Rumors about the iPad have been wrong before (for instance: the new iPad was supposed to be released in January), but this rumor makes some sense. The Kindle Fire has been a huge seller, so the iPad is getting smaller, and likely cheaper, as well. Some say this will cannibalize the iPad's own sales. Apple has never been one for offering inexpensive products, and they still sell well, so they might not want to go this way. But the tech is easy to implement--it's either a big iPod Touch or small iPad, so it's not like they have to invent new tech.

Consumerism Commentary: Amazon.com Retail Stores: Another Threat to Small Businesses? - While the iPad might be competing with the Kindle Fire, Amazon is taking the competition to...everyone. Amazon might be opening up a retail store in Seattle. They've already put a lot of brick and mortar stores out of business, will they also take over the retail space? My first reaction was: improve what you do well, which is the online space. However, since Amazon is becoming a tech company like Apple, having Apple store-like stores that sell Kindles (and whatever else might be coming) makes some sense.

Mint: How to Be a Frugal Foodie On Valentine's Day - Does beef goulash really sound romantic? Not...exactly. Still, some tips here for saving money on Valentine's Day dinner--which can really be used every day, but sites like Groupon can have special Valentine's Day offers in your city. Also, flowers are hugely expensive, so here are some flower deals.

Money Talks News: 8 Massive Ways to Save at Bulk Stores - Heavy couponers are big about buying in bulk. Sometimes this makes sense: buying crates of toilet paper. Sometimes it doesn't: buying crates of ketchup. So bulk doesn't automatically equal savings because you're spending a fair amount of money upfront to save money on the backend. If those backend savings never come, you've saved nothing. Some good tips here about how to shop in bulk.

Question: If the Kindle Fire and the iPad Mini were the same price, which would you buy?

Video of the Week: Cute overload: a bear cub and wolf cub play:

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The Worst Cheap Valentine's Day Ideas

pmiller — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:15:00 GMT

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, which of course means that blogs must fill their quotas of Valentine's Day posts. There's nothing wrong with that. It also means that money-saving blogs must get their yearly Valentine's Day money-saving ideas out of the way. The problem is that the basics of how to have a frugal Valentine's Day aren't terribly mysterious. And, in the never-ending quest to produce original content, some otherwise good blogs wind up posting some bad tips.

Photo courtesy of garlandcannon, via Flickr.

In the interest of having a fun, romantic Valentine's Day, and not a ridiculous and terrible one, read one to discover the worst allegedly-cheap Valentine's Day ideas out there. And, of course, read on to find some common-sense, tried-and-true alternatives.

"Play Hooky" Together

The Idea: Over at Bargaineering.com, you'll find a list of nine low-cost Valentine's Day ideas. Topping the list is this gem: Instead of going to work, take the day off and spend some quality time with your significant other. If you have kids, they'll be in school and you won't need to spring for a babysitter.

The Problem: Babysitters sure are expensive. You know what else is expensive? Losing an entire day's income. Or two days if your partner also works for hourly pay. I have to wonder why the author stopped at just Valentine's Day. If you both just quit your jobs, then you'd never have to pay a babysitter again. Talk about saving money!

A Sane Alternative: On the same blog entry, number four on the list is "Cook Dinner Together." This is a great idea. Eating in is almost always cheaper than eating out, even if you buy top-notch, fancy ingredients once in awhile. Plus, cooking at home can be fun and romantic even if the meal doesn't turn out perfect. Just think of the lobster scene from Annie Hall.

There is Such a Thing as Too Green

The Idea: The Daily Green is a blog devoted to frugal, environmentally-sound tips. This is an honorable calling. Unfortunately, number three on their list of Cheap Valentine's Day Gifts leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I'll let the author explain: "Remember, it's only re-gifting if you believe it's re-gifting (or, in the case of intimate apparel, if it's been worn for more than one night)."

The Problem: At the risk of creating controversy, I'm going to go out on a limb: Lots of things are true regardless of whether or not we believe they are. If your car is on fire, it will still be on fire even after you turn your back and imagine a pristine, non-burning automobile. And, further, underwear that has been worn-- at all-- is not new underwear. This is an immutable law of the universe.

If you read on, you'll see that the author is in fact suggesting that you dig up lingerie you've given this person in the past, wrap them up, and give them again. This is arguably less creepy than it appears on first glance. Still, it's hard to imagine the recipient feeling something other than disappointment or confusion. At best.

A Sane Alternative: Number one on the same list is easily the most clever. Instead of celebrating on Valentine's Day, when roses and chocolate are priced as if they were made of precious metals, try picking another day to show your love. You and your partner can either agree on a day in advance, such as the day after Valentine's Day, or you could surprise him or her with gifts a week or two before. With the added element of surprise, this might make the frugal alternative even more romantic than a more traditional Valentine.

A Valentine on a Plate

The Idea: Meanwhile, over on About.com, you'll find another list that is simply titled Cheap Valentine's Day Ideas. This list couldn't make it past number two without a half-baked idea. The author suggests making a meal out only items that are heart-shaped, red, or both. Need some ideas? How about, "red velvet cake, valentini martini, fruit and cheese salad or a heart shaped cake."

The Problem: I'm sure that list of examples isn't exhaustive, but it's hard not reading it as a meal that consists of cake, sugary booze, sugary salad, and then more cake. Those two conditions, that that every item be heart-shaped or red, pretty much kill the possibility that you'll be enjoying a balanced meal. Are we expected to cut a piece of meat into the shape of a heart? Should we dye the chicken red? There's no way to solve this puzzle without part of the meal being disgusting. That is, unless a diabetes-inducing all-you-can-eat cake buffet is an option.

A Sane Alternative: Number four on the same list is more modest, and less nauseating: Write a love letter. That's it. It doesn't cost a thing, and it never goes out of style. Sometimes, the best way to have a cheap Valentine's Day is to just not go out of your way to spend money. It's only as difficult as we choose to make it.

Have your own (reasonable) ideas for an inexpensive Valentine's Day? Please share in the comments.Add a Comment

Wardrobe Oxygen: Bad Fashion Trends

AlisonGary — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:30:00 GMT

While I usually write about current fashion trends that I love and how one can achieve them for less, there are many current fashion trends that I wish would die. While some of these trends are fun, and some may be carried off by a few True Fashionistas, these trends in general are not flattering, not very wearable, and just need to leave the runway and the retailers.

Feather Extensions. I cannot believe that a trend began due to Steven Tyler, and has endured for so long. While the Aerosmith lead singer looks glam with feathers in his hair (as do other celebrities like Ke$sha and Selena Gomez), this is a trend that is tacky, inappropriate in most social settings, and is downright cruel and deadly to animals.

While feathers can look fun for a night out or a music festival, this is not a trend that looks professional, polished or stylish. Not the right look for a job interview, meeting your boyfriend's parents, or attending a wedding. And before you defend this trend, do read this article from The Associated Press, featured on the Seattle Times. It isn't very stylish to hurt and/or kill birds for a passing fancy such as feather extensions.

Capes. When capes came on the scene last year I fully embraced this trend. It was a fun alternative to lightweight jackets and sweater coats. However with time, I see that capes are unflattering to most, and not a functional fashion trend. Capes either restrict your arm movement, or else leave your limbs completely exposed. To be properly covered in cool weather, you need to invest in extra-long gloves, and only choose ensembles that have sleeves that look stylish peeking out of your cape armholes. Capes aren't very kind to women with curves – broad shoulders are emphasized, large busts cause the heavy fabric to tent out, and they often hit at the most unflattering point on the body. While capes are adorable in theory, they rarely work well in daily practice.

Nail Art. While I appreciate a fun color or finish, nail art has gone from being fun and creative to downright tacky. Kits sold during late-night informercials to stencil flowers and Playboy bunnies on pinkies prove that this trend has jumped the shark.

Nail art isn't appropriate in the office or for conservative and formal affairs (sorry Zooey Dechanel, that includes you and your tuxedo nails at the Golden Globes). While young trendsetters may understand your choice, the rest of the world will find your nail art to be unprofessional and juvenile. Stick to solid colors, and if you work in a conservative office, have your nail colors be subtle and more natural.

Mullet Skirts. While a skirt or dress that is short in the front and long in the back can look utterly smashing on the runway or red carpet, it's hard to apply this trend to the real world. Like nail art, those who aren't on the pulse of fashion won't understand or appreciate your sartorial choice and wonder if part of your dress got caught in the elevator on the way up to the office.

Leggings as Pants. Leggings are not pants. Leggings are to be worn with longer tops, tunics, dresses – garments that will cover your bum. Leggings are made of thin knit that no matter how rock-hard your glutes will show every lump, bump, and panty line. Please wear them for their proper use – a heavyweight alternative to tights.

Fake Glasses. When I was in middle school, I had a pair of gold and tortoise shell fake glasses; I bought them for about $5.00 from Afterthoughts and felt they made me look studious and cool. Instead, they made me look like a fashion victim or a preteen with a cheap pair of glasses.

As someone who needs to wear prescription lenses, I am thrilled to see that eyewear is back en vogue. However, I find it utterly ridiculous to wear fake glasses for the sake of fashion. No matter your age or the price of the frames, you will still look as silly as my 12-year old self.

Drop-crotch Pants. While some men have been wearing their pants low for a while, retailers like Oak are beginning to create jeans and pants with purposefully low crotches. This look is not flattering on anyone, and I would think would be awkward to wear. Be you a man or a woman, there is nothing fashionable about looking as though you had an accident in your trousers.

What current fashion trends do you wish would go?Add a Comment

Herding Cats: The Super Bowl, Facebook IPO, & How To Waste Money

Dealman — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:37:00 GMT

Image courtesy of ICanHasCheezburger

This week we have the Komen controversy, big money at the Super Bowl, ways to waste money, the Facebook IPO, and stashing cash.

Plus, purring cats.

Washington Post: Komen Foundation revises funding policy - The power of the internet. A week or so after internet outrage stopped SOPA, outrage against the Komen Foundation defunding Planned Parenthood hit a similar peak. Looking around at this issue, people are still angry and think this is a PR stunt (or panic), but be grateful at least that Planned Parenthood's getting its funding, and that protest actually can work.

Bloomberg: Super Bowl All About Money, From Pricey Seats to Party Passes - It's said that Super Bowl games don't have the greatest fans in the stadium. For one, it's in a neutral territory so all the die-hards don't show up. But also, given the incredible expense of tickets, it probably attracts those who are less fanatical. The fans that do get to go are mostly season ticket holders. Do rich people really cover themselves in team-color body paint? Probably not. Still, it's the best game of the year in any sport. Go Giants!

Money Talks News: 5 Stupid Little Ways I Wasted $35.94 This Week - A neat post about just how much you spend in a given week on the small things. If you're spending $3 or less at a time, it might not seem like a lot, but when added all together, that's a lot. She doesn't even list a whole lot of purchases and it's $140 a month. What could you do with an extra $140? Plus, the cheap stuff doesn't seem like the makings of a very good diet either.

EW: Will success spoil Facebook? How the $5 billion IPO could affect you - So Facebook is going to sell for 5 billion dollars, which is pretty amazing considering that it only has 3000 employees. With Facebook, its the users who do the bulk of the work. So how is the sale going to affect the daily user? Probably not a lot in the short term, but in the long term it will speed up the rate at which Facebook is integrated into the entire internet. Whether or not this is a good thing is up for argument. It doesn't really seem like FB is going to go the way of Myspace and fade away.

Bargaineering: Your Take: Why I Keep Cash at Home - I wanted to post this because of a legend in my family: a great uncle didn't trust banks so he kept his entire life savings in his closet. One night he was robbed...of all his money. This isn't quite a cautionary tale because no one's going to do this, but it's still a good idea to have some spare cash around in case of emergencies. Imagine if electricity went out and an ATM wasn't accessible, or any card readers. Think of adding cash to any emergency kit.

Video of the Week: An informative look at the cats that purr.

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How To: Be an Eco-Tourist

psutton — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:45:00 GMT

Is eco-tourism just a buzz word from the first decade in the 21st century? Whenever I hear "eco-tourism" I think of fancy tents in Africa where someone else does all the hard work of typical camping and lots of wild animals a safe distance away but close enough to feel scared. What is eco-tourism shaping up to be in the new decade?

Realizing the impact we have on our environment is the first step to embracing eco-tourism. Whether we go on a weekend road trip or travel half way around the world, our choices effect our world. Travel sites like Expedia and Orbitz are joining in with the trend. Eco-friendly hotels are popping up as a way to differentiate themselves from all the rest. For some hotels that means that they have an EPA Energy Star Rating. Efficiency of lighting, cooling and heating and water heating are among a few of the areas that are considered when given an EPA Energy Star Rating. Some hotels just have the name "eco" in them. These types of hotels often offer yoga and wonderful spa like facilities set in scenic environments. How much they work on protecting the environment or reducing their carbon foot print is questionable. Do a little research to find out how the hotel you pick is working to be truly eco-friendly.

Another way to help the environment, or at least endangered species, is to go on tours that specifically help to protect the animals. Not long ago I watched a show about tourism and gorillas. Gorillas are endangered and were often killed by local people to be sold for large amounts of money. Now these same local people are realizing that their unique animals can bring in more money as tourist attractions. Westerners go to see the gorillas in the wild and spend money on food, souvenirs and services. Finding the balance between an increased human presence due to tourism and saving a fragile ecosystem is something we still need to work on. The Galapagos Islands are a good example where a huge increase in tourism is damaging the environment. The Galapagos were not in danger from habitat reduction due to human expansion until now, because humans never lived on these islands. Go visit lemurs in Madagascar instead of the last Giant Tortoise in Galapagos.

So, you're really into the city life and have no desire to rough it in nature? No worries, you can still be eco-conscious. Choose a hotel that has an EPA Energy Star rating. Then find a city that has great public transportation and use it while visiting. You can't go wrong in New York City with the subway system. Anywhere you want to be, you can get there. And it's probably faster than hailing a taxi and weeding through traffic. Many cities have great public transportation systems that are easy to use. A few of the leading cities for ridership, safety and funding in public transportation are Portland, Oregon, Washington D.C. and Boston. I was pleasantly surprised to see Honolulu, Denver and Salt Lake City to be high on the list.

Making small changes to your travel can have a big impact. Travel closer to home. An airplane flight creates a huge carbon footprint. If you feel like real vacations must include an airplane, then locate truly eco-friendly lodging. Support local communities that are working to protect their wildlife through tourism. Use public transportation as much as possible. And above all, have fun!

Have you made any changes in your travel behavior to reduce your carbon footprint or help threatened habitats? Are you an eco-traveler?Add a Comment