According to a recent article in the L.A. Times, the average family has completed less than half their back-to-school shopping. If you've been putting off getting ready for the new school season--well, we can hardly blame you. Everyone wants to sell you something and shopping with and for the kids can be undeniably daunting.

But hang in there, we're here to help! Follow this game plan and earn and A+ on your back to school shopping trip.

While wine-colored toenails are optional, men everywhere are getting manicures and pedicures. And why not? Sure beats craggly toes at the end of the bed. With 30% of salon clients being male, we thought we'd give you guys some DIY tips for the perfect home mani/pedi.

Enjoy.

Whether you're a student heading back to school or a frugal consumer just looking to upgrade that old, moves-at-a-snail's-pace laptop that's dying a slow death on your desk, figuring out what to look for in a new laptop can be a bit of a chore. The first thing we all have to think of in these tough economic times is budget. It has never been easier to find a quality laptop for less from the top major brands as it is today.

Here are some guidelines regarding what to look for when you're buying a new laptop:

After nearly a month of wearing your dingy old bikini, maybe it's time for an upgrade. As summer fades into Indian summer, make the most of the remaining sunny days to work on your tan and laze. You have the rest of the year to be pallid and productive. Here's how to rock your sunbathing style of choice, before summer passes you by with a few custom looks to fit your current locale. All the pieces are priced less than $50 with extra discounts to sweeten the pot.

What is commonly referred to as "Next-Gen" in the video gaming world is the "Current-Gen." We now live in a gaming world dominated by Xbox 360, PS3 and the Nintendo Wii. All of you holding onto the past--well, it's time to let go as the development days are coming to an end for older systems such as the PS2. I'm going to break down what each system has to offer and what to look for to best enhance your overall gaming experience.

Gotta stock up on new lotions and potions? Why not score a freebie while you're at it?

The shelf life of most cosmetics is three to four months. With that turn around, you're likely to buy cosmetics and skin care several times a year, and it's not exactly the kind of stuff you want to buy on consignment. Many popular skin care, perfume, and makeup brands seldom have sales, so how can a frugal beauty junkie get the most bang for the buck?

Gifts with purchase, of course! Here's why GWPs are my favorite kind of deal:

Last week we went over some basics for winning wine shopping, such as reading tasting notes as well as scores, and heading off the Napa track to find bargains. This week we get into more specifics. You can lessen the intimidation factor and up your chances for success with just a bit of research.

Until recently, the prevailing thought on digital cameras was that the more megapixels a particular camera had, the better that device was. So in an effort to purchase the very best, ultimate, state of the art, next-big-thing camera, everyone from your average amateur photo-philes to professional photographers ran out to get their hands on the most lavish digital cameras available. Often they paid unnecessarily high prices for digital equipment all because they bought into the false belief that an overabundance of megapixels would equal much better photographs.

I'm here to tell you this is simply not accurate. In this instance, less can be more.

With July 4th barely behind us, it seems premature to being thinking about school. But as we careen into August, the start of the school year isn't far off. For many, it will mean heading off to college and living away from home for the first time. Ah yes, college dorms...seems like yesterday. Uh, well for me--not so much. Which is why I enlisted the help of Sara (aka "WiscoVixen") to create a shopping list of ten dorm room essentials for all you fabulous freshman.

While your laptop and your textbooks will have more impact on your academic success, the following list will make living in that cramped yet sterile dorm room just a wee bit easier:

Wine tends to mystify a lot of people. Stick a hot shot Wall Street investment banker with all the confidence in the world in front of a wall of Burgundy bottles and he'll be reduced to jelly (although come to think of it, that Wall Street investment banker probably isn't feeling like such a hotshot nowadays anyway...bad example!). Picking out a great tasting, reasonably priced bottle doesn't have to be intimidating.

Prepare to be demystified!

Picking up where we left off last week, I want to talk a little bit about the differences and similarities between the two leading types of flat panel televisions: LCD and Plasma. Hopefully this will add to the knowledge you'll need in order to best select the HDTV that's right for you. I'll try to keep the technical jargon to a minimum, but some "geek speak" will be necessary.

So let's get to it...

Summertime is upon us: time for barbecues, beach days, a slew of summer nuptials--and bad footwear. You shouldn't have to sacrifice comfort for fashion, but there are ways to look stylish in shorts. Put away the athletic shoes, keep your Tevas on the trail, and for heaven's sake put down the Crocs.

Here's a guy's guide for summer footwear beyond the flip flop, each for under $50.