Vicki Bites the Dust

I'm a "Real Housewives" junkie. So, last week we were left with Gretchen almost cheating on her dying sugar daddy with Tamra's son. Nothing happened. Gretchen kicked him out of the bathroom and that was that. It was very anti-climactic. I was pissed, but then Vicki fell... priceless.

Tips for Surviving the Recession -- Lighten up People

The news is bad. The outlook glum. Is it really? Lately I've found my inner voice saying, "Lighten up" a lot. Every time I hear a stranger or someone in line at the grocery store complaining about the economy (as thy dump a never-ending supply of useless crap onto the check-out counter: Lysol wipes, plug-in air fresheners, 100 calorie snack cracker packs...).

"Lighten up"

So you can't grab a Starbucks everyday. So what. So you can't buy the 4th LCD TV with your HH Greg credit card because they dropped the credit line down to $500 bucks and you're still paying off the Dyson you bought six months ago... So. So what. Ever think maybe you don't need it? It's time we lighten up. Really. Things are fine.

Use that energy to help someone who is hungry and in despair. For the rest of us here's some good advice...

1. Put an egg in your Ramen noodles. It's good. Cheap.

2. F*ck alot. It's free and it feels really good if you do it right. Warms ya up too. You won't need the heat set as high.

3. Don't pout; make survival an adventure. This is your entertainment for the next 12 months.

4. Get rid of cable . It's a rip-off, and there's nothing on it worth a shit anyways. A good antenna will get you 15-20 stations once we go HD in February.

5. Eat oatmeal instead of boxed cereals -- Better for you and one/tenth the price.

6. Get a "Magic Jack" and never pay a phone bill again... I know you have a computer.

7. Barefoot wines $5.47 per bottle at the Food Depot. Good times.

8. Buy regular unleaded. Your car needs to make sacrifices too. I guarantee it will still run fine.

9. Dump the Gym membership -- get off your ass and move.

10. It's a great time to start a diet, and no one will no you're really just plain ol' starving.

11. Invite friends over to play cards. You'll reconnect, realize what's most important, and all have a great evening.

12. Beanie Weenies and mashed potatoes. I'm in the south.

13. Time to bite the bullet and be a 'coupon weirdo' when you shop.

14. Invite friends to your house. You don't have to spend the gas to drive, and you can get as drunk as you want, since you're already home.

15. If you can't pay cash, you can't afford it. Cut up the cards. One more time... cut up the cards!

16. Announce that your "going to let your hair grow out" and save on haircuts for a few months ($40 x 3 months)

17. Check out the dollar menus or kid's menus. Hell, it's more than likely a more proper portion.

18. Read books. It's cheap and you can escape the current realities.

19. Turn up the music and dance like no one is watching. Again FREE.

20. Beans are more than just a "musical fruit" they are great replacement for expensive meats. Beans/rice have been helping poor people survive worldwide for centuries

21. Shower together. Save water. Leads to #2. Rinse and repeat.

22. Volunteer at a shelter, then you'll really know what poor is.

Here's the original list.

Virtual Gifts Sooo much Cooler than e-Cards

We've all been Facebook gifting for awhile now but my new favorite is the Giftd Gift Box widget. This cool little widget lets you take your gifts anywhere!

Post the Gift Box widget to your MySpace page, blog, or any other social network profile to display all your irresistible interactive digital gifts. You can also:

* Unwrap new gifts you've received
* Check out all the gifts you sent and received
* Send new gifts to friends & family

10 years!!!! We're headed to Vegas Baby

The planning for our 10-year anniversary extravaganza in Las Vegas is in full swing. We're still working with the wedding coordinators at both The Hilton Las Vegas and the The Flamingo but it looks like it will be at The Flamingo. We love the central location, the amenities and they did a huge renovation of their guest rooms. What does everyone think?? Here's a link to the virtual tour.


Also check out Voga for dinner. Mixed with city chic and Neapolitan style, the décor perfectly suits the eclectic menu. Ranging from the freshest seafood to filet mignon, sample daring small plates like mini lobster tacos and the crab cake caviar or opt for entrées like Osso Bucco, New York Strip with red shallots and pepper sauce or Sea Bass with rock shrimp risotto.

Black Friday and Thanksgiving-weekend 2009 Shopping Round-up

Last year we had way more all-night shopping options. We chose the Tanger outlets in McDonough, Georgia and found great deals at Ralph Lauren, Nautica, Nike, and Coach.

Not so in 2009... This year we had already decided not to do the Tanger sale and nothing much besides was happening until 5am.

For those of you that don't want or have time to read the full report, here's the synopsis... It sucked! Really. Especially Macy's sale.

We opted for a power nap from midnight to 4am before we hit the streets. We packed into the car at 4:20am and headed to Best Buy, Target, Radio Shack, and Macy's.

I'd consider Target a success. They had great prices on Nintendo DS games and kids toys. Ethan and Calli have a slew of young cousins to buy for and you couldn't beat the prices on DS and board games. Many of the shoppers were there for the Star Wars and Lego Star Wars deals which were all gone within the first hour. Oh, and I can't forget to mention the Phillips LED Christmas tree lights were on sale for $9 each. These are the BEST lights. Highly recommend them - they use less electricity, really do burn cool and are beautiful bright light.

If you don't own a Nintendo DS lite yet, Best Buy had a great deal on the special edition Mario Red which looks similar in color to the Crimson DS but features an iconic 'M' painted onto the front. and comes with a copy of New Super Mario Bros. and my fav the Ice Blue version with a copy of Brain Age and a custom carrying case for $129.99.


Macy's was a huge disappointment!!!!!!

Macy's was offering a $10 off Macy's was offering a $10 off $25 coupon good from 5am - 1pm and a 10% or 15% coupon on regular and clearance priced items, but "some exclusions did apply." SOME! Everything was an exclusion. Macy's 2009 black Friday deals were a HUGE disappointment!

Let me say that again, louder - Macy's 2009 black Friday deals were a HUGE disappointment!

I shopped women's shoes... nothing special. Some minor discounts despite their flyer touting "shoes and boots from $29.99-99.99." Where the hell were those shoes? Most were $65-$130. I did find some beauties for $54, 98, $103, $103, and $130. Ok, not the deal of a lifetime, but some very HOT shoes and considering the 10% of coupon this would be a price I could live with.

Get to the register and find out the coupon does not apply to a single pair of the five pair of shoes I'm buying. Not one. Why? According to the fine print and sales consultant, because they're "designer."

Why the hell do you even shop at Macy's if not to buy designer merchandise? Your kidding me! Big disappointment. My only deal - an overpriced to begin with Hello Kitty shirt for my daughter that was originally $30 for $6. Hardly worth the trip but she'll treasure it.

Preliminary reports from major retailers including Macy’s, KB Toys, Best Buy, and Toys “R” Us, and mall operators across the country said the crowds were at least as large as last year's. That equals ALOT of disappointed shoppers.

Is it just me???? Did anyone out there find the awesome deals? I haven't heard a single tale of sheer shopping ecstasy yet that wasn't an online deal. Next year everyone is bringing their laptop to my house and rather than hitting I-75 we'll be hitting the information highway (i.e. Internet) for all night shopping online. Best part -- we can throw back a few bottles of red wine while we do it. :)

So, how about some great News!?! Amazon.com has announced that they will be extending their Black Friday deals into Saturday! If you ask me the best deals are online.

Amazon will continue offering amazing deals on Saturday to help you get your holiday shopping done for less. Shop for all the top deals of the season, all from the convenience (and comfort) of your keyboard.

Word.