Category — Housewives on the Internet

Just discontinued our family landline phone: so proclaimed a friend’s Facebook status. I have serious envy. Until recently, between the 2 of us we had 6 phone numbers. Yes, 6. Through moves and job changes we’ve managed to cut it down to only 4 phone numbers: 2 landlines and 2 mobiles. Our goal: 2 mobiles and ditch the landlines.

The problem? Condo living. We split our time between 2 condos in different states, and work and life often mean we are often not both at the same condo. And for visitors to get to our home, they need to call us via the entry security system and we need to buzz them in. So we just list our mobile phone number on the security system, right? Wrong. If TBG is in Chicago and orders pizza delivery at 10pm I don’t want to be called at 11pm in Florida to let the delivery guy in. If I have guests in Florida at 9am Saturday morning, TBG doesn’t want his cell phone ringing at 8am and waking him up so I can go to brunch with my friends.

So, we have a landline in both Florida and Chicago strictly to buzz in visitors. Crazy? Yes it is. What options have we considered?

• magicJack: for $150 we can plug the magicJack system into our electrical outlet and never pay again for local or long-distance calls.  2012 Product of the Year. Rave reviews from CNBC and the New York Times. Sounds too easy…its alot to pay when we haven’t talked to 1 person who has actually tried it, and I’m not sure I want to be a $150 guinea pig (although I’m paying $29.99/month to Vonage AND $29.99/month to Comcast* I’d recoup it quickly if it works)

• Skype: with Skype I can receive calls on my computer for free, but I can’t buzz people in. So I could get pizza delivered but I’d have to run down 22 flights to pay the guy. He might as well just call me on my mobile if I can’t have it delivered to my door!

• Ooma: it reads to me like a cross between magicJack and Skype: for $200 you buy the Ooma box and connect it to your computer (bluetooth and wireless adapters are available for more $$$) and they promise free US calling, voicemail, caller ID, etc; but it has one-time or monthly fees to keep your current landline number. I’m thinking NOT.

So smart readers: any suggestions on how I can ditch our landlines but still buzz people in with our security systems?

* yes, you read that right: I’m paying $60/month x 12 months = $720/year for phones we use only to let visitors in. I could buy alot of Starbucks for $720!

My morning chai tea latte (tall, skim, extra pump, extra hot with a straw, svp!) and afternoon frappuccino (tall coffee light) are life’s little luxuries that I’m not willing to give up. But like everyone else I’m looking for ways to save a few dollars while still indulging my luxuries. My Starbucks habit is now fed by couponing.

No, I’m not a coupon extremist: you won’t be sorry to get in line behind me at the grocery. But I have developed a few money-saving habits that fund my Starbucks addiction and only take a few minutes a week. I work from home, but don’t want to turn couponing into a full-time job like I’ve seen on TV shows.

My couponing secrets?

Coupon Codes from Have Deals

I’m surprised how many people who shop online don’t know about coupon codes! When you’re shopping online, in the checkout you’ll freqently see a little box marked coupon code or promo code. This code applies a discount to your purchase: free shipping, buy 1 get one, 15% off: it varies. You don’t have a coupon code? Just get one off the internet! I go to Google and enter for example: coupon code m&ms and find a code offering a current discount.

But typically that’s just too much time and trouble, so I just go to Have Deals and find whatever coupon code I’m looking for on their website, rather than searching around all the different websites. For example, my nephew Pat turned 16 and I wanted to gift him some M&Ms customized in his school colors, with Happy Birthday Pat on one side, and License to Drive on the other. So all I did was go to havedeals.com, enter M&Ms in the search box, the site took me to the M&Ms website, and I got a 15% discount on my order!

Took 5 seconds, saved me $3.41, and paid for 1 frappuccino!

Ebates  

Sometimes there simply isn’t a coupon code available, so I go to Ebates to shop. Ebates works with different online stores, and they offer a cash refund on purchases made through the Ebates website. So, if I want to buy a new ice cream maker at Macy’s, I go to Ebates.com, and enter Macys in the search box, and Ebates will take me to the Macy’s website; then I shop for my ice cream maker. Right now, there is a 3% cash back on Macy’s purchases at Ebates, so if I don’t have any other coupon or promotion codes, my on-sale $59.99 ice cream maker will generate a rebate check to me of $1.80. % of discount varies, sometimes there are double-cash rebate deals, so shop around!

Ebate rebate checks are sent quarterly, so typically my rebate checks are about $20-25: enough for 3-4 chai tea lattes!

Viggle  

Since I work from home I also have the TV on alot so I’m pretty caught up on reality and talk shows! Recently I discovered Viggle, a free app I downloaded from the iTunes AppStore to my iPad and iPhone. Once you download the app, you select your cable provider. Then when you’re watching the show – either live or on DVR – you just go to the Viggle app, select check in and Viggle matches what it hears and records your check in. Each check in awards you points, and different levels of points provide you different awards. A $5 Starbucks card costs 7500 points.

This week I Viggled about 15,000 points, enough for $10 at Starbucks: 3 frappuccinos!

Just think how many Starbucks drinks I could fund by couponing if I actually worked at it!

Lil Sis Mary was being released from the hospital after surgery, and had to be sure not to get her incision and staples wet in the shower. I’m on it: my friend Carla just shared a showering after surgery tip and I was thrilled to be able to pass it on to Mary:

Press’n Seal! Cut off a piece of cling large enough to cover the area you need to keep dry, press carefully around the edges to “seal” the cling to the skin, then shower! When finished, just toss out the used cling and tear off a fresh piece for the next shower. In addition to surgical scars, Press’n Seal would have worked great when TBG had a PICC line after surgery, and when he had his knee in a cast.

Simple, effective and cheap! Press’n Seal can be found at your grocery or home goods store, $5 – $8 depending on size.

Who knew?

Global Lighting asked me if I’d like to look through their lighting gallery and blog about my favorite pick. Here’s my choice: what do you think?

Global Lighting: The Lampara! Read all about it here

Or would you have picked the red shades?

You all know: I’m a Kindle addict, and am hanging on to my Kindle Classic (the original version) while also reading books on my iPad and iPhone with my Kindle apps. And truth be told: I do read more books thanks to the Kindle: its just so easy to get a book when I hear about it (and btw…TBG released his first book, Linebacker in the Boardroom, earlier this month and it’s available on Kindle too: I downloaded it in seconds!)

But my gripe…and everyone else’s…is still Kindle book pricing. I was OK when books were $9.99 or less, but when e-b0ok prices on Amazon crept up, I was furious: of course they have to do marketing, of course the author and publisher are entitled to their royalties. But there’s no printing, shipping, handling, or other overhead costs so why are e-book prices increasing as their popularity increases…its just WRONG!

I’ve spent time tracking down free e-books, library e-books, and other ways to read what I’m interested in…but not spend so much money on books that I can’t share.

And now Amazon has quietly introduced the Kindle Daily Deal: a daily, one-day only discount price on a selected e-book.

So far, I haven’t downloaded one but I’m sure I will. But why not: because Amazon has a long way to go in figuring out how to publicize the Kindle Daily Deal.

On the Daily Deal website, it instructs users that the deal is available 12:00am pst, and posted on the Amazon Kindle site, on twitter, facebook, and the Kindle Daily Post. But at 9:49am cst on the Kindle Daily Post it still reflects yesterday’s Daily Deal, I can’t find today’s deal posted on FaceBook or Twitter, and I had to click around quite  a bit to find today’s deal on the Amazon site: even when I entered Kindle Daily Deal in the Amazon search field, I was not directed to the daily deal: instead, it took me to Kindle books with those words in the title!

From the screen print above you can see a great deal on The Lincoln Lawyer for $2.99: except its no longer available: that’s yesterday’s deal and today’s deal isn’t posted though its long past 12:00am pst.

Amazon has some work to do so the Kindle Daily Deal is more easily available. From what I’m reading online alot of other users are similarly frustrated: they’re trying to download yesterday’s deal today, because that’s what showing up in their in-boxes and online!

They’ll work it out: but what if I miss a deal! Come on, Amazon: this is low-tech stuff: fix it today please, so I can get my deals too!

I’m highly competitive, and love word games so I’ve been a Scrabble addict since I was a kid. When we lived in Paris I bought the Scrabble version Francaise to help expand my French vocabulary, but never mastered French spelling so stopped playing that game. Moi husband and kids have refused to play Scrabble with me for years. Now with Moi iPhone and iPad I’m a Words With Friends addict: I have simultaneous games going with a young mother in England, a Marine in California, a Canadian in France, and countless sisters, nieces and nephews, and friends across the US: even my daughter will play WWF with me. I play in bed, in the car, on buses and train, in planes with WiFi, in line at Target (and to the annoyance of TBG at the dinner table, while watching TV, and anytime or place I can sneak a peak at my iPhone.)So while searching for the perfect birthday gift for a young friend turning 10 this month I bought him Bananagrams: sort of a free-form Scrabble/cross-word game. For 2-8 players aged 7-97. I’m ensuring I’ll be playing WWF for years to come! Completely portable and with its own case it’s perfect for home or on the road. $14.95  Fruits games also available: Appletters and Pairs in Pears.

Friend me on WWF!

I was invited last week to brunch at a friend’s who just bought a condo in SoFlo. So of course the hunt for the perfect hostess gift begins. Brilliant: specialty breakfast treats from Florida!

Everyone likes food gifts, and what’s better than introducing a friend to some of my favorite local foods: a gift of Florida sunshine!

Palmalito Jams and Preserves: Moi faves are the Guava Jelly and the Orange Marmalade, but love the Jalapeño Pepper and Key Lime jellies too. I buy mine at the local Publix, but you can also buy it online and ship it as a gift (or to yourself!) About $3.50/jar.

McCoy’s Honey: I looooove McCoy’s Florida Orange Blossom on my yogurt and TBG squirts it on his toast. Perfect for a little tea sweetner! And we still love our bear squeeze bottle. I buy mine at the local farmer’s market, but you can buy it online. About $4.50/jar. Also sold in larger jars (which we buy to refill the bear.)

Kermit’s Keylime Pie: I buy and send several Kermit’s Key Lime Pies a year to friends up north in the dead of winter: just a taste of Florida Sunshine in all the snow! Ships frozen overnight. About $75. Try the Key Lime Pops on a Stick too!

Honeybell Oranges and Tangellos: These special Florida oranges are only available for a few weeks every year: typically late December thru early February, depending on the weather gods. I once gifted brother Tom 40 honeybells to celebrate his big 4-0! Prices vary, but usually around $25 for 5 lbs, plus shipping. The perfect post-holiday healthy gift! I buy mine at Woolbright Farmers Market, but when shipping I use Cushman’s.

Moi Tip: Check out the recipes from the local producers: Palmalito suggests adding a jar of Guava Jelly to your Thanksgiving yams: sounds yummy!

For sister Lisa’s 40th I needed to celebrate both the big 4-0 and her recent move to the burbs.

With two little girls she’ll soon hit soccer mom status, and cold windy Chicago Fall days ensure some long Saturdays with a folding chair and a venti extra-hot Starbucks while the teams learn the rules of the game.

How to heat-up the day? Try a mini-flask studded with pink Swarovski crystals, and personalized with her name.

39 years 51 weeks...and counting

I bought it at McAdams Ltdfor $35.00, plus engraving. Lisa can provide the liquid heat.

Tres chic! Bon Anniversaire Lisa!

Moi tip: if anyone is reading, Christmas isn’t far off and Moi would love her own personalized crystal flask!

The reminder email just landed in my inbox: Fathers Day Brunch hosted at my sister’s, pool-side. No time to procrastinate: I needed a Fathers Day gift for my 81 year old father; who tends to toss all gifts on the end of the couch, and ignore them, denying he received any gifts. A quick exchange of emails with the Queen Mum, and Dad’s gift is ordered and in the mail. Check below what Dad’s getting!

Are you looking for gift ideas for the Dad’s in your life? Here are a 5 tested, sure-thing Dad-pleasers:

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A few months back I was searching for a tinted moisturizer…I never found one I really liked, and resorted to mixing my SPF moisturizer with a few drops of liquid foundation. But my readers had some great ideas. Recently I was killing time at the mall (I hate malls, even the gorgeous Gardens Mall in Palm Gardens) while TBG was at Apple trouble-shooting a software problem. I wandered past Sephora…and remembered the advice of Toma T, who suggested I check out Bare Escentuals.

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