Online Shoppers Blog - Become's Pocket Change

There’s a fun new movie called Scoop starring the lovely Scarlett Johansson. Scarlett proves she can flash her pearly whites (and other charms) to great effect and she does so vampishly throughout the film. And well she should since she plays an aspiring journalist who just happens to come from a long line of dental hygienists. The flimsy plot revolves around her tracking down a handsome, rich serial killer (Hugh Jackman) with the help of an aging magician (Woody Allen) and a ghost.

So what does all that have to do with dental floss? Not much except that the movie reminded me to stock up on my Tom’s of Maine supply. It's sometimes hard to find and those few health stores that do carry it often charge exorbitant prices. While good dental floss is worth its weight in gold, it shouldn’t cost a fortune. So, here’s my “Scoop” for you. You can find Tom’s of Maine floss through Become.com (shameless plug!) with prices ranging from $2.59-3.99 per box. Buy a dozen at a time and enjoy their spearmint flavor for months. After all, you never know when you might run into Hugh or Scarlett and you surely want to be able to flash your gleaming pearlies back at them.

Mimi

Posted by Mimi at 06:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Laptops are a wonderful invention…if only they weren’t so darn dangerous. First of all, they are a threat to your unborn children. Secondly, merely being in the same airplane as a laptop can cause your potential death. And if that’s not enough, they can randomly combust without warning! Dell laptops have exploded in meetings and offices. What a pretty little hole eh? Imagine what would happen if that laptop had exploded on your lap. Be warned, do not put laptops on your lap for your own fertility's sake. I’m a little worried myself since I have a Dell laptop as well. However, since they are not recalling batteries from my model, I am hoping that means I’m safe. If you have a Dell laptop, check to see if you possess a battery that they are recalling. For the sake for your future children, fellow coworkers and fellow airplane passengers, CHECK.

Melissa

UPDATE: Apparently an Apple laptop blew up as well. No, it's not just Dells that are the main trouble makers. Good looking out, engadget.

Posted by Melissa at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (13) | TrackBacks (0)

This country has an addiction. Refill after refill and the prices keep going up and up. There are efficient solutions out there, but big industry doesn't want us to have them.

Printer ink. (You thought I was talking about gasoline! Haha! I did that on purpose to trick you and you fell for it oh man what a sucker.)

Did you ever notice how cheap those photo printers seem to be getting? Well, the catch is the whole "$40 for a tablespoon of magenta every 13 documents" ink cartridge replacement model. The costs to keep ink pouring onto my angry letters to SF parking enforcement or onto incriminating photos of parking enforcement officials is really depressing. Considering how many tickets I get a year, I'm going to have to sell my car to afford all the ink cartridge replacements.

Until now! These inkjet cartridge refill kits look to me like the wave of the future. You basically just buy the ink in bulk and refill your empty cartridges. Wow, that seems like such a no brainer I wonder why this isn't more widespread...

Unfortunately, some printer manufacturers are treating the refill revolution in the same way auto manufacturers treated mass urban transit plans in the 70's: like a threat to their existence. HP is making it difficult to use refilled inkjet cartridges on their printers. Others are suing the companies that make these kits available. I hope they lose this battle in the way the auto makers should have lost theirs. To think, I wouldn't have all these parking officials to blackmail...

AJ

Posted by AJ at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When one of my best friends headed to New York for medical school, I vowed that I would fly the 2582 miles each year to pay her an annual visit. Well, 2006 is halfway through, and I have yet to see a Broadway musical, fight the throngs of tourists in Times Square, or devour the ubiquitous New York style pizza ::drool::. Because airfare can be steep, I compiled a list of tips for finding the best deals on airfare.

It’s up. No it’s down. No, no it’s up again. Wait it’s back down. Oh, I give up: Finding the best price can feel like a losing battle, but first checking with aggregator sites like Travelzoo’s SuperSearch, Qixo, Kayak, Mobissimo, and SideStep, which allow customers to simultaneously search multiple travel sites as well as airlines, is a quick and easy way to find the best airfare deal.

The early bird gets the worm: When your travel dates are not flexible or you’re traveling during the holidays, book your flight early. Prices usually increase and flights sell out quickly during holiday seasons. Booking seven days in advance for domestic and twenty one days for international is a good rule of thumb to follow when buying airfare.

Timing is everything: Check for flights shortly after midnight. This is when airlines reload their computers, so you might be able to score a flight that someone reserved but didn’t pay for. If you’re feeling extra diligent, check for flights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; this is when airlines release the week’s new deals.

I’m feeling lucky today: Flying out on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday are the best days for the cheapest airfare. If your schedule permits, include a Saturday stay to lower your fare to as much as an additional 25%.

Won’t you be my neighbor: Flying to major airports is sometimes more costly, so make sure to check neighboring airports for a sweeter deal.

Tis’ the season to be wary: Traveling during high season can tack on a couple extra hundred dollars to your ticket DUH!, but what most people don’t know is that during high season most airlines treat some days (e.g. December 25th and January 1st) as low season, offering flyers flights that are much more economical. Make sure to ask airlines which days are considered low season to save yourself that extra dollar.

Now that you are fully equipped to be a lean, mean airfare-deal-finding machine, I am off to the Big Apple! D.J., break out the AeroBed!

Jill

Posted by Jill at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I’m in the process of accessorizing my bathroom and I decided to go for whimsical items to amuse me as I groggily try to get ready for the day. To aid my allergy induced nose clearing I have my eyes on a tiki head tissue box. My floss is getting a new home in a kai piranha dental floss holder. I absolutely need this pisellino cotton swab holder. Since I lack bathroom counter space I’m getting these Tommy toothbrush holders. And last but not least, my collection wouldn’t be complete without the Alessi Mr. Suicide Bath Plug.

Mercedes

Posted by Mercedes at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (204) | TrackBacks (0)

I’ve been on a rabid hunt for the perfect leather bag. I’m somewhere in a state of resignation and extreme frustration because my current bag can only fit 1/3 of what I’d ideally like to carry around with me. Perhaps it’s a residual effect from college or post-college years, but I’ve absorbed a fair number of nomadic tendencies and I need a bag that can hold enough to tide me over in all possible situations: boredom, overnights, productivity, cold weather, shoes emergencies, and hunger. My criteria is that it must be at foremost a functional bag that is simple but a little complex, slouchy but a little bit structured, neutral colored but not dull, the right amount of shiny, and on and on. I find that bags either work or don’t work on me. It doesn’t really matter what designer label or how expensive the bag is; it has to look like it belongs with/on me, an extension of my personality if you will. I’ve done a look of looking around, and the only thing I liked reasonably enough to want to shell out for was this Botkier Large Trigger in Hunter Green on eBay (which I lost in the last couple seconds of the auction).

I’m warming up to the Mulberry Bayswater and Picadilly (same style but different sizes). The style is classic, but not stuffy. The Roxanne is also quite popular (worn by Scarlett Johansson in Match Point), but I can’t stand the all the buckles.

The Kooba Lena is also quite nice. It has a similar shape to the Sienna, but frankly, it looks more elegant – especially without the icky contrast whipstitches.

I was browsing on Net-a-Porter when I stumbled on this Not Rational computer bag. The shape is very functional, and I like how it can be used either as a tote or a shoulder bag. I’m not keen on the cognac color, but they have 17 other colors to choose from – something softer and less shiny.

Sherry

Posted by Sherry at 05:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Mark Morford at SFGate has an interesting column about the soulfulness of gadgets. Perhaps, he says, it's worth our time to every so often appreciate the help that these things give us. Their sacrifices, even. Does your phone have a soul? Most of your major tax-exempt religions would say no, but it's certainly spent a lot of time listening to you. Probably more than your mother, even. (Perhaps exactly as much as the NSA, but that's a post for another blog.)

Morford writes,

I have, on my desk right now, a Salton mug warmer. I paid, I believe, about $9.95 for it, back in 1997. It has performed perfectly, every single day, for nearly nine years. It has successfully kept warm an estimated 2,500 mugs of coffee. It has been through three girlfriends and five roommates and over a million words. It has never failed me, not even once.

When it finally breaks down, when the little Chinese-made heating element fries itself out and I have to toss it and get a new one, I shall probably hold it in my hands and stare at it and offer it some thanks, let those memories swim through. Maybe I'll speak to it. Give it a kiss. And then move on.

I know, it's ridiculous. I know, it's not very macho. I know, how utterly embarrassing. Whatever.

That struck a chord with me, because I routinely give the same kind of reverence to my little desk fan. It's a "Cool Breeze" model, and I bought it at a drugstore about 2 years ago for maybe $15. I'd be willing to bet that it's spent more time on than off, thanks to my tendency to forget to turn it off before going home. And it's never given me any trouble that a squirt of WD-40 couldn't fix.

What's so miraculous about that? Let's say that it's averaged 12 hours a day for the last two years. That's 8760 hours of use. A reasonable blade speed for a desk fan looks to be about 1000 rpm, so that's...

525,600,000 rotations. 525 million. For $15 and not a thought more.

Imagine doing something, anything, 525 million times. Modern manufacturing is pretty amazing, isn't it?

Aram

Posted by Aram at 02:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I found this post while doing my daily surfing of baby blogs. I have to say I totally agree that balls are great for babies, and this ball is perfect for babies! It's an O-Ball Jellie, aka “The Everybody Ball”. It is the only ball that my 5-month-old son can pick up and play with safely. And thus, it gets my “toy of the month” award.

Ben

Posted by Ben at 04:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I’ve never really been a coupon type of guy. I like the idea of saving money and whatnot, but the whole finding, clipping, and printing thing is a bit much for "$0.30 off a can of green beans if purchased on Wednesday, February 29th, this message will self-destruct in 15 seconds..."

However, Cellfire might change all that. Download their software and you can treat your cell phone like a constantly updating, paper-free coupon book. Just show your phone screen to participating businesses and it’s done. It’s Ferris Bueller easy.

Now I just need a service that lets people send me money on my cell phone. Oh, thank you.

OK, now I just need someone to send me money.

AJ

Posted by AJ at 02:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Well, it's not quite THAT exciting, but we were in a couple good carnivals this week. There was the Festival of Frugality and the Carnival of Personal Finance. This is only our second time entering carnivals, and I've been floored by the amount of good stuff that people have to say. About every topic in the freakin' world.

Happy Reading,

Aram

UPDATE: Sherry's in the Best Of Me Symphony. Gosh, it seems like just yesterday that she was plunking away "Heart and Soul" on her little toy piano, and now she's in a symphony. Time sure does fly when you're, um, blogging...

Posted by Aram at 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

• Drink ample amounts of water and juice - check
  
• Wear light, loose fitting clothes - check
  
• Stay indoors - check
  
• Avoid strenuous activity - check and double-check
  

With temperatures soaring above 100°F in various areas around the world, I find myself ducking indoors for a bit of respite from the heat. When the usual tips for beating the heat are not enough, what is a person to do?

DUN-DUH-DUH-DAH!!!

Instacool Personal Cooler to the rescue! Designed to provide instant cooling relief, it works by applying the cold aluminum disk to the body’s pressure points such as the neck, wrist, or temple area. This portable relief runs on four AA batteries and is small enough to take on any outing or event. The Misty Mate Personal Mister is another great way to stay fresh this summer. Delivering a blast of cool air with a simple press of a button, the Misty Mate chills the air by releasing mist all around you.

The coolest of the cool award goes to the USB Air Conditioned Shirt. The USB shirt is powered by either connecting to a USB port or four AA batteries. Just plug in and watch in amazement as the shirt’s dual fans circulate air around your body and inflate you to look like the body double for the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

Now, tell me who is cooler than the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man?

Jill

Posted by Jill at 05:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I need this. The Shockolate Vault will shock you if you try to pilfer your candy stash before the timer runs out. You know my affection for M&M’s, and I need something to augment my pathetic lack of will power.

(Thanks, Shiny Shiny!)

Mercedes

Posted by Mercedes at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I recently relocated to the East Coast, to New Hampshire specifically, and was invited to a day of lunch and shopping by a new friend. Over lunch she spoke in glowing terms of Home Goods. I was intrigued with but doubtful of her descriptions of a bargain paradise, thinking nothing in a store could beat the price of online shopping. But hey, I am always open to a little quiet browsing.

Indeed, my friend was correct, Home Goods is home and garden shopping Nirvana. I was there for exactly 1 minute, enough time to tell my friend that I didn't need a shopping cart, when I spied a 16 quart stainless steel stock pot with a glass lid for 19.00! As far as I can see, it is in perfect condition. Within 5 minutes I had a heavy teak stool/ottoman (2x2 boards!) and pomegranate syrup to put into my celebratory cocktail! All this shopping love was under $105.00, and I made my friend push it around in her cart.

I can't wait to return and see what they have this week.

My only question, does this cabinet go with my house?

Heidi Schlegel
Office Manager

Posted by Become at 05:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In my freshman year of college, several years before the dawn of the iPod, the guy across the hall from me took a power inverter and a small LCD screen and mounted a spare Windows 98 tower he had lying around in his Nissan Pathfinder. He jacked it into the stereo et voila: car mp3 player.

A scant seven years later, Chrysler is finally about to do the same thing. Sure, theirs may have satellite radio, Bluetooth, and a navigation system, (and probably leaves more room for the passenger in the front seat) but have they figured out that you can get a neat lighting effect in your room by filling up empty beer bottles with water and highlighter ink and turning a black light on them? I'm telling you: John was ahead of his time.

Aram

Posted by Aram at 05:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Computer speed (or lack thereof) is a common complaint. A slow computer can lead to hand pains (from punching the slow machine out of frustration), back pains (from the many attempts to throw the computer out the window), headaches (from banging one’s head against the computer in hopes of it becoming faster), to losing your house (lawsuits for when one throws the computer out the window and end up hitting an innocent victim walking on the street).

My brother’s computer is currently running on a mere 128MB of RAM and I have no idea how on earth he withstands its snail-like speed. It is bad to the point where if he runs IE for more than about 2 hours, it will lock up. He's not much of a computer person and thus buying a brand new computer seems rather unreasonable since he doesn’t really need all the new features. A better option is simply to install more memory.

PNY offers a great guide in helping you figure out what your memory specs are. Simply input the model of your computer, then make note of the number of pins, the bus speed (PC100, PC133, etc), the number of slots and the specific type of memory. Search for that specific memory on, oh, say, Become, and you can increase the speed of your computer dramatically for $40-$100. These instructions will step you through the process of installing the RAM into your computer and saying bye-bye to your memory problems. (Well, your computer's memory problems, at least.)

Melissa

Posted by Melissa at 05:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Back in the day, we had these things called records that were listened to on record players. High fidelity meant wiping the vinyl with an anti-magnetism brush and keeping the needle sharp. Now, Simon Elvins (via Make) brings back the glory days of recorded music with (drum roll please) the paper cone fidelity system. BTW, MAKE calls itself the first magazine devoted entirely to do it yourself technology projects but I think it actually follows in the golden footsteps of The Whole Earth Catalog, first published in 1968, which focused on “access to tools” and preached an earth-friendly, do-it-yourself lifestyle. And now, I think I’ll sit back and listen to some great old tunes on my Dixie Cup Sound System, maybe a few tunes like “Paper Moon,” “Paper Roses” and that old Beatles favorite, “Paperback Writer.” iPoddites, you don’t know what you’re missing.

Mimi

Posted by Mimi at 01:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you are currently reading this, chances are you are:

1. Technologically savvy and getting your daily fix of cool new blogs (ahem ahem)
2. Surfing the Internet at work (Shame on you)
3. Surfing the Internet at home (Shame on you again. What are you doing all cooped up when it’s lovely outside?)
4. Lost, accidentally stumbled into the site, and confused about the puzzling creation called the Internet (No worries, you are not alone)

Well, with the hours I spend surfing the web come tons of new finds. There is the interesting, the bizarre, the seemingly-useless-but-still-very-high-on-the-cool-meter, and of course, aches and pains from being in a sedentary position for 8 hours. Because I empathize with your pain and fear losing my audience, I have scoured the web for some great ergonomic solutions to fix your injuries and have you exploring the web comfortably in no time!

The SitFit Plus by Sissel improves posture and balance to strengthen your spine, while simultaneously working your abs, legs, and feet. Now you can cross off exercising from your list of things to do. Score! Another product I found is the Swopper (pictured above), which was designed to strengthen back muscles by forcing you to sit up straight and assume good posture (there is no backrest). Because your back and abdominal and skeletal muscles are constantly engaged, the Swopper trains you to assume good posture.

Back pain eliminated. Problem solved. Back to surfing the series of tubes.

Jill

Posted by Jill at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I need to buy a new USB drive since I lost my old one a few weeks ago in the process of moving to my new apartment. When I discovered a new style of Sony’s Microvault when checking out StyleHive today, I was torn with the appeal of having a really, really tiny USB drive and the reality that I had too much trouble remembering where I put my old, larger USB drive. Oh, and these drives hold from 256 MB to 2 GB, a welcome increase of storage space compared to my four year old flash drive which held an obscenely tiny (by today’s standards) 64 MB.

Mercedes

Posted by Mercedes at 04:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I went and saw The Devil Wears Prada last weekend, and was pleasantly surprised. It didn’t suck as badly as the book did, and the fashion was awesome for the most part, despite what some of the critics had led me to believe. It’s true, the fashion in the movie doesn’t show some of the more “in-the-know” fashion darlings, as pointed out by The New York Times.

Yes, the outfits are a bit over the top and a little excessive at times--I’m referring to some of Meryl’s Streep’s character’s furs and bags (honestly, I imagined her looking more sleek and elegant.) I don’t think the fashion in this movie was meant to be risky or particularly controversial. I don’t think most people have a real appreciation for the more offbeat outfits from Marni, Chloe, or Marc Jacobs. And I think that’s fine--wonderful actually. I personally love Marni; when I look at Consuela Castiglioni’s designs, I admire the way she cuts and drapes clothing, the way she fuses color combinations and unusual textures, and her unusually quirky aesthetic perspective. It doesn’t evoke the same reaction in me as say, Chanel, which embodies luxury and glamour and richness.

I love how the fashion in the movie was meant to appeal to more then just people in the fashion industry. It embodies how many of us, very much rooted in a slightly less glitzy life, can safely fantasize about and romanticize fashion. In the end, it’s just a fun movie with lots of eye candy, human and material.

I was non-stop salivating over Anna Hathaway’s outfits* (post-makeover) and how she could actually pull them off. In the wise words of Fashion Addict Diary, “…you have to respect people who look good in Chanel. Not everyone does, you know...”

* I wish I could find a screenshot of one of my favorite outfits from the movie…the newsboy cap, short sleeved black sweater, white blouse, loads of chains...fabulous.

Sherry

Random tidbit: interview with Tim Gunn for any Project Runway fans.

Posted by Sherry at 05:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Man, what's the point of hiking all that way if you're just going to have to work once you get there? Wouldn't you much rather just throw your tent in the air and be done with it? I mean, really, camping is all about convenience.

The outdoorsman in me thinks that Quechua's self-pitching tent is ludicrously wimpy (Step 1: Throw tent in air. Step 2: Yell "Wheeee!") but the neat-things nerd in me happens to be the guy who sits in front of the computer.

(Gizmag -> Sci Fi blog -> Gizmodo)

Aram

Posted by Aram at 06:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Every year since I moved out to California, I’ve tried to arrange to get home for the Taste of Chicago, a huge food festival in Grant Park. (It just ended this weekend.) It’s a little overpriced, a lot crowded, and still a great experience. More than 70 restaurants set up booths where they sell their best dishes, including some of the tastiest pizza and hot dogs (without ketchup) anywhere.

Unfortunately, the high cost of air travel over the July 4th holiday meant that I couldn’t get home this year. I’m glad I stumbled across Tastes of Chicago by Lou Malnati’s, one of the better pizza chains in the city. I knew that they’d ship me out a deep dish pizza packed in dry ice – my parents used to send me those while I was in college – but they’ve teamed up with some of the other great Chicago options like Eli’s cheesecake and Vienna Beef hot dogs to produce a full Chicago package. I’m not convinced that I can steam a hot dog like I used to get at Irving’s or Nathan’s or Hot Dog Island, but I’m going to try.

(And if anyone knows somewhere in the Bay Area to find a great Chicago-style hot dog or hard salami, let me know. 10 years and I’m still looking.)

Mike Lewis
Researcher

Posted by Mike at 03:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I hate driving (see my bio to know why). So when I traded my 15 minute commute job for a 40 minute trip, I decided I needed a way to make the time pass without freaking out in freeway traffic. The solution: books on CD. It’s been a while since anyone read me a story so I was concerned that I’d have a hard time concentrating. However, after 3 months of listening, I’ve discovered a whole new world of books that I’d never considered before. My first book, 1776, by David McCullough was the perfect listen as I drove home in the Bay Area’s winter of 2006 torrential rains. If our Revolutionary War soldiers could plod through battlefields streaking the snow red with their bloody bare feet, then I could surely cope with crawling traffic in my heated mobile cocoon. More recently, I moved on to some recorded mysteries like my first Richard North Patterson thriller, Honeymoon.

I’m tempted to sign up for Simply Audiobooks where for $9.95/month and up, I can have the latest bestsellers sent to me, like Netflix. It sounds like a great deal but the public library is a better one--it’s still free. And, because my local library has limited offerings, I’ve been forced to discover new genres like Chick Lit and History that I wouldn’t ordinarily read. Most libraries also allow you to request books on CD that aren’t in stock and reserve them for a small fee. So, traffic roll on: I’m catching up on my reading.

Mimi

Posted by Mimi at 03:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

OK, so I guess I thought it was some extremely bored activist group putting up these iSheep signs all over the place. Turns out it was a recently abandoned marketing campaign by Sandisk for their new portable media player, Li’l Monsta. Yes, they are challenging iPod and potential iPod owners to be a little more open minded. In particular, they are promoting the idea of “open versus closed music systems.” Pretty clever of Sandisk since they don’t operate their own music store.

The Li’l Monsta boasts a voice recorder, an AM/FM radio tuner, compatibility with all services (subscription and non) except the market-leading iTunes (or Macs in general…D’oh!). Odd name though. Is it, like, down with OPP or something?

I own an iPod, but honestly if I didn’t have a Mac, I’d be thinking seriously about Sandisk’s dimunitive beast. From what I’ve heard of their players—they’re good stuff. To me, the subscription service is very attractive for cycling through loads of music at will without having to refinance your mortgage or insure yourself (seriously) against the wrath of the greedy RIAA.

Sidenote: Sandisk isn’t the only consumer electronics company with a recently controversial ad campaign. Yikes!

Notice how I played right into their greedy L’il hands? I’m such an iDiot!

OK, I'm done now.

AJ

Posted by AJ at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

(Wow. Two posts about height-enhancing shoes in one day. What are the odds that Sherry and I would both write about shoes? Crazy.)

Over the 4th of July weekend, I managed to purchase and return three pairs of shoes, each time losing more hope of finding the perfect pair of pain-free, classic black pumps to add to my bourgeoning shoe collection.

My shoe purchases resulted in a lot of doting, followed by a ton of pain, cursing, and multiple promises to never purchase shoes that exceed my self-imposed one inch maximum heel limit. Just as I was about to swear off the magical world of high-heels for good, I realized that maybe the problem did not lie in my feet but something missing from the shoe instead.

With a bit of research, I found Insolia Inserts, a miracle product that claims to shift weight from the ball of the foot back to the heel reducing pressure and preventing pain. The product was designed by a podiatrist who witnessed firsthand the problems his patients faced with uncomfortable shoes. Benefits of the insert include improved body alignment and balance, reduced leg and back fatigue, and most importantly all day comfort.

Meanwhile, as I await the arrival of my inserts in the mail (I'll let you know how they work out), I am scoping out a pair of three-inchers by Charles David that has my name on it!

Kudos to SheFinds and Shoewawa.

Jill

Posted by Jill at 04:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Behold the Delman Dix: fabulous flats that will make you look taller. Pretty brilliant actually.

• Great for people who need arch support.
• Perfect for people who want to wear flats but still need height. (moi!)
• Stylish but still appropriate for (most) workplaces.
• The perfect shoes to wear with that mini skirt on the weekends. Can we say classy + sleek legs?
• Adorable silver basketweave pattern.
• Delman makes terrific shoes, notably their flats.

(Spotted on Miss Meghan)

Sherry

Posted by Sherry at 03:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last night I was shopping for a container to store my puppy’s kibble when I discovered The Container Store. I’m trying to organize my messy apartment and my messy puppy’s supplies, so finding this place was like finding an oasis in the middle of a desert. It was hard to walk out of the store with only the things I needed and not the stuff I wanted, but I found a coupon code for 15% off through July 16th for my future purchases thanks to Coupon Forum.

Mercedes

P.S. They also have a travel sale going on for both their online store and their brick and mortar stores which will come in handy for your summer vacation.

Posted by Mercedes at 05:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We've got entries in a few blog carnivals this week. Check them out--they're full of good stuff.

There's the New Blog Showcase Carnival, this week's Carnival of Personal Finance and the Carnival of Family Life, which correctly notes that Ben's son is, in fact, adorable.

Aram

Posted by Aram at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Camping is so refreshing. Fresh air, sunshine, escape from the madding crowds of urban/suburban malldom. What more could you ask for besides a nice cold bowl of ice cream! Yes, indeed. The one thing a girl like me can’t live without is her daily ice cream fix regardless of how far from Baskin Robbins I may be. So, when I heard about the Play and Freeze Ice Cream Ball I had to check it out. For less than $30, you get a colorful plastic ball that makes a pint of ice cream without either electricity or tedious hand cranking. You just roll the ball around for while….and what more important thing do you have to do when you’re sitting around a campground? The only hitch is you do need to bring ice and rock salt along with the ice cream ingredients.

So, enjoy some fresh, cold, creamy chocolate gelato on your next campout over the long, hot summer. However, if you are backpacking into the wild country, there will be no ice cream for you since ice will be hard to come by. While I know camping stores sell dehydrated ice cream packets for hard core mountaineers, you don’t really think it tastes like the real stuff, do you?

Mimi

Posted by Mimi at 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

For the longest time, my friends were convinced that the only reason for my lack of interest in jewelry was the price. Thus, time and time again they would show me great deals on different jewelry items in hopes that I would come around. Unfortunately for them, it is not the prices that kept me away from jewelry--it’s just that I’m too lazy to care. Fortunately for you readers, I still remember one really good deal regarding jewelry that might interest you more than it did me. SilverJewelryClub.com offers free jewelry just to get their name out. The only thing that you pay for is the shipping cost which is usually only $5.99. Their products include pendants, earrings, and rings. At least one new product is featured every five minutes. I must admit that even I fell into the good deal mindset when I first heard about the site and purchased a pair of earrings. They stand true to their words and I got exactly what I saw on the website. No other hassle came along with the purchase nor was the jewelry damaged/used. Since then, I have not paid much attention to it--but for you jewelry-crazed readers, this might just be a godsend.

For the others who are more like me, here are some great sites for deals on electronics and miscellaneous products as well. Bensbargains is a personal favorite because it helped me purchase my Dell 700m originally priced at $1550 for a mere $800. Other websites include slickdeals, and fatwallet. Much like the all-time favorite woot!, these sites are updated daily.

Melissa

Posted by Melissa at 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Video cameras are getting smaller and more widely available. The government is dabbling more and more in widespread spying. Collection agencies keep calling me. Someone looked at me funny on the train.

What can I do these days to enjoy my Victory Gin with some peace of mind? Thanks to the SpyFinder, a handy device that resembles Satan’s moustache trimmer (I saw it once. He left it on my sink the morning after I bet on the Yankees), I can avoid slipping into a state of digital age-induced paranoia. Through some kind of wizard-like technology based on “optical augmentation,” the SpyFinder will help you locate hidden cameras in your vicinity.

This should come in handy if:

1. Your roommate is looking for proof that you’ve been downing his Heinekens and blaming it on the dog.
   
2. You’re an intelligent beer-thieving dog trying to remain incognito.
   

Props, Popgadget.

AJ

Posted by AJ at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)