The sun is shining, the leavies are turning green, and the birds are chirping. It is the perfect time to play golf! It ain’t cheap to play golfthough, not only because of the all the euipment you need, the golf course will also charge at $60 for each player. For amature players, it is not a good idea to buy an annual membership, which usually costs hundreds of dollars every year. You are probably used to by golf equipment at Golf Smith or online at The Golf Warehouse (TGW.com). Here are a few tips to save you more.

Book golf courses online

If you decided to go golfing this weekend, you’d better make a reservation in advance. Find the website of the golf course you are going. Making a reservation online is easy and will usually save you some money compared to the price at the counter. GolfNow.com is the one you should definitely try. It has over 3700 golf courses in their network. Just select the state and city you live in and find the course you are interested, and make a reservation online. It will save you 25% to 70% off the retail price. Think how much you can save every year!

Get Equipment at Outlet Store

Outlet stores will offer prices much lower than that of The Sports Authority in the shopping mall. Even better, there are plenty of golf outlet stores online, offering even lower prices. They probably don’t have everything you need, and the number of sale items are very limited. But the prices are unbeatable. For example, we listed a golf bag from GolfOutletUSA.com yesterday. The retail price was $249, and it was on sale at $64.99 for one day only. If you are a golf fan, signup their newsletters to receive such daily deals. RockBottomGolf.com is another one I like, they always offer some goodies for free with purchases.

Buy Preowned Equipment

A good golf club will last for years. Buying certified clubs from CallawayGolfPreowned.com will save you big money. For example, a popular RAZR X Tour Hybrids only starts at $91 (prices vary depending on conditions), while a brand new one at Golf Smith or Global Golf will cost $159. That’s not it. There are many coupons available for CallawayGolfPreowned.com. For a limited time yo can save 20% off your entire order with promo code CPOMAIL20.

Wholesale Golf

Do you know you can get golf tees and balls at wholesale prices if you buy large quality? Try GolfTees.com to buy tees in bulk, and Knetgolf.com to buy used golf balls in bulk. GolfTees.com don’t offer coupon ever, but Knetgolf.com offers 10% to 20% coupon from time to time.

1.Non-necessary Upgrades on Home Appliance

When you walk into Best Buy or Home Depot to get a new refrigerator, the salesman will introduce you the most expensive one according to your budget. They don’t care what is good for you, because their life depends on the commissions. You should get one with a LCD screen! This refrigerator has weather forecast! This one has a built-in LCD TV, and this one has a built-in cookbook! Do you really need them? Don’t be fooled. They are just trying to get extra bucks from your wallet. If you have the brand in your mind, just buy it online. AppliancesConnection.com is one of my favorites, always offering the lowest price. Plus you can save $10 to $900 with use of these coupons. If you prefer a local store, go to Sears and get a Kenmore or Maytag without any unnecessary funtion. Sears is online too, and by buying at Sears.com you can save $5 to $35 on any appliance with these coupons.

2.Buy Extra Accessories

If you bought a digital SLR camera online, the retailer will suggest you to buy a lens kit or extra memory card. If you bought a TV or speaker system, the retailer will suggest you to buy a surge protector. If you bought a pair of pants, the retailer will suggest you to buy a belt. If you bought a telescope, the retailer will suggest you to buy some filters. If you boght a computer, the retailer will suggest you to buy an external hard drive. Don’t buy any of them if you are not sure or 100% necessary. This is the way these retailers make money! They probably offer the lowest prices on the item you needed, but the accessories could be marked with higher than normal prices. If you think you really need them, do a price compare again to find the lowest prices.

3.Get A Fastest Computer

Every year or every few months Intel and AMD will have a faster CPU. The computer with a latest CPU will always cost you a few hundred dollars more. Beside, if you get the fastest one today, it won’t be fastest a few months later. So why bother to get a fastest CPU? Ask yourself what you need the computer for. If you are not a computer game geek, just get a computer which is manufactured a year ago. It is usually a lot cheaper and offers enough speed and features. The easiest way to get a good deal on computer is go to sam’s Club or Costco. Or buy online at Adorama.com, BHPhotoVideo.com, or Newegg.com. Never customize your computer, they will cost more. And never buy from manufacturer’s website, such as HP.com, Lenovo.com, Dell.com, or Sony.com unless you find a big discount coupon, their prices will be the highest without a coupon.

4.Get A Latest TV

TV technologies have changed rapidly beyond my imagination. A latest TV today would be outdated a year later. So don’t be fooled by those fancy technology terms. If all you need is to watch TV at night, any TV will work. If you prefer brigher colors, get a Samsung, – Sony TV is good, but too expensive. If you can’t tell the difference, get a Vizio.

5.Use Premium Fuel Unnecessarily

The premium gas reached $4 recently, while the regular is about 50 cents cheaper. Unless you are asked to use premium gas by the user’s manual, you’re wasting quite a lot of money. In most cases, your car manufacturer will only “recommend” you to use premium gas. It is not 100% required. You don’t need to pay for the extra that you don’t need to.

6.Power Company With a Flex Rate

Take a minute or two to read your electricity bill. Find out how much it costs on every kWh. Most power company will offer you a very low rate when you first sign up. During the contract period, usually a year or two, the rate is locked. But after it expired, the fix rate will change to flex rate, and the unit price will go up as much as 50% or more. If you are not going to move, you should renew your contact and lock into a lower rate. Or switch to another power company. You can compare the rate online by search “compare power company” and find the best that suits you.

7.Buy Extra Warranties

Appliance manufacturers will usually offer a standard one year warranty. But every time when you buy a large appliance, the salesman will offer you extended warranty. Don’t buy it. It is totally not necessary, unless you just want to waste your money. It is very less likely that you are going to use it. Some online retailers also ask you if you want to buy extra warranties after you finish your order. Just ignore it.

First of all, you need to join beauty insider. As a member, you can get 1 point for every dollar you spend at Sephora.com or in stores. Once your points reach 100 or 500, you can redeem them for free beauty packages. That is not all. You will also receive special promotions as a member. Here are the list of promotions for the week of 3/29 and 4/5:

1. Free Umbrella

2. Extra 15% off

3. Special Sample Bag

and more…

With every purchase online, you can receive some free samples. Sephora offers different freebies everyday, for a complete list of free samples, visit here.

Not happy yet? If you like Estee Lauder, make a purchase of $42.50 or more at Bloomingdales.com, you can receive 7-piece deluxe gift set for free. Create your own gift set any way you want: read the details here.

Another place to get free beauty samples is Macys.com. Today it is offering a 7-piece Clinique gift set for free ($60 value) with any $23.50 Clinique purchase. Read full detail here. Don’t forget to use the 15% off coupon at checkout. Just enter code SUPER into “Have a Promo Code” box and click apply.

E.L.F. (EyesLipsFace.com) is offering a 25% off coupon this week for the new spring collections. Enter code LOVEIT to receive the discount. Valid through 4/2. With any $25 purchase, you can get some nice mineral samples. See details here.

Spring is alredy here. It is time for some new dresses and shoes, isn’t it? I don’t buy luxury apparels very often, because each peiece will usually cost me a few hundred bucks. Last time I purchased at Saks Fifth Avenue was last December in the holiday shopping season. I have been waiting for 3 months before I found great deals again. I have to share them with you, because they don’t come very often, and will only last a few days.

Saks Fifth Avenue

Now through 4/1, you can receive $100 gift card with $500 purchase, or $250 gift card with $1000 purchase, or $350 gift card with $3000 purchase. Use coupon code CONTEMP2 to redeem this offer if you shop online at Saks.com. Or mention it to your sales at the store. This offer will start from 3/29 in stores. Plus receive a Rebecca Taylor silk scarf with a $250 women’s contemporary apparel purchase and a promotional code CONTEMPWA at checkout. The two codes are stackable, which means you can get both offers at the same time!

Bloomingdales

Bloomingdales closed many of their local stores in the past few years. Now you don’t have to pay sale tax if you live outside of California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Marryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, which can save you quite a bit of money. Shipping is free with $150 order or more – valid any time, return is also free if you shop before 4/29. Now through 4/1, most items at Bloomingdales.com are 20% to 30% off! Plus you can receive 10% off instantly if you signup their newsletter. Coupon is for one time use only.

Alternative Antacid

Taking Maalox, Tums, or Mylanta? Forget about spending money on these antacid at the pharmacy next time you have heartburn. Simply mix 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda into 4 fluid oz water and drink up. If you have heartburn very often, it could save you some dollars.

Alternative Air Freshener

The cheapest air fresher I can find at Walmart is Febreze, 9.7 oz, $2.97. Now I don’t need to spend money on these chemicals. Soaking a hand towel in white vinegar, wringing it out completely, and swinging it over your head a few times.

Alternative Windex

Windex is not only harmful to your health, but also a pollution to our environment. For window cleaning, try mixing 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1 quart warm water. Apply with a spray bottle or sponge, and wipe with crumpled newspaper instead of paper towels for lint-free results. Or dissolving baking soda in hot water for stubburn spot.

Alternative Carpet Cleaner

Spill red wine or grape juice on carpet? Don’t worry. There is no need to buy expensive carpet cleaner or rent a rug doctor. Simply pour a pile of salt on the spill, and leave the salt on until it dries. Clean it with a vacuum and you will the stain is gone!

Alternative Confetti

Why buy confetti, which is just small pieces of paper? Save leftover wrapping paper, even small pieces will work. Then use a hole punch or little scisors to create lots of color confetti. Vacuum them up for next use.

Alternative Deodorant

Dusting baking soda under your arms, they are as good as deodorant.

This is a guest post by our friends, Anna, a mother of three kids, who needs to shop for clothing every month, if not every week. She suggested 5 places you should avoid buying kids clothing from. – Editor.

1. Walmart

Walmart is a great place to shop for grocery and low cost merchandise. But when it comes to clothing, no good. You might think that it is ok to buy kids clothing at Walmart, because you don’t need them to last for years. But the truth is that they will probably last a month or two. See the following leggings I bought for my girl a month ago. It is cheap, – only $7 for a pack of two. But I have found tiny holes here and there already after a few washes. If you are comfortable to buy clothing while you are shopping grocery, try Target. Target has the similar low price policy as Walmart, or may be a few bucks more expensive, but they have better quality.

2. Children’s Place

I don’t know how they have survived all thse years. Their product qualities are barely accetable. The worst part is their designs. Fire all the designers if the CEO from Children’s Place somehow read my post! I can’t show you the pieces I bought from Children’s Place,  because they were trashed long time ago. At the first glance, many pink tops at Children’s Place look adorable, but you will feel completely differently after wearing it. They just look cheap. Look at the following girls tops I clipped from their website. It proves that their designers are as lame as before. Try Gap, if you may. From the past years, I can definitely tell that their designs are improving. Gap Kids usually hires big name designers in high-fashion circles.

3. Gymboree

I was attracted to Gymboree by their Gymbucks, – for every $50 spent, I can get $25 Gymbucks good for next purchase. Sounds a good deal? But be aware, many items are not qualified to receive Gymbucks, such as socks and other accessories. The Gymboree store I went to is always a mess. It is very hard to find any thing I needed. Try Pumpkin Patch instead. They have got some cute and unique designs.

4. Amazon

Lots of people are just used to buy everything from Amazon, including me. But it is not a good idea to shop for cloting at Amazon after a few failure attempts. First of all, you can’t trust the source of the clothing. Amazon is a Internet company, they don’t make clothes. And they don’t have their own buyers or designers to pick the clothes for you. All they worried is the profits they can make. Recently Amazon teamed up with many fashion design companies and started Amazon Clothing Store. Now you can shop for brands like BCBG, Ann Klein, etc. But other than these big names, don’t shop clothing at Amazon, especially not from Amazon’s Marketplace, – goods sold by smaller sellers, not Amazon. If you like to shop online for clothes, try Nordstrom.com. Recently they started to offer free shipping and free return. No minimum purchase required. They offer high quality clothing at reasonable prices. And you can return the items to the local stores if you like.

5. Kohls

I have terrible experience with Kohl’s. Last time I went to Kohl’s was a few years back. I bought a few shorts for my son in the clearance section. Each was from $5 to $10. I thought I got a great deal. After I got home I found there is a hole on the front pocket. When I tried to returned it the next day, I was refused. Their customer service told me it is a final sale, no return. I insisted it is quality issue and I should get my money back. Then I was told it was on sale because there is a minor issue, otherwise it won’t be so cheap. How I wanted to throw the short on her face and walk away. It ended up in the trash can in front of the customer service. Kohl’s is still a good place to buy low cost clothing. But please ask the sales if the sale is final before checking out. Try JC Penney if you want to get the similar deals.

Unfortunately I have to hire a handyman today. My boy always opened the refrigerator but forgot to close it. After a few times, the temperature won’t go down any more. It is frustrated enough that I have to spend another $100 at least. I guess this kind of situation happened to many families all the time. I want to share a few tips that work on my family. Please let know me if you have any better ideas.

Trick 1: Get a Home Warrantee, Or Not

Well, this is debatable. My husband insists to cancel the home warrantee from American Home Shield. It costs us about $1200 every year. And for every visit I have to pay $60. It saved me huge bucks on broken air conditioners last year. But if nothing serious happened, it is just a waste of at least $1000 every year. Do the math yourself, if over the past years, you spent more than $2000 on handyman every year, you should consider to get a home warantee. Plus the home warantee company will get you qualified experts to help, which saved you the headache.

Trick 2: Find a Handyman at Service Magic

Register free at ServiceMagic.com, and post your issues or projects. Two or three service providers will contact you. Read their reviews, get the quote, and pick the one you are satisfied. I have used this websites many times, and every time I was very happy about it.

Trick 3: Reseach the Handyman before Hiring

Other than Service Magic, I would get recommendaitons from my friends or neighbors. But if you don’t know the handyman you are hiring, research him on the Internet. Most likely you can find him on Facebook or some other social websites. See how others have to say on him. You should do this for your own safety as well.

Trick 4: Ask your Handyman for Guarantee

After the service done, ask your handyman for guarantee for as long as you can. If you can’t get a one year guarantee, you should at least one for a month. And have it written on a paper or receipt.

Trick 5: Shorten the repair visit

Most of the handymen change you by service time. Please try to explain your problems over the phone, not to wait until he gets to your house. And if possible, ask him to what he will need for the repair. Get ready before he comes. Finally, don’t ask the handyman to clean up your house. You won’t like it anyway.

Trick 6: Do-It-Yourself

Is this a trick at all, you may wonder. Sometimes they are not as hard as you thought. Ready our blog last week: Stop Hiring Handyman: 7 Easy Do-It-Yourslef Home Projects.

Sometimes people hire a handyman because they are too busy, sometimes it is because they have absolutely no idea on how to do it. But most of the time they are just being afraid especially when it is the first time to repair something. Here are list of things I am sure you can do it yourself and save the money on hiring a handyman. Thanks yo Youtube, you can find many easy-to-follow how-to videos. After you have done it once, you will see how easy they are.

Fix A Dripping Faucet

It can most likely be fixed by replacing a washer. All you need is a scewdriver and an adjustable wrench. And you don’t have to find an identical washer. Most brands are exchangeable as long as they have the same size. Here is the video to guide you through the whole process.

Clear Clogged Sink

Many clog removers claim they can dissolve most tough clogs. But the truth is I have tried many brands, the Liquid Lightning Drain Opener is my ultimate and only solution. It is usually a black bottle wrapped in a clear plastic bag, and very easy to find it at Walmart or Walgreens. Be careful, this solution is very dangerous, and it could stain your sink if you leave it through the night.

Install Window Blinds

We have recommended a few sites for you to shop blinds online. Measure the window size and place order online, you will receive blinds up to 90% off that can get at Home Depot or Lowes. The tools you need include a cordless power screwdriver, a twist drill bit set, a measuring tape, and a pencil. The blinds will come with a easy installation guide. It won’t take more than 5 minutes for you to figure it out. Or watch this video to get you started.

Fix A Rattling Fan

The rattle is annoying, but most people may fear to fix something hardwired. As a fact that esacpes most of homeowners, many exhaust fans are a snap to repair. All you need to do is to remove the fan from ceiling and put a couple drops of oil on the fan shaft. Get on a ladder, pop off the fan cover and remove a few screws, you can safely remove the fan. Watch this video from Build.com.

Quiet A Squeaky Door

There is nothing easier than this. Just drop a few drops of oil into all the hinges, open and close the door for a few times. That is it.

Replace Faucet Caulk

It is very common that your kitchen or bathroom silicon caulk goes bad, – you can tell when its color turned dark. Water seeped in can ruin the countertop or drywall in time. Remove the old clauk, clean and completely dry the area, and apply the new caulk. Spending a few dollars today could save you thousands in the future!

Fix Leaking Toilet

This is absolutely a men’s job. But actually it is so easy that 99% of chances that it can be fixed by replacing a toilet flapper. Watch this short video on how to replace a flapper. A general flapper that fits most toilet can be found at Walmart for $2 to $5 each. For a special brand, such as Kohler, you need to find the exact model for your toilet. Go to PlumberSurplus.com and find what you need.

Easter is near. Kids love it because they can eat as many as candies as they can. Every year my daughter wanted a new bunny basket, even the one from last year is still brand new. And if you are sick of candies from Walmart or Target and wanted to try something new like I did, you can get special M&Ms or Jelly Belly or old time candies online that you have never seen in any grocery store. We also want to recommend some online stores for you to shop for Easter gift baskets, personalized Easter gifts, or Easter costumes.

Easter Candies

MyMMs.com – You can create your own M&Ms by choosing your own color, image and message. Save $20 with $150 order or more, coupon code: MEMORIES.

JellyBelly.com – Fill with your Easter eggs with individually wrapped Jelly Belly. Get a 5 lb pack for $57. Get 10% off with promo code: EASTER.

OldTimeCandy.com – Get Old fashioned candies from the 1950s, 60s, 70s or 80s. Save 15% on Easter Candy with promotion code: bunny12.

Easter Gift Baskets

Godiva.com – Belgium chocolate gift box or gift basket. 15% off Easter & Spring Treats, Coupon Code: DELIGHT.

Figis.com – Baskets filled with candies, cookies, meat, bakery, nuts, or snacks. Shop Easter gifts and get 3 free gifts with coupon code: 225/2005.

HarryAndDavid.com – Baskets with the most delicious pears, or Easter cookies and truffles. Get 20% off Easter gifts with coupon code: EASTER20.

SwissColony.com – Luxury yet affordable, food gifts in wrapped in beautiful boxes or baskets. No coupons recently. But I just love the taste of Swiss Colony.

Personalized Easter Gifts

BuildABear.com – Build A Bear official website, build a bunny of your own. Receive a Free Easter Egg Kit with any purchase of $20 or more, no coupon code needed.

IdentityDirect.com – Personalize anything here, your kid will love a plush bunny basket with her name on it. Now there is $10 off $40 coupon, enter code 42318 to redeem the discount.

PersonalCreations.com – Not only you can personlize a bunny basket, but also you can create your own persinalized gift basket or gift bag. You can get
25% Off personalized Easter gifts, no coupon code needed.

Easter Costumes:

BuyCostumes.com – Costumes by age, occasion, theme, and price. Save 20% off All Easter items with coupon code: HOP20.

Meijer.com – Department store. Save 20% on Easter costumes. Discount automatically applied.

OshKoshBgosh.com – Kids clothing for all ages. Save 30% on Easter collections.

What are you up to this spring break? Vacation or stay at home? Beach or ski? Shopping online or in store? We want to share a few tips to have a smart spring break instead of a frugal spring break. We want you spending money wisely, not just being frugal by not spending at all. OK, let’s cut it short and get started.

1.Travel Tips

If you decided to spend a quality time with your children and spouse in spring break, you have to start your planning at least 3 months in advance. You need to get a week off your work, – coordinating with colleagues and your boss need time. Most importantly, planning ahead will save you lots of money on traveling expense on flights and hotels. Plus you will have more choices to fit your needs and budgets. If you are not the type of planning-ahead guy, try last minutes travel deals a fews days or even one day before the spring break. Don’t try to get flights and hotels within a month of your travel, otherwise you will get the highest prices.

2.Ski Equipment Sale

You go skiing at least once a year, you should consider buying your own skies or snowboard and boots, instead of renting them every time. Now it is the best time to buy them online. The-House.com has the largest selections of skies and snowboard, and all kinds of ski accessories including googles and helmets, etc. It is the one stop shop for all your ski needs at the lowest prices. They offer price match for all your gears, which gurantees that you will get the best prices. Currently there is a 10% Off coupon for all longboard skateboards and an extra 5% off Burton products on top of already 40% off savings.

3.Winter Gear Sale

For outdoor sport fans, it is time to stock up your winter gears, especially for adults with fixed sizes on shoes and clothing. You won’t be out-dated within a year, but you sure will save lots of money if you shop now instead of in November of December. Altrec.com and Backcountry.com are my favorite places to shop online for winter coats, fleece jackets, winter hats and gloves. The prices are up to 60% to 70% off compared to a few months ago.

4.Get Ready For Prom Party

Prom party is near. For families with teeage girls, this is big. It is time consuming, you’d better get prepared from now on. StumpsParty.com is the website I would recommend. You can start by requesting a free catalog. Don’t forget to use coupons even you decided to order by phone.

5.Not going any where?

If you are not going anywhere and if you have free time, do your tax return now. Don’t wait until the last minute. Invest some time to educate yourself on tax saving tips. Learning online is the easiest way, or get you a book. Or invest some money by hiring an expert to do 1040 for you. The money you spend will definitely worth it. Or try to refinance your home mortgage. Currently the 30-year fixed rate is as low as 4%!

My husband and I have been football fans for more than 10 years. A regular seat NFL ticket was about $30 10 years ago. But every year the price will go up $2 to $5. Now the price has been more than doubled compared to 10 years ago. Buying a season ticket is too expensive for me, and I don’t have the time for every game with 3 kids around. I used to buy tickets at Stubhub, but after a few times, I found Razorgator is actually cheaper after using the coupons. After the $10 or $20 discount coupon, the price at Razorgator is slightly cheaper.

If you are a diehard sports fan and want the excitements every weekend but can’t afford the pricy major league tickets, look around for other games you have missed, such as local teams, college teams, etc. You will get the thrill of a roaring crowd without paying for the roaring ticket prices.

College Games

Check out your local college’s calendars on football or basketball games. If your team is not ranked on the top, the price for a live game could be as low as a few dollars. And it will bring you all the fun as a major league game including cheerleaders and marching bands.

Women’s Game

Women’s games are always cheaper than men’s, even the top women’s teams. Women’s soccer game and Women’s volleyball game will probably bring you more fun than men’s games.

Watch Something New

Thinking of football, basketbal and baseball? That’s not everything. Try tennis, rugby, soccer, volleyball, hockey, golf, boxing, even a horse racing. Those tickets are generally much cheaper than that of NFL, NBA and MLB.

Support Local Teams

If you live in a big city, there are many recreational leagues. Check out your local news and find out. Join one if you could. Or go to the field to show your support. BTW, kids soccer is very fun to watch.

Local High School Contests

Check out the high school’s website for the game schedule. Enjoy an exciting basketball game crowded with parents and supporters from your neighborhood for completely free. Get yourself a horn or a flag before you go.

When you are getting older, especially when you are retired, you should get smarter on how to spend your money. Today we complied a complete list of department stores that offers senior discount. The discounts are usually offered to those 50 years or older, some may require 55 years old. Check with the cashier before you buy. A valid ID is required, and some may ask you to fill a registration form, so that they can send you promotions in the future. Some of them may require you to use their own credit card, while some don’t.

1. Banana Republic

Most Banana Republic stores offer a 10% senior discount everyday to customers 50 and older. The discount and age vary by location. It also offers many coupons for online use only. If you shop online you could save 20% to 40% easily. If you prefer to shop in store, don’t forget to use their printable coupons.

2. Bealls

If you are 50 years or older, you can save 15% on the first Tuesday of every month, and additional 5% if you use their own credit card, while the Bealls online coupon is only $10 off or 10% off. Ask for BEALLS BUCKS, you could earn $10 for every $50 you spend.

3. Belk

Senior Day is on also the first Tuesday of every month for customers 55+. With your Belk Rewards Card, you will save 15% on Home and Shoes, and 20% on all other items.

4. Bon-Ton

Most of Bon-Ton stores have one Senior Day a month which usually falls on a Wednesday for customers 55 and older. Varies depending on locations. You will receive 10% off on all Home items with any payment type, 15% off on non-home items with non Bon-Ton caredit card, or 20% off on non-home items with a Bon-Ton caredit card. Bergner’s, Boston Store, Carson Pirie Scott, Elder-Beerman, Herberger’s, Parisian, and Younkers are also part of Bon-Ton offering similar senior discount. Call them to find the detail.

5. Dress Barn

Seniors 62 or older will get 10% off entire purchase on every Tuesday. Some locations offer senior discount to 55 and older on every Wednesday.

6. Goody’s

Senior Day is the first Tuesday of every month. Customers 50 and older will receive 15% off entire purchase, and an additional 5% off with a Goody’s Credit Card. Need to sign up with a sale associate.

7. Kohl’s

Senior discount is offered on every Wednesday. Ages 62+ will receive 15% discount. Don’t forget their $10 Rewards with every $50 purchase. The rewards are good for your next purchase. If you purchase online, be sure to use our 20% off promo code.

8. Lord & Taylor

15% off on every Wednesday for customers 62 and older. May vary from store to stores.

9. Meijer

Senior Day is only one day a month, usually Monday or Tuesday. Call them to find out. For customers 55 and older a 15% off will be applied on general merchandise.

10. Peebles

On first Tuesday of every month, seniors of 50 and older will receive 15% off on all purchases, or additional 5% off when you use Peebles Credit Card to check out.

11. Ross

Customers 55 years of age or older will receive 10% off your entire purchase on every Tuesday. Need to sign up The Every Tuesday Club at Customer Service by providing an ID with your age or date of birth. The store will issue you a Tuesday Club Discount card.

Shopping for clothes has become one of my hobbies. I like to try on new trends, as well as 70s or 80s vintages. The clearance sections at major department stores can yield discounts much deeper than those full-priced items. All you need is to spend time looking for bargains. Try JC Penney, Macys, Dillars. You can easily spend a whole day the the shopping mall. But that’s not it, here are 5 smarter ways to shop for clothes.

1.Chain Bargain Stores

Ross, TJ Maxx and Marshalls offer brand name clothes at very attractive prices. For bargain hunters, walk straight to the clearance sections. Price drops may due to small defects which can hardly be spotted, or lack of sizes. Don’t forget Ross’s senior discount on every Tuesday morning. Kohl’s is also a good choice. Unlike Ross and TJ Maxx, clothes at Kohls are either discounted branded or private labeled. Kohl’s provides coupons from time to time. If you are using Kohl’s credit card, you would receive coupons in your mail box, otherwise, get some coupons from Internet.

2.Outlet Stores

Outlet stores could very crowded during weekends and holidays. They used to be many people’s number one choice to shop for bargains. But nowadays they are very much like a regular store offering full price items, such as Gap Outlet, Levi’s Outlet, Adidas Outlet. You need to check out their sale racks, otherwise you would end up buying items at full prices, although you may see price drop tags on them. Nordstrom’s outlet, Rack, is one of my favorites to shop upscale clothing.

3.Overstock Websites

SmartBargains.com and Overstock.com are the two bargain sites I would recommend. Smart Bargains mostly sell brand name clothing, shoes and handbags. You could find hundreds of big designers’ apparel here at a fraction of retail price. This website sometimes offers a 15% off or 30% off sitewide coupon. You need to stay alerted to get the big discount. Overstock.com sells everything, you need to dig in to find the real deals. Don’t forget to compare prices when you shop online. Google the item’s name and click on “Shopping” at the left to compare the prices.

4.Thrift Stores

Goodwill and The Salvation Army Store are the two most well-known thrift stores in the nation. But there are also hundreds of smaller one. Try searching thrift store in Google Map. You will find plenty in your area. The items at these thrift stores may not be exactly what you wanted. But they are really cheap. You could get a second-hand leather jacket for 5 bucks, or a pair of like-new Prada shoes for $10.

5.Garage Sales

You will never know what surprises you will get before you go to a garage sale. Bargain gently with the seller, you might end up with a really good deal. Examine the clothes very carefully, because you don’t have the chance to return it. Don’t pay for more $10 for any clothes. $1 for a Tee, or $5 for a hoodie is fair enough.

I visited the Ultra Beauty Salon once every two months. Every time I spent about $60 for a cut and blow, including tips. Toni & Guy is too expensive for me. Last Christmas I spend $350 at Toni & Guy, which includes $200 for a perm, $100 for haircut from a top stylist, and a $50 tip. It looked gorgeous on the first day. But a week later it is hard to tell if the $350 is better than the $60 or not. How I wish I had spent the money on smething else.

 
Guess what? Last weekend I got a haircut from an upscale salon for free! The pictures are taken before and after the haircut. I don’t want to disclose the name of the salon. But I want to share my story here with you. It is a top styling salon, the one Hollywood stars will use. I was told the haircut itself will cost more than $500, not  to mention the shampoo, conditioner, silky smooth gel, and many who-know-what sprays on my hair. I heard the trick from one of my friends long time ago and finially decided to try it once myself.

The secret is to become an hair model of these salons. Upscale salons use hair models to train their staffs. As a hair model you will get cuts, color and styling all for free. But before becoming a hair model, you will need to get an assessement so they can see if you have the hair they wanted. As long as you have enough hair, not too short, not too curly, you will be qualified.

Call your top salons in your area to find out if they offer a hair model program, or search Internet for hair models. Once you ae accepted, you will be contacted by phone to schedule a haircut. Hair styles are discussed before it is done and you will be asked for the permission to do the haircut. You will need extra free time to become a hair model as the haircut takes longer than normal ones, and you should be willing to try various styles. Buy you will definitely feel the difference after the haircut!

7.Fitness Equipment:

Most fitness equipments will cost at least a few hundreds of dollars. For husbands who like workout, these are the gifts they love.

Bowflex: Everybody knows Bowflex. They are not only smaller, but also cheaper than most of the trditional equipments. If you decided to buy one online, don’t forget to use coupons. You may get a large discount by using one of our coupon codes.

Mercantila: This site has a very large selection of all kinds of fitness equipment. You can get a price match if find a same item with lower price. Always save 5% with code SAVE5.

8.Supplements for him:

GNC: One of the most trusted brands. Get him some muilti-vitamins for men, ginseng, or Coenzyme Q-10. Use coupon code LiveWell12 for a 15% to 20% off your purchase.

BodyBuilding.com: For muscle lovers, shop at BodyBuilding for muscle building supplements, proteins, boosters, etc. Many coupons available.

9.Events Tickets:

Leave your children at home with a nanny for one night, and enjoy the alone time for just two of you. Movie is good, or go to a concert or any sport you and your husband both like.

Ticketliquidator.com: All event tickets can be found here, even NASCAR. Use our exclusive coupon code GOGO15 for a $25 off with a purchase over $250.

Razorgator.com: Another good choice by buying tickets online. Not much difference from Ticketliquidator, even the price. Use our exclusive coupon code GOGORG3 for a $15 off $100 order.

10.Sport fan gears:

TGW.com: The Golf Warehouse, best place for golf fans. Prices are always lowest, way cheaper than the local stores, even before you use our TGW coupons.

NFLshop.com: Official NFL shop, offers NFL jerseys and gears for fans of all NFL teams. Many coupons available.

store.NBA.com, shop.NHL.com: Official NBA and NHL stores. Signup their newsletter you will receive a coupon in the email for your first order. Coupons available on holidays. Next one will be St. Patrick’s Day, then Easters.

11. Outdoor gears:

Cabelas.com: Hunting, boating, camping needs. The most visited store for outdoor supplies. Many free shipping coupons available. But dollar off coupons only available during the Christmas shopping season.

BassPro.com: For fishing fans only. No coupons today. Mail-in rebates available on select products.

1. Underwears for him:

Please don’t those cheap underwears from Wal-Mart. He deserves to have some good ones from 2xist, C-in2, Calvin Klein, Diesel, Under Armour, etc. Choose any one from the following, they have about the same prices.

HisRoom.com: Men’s underwear only. No coupons ever.

UnderGear.com: Underwear and swimwear for men. 15% off coupon available all the time. Today you can use code U2BC for 15% off entire order.

FreshPair.com: For both men and women. If you want to get an panty for yourself, this is the one. Coupons available once in a while. You can expect one on every holiday.

2. Geek Toys:

Brook Stone: My husband and my son will enter this store evertime they go to the mall. Most of the time they don’t buy anything. Pay attention to the item your husband shows most interests. Then shop it online at BrookStone.com, and you can always save 20% to 30% off your entire order with our coupon codes.

ThinkGeek.com: Most men like geek toys since they were boys. At ThinkGeek you choose the toys based on the themes, such as Star Trek, Angey Birds, etc. $5 off or $10 off coupon can be found here.

TFAW.com: Things from another world. Best for comic books as well as other geek toys. Free shipping coupons are available, but no dollar off coupons.

3.Personalized T-shirts:

Cafepress.com: Any type of T-shirts can be found here. Customize one for him and one for yourself. 30% off coupon available very often. Use code BLISS to get the discount today. If you shop today, you will receive 30% off automatically during checkout, no code needed.

Snorgtees.com: Find all funny T-shirts here. 15% or 20% off coupon available sometimes, but not today.

Jinx.com: Video-game themed T-shirts, such as War craft T-shirt, Mario T-shirt, and more. 10% off coupon available all the time.

4.Computer accessories:

There are many of them selling computer accessories. The following two are the ones I want to recommend to the ladies. If you don’t know what to buy, rank the itmes by popularies, or by most reviewed.

Newegg.com: The most popular store for computer parts as well as electronics. No general dollar off or percentage off coupon for Newegg.com. But we have many coupons for select items, which can save you $5 to $20.

eCost.com: The best part of eCost is their Daily Deals. Some of them will only last a few hours. No coupons ever.

5.Camera & Accessories

B&H Photo Video: Best place to shop for cameras and lens. All brands are available, and most of the cases you will find the best prices here. No coupons ever. But instant price drops and mail-in rebates available all the time. You can find a complete list of them on our site.

Adorama.com: This place is very hot, because there are many coupons and deals available. And prices are as good as BH Photo Video.

6.Knivies & Guns

Budk.com: For knife and sword fans. 10% off and free shipping coupon available sometimes.

Brownells.com: For gun fans. Coupons available for national holidays, especially during the Christmas shopping season. Rebates and price drops available very often.

To be continued tomorrow…

A white dress is always essential no matter what age you are and what body figure you are. Pair it with a nude tight for a classic look, pair it with dark stockings for sexier look, pair it with a sparkling stockings for younger look, or pair it with a pink tight for a chick look. White dress can also easily match with any necklace: a shining diamond necklace, a colorful gemstone necklace, or a little heart white gold necklace will adorn your neck.

Today I want to recommend a few white dress, prices from low to high. Some of them have similar designs, but branded one is definitely more expensive than non-branded one, although they may be 90 percent identical. Most of the case a more expensive one will worth the money with better material and better cut if you purchase them from well know fashion retailers. If you like to shop clothing from Amazon or Overstock, especially Amazon’s Market Place, the quality can not be guaranteed, and higher price does not mean better quality.

Kohls:

Daisy fuentes Crochet Sweaterdress is sale at $34.50. The soft cotton blended crochet dress will give you a contemporary and charming look. Plus if you use a 20% off promo code LEAP20, the final price is only $27.60.

Forever21:

The Eyelet Sweetheart Dress w/ Belt is only $27.80. Currently no money saving coupon for this piece. But the price is already very low. It is made 100% of cotton, with a self tie belt. There is very similar one, but with yellow color and no belt, for only $13.50.

dELiAs:

Bella Dress, $44.50. Three more colors available. dELiAs offers 15% off coupons all the time. After apply coupon code DDC15A, the price is $37.83.

JC Penney:

Speechless Glitter Tulle Party Dress, $40. Made of polyester, it is perfect for a party dress. We have JC Penney coupons all the time, including printable coupon. 10% to 20% off coupon is very common.

Macys:

Speechless Dress, One-Shoulder with Rose Detail, was $79, now $54.99. Unique one shoulder strap, polyester. Rate 4 and half stars by 38 reviewers. Macys offers coupons very often. Unfortunately there is no valid coupon today.

Guess:

We posted one as our deal of the day on our homepage today: Annie Sleeveless Dress $98. Halter strap, 100% cotton. GUESS rarely offers coupons. You may expect one during the holiday shopping season, but not now.

Nordstrom:

Laundry by Design Beaded Waist Bloused Chiffon Dress, $285. Elegance and sexy, with sheer chiffon, made of polyester.

Shopbop:

Antipodium Tuxie Dress $402. You have probably seen this on runway. It is expensive. But if you have the extra bucks, it definitely worth the money. If you have ever wanted to dress like a superstar, this is it.