Everybody loves jeans and everybody has at least a few pairs of jeans in their closet. Jeans are simple and classic, – you need accessories to highlight your overall look. Let’s learn from celebrities that how they are pairing accessories with jeans.

Jeans with scarf

Wearing a scarf in winter will keep you warm, but wearing a scarf in summer will definitely you stand out from the crowd. Wearing floral print sacrf with jeans are common, while wearing leopard or zebra print scarf are avant-courier.

You can find more than 100 styles of sacrves at Buckle.com, each comes with a few different colors for you to choose from. The above leopard print sacrf (Item #49510SWB081) is only $16.95! If you didn’t find what you need at Buckles, try NIMLI with more classic looking scarves.

Jeans with boots

Skinny jeans plus under-the-knee boots. You can’t go wrong with that! At 6pm.com you can find more than 5000 pairs of boots with prices from $20 to a few hundreds dollars. See following boots, they are only $20 to $40 each pair!

Jeans with high heels

Pair cropped jeans with high heels – one of the summer looks worn by many celebrities! In my experiences, it is nomt easy to find perfect cropped jeans online. You’d better try them on in stores such as Nordstrom. See some of the cropped jeans from Nordstrom – prices from $150 to $200 each:

If you have the extra money, try to get a pair of high heels from designer shoe stores such as Bluefly.com. Once you have tried those from luxury brands, such as Prada or Gucci, you will know how comfortable they are. Maybe they don’t worth the money, but they are definitely much better than those cheaper ones. See some of the high heels from BlueFly.com:

Jeans with hat

Black jeans, black hat, black top, black necklace, black boots, and black bag! If you the look, you can get all from Shopbop.com.

Jeans with handbag

Pair your jeans with a bright color handbag! You can find cheap handbags as well as designer handbags all at discounted prices at eBags.com – you can easily find 20% off coupons or even 40% off coupons online!

Too bad this July 4th falls on Wednesday, and most people will only have one day off. It is really not a good idea to take a vacation this weekend as you would in the past years. But if you decided to buy some big items, such as furniture or jewelry, you shouldn’t miss this Independence Day sale. Most stores will start the sale from Saturday, while some of them started already. Belows are some hot ones we picked for you!

Mattress Sale
Sam’s Club

Serta Mattress 4th of July Event: 15 Serta Roma memory foam mattresses are on sale with prices from $429 to $848. Online only, you don’t find the same deal in stores. Valid through July 8, but some best sellers will be gone fast. All sizes available, incluing king, calfornia king, queen, full and twin.

Fitness Product Sale
Mercantila.com

10% off storewide (exclusions may apply) with coupon code 4THJULY10. You only see this kind of sitewide coupons twice a year: one for Christmas and one for July 4th. The above Schwinn 220 Recumbent Bike was $500, now at $325. After 10% off, the price drops to $292.50. But that’s not it: you get another $25 rebate coupon with purchase. The bike comes with hand grip pulse rate monitor and performance monitor – all you need for your fitness need at home. Shipping is free, no tax – you can’t get any better deals than that at any other stores.

Baby Furniture Sale
PoshTots.com

You can find luxury baby cribs, children’s furniture, bedding, – everything for kids rooms at PoshTots.com. Now get 15% off your entire order with coupon code FESTIVE4TH, valid through 7/4, minimum $750 order required. The above Sparrow Crib in White is exactly $750, now with 15% off coupon, it is $637.50!

Jewelry Sale
Emitations.com

Before June 30, you can save extra 40% on all clearance items with coupon code: CLR40. The above Luca’s Canary And Clear CZ Necklace is at final sale – $83 only! After the 40% off coupon it is only $49.80! For non-clearance items you can use save up to 20% off with these coupons.

Travel Accessories
Magellans.com
Products at Magellans.com will make your travel easy and comfort. Its Fourth of July Sale – Save an Additional 20% Off Current Sale Items, will start from 7/1 till 7/4.

Samsonite.com

This is most reliable luggage brand for years. All luggages come with 10 year warranty – keep receipts please. Now shop online at its official website at Samsonite.com you can save 20% off with coupon code JULYSALE. Valid through July 4th. The above Samsonite Overdrive 22″ Carry-on Upright Luggage is on sale with price dropped from $339 to $109. You don’t get that price even at outlet stores.

Sometimes I don’t know what clothes I should buy for my boys in the summer. Tommy’s classic blue, Timberland’s shirts, Nautica polo? Well, they are good enough for school days. But for summer break I want them to go outside and get sweaty more often. They are not any fans of any NFL/NBA/NHL teams, otherwise I would have bought the team jerseys from the official fan’s shop. I am not stick to any specific brand – I would buy if it is cheaper. Beside, I believe all the major brands offer similar products and qualities – tell me if I am wrong. Today I collected the stores, both online and offline, that I shopped most often in the past few years.

Target
There is no reason to shop online at Target.com, since there is no coupons ever for online use. And you have to pay shipping if your order total is below $50. At local Target stores, Champion is the most common brand you can find. If you like Champion, this is the best place to buy, because their prices are usually the lowest, even lower than Champion’s official website.

SportsAuthority.com
I shop at Sports Authority both in stores and online. The local stores offer a membership for you to join free. Every time you shop you can get 5% cash back, – good for your next purchase. The online stores offer 10% off coupon for new customers, – all you need to do is to enter your email and sign up their newsletters, and a 10% off coupon will be sent to your mailbox. For this July 4th, everything is on sale! And on top of it, you can find many online coupons here.

This NIKE Boys’ Legend Sleeveless Tee is only $18! More colors available. It is made with moisture-wicking Dri-FIT fabric, best for the hot summer. Item Number: 10816202.

This UNDER ARMOUR Boys’ UA Tech Big Logo Sleeveless T-Shirt is only $19.99! Item Number: 11786132.

Adidas.com
Adidas’ shorts are the best, especially for soccer players. But you don’t find them in Sports Authority nor Target stores. Don’t know why. There is no July 4th sale so far at their online store, – to get a better deal go to Adidas Outlet during the July 4th weekend.

This YOUTH 8-20 LOOSE SHORTS was $22, now only $18. Shipping is free when your order is over $49.

ChampionUSA.com

Independence Day sale started already – buy any 2 shorts, tanks or tees get the 3rd free!

Puma.com

This Cat T-Shirt is only $12.60, was $18! Don’t forget to use online coupons for Puma.com. We have 20% off to 40% off coupons from time to time.

UnderArmour.com

This Boys’ HeatGear Touch Shortsleeve T-Shirt was $24.99, now $18.99. Tight, but sweat-wicking, will sure make your boy look slick. You can get free shipping on any order with coupon codes listed here. Shipping is free if your order is over $85, otherwise $7.00 for standard shipping.

July 4th weekend is the big day to shop for large appliances and furniture. If you like to shop in stores, it is a good time to go out to outlet stores or shopping malls nearby. But for people hated the hot weather, shopping online is the best choice. You will get free home delivery as well as lower prices than those in stores.

Keep two things in mind when you shop appliances online:
(1)Don’t buy any accessories recommended by the seller, unless you absolutely sure that you need them. Why? Because you most likely don’t need them. Second reason is that they are probably more expensive than they should be. Do a price comparison online if you need them.
(2)Don’t buy any extra warranty. 99% of chance are you are wasting your money.

Sears.com

Before the Interent era, I used to go to Sears stores for all my kitchen appliances. The saleman will recommend the best products for me. But nowadays it is better to do the product research online than listening the saleman. Now Sears online is offering 15% off on all Kenmore appliances, and 10% off all other brands. Plus, you will receive extra 5% off when financing with Sears card. I wouldn’t expect any further discount for the Independence Day. So you can start shopping now or take your time to do your research. Besides, if you shop before June 28, you can save an extra $35 off with $350+ order (Coupon Code: JUNE35) on top of the 15% or 10% off price drop. Shipping is free when you order is over $499 (Coupon Code: HADELIVERY).

AppliancesConnection.com
Appliances Connection offers buy more save more coupons on our website. For this Independence Day, you can save big on major brands appliances:
Save 15% Off Bosch

(1)Purchase at least (3) 300, 500 or 800 Series Bosch Appliances and receive a 10% Rebate of the purchase price.
(2)Purchase at least (3) 800 Series Bosch Appliances and receive a 15% Rebate of the purchase price for all eligible Bosch models purchased.

Save $100 to $700 Off KitchenAid Appliances

(1)$100 Rebate on 2 select appliances
(2)$200 Rebate on 3 select appliances
(3)$400 Rebate on 4 select appliances
(4)$500 Rebate on 5 select appliances
(5)$700 Rebate on 6 select appliances

Capital Ranges $200-$400 Rebates

(1)Capital 30 inch range – $200 Rebate
(2)Capital 30 inch wall oven with a cooktop/rangetop – $200 Rebate
(3)Capital 36 inch range or 48 inch range – $300 Rebate
(4)Capital 60 inch range – $400 Rebate

When the first time I had knee pains, I said to myself maybe I worked too hard these days and all I need is some rest. A year later, I realized that I am getting old and there is no way I can be as agile as I used to be. All I can do to prevent my knees to get worse. And sometimes I need pain relief to reduce the pain. I have seen different doctors, taken X-rays, done CT scans a few times. But all doctors told me the same things:
(1)There is no cure.
(2)You had nothing wrong.
(3)You need calcium and Vitamin D.
(4)You need to take joint support pills everyday.
(5)There are some exercises you should do, some you shouldn’t do.

Excercises I should/should not do
Exercise I should do everyday:

(1)Sit on a mat with one leg bent, and hold it with both hands on it.
(2)Keep the other leg straight, raise it a few inches off floor, hold for one count, then lower to start.
(3)Do 10 reps, then switch the leg. Do 100 on each leg everyday.

There are many excercises that I can not do any more, including running, weight lift, etc. You’d better to consult with your doctors before you start any new types of exercise.

Pills Recommended
I have tried various joint support supplements such as Triple Flex from CVS and Walgreens. But did not work well on me and besides, those pills are way too big for my throat. I have to cut each pill into 2 to 2 pieces before I can swallow. Following are some pills recommended by one of my doctors. I only use one of them at a time

Joint Advantage Gold

Invented by Dr David Williams, the main ingredient is Natural Eggshell Membrane, plus 14 others such as Glucosamine sulfate, Australian herbs, etc. It helps build good space within the joints and let you feel less pain when moving. You can get it from HealthyDirections.com with Buy 3 Get 1 deal or Buy 5 Get 2 Free deal. If you order from DrDavidWilliams.com, we have a $10 off coupon when your order is over $60. I like this product the most, because it is the cheapest: a 30 day supply is only $22.49!

USPlabs SuperCissus

Not sure about the ingedients, but it works on me after a month. My doctors suggested me to use it for two to three months in a row, then stop for a few months and try something new. It is $49.99 for a 150 capsules bottle at GNC. You need to take at least 3 pills a day. There is no GNC coupons for online use. But sometimes we have printable coupons for select products.

Ultimate H.A. Formula

I use this product when my knees feels OK. It is not only for knee support, but also a beauty product to slow down the aging. You can the pictures before and after taking them. A 30 day supply is $39.95 at PurityProducts.com. But with its automatic delivery plan, you can save 25%.

Researchers indicated that most middle class families are short by $1000 to $1500 each month, no matter what month it is, and no matter how many kids they have. Even if you or your husband just got a raise of $1000 every month, you will still want another $1000 more every month after first few months. Here are the tips to avoid that.

Minus Your Salary By $1000
When you are doing your finance plan for the month, pretend your salary is $1000 less. You should transfer $1000 to your saving account when you deposit your check. And when you are making the plan, don’t count that $1000.

Money Saving Tips For The Summer
Read here to save the money from your electricity meter (http://shine.yahoo.com/at-home/tips-keeping-cool-without-cranking-ac-38-best-173500508.html). The article bassically tells you one thing: turn off appliances, big or small, whenever you can. If you can’t turn off the air conditioner, set the temperature by one degree high. But more important thing is: are you overpay your power company? Ask your friend how much they are paying for every killo watts. Or do some online research to find the lowest rate. Starting from this April, I saved over $100 every month from my electricity bill by switching to another power company!

Save $100 from Grocery Shopping
Stop buying bulk from Sam’s Club or Costco. You may have save a little on each item, but I bet your waste is way over what you have saved. You should consider by what you really needed once a week. Take the coupons with you. If you don’t have Sunday newspapers, find grocery coupons online from coupons.com.

Save $100 by Shopping Online
Why buy toys from Toys R Us? If you search online, the toys from online stores are usually half of the prices of your local toy stores. Why buy books from Barnes & Noble? The books from online bookstores are usually two thrid of that at Barnes & Noble or Borders. Why buy shoes from DSW? The online shoe stores are always offering 20% off discount coupons.

Save $100 on Insurance
You should switch your auto insurance and health insurance company every year, if not every six month! Every time you switch, you should get a discount and a lowest rate.

No More Buying New Gift Card
A gift card for a new born baby? A gift card for a wedding couple? Every month I need spend at least $100 on different GC, while at the same time all kinds of GC from friends or relatives. Now I can trade in all my cards with as little as 5% fees, and receive new cards that I need.

You taught your kids how to walk, how to talk and how to read when they were very young. And when kids are growing up, you teach them math, literature, history and art. And you teach them to have a good manner, be responsible, and be confident. And eventually you want them to be a good person and financially responsible. They don’t have to be millionaire, but I would encourage them to have a dream of being a millionaire. These are the tips you should teach kids to be financially responsible when they are 10 to 18 years old.

Spend Money Later
If you want to teach your kids one thing, that should be: Wait to spend money. This is not only the advice to kids, but also the advice to everyone who want to save money. Researchers from Stanford Univerisity have done a famous marshmallow test: kids of 4-5 years old can have the choice to eat one marshmallow now, or wait until the adult returned and eat two. Researchers discovered that those who had waited for the second marshmallow were more successful in just about every way!

Think Again Before Open The Wallet
When your kids have the self control to spend money later, ask them to think again before they make the purchase. Is it what I needed? Is there any alternatives that are cheaper? Can I use second-hand items? Can I find coupons for it? Is there a sale promotion in the near future?

Practice The Money-Saving Tips In Your Daily Life
Money is part of your daily life, and you should also teach the money saving tips in your daily life. You could ask your kids to wait for next week to buy something, by offering an incentive. You could give them a few bucks every week or every month, and let them take the control of money. You could ask them to compare prices online and find the lowest prices.

Start Teaching Finance In A Easy Language
When kids are still young, you can explain to them how to make money from a job. Or it could started with games such as Monopoly. When they are getting older, you should explain banking, interest rate, stock market, insurance etc. to your kids. Let them know this is world about money.

You Are The Best Teacher
Kids will learn every thing from you. If you spend money in rush, how could you expect your kids to wait to spend money? If you don’t use coupons ever, no kids will. So before teaching them how to save money and be financially responsible, teach yourself first!

It is two weeks from July 4th. July 4th is not just for fireworks, but also a good time for shopping. Christmas is the biggest sale season as everybody knows, and now is the second biggest sale event in the year – some stores called it Christmas in July! If you have a plan for the long weekend, you can start shopping now. Many stores have started their July 4th sale!

YOOX.com
Need designer apparel? This is your one stop destination. You will find all trendy clothing from tanks to dresses, and from hats to shoes. Now it has 20% off everything coupon with code HAPPYBIRTHDAY, valid through June 22. This is the first time we have seen such a big discount in the past few years. Don’t miss it!

LastCall.com
30% Off all regular priced items! No coupon code needed. All the prices are already marked with discounted prices. Prices valid through June 25. If you don’t mind to buy some off-season clothes, you will get better deals!

LaneBryant.com
Plus size trendy clothing are now 30% off with coupon code: SHOPNSAVELB. Valid through June 24.

Cache.com
30% Off All Regular Price Items. No code needed.

IsabellaOliver.com
Moms to be can get 40% off the summer must-have maternity clothing, use coupon code SHOP40 to receive the discount. Valid through June 24, 2012.

ChineseLaundry.com
Fashion shoes and sandals now 25% off with coupon code: JULY4YOU! Valid through June 21.

LittleMissMatched.com
Socks you have never seen before. They are for little girls, teen girls, and ladies that need unique looking socks. Now there is a buy 3 get 1 free offer, and a 10% off coupon!

StyleBell.com
Everything you need for your hair care, including flat iron, dryers, hair straightener, etc. Now there is a 25% off $100 coupon, code: BELL25. Three days only!

My two older kids started their summer from June 3rd, which was officially the start of my nightmare. I asked them to get up by 9 o’clock – actually I wish they can sleep through the whole morning. They shall done one hour of homework – I asked them to do two hours but got refused. They can use computer for one hour, video games for one hour, TV for one hour. But there are still too much time left! I am glad I have swimming pool in the back yard, – they can play with the water for hours! I also got many other fun water toys for all the kids, both boys and girls:

1. Sprinkler Water Toy

This is Dora Explorer water mat is less than $10 at your local Walmart store, while it is $25 at Amazon. I bought it 3 years ago for my little girls, but all the boys loved it all these years.

2. WaterWheel Activity Play Table

Again this Step2 WaterWheel Activity Play Table is the toy for my little girl. But all three kids are having fun with it, – isn’t it for two year old toddler? It is $36.99 at Amazon, but there are many similar items at local stores for less price.

3. Beach Ball/Water Splash Balls

You need lots of them: big ones, small ones, inflatable ones, foam ones. Boys love to fight with them. Buy them from local stores – a 12-pack balls will usually cost $5 to $8, while the online store will charge at least $12.

4. Water Ballon

These ballons are very cheap, you can buy 300 hundred of them at less than $10. Buy remember to take them home when you are not playing. They will easily get burned under the sun.

5. Water Gun

This water gun by Nerf is the best water I ever used. It has lasted for years. The one for my oldest boy was bought at least 5 years ago. And he is still using it. Don’t buy those cheap ones from one dollar store – they will break after a few use.

6. Water Blaster/Splash Sword

I wished I had this one when I was a kid. Each of my kids will take one when they go to the water park in the town.

7. Pool Float with Water Gun

At first I spent a few hundred dollars on a motorized floating tube, which equiped with a squirt gun. I returned it and replaced is with this $20 inflatable surfboard that comes with a water gun.

8. Dive Balls/Rings

How can I forget dive rings? You need to watch out the kids when they are playing dive rings, and I don’t let my kids play in deep water.

9. Floating Hoops for Basketball

My boys love basketball, even in the water. There are also toys to play volleyball in the water.

10. Waterslide

Before I moved into the house with a swimming pool, waterslide is kids’ favorite. Now my yard is too small to fit a big waterslide.

While I was reading the news The Five Worst Healthy Fast Food Meals for Kids from Yahoo this morning, I felt I have to defense for those fast food restaurants. First of all, I have to declare that I do not work for any of the fast food restaurants, and I have no intention to mislead you to any so-called “Healthy” food.

This article listed following 5 worst fast food meals for kids. The conclusion was drawn because of the high fat, calories, sodium, sugar, and cholesterol. But it was so biased that I have to stand out and say something.

No food is bad
All food are created equal. If one food is good for part of your body, it must be bad for some other part of your body, and vice versa. Your body need fat, calories, sodium, sugar, and cholesterol. You can’t say they are bad or good – you need all kinds of food for a healthier body.

No food is good if you are obssessed with it
Any food could be bad when you had too much it, even if they are claimed “Healthy” food by nutritional professionals. Is fat bad? No – you body need it, and yes if you ate too much of it. Is vegetable good? Yes – if you eat it with meat, no – if all you eat is vegetable.

There is no good or bad food, but good or bad parents
All food are good for your health, and all food are bad if you had too much, so is the fast food. And fast food is not created for the good of your body, but for the need of filling your stomach fast. But what the kids are eating is what their parents are choosing. If you choose fast food once in a while, if has no harm to your health, as long as you also eat enough of other food. So it is the parents to blame for, not the fast food!

Eat According Food Pyramid
To eat healthy, you should follow the food pyramid, see picture below. You can find lots of information online about the pyramid. You can also buy a food pyramid poster and hang it in your kitchen.

More exercise
Follow the food pyramid is step one to your health. Step two is to have enough excercise. Kids having more fast food should have done more exercise to burn the excess fat.

Summer is here. Some people will plan for a family vacation, while some will stay home to upgrade their homes – build a deck, a swimming pool, a sauna room, or finish the basement. Before you started, make sure you knew what flooring material you wanted. Read the article here, it will help you to choose from engineered wood, bamboo, laminate flooring, linoleum, cork, ceramic tile, or stone.

If you are used to buy all the materials from Lowes or Home Depot, you should consider to buy them online. Buying flooring materials is as easy as shop in stores, or even easier. You can compare them side by side. If you can’t decide which materials to use, request for free samples to help you make the decision. The prices at following flooring stores are a lot cheaper than those in stores. Becides, they offer 10% to 20% off coupon for select holidays (you should expect one for the coming July 4th).

Learn DIY Tips
Read DIY tips online. Search DIY flooring tips, you should be able to find plenty of how-tos. The following video teaches you how to install hardwood floorings.

Buy Materials Online
Following 3 stores are the top flooring retailers online, in which BuildDirect.com is the one I highly recommend. You can save up to 80% of retail prices at BuildDirect.com.

BuildDirect.com
Lamton 8mm Laminate Flooring, Chocolate Maple, is only $0.99 per square foot. The price at Lowes is $2.49! At BuildDirect.com, you can request up to 5 samples free, no credit card asked.

iFloor.com
iFloor is more expensive than BuildDirect – this 3/8″ Engineered Sicilian Teak 4″ Wide is $2.79/sf. It has a 10% off coupon this week. Use code “OL10” to redeem the discount.

LumberLiquidators.com
Although there are some hardwood priced at only $0.89/sq, you don’t those cheap materials. Casa de Colour 3/4″ x 2-1/4″ Lono Oak Hardwood Flooring, $2.99/sq, is the cheapest I will go for.

If you shopped at Sephora.com before, you knew they offer many free samples when you checkout. You can usually pick three of them at your choice. Do you know there are many other beauty stores also offer free smaples? All you need to do is to enter the right code when you check out.

BenefitCosmetics.com
Get a mini BADgal lash mascara deluxe with any $45 order and coupon code EYEWANNA.

Kiehls.com
If you had never used Kiehl’s products, try it at Neiman Marcus. My favorite items are Kiehl’s facial creams and body lotion. I am sure you will love it. If you prefer to shop online, be sure to visit their official website Kiehls.com. You will receive many free smaples when using coupon code. Now with coupond code HANDS, you will receive a travel-size hand salve for free.

SkinStore.com

Now they are running a 20% off deal on All NIA24 Products and All Obagi Products. Plus, you can save an extra 15% (valid on any purchase) with coupon code 4MEN. It will be valid through the Father’s Day. If you missed it, you should expect an at least 20% off coupon for July 4th. Highly recommend NIA24 Eye Repair Complex – Instyle Best Beauty Buys for 2010.

Puritan’s Pride

Puritan’s Pride, or Puritan.com, is not just a vitamin retailer. It has a complete line for Health & Beauty, including products for facial care, hand & body care, hair care, dental & oral care, and cosmetics. Their prices are much lower than those in stores. For example, Alba Green Tea Natural Sunblock SPF 45 by Alba Botanica is only $6.59, while the regular price at Whole Food is $12. Plus, there is $10 off $50 coupon listed on our site. If you missed it, don’t worry. It will come probably a week later.

SallyBeauty.com
Are you still shopping at the Sally Beauty store? Go online to find coupons and deals! Currently there is a 20% off coupon (min $50 order) with code: 555129. Plus, buy 2 Age Beautiful Hair Color you will get 1 free, or buy 3 L’Oreal Technique Excellence Creme, Creme Extremes or Resistant Grays and get 1 free!

ULTA.com
You would normally see a $3 off coupon valid any time. Now they have a $10 off coupon running through June 23!

If you have some spare money and decided to treat your husband with a special gift this year, get one of the following special gifts. The gift will cost you as much as $1000, but I am sure your husband will love it when he received it.

Fishing Gears

You probably don’t know anything about fishing and you don’t want to know. But you want to get some fishing gear for your husband because he loves it very much. Don’t worry, go visit Basspro.com and click “Freshwater Fishing” or “Fly Fishing” on the top. It won’t wrong if you get him a rod & reel combo. There is no coupon for this website. And price isn’t cheap either. But you get the quality that worth the money. If you want to save some money, don’t forget to check out their rebate center here, or visit their Free Offers.

Greenhouse

We have mentioned in the previous post that a gardening tool is probably one of the worst gifts for Father’s Day. But a greenhouse will be appreciated by any garden lovers. For dads that love plants and flowers, a greenhouse will help them to grow plants and flowers in any season. You can find portable one pretty cheap, from $20 to $100 at Home Depot. But to get a semi-pro one, you can find one at Farmtek.com.

ATV

ATV is many men’s dream when they were a kid, and it still is for many grown ups. Now you don’t have to spend thousands to get an ATV. At SaferWholesale.com you can get one for under $1000! Now they are running a Super Sale for this Father’s Day. Many ATVs are $250 off!

Bike

If you husband loves biking, please don’t try to get a cheap from department store or sports stores like Dick’s. If many people have recommended Eastern Mountains Sports (EMS.com) to me. If you can afford at least $2000, it is probably the best place to shop. But my budget is $1000. The place I will suggest is Jensonusa.com – you will find many sale items below $1000!

Most parents will buy school parents a week or two weeks before school starts. But do you know that is when the prices are the highest in the entire year? The time to get cheapest school uniforms are usually in the middle of the semester. But the most popular items are already sold out, or it is hard to find the sizes you need. Now I think is best time to shop for school uniforms – you will see many new arrivals, all sizes, and many discount coupons.

Cookies Kids

CookiesKids.com is the most popular online store to shop for school uniforms. In March you will see bigger discount, such as 15% to 25% off entire order. But in June, there is a 10% off coupon. Their prices are very competitive – most skirts are from $12.99 to $19..99, some sale skirts are only $8.99 to $9.99. You will also find plus size uniform here. To get 10% off, enter coupon code SUMMERTIME to redeem the discount with minimum order is $65.

French Toast

French Toast now has a coupon for 15% off all clearance items (Coupon Code: QELFKB). Click on the “Clearance” banner on the top you will hundreds of sale items that are at least 50% off department store prices. The above V-Neck Crossover Pleated Jumper is only $7.00!

Land’s End

Prices aren’t cheap here. A skirt usually costs more than $40, but you get better designs here. Not too many selections as you can find at French Toast. We have Land’s End coupons all the time, for example use promo code JUBILEE for 25% off entire order, or get $25 off on $75+ order with promo code PAPA.

Sears
If you like to shop in stores, go visit Sears. But the prices are usually more expensive than those at Cookies Kids or French Toast on the similar products.

TheChildrensWearOutlet.com

This is the cheapest place to buy school uniforms. All items, including shirts, pants, blousers, skirts, jumpers, are usually $5 to $8 each. You don’t get fancy designs as you saw at Land’s End. But you can’t beat the prices here. No coupons for this store, because prices are already the lowest!

Summer is here. How could you not wear sunglasses? Sunglasses of cat eye, vintage style, gradient lens, cute little lens, or a variety of strange shapes are celebrities’ favorites in the summer of 2012.

Round Frame Sunglasses

Round frame sunglasses make you look younger. If you are willing to spend a few hundred dollars, get this RALPH LAUREN RL8071W at Sunglasshut.com for $375. But this one at 39dollarglasses.com is not bad at all for only $68.95. Plus you can use the $10 off coupon code (deal10) to lower the price to $58.95!

 
Cat Eye Sunglasses

Cat eye sunglasses give you a sexier look. It has been ladies favorite since 70s. Now with more colors on frames or lens, you will be singled out no matter you are relaxing on a beach or walking on the street. The Dolce & Gabbana DG2096 is only $201.99 at BestBuyEyeGlasses.com. It is usually $378 at stores like Saks or Nordstrom. To get a cheap one, the VOGUE EYEWEAR VO2677S from Sunglasshut is only $69.95!

 
Wide Frame Sunglasses

These are sunglasses from 70s – Pair them with your vintage style dress!
Elizabeth and James Limited Edition (Style #:ELIJA40449) is $185 at Shopbop.com, while a similar one at Pacsun.com is only $15.95 – Get twopairs for only $22!

Father’s Day is this weekend. Have you done all the shopping for your husband? I bet you have. Besides Father’s Day sale running at many stores, there are many stores are on sale for women’s products.

LastCall.com

Extra 30% off on all women’s apparel & shoes, and on all clearance during the Fun in the Sun Event, valid through June 11.

Macys.com

$25 off women’s clothing or accessory purchase of $100 or more, Coupon Code: TROPIC. Or use code “SUMMER” for 20% off. They are also running a Home Sale. But not too many selections. If you like Nordstrom’s clothing, you will find many exact same items at Macy’s. But with the $25 off or 20% off coupon, you will get the clothing at lower prices.

PacSun.com

20% off with $50 order or more, coupon code: DEALS2050, valid through June 12. Don’t forget to check out their Buy One Get One 50% markdowns. You will find all summer essentials here from tanks to shorts.

Zales.com

Zales online is running a Semi Annual Bridal Sale, you will get 25% Off select bridal jewelry through June 13.

VeraBradley.com

Vera Bradley is running a summer sale. Many items are 50% off the original prices. Plus extra 20% off SALE Items with coupon code: JUNE20 through June 10.

ChampionUSA.com

20% off All Sports Bras, no coupon code needed.

Father’s Day is near, now is the best time to shop for big and tall clothing! Starting today until June 10, you can save at least $30 on your order! Such coupons are usually offered twice a year, one for Father’s Day, one for Christmas. If you don’t want to wait for six more months, you got to take an action now.

Big and Tall Clothing

The most popular brands for big and tall man are Destination XL, Casual Male XL, Big and Tall Direct. Now they are running an offer of $30 off with $60 order or more. To shop in stores, print this coupon and take with you. This coupon can be redeemed mutiple times. So you better print more than one copy if you are planinng to buy more items. To shop online at DestinationXL.com, use promo code PLES during check out to save $30.

To get a better deal, visit BCOutlet.com. The prices here are usually lower than brands such as Casual Male XL and Big and Tall Direct. For Father’s Day, they are running a Buy One Get 50% Off deal with coupon code BCDADSNGRADS!

Big and Tall Shoes

Shoes XL is also a brand from Destination XL. So you can use the same printable coupon or online coupon code PLES for $30 off. You can find sandals, casual shoes, dress shoes, boots, athletic shoes here, sizes from 10 to 17.

Big and Tall Home Accessories

For this Father’s Day, LivingXL.com has reduced their prices on chairs, furnitures, and many other items by $20 to $150. It is also part of Destination XL brands. So you can use the same coupon to save an extra $30 when your order total is over $60. You can also find many big and tall for your health need or personal care at LivingXL.com.

Before you buy a house with a swiming pool, you should be aware that you need spend a few thousand dollars every year to maintain the pool. Please don’t get shocked afterwards. If you are hiring professionals to do the job, average weekly cost is $30, plus $99 filter cleaning once a year, plus a few hundred here and there, the total will be around $2000 every year. If you are maintaining the pool yourself, you could cut the cost as much as $1000 every year by spending no more than 10 minutes every week. For a first time pool owner, here are the step 1, 2, 3 which covers everything you need to know while keeping the cost lowest!

Step 1. Maintain Pool Water
Every week you need to test your pool water and apply pool chemicals. These are the requirements:
Maintain your chlorine levels at 1 – 3 ppm
Maintian pH level between 7.6 and 7.8
Maintain alkalinity levels between 80 and 120 ppm
For details on how to maintain pool water, read the article here. To low the cost on pool chemicals, visit PoolSupplyWorld.com. The 3″ Chlorine Tablets 50 lb Bucket is only $99, while the similar one in stores will at least cost you $129, even at Walmart.

Step 2. Clean Your Pool
Polaris Pool Cleaner is the one I have been using for more than 10 years. I don’t know about other brands. But this one at about $600 had never given me any trouble. You can find the lowest price at Doheny.com. Besides, there are many $10 off coupon for Doheny.com. Throw the cleaner into the pool and set the timer to run 1 to 2 hours everyday, your pool will be as clean as new. You need to empty the trash bag once every week though.

Step 3. Troubleshoot Pool Pump
If you have a home warranty, make sure you have your pool covered. Normally it is not covered in a standard policy. A $100 to $200 extra is needed to get your pool covered. It will save you a lot in the case your pool pump failed. If you don’t have a home warranty, you should at least learn how pool pump works. You don’t have to be an expert, and you don’t have to fix it all by yourself. It is better to hire an expert to do the job for you. But you should buy the parts yourself which can lower the total cost by as much as 50%. For a small part, just go to a local store such as Leslie’s. For an expensive part, try to buy one online such as PoolProducts4Less.com if you are not in hurry.

I am a mother of three kids – 10, 7, and 3 years old. Being a mother is the happiest time of my life. But shopping for my kids makes me happier, even happier than shopping for myself. The result is that I usually bought more than my kids needed.

1.Buy Candies
All my kids love candies – I bet all kids love candies. Every time we do grocery shopping with me, they will ask for a pack of candy when we check out. If we shop at Whole Food, they will ask the clerk for a treat. Everyone knows candies are bad for kids, but I just can’t refuse when they asked.

2.Buy Soda
Experiments have been done by dentists: leave a tooth in different sodas for 24 hours compared to that in a cup of water. The tooth placed in the coke will decay fastest due to the acidic contents of coke, while the tooth in water had no change at all. I have told the experiment to my kids many times. But whenever we go to a restaurant, they will ask for a soda. Now I have limited them for one soda every week.

3.Buy Junk Food
Both my husband and I can not resist the junk food either. So I guess I can’t blame the kids too much. They eat junk food in the school everyday. All I can do is not buying any junk food at home, which costs me a lot more than before.

4.Buy Anything They Ask
Most of the time if they told me they want something, I will buy them as long as I can afford. I always give myself the excuse that’s because I love them so much. I should ask myself if they really need them next time.

5.Buy Because Their Friends Have One
My kids won’t tell me they want to buy something because their friends have one. Sometimes I overheard from them talking to each other. At first I was mad about it. Now I would tell my kids to be themselves. Everyone is and should be unique.

6.Buy When They Cry
My little kid uses her tears as a weapon. Whenever I refused to buy, she will cry. My friends suggested me to leave her alone for 10 minutes, she will completely forget about it. It actually works!

7.Buy In Exchange of Something
My two older kids didn’t like to go to afterschools, while I insisted they have to go. They eventually agreed, but under one condition. One want a new 3D NDS, while the other want a new bike. Should I agree? I surrendered at last.

8.Treat Kids Differently
I always buy new toys for my oldest boy. But when the younger boy wants a similar toy, I will tell him we already had one. Just get it from your brother. I didn’t realized it is no fair to the younger one until recently.

9.Buy Too Many
At the begining of each season I will buy a few new clothes for all my kids, which should be sufficient for the season. But the problem is that I shop at Gap very often. I can’t resist to buy whenever I saw something good on them.

10.Buy Without Asking
This is actually related to my Problem #9. If I had asked my kids if they needed new clothes, I wouldn’t end up buying so many!

 
I have listed so many bad habbits here. Most of them I can’t change at all. Tell me what I should do please.

Whether you are planning to build a deck or redesign your landscaping, you should be aware that these kinds of projects will usually cost you big money. Before you start the project, write down the detail plans on a peice of paper: what is the goal, what is the budget, the time span, the materials and costs, the tools and costs. Here are a few tips that will help you to save some money.

1.Do It Yourself
For most small projects, such as replacing the faucets or painting the fense, labor costs would be the biggest the portion. You should consider to do it yourself. There is no need to spend a dime on buying how-to books, because you should be able to find plenty of information online. Try to seach the Youtube for how-to videos, such as “how to replace a outdoor faucet”. The video will guide you through the process step by step.

2.Hire Professionals
DIY is not always cheaper, especially on some bigger projects, such as buiding a deck, for a few reasons: professionals or companies can get wholesale prices on material while you can’t, they have tools and accessories in hand while you probably don’t. Before you start a new project, always consult with a few companies and get free quotes from them. Compare their prices with the costs if you want to do it yourself.

3.Rent Tools
For tools you don’t use very often, you can rent them from companies like Home Depot or Lowes. Power tools can sometimes cost you a few thousands dollars! Renting them can definitely save you a lot of money.

4.Referals from Your Friends
When you ask your friends for a referal, you will usually get a cash discount. It could be $50, $100, or even $500, depending on the size of your project. Just mention your friend’s name and ask for discount directly. Even if you don’t have a referal, just tell them you heard the name from your friend’s friend, and ask for discount any way.

5.Always Bargain
When you get a price quote, always bargain to get a lower price. There are many reasons for a discount, eg: you are a senior, you are single, you have three kids, you just lost your job, you had a lower quote from other company. Just ask for it, you should able to get some discount.

6.Buy Parts Online
No matter you decided to do it yourself or hire professionals, always buy parts online. If you are not sure what to buy, go to a Home Depot or Lowes store, find the parts and buy them online. Download a iPhone App RedLaser for free. Use it to take a picture of the barcode and it will compare the prices online! For example, if need plumbing supplies, always checkout PlumberSurplus.com – their prices are usually lowest!

7.Get A Warranty
After the project finished, don’t forget to ask for a warranty. For small project you should at least get a 60-days warranty, while a bigger project should come with at least a one year warranty.

When it comes to eucational toys, I didn’t mean toys that teach math or spelling, but toys for mind training as well as for fun. Most of toys I listed here are very classic, and have been around for years or even generations, and have been proved by many parents and grandparents. Many of these games are for multi players, which are the best to have some quality family time with your kids.

1. Monopoly

My son started to play it since he was 4 years old. And so far it is still his most favorite game. It only teaches kids the basic financial skills, but also encourage kids to interact (talk, negociate, bargain) with the playmates, which I believe is the most important skill when they grow up. Besides the classic Monopoly, there are many other different editions, such as Monopoly with Electronic Bank, Monopoly New York Edition, Nintendo Monopoly, U-Build Monopoly, etc.

2. Lego

Lego are loved by most boys, while girls are not much into it. For kids that had hard time to concentrate in the class, Lego are recommended by doctors to help them.

3. Qwirkle

It is the most awarded game created by Mindware. The rule is very simple, but you need strategic thinking and planing ahead to win the game.

4. Perplexus

It is basically a 3D maze. You have to twist and turn the sphere to roll the marble from start to end to finish the game. It is actually very hard game, and it ca help kids to focus.

5. Thinkfun Rush Hour

There are many mind games by Thinkfun. Rush hour is my kids’ favorite. Chocolate Fix and Hoppers are too hard for younger kids, while Zingo is too easy for some kids.

6. Uno

Uno can have 2 to 10 players, the only one game which can be played by the entire family. When you are planing a family vacation, don’t forget to pack a set of Uno into your bag.

7. Angry Bird

Inspried by the popular video ame Angry Bird, it has become one of the top sellers at Amazon.

8. Sorry!

Sorry! is fun, but the best edition is The U-Build Sorry! game. With 113 peieces of bricks, you can build your own the Sorry! board. The strategy you used this time may not be good next time.

9. Connect 4

Everybody knows how to play Coonect 4. Its rules are as simple as Tic Tac Toe, but it is not easy to be a master of it. There is actually a scientific paper about it. If are serious about it, read it here.

10. Blokus

This game is the last one in my list. But most Blokus fans won’t agree with me. The only drawback of Blokus is that your kids may be addicted to it!