November 2007 Archives
Barnes & Noble offers 40% off this list of bestsellers now until Dec 3, 2007 when you buy in the store only.
Stephen Colbert's "I am America (and so can You!)" for $16.06
"The Daring Book for Girls," by Andrea Buchanan for $14.85
"Olivia Helps with Christmas," for $11.39
"1776: The Illustrated Edition," by David McCullough for $39
"Ernest Hemingway Complete and Unabridged: Four novels" for $10.36
"The Chronicles of Narnia Pop-up book" for $24
And a few other titles. See the complete list here. Find a store near you.
With the search for holiday gifts, a perfect tree, and a cute holiday dress also comes the quest for Christmas music that is new to your ears but does *not* drive you batty. Here's a CD that qualifies on both counts: that does *not* drive you batty. Here's a CD that I'm pretty sure most of you have never heard before: Duke Ellington's Nutcracker suite, the jazz master's take on Tchaikovsky's classic ballet score, replete with renditions of the Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy, the Russian Dance, the Waltz Of The Flowers, and others. Seriously folks, this music swings so hard I listen to it in July.
Amazon has it for $10 (you also get two other suites on the CD). Tower has it for $7, but it doesn't ship for 2 to 4 weeks. The tech savvy may be able to download or listen to the suite on Rhapsody Online.
Footlocker has a printable family and friends coupon for 30% off in stores, including Lady Footlocker and Kids Footlocker. Expires Dec 2, 2007. Get an extra 10% off if your tab is above $100 *after* the 30% off discount. Find a store
near you.
Online get 25% off with coupon code EM357CLC, but it's unclear when the online code expires. Get free shipping on orders over $75 with code IPFL7V75, good thru Dec 31, 2007. The Web site does not let you use both codes, so in most cases the 25% code will save you more moolah.
Buy.com is yammering about Black Friday II in an attempt to bring on the massive crowds online and in stores like last weekend. Here are their special deals de jour. Among other items, there is a Teac R2 AM/FM clock radio features Digital AM/FM tuner (manual/preset tuning) with an LCD display, easy iPod connection and a rechargeable battery feature for $20 (orig $100). Free shipping. You can also get in with a silver face. Not too shabby.
Thru Thursday Dec 6 Old Navy has a friends and family coupon worth 20% off for in-store shopping only. You can only use the printable coupon once and there are a few caveats. If you shop Sat Dec 1 they also have these doorbusters (it doesn't specify a time, but my experience is these sell out very quickly): printed hoodies are 50% off, women's solid frost free vests are $15 (orig $40), women's solid frost free jackets are $25 (orig $68). Find a store near you.
Caveats: discount does not apply to merchandise purchased with a gift card or to telephone orders placed to stores or customer service 1-800/888 numbers.
A four-day sale starting today and ending Dec. 2. at Bloomingdale's packs some serious savings. Get: 30-40% off select women's coats
25% off purchase of two pairs of shoes
30% off three or more pairs of shoes (shop with friends, folks!)
40% off some regular priced fall shoes and boots
15% off regular priced sleepwear and robes when your tab hits $100
15% off a selection of fine jewlery already on sale
25% off many items for infants, toddlers, boys and girls
20% off any combo of three men's shirts or ties
20% off two pairs of men's shoes or sneakers
20% off all tablecloths, placemats and napkins
Plus many more markdowns on already reduced items. Most items qualify for a $15 gift card for every $100 you spend. Find a store near you. Sale is also online, though slightly different it appears. Get 20% off when you spend up to $300, and 25% off when you spend more than $300. Use coupon code PS1129. Caveats: excludes electronic gift cards, beauty, electronics, home stuff. Other designer and brand name exclusions.
A few fun items landed in my mail box recently. Reader Carole said a post about a free meal was useful even though she couldn't use it. "I passed the word along regarding the McCormick and Schmick's free meal offer on Sunday for veterans. The feedback from a friend of mine in the San Diego area was that the meal was excellent as was the service. Thanks again."
A reader named Ron was honest, but gentle, about certain preventable malfunctions on the blog. "Julia, I really like your email updates. I look at them every day. Just in case you haven't gotten this feedback, some of your links don't work. About one in five that I try. You might want to check them, before you post. Thank you for all your efforts."
Good advice, Ron. I admit it, I have been plagued by bad links and I am working for greater accuracy. If you come across a bad link, please let me know which link is not working. Also try these two things. 1) Make sure you are copying and pasting the *entire* link from the daily digest into your browser window. Sometimes the link is so long it takes up two lines in the digest. But the text from only the first line make it into the link. If even one letter is missing the link won't work. Here's an example of this:
http://www.insidesocal.com/bargain/2007/11/scrooge_alert_maggianos.htm
l
Don't forget that last l, or whatever is cut off. Another thing to try: give the links plenty of time to load, up to five minutes or longer if you have dial-up Internet access. If all else fails, email me.
Lenee sent me an email that put my head in the clouds. "Hi! You earn your place at the paper! Your column has the most impact on our daily lives--great job, keep up the good work!!" Lenee, I'm saving your email for my next performance review!
Lastly, a note from my mother, who throughout my journalism career, has sent me supportive emails about a story or item I wrote. The thing is, she always signs them "a reader" or "a fan." Mom, you know that I can see your email address, right? Okay, just checking. Here's her email about a recent blog post (which she requested, btw): "Loved all the items on Amercian made products. keep up the great work. a reader" Ya gotta love my Mom.
Brace yourself. A reader emailed me a huge list of coupon codes, most of which I have not tested to see if they work. So please keep in mind that some of these will probably be bogus. Still, it seems like many of you will be able to save money with these codes, so here goes:
ONLINE COUPON CODES:
American Eagle Outfitters Coupon Code: 64152219 (15% off from Nov. 27 - Dec. 11, 2007)
Banana Republic Coupon Code: BRHOLIDAY (20% off from Nov 27 – Dec 24, 2007)
Bare Escentuals Coupon Code: BEFAMILY (20% off from Nov. 30 - Dec. 2, 2007)
Barnes & Noble Coupon Code: T4N3B6W (25% off Single Item on Nov 27 – Dec 10, 2007)
Bath and Bodyworks Coupon Code: VELVET10 ($10 off $30 from Nov. 27 - Dec. 2, 2007)
BeBe Sport Coupon Code: FAMILY25 (25% off from Nov. 29 - Dec. 2, 2007)
Children's Place Coupon Code: FFTAHPVAC7 (30% off from Dec. 2 & Dec. 3, 2007)
Designer Linens Outlet Coupon Code: FRIENDS77 (50% off from Nov 27 – Dec 3, 2007)
Golf Smith Coupon Code: FFD07 (UP TO 30% off with some exclusions from Nov. 28 - Dec. 4, 2007)
Guess Factory Stores Coupon Code: FNF30F (30% off from Nov. 29 - Dec. 2, 2007)
Hasbro Toy Shop Coupon Code: FRIENDS20 (20% off from Dec 2 - Dec. 9, 2007)
Illuminations Coupon Code: 999201329 (20% off from Nov. 27 - Nov. 30, 2007)
EyeCare America is giving free eye exams for seniors with a few caveats. They are for folks who have not been diagnosed with AMD (age-related macular degeneration), are age 65 and older, US citizens or legal residents, have not seen an ophthalmologist in three or more years, and do not belong to an HMO or the Veteran's Affairs. To see if you qualify call 800-222-3937. To learn more about EyeCare's free exams go here. Thanks, Dolores!
BargainsLA shares news of a sale at the computer gear wholesale warehouse Market West in Chatsworth:
Speakers for the computer $9.99.
Nice, embossed vinyl different patterns journals $2.99-$4.99.
Boston Electric Floor Heaters $29.99. Retail $60-$120.
I Lamp w/ speakers for Ipods or MP3 players are $13.99. Retails $35 or more.
LA/ OC 2007 Thomas Map guide $21.99. Retail $34.95.
Maxtor One Touch III portable 60GB Hard Drive USB 2.0 @ $40 Original retail $300.
MVisit them at 9839 Independence Ave. in Chatsworth. (818) 700-1650. Mon to Fri 9 to 5. Closed Weekends.
Get 20% off anything that has already been reduced at Gymboree, including newborn girls, newborn boys, baby girl, baby boy, kid girl, and kid boy. This boy's hooded vest is $20.79 (orig $32). The 20% off is taken once you put an item in your account, so the markdown you see is higher than the final price. Unclear when the sale ends or if it is also in stores.
Avon has a decent selection of stocking stuffers for under $1, including Mini Glimmersticks for the eyes in black, brown, emerald, plum, grey or blue. And find emory boards, little tubes of lotion, and a glide-on lip treatment with SPF 15 for 69-cents. I could not get the free shipping code EREPFS to work for me but perhaps I did not meet the minimum (only spent $7.41 plus tax). If you choose an Avon sales rep before you start shopping, you can have them deliver it for free.
The upscale Farm of Beverly Hills in the Topanga mall in Canoga Park has a happy hour that makes their prices...cheaper. From 4 to 7 pm Monday to Friday, appetizers are 20% off, draft beers are $2 off (so in the $3.50 to $6.50 range) and well drinks are $1 off. The Topanga bar menu has lots of tasty looking items, including the Truffled Mac & Cheese, served crisp for $6.80 (orig $8.50) or the Garlic French Fries, served with herb aoili for $4.60 (orig $5.75). How about the Chicken Lettuce Cups, crispy wontons, bell peppers and sweet & sour sauce, for $9 (orig $11.25).
You definitely need more than a Lincoln for this meal, probably a quadruple Lincoln ($20) once you factor in tax and tip.This scarcely qualifies as a Cheap Eats item, but could be a fun splurge.
The Four Seasons in Westlake Village is having afternoon teddy bear tea that is free for children who bring in a new teddy bear or toy. The deal is for every weekend in December before Christmas. Adults are $32, children are normally $21. There are three seatings, at 3:30, 4, and 4:30. To make a reservation call (818) 575-3000 and ask for the lobby lounge. Everybody gets a pot of tea and you also get a tiered tray of tea sandwiches, scones and fruit. The bears and toys will be donated to Toys for Tots.
Get 25% off at Disney online on select merchandise. Choose from their toys, holiday ornaments, home decor, branded warm clothes, and sleepwear.
This set of 6 figures from the "Cars" movie is $9.37 (orig $12.50). Use coupon HOLIDAY25. Expires Dec 2, 2007. Get $5 shipping on orders over $50 with code SHIPFOR5. Not sure if you can combine codes.
25% caveats: excludes CDs, video games, and many other items and brands. To find the stuff the 25% coupon applies to, shop directly through the six categories in this link.
The indoor playground TinyTown in Granada Hills is offering a free baby massage class for parents. Children are $8 for the first one and $6 for every kid after that. As a grand opening special they are also offering $25 off any party when you book before December 1. Contact Kendra at kendra42@sbcglobal.net for details. TinyTown is at 16909 Devonshire St in Granada Hills. (818) 366-0305.
Now that's a label you don't see much anymore. We as consumers are so price conscious (with good reason) that most of the goods we buy (especially toys, cars and clothes) are not American made. A ton of the stuff we consume is made abroad, shipped across oceans in giant containers, then distributed across the country by planes, trains, and trucks. I mention this because a reader (okay, my Mom) requested I do a post about where to get American made stuff. Awhile ago I blogged specifically about where to get USA-made toys, but that didn't touch upon other goods. So here are three Web sites that list a wide variety of items, all made right here in the good 'ol USA.
www.ShopForAmerica.com (clothes, baby stuff, pet gear, kids stuff, housewares, bath&body, sports gear, toys, gourmet food)
ZebulonUSA.com (clothes, bags and luggage, toys and games)
StillMadeInUSA.com (clothes, appliances, baby gear, bed&bath, home decor, kitchen&dining, sports stuff, tools, toys, yard&garden, crafts)
Made in USA (automobile, camping, pets, sports, and many more categories)
UPDATE: Stopped by Carter's and found a super fuzzy latte-colored reindeer sleeper for Maggie and Kieth's new baby ($14). How could I resist? It was half-off and had tiny antlers on the hoodie! Cross them off My Gift List.
ORIGINAL POST: Hope my friends won't notice I'm going to play catch up and get their new baby a present – for the first time – for Christmas. Yikes!
Total Woman Gym and Atmosphere Day Spa is having a membership sale at their Woodland Hills location that ends tomorrow! There are three deals for the women-only gym, which also include access to classes, a dry sauna, steam room and whirlpool. Here is a flyer about it.
1. Basic Gym Membership: $29 monthly/No Enrollment fee.
2. Express Spa Membership:$89 monthly/No Enrollment fee, plus 1 full session swedish massage or european facial a month.
3. Spa Membership: $129 monthly/No Enrollment fee, plus 2 full sessions of a swedish massage &/or european facial a month.
Here's the tricky part. To get the deal you must stop by the Woodland Hills location in the Promenade mall between 5 and 7 p.m. Wednesday OR leave a voicemail for Teresa by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov 28. Her phone number is (818) 251-0719 or (818) 710-7606--at this number you MUST ask for Teresa. Leave your name, two phone numbers where she can reach you, and which membership deal you are interested in. She has to process all the paperwork by Wed so if you do not hear from her by Wed you should call her back. You can also email her at tfasano@totalwomanspa.com. All memberships are month to month with 30-days notice to cancel. You pay first and last month upfront and automatic payment by debit/credit card is required.
To get to the gym: (6100 Topanga Canyon, enter off Owensmouth by the men's Macys or Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, no entrance from inside mall)
The jewelry designer Yeva is having a 30% to 50% off sale this Saturday on her jewelry from 2006 and 2007. The sale is at her studio in Glendale. Many of her pieces, like the necklace, earrings, and ring shown, look like something thrown-together from a pirate's treasure chest. Yeva said prices online are higher than her studio prices, and that's before the 30% to 50% discount. Online necklaces ranged from $85 to $225, rings from $75 to $115, and earrings were $45 to $150, but mostly on the lower end. 
It's not the time of year when we should really be shopping for ourselves, but there's nothing wrong with purchasing an item, then immediately handing it over to your hubby/bf/sig other and saying, look what you just bought me for Christmas! You know what's waiting for you under the tree, but you still have to wait.
Read about the materials Yeva uses in her pieces. You can take a peek at her new stuff, which is unfortunately not on sale. Cash, credit card, and check. Exchanges only. 
Sale hours are Sat Dec 1 from 11 to 9 at YevArts Studio, 333 East Fairview Avenue No. 114 in Glendale. The following weekend (Dec. 9 from 11 to 9) the sale is at Nareh Studio, 14961 Vose Street in Van Nuys. Thanks, Jen!
A new lunch buddy introduced me to Boulevard Burgers in Woodland Hills recently (no Web site unfortunately). The place specializes in charbroiled, basic burgers that have lots of lettuce, a little sauce, and a solid, meaty flavor. Nothing fancy here. Fries are good 'n chunky as are the onion rings. A burger is $3, fries are $2, pay 60-cents more for the combo and get a soda. The cheeseburger combo is $5.80. They have indoor and outdoor seating (on the street and in a back patio), which is a nice touch. They have plenty of other Lincoln Lunch options (if you only have a fiver with prez Lincoln on it in your wallet), like a chicken or roast beef sandwich for $5, tuna sandwich for $4, gyro sandwich for $5, plus breakfast options until 11 a.m.
You can view the menu by clicking here, then click on VIEW MENU. A review from Chowhound is glowing, Yelpers also gave it the thumbs up.
Visit them at 21718 Ventura Blvd. (818) 703-6005.
Macy's has free shipping on tabs of $99 or more with coupon code GIVEGIFT. I like this gray peacoat with a flared collar and extra buttons by Espirit for $115 (orig $185).
I heard coupon code MACYSFF gets you 20% off all regular, sale and clearance apparel, accessories and jewelry, and 10% off all regular, sale and clearance electrics, technology items, furniture, thru Dec 3, 2007 but I COULD NOT get it to work for me. Perhaps it has already been used so many times they nixed the code. Maybe you will have better luck.
Best Buy has slashed the prices on a number of TV-on-DVD seasons. But many have already sold out so don't delay. These can make great holiday presents. Here are a few of the prices: Sopranos season 2 or 3 are each $22, Oz season 2 is $14, Six Feet Under season 1 or 2 are $20 each, Curb Your Enthusiasm, season 1 or 2 are each $14, Da Ali G Show season 1 is $10. I'm really tempted to buy some of these even though I'm totally not a TV person. Sometimes you just want to veg!
The newish airline Virgin America gives you a free RT companion ticket for flights between LAX, Las Vegas, JFK, San Diego, SFO, and D.C. (IAN). Use promo code DIGGNATION and follow these steps:
1. Select the cities you want to fly between.
2. Select your departure and return dates.
3. Make sure you select 2 people to travel. You have to have 2 people on your itinerary to take advantage of this promo. If you want to travel with more people, multiple bookings--with 2 people per itinerary--may be made using the same DIGGNATION promo code.
4. Click the "Got a Promo Code?" link and enter DIGGNATION and click "Apply".
5. Click "Search Flights" and complete your booking.
So many great possibilities with just these six cities. A spring trip to NYC? A vegas getaway? April cherry blossoms in D.C.? Book early for best travel days/times.
UPDATE: Reader Toni says Virgin America announced these one-way fares (not part of the 2-for-1 but just low fares):
$119 Washington Dulles (IAD) -- Los Angeles (LAX)*
$119 Washington Dulles (IAD) -- San Francisco (SFO)*
$39 Los Angeles (LAX) -- San Francisco (SFO)*
$129 New York (JFK) -- Los Angeles (LAX)*
$129 New York (JFK) -- San Francisco (SFO)*
$39 Las Vegas (LAS) -- San Francisco (SFO)*
$39 San Diego (SAN) -- San Francisco (SFO)*
Caveats: Tickets can be purchased online or over the phone (1-877-359-8474), they must be purchased by Nov. 30, 2007 and travel has to be completed by
March 12, 2008. Blackout dates are Dec 20-23, 2007 and Feb 14, 15 and 18, 2008. Now my family really has no excuse for not visiting.
Most of your shopping these days is for new stuff, but here are some good tips for how to make out like a bandit at Goodwill, courtesy of the Budget Fashionista, a fun source for fashion advice. Her advice really applies to shopping at any second hand shop where the threads are of dubious origin. She writes:
"Ah, Goodwill. We know what you’re thinking—sequined holiday sweaters and acid wash mommy jeans. Well, there is some of that—but you may not realize that amidst the trove of fashion faux-pas, there are some bonafide gems to be discovered. If you can just get past the mothball smell, and remember that thrift shopping is a cornerstone for many a budget trend-setter.
Get 20% off your purchase at Snapfish.com and get 50 free prints with coupon code ENTMTGIFT20. Great for sending out holiday cards with pics of the little ones. (They're so much cuter than we are.) Expires Dec 31, 2007, according to Smarter.com. Prints are normally 12-cents each and you get 30 free prints for uploading your first photo. You need to open an account with them to use the deal.
The Toy Association, a trade group that has major toy makers like Mattel as its members, set up a Web site just for toy safety info in light of so many recalls right before the holidays. There's a list with pictures of toys that have been recalled, info on why Aqua dots are being recalled, a description of how toys are made.
They also address buying toys made in China by explaining toy safety standards. "All toys sold in America regardless of where they are made must conform to tough U.S. safety standards...it is companies that are responsible for adhering to rigorous safety standards and conducting inspections throughout the process." They don't gloss over the fact that safety standards are self-enforced and not regulated by the government, but they don't come right out and say it either.
I know this is the way it works because I wrote a story for the Daily News Aug 16, 2007 (too old to be listed on our Web site). Part of the story reads "About 80 percent of the toys on U.S. shelves are made in China, where toys can be made more cheaply than in the United States.The United States government does not regulate toys, aside from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which prohibits lead in toys but does not enforce the law. Instead, manufacturers voluntarily test their products. Safety standards in the toy industry are set by the American Society for Testing and Materials, an organization that develops standards for various industries.Many local toy companies require their own set of tests at independent labs, such as Bureau Veritas in Buffalo, N.Y. Mass retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target require a second set of tests done by labs of their choice."
The Web site BFAds.net, which listed the Black Friday sales at dozens of retailers days and weeks in advance, is extending their life by tracking down online sales today, Cyber Monday. (The thought is that after browsing stores over the weekend people find the best price online and make the purchase today.) They list the sales for Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Circuit City, Staples, Buy.com, Sears, Kmart, Overstock.com, OfficeMax $30 off $200 purchase with coupon code ELF.
Retailers who have extended their Black Friday prices to today are listed here.
One reader got a great deal on a 46-inch LCD HDTV Saturday by outsmarting a retailer that teased a really low price but immediately "sold out" because they stocked an artificially low number of the product. Circuit City advertised a Sharp Aquos HDTV for $1299, he writes. "But by the time I realized I wanted it on Saturday afternoon, they were sold out of it at every store in LA and online. So I took the circular to Sears and got them to price match it (and) include 10% of the difference. They were selling it for $1999 so I got it for $1229. They had to order it though. I'll have it in about 10 days. I'm very, very excited."
Note today's price tag is $2,327. Find a Sears near you.
Caveat: The Sears folks did hassle him a little so he went to a second Sears. At the first one the employee said they don't price match on one or two days sales, which is not part of their price match policy. At the second Sears it wasn't a problem. For a few hours of work and a little bit of driving around, he got his TV on super sale. Thanks for sharing, Josh!
The Web site SheKnows.com recommends 10 sites for women to do their holiday shopping on (although looking at the list I don't see any reason why these sites would appeal more to women than men. It's not like everything's in pink.) Most of these you have probably already heard of (Amazon.com anyone?) A few others sound interesting.
1. Newegg.com -- Competitive prices on more than 25,000 computer hardware, software, consumer electronics and communications products.
2. Overstock.com -- A "Gift Finder" allows you to select the occasion,age range, relationship and interest and provides affordable ideas.
3. Froogle.google.com -- Find everything here from mullet wigs to gourmet gift baskets at the best price thanks to their search engine.
4. Become.com -- Find buying guides, communicate with other shoppers and access "Search Zoom" to help prioritize search results.
5. Surprise.com -- Aggregates a unique gift ideas ranging from maid service to yoga classes from hundreds of different websites.
6. MySimon.com -- Provides a helpful gift guide where shoppers can browse Oprah’s "favorite things" and compare prices.
7. TheFind.com -- Offers an "unbiased and objective product ranking engine." [me: unclear what makes it unbiased]
8. Nextag.com -- Features easy-to-find shipping and tax information.
9. Amazon.com -- One of the largest of the Web’s shopping sites and still a favorite offering gift wrapping, great sales items and used products for those seeking the best deal.
10. Smarter.com -- Keeps close tabs on the "bad merchants" which are quickly given the boot.
For Cyber Monday (the online continuation of Black Friday shopping) Costco has a number of online only deals, with prices good to Dec 10, 2007. A TomTom GPS device is $150 off, a 47-inch LCD HDTV is $300 off, jewelry is discounted, a massage chair is $500 off, a Dell notebook is $300 off, an espresso maker is $200 off. Lots more markdowns on furniture, gifts, appliances, electronics, and gear for your home. Note many of the prices listed are "delivered." So that includes shipping fees, which can be hefty on many items. Use this price to compare others.
It's time to update the Consumer Reports magazine When to Buy calendar from the July 2007 issue of ShopSmart. Based on their infinite wisdom, they suggest certain months for buying certain bigger ticket items to maximize the bang for your buck. In Nov, they say it is a good time to buy a new car, bike, computer, gas grill and toys. In Dec, they list everything in Nov plus a TV, and small consumer electronics (all those competing holiday sales really do add up in your favor). In Jan it's a good time to buy bedding, CDs and DVDs, cookware, houses and condos, linens, swimwear, toys, treadmills, TVs, and winter clothing.