Shop Without Breaking Quarantine

We've all been inside (or at least at home) for a while now and I keep thinking about all the shopping I would like to do, but can't. One item that would be very helpful right now is a simple card.  In fact, if you are like me, you buy greeting cards all year around, usually at the last minute.  Have you noticed that the "quick card" you buy at the grocery or big box store costs a lot more these days?  Why not save some money AND open the economy for a small business?

Etsy!!  Here are some great card sellers I found on Etsy.  The prices are generally less than you pay in the store, even if you pay shipping (and many sellers now offer free shipping).  The trick to this card hack is that you need to buy a collection in advance so you have them on hand when you need them.  Or, here is a thought, what about sending one in the mail NOW?  You may have a little time on your hands to spare a personal thought . . .

These cards come with a social distancing theme from HALOdesignsSHOP.  They have a bunch of designs in sets for as low as $10.50 for 5 flat cards.  Shipping is free if you purchase $34 or more.

If you like more artistic cards for any occasion with nothing inside, here are some stunning ones from LDawningScott starting at $13.00.

MichelleMospens has lovely floral watercolor cards and they are very reasonably priced as well.

Artists like CarlaBosch offer this boxed set of 20 all occasion cards for $24.95 with free shipping!

Do you prefer photographic cards?  Here's a set from CatulpaBay with gorgeous landscapes - 20 landscapes in 5x7 for only $25.00 and free shipping.

If cats are your thing, here are some super value handmade embossed cards with three dimensional cats from Wallridge Farm.

Or The Best Card Company has gone to the dogs - with quotes!

I think you get the picture.  There are nearly one million listings on Etsy when you search "greeting card."  Pick your occasion, a set, what you want to see on the card in your search and I guarantee you will find something that suits your fancy.

Get out there and support small businesses without the risk to health!

cindy

Dorm Shopping 101

While it might be more practical to talk about what you need to buy for school supplies in college, the real hot topic for the new college student is the stuff that might be more exciting - dorm or apartment shopping.  Actually, this post is focussed on dorm life because that's what I know best.  Even though it's been many years since I was in college, I lived in a dorm all four years, including 2 as a resident advisor.

First of all, there are MANY websites and blogs that have lists of what you MUST have (or at least that's what they say).  I have a bunch of them compiled on my Pinterest board College.  (Even if you don't need help with the shopping list, you will want to check out my board because there are over 70 pins about all aspects of college life.  I also have a board Dorm DIY. 

BEFORE you go shopping, there are three things to know/remember:
1.  Have you talked to your prospective roommate about decorating or other layout decisions?
2.  Do you have the dimensions/layout of the room?  If you don't you should seriously consider waiting until after you see the room/closet before buying anything that takes up space.
3.  Space is at a premium and organization is the key.  Keep that in mind as you buy big items you might not need.
Regardless of the specific things you choose to buy for your dorm room, here are some areas you need to cover.

Bath Stuff 

• You need towels, but don't buy too many.  While you might be spoiled at home by using a different clean towel every time you take a shower, your mother is no longer doing your laundry and you don't have room for all of those towels.  Consider monogrammed or patterned towels - they don't get "lost" as easily. 
• If you are living with a communal bathroom, you will need a caddy for your toiletries. Consider a plastic bath caddy.  I personally like the plastic bath caddies you can carry because when they inevitably get grungy with soap and shampoo residue, you just take them in the shower and hose them down.  Mesh caddies are harder to clean than solid ones.  This is an example of something best purchased at a dollar store.
• Water shoes - if you are using a communal bathroom, you will thank me later.  If you insist upon using flip-flops, get the very flattest ones you can find and try to ones with some traction.  Otherwise, just use pool shoes.

Bedding

• In addition to a set of sheets, you need a good mattress topper - not just the mattress cover.  Also, don't go too cheap on the sheets.  You can find great deals, but low thread counts and a couple of washes will keep you up at night on scratchy sheets.  Go for the higher thread count, and don't forget a good pillow! 
• A sleep mask can be very useful if you and your roommate keep different study hours. 
• Bed risers, but only after you actually see the room and the bed. 
• You will need a comforter/bedspread/top blanket, but this is another one of those things you will want to wait and coordinate with your roommate (unless you're a guy because guys don't always care about coordinated bedding).

Desk

• Tech corner - charging station, headphones, extra long charging cord and wireless speaker
• Laptop with cover.  The cover is a must for all of the traveling your laptop will see.
• Power strip - look for a flexible one that can curve around furniture.  Power outlets are a premium in dorm rooms, so try to minimize the number of items you must plug in.  
• A desk calendar/bulletin board/organizer is really helpful.  You might also want to consider a small one for the wall so you and your roommate have some idea when one of you will be out, have a big test or wanting some private time in the room.

Closet/Storage Area

• Full length mirror on closet door - it may be the only one available outside of the bathroom and it might make your room look bigger.  Use Command hooks to hang it.
• Laundry bag - I like this better than plastic baskets because they can hang, take up less space and are easy to sling over your shoulder (or drag) when they are full
• Storage bins - It's important to get the right size for under your bed - whether it is raised or not. Again, this might be one of those things that might wait until you are actually at school to see the bed.
• Over the door hanger/basket/pouches for storage.  Hopefully you are able to put the full length mirror on one side of the closet door and the hanging storage on the other side
• Hangers - the kind of hangers may be dependent on how many clothes you have and the size of your closet.  You don't want the pretty expensive padded or wooden hangers if your can't fit enough of them in your closet.  A good inexpensive solution is to cover wire hangers with yarn or foam to pad them.

Other Important Stuff 

• Think carefully about a refrigerator.  Some places won't allow them and they do take up space and a power outlet.  I would also think twice about a microwave.  If you and your roommate can share and have the space, they can be great, but if you don't know you will use them, don't bother.
• Fan - Cooling, air circulation and white noise when you're trying to sleep
• Disinfecting wipes - I can't describe all the ways you might use these
• Command hooks - you can't put nails in the walls. 
• First aid kit/common medicines/prescription list - the first time you get a cold you will be happy you have this.  You will need a Band-aid at some point and a complete list of your prescriptions (with dosages, pharmacy information and doctor) is important to have readily available.

Finally, when I was in school, there was no technology.  Today, there are so many gadgets and apps you can get to make your life at school easier, more organized and successful.  Keep your music online or in digital format.  Use your phone to watch TV or movies.  Use of technology is not only more efficient, but solves one of the biggest problems of dorm living - lack of space.

Stop by tomorrow and we can start talking about the details of decorating!

cindy

Give a Girl $1,000 and Shop!

*This was originally posted two years ago, but I love it so much I can't help repeating.  Plus, it's still a great idea!

Unlimited shopping spree?  Well, not exactly.  Today I visited a very busy mall the day after Black Friday with two eight-year-old girls, my daughter and her friend.  Maybe it was a little crazy, but a super opportunity to use a little creativity to enjoy a "girl's day" without spending money at an upscale mall.  Before we went in, I gave the girls $1,000 each to spend any way they wanted.  That is, I gave them each a paper with $1,000 written at the top.  We were going on a pretend shopping spree!

We visited every store they wanted and picked out things each wanted.  We wrote them down and subtracted the amount from their $1,000.  First stop was The Disney Store where they spent the most money.  They love those stuffed animals!

Next stop, Build a Bear Workshop.  Kenzie actually did have some money, so she bought a bear.  Otherwise, the spree continued.

Those stops left us about $800.  But there was still shopping to do!

We found a great kiosk with gorgeous (and expensive) hair accessories.  We had to try them out:

We checked out the Toy and Hobby shop and Paradise Bakery for a few sugar cookies.  Then Mom picked the next store - Brookstone!  That set each of us back about $200 - wow!

 They have some awesome stuff!

Our last stop was to visit the big guy to share our lists:

What a great time!  We each finished with about $600 left over and had a nice restaurant lunch.

On a serious note, this was a tremendous learning experience for the girls to spend "their money" and realize they are a little more frugal than they would be with someone else's money.  It also allowed us to enjoy window shopping without feeling we wanted "something".  It gave us moms a much needed hint on the Christmas lists.  Best of all, it was so much fun - I don't know who had more fun - me or them!  We will definitely do it again!

Happy shopping!

cindy 

Sugar Sugar

During a recent shopping trip, my daughter and I discovered utopia.

Utopia is It's Sugar, a new store that recently made its appearance in Arizona.  Many of you may be familiar with it, because there are locations in 17 other states and in several international locations.  We just call it utopia.

It's a feast for the eyes, with rows of loose candy in clear containers so you can buy whatever assortment you want by the pound.

  

You won't believe the selection - so many candies that we "older" people remember from our childhoods that you can't easily find: Lemonheads, Boston Baked Beans, sour gummy worms, orange slices, Spree and Sugar Daddy.  For me, the multiple chocolate covered stuff was intoxicating - raisins, every kind of nut, pretzels, cookie dough, cake batter.  Heck, they could covered about anything in chocolate and I would love it!

It's Sugar has an oversized candy collection that only exists in sugar dreams.  Look at the ones above.  Who knew there was a 1 pound Snickers bar??  This thing is huge!  You can also find the largest Reese Peanut Butter Cups, Twizzlers, Peeps and a giant sheet of Rice Krispies Treats.  Some of the fun ones, included a 5 pound gummy bear, the largest gummy worm and a box of Peeps that will send you into the most intense sugar high ever!

Mackenzie settled on the big gummy bear on a stick.  I think this thing weighed about half a pound. (Beware of those giant gummies - you need to wrap them or they will become rock hard!)














We also enjoyed the giant Hershey Chocolate sauce piggy banks.  A girl can dream, right?


As you can guess, there are lots of novelties (some of which are not appropriate for children). I was told by the nice saleslady that the stores in Las Vegas have some pretty naughty stuff. Here's a few magnets I loved (sorry for the marginal pictures).

This place was so entertaining (and intoxicating), I'm definitely going to have a hard time staying away.

Don't forget about Valentine's Day!

cindy

Cyber Monday - How To

Tomorrow is the big day - Cyber Monday.  Some retailers are calling it Cyber Week.  (Those are probably the ones that were open on Thanksgiving.)  While it's awesome to shop in your pajamas (or at your desk at work), there are a few things you should know.  Here are the tips, and at the bottom of this post I have the best prices for a few popular items.

1.  Make sure your computer has security software that is up to date.  Also, if you use Microsoft, check to make sure it is up to date.  Don't assume - go into the program on settings and look for "updates" and run it to be sure.

2.  Don't be surprised if websites load slowly.  Don't even bother to try dial-up.  Don't assume that it's OK to use your work computer to shop.  Remember, it's not your computer.  It is your employer's computer and your employer has the right to retrieve any information you look at or search for (something to keep in mind every day of the year.)

3.  DO NOT USE PUBLIC INTERNET OR UNSECURED WI-FI.  This includes the library, the free wi-fi at restaurants, libraries, hotels or anywhere else.  This also applies to your cell phone.  Use the phone line, not the wi-fi.  If you use wi-fi, you might as well write your credit card information on your forehead.

4.  Don't use a debit card or account routing number for your transactions.  Stick with a credit card or Paypal.  They provide protection for bad transactions.

5.  Make sure you only enter financial information into encrypted sites.  Look for "https" at the beginning of the URL and a closed padlock on the lower right corner.  It should be on every page that asks for personal information.

6.  If the site is loading slowly, don't resend information on the order (financial information etc) by pressing "send" again because you may end up buying more than one of the product.  Be sure to check your receipt and print it.  Check that receipt against the one in the shipping box when you receive the item.  If there is a discrepancy, call the vendor immediately.

7.  If the deal is too good to be true, it probably is.  If you aren't familiar with the vendor, check for reviews.  This is especially true if you came to the website by clicking on a link.  Use Google to look up the business.  Also, be careful what you are clicking.  Watch out for peripheral ads or links through emails.  Be very wary if you see you are being redirected as the website is loading.  You may just be bait for phishers or inviting key stroke loggers over for dinner.

8.  Don't buy things online this week unless you are getting FREE SHIPPING.  Everyone is offering free shipping and the difference of paying for shipping can quickly turn that great price into a bad deal. Also, make sure the item is in stock and an estimated delivery date.  If the item is out of stock, find out the estimated availability date and try to reserve it without paying now.

9.  Think about setting up a new email before you start shopping.  The email addresses you enter at those websites will be flooded with advertisements.  Most are probably legitimate, but if you use the same email for important communications, you won't want to wade through hundred of emails a week to find the important communications.

10.  Don't feel pressured to buy NOW because the price seems really good.  You may miss the best deal, but if you aren't sure you want or need the item, it's not a good idea to buy it.  Everything will be on sale (and should ship for free) until December 15.

Shopping for the "best" deal can be tedious and you may waste a lot of time to save pennies.  Here are a few "deals" I found tonight, but it literally took me a couple of hours.  Stick to the main retailers (Amazon, Walmart, Target) for most items, and a few other specialty retailers.

X-Box 360 console - $189 at Walmart

UGG Boots - Chestnut short Women $131.71 and Kids $101.00 at shoes.com

Master Moves Mickey $48.85 (Amazon & Walmart)

Fisher Price Jake and the Neverland Pirates $39 (Target, Walmart, ToysRUs & Amazon)

(Don't wait too long for the toys because they do sell out)

Good luck and happy hunting for the great deals!

cindy

Gift Ideas - Little Princesses

Have I said how much I love shopping Etsy?  It's officially Black Friday, so it's time to shop for Christmas.  Previously, I provided suggestions for men and women.  Today let's work on the little girl in your life.  These items are for girls under 5, but also include some baby items that may be suitable for baby showers.  Click the picture to my Pinterest "Etsy Finds" board and then click through directly to the item on Etsy.  Without further ado:

Vintage Rag Doll 

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

5 Piece Bedding Set

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Mini Corker Hair Bows

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Pink & Grey Chevron Wood Blocks

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Lady Bug Tutu

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Felt Play Wands

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

These are just a few of the adorable items you can find on Etsy.  (SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT) Don't forget to check out my store Pretty Pretty Cindy for some other inexpensive gift ideas.  I will keep posting in the upcoming days for baby/toddler boys, bigger little girls (6-11), little boys and teens.

Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving - on with the Christmas shopping.  Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday, so patronize the fine businesses on Etsy.  Also, don't forget this Monday is Cyber Monday!  Visit your favorite on-line retailers for some great deals without leaving the comfort of your home (or desk).

cindy

Who Stole My Twinkie?

By now you have heard the news - the Twinkie, Ding Dong, HoHo, Suzy Q, Chocolate Cupcake - GONE!  Yeah, we've been hearing rumors for a while now that Hostess was closing forever and taking the Twinkies with it.  But I never thought I'd see the day when these important parts of my childhood weren't there for my children. {sigh}

Tonight, I went on a noble quest to find the last Twinkie.  It was an odyssey that took me through six grocery stores, a big box store, a drug store and a convenience store.  Epic.

First stop - Target.  They're big, gotta have it, right?  Nope.

That's it.  Strawberry Cupcakes?  Chocolate Cream Twinkies?  WTH?  Little did I know I was looking at the best selection I would see tonight.  I scooped up the box of Suzy Qs and moved on.

Next stop - Frys (Kroger for those of you in different parts of the U.S.).  Gotta be more, right?

More chocolate cream Twinkies!?!  They don't even look good on the box!  These were the last Twinkies I would see.  Meanwhile, Little Debbie was right there to mock me.  Check out these Cupcake, HoHo and Ding Dong wannabes:

Fresh & Easy - ummm, no.  I don't think Twinkies ever showed up there.

Safeway (Vons for the California crowd).  I had high expectations.  Too bad for me - crickets.

AND more mocking:

At this point I was running out of big supermarkets.  I gave Albertson's a chance.

I knew it was over.  No Twinkie stockpile.  No Ding Dong stash.  Only fake Cupcakes and HoHos in the future.  There had to be a place where there would be something!  Time to go to the K

I picked up a cherry pie and trudged to the door.  At least I got to taste that salty cherry filling in the sugar glazed crust.

I heard that Hostess is going to sell the Twinkie name and recipe, so I'm sure we will see our old friends again.  Let's just hope they don't look like bad cosmetic surgery.

cindy

Christmas Shopping Yet?

Halloween is coming and Thanksgiving will rush by on its heels.  Then the intense fear and desperation sets in.  How do I find a special/unique/desired/timely/inexpensive/wrappable gift for my spouse/child/mother/brother/cousin/great-grandmother or our mailman/babysitter/Starbuck's barista/landscaper/boss/employee?  It can ruin your happy holidays.

Have you ever considered Etsy?  I can hear a few of you - what's Etsy?  Etsy is the premier source for all things creative and handmade.  There are things you might expect on a website for handmade items, but Etsy is so much more.  It includes vintage items and supplies for the creative people of the world.  That's right - the world.  Etsy's reach (and sellers) are from all over the world, so the most unique and one-of-a-kind gift is waiting for you on Etsy.

Each week through the middle of December, I'm going to feature items from all kinds of artisans on Etsy.  I'm not going to feature any description of the items (other than the name), so I can get you a lot of eye candy.  Ready?  Set?  Go!

This week I'll feature 10 items for the woman in your life - wife, mom, sister, grandmother, etc.

"Forgive" handmade postcards with envelopes:

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Vintage 60's bag and shoes

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Multi-functional I-pod stand

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Monogrammed Flower Bag

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Catholic Charm Bracelet

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Vintage Look Nightgown

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Sage Pillar Candle

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Sage Green Quartz Necklace

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Woodland Garden Apron

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Grandma "Nana" Keychain

Source: etsy.com via Cindy on Pinterest

Whew!  I could go on and on, but you get the idea.  Hopefully, you noticed this too:  not one of these items cost more than $100, and only one cost more than $50!  If you are interested in any of these items, click the picture which will take you to my Pinterest page and then click the picture there to go to the Etsy listing.  While you are at Pinterest, you can "like" my page so you can see all of the items on my "Etsy Finds" board.  You can always repin any of these images to keep the Etsy links.

I could easily find 100 more unique items on Etsy.  Look for more Etsy finds next week right here, or better yet, start your own Christmas shopping on Etsy today.

Don't forget to take a look at my little Etsy shop - Pretty Pretty Cindy

cindy