Doing a lot of shopping is fun, but it can be dangerous if you’re  not leery of all the scams out there!  In order to keep up with everything, I read Consumerist every day.  Consumerist “…empowers consumers by informing and entertaining them about the top consumer issues of the day.”  In short, Consumerist reports on scams, companies that offer ‘deals’ that aren’t really ‘deals’,  shady corporate practices, and bad customer service.  The articles are humorous and light, but very revealing at the same time.   Have you heard of an electronics ‘buy back’ program?  Well all is not as it seems according to the Consumerist reporters. Read about it here.   Are you constantly having issues with your cable provider? Read one consumers harrowing story here.

I really value all the information I get from Consumerist. They are doing all of us a service by sniffing out these scams.

Check it out and let me know what you think!!! Go to Consumerist, the site for Consumers Who Bite Back!!

I had never heard of Quirky until this week when I met the CEO and founder, Ben Kaufman, at a Consumer Reports media and marketing summit. Let me tell you, I now know all about Quirky, and I feel like it is my duty to share this awesome company with our readers!

Quirky is a company that creates new products based on people’s ideas and inventions.  That is right, you and I can submit our ideas to them, and the panel of board members votes weekly on which ideas could actually become a viable product to be sold in real life!  I think this concept is amazing. The collaboration between Quirky board members, employees and the online community is incredibly innovative, and it works!  Read about the Quirky Process here.

While at the meeting, Ben showed us the latest product to hit the shelves. Its called Pivot Power, and it is a power strip that is movable and bendable so you can actually plug everything in to just one power strip!  Check out the video here .

Quirky sells everything from pet products to wine racks. Everything has a new and unique spin to it, as evidenced by this Bobble Brush, a toothbrush holder that bobbles and always keeps your brush upright and clean! How cool is this?

If you are like me, there is someone in your life that has everything and seems to need nothing!  Check out Quirky’s array of unique and quirky gifts and you are sure to be the one who gives them the best gift.  This is one of my new go to sites and I cant wait for the holidays to roll around again. Happy Shopping everyone!

Back-to-school can be a stressful time for all of us, especially when so many of us are struggling to make ends meet in this weak economy. I’ve thrown together a list of ways that you can save money this back-to-school season.

1. Shop the sales
   Every year stores that sell school supplies fall over each other to provide the best deals to get you to buy in their stores. Watch the flyers every week (Google the store name and the date of the flyer and you’ll find sneak previews of future sales).
2. Use coupons
   Be sure to get your Sunday paper to clip the many coupons that are now out for school supplies. Check out Slickdeals.net for great coupon match-ups with your local grocery store – to make packing your kid’s lunches much easier on your pocketbook.
3. Hit the Dollar Store
   I was just in the Dollar Store last week and there are tons of school supplies (and lunch snacks) for only $1. You’ll be nary to find school supplies anywhere for that price, so stock up while the deals last.
4. Target & WalMart are your friend
   Why spend hundreds more at those malls stores when you can pick up some really great fashions at Target or WalMart. Sure, your kids may give you a hard time about it. Make a deal with them – one item at their favorite store and the basic staples (socks, underwear, jeans and t-shirts) at the discount chain.
5. Don’t overlook TJMaxx, Marshalls and AJ Wright
   If your kiddies just can’t get enough of those brand names, be sure to hit the designer discount stores. Often you’ll find the labels your kids want at much, much less than department and specialty stores.
6. Get Cash Back
   If you’re doing your shopping online this year, be sure to start off at Ebates. Not only do they have some of the best discounts online, but you also get a percentage (up to 10% in some cases) of your purchase right back in your pocket. Sign up at Ebates and get an additional $5 cash back with your first purchase.
7. Get Points
   If you use a credit card and you aren’t getting points for your purchases, you’re definitely missing out. There are so many rewards cards out there with great rates and great programs that provide points for each purchase redeemable for anything from cash back to gift certificates to flights around the world. Be sure to pay off your balance each month to make the most of this benefit.
8. Take advantage of tax-free holidays
   Many states are jumping on the tax-free holiday bandwagon by announcing special tax-free shopping days at this time of the year. If your state taxes clothing purchases (unlike Massachusetts) be sure to take advantage of these great holidays. Be sure to plan your day and get out early – it’s always a big shopping day!
9. Go Thrift-y
   You’ve probably noticed the trend towards worn-out, raggedy type clothing. In fact, many of those higher end retailers are charging sky-high prices for something that looks like it came out of a thrift store. Wait a minute – why not go to the actual thrift store? You’re likely to pick up some great retro and lovingly-worn clothing that your kids will love. And reusing clothing is good for the environment.
10. Hit Craigslist and eBay
    They’re the thrift stores of the information age. You’d be amazed at the deals you can find! Be sure to check out the “free” section on Craigslist. One person’s trash is another’s treasure.

Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Staples blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Next week I’ll be back in school full-time for the first time in more than a decade. Besides the obvious draw of the learning and career opportunities and all of that good stuff, I have to admit why I’m really doing it.
I am addicted to school supplies.
I’ve always written, so it’s no shock that I love cool pens, but it goes beyond that. Paper, folders, planners – you name it. Maybe it’s the promise of starting over that a new notebook promises, or the sense of order that a new binder suggests to my paper-challenged self. Like most things in life, I’d say it’s a combination of factors that up to my status as a fool for office and school supplies.
Oh well. All things considered, markers in funky colors and five-subject notebooks are one of my more benign vices. So I’ve taken a look around and located some “grown-up” options for taking yourself back to school (or to the office, for that matter) in style.
Paperchase is a UK-based company that carries some of the coolest gift and stationery items around. The keyword for Paperchase is “color”.
You can’t be afraid of a jazzy pattern here, or a butterfly on your notebook there. I may not bring this fun pencil case into my grad school classroom, but I’d definitely keep it on my desk at home.
Online shopping for Paperchase is only available in the UK through AmazonUK. Stateside, you can find their merchandise in the gift and greeting card section of most Border’s Books and Music stores. A recent stroll through a location near me turned up a ton of pens, notebooks, and other supplies that would work for me at home or school.
Levenger’s – “tools for serious readers” – is a great source for beautiful (although pricey) portfolios, notebooks, furniture, briefcases and totes, and, of course, reading tools. Their online sale section, however, has plenty of fun and more affordable options for students. This “desktop turnabout”, for instance, is a compact turntable that elevates the book and lets you turn around. It’s a great multi-tasking tool, especially for holding a book open while taking notes. It’s currently marked down to $34.95 from $48.00.
The Container Store has a fabulous assortment of office and back-to-school supplies. Items like these cool Circa folders are part of the current Summer Sale, priced at $4.99 online for a pack of four.
And since multiple electronic tools are part of our lives these days, these cable ids are indispensable for keeping up to eight different cords separated by color. $6.99 is a steal compared to the time it takes to unravel cords and follow them back to the source.
I’ve stocked up. Now I just need to get to work!

If you’re like me, you’re choosy about your pens. You probably have a specific favorite that you love to write with, correct?
Well, let me introduce you to the Sakura Pigma Micron by Sakura! They come in various colors and sizes; I prefer the .05, which is a 0.45mm line width, in Blue and Black. The ink is archival quality, which means it’s waterproof and will not fade, perfect for drawings or journals.

The Pink Olive’s “fashionista” journal is the cutest, most adorably-girly notebook I have ever seen! Each page features beautiful color illustrations of a fashionista going about her normal everyday activities, such as dressing for work, checking out her outfit in a full-length mirror, and window shopping in the city.
This journal, published by Coco Press, is the perfect size to stash away in my purse to jot down quick notes and keep track of my to-do’s. Not a fashionista like me? (kidding) Check out Grace Kang’s other unique, charming gifts and accessories on Pink Olive Boutique! There is something for everyone, including every bride-to-be, mommy-to-be, kids, and even your dog!

A cute little twist on the zen garden concept, this Executive Mini Sandbox – Beach Break from is the perfect gift for the office-mate or boss who is particularly difficult to buy for this time of year. The site’s description just says it all:

Have a little fun while you work, and keep your space clean at the same time, with these adorable Animal Screen Lint Cleaners. When you’ve been working hard, and your computer screen fills with dust, keep these little guys handy to clear the air for you. My favorite’s the spider – but don’t be scared of this eight-legged office assistant, she’s only here to help!

Getting tired of seeing that dull, worn-out mouse pad day after day? Maybe it’s time to brighten up your desk area with these PepperPot Mouse Pads. The patterns recall the hip 1970s, and the pads are cushioned to support you through hours of Internet shopping . . . um, I mean, work. Yeah, that’s it. Lots of work. See, these mouse pads are so fun, they even make work seem like shopping! They even coordinate with PepperPot File Folders and Business Card Holders, as well as the PepperPot Spotted Groove CD Holder.