34% off at JCPenny

Right now you can save 34% shopping online at JCPenny. Here's how:

1. Purchase a giftcard from Cardpool. Currently, JCPenny giftcards are at a whopping 28% off! You can choose to have the physical card mailed free to you (for use both instore and online), but that will take a few days. Or you can buy an electronic giftcard (online orders only) and the code will be emailed to you within 24 hours. For me, it took 5 hours.
2. Create an account on Ebates. Right now they are offering 6% cashback if you use their JCPenny link to start shopping. The 6% may last a day or two, but it's possible it may drop back to 3% tomorrow, so don't wait too long.
3. Go to jcpenney.com and start shopping! Use code "JCPSHIP" to get free shipping for orders over $50 (before tax). If your order is less than $50, most items are available for free store pickup. Combine the two steps and you will save 34% without leaving the comfort of your desk!

Note: To doubly make sure you are getting your Ebates, what I like to do is just load up the shopping cart with my final order. Then before checkout, open another browser window. Go to Ebates and link back to JCPenny. Your items should still be in your cart. Check out with your giftcard, and within a day, Ebates will send you a confirmation of your 6% cashback amount. Easy! The funds will be available to you in three months in case you return any items.

A few notable items for sale:

Nike Slide Sandal

Almost as comfy as Crocs, but no way as ugly.

Normally $20, now on sale for $15. $10 after discount.

Adult Rashguard Swimshirt

Why do only kids have swimshirts? I want one to keep me warm and eliminate the forgetful habit of applying sunblock. Plus, it'll hide my farmer's tan and hairy armpits.

Normally $15, now on sale for $12. $8 after discount.

Captain America T-shirt

Yeah! What's not to love? Other TV/Movie designs also available.

Normally $10, now on sale for $7. $4.62 after discount.

I am sure you will find lots of other items suitable for your taste and budget. 34% instantly turns sale items into clearance items. I'm sure you'll have no problem getting to $50. Happy shopping!

Avoid the Droid

For those of you sitting on a fence deciding whether to get an iPhone or an Android, today there was a very interesting article on SFGate. I pasted it below.

My favorite quote:

So when users buy an Android phone, what will they get? That depends. How will they get new apps? That also depends. Will those apps work with every Android phone? Probably not.

If you're already on iTunes, there's no reason to downgrade to the Android market. You'll have to reorganize your music/movies and rebuy/download all your apps. The simpler way is to just have one iTunes library for all your media that you can distribute seamlessly across all your Apple devices. Sounds like a no-brainer to me. I can't understand why anyone would want to fragment their media into another marketplace, another file system, just to save a few bucks on that buy-one-get-one free Motorola. But of course if I'm talking to a peecee user, you're already use to doing things the hard way for the sake of saving a few bucks. Carry on, my tortured friend.

All the goodies you get with iOS like Facetime, Airplay, and Airprint, you won't get any of that on a droid, sorry. And don't just take my word. I have a reader who recently swapped her iPhone 4 for a work-issued Sprint EVO. Now she can't sync her iPhoto, music, nor share games with her son, or do Facetime with her iPhone-toting hubby or her iPod Touch. The EVO is chunkier but yet the battery life can't even last a day. Go figure.

And I have another friend who opted for a cheaper Droid only to lose all its photos forever for no reason. Fact is, no mobile operating system is as stable, unified and mature as iOS. And no app store has as many offerings as the Apple App Store. Did you know J.D. Power rated Apple highest in smartphone customer satisfaction four years running?

Spend a little more on an iPhone now, and you'll get it all back when you resell it. Remember, with Android, you'll only get what you deserve.

---

Amazon's Android Store Will Make Android Even Messier

Amazon's Android app store, which the company opened to developers this morning, will offer a better experience than the current Android Marketplace run by Google. Apps will be vetted by Amazon (much like Apple does with iTunes), which will get rid of a bunch of crummy apps that don't work right or feature unsavory content like porn.

That's good news for Android users, right?

Not necessarily. Having separate app stores for the same platform contributes to the biggest problem facing Android: fragmentation into a bunch of slightly different platforms, each offering slightly different experiences and supporting different apps. That's not a smooth user experience.

Users have already seen Verizon swap out Google search for Bing search on some phones, and Angry Birds developers Rovio have complained that the app doesn't work as well on some older versions of the platform, forcing them to build a "light" version. Android tablets will require powerful hardware, which means that apps which run fine on them might not run at all on earlier smartphone versions of the platform.

But the problem could get much worse from here. As developer Kevin Marks explained on his blog yesterday--and TechCrunch elaborated on--there are actually two Androids. Most popular Android phones are certified by Google and come with various Google apps built in, such as Gmail and Google Talk. But there's also the underlying Android operating system, which is open-source and can be customized by phone makers, carriers, and even Google competitors like Facebook.

As third parties build more customized phones on Android, expect more unique apps to emerge for each platform--imagine Zynga apps built for a Facebook Android phone, or a specialized Motorola app for backing up music and video, for instance. Amazon's Android app store will be a perfect venue for apps that Google might otherwise not highlight.

So when users buy an Android phone, what will they get? That depends. How will they get new apps? That also depends. Will those apps work with every Android phone? Probably not.

In 2010, users didn't seem to care, and bought phones based on Android anyway. But as the platform fragments further in 2011, that could change.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/01/05/businessinsider-amazons-android-store-will-make-android-even-messier-2011-1.DTL#ixzz1ABakENxT

Welcome to iOS

Thanks to Bank of the West and Christmas gift giving, many of you received either an iPod Touch, iPhone, or iPad. For many of you, this will be your first Apple product ever! Congratulations! You are about to enter the Apple ecosystem known as iOS. So get ready, as your life is about to change dramatically for the better. And for those of you who opted for an Android or a Best Buy $299 peecee craptop, good for you too, because you truly got what you deserved.

Free Apps
The biggest appeal being on iOS is the iTunes App Store. There are over 300,000 apps available, both paid and free. Many of the free apps are trial versions that have limited functionality or perhaps just the first few levels of a game. The apps you really want are the full version apps, but for free. Most full version paid apps are only offered free for a very limited time. The best website to find out what paid apps are free daily is freeappalert.com. Bookmark it and check everyday, or subscribe to the RSS feed.

Best Stuff
Engadget recently had an useful article "Just got an iPhone?" It's a brief summary of what's available for the iOS products. Another place I like to go for research is iLounge.com where you can research how-to's or sign up as a member to post questions where tons of knowledgeable people can answer. The apps I personally use the most are iBART (BART schedules), WhatsApp (instant messaging via wifi), and Tango (Facetime/phone over wifi and 3G). And of course, Navigon MyRegion for the iPhone or iPad 3G.

Accessories
If you go to the Apple Store or visit the kiosks inside the mall, you'll find that cases and screen protectors will cost upward of $15 and $7 respectively. If you go on ebay you'll find cases and 3-pack screen protectors starting at 99¢. These products are shipped from China so you can take comfort that you're keeping some 11-yo girl employed at the sweat shop. It will also take two weeks to arrive. If you need it sooner, select a US seller, pay an extra dollar or two, and you should receive in three days. So shop the kiosk and touch and feel the one you like. Then come home and find the exact item on ebay for 1/10th the price. Same applies to chargers and cables. Get a few to leave at the office, car, and each computer.

Jailbreak
Jailbreaking will allow you to customize the icons, background and broadcasting (tethering) your 3G signal. It will also allow you to unlock your iPhone for use on T-Mobile. And it will allow you to install unauthorized and pirated apps. So unless you're on T-Mobile or tethering your unlimited data plan for your iPad to piggyback on, I would not recommend jailbreaking. With the latest 4.2 iOS, some of the jailbreak-only features (background, folders, etc) are already included. If you really want to jailbreak, contact me offline, as there are many different procedures for the many different configurations. iPhone Hacks is one of the sites I subscribe to for jailbreaking instructions. For Mac users, iClarified has some great tutorials. If you want to try, here it is: Instructions for jailbreaking iPod Touch 4g

Halo Effect
Back during the days of the iPhone infancy, many industry pundits spoke of the Apple Halo Effect. It states that non-Mac users with first time Apple experience are causing them to purchase a Mac for the first time also. They realize Apple products just work, and work well – a far departure from the peecee environment. For the last five years, Macs have outpaced the entire computer market in terms of sales growth. So obviously many many people are making the smarter choice to switch. My question to you is: Will you see the light and switch too?

Cardpool.com

Today as a treat to my readers, I have Cez as a guest blogger. Her and her husband have been fans of my blog from the very beginning. They send me tips and gentle reminders whenever I'm lagging on the blogging (as I have been lately – sorry). If you want to share something that my readers would enjoy, and you don't mind spending some time writing it out, you too can be a guest blogger! Please feel free to send me a note. Enjoy.


I was honored when WhoFongPaid asked me to write on his blog..  "become a guest blogger" he says. Now I feel sick... due to the pressure to write up to his professional level. He couldn't write this himself since he didn't experience it. But I felt that this was an important consumer tip that can not go unnoticed. So okay.. here it goes.

The holidays are just around the corner and if you're like me, I start making out my list now.. checking it twice.. and thinking of what to get for my family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, the mailman, newspaper lady (mine is a lady and I've been sending her a Christmas gift for the past 5 years) etc.. I really try to get something that that particular person would like and appreciate so it takes some time. Now, others may not take the effort and time I do to put some 'thought' into a gift and they go out December 24 to hunt for whatever is left on the shelves.  The easiest gift to get are.... drum roll.. gift cards! Who hasn't gotten any? Or too many? Especially from places that you never shop, eat or visit! What were they thinking?!?! What will I do with $50 worth of Peet's Coffee when I don't even drink coffee?? What a waste.. you say. You should have given me cash. I always take cash!! But they didn't and you're stuck with a $50 worth of coffee bean money.

Or are you like me.. that have a huge stack of gift cards waiting to be spent but you always forget to bring them with you when you get to the store so they never get used.

Here's a solution.. sell your gift card and get CASH back! Okay you can't get the full amount of the gift card but hey.. you didn't spend any money for it so technically you aren't losing any money. Getting some cash for an unused gift card that'll be sitting in your dresser for who knows how long is much better don't you think? And like I said before, CASH is good.. you can buy ANYTHING with cash!!

I had received $75 worth of Regal Theatre gift cards (from generous school parents.. last day of school teacher gifts) and since I'm in Fremont I never go all the way to Dublin to see a movie.. so I decided to sell them. You can't get the full price but what I got was better than nothing. I sold it to cardpool.com and they offered me $52.50 cash or $55.13 amazon gift card. I took the amazon since I shop there all the time. Within 24 hrs of them receiving my gift cards, I got my amazon card emailed to me. I didn't want to bother with ebay and I didn't want to regift the cards so I went this route. It was perfect and I got to spend it on what I wanted. Oh happy day!

You could also buy discounted gift cards from cardpool.com also. So check it out and get some good ol' cash for those unwanted gift cards!

Cardpool was created by two Asian guys who wanted to solve the problem of having unwanted gift cards. They are based in San Francisco and were recommended on the Today Show (which was where I saw them promoed) and on various other TV stations. It's a service that lets you buy gift cards up to 30% off or sell unwanted gift cards for cash. All orders and transactions include free shipping ( they'll send you a shipping label to print) and are covered by their extensive Purchase Guarantee Program which is if you're unsatisfied with your purchase for any reason, you can return it for a full refund. They guarantee that when you purchase a gift card from them it will be valid at the merchant to the dollar amount specified in your order. Guarantees are honored up to 100 days from the date of purchase.

Now to sell your unwanted gift card, you click on the "Sell Gift Cards" on the top menu, find the merchant of the card ( and they list ones from 76 Gas to CVS to Yankee Candle). If you have a card that they don't list, just contact them directly and see if they would buy it. After you find your merchant, type in the gift card amount. If you don't know the amount or balance on the card, just look it up on the website that should be listed on back of the gift card. Click on "Get Offer" and they will automatically tell you how much they will give you Cash for the card or if you like Amazon, they'll give a few dollars more if you choose a Amazon gift card as an exchange. If you choose 'Cash' they will send you a check via USPS First Class mail within 24 hours of receiving your gift cards. If you choose an Amazon.com gift card, they will send you the gift card via email within 24 hrs of receiving your gift cards. And since they are local, I received my Amazon gift card the day after I sent my cards.

If you're interested in buying discounted gift cards, just click on the "Buy Gift Cards" on the top menu and scroll down to see what they have available. It lists the value of the card, how much you pay and the percentage you save. It's that easy.

So happy shopping!
www.cardpool.com

Adoption Auction

Just when I thought I was going to retire from blogging, an incredible story comes along that just has to be shared: a story of faith, joy and creativity.

Our good friends Hebron and Kitty (the ones that cheat in mahjong) are planning to adopt a girl in China in December. To close the $13,000 shortfall of the $35,000 adoption cost, they've decided to host a silent auction. They've collected items and services donated from their friends and have listed them as auction items. Hebron, the impressive java whiz that he is, stayed up to 4 a.m. the last seven nights hand-coding the entire auction site!

The auction just started this morning and will end October 30 at 3:00 p.m.

I encourage you to help support them through this auction. And if you would like to support in another way, you can also donate new/newish items to the auction. So if you have something to offer, get it to me this weekend as Hebron will be adding more items on Sunday night.

You can read more about their story here:
http://maksters.blogspot.com/

You can visit the auction site here:
http://tinyurl.com/makauction

New iPods and Apple TV - Keynote Recap

As predicted, today Apple announced the newest updated line of iPods, including the iPod Touch with front/rear camera, HD video and retina display. So for those of you who signed up for the Bank of the West iPod promotion, chances are, you'll be receiving this latest model come December – I can't wait!!

For those of you still waiting for me to find you an unlocked iPhone, I would recommend going for the new iPod Touch instead. Sure, it may mean you'll have to carry both an iPod and a cell phone, but the new Touch is soooo much nicer than an old 3G/3GS, which lacks the hi-res display and Facetime. And the new Touch comes with the same superfast A4 chip found in the iPhone 4. Couple that with a battery that offers up to 40 hours of music or 7 hours of video, this is by far the most significant iPod upgrade in Apple's history.

With the new iPod Touch, street value for older models will drop big time. Here is my estimate for fair prices for used iPods and iPhones in good condition:

1st Generation iPod Touch – $80 generally avoid because it lacks a speaker
2nd Generation iPod Touch 8gb/16gb – $100/$125 (533mhz, 128ram)
3rd Generation iPod Touch 16gb/32gb/64gb – $150/$175/$200 (800mhz, 256ram)

iPhone 2G 8gb/16gb – $100/$120 (412mhz, 128 ram, no GPS)
iPhone 3G 8/gb/16gb – $150/$175 (412mhz, 128 ram, GPS, video with jailbreak)
iPhone 3GS 16gb/32gb – $225/$275 (600mhz, 256 ram, GPS, video)

Sure, you'll find plenty on Craigslist asking for way more than the above prices. But just because they are asking those prices doesn't mean they are selling at those prices. And the longer you wait, the cheaper they will get. Remember, iPhone 4's are still selling briskly (according to the keynote, Apple is activating 230,000 iOS devices a DAY), so more and more older 3G(S) will constantly be hitting the market. Just be patient.

In case you missed the keynote today, I've listed a recap of items covered:

Apple has shipped 120 million iOS devices.
Apple is activating 230,000 iOS devices daily.
6.5 Billion iOS apps have been downloaded.

Apple is releasing iOS 4.1, it includes fixes for proximity sensor, Bluetooth problems and fix for iPhone 3G performance issues.
iOS 4.1 will allow users to take HDR photos.
iOS 4.1 will also debut Game Centre, Apple's social gaming network.
iOS 4.2 is coming to iPad. It will allow you to print wirelessly.


 iPod Shuffle.

iPod Shuffle will be available for $49.

iPod Nano.

It will cost $149 for 8GB model and $179 for the 16GB model.

iPod Touch.

The iPod Touch comes with iPhone 4's Retina display.
It includes Apple A4 chip, has a 3-axis gyroscope, iOS 4.1 with Game Center and a front-facing camera with FaceTime.
8GB model will cost $229, 16GB model will cost $299 and the 64GB model will cost $399.

Apple will be releasing iTunes 10. It also gets an all new logo, ditches the CD in the logo.
Steve Jobs has introduced a social music network called Ping, which will be integrated with iTunes 10.
You can follow your friends and artists. You can follow and be followed. It allows you to create a circle of friends.
You can post your thoughts and opinion. It will be open to 169 million iTunes users immediately.
Steve Jobs is demoing Ping. A social network all about music.
It is available on your iPhone and iPod Touch and is available now.


Apple TV

The second generation Apple TV is the fourth of the size of the first generation.
Apple TV is all about rentals, no purchases so you don't have to store it so you don't have to worry about storage management.
You can stream movies, TV shows and music.
You can rent first rent HD movies for $4.99.
You can rent ABC and Fox TV shows for $0.99.
You can stream content from Netflix, YouTube, Flickr and MobileMe.
You can also stream content from your computer.
AirPlay feature which will be available in iOS 4.2 can be wirelessly streamed to Apple TV. Apple TV will cost $99, which is $130 cheaper than the first generation Apple TV.

Kidvantage: 7 for the price of 1

This morning on the way to a memorial service, with 30 minutes to kill, I decided to swing by Sears in Downtown Oakland. I found plenty of metered parking, even one with 19 minutes left! I looked in my wallet and only had 15¢, which bought me another THREE minutes! So with 22 minutes, I ran into Sears for another Kidvantage exchange.

It's been a while since I blogged about Kidvantage, skipping the last two exchanges. So if you count those exchanges, we've exchanged Dustin's size 2 Skechers SIX times! That means we've gotten 7 pairs for the price of one! If you do the math, at $35-40/pair, we've gotten over $200 worth of additional shoes with the initial $30 purchase. And that's not even counting the many times we exchange for Colby, plus all the pants too! Today I exchanged Dustin's size 3 and Colby's size 12. We seem to do an exchange every 3-4 months.

So a little bit of news, the Kidvantage program is changing a little. Last time when Chrissy exchanged the jeans, she was told that now they require a receipt – she didn't have one. But they know the policy is new so they exchanged it anyway. Perhaps she'll need one next time. We save all our receipts.

Today's exchange went quickly without a hitch, and I was back at the car with 7 minutes left on the meter. To expedite the transaction, find the replacement shoe that's the same size and sale price as the one you are returning. It doesn't even have to be the same brand. And having a receipt will eliminate the use of the Jedi mind trick.

As repeated on my previous post, I know some of you still refuse to shop at Sears. You continue to buy your kid shoes at Footlocker, Kohls, JCPenny, etc., totally ignoring my valuable advice and unnecessarily spending all your hard-earned money... Well that's ok. I truly admire your deep pockets and tremendous spending power. I always say, if I myself can't be rich, the next best thing is to have rich friends!

But a warning to you parents, if your kids refuse the shoes at Sears because they don't like the "style" or what not, and make you spend more elsewhere for a better "style", then your kids are slowly developing an attitude that can easily lead to being high-maintenance as a grown-up. Our kids wear what we buy them and that's that. And when they get older, I'll warn them to stay far away from high-maintenance people – that is, unless they want to be broke the rest of their lives.

When I got home with the new shoes, my boys were thrilled! My mom, fully aware of all our Kidvantage savings said (in Chinese), "Isn't America great?"

From their website (http://www.mysears.com/kidvantage/details.html):
There’s no limit to the savings you can earn with KidVantage Club!

Kidvantage wear-out guarantee
You want the kids’ clothes and shoes you buy to last—especially in today’s economy. That’s why KidVantage Club members get this great guarantee: if the kids’ clothes or shoes you buy at Sears wear out before they’re outgrown, we’ll replace them for free. You’ll get an identical item, whenever possible, or a similar item of equal value in the same size. Please note that you must present your receipt to replace worn-out national brand clothing and shoes.

• The KidVantage® program is not available for purchases made at sears.com. The KidVantage program is only offered through our Sears’ retail stores. Simply provide your phone number to the Sales Associate at the time of purchase.
• KidVantage Club applies to children’s clothes, sizes infant to 20, and children’s shoes, girls’ to size 4, boys’ to size 6, sold by Sears’ retail stores in the U.S.
• Kids’ Lands’ End® merchandise, Great Price Items and clearance merchandise count toward your $100 total and the Wear-Out guarantee. The program does NOT include infant furniture, accessories, electronics and toys.
• After you spend $100 in qualifying purchases, look for your coupon printed on your receipt. The 15% off sales receipt coupon may not be applied toward the purchase of Kids’ Lands’ End® merchandise, Great Price Items or clearance merchandise. The 15% off sales receipt coupon expires 6 months after the date of issue.
• Wear-out guarantee excludes stain-damaged clothing. Your receipt may be required at the time of exchange.
• Sears reserves the right to modify the benefits and incentives or cancel the KidVantage Club at any time.
• All brands are not available at all stores.

What others are saying about Kidvantage:
http://www.viewpoints.com/Sears-Kidvantage-Membership-Club-Childrens-clothing-reviews

Related Links:
1st exchange
2nd exchange
3rd exchange
4th exchange

It's my birthday and I'll buy if I want to

June 30 is the end of our fiscal year. Every year at this time we attempt to spend every last dollar of our remaining budget. Yep, it's like a birthday shopping spree or like Christmas in the summer. Woohoo! And unlike last year when the Major squandered the entire pot on her $2700 word processor, this year I was able to secure a few nice items.

And speaking of her Macbook, I have not seen it since I blogged about it last June. And get this, the Major only has dial-up at home!!! Don't get me started!

First and foremost, the Nikon D300s. This is a good consolation for my inability to get a D90 last year. I got this a couple months ago and have been loving it. Haven't done much with the video features yet, and haven't tried HDR photography yet, but knowing it'll be another five years before I get to upgrade again, I'll have plenty of time to learn.


With the new heftier camera, I needed a sturdier tripod. This I had the hardest time selecting. But after consulting with a few seasoned photographers, I selected the Manfrotto 7301YB with 3-way head. This guy is rock solid! Much better than that $35 Velbon I was using.
At my previous job, we had the greatest paper cutter ever. Since then, nothing I used even comes close to ease of use and accuracy. The one we currently use is small and lousy so I upgraded to the Rotatrim RCM24. This is hands down the best cutter you'll ever use. It comes in many sizes but I think the 24 inch is perfect for our needs.

I'm always in search of a better mouse. The other designers opted for the Apple Magic Mouse, but I selected the Logitech MX Mouse. I like lots of buttons that I can independently program for different applications to speed up my workflow. But the best thing about this mouse is the turbo scroll wheel! There is a button that releases the friction on the wheel, so instead of scrolling and scrolling with your finger, you can just whip the wheel once and it will continue to spin for up to 20 seconds! They call this "hyper-scrolling." This is great for those looooong web pages where you are reading hundreds of comments, or for those long Word docs with hundreds of pages. You can go from top to bottom in no time! Plus, the rechargeable battery system, the thumb button for Exposé, and the tiny USB receiver complete a feature set unmatched by any other mouse!
In our attempt to cut our budget, we killed all the contracts of our freelance photographers. All photography jobs will be done inhouse now. So that means I am now in charge of shooting our monthly portrait sessions of our employees of the month. Of course this task was given to me after buying the D300s. Had I known earlier, I would've fought to buy the D3. But I'm not complaining too much, I think it's a great opportunity to work on my photography skills. Better to screw up shooting strangers than on my own family/friends.

I purchased this Cowboy Studio 750w lighting kit along with a gray muslin backdrop. I opted for continuous lighting over strobe because I really don't know what I'm doing, and it seems the umbrellas let me adjust the lighting more easily. Hey, I'm still learning. And they get what they pay for.

We also got some larger memory cards, card readers, extra batteries, photo paper, etc. All in all, we spent close to $3000 – a pretty nice package of goodies to enjoy for a while. So a big thank you to all you tax payers for supplying me toys to enjoy on my birthday! I'm already making my list for next year!

Have a nice weekend!

New Wii with Motion Plus

If you still haven't bought a Wii, now is a good time. $199.99 delivered from Amazon. Pre-order for May 9 release.

Amazon

Keep the Change

If you bank at Bank of America, they have a promotion called Keep the Change. Here's the verbiage from their website:

With the Keep the Change program, you can grow your savings automatically.

After your enrollment, we'll round up all your Bank of America^® debit card purchases to the nearest dollar amount, and transfer the difference from your checking account to your savings account.

Every cup of coffee, tank of gas and bag of groceries you buy adds up to more savings for you. What could be easier?

We’ll even match your savings

We'll match 100% of your Keep the Change savings for the first 3 months. After that, we'll continue matching 5% a year. The maximum total match is $250 per year.

I signed up because I'm really only interested in the matching part. As you can guess, to best maximize the rewards is to charge something for $1.01, $2.01, $3.01, etc. Here are some top maximizing scenarios:

1. Rent from Redbox. Each $1 rental with tax comes to $1.10. With a 90¢ match, your cost is only 20¢.
2. Buy from McDonald's Dollar Menu (sundae, 2 apple pies, breakfast burrito) or any other fast food restaurants with dollar menus. Charge each item individually. Again, with a 90¢ match, your cost is only 20¢.
3. Shop on eBay. Look for items that are 99¢ with free shipping. Ask a friend to bid at 99¢, then you outbid him at $1.04. When paying with Paypal, be sure you link your debit card to pay. With 96¢ matching, your final cost will be 8¢. (A best bet is iPhone accessories)
4. Go nuts at Dollar Tree. One transaction at a time.
   
5. Use it to pay your Comcast or garbage bill, $1.01 at a time.
   
6. When pumping gas, pump until $x.01 each time. Of course you can practically get a free fill up if you pump $1.01 say 40 times, but that will take forever and your card may raise a red flag due to "unusual activity"

You get the idea. If you do three transactions a day for 90 days straight, you'll be able to reach the $250 limit. Nothing is illegal because we're following their terms and conditions. We're just maximizing the benefits of the first three months, because after that, quite frankly, the 5% is a joke. Happy shopping!

Sign up here.

Next Friday is Black Friday

Hard to believe Black Friday is just around the corner again. This will be my 3rd year blogging about it. You can read about my previous year's lessons that are still applicable today, HERE and HERE. Main rule of thumb: Do NOT go out alone! I recommend networking with several people and each of you hit a store with each other's shopping list. Go in pairs if possible so one can stand in line while the other shop.

To preview all the deals, I recommend TGIBlackFriday.com for the most comprehensive list.

Here are my favorite deals for 2009:

32" LCD TV at Target for $246
The best overall value for a HDTV. It was priced $399 last year.

500gb portable hard drive at Target for $59.88
The cheapest I saw this all year was around $90. Very convenient storage that won't require a power adapter. Great place to store all those videos you shoot with your digicam.

8gb flash drive at Staples for $12.99
Nice to have in your backpack in case your friend has a huge file for you.

8" Digital picture frame at Walmart for $29
For lazy people who never print their photos. Last year it was $40 everywhere.

Kenmore front loading washer and dryer for $579.98
We actually bought this last year as an impulse buy. It was backordered until February when we finally received it. We've been loving it ever since. This year they're only selling what they have in stock, so you'll have to go super early.

Samsung front loading washer and dryer for $999.98
This is a great deal if you need something bigger or missed out on the $579 Kenmores.

Craftsman 19.2v 4-pc drill/combo set for $69.99
Every man needs a drill. The saw is handy too. This is the cheapest I've ever seen by at least $40. If you buy it, I'll give you $10 for the flashlight. Note: This deal is for Thursday.

Pyrex 18-pc storage set for $12.88
We love these bowls. Because of BPA, we're moving away from plastics and going toward glass. Save on Saran Wrap.

44-piece emergency road kit for $9.99
At Walmart, the jumper cables alone are $15. Get one for each of your cars.

Perfect stocking-stuffer for the women in your life

Is this a great invention or what? It's called a FUD (Female Urination Device). So for all you women who ever experienced penis envy, this product is for you! No more standing in line. No more pulling out those seat liners. No more hovering over a filthy can. Just find a tree/bush/private corner and go, like God intended throughout the ages.

It even comes in a 3-pack, so get one for your sister, mother, daughter, whoever. Or keep an extra one in your backpack for those long bike rides, or in your glove compartment for those tailgate parties, or in your purse when those porta-potties are too disgusting... the scenarios are endless where this may come in handy.

I bet next year they'll introduce a deluxe model where the end has a nib where you can screw a plastic bottle into. Hmm, maybe I should suggest that to them.

LINK:
http://www.go-girl.com/

If you're not making dust, you're collecting dust.

Yesterday I spent Labor Day laboring in the garage. I recently scored a new Delta table saw on Craigslist. Dude bought it as a gift for a buddy, but his buddy ended up dying. Yes, sad. So he sold it to me at a 43% savings! Yes, good! Still sealed in the box. And delivered too! Yes, even better!

Craigslist is a great place to buy tools (because quality tools are expensive). Most people treat their power tools like they treat their gym memberships. They use it regularly at first, but then it sits around abandoned for the next few years. I would like to say I'm different, but I'm not. I too let my tools sit for a while with no projects on the horizon. But I know that if I upgraded from my portable Dewalt to a contractor's saw, I would have more ambition to attempt bigger projects. Time will tell.

Buying on Craigslist helps eliminate that guilty and wasteful feeling of overspending. Because if you bought it at a steep discount, let it sit for a few years and resell it, you will lose very little money. In fact, you may even break even or make a profit depending on how well you deal. So the only thing truly lost during those wasteful years is floor space. This also applies to treadmills, weight sets, large toys and practically anything else that's durable and not technology-driven.

For the longest time I was debating on buying a used saw. The biggest problem with a used table saw from someone's garage is the transportation, not to mention the lifting. This particular saw with the fence is about 300 lbs. I was really tempted to just order it from Amazon. But being the patient determined shopper that I am, I knew something great would come up eventually. And remember, everything is negotiable. Lowball them first. If they won't budge, then ask for delivery. Depending on location, most sellers will gladly meet because they too, just want to complete the sale.

I bought the Delta T30 Fence for $170. I couldn't justify getting the Biesemeyer at double the price. The Delta fence is very solid and sturdy. I can't imagine needing anything more.

One bad thing about buying new out of the box is the assembly (another reason not to buy new at Ikea). Over 100 screws and nuts! Even the motor had to be attached. Four hours to assemble just the saw (no thanks to the horrible instruction manual with 2 photos reversed). One hour for the fence. Although now if I ever had to assemble another one, I can do it in half the time!

Oh and another 2.5 hours to figure out how to best fit in the router table. All in all, a full day's work. Now I need to build the outfeed table...

Piano shopping is like car shopping

Last month I embarked on a journey to find a piano for my hopefully-someday promising piano student son. He had been making do with an electronic keyboard inherited from a friend for the last 9 months, but now his instructor is cracking the whip demanding that he requires something better... something with a foot pedal. I suggested, "Can't he just step on an empty shoe or something? I mean we're just getting him to learn the motions, right?" No luck. The teacher is such a taskmaster...

As a savvy Craigslist conqueror, I knew there was nothing I couldn't get for cheap. But with a piano, I had several things working against me. One was time. We needed a piano "the sooner the better." Second, I needed to hire movers so I couldn't say "I'll offer you XX and pick up right now!" And third and most detrimental, I knew nothing about pianos. NOTHING.

I asked a few piano experts/friends, and their opinions varied across the board, from $500 to $6000 for an upright piano. Get this brand, avoid that brand, avoid digital, no shorter than 44" and so on... Personally I wanted a digital piano because it was lightweight, but they say with a digital, you can't have "expression"–whatever that means. The one thing they all agreed on was to bring a seasoned piano player along to test it out beforehand. None of them offered but they did wish me luck.

So off to Piano Plus I went. The 46" Cable Nelson was the cheapest one at $3000. Cable Nelson is made by Yamaha the same way the Pontiac Vibe is made by Toyota–excellence under the hood, but only satisfactory everywhere else. The 47" Yamaha T118 was $4000, the low-budget 48" T121 was $5000, and the timeless classic 48" U1 was $6000. Yes, $1000 per inch enlargement! Funny thing was while I was there, three other families came in–all Asian! That is so stereotypical isn't it?

In addition, delivery is $125, sales tax (9.75% where I live), and two tunings are included. But get this, they offer lifetime full trade up value! Now on the surface that sounds incredible as the salesman gets you to believe how the piano will never lose its value in its lifetime. If we spend $3000 today, even 30 years from now we can trade in the piano and get back $3000 toward the purchase of another piano (provided Armageddon hasn't claimed the store). The one thing he fails to mention is that we can only use that $3000 toward the purchase of a piano that's at least double the value ($6000–ouch).

I went to another store in Dublin for some haggling and by the end of the week, I hammered the price of the T118 to $3495. But the more I thought about it, the more it didn't make sense. I mean buying new, regardless of how great of a deal it is, goes against everything I believe in. I believe white-collar people with champagne wishes should pay for the initial "depreciation" years, not me. I call these people the "new-car-smell people." People like me come along later and buy the leftover "value" years.

So back to Craigslist I went, armed and determined with my newfound education. I'm like an Asian teenage girl shopping for her first car. She doesn't know much about cars, but all her Asian friends drive Hondas and Toyotas. So isn't it a coincidence Asian families only buy Yamaha and Kawai pianos, which are Japanese made? White people like Baldwin, Koehler, Wurlitzer, the same way they like GM, Ford and Chrysler. Mercedes owners buy Steinways. The experts say I can't go wrong with any Yamaha (Camry) or Kawai (Accord), and to find one under 15 years old and stay away from "gray market" Yamahas (salvage). If a piano is properly maintained, it will easily last a lifetime. Also, every piano has a serial number that works like a carfax report.

Sure enough, 90% of all Yamaha and Kawai pianos on Craigslist are from Chinese households. Chinese people tend to keep their homes real clean so probably no shoe ever touched the pedals. The only problem is that most Chinese people are cheap and expect top bluebook value from their resales. Man I hate buying from Chinese! Even in this economy, trying to get Mr. Lu or Mr. Chun to lower their price even 10% is like asking for their first born. They rebuff my offer with, "No, it worth more!"

With at least four lowball offers pending, I stumble across an ad from a generous Mr. Tzchen in Cupertino. He listed his 6-year old 48" Kawai at 60% off retail–an absolute steal! I wasted no time! I could tell money didn't matter to him by the late model yellow Carrera his wife was driving. I took a photo of the piano and said I would need to consult with my wife. He emailed me back a few hours later and dropped the price another $150 hoping that would further encourage my wife. I told him, "Yeah, that would help!" :) We need more Chinese like him!

So do you have grade school children that you want to learn piano? They say piano instills a type of discipline that will later translate to better study habits. Look at me. I never studied music–can you tell?? If you're Chinese, you need to further reinforce the stereotype and force your children to take piano, or violin, or both. Forget sports, it's not proper (see-mun) enough.

For all you non- "new-car-smell" people in search of a decent used piano, a great place to do research is to join the Piano World Forum. Lots of nice helpful folks there. And unlike any tech forum, you won't get trashed on for being a newbie and asking stupid questions. If you insist on buying new, I would recommend Dave at Piano Plus for Yamaha or DC Piano in Berkeley for Kawai.

I don't plan to buy another piano ever again. But through my experience, hopefully you'll learn something in your quest for your piano. Right now we're enjoying our new used piano! The boys are gone to San Diego this week so I get the piano all to myself. Unfortunately I can't read music and I don't know how to play :(

But that may change...

Spend 50, Get 50. Expires Sunday.

Similar to last year's Dockers/Gas Card promotion, Sears has another similar promotion running this Father's Day weekend. Buy $50 worth of pants by Sunday, then mail in the PDF rebate form by June 30th, then you get a free $50 gift card.

If you don't need pants, or if you're not a man and you don't have any men to shop for, you can still buy the pants anyway. Just be sure to get a gift receipt, then return it later for store credit.

Happy shopping and Happy Father's Day!

Limit 1 per household. Not valid with any other discounts (including associate discount). Reward Cash valid only on men’s apparel and excludes Lands’ End Merchandise. Mail in rebate must be postmarked by 6/30/09. Not valid with any other promotional offer. Offer valid 6/7/09 – 6/21/09. Not valid on Kmart items. Reward Cash Expires 10/30/09.

Kidvantage: 5 for the price of 1

Last week we replaced Dustin's Skechers for the FOURTH time! That means this is his 5th pair of size 2's. Let's see, if you do the math, it's about $40/pair, so we've gotten $160 worth of free shoes in one year. And that's not even counting Colby! If it wasn't for this blog helping me keep track, I would've lost count by now.

But now I'm kind of worried. Not that Sears may catch on to how we're cashing in on this program, but the fact that Dustin's feet hasn't grown in over a year... As much as I like getting the free shoes, I sure hope this will be the last pair of size 2's he'll be wearing.

I know some of you still refuse to shop at Sears. You continue to buy your kid shoes at Footlocker, Sportmart or JCPenny, totally ignoring my valuable advice and unnecessarily spending all your hard-earned money... And that's ok. I truly admire your deep pockets and tremendous spending power. I always say, if I myself can't be rich, the next best thing is to have rich friends!

Related Links:
1st exchange
2nd exchange
3rd exchange

From the Sears website:

Our KidVantage® Wearout Warranty is simple:

• it covers all children's apparel and footwear as long as the child for whom you bought the item continues to wear the size
• if the item wears out, Sears will, at its option, either repair or replace it with the identical item in the same size, or if it's unavailable, a similar item of equal value in the same size
• it covers children's sizes from infants' up to 18 in apparel, and up to senior kids' size 6 in footwear, with proof of purchase

Also, once you spend $100 (accumulated), you'll get a 15% coupon.
Note: It is good to keep the original box because they will need to scan the barcode.

Do the math and switch to prepaid

Right now, T-Mobile has a promotion where you receive a free $25.00 refill card with any prepaid phone purchase. Phones start at $19.99 and go up to $99.99. Overnight shipping is free but you will have to pay sales tax. Prepaid phones have no contract and the prepaid minutes do expire in either 90 or 365 days (once you reach $100 in refills). If you refill before the expiration, all the minutes will rollover.

Also, to sweeten the deal, if you search "T-Mobile" at Bing.com (formerly Live.com), you can get an additional 35% cashback. (I previously blogged about how to use Live.com.) So that means the $19.99 phone will be $13. And the $99.99 phone will be $65. Not bad. And if you already have a T-Mobile prepaid phone, you can order it just to get the $25 refill card, and then you'll have a spare phone in case you lose or break yours.

So is a prepaid phone right for you? Let's do the math.

Of all the different phone plans out there, I think the cheapest monthly plan is $30 ($360/year). Now if you're like me, someone who sits next to landline phone all day that rarely uses the cell phone except on weekends and commute times, your usage is probably pretty low.

The T-Mobile prepaid plan is $100 for 1000 rollover minutes. That's 83 minutes/month. If you talk triple that amount (250 minutes/month), then it will be $300 – still cheaper than the lowest monthly rate. And the $300 is $300. No taxes or fees, unlike your monthly bill.

If you review your last few billing statements, you'll know on average how many minutes you use. Chances are, you use less than 250 minutes, perhaps even less than 100. If that is the case, then you are overpaying big time. Now if you're consistently using over 400 minutes a month and it's NOT business related... well I hate to say it, but you are undoubtedly "churng hay" (long-winded in Chinese). The proof is in the billing statement. It's a fact. Sorry. But don't feel bad, some of my favorite people are churng hay. We stay in touch via email.

So what are the downsides of prepaid? First of all, your phone is not free (subsidized), so you will have to buy a phone. As stated above, phones range from $20-$100 and your choices are a bit limited. Second, it costs 10¢ to send text and 5¢ to receive. So depending on your usage, that may be a significant added expense. But if you only need a phone for the basic needs, then prepaid is the wise choice for you. Third, you cannot use an iPhone on any prepaid plan.

I won't lie, I am so jealous of all of you that have iPhones. I love how you can remotely update your Facebook status so I know you're on the freeway to somewhere... or stuck in line waiting to buy some world-famous pastries... or about to feast on a burrito the size of a small child... Yes, life is unfair. Sigh.

As an Apple fan, I long to find an unlocked iPhone to put my T-Mobile sim card into. But as much as I want an iPhone, I cannot fathom spending $70/month to use it. That's $1680 for your 2-year contract! $1680 can buy me a Macbook, or iPod Touches for every household member, or 33 family dinners at Black Angus... and I'll still have money left over to pay my prepaid minutes! Just not worth it.

So do the math and see if prepaid is right for you. You may be surprised. In these tight economic times, you should try to trim your expenses anywhere you can. Bottom line: Talk less and save a ton! And with all that money you save, you can take my family out to dinner :)

Great Buys at Stupid Prices

For those of you who live in the bay area, we recently discovered a cool new bargain store to shop at, Great Buys at Stupid Prices. It's located on Mission Blvd., across from China AA Buffet in Hayward.

If you like shopping at Costco, you'll like this store. What they sell is all the discontinued/returns/overstock/floor sample items from warehouse stores like Costco and Sam's Club, among others. Thanks to Costco's liberal return policy, now you know where all that stuff ends up. Here!

Like Costco, GBSP carries a little of everything. From plasmas to furniture to clothing to appliances, just like a mini Costco. Some of the boxes are dented, or taped back up. Most of the clothing is brand new. All of the TV's seem to working well. Best of all, their prices are about half of what was originally priced at Costco and NO SALES TAX! The price on the tag is the price you pay. Woohoo!

The best bargains are in the clothing section. Unlike Ross where there is a million one-of-kind items, here they are organized somewhat orderly, with most sizes available. Brands will consist of Tommy, Kenneth Cole, Nautilus, Calvin, etc. and of course Kirkland. To all my tennis fans, they have cans of Penn tennis balls for $1.49 final.

We consider this store an upscale Big Lots. For those of you who visit Karen down south, this place is just like GTM (with less food items).

Go to their website and join their email list for coupons. The current coupon is additional 25% off all winter wear. Our friend recently got a 100% Cashmere Kirkland sweater for $15 with the coupon.

A few words of warning: this store is in a real crappy part of town, so don't go alone late at night. And the return policy is only 7/14/30 days, depending on the item. Be sure to read their warranty page before buying big ticket items. Also there's no dressing rooms. Other than that, it's a great place to shop! Have a nice weekend!

Link: Stupid Prices



To my valued subscribers:
The last couple of days you may have gotten some emails for some older posts of mine. I don't know what's causing it. I think there is a glitch with my Feedburner service provider since they switched over to Google. Sorry for the confusion.

Redemption for lost soles

As loving parents, we can never let our kids go out in the wet weather with holes in their shoes. So this past weekend we traded in another pair of shoes through the Sears Kidvantage program.

For those of you who haven't followed our stories, we've been exchanging countless pairs of worn-out shoes and pants throughout the last few years. For Dustin's current size 2 sneaker journey, you can read about our first exchange here. Then, just recently, not even three months ago on Black Friday, we did a second exchange here. I'm surprised his sole wore out so fast. It must be the softer Airator bottoms because Colby's Skechers that we got at the same time, are still fine.

So while Chrissy was exchanging the pants upstairs, I quickly headed toward the shoe department. I immediately noticed that the exact same shoe was still available, but not in his size. Honestly, since the Airators wore out so fast, I did not want to get the same shoes. So I just grabbed the best looking pair in size 2.

I told the cashier dude it was a Kidvantage exchange and he said no problem. He didn't ask for a receipt nor phone number so I could save my Jedi Mind Trick for the next time. He scanned both boxes and said the new pair was more expensive. I told him that the exact shoe was not available in size 2, but according the retail price on the boxes, they are both $44.99. He said the other pair was on sale. I said it's not my fault one's on sale, they're both still the same retail price.

He, being a smart Asian guy, looked at the long line behind me and then realized that it wasn't worth the effort to argue because that would only add more work and frustration to his already long day. And it's not like Sears was going to give him commission on a loss exchange. With that, he didn't say another word and I was on my way with a brand new pair of shoes within 5 minutes. If you're counting, this will be Dustin's 4th pair of size 2 shoes! Man I love this program!

Oh yeah, in the meantime we found a cool pair of Skechers in the next size up (for Colby) on clearance for $15. Yep, we're already planning ahead.

From the Sears website:

Our KidVantage® Wearout Warranty is simple:

• it covers all children's apparel and footwear as long as the child for whom you bought the item continues to wear the size
• if the item wears out, Sears will, at its option, either repair or replace it with the identical item in the same size, or if it's unavailable, a similar item of equal value in the same size
• it covers children's sizes from infants' up to 18 in apparel, and up to senior kids' size 6 in footwear, with proof of purchase

Also, once you spend $100 (accumulated), you'll get a 15% coupon.
Note: It is good to keep the original box because they will need to scan the barcode.

Kidvantage – Better than Black Friday

So did you go out on Black Friday? I did because I just HAD to ensure getting my Lego Imperial Star Destroyer! Once I got that, it was just leisurely browsing afterwards. I dragged Wayland with me – and boy did he luck out – because I chauffeured him around the stores to help him tackle his huge list. His wife now recommends we do this together every year (so that she can stay home and prepare us a warm hearty lunch upon our return – Not!). But as great as the deals were on Black Friday, none of them could beat the year-round Kidvantage free exchange!

After the morning rush, we returned to Sears in the afternoon to exchange the boys' shoes. If you remember, back in June I blogged about exchanging Dustin's shoes for the first time. Now six months later, his shoes are thrashed and we need another pair. This will be his third pair! Colby's shoes also developed a hole and were in need of exchange.

The identical $39.99 Reeboks were still available, but his size was not. So they just let us grab any shoe. Dustin picked a $44.99 Skechers because he wanted "Airators" (remember his first pair was $34.99 Reeboks - heehee). Colby's Skechers were discontinued so they just let us grab any other Skechers. His size 10's were really hard to find, so we got lucky finding a 10.5 priced at $34.99. Note: we originally bought Colby's shoes on clearance for $9.99!

The lady at the register asked for a receipt, so Chrissy had to do the Jedi Mind Trick on her, "You don't need to see a receipt." The cashier complied and we were on our way in five minutes with brand new shoes! What a great program! Better than free food! This is clearly the best deal of the day! And better yet, it can be any day!

We know the next time we do an exchange, the boys will have outgrown their size. So in the meantime we're always keeping an eye out for sale/clearance shoes in the next size up. Buy them cheap now and trade them up for free later. If you have kids (boys especially) and you haven't signed up for Kidvantage, you're missing out. If you think about how expensive shoes are, and how fast they go through them... That's a lot of money! In these hard economic times, you could use that money toward more important stuff, like Legos!

From the Sears website:

Our KidVantage® Wearout Warranty is simple:

• it covers all children's apparel and footwear as long as the child for whom you bought the item continues to wear the size
• if the item wears out, Sears will, at its option, either repair or replace it with the identical item in the same size, or if it's unavailable, a similar item of equal value in the same size
• it covers children's sizes from infants' up to 18 in apparel, and up to senior kids' size 6 in footwear, with proof of purchase

Also, once you spend $100 (accumulated), you'll get a 15% coupon.
Note: It is good to keep the original box because they will need to scan the barcode.