Shop at NY and Company

I love to shop. My mom and I must share some special clothing gene since we share the same thrill of a new purchase. For me, sometimes it's the thrill of the purchase, the "find" rather than the item itself. I know that sounds weird. If you're a loyal customer at NY and Company (i.e., GET on their e-mail list and join their new rewards program), it's easy to save LOTS of money on great clothes. From now until July 1, they are offering $30 off a $75 purchase in addition to 30%-70% off savings in the store. Plus with their new online site, you can always shop virtually! Keep in mind that the online stores do not always have the same selection or prices.

Free bread only if you live in Chicago

I love fresh bread. There's nothing better than ripping the middle of a warm, freshly baked bread. Sometimes I send my husband on last minute trips to Whole Foods for a baguette to complete our dinner. Even better than fresh bread is FREE bread. For a limited time, Panera is offering some special free promotion to Chicago residents. Get it while you can. I'll probably see you there!

Last minute airline deals

My coworker came to me in a panic yesterday. She needed an airline ticket for her son visiting Chicago next week. He's a Marine on base near Palm Springs, CA. The big catch -he couldn't leave until the evening of July 2 and had to return early evening on July5. After searching expedia, travelocity, hotwire, and site59, I was in a little bit of panic! Finally, we found something fairly reasonable on good ole Southwest. After a calm lull in the office, she found out that she had to change the tickets since her son couldn't get from his base to Los Angeles in time for his flight. Unfortunately, Southwest didn't have anything later. Thankfully, she was able to cancel her Southwest flight for a later flight on US Airways. It's funny how sometimes airlines offer better deals than the 1 stop airline sites.

Anyone else have similar experiences?

Dear Let Me Find It

Dear Let Me Find It,

I would like to adopt a cat but I live in a small 1 bedroom condo. I am not sure I have room for the litter box. What should I do?

Thanks,

M

Dear M,

Cats are the best companions! It’s very easy to transform your small condo into a cat friendly place. Your cat will love the idea of this special plant for his/her private business. Plus you get an extra plant to brighten up your place.

Have fun with your cat!

Let me find it aka Lisa

No cancellation fees!

Don't you hate it when you have to pay a cancellation fee for a hotel you booked 6 months ago and later realized you booked the wrong day? Or you decided you would rather just stay home?

Either way, hotels.com allows you to book your dream vacation hotel without any cancellation fees!! Since I always seem to change my travel plans at the last minute, I love the flexibility.

Making a difference

Sometimes I feel like I need to do more in my life....To support a cause greater than my self. In the daily grind, it's easy to forgot about others who are less fortunate. That's why I love websites such as the Animal Rescue Site, the Breast Cancer Site, the Hunger Site, the Literacy Site, the Child Health Site, and the Rainforest Site. With all of the time I spend on the Internet, it's easy to click on the causes of the sites. Thanks to advertisers, all you need to do is click and you'll feed animals, give free mammograms, fund health care for kids, etc...Now that's an easy way to make a difference!

Taking care of your financial business

I recently attended a session on "women and investing." The speaker talked a lot about planning for retirement. Unfortunately, my burning questions were never answered: How much money should my husband and I be saving? What's a good amount after all expenses and luxuries? I still don't know the answer to this question, but at least I can pretend by inputing all of my personal information into a personalized budget. I still don't know how much I should save each month, but at least I know how much I am spending!

Lemonade in the summer!

I love lemonade in the summertime. Every night after work, I would love to drink a glass of cool lemonade on my front porch swing. I still need to find that perfect house with the perfect porch swing, but I can drink lemonade anywhere. Maybe if I had this lemon squeezer, I would be more motivated to make fresh lemonade every night and find the perfect house for my cool refreshment!

Great dining deals!

For months now, I have been trying to convince my coworker to try this site for great restaurant deals. Every couple of weeks, I ask her if she's checked it out. I tempt her with 50-60% off coupons for her favorite places. It's really simple -all she needs to do is purchase a certificate at a discounted price for any place she chooses and use it as a coupon. Once she signs up, an added perk is that she'll receive special deals throughout the year (e.g., gift certificates for flowers, etc...). Oh did I mention that if she signs up with my referral, I'll receive a $10 gift certificate. Now that's a great dining deal!

Spice up your life

I love to cook & experiment with different flavors. I feel like I can travel the world with my diverse collection of spices. There's nothing better than randomly picking spices and turning a tasteless dish into a culinary masterpiece! Maybe today I'll travel to Asia, Greece or even the Middle East!

This great spice shop offers a great selection of sizes and prices --perfect for everyone's budget and tasting preference!

Travelzoo

I am always looking for a good deal. Ask anybody who knows me. Travel bargains make me really happy! That's why, when I receive my weekly travelzoo's updates, I am a happy gal. Who knew that an upscale trip to St. Thomas would only cost $479. Now that's a bargain! If you're in serious need of an immediate travel bargain, check out travelzoo's deal search.

Climbing cats

Sometimes my cat tells me with different meows that she wants to climb high as possible in my apartment. Jumping on top of the coffee table is not enough to satisfy her climbing needs. Recently, I found out about these climbing trees. They are not only tall enough to satisfy every cat's climbing urges but some even have nooks and cranies for your cat's hiding needs!

Library Thing

Friends are always asking me for book suggestions since they know I read a lot. Unfortunately I can never remember the titles or the authors of books I’ve read. Usually the 1^st thing that pops in my head is a vague “It’s about a girl living on a farm.” I tried to follow my grandma’s approach of keeping meticulous notes on every book I’ve read. But I am not as skilled as my grandma since I have ended up with slips of paper scattered in different rooms throughout my house.

Thank goodness for library thing. I can keep track of books I’ve read and suggest books to friends with their quick and easy book suggester. Best of all it’s free for the first 200 entries and $25 for a lifetime membership.

Today's Baby Gift Find

Lately, I have baby gifts on the brain since my sister is expecting her first in late August. Being the perfectionist that I am, I must find the perfect gift. I must impress everyone at the baby shower with the million dollar gift! Okay maybe I need to be realistic about this whole thing and find one special gift that fits my budget. How about a boo boo bear? These cute bears are perfect for soothing your baby's boo boos. I might even have to buy 1 for my husband!