BCBG Outlet Sale

One of my "sources" (my sister, Jen) informed me of another great sale--this one at BCBG outlet. You'll find $19, $29, $39, and $49 racks full of dresses and other items up to 70% off. Jen got a white silk blouse with eyelet and tie bottom (that originally retailed for $200) for $39. You'll find their outlet locations on their website. (The "Store Locator" is on the right hand side. In the drop down menu, choose BCBGMaxAzria Factory Stores; then enter your zip code.)

Tips:

• This is a good chance to get designer clothing. If your desire for designer clothing borders on "need," take advantage of this great sale.
• Head to the back of the store. In general, the further back a rack is, the more discounted the price will be. In fact, one of my favorite skirts from BCBG was practically hidden by the dressing rooms.

Ipod

Ok, folks. Today I'm stumped. Usually that signals to me that I should wait to buy whatever item I've looked for, but I don't want to wait. My husband's Apple Ipod (aka my ipod--he never uses it, but he won it, so I have to call it his) Click Wheel 20gb just died. *sniff* *sniff* (tears are dropping onto my keyboard...) I get so bored at the gym without it!

My search has been for an mp3 player that has at least 20 or 30 gb of memory and can play videos. I'm used to the Ipod and Itunes, but I could adjust to a different system. However, everything I read on the internet says the ipod is the best. Microsoft's Zune player comes close, but doesn't have some of the features, the battery life, or as many available accessories.

The Apple Ipod Classic 120gb made it to the top of my list. The lowest price I can find for a new one is $220 on amazon.com. Is there a lower priced (not refurbished) one out there? I can't find it. Or is there another alternative that I can't see? I haven't seen it.

Can you help? I'll make you queen/king of my blog for the day if you can find me a better deal.

Get to Sprouts!

If you have one near you. If not, get on your knees and beg them to build one near you. At the risk of sounding redundant, I'm doing another two-fer today--this one (of the two) about Sprouts. I just went there and can't believe the prices I paid.

• $1.00/lb for for beef ribs,
• $1.00/lb for pork steaks,
• $0.17/lb for grapefruit,
• $0.33/lb for roma tomatoes,
• and $0.97/lb for asparagus.

These are just the amazing deals at Sprouts; I stocked my freezer and my fruit and vegetable drawers for next to nothing. I haven't seen any other store around here come even close to these prices.

Pottery Barn Wall Vase Knock-offs

A few years ago, the pottery barn catalog featured wall vases similar to these (they were conical in shape, though):

I fell in love, but didn't want to pay the catalog price (2 for $36). My remedially creative mind started churning, and I recruited my husband to make them. Here's how they turned out:

The glasses came from Target (a set of 24 on clearance for $5). My husband used his dremel to drill the holes in the back. For Generation 2 we used clear acrylic glasses, because a few of the first ones fell victim to flying soccer balls and other object. I can put fresh flowers in them as well and add a little bit of water to each glass.

Tips:

• You don't have to be Mr. or Mrs. Fix-it to do it yourself. Don't be afraid to try. A little trial and error provides an excellent education.
  
• Buy a dremel if you don't have one. It is a handy tool that we have found loads of uses for.

Victoria's Secret Winter Clearance

I'm going a little crazy today--2 posts in one day. (My husband says I've gone "overboard" with the blogging thing. I have to admit it's fun!) I can't keep myself from spreading the word when I find a great sale!

Two items I wear almost daily come from Victoria's secret--my satin pajamas and my soft hoodie robe (Thanks, Karen!). If you love VS, shop their clearance sale and get more bang for your buck.

Here's the link: Victoria's Secret Clearance Sale.

Check out some of the deals on the website (my faves):

• Tie Front Hoodie Tee
• VS Cotton Wireless Bra
• Flannel Slippers
• Cotton Rib Turtleneck Sweaterdress
• Silk Abstract Print Dress
• Foldover Yoga Pant
• Satin Tie-Front Wrap

Tips:

• Know the return policy...before you buy. Items ordered on the VS website cannot be returned at a store; they can only be returned by mail. When I walked by my local store about a week ago, they were having a clearance sale, too; but selections may be different.
• Don't forget about Valentine's Day. It's less than 2 weeks away. You could surprise your significant other.

Kohl's Clearance

Kohl's clearance sales offer better deals than most other stores. You will likely find plenty of items for under $10. The website has a decent selection of clearance items, but you may find more items that are priced lower at the store--same sale there, too.

Tips:

• Be willing to sort through racks. The clearance racks aren't as well kept as the others, and people move items around. You may find your size in a section labeled with another size.

Your Bargain Hunter: Wobble/Balance/Core Board

Linda writes:


"I'm looking for a wobble board. They are around $40 at target. I would have a used one if I could find one."







Here are your options:

1. Amazon.com sells the same one that Target sells for $40: GoFit Ultimate WobbleBoard.

• Cost: $29.99 + free shipping
• Rating: 4.4/5 stars on amazon.com

2. The amazon.com marketplace offers the Isokinetics Wobble Board.

• Cost: $12.00 + $8.95 shipping
• Rating: not reviewed

3. mysupplementstore.com sells a Balance Board by Valeo Fitness.

• Cost: 13.95 +$5.00 shipping
• Rating: 4.1/5 stars

4. ebay.com has a used Cory Everson TKO 14" Balance Board This is a "Buy It Now" item, so you don't have to wait for an auction to end.

• Cost: $10 + $7.40 shipping
• Rating: 4.0/5 stars

5. If you don't want to wait for the wobble board to ship, your local Play It Again Sports has the same Valeo balance board listed above.

• Cost: $24.99 + tax
• Rating: 4.1/5 stars

6. Finally, since a used balance board would work for you, you can periodically check your local thrift stores or craigslist.com. This option probably will take the longest, because this is an item that may be less common at a thrift store (but you might get lucky!).

WWBD: I would go with #2, the Isokinetics board, for a total of $20.95 (a savings of 50% compared to Target). Even though the wobble board hasn't been reviewed, all the other products sold by Isokinetics have received good reviews. In addition they have a great seller rating, so I feel comfortable ordering from them. Even though the balance board from mysupplementstore was the cheapest new balance board I could find, their customer service got mixed reviews--enough negative feedback to scare me off. Since the used one on ebay.com is priced only $3.50 less than the new, I would opt for the new.

Tips:

• Try various search terms. Keywords such as "wobble board," "balance board," and "core board" each returned different results.
• Start with a general search, then get more specific. Starting with a search such as "exercise equipment" will encompass all of the options for the item you're searching for. However, in this case, the options will also be overwhelming. Then, get more specific (ie, "balance board" or "core training"), and so on. If you find one specific model you want, google the entire name to find the cheapest price. The reverse of this tip works as well.