Yesterday was the first day of school for my kids. My high school daughter’s schedule was not correct and she is still not in her right classes. My 2nd grader doesn’t want to go back because the teacher “yelled” at him. Fortunately, my middle daughter absolutely LOVED her first day of middle school.
Since we don’t have air conditioning at the schools and the weather has been super hot, I don’t think I will need to rush out and buy any sweaters or other winter clothing right away. But, I will be looking out for sales soon! Hopefully I can get some really good buys before it starts to turn cold here in New Jersey.
Serpent on the Rock by Kurt Eichenwald
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
You are not going to find a love triangle, lingerie models, murder or mayhem in this book, but it held my attention throughout! It is another very interesting report from Kurt Eichenwald. I was amazed by the sheer dishonesty of many of the players involved - all for power and to line their own pockets. Many believed that what they were doing was wrong at all. The story reports on Prudential Insurance and their purchase of Bache Securities. The newly formed security company basically put together extremely risky deals and marketed them to conservative investors. Many lost thousands of dollars when the deals all folded. Will make you think more carefully about where you invest your money.
Now that I am back from vacation, I plan on making a photobook from all the pictures that I took. I just came across a great offer! Picaboo is offering new customers a FREE Large Photo Book by using promo code FREEBK at checkout (you will have to pay shipping which is around $8.99). Your books must be made and ordered by August 31st. You can choose from a Large Classic, Classic Leather or Classic Custom book.
Who says that a reward card doesn’t pay? A few months ago, I received a credit card offer in the mail from Disney. If I signed up for their credit card, I would receive 200 Disney Dollars on my account after the first use. Since I was planning a trip to Disney, I decided to take the plunge. I received the card and used it until my trip to Disney. I was able to add an additional 150 reward dollars to the card. With the card, I paid for our lunch at the Blue Bayou, a few additional lunches and snacks and some souvenirs. I was like having free money!!
The downside? Do not transfer your reward dollars to your card prematurely, they do expire!
Now is the perfect time to shop for back to school supplies. My strategy is to shop for the supplies at each store I enter. I only buy those items at each store that have been significantly marked down. For example, I bought some folders at Staples for 1 cent each and I bought a pack of 36 pens at Office Depot for $1. If you spread your back to school shopping around several stores, you will get the best deals. Don’t neglect your local supermarket as well, I found spiral notebooks there for fifty cents each.
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the only reason I gave it four stars was due to the fact that the ending was a little slow. The book focuses on what makes things “tip” or popular. The examples are entertaining and it made me look at popularity and fashion trends in a whole new light.
If you have an online business, be it selling crafts, providing fat burner reviews, blogging, etc., this is an excellent book to read. It could very well help you decide how best to “get the word out” about your product or service. I read this book because it is on my high school daughter’s reading list. I will probably follow up and read Outliers also by Gladwell.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
After all the hype about this book I was disappointed. The beginning of the book was enjoyable - learning about how Pi grew up. I found the middle to be overly descriptive, but was curious how Pi was going to survive on a boat with a Tiger. The ending was flat and boring. I found myself skimming just to finish the book. I did not find it enlightening on any spiritual level but found it to be an ok survival story.
Do you shop at Walmart? One recently opened up near my house. It is new, big and clean and I love it. Plus, it really isn’t that crowded. I can get so much there from clothes, school supplies, wrinkle lotion, toys, dvds, and the list goes on and on. I found a blog called Passion for Savings which has a devoted Walmart page. Each week, Walmart deals are listed. Not only are the deals listed, but links to coupons as well so you can save even more. So go print them out before you head off to Walmart and start saving!
I took my teenage daughter yesterday to get her nails done and to get a pedicure too. She is leaving on Saturday to vacation with her Dad for 10 days and so we spent some time together. The nail stylist at the salon couldn’t get over how perfect my daughter’s skin is. She kept asking her what she uses, but honestly, my daughter just uses soap and water. While I still break out, she has almost no break outs. While I need to use night cream, her skin is always radiant.
It will be a long 10 days!
July 11 is of course 7/11 and that is the day that 7-Eleven stores give out free 7.11 oz Slurpees! You don’t need a coupon but make sure that your local 7-Eleven is participating. I love Slurpees, but all that sugar is certainly not on my fast weight loss tips list. Maybe I will skip the Slurpee and just get them for my kids instead. I guess I should pick up a Diet Coke instead!
