One of my friends is getting married this fall and it has been a real eye opener about how much wedding gift traditions have changed.

I remember it going like this:

The Bride and Groom register for wedding gifts and when I say ‘wedding’ gifts – I do mean ‘WEDDING’ gifts.  You brought your one wedding gift to the WEDDING.   The Bride is given a Bridal Shower by her bridesmaids and if you are invited you bring a personal gift for the Bride – ala pretty stuff to wear for her new husband and make their new house a home.

But apparently, these days the Bridal Shower is another opportunity to get an item from your gift registry, at least that’s what appeared on the gift table at my friends shower. I saw traditional Wedding gifts of every kind.

Something about it doesn’t seem right.   If you’re close to the bride you’re looking at buying TWO gifts over a short period of time instead of just one.

What if you want to buy them something big?  Can you go small on one gift knowing that you’re going big on another?

What if you’re financially pinched?  Should you simply decline the invite to the Bridal Shower?

To top things off, there is a Bridesmaids Party yet to come and that is apparently when the Bride is given personal gifts like lingerie…so if you’re close enough to be a bridesmaid you’re looking at yet another gift to buy.

Does anyone else find this increasingly mercenary?

I know, I know – weddings are a reason to celebrate – but these days they seem to be a reason to SHOP more than anything else.

Our teenager recently got his driver’s license.  What usually happens after that is he wants to buy his own car.  Of course, it won’t be a brand new car so there are more things to consider when buying a used car.

Here are some things that we told him he should know before buying his  first car:

• Know what kind of car you want
  • What make and model
  • Do you want a coupe, sedan or hatchback?
  • What kind of gas mileage do you want to have [Read more...]

Does your Dad or Hubby have old record albums, audio cassettes and VHS video tapes that you’d love to help him bring into the modern age?  We’ve got the perfect giveaway for you!

honestech™ Audio Recorder 2.0 Plus and VHS to DVD 4.0 Deluxe are tools that enable you to capture the audio and video from your albums and tapes onto your PC so that you can load them up on YouTube or your iPod or burn them to a CD or DVD.

Think about the old family videos and that great vinyl album collection.  Most young families don’t even have a turn table in the house anymore – now’s the time to convert and enjoy!

We’re giving away both of the above packages in this special Dad’s Day Giveway.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment letting us know that you’d like to bless a Dad in your life with these great gifts and we’ll draw one winner at random

• Use a legitimate email as that is how we’ll notify you and collect your shipping info.
• One entry per household please.

Deadline: Midnight on Father’s Day – Sunday, June 21st

Woo Hoo!  Is everyone excited that it’s finally swimsuit season? Um…NOT!!!

Swimsuit is a four letter word in my book, as I really don’t see the difference between wearing a two-piece swimsuit and a bra and panties set.

And why do guys get to cover more skin than women? So unfair! We’re the ones that jiggle.

And after becoming a mom, we jiggle even more.  Since you’re reading this blog, I’m assuming you’ve had a baby. After having a baby, my body hasn’t gone back to what it once was, and I’m sure yours hasn’t either. And if it has, then you’re a genetic freak, and the rest of us hate envy you. [Read more...]

I love getting magazine subscriptions as a gifts.  You know why?  Because I think of magazines as a luxury item and I rarely treat myself to little luxuries.  I know – a magazine subscription isn’t that expensive.  After so many years of forced frugality, it’s hard to let go of the old ways.

If you have a frugal mom on your list – she would probably love a great subscription to a favorite magazine.