WalletPop Blog http://www.walletpop.com/blog WalletPop Blog http://www.walletpop.com/blog/media/feedlogo.gif WalletPop Blog http://www.walletpop.com/blog en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Black Friday Live Blog: What's your doorbuster of choice?http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/27/black-friday-live-blog-whats-your-doorbuster-of-choice/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/27/black-friday-live-blog-whats-your-doorbuster-of-choice/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/27/black-friday-live-blog-whats-your-doorbuster-of-choice/#commentsFiled under:

This is the home of our Black Friday LiveBlog, where our correspondents from across the country will be reporting in on the action, the mayhem and the bargaineering. For the latest news up until the doors open, check out these links, and then watch our new video report from Toys R Us on the scene of Black Friday to get yourself in the mood:



Black Friday Deals Scorecard

Black Friday breaking news

Download our Black Friday toolbar

Holiday spending poll results


View Poll

Continue reading Black Friday Live Blog: What's your doorbuster of choice?

Black Friday Live Blog: What's your doorbuster of choice? originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>black fridayblack friday dealsblack friday deals 2009 best buyblack friday toys r usBlackFridayBlackFridayDealsBlackFridayDeals2009BestBuyBlackFridayToysRUsBeth PinskerFri, 27 Nov 2009 15:13:00 ESTBlack Friday 2009: The ads are in, and here's where to find themhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/23/black-friday-2009-the-ads-are-in-and-heres-where-to-find-them/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/23/black-friday-2009-the-ads-are-in-and-heres-where-to-find-them/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/23/black-friday-2009-the-ads-are-in-and-heres-where-to-find-them/#commentsFiled under:

black friday dealsThe ads are in! While this info is gathered in a lot of places, we thought you might like a handy list of where you can find the actual circulars from your favorite stores. So peruse away!

Continue reading Black Friday 2009: The ads are in, and here's where to find them

Black Friday 2009: The ads are in, and here's where to find them originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>best buyBestBuyblack fridayBlackFridayholiday shoppingHolidayShoppingkmarttargettoys r usToysRUswalmartBeth PinskerMon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:00 ESTSavings Experiment: Which shipping option is the cheapest and fastest?http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/19/savings-experiment-which-shipping-option-is-the-cheapest-and-fa/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/19/savings-experiment-which-shipping-option-is-the-cheapest-and-fa/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/19/savings-experiment-which-shipping-option-is-the-cheapest-and-fa/#commentsFiled under:

Our own Jane Tuv put FedEx, UPS and the US post office to the test for the latest savings experiment to find out how to best get your gifts to their intended recipients this holiday season. Her results may surprise you -- watch below and see how waiting it out in line at your local post office may not be the best option. For the details of her experiment, click here.


For more savings experiments, click here.

Savings Experiment: Which shipping option is the cheapest and fastest? originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>fedexsavings experimentSavingsExperimentshippingupsuspsBeth PinskerThu, 19 Nov 2009 12:58:00 ESTWhy social media guru Chris Brogan has thrown away your business cardhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/20/why-social-media-guru-chris-brogan-has-thrown-away-your-business/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/20/why-social-media-guru-chris-brogan-has-thrown-away-your-business/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/20/why-social-media-guru-chris-brogan-has-thrown-away-your-business/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Does Chris Brogan not want to do business with you? Does he think you are not worthy? Maybe you just offended him by trying to poke him in the chest with your business card after he spoke at an event that you attended.

If you're in the new media business, you've probably crossed paths with Brogan, the co-author of New York Times Bestseller "Trust Agents," but your success in getting him to remember your name and maybe do business with you depends on knowing what he thinks about business card etiquette, which we learned when we stopped him at the hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center after his keynote address at Blog World '09.

Continue reading Why social media guru Chris Brogan has thrown away your business card

Why social media guru Chris Brogan has thrown away your business card originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blog world 09chris brogansocial mediaSocialMediatrust agentsBeth PinskerTue, 20 Oct 2009 16:45:00 ESTAdvertisers need a wake-up call, not product placement in new showshttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/30/advertisers-need-a-wake-up-call-not-product-placement-in-new-sh/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/30/advertisers-need-a-wake-up-call-not-product-placement-in-new-sh/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/30/advertisers-need-a-wake-up-call-not-product-placement-in-new-sh/#commentsFiled under: ,

The dismal viewer numbers facing TV networks and advertisers this fall are leading them to do all sorts of tricks to keep putting dollars in the pockets of the entertainment companies and products in front of the eyeballs of consumers. One ramped up approach this season is the integrated product placement that goes so far into the story that shows are weaving story lines around the items.

Of course, this is nothing new. Millions of people have been staring at Coke glasses in front of the judges on American Idol for years, and it was more than 25 years ago that E.T. parceled out Reese's Pieces on the big screen for big bucks. But this year's efforts, as detailed in the L.A. Times, go much further, creating side shows (pun intended) -- like Desperate Housewives extra scene involving Sprint and a Heroes subplot about a Palm Pre.

Continue reading Advertisers need a wake-up call, not product placement in new shows

Advertisers need a wake-up call, not product placement in new shows originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Beth PinskerWed, 30 Sep 2009 14:05:00 ESTBuy a National Park for the bargain price of one new state quarterhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/10/buy-a-national-park-for-the-bargain-price-of-one-quarter/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/10/buy-a-national-park-for-the-bargain-price-of-one-quarter/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/10/buy-a-national-park-for-the-bargain-price-of-one-quarter/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Now that they've gone through all the states, the US Mint is gearing up to release 56 new commemorative quarters called the "America the Beautiful" series starting in 2010 and running through 2021. The coins will go in date order of when the various parks, memorials and destinations were established, which means the first one up is Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas (which was actually designated before Yellowstone).

No doubt collectors will abound and you'll soon find collector's boards on As Seen on TV commercials. The AP reports that U.S. Mint Director Ed Moy has said 147 million people collected state quarters ranging from Delaware in 1999 to Hawaii in 2008, making the program very popular. But Vance the Coin Specialist from Marblehead, Mass. says it's going to be "a very, very long time" before any of these commemorative quarters are worth anything more than 25 cents. "Think about it as if you were living in 1850, and it's going to take until now before your coin is considered rare," he says.

The mint has yet to release the designs of the quarters (there will no doubt be much fanfare for that...), but in the meantime, we offer you photos of the first ten locations to be honored, to spark your imaginations. Send us your suggestions for designs (either your flowery prose or attach a sketch). And we'll see if we can influence the government for you!
http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=716760&pid=716759&uts=1252602797
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National Park Quarters
In the US Mint's new set of 56 commemorative quarters honoring National Parks, Arkansas' Hot Springs will go first, in 2010. That will cause history trivia buffs some consternation. Click through our gallery to see the order of the first quarters to be released, and send us your thoughts on what the quarters should look like!
Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register / MCT
U.S. Mint

Buy a National Park for the bargain price of one new state quarter originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>national parksNationalParksnew state quartersNewStateQuartersquartersstate quartersStateQuartersus mintUsMintBeth PinskerThu, 10 Sep 2009 14:00:00 ESTMost Stolen Cars: Is Your Vehicle one of the 10 Most Stolen?http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/03/most-stolen-cars/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/03/most-stolen-cars/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/03/most-stolen-cars/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

most stolen carsDepending on the state you live in, your wheels may be more likely to be stolen. In Arizona, the most stolen vehicle is a Dodge Ram Pickup. In Washington, it's a Honda Accord. Based on a study from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), we take a look at the 10 most stolen vehicles overall, and by state.

Click through our photo gallery and see which cars the thieves in your state fancy most.

Most Stolen Cars: Is Your Vehicle one of the 10 Most Stolen? originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>most stolen carsmost stolen vehiclesMostStolenCarsMostStolenVehiclesstolen carsStolenCarsBeth PinskerThu, 03 Sep 2009 09:30:00 EST20 worthless pieces of junk: #5 -- The piggy bankhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/18/20-worthless-pieces-of-junk-the-piggy-bank/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/18/20-worthless-pieces-of-junk-the-piggy-bank/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/18/20-worthless-pieces-of-junk-the-piggy-bank/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Not all piggy banks are bad, but the old-fashioned kind with one slot for putting in coins have had their day. "Think about it - what does a one-slot piggy bank ask a child to do? Save? I don't think so," says Susan Beacham, founder and CEO of Money Savvy Generation, a company set up to teach financial education to children. "Nowhere on a one-slot bank is the word 'save'. Ah, you say, it is implied. Really? Ask a child the next time he or she places a newly acquired coin in the slot why they are making that deposit. Get ready for a blank stare."

Give a kid a one-slot piggy bank and they may actually save when you ask, but Beacham's theory is that they aren't actually aware of what they are doing when they are putting money into that slot. And they have no concept why they are doing it or what they are saving for. The money goes in the slot and you get a blank stare.


Continue reading 20 worthless pieces of junk: #5 -- The piggy bank

20 worthless pieces of junk: #5 -- The piggy bank originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Beth PinskerSat, 18 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST20 most worthless pieces of junk: #7 -- VCRplus+http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/17/20-most-worthless-pieces-of-junk-7-vcrplus/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/17/20-most-worthless-pieces-of-junk-7-vcrplus/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/17/20-most-worthless-pieces-of-junk-7-vcrplus/#commentsFiled under: , ,

VCRThere was a time when I was addicted to soap operas, and the ones I liked were on two different channels. Children of the new millennium won't understand the dilemma here. But for a certain period of time, this presented an impossible challenge. My VCR could be set to record for a certain period of time, but it couldn't change channels in mid-stream. So I could get Days of Our Lives but not Another World, or vice versa, but not both.

What was a young addict to do? Technology saved the day in the form of a little gizmo that attached to my VCR with an infrared device that could be programmed to change the channel at a certain time. Then came VCRs that accepted codes from VCRPlus+ -- printed in your local newspaper -- that could tell your VCR to record particular programs and change the channel for you.

It all sounds so sad now.

Continue reading 20 most worthless pieces of junk: #7 -- VCRplus+

20 most worthless pieces of junk: #7 -- VCRplus+ originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>time shiftingTimeShiftingVCR recordingVCRPlus video taping from televisionBeth PinskerFri, 17 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST20 most worthless pieces of junk: #9 -- The home theater sound systemhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/16/20-most-useless-pieces-of-junk-9-the-home-theater-sound-sy/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/16/20-most-useless-pieces-of-junk-9-the-home-theater-sound-sy/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/16/20-most-useless-pieces-of-junk-9-the-home-theater-sound-sy/#commentsFiled under: ,

How many remotes controls do you have in your living room? Three? Four? Seven?

And how many do you lose on a regular basis?

In my house, we've got four -- one that came with the TV, one for the cable box, one for the DVD/VCR player and one for the DVD recorder unit. And I can never put my hands on the one that I want when I want it. So imagine my chagrin when my sisters-in-law chipped in and got us an external sound system for our TV one holiday for a present. It came with four speakers, two boxy units that sat near the TV, and its very own remote. Just what I needed.

Continue reading 20 most worthless pieces of junk: #9 -- The home theater sound system

20 most worthless pieces of junk: #9 -- The home theater sound system originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>HDTV remote controlsHDTV sound systemsHdtvRemoteControlsHdtvSoundSystemstelevision remote controlstelevision sound systemsTelevisionSoundSystemsBeth PinskerThu, 16 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST20 most worthless pieces of junk: #17 -- The ironhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/12/20-most-worthless-pieces-of-junk-17-the-iron/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/12/20-most-worthless-pieces-of-junk-17-the-iron/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/12/20-most-worthless-pieces-of-junk-17-the-iron/#commentsFiled under: , ,

ironWhen I was a young and foolish bride-to-be, the main excitement I got out of filling out a registry was to concoct an ideal household; you know, the kind with matching dishes I could never afford on my own, linen tablecloths, and every known kitchen gadget. Also on that list, culled from weeks of researching all the advice available on the Web: an iron.

I had never had an iron of my own before. I'm not even sure my parents owned one. I don't remember ever once seeing my mother iron when I was growing up. I certainly never saw my grandmother with one (she didn't even cook). My father and grandfather? Forget about it. My dad wore a button-down blue shirt nearly every day, but my mom bought the kind of wash-and-wear shirts that magically were neat enough if you hung them up right out of the dryer.

But, yet, I felt compelled to add that item to my fantasy household of the future.

Continue reading 20 most worthless pieces of junk: #17 -- The iron

20 most worthless pieces of junk: #17 -- The iron originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>the ironuseless household appliancesuseless pieces of junkUselessPiecesOfJunkBeth PinskerSun, 12 Jul 2009 12:00:00 ESTBest Fast Food Values: We've crowned the winners!http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/09/best-fast-food-values-weve-crowned-the-winners/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/09/best-fast-food-values-weve-crowned-the-winners/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/09/best-fast-food-values-weve-crowned-the-winners/#commentsFiled under: ,

Always searching for the best deal around, we asked our readers to name the fast food items they thought delivered the best bang for the buck. We tallied up more than one hundred thousand votes and come up with winners! So click through to see who WalletPop fans picked for the best meal deals...

Continue reading Best Fast Food Values: We've crowned the winners!

Best Fast Food Values: We've crowned the winners! originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Beth PinskerThu, 09 Jul 2009 14:00:00 ESTWeblogs Giveaways Official Ruleshttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/01/weblogs-giveaways-official-rules/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/01/weblogs-giveaways-official-rules/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/01/weblogs-giveaways-official-rules/#commentsFiled under:

Weblogs Giveaways

Official Rules

No Purchase Required to Enter or Win

Eligibility: The Weblogs Giveaways (the "Giveaways") are open only to individuals who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia) who are 18 years of age or as of the start date of the applicable Giveaway. Employees of WL Acquisition LLC, AOL LLC, their advertising or promotion agencies, those involved in the production, development, implementation or handling of Giveaways, any agents acting for, or on behalf of the above entities, their respective parent companies, officers, directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, licensees, service providers, prize suppliers any other person or entity associated with the Giveaways (collectively "Giveaway Entities") and/or the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members (whether related or not) of each such employee, are not eligible. All U.S. federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law.

Sponsor: The Giveaways are sponsored by WL Acquisition LLC, 22000 AOL Way, Dulles, VA 20166 ("Sponsor").

Agreement to Official Rules: Participation in the Giveaway constitutes entrant's full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.

Entry Period: The start and end dates/times of each Giveaway (the "Entry Period") will be posted on the applicable Giveaway site.

Entry: To enter a Giveaway, follow the instructions on the Giveaway site. Submission will result in one (1) entry. The number of times you can enter the Giveaway will be posted on the applicable Giveaway site. The use of any agencies or automated software to submit entries will void all entries submitted by that person.

Drawing: At the conclusion of the Entry Period, Sponsor will select the names of the potential winners in a random drawing of all eligible entries received during each Entry Period. The number of winners to be selected in a specific Giveaway will be posted on the applicable Giveaway site. The odds of being selected as a potential winner depend on the number of eligible entries received during the Entry Period. Potential winners will be contacted via email and will be asked to provide their full name, age and mailing address within a specified time period. If a potential winner does not respond within the timeframe stated in the notification email, the Sponsor may select an alternate potential winner in his/her place at random from all entries received during the Entry Period. Limit one (1) prize per household per Giveaway.

Requirements of the Potential Winners: Except where prohibited, the potential winners may be required to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release (the "Affidavit/Release") within seven (7) days of being notified. If a potential winner fails to sign and return the Affidavit/Release within the required time period, an alternate entrant will be selected in his/her place in a random drawing of all entries received.

Prize(s): The prize(s) (including each prize's approximate retail value) available to be won in a specific Giveaway will be posted on the Giveaway site. No cash or other substitution may be made, except by the Sponsor, who reserves the right to substitute a prize with another prize of equal or greater value if the prize is not available for any reason as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion. The winners are responsible for any taxes and fees associated with receipt or use of a prize.

General Conditions: In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Giveaway is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, or other technical problem, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Giveaway to address the impairment and then resume the Giveaway in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) award the prizes at random from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Giveaway or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Giveaway may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. In case of a dispute as to the owner of an entry, entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized account holder of the screen name from which the entry is made. The authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.

Release and Limitations of Liability: By participating in the Giveaway, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Giveaway Entities from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Giveaway or receipt or use of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Giveaway; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone or network lines; (c) printing errors; (d) lost, late, postage-due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (e) errors in the administration of the Giveaway or the processing of entries; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant's participation in the Giveaway or receipt of any prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Giveaway Entities' liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Giveaway, and in no event shall the Giveaway Entities be liable for attorney's fees. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.

Disputes: Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Giveaway or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrant's rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsors in connection with the Giveaway, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Giveaway Results: To request the name of the winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope (stating the specific Giveaway you are requesting the winners for) to Weblogs Giveaways Winners List, 22070 Broderick Drive - 12E:D01, Dulles, VA 20166. Requests must be received within thirty (30) days from the end date of the applicable Giveaway.

Weblogs Giveaways Official Rules originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Beth PinskerWed, 01 Jul 2009 12:55:00 ESTWhat's under your seat, Oprah staffer? A free lavish cruise! http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/06/23/whats-under-your-seat-oprah-staffer-a-free-lavish-cruise/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/06/23/whats-under-your-seat-oprah-staffer-a-free-lavish-cruise/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/06/23/whats-under-your-seat-oprah-staffer-a-free-lavish-cruise/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Oprah may be going frugal to stay down with the majority of people in this country, but that's not stopping her from enjoying her riches and sharing them with her staff. The talk show host just embarked with 1,700 of her employees on a Mediterranean cruise after having a big party in Barcelona. According to Oprah's home-town paper, the Chicago Sun-Times, Oprah is picking up the tab for the whole excursion, which could add up to about $5,400 per person.

While it might seem like any boss who doles out such a great perk to employees is a hero, the government and the press have been cracking down hard on companies that spend lavishly on their execs at corporate retreats and conferences -- to the detriment of the company finances as a whole. Oprah is doing well and so is not in line for any TARP handouts, but still, is this the best use of company money?

And what does it say about her dedication to the frugality of the average Joe, as displayed on the current newsstand issue, which picture Oprah's holding a "book" that touts "Affordable Pleasures." Let's see how you stack up against Oprah's vacation plans...


Continue reading What's under your seat, Oprah staffer? A free lavish cruise!

What's under your seat, Oprah staffer? A free lavish cruise! originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>employer giftsEmployerGiftsfeaturedOprahOprah employeesOprahEmployeesvacationsBeth PinskerTue, 23 Jun 2009 08:00:00 ESTWalletPop's Masthead: Meet our staff and contact ushttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/06/17/WalletPop-masthead-meet-our-staff-and-contact-us/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/06/17/WalletPop-masthead-meet-our-staff-and-contact-us/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/06/17/WalletPop-masthead-meet-our-staff-and-contact-us/#commentsFiled under:


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Staff
Allan Halprin, Managing Editor
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WalletPop Experts
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Lita Epstein
Erin Gifford
Sarah Gilbert
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Peter Greenberg
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Jack Quinn
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WalletPop's Masthead: Meet our staff and contact us originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Beth PinskerWed, 17 Jun 2009 15:05:00 ESTFollow Friday: So which Twitter mom is going to land on Oprah first?http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/29/follow-friday-so-which-twitter-mom-is-going-to-land-on-oprah-fi/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/29/follow-friday-so-which-twitter-mom-is-going-to-land-on-oprah-fi/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/29/follow-friday-so-which-twitter-mom-is-going-to-land-on-oprah-fi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It's fortuitous timing for the growing contingent of influential moms and bargain hunters on Twitter that a new list of the best deal seekers on Twitter should come out the same day one of the ranks was on the Tyra Banks show talking about how to score freebies.

Heather Hernandez (@freebies4mom) made it all the way to the big stage of nationally syndicated daytime talk shows today for Tyra's freebie special. She's #5 on a new list of the Top 30 Deal Hunters to follow on the web, which was put together by savings.com.

Our own @DealSeekingMom and @eringifford came in at #1 and #7, respectively, and we're very proud of them. The rest of the list is also extremely useful. I was already following the bulk of the list, but found a few new friends. This is my favorite kind of follow Friday, where a site ticks through the best people to follow in a particular category. For people just getting started on Twitter, or for those who need to refresh their follow lists, they make great starting points.

So here's my question...which one of these wonderful bloggers is going to score the big hit next and get on Oprah for a freebie or deal segment? @CouponMom (who didn't even make the savings.com list, as did not the deserving @bargainbriana) was on as one of the Thriftiest Families in America in October 2008, but that seems a while back now. What do you think? Chime in below.

Follow Friday: So which Twitter mom is going to land on Oprah first? originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 29 May 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>bargainsdealseekingmomfeaturedoprahtwitterTwitter momsTwitterMomstyra banksTyraBanksBeth PinskerFri, 29 May 2009 17:00:00 ESTModern sales love: a must-see video for bargain hunters, anyone in retail, anyone who buys stuffhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/29/modern-sales-love-a-must-see-video-for-bargain-hunters-anyone/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/29/modern-sales-love-a-must-see-video-for-bargain-hunters-anyone/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/29/modern-sales-love-a-must-see-video-for-bargain-hunters-anyone/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This is what the world has come to...and it's a hysterical world.

Modern sales love: a must-see video for bargain hunters, anyone in retail, anyone who buys stuff originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 29 May 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>hagglingrecessionvideoBeth PinskerFri, 29 May 2009 11:30:00 ESTAsk Twitter: Non-refundable deposits on rentals, an expensive lesson to learnhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/22/non-refundable-deposits-on-rentals-an-expensive-lesson-to-learn/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/22/non-refundable-deposits-on-rentals-an-expensive-lesson-to-learn/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/22/non-refundable-deposits-on-rentals-an-expensive-lesson-to-learn/#commentsFiled under: ,

The two young women who showed up with checks to rent the third-floor apartment in our building seemed nice. My husband, who is the caretaker of several apartments his family owns, took their checks, had them sign the lease, and expected to see them back on June 1 for their move-in date. He turned away two other seekers and went to bed happy.

The next morning at 7:30am, one girl's mother called. She was practically crying, and started in on a long story with me about how her daughter was in over her head, couldn't afford the apartment and needed her check back. And this was just in twenty seconds until I could hand the phone over to my groggy spouse. He held back from completely blowing his top, but was not exactly yielding about returning any money. The point of a security deposit to hold an apartment is to take that apartment off the market and seal the deal. The custom to make that money non-refundable is a safety mechanism.

What these girls did could have turned out to be an expensive lesson for them. But instead, it turned out to be an expensive lesson for us. My husband ended up giving them back their money and is still trying to rent out our open place.

Would you have given the money back? I turned to Twitter for some advice.

Continue reading Ask Twitter: Non-refundable deposits on rentals, an expensive lesson to learn

Ask Twitter: Non-refundable deposits on rentals, an expensive lesson to learn originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 22 May 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>real estateRealEstaterentrentalsBeth PinskerFri, 22 May 2009 14:00:00 ESTFreebie Friday: Get the 10 best deals!http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/15/freebie-friday-get-the-10-best-deals/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/15/freebie-friday-get-the-10-best-deals/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/15/freebie-friday-get-the-10-best-deals/#commentsFiled under:

Looking for great freebies? Click through our gallery below for the ten best freebie deals of the week from our partners at CouponCravings and DealSeekingMom. For more up-to-the-minute freebie news, be sure to visit us on Twitter. You can find us @walletpopper and @dealseekingmom and @eringifford! Follow us on your path to saving money!

Freebie Friday: Get the 10 best deals! originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 15 May 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>freebiesBeth PinskerFri, 15 May 2009 14:30:00 ESTRate my birthday party spending: Mom bloggers weigh in http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/14/rate-my-birthday-party-spending-mom-bloggers-weigh-in/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/14/rate-my-birthday-party-spending-mom-bloggers-weigh-in/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/14/rate-my-birthday-party-spending-mom-bloggers-weigh-in/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I didn't start out with a budget number in mind for my daughter's 3rd birthday party, but in my head, spending any more than $300 seemed too much. In reality, that's hardly a drop in the bucket for what a party could cost, especially in New York. When I had a surprise 40th for my husband a few years ago at a local fencing center, it was $350 just for the activity for 20 people -- we had to bring our own pizza, drinks and cake. A party for 15 kids at our neighborhood Little Gym would have run $475 for 90 minutes, no food included.

To do a budget party, I had to do it at home, since an outdoor location wouldn't be good for our older relatives or our frequent potty-going little ones. Luckily, we live in Brooklyn and have a backyard and fairly spacious apartment. Our only complicating condition was that my husband's side of the family keeps kosher (and we don't, so I had to buy all prepared items), and to further make things difficult, my brother-in-law has a gluten allergy. So while I wanted to try to hit $300, I needed some wiggle room to achieve a Glatt kosher party (meaning, no Hebrew National cocktail franks because they aren't kosher enough).

How did I do? Not quite $300, but not too bad overall. My total: $409 for 50 people -- 16 children under 12 and 34 adults(detailed budget below).

Continue reading Rate my birthday party spending: Mom bloggers weigh in

Rate my birthday party spending: Mom bloggers weigh in originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 14 May 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>bargainsbirthday partyBirthdayPartybudgetfeaturedspendingBeth PinskerThu, 14 May 2009 09:00:00 EST