The recession and the Internet have combined to make coupons trendy again. According to a Wall Street Journal article, manufacturers have issued twice as many coupons and redemption has risen 27% since 2008—the first annual increase in nearly two decades. In all, 3.3 billion coupons were cashed last year.
But here’s the unbelievable part: 99% of the available coupons weren’t redeemed. This means there’s either money lying in the streets or the vast majority of shoppers can’t be bothered.
Is that dollar-off coupon worthwhile or worthless? Answering these questions will help you find out.
Is it something I normally buy (or want to try)? Never buy anything just because it’s a great deal. That’s not saving; it’s spending more. If a coupon is for an item that normally isn’t on your list (or a better alternative), leave it. Amazing how many women forget that.
Will I use it before it expires (or ever)? If the coupon is for a larger size than you normally buy, consider whether you’ll ever use it all. This is particularly true at the big warehouse stores. Some people also purchase multiple coupons for individual items on websites such as eBay. But could anyone ever realistically use 20 containers of nondairy creamer? Getting greedy usually costs you in the long run.
Is there a store in my area that doubles coupons? If so, then shop there. Even coupons for 20- or 30-cent discounts can add up, especially when combined with in-store sales and rebates. Likewise, check with the store manager to see if online coupons are accepted. (A few great coupon sources: Coupons.com, CoolSavings.com, and—of course—Vocalpoint.) The more coupon-friendly the store is, the greater your incentive to clip them. Hint: Some BJ’s will accept multiple coupons for items grouped together in a “club pack”—each item inside must have its own bar code.
Am I an efficient clipper? To find out, divide the total coupon savings on your next grocery bill by the estimated number of hours you spent clipping or surfing/printing. The result is your hourly “wage” for the effort. Decide if it’s worth it or not, or increase your efficiency by:
* Clipping while riding an exercise bike.
* Registering with an online clipping service where you choose from thousands of coupons, pay a small handling fee, and receive them by mail in a few days. Some examples include Collectible Coupons, The Coupon Clippers, and Coupon Clipping Crew.
* Combining clipping with socializing. Organize a monthly coupon night with friends or a coupon lunch with coworkers.
Oh, and if you have any extra coupons you don’t need, leave ’em on the product at the store for others to use. In case you didn’t know, that’s part of the coupon code.
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Monday, June 07, 2010
WordPlay
Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.
The winners are:
1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.
2. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.
3. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
4. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
5. Bozone (n..): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future and it's rapidly expanding.
6. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting sex.
7. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
8. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
9. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
10. Hipatitis: Terminal coolness or a new term to define the female torso.
11. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
12. Karmageddon: It's when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes and then the Earth explodes, and it's a serious bummer.
13. Decafalon ( n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
14. Glibido: All talk and no action.
15. Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
16. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.
17. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
18. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.
The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words.
And the winners are:
1. coffee, n. the person upon whom one coughs.
2. flabbergasted, adj. appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.
3. abdicate, v. to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4. esplanade, v. to attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. willy-nilly, adj. impotent.
6. negligent, adj. absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.
7. lymph, v. to walk with a lisp.
8. gargoyle, n. olive-flavored mouthwash.
9. flatulence, n. emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.
10. balderdash, n. a rapidly receding hairline.
11. testicle, n. a humorous question on an exam.
12. rectitude, n. the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.
13. pokemon , n. a Rastafarian proctologist.
14. oyster, n. a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
15. Frisbeetarianism, n. the belief that, after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
16. circumvent, n. an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.
The winners are:
1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.
2. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.
3. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
4. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
5. Bozone (n..): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future and it's rapidly expanding.
6. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting sex.
7. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
8. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
9. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
10. Hipatitis: Terminal coolness or a new term to define the female torso.
11. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
12. Karmageddon: It's when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes and then the Earth explodes, and it's a serious bummer.
13. Decafalon ( n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
14. Glibido: All talk and no action.
15. Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
16. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.
17. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
18. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.
The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words.
And the winners are:
1. coffee, n. the person upon whom one coughs.
2. flabbergasted, adj. appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.
3. abdicate, v. to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4. esplanade, v. to attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. willy-nilly, adj. impotent.
6. negligent, adj. absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.
7. lymph, v. to walk with a lisp.
8. gargoyle, n. olive-flavored mouthwash.
9. flatulence, n. emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.
10. balderdash, n. a rapidly receding hairline.
11. testicle, n. a humorous question on an exam.
12. rectitude, n. the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.
13. pokemon , n. a Rastafarian proctologist.
14. oyster, n. a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
15. Frisbeetarianism, n. the belief that, after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
16. circumvent, n. an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Comedy Showcase
There will be a Stand Up Comedy Showcase @The Fusion Performing Arts Center/School in Cherry Hill, NJ this coming Wednesday June 9th, 2010 at 7:30pm.
On Saturday June 19th there may or may not be a show at 8:00pm. Hopefully if we get enough people rsvp and/or buy tickets to the second show there'll be a second show. Please invite all your friends and family. We really need many people to rsvp for the second show to happen! Students being featured include: me, Amy Allen, Joshua Fowler, Jay Brone, Justyn Jackere, Max Yankowitz, Declan Eells, and more. See each event listing on facebook and RSVP ASAP! Events are both listing under the title "CCC Stand Up Comedy Graduation Showcase."
Please join us for a fun night of comedy featuring national Headliner Ronnie Long.
Presented by: Vince Valentine and Paul Solari
Buy tickets at the door or call up or email CmdyCollective@aol.com. Please come and support me and the other students!
Check out Vocalpoint - Add a Bit of Sweet to Every Day
Hi followers,
For Today's blog entry I want you to take a look at : Vocalpoint - Add a Bit of Sweet to Every Day
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Facebook Status Story #1
NOTE: Here is a collaborative story I started on facebook. Enjoy the read! Please help come up with a good title. And don't forget to participate in the collaborative story started in the previous entry as well as the one in my Xanga blog (you can post as anonymous if you don't have a Xanga account and don't want one)
[RITA] It was a dark and stormy night and Laura was all alone in
her brand new house. Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. Then
all of a sudden out of nowhere she hears. . .
[Darkhuntress Tammy] the creak of footsteps coming up the stairs. She panics. She freaks. With nowhere to hide, she found her closet and went inside. . .
[RITA] and found waayy at the back a magical land known as Narnia. Laura met the fawn and then. . .
[Lisa Marie] As she sat there she thought, "What the f*#> am I doing in here???" So, she got it together and with her chest puffed she went to see who the hell was in her house. . .
[Laura D] She peeked around the corner to see a dark figure moving around. Making sure she had her trusty bow and arrow she flipped on the light to see. . .
[Jennifer Lane] herself staring into a mirror. She screamed! A man, Lance Diamond stared back at her. She suddenly felt faint recalling the night of the accident. . .
[Laura D] when she had been walking to the bathroom and tripped over a dead body, hit her head and fell down the swirly slide into the basement. Laura/Lance didn't remember anything until now. Lance heard a sound behind him and turned around to see that famous celebrity named. . .
[Darkhuntress Tammy] Johnny Depp. "Why are you here?" Lance asked. "Lance, I'm here to take you to Wonderland." replied Mad Hatter Johnny. Lance gave his hand to him and they stepped into the door leading to Wonderland. But before they could go any further it suddenly became cold. . .
[Laura D] "Johnny!" Lance shouted. "This isn't Wonderland! We are back in Narnia!" "My bad," he replied. "What do you think should we do?" asked a very frightened Lance. "Well first I guess we should---" A sudden rustling interrupted Johnny. They turned to see the White Witch. She smiled evilly and pointed her magic wand at Lance. . . .
[Jennifer Lane] He looked closer. The white witch was actually the ghost of Michael Jackson. Ghost Michael said, "Wonderland sucks! Come with me to Neverland!" So off they went to Neverland. First they stopped off in heaven where Michael befriended circus animals who died tragically. The ghost of an elephant bent down for Lance to climb atop. Johnny mounted a giraffe. Michael hopped onto the back of a Bengal Tiger. “Neverland here we come!” Michael said. Each animal took flight. . .
[Darkhuntress Tammy] and off they went. Suddenly, they were being chased by the evil flying monkeys from “The Wizard of Oz.” Johnny pulled out the White Witch's wand and began flinging lightning bolts at the evil monkeys. Lance shot arrows at them while Michael just sat there singing "We Are The World". "Michael, what are you doing?” asked Lance. “Please help us fight!" cried Johnny. "I am helping. Maybe my song would heal the evil monkeys' hearts. Then they won't be so evil anymore.” They all turned and saw the monkeys heavily approaching.
[Laura D] They were clearly out-numbered. All hope seemed lost when suddenly Gandalf the Gray appeared followed by Harry Potter. Gandalf raised his staff over his head and shouted, "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" As he brought the staff down there was a loud thump and the monkeys disappeared. "Lance, you are definitely not Legolas," Gandalf told him. “Yeah,” agreed Harry. "He would have shot all those monkeys." "GANDALF!" interrupted Johnny. "You're my hero!” exclaimed Lance. “Show us the way back to Wonderland!" shouted Lance and Johnny. "No, show us the way to Neverland." Michael said. The two started arguing loudly. “Wonderland” “Neverland” “Wonderland” “NEVERLAND!” “WONDERLANDDDDD!” Finally, Gandalf had enough. He. . .
[Darkhuntress Tammy] raised his staff and pointed it at Harry. Harry knew just what to do. He said a spell and poof went Micheal. "Well he WAS getting annoying," Lance said. Johnny smiled a dazzling smile and shook Gandalf's hand. "Off to Wonderland now?" "No, my son, off to NARNIA!" Johnny threw back his head and yelled "Nooooooo."
[RITA] Just then another flicker of light. It was Zeus and he was pissed off! He said. . .
[Darkhuntress Tammy] "Gandalf, why did you use my lightning bolts? I did not give thee permission." "But my lord, the monkeys were attacking them," Gandalf said. "So, I do not care! Have u forgotten I am a selfish GOD!!!" While Zeus was talking, Johnny snuck up behind him with the invisibility cloak he stole from Harry Potter and threw it over him like a potato sack. Gandalf grabbed a rope out of nowhere and tied Zeus up. "Unhand me you fiends, yee shall pay for what you've done." Then Johnny said...
[RITA] "Ah screw it! I don't care anymore! I'm gonna go back to Wonderland and sit down with Alice and the Queen of Hearts and everyone else and watch the finally of American Idol. You are all welcome to join me if you'd like." Just then a flying monkey leaped up and knocked Lance unconscious. When Lance woke up he discovered that he was no longer in Neverland, no longer in Wonderland, no longer in Narnia. Lance was home. He was safe and sound in his bed. All the same, he was still just a little confused. He got up, heart pounding and went to the bathroom. As he turned on the light he looked in the mirror, saw Laura staring back and realized it was all just a crazy and wacky dream! "Oh thank god," said Laura. "I am only human. A girl. And it was all just one unbelievable nightmare of misadventures." And off to bed she went to TRY to get a few ZZZZ's.
THE END!
[Darkhuntress Tammy] Or is it??? DUN DUN DUNNNN . . .
[Darkhuntress Tammy] the creak of footsteps coming up the stairs. She panics. She freaks. With nowhere to hide, she found her closet and went inside. . .
[RITA] and found waayy at the back a magical land known as Narnia. Laura met the fawn and then. . .
[Lisa Marie] As she sat there she thought, "What the f*#> am I doing in here???" So, she got it together and with her chest puffed she went to see who the hell was in her house. . .
[Laura D] She peeked around the corner to see a dark figure moving around. Making sure she had her trusty bow and arrow she flipped on the light to see. . .
[Jennifer Lane] herself staring into a mirror. She screamed! A man, Lance Diamond stared back at her. She suddenly felt faint recalling the night of the accident. . .
[Laura D] when she had been walking to the bathroom and tripped over a dead body, hit her head and fell down the swirly slide into the basement. Laura/Lance didn't remember anything until now. Lance heard a sound behind him and turned around to see that famous celebrity named. . .
[Darkhuntress Tammy] Johnny Depp. "Why are you here?" Lance asked. "Lance, I'm here to take you to Wonderland." replied Mad Hatter Johnny. Lance gave his hand to him and they stepped into the door leading to Wonderland. But before they could go any further it suddenly became cold. . .
[Laura D] "Johnny!" Lance shouted. "This isn't Wonderland! We are back in Narnia!" "My bad," he replied. "What do you think should we do?" asked a very frightened Lance. "Well first I guess we should---" A sudden rustling interrupted Johnny. They turned to see the White Witch. She smiled evilly and pointed her magic wand at Lance. . . .
[Jennifer Lane] He looked closer. The white witch was actually the ghost of Michael Jackson. Ghost Michael said, "Wonderland sucks! Come with me to Neverland!" So off they went to Neverland. First they stopped off in heaven where Michael befriended circus animals who died tragically. The ghost of an elephant bent down for Lance to climb atop. Johnny mounted a giraffe. Michael hopped onto the back of a Bengal Tiger. “Neverland here we come!” Michael said. Each animal took flight. . .
[Darkhuntress Tammy] and off they went. Suddenly, they were being chased by the evil flying monkeys from “The Wizard of Oz.” Johnny pulled out the White Witch's wand and began flinging lightning bolts at the evil monkeys. Lance shot arrows at them while Michael just sat there singing "We Are The World". "Michael, what are you doing?” asked Lance. “Please help us fight!" cried Johnny. "I am helping. Maybe my song would heal the evil monkeys' hearts. Then they won't be so evil anymore.” They all turned and saw the monkeys heavily approaching.
[Laura D] They were clearly out-numbered. All hope seemed lost when suddenly Gandalf the Gray appeared followed by Harry Potter. Gandalf raised his staff over his head and shouted, "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" As he brought the staff down there was a loud thump and the monkeys disappeared. "Lance, you are definitely not Legolas," Gandalf told him. “Yeah,” agreed Harry. "He would have shot all those monkeys." "GANDALF!" interrupted Johnny. "You're my hero!” exclaimed Lance. “Show us the way back to Wonderland!" shouted Lance and Johnny. "No, show us the way to Neverland." Michael said. The two started arguing loudly. “Wonderland” “Neverland” “Wonderland” “NEVERLAND!” “WONDERLANDDDDD!” Finally, Gandalf had enough. He. . .
[Darkhuntress Tammy] raised his staff and pointed it at Harry. Harry knew just what to do. He said a spell and poof went Micheal. "Well he WAS getting annoying," Lance said. Johnny smiled a dazzling smile and shook Gandalf's hand. "Off to Wonderland now?" "No, my son, off to NARNIA!" Johnny threw back his head and yelled "Nooooooo."
[RITA] Just then another flicker of light. It was Zeus and he was pissed off! He said. . .
[Darkhuntress Tammy] "Gandalf, why did you use my lightning bolts? I did not give thee permission." "But my lord, the monkeys were attacking them," Gandalf said. "So, I do not care! Have u forgotten I am a selfish GOD!!!" While Zeus was talking, Johnny snuck up behind him with the invisibility cloak he stole from Harry Potter and threw it over him like a potato sack. Gandalf grabbed a rope out of nowhere and tied Zeus up. "Unhand me you fiends, yee shall pay for what you've done." Then Johnny said...
[RITA] "Ah screw it! I don't care anymore! I'm gonna go back to Wonderland and sit down with Alice and the Queen of Hearts and everyone else and watch the finally of American Idol. You are all welcome to join me if you'd like." Just then a flying monkey leaped up and knocked Lance unconscious. When Lance woke up he discovered that he was no longer in Neverland, no longer in Wonderland, no longer in Narnia. Lance was home. He was safe and sound in his bed. All the same, he was still just a little confused. He got up, heart pounding and went to the bathroom. As he turned on the light he looked in the mirror, saw Laura staring back and realized it was all just a crazy and wacky dream! "Oh thank god," said Laura. "I am only human. A girl. And it was all just one unbelievable nightmare of misadventures." And off to bed she went to TRY to get a few ZZZZ's.
THE END!
[Darkhuntress Tammy] Or is it??? DUN DUN DUNNNN . . .
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