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Extreme Couponing: What Not to Do If You Want To Save Money At The Grocery Store
If you’ve seen “Extreme Couponing” on TLC, you know why the word “extreme” succinctly describes the program. ‘Extreme Couponing’ aired …
Eight Alternative Uses for Postcards
Once upon a time, the postcard’s primary purpose was to let your friends or family know what you were seeing …
Dentists in Billings, Montana
If you are visiting Billings, Montana and find that you are in need of a dentist, then you are in …
Coumadin Therapy Patients: Home-Test For Your PT/INR Readings
Many people, especially seniors are on Coumadin therapy. These people, who are in special danger of forming blood clots, have …
A Better High Speed Internet Arrives in Tyler, Texas
To my utter surprise I learned about a very intriguing new form of Mobile High Speed Internet service today. Imagine …
Computer Repair Fraud Is On The Rise
What do you do when your computer stops working for an unknown reason? If you’re like most people and know …
Sports
Cricket Communications: Are Their Plans Worth It?
There is a company out there called Cricket Communications and they offer a month-to-month cell phone service for a minimal …
Being Recruited to Play College Soccer
As an alumni of a Division 1 women’s college soccer team and presently as a girls varsity high school soccer …
News
The introduction of Miroslav Vyboh
E-Commerce Merchants Welcome EBay to “On Location Event” at Hyatt Regency in Dallas
Computers
Want To Enjoy Some Free Streaming? – Visit Mac Free Streaming Application
Do you love watching movies but are not able to stream or download them because you have Mac? Then there …
Tubidy- Free Software Reviews And Download
Music binds us together and as we can see around most the people are not able to work without music. …
Single Player Commands Mod
The single-player commands mod along with a reliable Minecraft alt generator is very useful for your Minecraft world. It helps …
Latest Posts
Prevent Back Pain! – Watch the Children and their activities!!
Back pain and related problems are increasing exponentially day by day. Today, perhaps more than any other time in history, a back pain treatment has become a compulsory measure by many, including myself, who are stricken with chronic back pain.
This article addresses why, and suggests ways of avoiding chronic back pain. Actually the problem stems from our childhood. It is likely most of us can’t recall a young child complaining of back pain unless they had fallen. Along with the children, The Spine Center treats patients with spine injuries and back pain of the adults. Specific measures will be provided to reduce the chronic pain from the body.
When watching a young child go about their daily activities, they almost always sit and lift properly as if the back pain problem is an unheard name . They usually lift with their legs and rarely are caught hunched over. With the passage of time and as our lives become more chaotic and disorderly the natural tendency is become lazier and less likely to take care of our backs. With busier lifestyles comes hours of bending over a computer, or sitting behind a desk and the inclination to ignore the unavoidable and imminent back pain.
If permitted children will choose to run and jump continuously whereas adults have a tendency to avoid sports and play, blaming the lack of time and the possibility of appearing silly. The result of which is gaining weight and becoming less flexible.
Here are some obvious answers to the dilemma of avoiding chronic back pain and treatment requiring back pain exercises :
1. Take an example from the children! Sit properly, stand occasionally and have a good stretch. By all means always practice proper lifting techniques.
2. When going to bed make sure your back and shoulder blades are under cover. Breezes from any source could very well contribute to back pain. The trade-off for reducing stress in that area is to cause more strain in another part of the back.
3. To protect your neck and keep you spine stabilized, avoid using a pillow that is too thick or too thin. Attempt a fetal position by laying on one side or the other and raise your knees to your chest.
4. Avoid jumping out of bed when you first wake up. Warm up your back by enjoying a leisurely stretch to start off your day.
5. When sitting, sit normally and without hunching over. This may require giving some thought about good posture and how to achieve it. Attempt it now and notice how the shoulders will hang naturally and how the muscles in your back will relax.
6. While sitting, be sure your feet are flat on the floor.
7. While working at a desk or otherwise sitting for prolonged periods of time, stand up at least every half hour.
8. When lifting, regardless of the weight, it’s wise to always bend at the knees while keeping your back straight.
9. When planning any kind of physical activity, be sure to perform warm-up exercises first and as usual, listen to what your body may be telling you. Contrary to what many believe, pain is not good and any exercise routine should be stopped at once, especially when encountering back pain.
If, when contemplating exercise, you find yourself short of time, or you just feel like you don’t have enough energy, watch the children. You’ll be amazed at their unending ability to go and go. Watch and learn, because they are almost without a doubt the best example of how to look after yourself and avoiding back pain and the dreadful back pain exercises. The children in this case ARE the teachers.
5 Trends In Healthcare Marketing To Check Out This Year
The healthcare industry is increasingly stressing on the importance of strong marketing campaigns to reach out more numbers of patients out there. But, having a marketing campaign is not enough. You need to have an updated promotional campaign as per the latest market trends. And the market is always changing- just like the healthcare industry itself. For example, previously medical billing was done manually. Medical Billing is the process of submitting claims and reimbursements. But now, the whole process can be done online and sometimes coders even work from home. Likewise, your healthcare center too needs to design the marketing campaigns as per the latest trends in the market to strive in the competition.
The post below offers a brief on the top trends in healthcare marketing to check out this year.
Increased featuring of patient reviews online
As per recent studies, patients’ reviews online play a huge role in influencing a person on deciding on a healthcare provider today. In fact, studies have shown people count on these reviews almost as close as recommendation from friends. So, you must take proactive steps to highlight positive reviews received by your clinic almost everywhere you mention your brand. From a clinic’s website to its social media page, we are going to see a rise in the featuring of patient reviews online. Now, there would be negative reviews too. To avoid that, it’s wiser to initiate a strong reputation management policy that would keep these negative testimonials on check.
More focus on Google E-A-T algo
Google is undoubtedly the numero uno search engine when it comes to searching for healthcare providers or related information. No wonder, to attract potential patients to your clinic, you need to fix your position on top of search engine result pages. But, as per recent reports on Google algorithms, the search engine giant now puts more stress on “E-A-T” criteria while pulling a brand or link on top. The E-A-T stands for- Expertise, Authority as well as Trustworthiness. Thus, this time, we are going to find healthcare providers emphasizing more on the E-A-T criteria to get on top of search results.
Programmatic buying would be dominant
Programmatic buying refers to the process of purchasing advertising which targets right audience with right message and that too at right time. The bottom-line is, programmatic buying makes your ad campaigns more focused, streamlined and eventually more effective. As a result, smart healthcare marketers today are increasingly focusing on programmatic buying for their ad campaigns.
Incorporation of voice-search themed contents
It has been documented time and again in recent times that voice search is going to dominate at least half of the online searches in the coming few months. And that goes for the target niche of healthcare industry as well- courtesy voice-search enabled devices like Alexa or Siri. So, it’s only natural that this year we will be seeing more emphasis on voice-search compatible promotional contents from the healthcare providers.
Marketing automation would gain prominence
Marketing automation software systems allow automation of a good lot of tasks, ranging from sending of mails to posting on social media. The whole automation process is an excellent time and energy saver. It’s a busy world today and hence we will be witnessing an increasing focus on marketing automation programs in the healthcare marketing scene.
Healthy Digestion Advice for New Puppy Owners
Do you remember your mother saying, “Make sure you chew your food,” or, “You are eating too fast! Slow down?” This motherly advice was designed to foster healthy digestion, so you had plenty of energy to fuel all of the activities that are a natural part of growing up. She was also trying to foster a way of living that would lead to a strong way of life as an adult.
As a pet parent, you are concerned about creating a way of life for your new puppy that will foster healthy digestion, giving your new puppy a good start in life. Digestive problems are a common reason that pets are presented for examination to veterinarians. I believe that at least some of these problems could be avoided if pet parents established patterns of healthy digestion for their puppies.
Healthy Digestion Starts with Portion Size
To encourage healthy digestion, start by ensuring you’re feeding your puppy the correct amount of food. Be aware of how much your puppy eats and measure out its food each day. For new puppy parents, the feeding guidelines on the back of a bag of quality food provide a useful starting point. Be aware, however, that most dog food companies overestimate how much food your puppy will need. Using common sense is important in determining feeding amounts. This is another area in which your family veterinarian can be great source of information. Make sure that you seek a vet’s advice on portion size at each of your puppy’s examinations.
I suggest feeding smaller amounts of food frequently throughout the day. Small breed dogs benefit from this feeding protocol because they are prone to suffering from hypoglycemia. Feeding small amounts frequently throughout the day will help to stabilize your small puppy’s blood glucose levels.
Large breed puppies also benefit from eating smaller meals more often, but for different reasons. Large breed puppies, especially Labrador retrievers and Great Danes, tend to eat greedily. If they are offered a large amount of food at one time, their vigorous appetite drives them to gulp their food and may predispose them to “bloat,” which may have life-threatening consequences.
Regulate Your Puppy’s Diet Strictly
Lastly, I suggest strictly regulating what your puppy eats. Many cases of vomiting and diarrhea I see in practice stem from dogs getting into or being fed human food. So many dogs are indiscriminately fed human food that they recognize it as a legitimate food source and will beg for it. Very few of us have the will power to turn down “puppy eyes.”
Start now! I suggest talking with every family member about the importance of good feeding habits. I have seen patients die from eating human food items such as pizza and ham bones. These types of deaths are senseless and can be avoided if every family member is committed to the digestive health of your canine family members. Expert advice for the digestion is available right here with the professionals at online sites. If there is any issue in digestion, then proper precaution and treatment will be provided to the dogs.
Compact Impact Driver- What Are The Top-Notch Benefits Of The Machine On Woodworking?
Are you facing issues while screwing nuts in the wood? If yes, then here is the ultimate solution for you, which will be going to make your work easy. It is called as drivers who are very compact in size, which means that you can store them in your pockets easily. The job of the driver is to fasten the job related to wood and screws. Most of the people prefer drills for wooden work as they are unaware of its functioning and the weight. The extra tool can be attached to the drill, which can work like a driver. Rather than wasting money on the drills, you should pay attention to the compact drivers. You should visit reviewjam.com, where you can easily get to know about various drills available in the market. Compact here is the topmost advantage you can get to have, which means the driver would be so light in weight and small in size. Using the drill is hard as compared to the driver because, in that, you need to apply pressure on the machine for the screwing process. On the other hand, using of the driver is as easy as you just need to hold it in the right position.
There are lots of people out there who still use a drill as they should need to upgrade it. You would never be going to feel tired after using of the machine. This is the best part about using the compact instant driver for the woodwork.
What is the working of impact drivers?
The driver generated too much motion and force at the time of the screwing process by which the screwing gets faster and easier. The hammer action in the machine plays a very essential role because the motor alone in the machine does not work. A combination of hammer and motor works together in speeding up or decreasing the speed of the machine. Spinning is the key behind the fastening up of the machine. That is why the hammer is an essential part of the machine. Without it, the machine cannot be controlled as you might get to face issues in the spinning of the machine.
Here are some of the great benefits of the machine you should know about
Numerous advantages are there which you would get to know about the driver that would be going to leave you to be spellbound. Various benefits are as follows-
- High spinning- The power of the machine is so high that it can produce the best in speed and power drills. If we talk about wood here, then it is harder, which means that the machine would need to require max power to accomplish success in the work in no time. You should go for it without any second thought because it would not let you down.
- It can be stored easily-If you are worried about storing it, then there is nothing to be stressed about. It is so compact in size that it can fit in any kind of place. If we compare it with a cordless drill, which is very heavy and big in size, that you cannot store it in tight places, this is the thing due to which it has become more popular than the drills among people.
- Screw without drilling holes-It sounds strange, but if you are using the machine, then there is no need to drill some holes first. You can directly screw the bolts in the woodwork without any interruption. The higher the torque, or we can say spin, is required for this achievement. The demand for these machines is so high as you will get to see various people using it nearby you.
- Almost no recoil.Recoil here refers to the interruption of balance. There would be so little or so low recoil by which you can easily get to do your work. Balance in the right position is required for perfect screwing that can only be done with the help of a low recoil mechanism. If you are new to this work, then the machine is the right choice for you. You can easily get to learn the screwing activity by using the machine.
- No fear of kickback- There would be no fear of kickback as most of the people who are using drills know what kickback can result in. The driver is so compact that you can easily get to maintain the balance with zero kickbacks. Most of the time, kick back in drills is hurtful that it can easily get to hurt your hands.
- Can be carried easily-You can either have it in your pocket or on your belt. The choice is yours as it is so light in weight that you will not be going to feel anything in your hand. Your pocket would feel like empty, and thus, you can easily get to roam here and there without even feeling it.
- No pressure on the wrist-You can use it the whole day on the wood, and still, you would get to feel or notice nothing on your wrist. You should be very grateful to this machine because there are various others in the market which is very heavy in weight. If we talk about drills, then they are absolutely very heavy in weight, which can easily get to make your tired or hurt your wrist.
- The best battery life- It runs on the battery, which means it would have the best battery life you can imagine. It can last up to various hours, which is the best thing about the drill. This is the ultimate key to the success of the compact driver machine.
Thus these are some of the essential benefits you should know about. These will not only help you in knowing about the best machine but also you can get to choose it very carefully. It is concluded by saying that compact drivers are a lot better than the drills because of their features and compact in size.
Hair Loss Treatments: Which One is Right for You?
Hair loss, known as Alopecia in medical pratice, is a bane for the majority of middle-aged men and women. One of the causes of hair loss is due to genetic factors in which sufferers have absolutely no control of. However, people suffering from hair loss need not despair since there are good treatments that can help in controlling hair loss. Some of these treatments are available in the form of surgery and medications. To ensure a successful treatment and to avoid complications, you may need to consult a qualified person first to know the suitability of any treatment that you are considering.
The most common perception that hair loss treatments such as advanced laser hair removal services in Brampton are expensive and that puts a hole in the pocket, is a total misnomer. Instead of cribbing over and feel embarrassed to face people due to hair loss, it is better to spend some money to control it and get back the original hair you had to gain back your youthful look.
There is no fool proof method of identifying hair loss early enough to prevent it, as it is a genetic disorder that is passed on to the off springs. Some may carry these genes without getting affected by it in any means, which makes it literally difficult to pin point its occurrence later on. One theory believes that if our grandparents are hair loss sufferers, then it is most certainly likely to affect the grandchildren. You need to look back at your family history to know if you may suffer hair loss so that you can take precautions.
Hair Grafting
Hair grafting was the normal procedure adopted by most hair surgeons to grow hair at the affected area, but it is now being slowly replaced by the technically superior procedure called “follicular unit extraction”. This treatment has increased the chances of growing back hair successfully without damaging the hair follicles. This advanced technology ensures the natural growth of hair and imparts a normal look which makes it even more effective as compared to the older grafting procedure.
Follicular Unit Extraction
You need not be put off by the high sounding “follicular unit extraction” since it is not expensive as the name suggests and there is sufficient competition among surgeons to get it at a reasonable price. You have to spend some time contacting hair clinics for competitive analysis and price quote so that you can get the best service at an affordable price.
Prescription Medicines
If you are afraid or have no time to spend with any hair surgery, then you can opt for medications like Propecia or Rogaine. However, the hitch is that these medications are required to be consumed for longer durations of time which may become expensive in the long run. If you are well covered by medical insurance, you can very well opt for these treatments to grow back your hair and regain your youthful look.
Once again, whichever treatment you are considering, it is best to consult a professional to know which may be the best treatment for your hair loss.
Credit Default Swaps: Misconceived Insurance
Credit default swaps (CDS) became a highly talked about topic when the mortgage market went bust a couple of years ago. The CDS gained a lot of negative publicity and acted as a catalyst for the demise of multiple brokerage shops and investment banks. The fact of the matter is that the CDS is not necessarily a risky investment and the only problem is lack of market transparency.
People often think of credit default swaps as an individual “security” like a stock, bond, or option, but in reality, the CDS is simply a bilateral contract or agreement between a buyer and seller. It’s very similar to buying some form of personal insurance such as auto or health. While the CDS is a derivative and often claimed to be “complex,” it’s an easy concept to understand. Moreover, there is a specialist insurance company that is willing to provide you insurance as you get a mortgage. This will secure you financially and you can plan your credit with a sense of security.
There are two parties involved, a buyer and a seller. In this example, we’ll say that the buyer owns $25 million in General Electric (GE) bonds. As you would purchase health insurance to protect yourself from losing all your savings in the event of a medical emergency, the holder of the GE bonds simply wants to protect himself from GE defaulting. The buyer goes to the market and finds another company that will sell him insurance on the bonds he owns. The buyer pays a premium to the seller in order to receive protection on his bonds. The buyer wins by having peace of mind that in the event of default, the seller will cover the loss. The seller wins by receiving premium payments on a periodic basis just like that of an insurance company. In the GE example above, if GE defaults, the seller must deliver the par value of the bonds.
The primary problem with credit default swaps is the lack of market transparency. If buyers enter into CDS contracts involving the delivery of more bonds than are actually available, collecting funds after default can be very difficult. With stocks and bonds, the outstanding amounts can be easily accessed, but asset availability is not always known with credit default swaps. Investment banks tend to offer protection against default on more bonds than are actually available. If the bonds default, investment banks are competing against each other to deliver the par value of the bonds. As bankers buy the bonds, the price rises, therefore a bond with an initial price of $100 may increase astronomically to $500, $1,000, or even higher. The International Swaps Derivatives Association (ISDA) alongside the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) are working to resolve the issue of market transparency and while it may take a few years, investors will eventually see the benefits of credit default swaps.
Fabulous Diy Spa Party Invitations
Spa party invitations should put guests in the mood for your luxurious and relaxing spa party. There is no better way to do this than personalizing your spa party invitations by making them yourself. When it comes to the location for your spa party, Welcome to myethosspa Med Spa is a really good option that you can try. Along with your hand made party invitations you can make your party a hit among your friends.
Follow these DIY invitation ideas for a spa party to create inviting and original spa party invitations.
Free Printables Supplies:
- Internet connection
- Paper or card stock
- Color printer
- Glue
- The glitter and other embellishments
- Ruler
- Envelopes
For the easiest DIY spa party invitations, use free printable invitation sites. One such online site, that has spa party invitation templates, is HoverWebDesign.com.
Using a color printer, print the spa party invitations off on computer paper or card stock. Both can be purchased at an office supply store. Card stock will hold up better if you are planning to embellish your spa party invitations.
After printing your spa party invitations, fold it in half. Use a ruler to get a straight fold. Run your hand over the fold, until the card will stay closed on its own.
Purchase glitter and other embellishments from a dollar store. Walmart has self-adhesive stickers that look like rhinestones, that can be purchased for around $2 a sheet. Glue your embellishment to your spa party invitations, to give them extra personalization and style.
Take a finished invitation with you when shopping for an envelope. This will ensure that you purchase the right size envelope for your spa party invitations.
Scrapbook Style Supplies:
- Card stock
- Scissors
- Scrapbook Stickers
- Markers
- Ruler
- Envelopes
The key to these fun and interesting spa party invitations is to purchase supplies in coordinating colors. This will give your spa party invitations a more professional and cohesive look. Scrapbook stickers can be purchased at scrapbooking stores, dollar stores or Walmart. Scrapbook stickers you will need to purchase for this invitation are lettering and beauty inspired stickers.
Fold your card stock in half, using a ruler.
On the inside of the invitations, write the specifics of your spa party. Include party time and location. Include any items that your guests might need to bring to the spa party, such as robes or beauty products.
On the face of your spa party invitations, arrange your scrapbooking stickers to form your wording. This can say something as simple as “Spa Party,” “Time to Relax,” or an original phrase. Glue stickers to the card stock, to ensure that they will stay on.
Judiciously glue your picture stickers on the invitation. The idea is to embellish upon the spa party theme, not clutter or overwhelm the invitation. Use scissors to trim the stickers, if necessary.
Take the final invitation with you to an office supply or greeting card store, to get the perfect fit.
These spa party invitations will be ready-made for your guests to place in their scrapbooks. Encourage them to take pictures at the spa party, so they have memorable images to fill the page.
Beauty Products Supplies:
- Beauty product
- Colored paper
- Scissors
- Hole Punch
- Ribbon
- Marker
For these spa party invitations, shop for spa-inspired beauty products at dollar item stores, such as Dollar Tree. Example of these spa party beauty masks is clay face masks, eye masks or lotion. You will only need to purchase one item per invitation.
Purchase 8×11 colored paper at a craft or office supply store. Cut the longest edge of the paper into three strips. Fold these strips in half, to form your spa party invitations. Use a marker to write your spa party specifics on the inside of the card.
Using a hole punch, make a hole in the upper left corner of the card. This should be the upper corner closest to the fold.
Cut ribbon, purchased from a craft store, into six-inch sections. Cut one ribbon section for each one of your spa party invitations. String the ribbon through the hole in your invitation card. Fit the ribbon securely around your beauty product. Tie it off in a tight knot, to ensure it remains around your beauty product. Play with leaving the ribbon ends loose or tying them in a cute bow. Go with whichever looks best on you completed spa party invitations.
This invitation idea for a spa party is a thoughtful gift, that will delight your guests. It is sure to put them in the mood for a fun and relaxing spa party.
Salt Lake City: Safetysuit Didn’t Stop at Awesome
Safetysuit –
I had the amazing opportunity and honor to visit yet another show from this amazing band. And my heart still beats with excitement!
If a Safetysuit show is anywhere near you I say: ” Ladies forget the coffee shops, get your ladies friends, mothers invite your teenage daughters, Guys find a buddy or your girlfriend and just go to visit this hard working band. I promise, you won’t be disappointed!
I met Safetysuit back in June when they opened for Daughtry. It didn’t take me long to realize that this Band is not an opening act. They out rocked the Idol Star big time. Doug Brown, the vocalist from Safetysuit worked so hard that he dislocated his shoulder.
Yesterday, September 25, 2012 they were the showstopper at “The Complex” in Salt Lake City. In an almost sold out venue with an occupancy of 800 people, they brought down the house and I am not kidding.
All ages were welcome.
Parents don’t hesitate to bring your kid to a Safetysuit concert near you. You will not hear f-bombs, you won’t see sexual charged dance moves, and there won’t be mosh pits. Better yet you and your child will be treated to a concert of high energized underground raw rock mixed with encouraging lyrics for you and your kid. Teens don’t be afraid to go because your parents approve. You won’t be the only one being swayed by their coolness. Douglas Brown, Dave Garofalo, Jeremy Henshaw and Tate Cunningham are hot! Guys,I am telling you don’t let that fool you. The underground factor of this band, mixed with the heavy beats of the roaring guitar will allow you to see beyond the bands magnetic abilities on young females. Safetysuit got to be the most underrated band I have ever seen or heard.
With a mix of emotion of plain enviousness, melancholy, excitement I leaned against the wall near the stage and soaked the heavy beats in. The voice of Doug Brown cuts deep into my spirit. At times I closed my eyes and hummed along. At other times I watched in amazement how every song was turned into an expression of this bands member’s heart. I could see pain on Dougs Face when it fits the lyrics. The energy went up when they sang about anger and helplessness but I also saw the playfulness when they charmed the audience. Several Times Doug just left the stage and walked into the audience, singing to a girl. At Another time Safetysuit “Never Stop” was part of a marriage proposal from a fan to a fan. It was perfect. Doug must have known it. He walked over to the side of the stage, where a couple was kuddling. He sang the song to them. As soon as she hugged him with tears in her eyes. He said: “Congratulations” and went back center stage..
In a world where Sex and “Beauty” trumps the charts Safetysuit encourages women to be who they are, by defining Beauty as a smile, like in their song “Annie”. In a world where people struggle and have a hard time getting by, Safetysuit made a promise that those times will pass in the song “These Times”. They mentioned that September is Cancer Months and thanked fans for giving to the cause. Other songs were Stay, Let Go, and Hallelujah
It’s hard to pick a favorite performance from yesterday’s concert. Each and every song was performed by all members on stage with freshness and conciseness, one barely sees at concert. Every song appeared like it was the first song of the night and the first time they sang it. And every sentence was believable.
I felt inspired to work hard every minute at my life, to do well and to enjoy what I am doing just like they did with each and every song on stage last night.
It seems that Safetysuit definitely enjoyed performing for us yesterday and I can’t wait to see them again.
Safetysuit had great opening acts with Better Life Band (BLB) and Go Radio but there is simply no comparison to them or with any band for that matter.
A picture from me and my daughter was posted on Partyutah.com. Please also check the other photos out!The photographer did a terrific job capturing the movements of Safetysuit last night.
I am such a huge fan of rock concerts that I am willing to pick up a fight with the ticket management system in case they are out of tickets and I did resort to it on one occasion, something which I feel ashamed of recalling as that served as living proof of my hot headedness.
Extreme Couponing: What Not to Do If You Want To Save Money At The Grocery Store
If you’ve seen “Extreme Couponing” on TLC, you know why the word “extreme” succinctly describes the program.
‘Extreme Couponing’ aired in December after Christmas and featured four people who are passionate about using grocery store coupons. No, they’re not the person in front of you who hands a few crumpled coupons to the cashier. These people are serious about couponing and getting items free or for next to nothing.
Nathan Engels of Kentucky, who appeared on the show, planned for his big shopping trip for almost a year, buying extra Sunday newspapers to get the coupons. He compared his shopping strategy to playing chess. “You’re trying to beat the opponent, which is the store,” said Engels, who bought $5743 worth of groceries for $241. His take included 1100 boxes of cereal, the majority of which was donated to a food bank, 60 bottles of handsoap and 300 toothbrushes.
Amanda Ostrowski keeps a stockpile of grocery items in her Ohio home, including 3000 rolls of toilet paper. Even though she works full-time and has a family, she spends 70 hours per week on couponing, relying on Internet coupons and a clipping service to increase her stockpile of goods. Ostrowski paid $51.67 for nearly $1200 worth of groceries, including 150 candy bars and endless boxes of pasta. She ran into a snag, though, when the cash register crashed after reaching its limit of 1000 items. Everything had to be divided between several registers and rescanned.
Now, here is the snag I ran into, which clearly marks me as an amateur couponer. I found a coupon in the newspaper for $5 off of Maalox, and even though I’ve never used the product, I picked a bottle up for $5.99, which means I paid less than a dollar for it. When I got home, though, I couldn’t find it. I checked my receipt to make sure I’d actually bought it. I had and the $5 had been dutifully deducted.
Nothing else was missing-oh, wait, where’s that toilet paper I bought? That was missing too. I could see how a bagger might put Maalox and toilet paper in the same bag, and as much as it pained me, I called the store to see if I had indeed left a bag of said items behind. Besides a recording, I never got an answer, though, which turned out to be a good thing. I found the toilet paper in the hall closet, where my daughter had put it.
But, still no Maalox. I began to suspect my daughter put it in the wrong cabinet-after all I have found peanut butter under the sink with the dog food and cleaning agents when she helped before. As of this writing, the red and white bottle of Maalox has not been found, which means I’m out 99 cents. This, of course, defeats the whole purpose of using the coupon in the first place, and it’s making me sick. Hope to find that Maalox soon.
Eight Alternative Uses for Postcards
Once upon a time, the postcard’s primary purpose was to let your friends or family know what you were seeing and to let them know you were thinking of them – or possibly thinking about how jealous they would be if they knew how much fun you were having. But postcards are good for so many more things, here are just a few.
Travel Journal: have you ever thought that it would be great to remember some of the little details of your trip? One way of doing this is to make notes on the postcards from the places you visit. Then, when you get home, you can either bind them together to make a small book, or incorporate them into a scrapbook of your trip. And, the benefit of keeping your notes on postcards is that you can mail them home and then they will be there waiting for you when you get back.
Art prints: postcards from your favorite places can make great art for your walls. Rather than purchasing a framed photograph, why not purchase a postcard and have it matted and framed when you get home after your trip? That way, you can choose a color that looks great with your home décor, and showcases your memories your way.
Day to day communication: why not send postcards to your friends, just as a way of saying hi? No one likes going to pick up the mail and finding only bills, and sending a postcard is as quick as an email – and a far more personal touch.
Journaling: so many people want to keep a journal but feel that they just don’t have the time for it. Similar to keeping a travel journal, you can keep track of your thoughts and memories in short bursts on the backs of postcards. With boxed sets of cards available at bookstores, you can choose a theme that suits your personality and makes writing more fun.
Coasters: everyone wants to preserve their memories. One fantastic way of doing this is to create coasters from your postcards. You can make the choice to keep them in the original size and shape, or cut them down to squares. Then, mount them on a thin piece of cardboard and add a layer of sealing resin to the top to keep them from being damaged by the moisture of the glass.
Inspiration: if you scrapbook or paint, a scenic postcard can give you countless ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Perhaps you can try to create a similar scene with pastels or acrylics, or you can use the postcard as a focal point on a scrapbook page. Other possibilities include using the colors on the card to give you ideas for color combinations that you might otherwise not have tried.
Reminders: is there somewhere you have always wanted to visit? It’s possible to get postcards from those places and to form a collage based on monuments you want to see or beaches that you hope to lounge on. And, keeping a visual guide to them handy, you will be more motivated to make sure that you get there someday – maybe even sooner than you otherwise would.
8. Relaxation: keep postcards from your most relaxing vacations handy so that, in times of stress, you can look back on them, remember the experience and be soothed by it.
Hopefully, these eight suggestions have inspired you to think of ways to keep your memories fresh using postcards. But by keeping your memories alive with this inexpensive tool, you’ll have found a more entertaining ways to share your memories with friends.