If you’ve spent any time in the past few days watching the news or reading newspapers, you’ve been reminded that this is the official start of the holiday gift-buying season.  You’ve seen the interviews with 8-months-pregnant women who are planning to sleep in tents in front of big-box stores (in subfreezing weather) so they can score this year’s hot toy for their other children.

Maybe you’ve gone out shopping on Black Friday in years past.  I have–once.  That was enough to cure me of ever thinking of it again.  The first store I hit wasn’t too bad, but my second stop was the toy store, where lines stretched into the aisles of stock so you couldn’t maneuver your cart around the store.  People had sleepy toddlers in pajamas sitting in shopping carts in the predawn hours.  I stood there in line trying to figure out what I was doing there and if it was really worth it.

After I waited for nearly an hour to pay for four toys, I was ready to head to the local “mart.”  The lot was so full that I practically had to park my car in the next zip code.  As I got closer to the entrance of the store, I saw several police cars and an ambulance in the front, and people spilling out of the door of the store.  No thanks!  I went home and put away my few purchases before the rest of my family was even awake.  Later I learned that there had been rioting at that store–over a Tickle Me Elmo.

I found in later years that online shopping could get me the same great deals without the tents, the cold, the crying toddlers and the riots.  I don’t plan to leave my house today to buy so much as a loaf of bread, but I’m sure I can get a lot of shopping accomplished.

COUPON TIME

Here are some of the very best deals from our own Holiday Gift Guide!  Unlike Black Friday sales, these coupons don’t expire TODAY.  And you don’t have to sleep outside in a tent the night before to take advantage of them.

15% off your order at The Sports Authority
Eligible items will have the following note on their product page: “Ultimate Coupons - 15% OFF Your Entire Order”
Valid online only. Use this link to activate the coupon. If there’s a problem, enter promotion/discount code ULTIMATE15 in your cart.
Valid through: January 31, 2009 11:59pm ET
Discount does not apply to taxes, shipping and handling charges, gift wrapping or similar charges. Cannot be combined with any other promotional offer nor is this offer valid on previous purchases. Offer excludes Treadmills, Bikes/Ellipticals, Home Gyms, select table games, trampolines & accessories, electronics/optics, asics, Atec, Bauer, Bladez, Butterfly, Callaway, Carhart, Casio, CCM, Cobra, Coleman Boats, Columbia, DeMarini, Easton, Escape, Etyomic Research, Fly Flot, Footjoy, Front Porch Classics, Future Beach, Garmin, Goaliath, Goalrilla, Goalsetter, Ground Control, Hi-Tec, Heelys, Jugs, K2, Kettler, K-Swiss, Leatherman, Leisure Life, Louisville, Louisville Slugger, Magellan, Magnum, Miken Sports, Minolta, Mission, Mizuno, Mongoose, Motorola, Muzono Golf, Nike, Nike Golf, Oakley, Pelican, Pro Feet, Rawlings, Razors, Roces, Rollerblade, Salomon, SKB, Spira, Spring Step, Taylor Made, The North Face, Tippmann, Titleist, Trend Sports, Under Armour, World Industries, Worth, electronics/optics and select other items. If the coupon doesn’t seem to work on an item, the brand is probably excluded. Discount is not applicable to gift cards and gift certificates. Entire order must be shipped to a single address. Offer valid only while supplies last and not applicable to canceled orders due to out-of-stock merchandise.

20% off your order at ICE.com
Use this link to activate the coupon code.
Valid through: December 20, 2008 11:59pm ET
One coupon per customer. Excludes sale items, engagement rings and items under Hollywood Jewels. Cannot be combined with any other coupons.

$10 off online orders over $50 at HP Home & Home Office
Use coupon code SV2130.
Valid through: January 31, 2009
Excludes Compaq Presarios PCs, HP Mini 1000, and HP Pavilion Special Edition Notebook PCs. Maximum 1 redemption per person or address. Not valid with other promotions. Combinable with instant rebates. Restrictions apply; see site for details.

$50 off a hotel stay of 3 or more nights via Orbitz.com
Use promotion code 50AFFORB. Valid through: December 31, 2008
To display qualifying hotels, go to the Hotels tab, click “I have a promotion code,” enter the above code and look for hotels marked with the icon “COUPON.”
Book a qualifying hotel by December 31, 2008, for 3 or more nights for travel by December 31, 2008, via Orbitz and instantly receive $50 off your purchase through the use of the promotion code. Limit one discount per hotel room and one promotion code per purchase. Discounts are not redeemable for cash for any reason. Any attempt at fraud will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted. Orbitz reserves the right to change or limit the promotion in its sole discretion.

$10 off online orders over $125 at Brookstone.com
Use promotion code AF8NOV. Valid through: December 15, 2008
Not valid in retail stores. Minimum purchase does not include tax, shipping and gift wrapping. Coupon cannot be used toward the purchase of Sony, Bose or Tempur-Pedic products, gift cards, or with any other offers or discounts. Not valid on prior sales or repurchase of returned merchandise.

15% off your order at FTD.COM
Use this link. Your discount should be displayed at the top of the page. Discount will be reflected in the prices you see.
Valid through: Unknown

Two words that strike fear into any parent’s heart:  ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.  That is the last thing I want to see on a box that contains a toy my child has just received, because it means that I’m going to be spending at least an hour finding the proper screwdriver, rubber mallet, pipe wrench, crowbar and buzz saw needed to put this toy together.  And probably something will get broken in the process (like my coffee table). 

I’d love it if toys could be delivered already assembled.  The only toys that should have to be assembled are Legos, Polly Pockets and jigsaw puzzles.  Everything else should be ready to go as soon as you open the box.

But even worse than the prospect of assembly is the Battle of the Twisty-Tie.  I don’t know why it became necessary to tie everything into a box with enough wire to power a small house.  It can take 30 minutes and 4 Band-Aids to free a single Barbie doll from her packaging.

A note to toy manufacturers everywhere:  parents would be thrilled if you got rid of those twisty-ties!

It doesn’t help that while the parent is trying to liberate the toy from the package and then put the thing together, the child is in the parent’s face, alternately offering to “help” and whining about why it’s taking so long.

And then, before you know it, that same child is too busy playing with the box to even care about the toy.

COUPON TIME

Looking to get a head start on your toy shopping this year?  These deals are great NOW–you don’t even have to wait for Black Friday or Cyber Monday to take advantage of these toy sales.

$5 off an order of $100 or more at eToys
Use this link to get the coupon code.
Valid through: December 31, 2008 11:59pm ET
Excludes all video game consoles & bundles, all iPods and select electronics, shipping, handling surcharges, taxes and gift cards. Online only. One time use. Not valid toward(s) previous orders. Cannot be combined with any other coupon.

10% off your order at the Nick.com Shop
Use promotional code SHOP10 in your shopping cart.
Valid through: December 31, 2008 11:59pm ET
Discount is not applicable to gift cards and gift certificates. Discount does not apply to taxes, shipping and handling charges, gift-wrapping or similar charges. Discount not applicable with returned merchandise; total discount will be deducted from the value of any returned item to which the discount applied. Cannot be combined with any other promotional offer nor is this offer valid on previous purchases. Entire order must be shipped to a single address. This promotional offer may be modified or terminated at any time without notice.

Free Shipping on orders of $89 or more at Disney Shopping.com
Enter Promotion Code SHIP89. Click “Submit”.
Valid through: December 1, 2008 11:59pm PT
Valid for Standard Delivery to a single address within the continental US. Certain products are excluded, as noted on specific Product Pages. Qualifying purchase based on pre-tax, post-discount amount and excludes Shipping & Handling charges, gift cards, gift wrap and gift boxes. Additional handling applies for oversized items. If any single order is sent to more than one address, Shipping & Handling charges will be applied to each shipment address. Offer valid only on orders placed online at DisneyShopping.com, DisneyStore.com, and DisneyOutlet.com. Not valid on phone orders or purchases from Disney Store outlet or retail locations.

$15 off a purchase of $99+ online at Disney Shopping.com
Valid online only. Enter Promotion Code COMCAST15. Click “Submit”.
Valid through: November 30, 2008 11:59pm PT
Not valid on outlet items. Limit one coupon per order. Offer excludes Shipping & Handling charges, gift cards, Disney electronics, Theme Park merchandise, Adventures by Disney merchandise, animation art, Armani and Walt Disney Classics Collection, Jim Shore, Pooh & Friends, Olszewski, Ultimate Wall*E Remote Control Robot, pre-sales, personalization, gift wrap and gift boxes and items not in stock. If no discountable items are in your cart, nothing will happen when you enter the coupon code. No adjustments to prior purchases. Merchandise must be exchanged for identical item or returned at discounted price with valid packing slip. Not valid on phone orders or purchases from Disney Store outlet or retail locations. Cannot be combined with other coupons.

$5 off orders over $25 at DiscoveryStore.com
Use coupon code EML2008.
Valid through: December 31, 2008
Discount not valid on gift cards, gift certificates, special orders, telescopes, telescope accessories or previous purchases. Cannot be combined with other offers.

$5 off an order of $40 or more at KBtoys.com
Valid online only! In your shopping cart, click on the “Apply Coupon or Certificate” button and enter code ETNLTR. Valid through: Unknown
$40 minimum excludes video game consoles, iPods, gift cards, shipping and taxes. Not valid on previous purchases. Cannot be combined with any other coupon.

For a guy, I’m a decent cook I’d say. Not fabulous or anything at all, but decent. I enjoy cooking actually, especially when I’m working off a recipe. Maybe it’s the puzzle lover in me, or how I could sit for hours putting Lego sets together by following instructions. But I view cooking in a similar light. You’ve got all these pieces and some instructions and you have to somehow mix it all up and create a masterpiece. Or at least something edible.

In college, one thing I learned how to cook from a roommate of mine was chili. He was a vegetarian and (don’t even ask, please) hung out with a bunch of vegetarian/vegan Dungeons & Dragons players. They were also musicians in a college band called The Acoustically Bent. Anyways, long story short, as insane as they were, they made some amazing chili! I was a pseudo vegetarian myself but to this day I still make this recipe because it’s that good.  Just chock full of zillions of beans and vegetables, which I normally wouldn’t touch with a 100-foot pole, but somehow the combination and very long simmering makes it all mix perfectly.

Anyways, flash forward a few years. I’m working at a magazine publisher full of lots of young people with nothing better to do with their lives. And since we were guys, we bragged a lot. And one-upped each other. And somehow the topic of chili came up. Before I knew it, we were holding the first-ever Chili-off! I believe there were five of us in the competition, with 3 of our co-workers as judges. (One of which may have actually enjoyed chili on a regular basis, but the other 2 probably never even heard of it.) Our only rule was it had to be homemade. So I grabbed my recipe and went to work.

Except…

Except, I blew it. Big time. My recipe calls for beans, but I usually use the dried beans, rather than the canned ones. They just taste much better. But you need to soak them overnight before using them in the recipe. And guess who forgot to soak them? Yeah, me. So I followed the “quick soak” method on the bags, which said you could boil the beans for about 40 minutes or so. Maybe that’d do the trick! Maybe nobody would notice I screwed up the beans, when they’re mixed in with all that tomato sauce, chili powder, broccoli, cauliflower, and more. Yeah, my secret was totally safe, right? Wrong. To my despair, every single person who tried it,  actually said it tasted great, “Except the beans were a bit chewy.”

So I ended up taking 3rd place with my hard-beans chili. But… thanks to a scandal, I moved up to #2 by the end of the evening! See, my friend Doug ended up winning, which shocked everyone on the planet. Doug could barely cook toast to save himself. And yet, his chili was mouth-wateringly good. His secret? Upon further inspection, it was learned that all he did was open up a can of generic no-frills chili, and added some peanuts to it. Yes, peanuts. In his mind, this was “cooking.” So he was disqualified, and I found myself with the second best chili around. I guess I know how those beauty pageant  runners up feel now. And yes, should the champion ever fail to live up to his chili-performing duties, I’m more than prepared to step in and fill his shoes. But this time, I’ll be sure to soak the beans.

COUPON TIME:

Looking to whip up your own vat of chili? Or maybe some other non-massively gas-producing food? Well you can check out our cooking coupons to save some money while you’re at it. But for this post, I’m gonna offer up coupons for drugstores selling TUMS, Gas-X and breath mints, as well as home improvement stores just in case you need an extra plunger or new toilet…

$20 off online orders over $125 at Ace Hardware
Use this link to activate the coupon. If there’s a problem, enter promotional code NOVAFF08 in your cart.
Valid through: November 30, 2008 11:59pm ET
Excludes: sale and clearance items, power tools, power equipment, water heaters, grills, gift cards and Carhartt clothing. Gift cards, taxes, shipping and handling charges, gift wrapping and similar charges do not count towards minimum. Not valid towards the purchase of gift cards. Cannot be combined with other coupons or offers. Cannot be used on previously purchased merchandise.

$10 off online orders over $100 at HomeDepot.com
Use promotion code HOLIDAY1 at checkout.
Valid through: November 26, 2008
This offer is valid and redeemable for a $10 discount on one entire online order of $100 or more made at homedepot.com only. This offer cannot be combined with any other discount, offer, promotion or special incentive program and is not valid on: (a) labor or Self-Furnish and Install (”SF&I”) and Furnish and Install (”F&I”) program products, including without limitation roofing, windows, siding, HVAC products, custom closets, storage solutions, installed sheds or structures; (b) the purchase of gift cards or certificates; (c) prior purchases; or (d) Consumer Electronics (including, but not limited to, televisions, DVD players, speakers, home theaters, cellular phones, etc.), John Deere, Cub Cadet, Little Giant Ladder Systems, Thermador in select markets, Gaggenau, Miele, Dacor, Viking, Fisher&Paykel, Sharp Insight, Delonghi, Casablanca, Hunter Prestige, Buckhaven, Weber, Lynx, Alfresco, OCI, Marvel, Bertazzoni, Aga, and Vent A Hood products and trade styles. Enter promotion code at checkout to receive your discount. The discount will be reflected at checkout for the products qualifying for the promotion. Offer not valid for payment on any The Home Depot credit account.

$5 off online orders over $50 at Target.com
Use this link to activate the promotional code.
Valid though: December 30, 2008
Offer applies to purchases of $50 or more based on merchandise subtotal. Merchandise subtotal based on one shipping destination per order. GiftCards, e-GiftCards, gift wrap, tax, or shipping and handling charges will not be included in determining merchandise subtotal and are not discountable. Cannot be combined with other promotional offers or discounts or applied to previous orders. Offer available for Target.com orders only and does not apply to Peg Perego, Apple iPods, Sony, Sennheiser, Nintendo Wii hardware, Bose electronics partner businesses, custom clothing, personalized gifts, or Amazon.com product purchases. Discount not available when using 1-Click ordering online.

$5 off and Free Shipping with a $30+ order
OR
$10 off and Free Shipping with a $50+ order at Drugstore.com
NEW CUSTOMERS:
Non-prescription orders only. Can be used once per household.
Use this link to activate the offer. Valid through: December 31, 2008

You know how it is before any big holiday.  Even if you’re not hosting the dinner at your house, there’s always the chance that company will drop by.  And that’s when you start breaking out in a rash, thinking about what the house looks like.

My kids don’t seem to care what room something belongs in.  They’ll just put it down wherever they happen to be.  This leads me to wander around the house asking questions like, “Who left the Dr. Pepper in the bathroom?” 

Sometimes I wish that my living room could be a toy-free zone.  I’m not hoping that it could look like something out of a decorating magazine, because that might be asking way too much.  But it would be so nice if the toys could move out.  I don’t think I’d miss the plastic hockey stick, cards from “Arthur’s Memory Game,” little tiny army guys, little tiny cars and trucks, crayons, Handy-Dandy Notebook, Hess helicopter, dinosaur, light saber, broken tiara and one of Robin Hood’s Merry Men.

For that matter, it would be nice if someone would take the little Army Guy out of the bathroom.  He is standing there on the counter, pointing his gun toward his reflection in the mirror.  I’ve also found Legos, chopsticks and even the phone in the bathroom.  But good luck finding a hairbrush in the bathroom.

We won’t even mention all the various places I’ve found crayons.

Now that there’s a long weekend coming up, this could be the perfect time to get things in order.  After all, I’ll be doing my shopping online, rather than standing in line at the store.  I’ll save a lot of time that way–time that I can spend forcing my children to put away their stuff.

COUPON TIME

If it’s time to get things organized in your home, here are some great deals on storage, home organization, and planning tools–so you can keep it that way!

$20 off online orders over $125 at Ace Hardware
Use this link to activate the coupon. If there’s a problem, enter promotional code NOVAFF08 in your cart.
Valid through: November 30, 2008 11:59pm ET
Excludes: sale and clearance items, power tools, power equipment, water heaters, grills, gift cards and Carhartt clothing. Gift cards, taxes, shipping and handling charges, gift wrapping and similar charges do not count towards minimum. Not valid towards the purchase of gift cards. Cannot be combined with other coupons or offers. Cannot be used on previously purchased merchandise.

$15 off orders of $75 or more at Brylane Home
Enter promotion code BHAH01 in your shopping cart and click APPLY. Valid through: January 15, 2009 11:59pm ET
Valid online only. Excludes electrics, select rugs, select lighting, wall art, mirrors, floor care, and gift certificates. This offer may not be combined with any other offer(s). Limited to one offer per customer.

10% off any order at BrylaneHome.com
Enter promotion code BHA1001 in your shopping cart and click APPLY. Valid through: December 31, 2008 11:59pm ET
Valid online only. Excludes electrics, select rugs, select lighting, wall art, mirrors, floor care, and gift certificates. This offer may not be combined with any other offer(s). Limited to one offer per customer.

Free shipping on orders of $49 or more at JCPenney.com
Use this link to get the promotion code and all the details.
Valid through: November 25, 2008
Continental U.S. only. Excludes truck or express deliveries; clearance/outlet prices; Jodee Catalog; Sephora.com; Teleflora. Not valid on previous purchases. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

Shop at Stacks and Stacks through Shop.com and save:
$5 off a purchase of $50+ with coupon code BRDH5.
$10 off a purchase of $100+ with coupon code BRDH10.
Do not use Guest Checkout if you want to use a coupon!
Valid through: December 31, 2008
You MUST use this link to use the coupon. It will NOT work at StacksandStacks.com. Coupons are valid only at select Shop.com stores. Computer/Electronics stores excluded.

$5 off online orders over $50 at FranklinCovey
Use Promotion Code 18371. Valid through: January 31, 2009
Offer is not valid on prior purchases, purchase of gift cards, electronic devices/accessories, kits, Build Your Own System, workshops, workshop materials, purchase of nondiscountable products, or with corporate, GSA, volume, Quixtar, or other discounts. Not valid on sale/outlet/clearance items.

My sister cooks Thanksgiving dinner at her home every year. My family attends every other year, and in the off years we spend the holiday with my in-laws. Usually I cook, and they all come here–though there have been exceptions, like the time Pop was in the hospital. That year I cooked it all and brought it to my brother-in-law’s house and finished making the dinner there, since they lived closer to the hospital, and the adults visited Pop in shifts throughout the day. 

When you cook Thanksgiving dinner you have to get up early. REALLY early. There are a lot of details to take care of, and a big turkey does take a while to stuff and cook. So my sister and I have developed our own little tradition. Whether it’s our year to visit her home, or the “bye year” as she calls it, we spend part of the early hours of the morning on the phone. Even if we’re having dinner at her house later that day, she’s got so many guests and is so busy that we don’t get to talk much. So we enjoy our Thanksgiving phone call.

Even if I’ve got nothing to cook in a particular year, I’m always up early anyway. As the coffee is brewing, I’ll open an email from my sister telling me that she’s awake, and that those participating in the annual Great Pheasant Hunt will be leaving at 5:45, so I’m welcome to call anytime after that.

It may be a while before I get to cook Thanksgiving dinner again, as my cousin-in-law has extended us a standing invitation for the “bye years.” I’ll have to find another time to do a turkey dinner, I guess.

But the early-morning phone call with my sister will stand as a Thanksgiving-Day tradition.

After I get off the phone, I’ll hurry outside on a cold morning and do my weight-lifting for the day—bringing in the newspaper loaded with Black Friday circulars. Most of those will go right into the recycle bin. My Black Friday shopping will be done online!  And best of all, Cyber Monday is next.  I don’t have to get everything done on Friday.  Some great deals will be awaiting me on Monday as well.

COUPON TIME

I’m sure I’m not the only one planning a shopping strategy.  If you’re multitasking, and cooking while you think about shopping, check out these coupons for great deals on cookware and more.

$5.99 shipping on all orders at Cooking.com
Use this link to get the coupon/special offer code and the terms. If there are any problems, use the “Click to Redeem a Coupon” link in your shopping cart and enter code C98329.
Valid through: December 31, 2008
Applies to Standard Shipping within the contiguous U.S. and APO/FPO. Not available on shipments to AK, HI, U.S. Territories or Canada. Does not apply to items from these suppliers: Ace-Mart, Allied Trade Group, The BBQ Guys, Delightful Deliveries, igourmet, Jessica’s Biscuit, Organize.com, Signature Wines, Universal Appliance, and Up North Basket Company. Cannot be combined with other special offers. Terms subject to change.

Free Shipping on online orders over $99 at CHEFS
Use this link to activate the Promotional Code.
Valid through: December 31, 2008
Valid online only for free shipping within the continental United States. Does not apply to previous orders. Items with additional postage and handling, items shipped directly from the manufacturer (listed as “AP” beneath the item price), express delivery orders, and gift cards do not qualify for free shipping. Not valid with any other offers.

15% off entire order at Pfaltzgraff.com
Coupon code AFNOV15 will be added when you click the above link.
Valid through: December 4, 2008

20% off all Revol Tabletop and Bakeware at Sur La Table
Valid through: November 26, 2008

20% off all Cookware, Bakeware, & Cutlery at LNT.com
Valid through: unknown

A long time ago I read a few books by the “Sidetracked Home Executives.” One of their suggestions, in making a weekly routine for homemaking, was to designate an Errand Day.

That never worked for me when any of the kids were small (which means, continuously for the past 16 years). The kids couldn’t handle spending that much time doing all the weekly errands at once. But now that everyone’s in school, I thought that Monday would be a good time to try this concept. My rationale was that I didn’t want to be anywhere near a supermarket or post office any later in the week, so I should get everything done today.

I left the house at 8:40 AM and went straight to the grade school where I volunteered in the library for 2 hours. Then, the store to pick up a few things for my youngest child’s class Thanksgiving party. Then I took a break and used a coupon for a free sandwich at Chick-Fil-A so I wouldn’t be grocery shopping on an empty stomach. And then, on to the grocery store.

I’m not sure what circle of Hell I descended into when I went into the store, after circling the lot to find a parking space and a fruitless search for a dry cart. It was like Amateur Night in there. All the people who don’t know where anything is in the grocery store were in there, all at once, leaving carts scattered all over and driving up the back of my heels as I rushed from aisle to aisle. Thankfully, I had my list organized according to the store layout (a survival skill I developed when my daughter was little) and I didn’t need any of the traditional Turkey Day Essentials.

After the supermarket, I went home to put away the frozen and refrigerated stuff and to find the papers authorizing my seventh-grader to play CYO basketball on Sundays for the next few months. I had to have them notarized and handed in, with a $75 check, last week. (oops!) Then it was off to the municipal building to show off my horrible driver’s license photo and prove that since I can spell my last name, I must be me. I stopped at the post office to mail a package and buy stamps and then it was off to Target to get birthday gifts for my niece and nephew and snow pants for my younger two kids, for the one or two times a year it snows when you live this close to the equator. The birthday kids got books, since I am leery of buying toys right now, and both kids got black boys’ snow pants for ease of hand-me-downs.

And then I came home, and did some laundry, changed my shoes, and put on some (decaffeinated) coffee.

I like errands, but not all at once. I really like spending a bigger hunk of the day at home, and having one or two errands to do on any given day. Sorry, Sidetracked Home Executives. Errand Day is not for me. Late next week, when many moms are planning to spend Black Friday power-shopping by going out in the cold and dark and hitting the crowded malls and discount stores, I’ll be pulling up my comfortable chair up to my computer and shopping from the comfort of my own living room.  I might even stretch it out and enjoy some special Cyber Monday deals.  People who leave the house to shop never get to take advantage of those!

COUPON TIME:

Even better than having an Errand Day is having a Shop In Your Pajamas Day! I love using the internet to go shopping, and what could be better than to have some great coupons to make the deals even sweeter?  But you don’t have to wait until Black Friday or Cyber Monday to take advantage of these great deals on gifts!

25% off the LIST PRICE of one item at Borders.com
If all your items are already 25% or more off list price, you won’t get a discount. Use promotion code IPL1255.
Valid through: September 30, 2009 11:59pm ET
Valid only at Borders.com. Not valid in stores. Certain exclusions apply. Coupon cannot be combined with any other offer, including but not limited to “3 for 2,” “Buy 4, Get 5th Free,” or “Buy 1, Get 1 Half Price” offers. Excludes previous purchases, non-stock special orders, gift cards, newspapers, magazines, comics, coupon books, eBooks, digital downloads, self-publishing programs, Rosetta Stone software, shipping, and all electronics, including the Sony Reader and the Zune. May not be combined with other coupons, sale pricing, corporate, classroom, or other group discounts. Promotion code good for single-use only.

10% off your order at RedEnvelope.com
Use promotion code REDTKN in your shopping cart. Valid online only. Valid through: November 30, 2008
Cannot be combined with any other offers. Cannot be applied to gift certificates, gifts by the month or corporate orders. Cannot be applied to previous or pending purchases.

$50 off orders of $200 or more at Zales.com
Use this link to activate the coupon.
Valid through: November 24, 2008
Valid on regular and sale priced items through November 24, 2008 . Offer excludes clearance, loose diamonds, Celebration Diamond®, select designers, gift cards, special orders, repairs, specially priced items, special events and prior purchases. Offer may be used one time, and cannot be combined with any other offer. Online only.

15% off an order of $29.99 or more at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM
During checkout enter promotion code ULTIMATE.
May be used on multiple orders. Valid through: December 31, 2008
Valid online only. Discount does not apply to shipping charges. Cannot be combined with other coupons or used on previous purchases.

10% off online orders at ThingsRemembered.com
Use coupon code XMAS10 in your shopping cart.
Valid through: December 2, 2008

20% off orders of $100 or more at FranklinMint.com
Use promotional code LSNP1 in your shopping cart.
Valid through: November 30, 2008

One of the highlights of first-grade life is the Great Crayon Replacement. A couple of months into the school year, that starter box of crayons is starting to look like a scrap of cardboard with a few naked, colorful stumps.

L was coloring a shark picture after dinner tonight when he announced that he was allowed to bring a 24-pack of crayons to school now. He was a very happy guy. I told him that I’d go down to the basement and get him a box of crayons to put in his schoolbag.

He had other ideas.

He took the nice, new 64-box of crayons that was just opened a week or so ago (I try to hide the school supplies until they’re really needed, but the lure of the New Green and Yellow Box is irresistible to grade-schoolers and middle-schoolers alike). Then he started counting out all his favorites.

He has pretty good taste in colors. Like me, he goes for the interesting name. Why take plain old “purple” when you can have “purple mountain majesty?” Who settles for “green” when there’s “granny smith apple?”

His teacher runs a pretty tight ship, though, and I was concerned that she might not appreciate the Little Brother Sandwich Bag of 24 Great Crayons. I figured that at least he should have the basic colors in there, so I started quizzing him on whether there was red, orange, black, and brown in his selection.

We were doing fine until we got to yellow. “I don’t need yellow,” he claimed. “I’ll just use yellow-green.”

“That’s not the same,” I answered. “What if you have to color something like the sun, or a star?”

He finally conceded that yellow would be a good addition to his set of colors, and happily zipped up his little sandwich bag of crayons and put it in his schoolbag.

And now we have a 40-box of crayons sitting here, with no good colors left in it, and plenty of empty spaces. No one’s going to use that now. I’m sure they’ll start tearing apart the basement looking for another 64-box, which I don’t happen to have down there. (And if I did, do you think I’d tell them that?)

COUPON TIME

If you don’t have your own personal first-grader to create art for you, there are plenty of alternatives here, from art supplies for those with a creative streak to fabulous works of art and decorative items for your home.

TODAY ONLY: 
$5 off online orders over $50
$10 off online orders over $100
$15 off online orders over $150 at DickBlick.com
Plus, $5.95 shipping on any size order or Free Shipping on orders over $200.
Use Source code CCFB in the Source/Promotional Code box during checkout. Discount will be reflected late in the checkout process. Valid through: November 20, 2008 11:59pm CT
Valid online only. Not valid at Blick Retail stores. Cannot be combined with any other promotion. Only merchandise value counts toward the qualifying order amount — tax and shipping costs do not. Not valid on gift certificate purchases or factory-direct items (noted as FOB). Factory-direct items do not count toward the minimum purchase amount. Discount does not apply to open-account purchases. Additional Handling charges apply to Factory-direct items (noted as FOB). Additional shipping charges will be added to international and U.S. Territory orders, and shipments to Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Shipment of the following stocked art materials will be made by truck, and billed at an additional cost: paper and kraft rolls (500 and 1000 ft rolls), stretched canvas 36″ × 36″ and larger, linoleum rolls, any combination of clay, plaster, and molding material totaling 50 lbs or more, packages of foamboard, both quartet Table-mounted Ingento Cutters, the 999 Etching Press, Master Etch Press, and Master Etch Bench, and all E-Z Up Shelters. Some stocked furniture and easels will be shipped by truck and billed at an additional cost.

15% off online orders at The Artful Home
Use coupon code FIFTEEN118 during checkout.
Valid through: November 25, 2008

20% off online orders at Corel.com
Use coupon code DPC20OFF. Valid through: Unknown

30% off orders of $60 or more at KodakGallery.com
Use coupon code TURKEY30.
Valid through: November 27, 2008
Must spend $60 on products, not including sales tax or shipping fees. Discount does not apply to shipping fees, Same-Day Pickup orders, Gift Certificates, PhotoStamps, PhotoShow DVD for KODAK Gallery, KODAK Digital Picture Frames and Digital Picture Cards, KODAK Cameras and other KODAK products or services sold through www.kodak.com, subscription fees for the KODAK Gallery Premier service, or products for mobile phones. One coupon redemption per customer. Cannot be combined with other offers. No substitutions, transfer rights or cash equivalents will be given. We reserve the right to modify or discontinue promotions at any time.

20% off any size purchase at AllPosters.com
Use coupon code ENTBK09 in the “Add Coupon Code” box on the “Please Confirm Your Purchase” page.
Valid through: December 31, 2009
Cannot be used with other coupons. Not valid for the purchase of gift certificates or Thomas Kinkade Limited Editions.

Shop at Dick Blick Art Materials through Shop.com and save:
$5 off a purchase of $50+ with coupon code BRDH5.
$10 off a purchase of $100+ with coupon code BRDH10.
Do not use Guest Checkout if you want to use a coupon!
Valid through: December 31, 2008
You MUST use this link to use the coupon. It will NOT work at DickBlick.com. Coupons are valid only at select Shop.com stores. Computer/Electronics stores excluded.

All three of my children wear uniforms to school.  I like uniforms, since it allows me to avoid the daily “that’s not appropriate for school” argument each day.  But uniforms do need a little extra maintenance to look neat.  I used to spend time ironing those uniforms, until I discovered what the kids do with the uniforms when they remove them from the closet: 
1. Take the neatly-ironed shirt off the hanger.
2. Take the neatly-ironed pants or skirt (whichever is the gender-appropriate uniform) off the hanger.
3. Roll the top and bottom into a ball.
4. Take the clothing into the bathroom. If you’re really doing well, you’ve remembered your underwear too.
5. Dump everything on the floor.
6. Take your shower.
7. Get dressed. (If you’re wearing pants, spend 5 minutes looking for your belt.)

Believe me, once I saw them do this, I was cured of ironing their clothes.  They look better right out of the dryer than they do by the time the kids are done with this little ritual.

But I think I’ve figured out a cure.  I’ll just send them to live with my brother for a while!  After high school, he had a job in a young men’s clothing store at the mall.  My brother, who had never folded anything in his life, had to learn how to properly fold shirts and sweaters for storage and display.  Suddenly he was picky about how his clothes were folded.  Everyone else in the house had to take folding lessons.  I don’t think that sat too well with my dad, who had learned to fold shirts in the Navy.  Mom also considered her two-decades-long history as a homemaker sufficient preparation for folding clothes.

Sounds like a plan to me.  Finally, my kids will stop looking like they shop at Wrinkles R Us.

If that doesn’t work, I guess I could just buy them all new clothes.  Good thing there are a lot of great coupons out there right now!

COUPON TIME

$10 off a purchase of $50+ or
$15 off a purchase of $75+ or
$20 off a purchase of $100+ at Fashion Bug
Valid online only. Use this link to get the coupon code and view terms of the offer. Valid through: November 29, 2008 11:59pm PT

Free Shipping on all orders at YOOX
Valid through: November 24, 2008

NEW CUSTOMERS:
$30 off a purchase of $150 or more at Bluefly.com
Use promo code AFF30.
Valid through: November 30, 2008
New customers only. Minimum purchase of $150 excludes charges for gift-wrapping, shipping, applicable taxes and duties or gift certificates. Can be used once per person. Offer cannot be combined with other promotions, discounts and promotional codes or applied retroactively to previously placed orders. Does not work with Google Checkout!

Free shipping on orders over $25 at delias.com
Use promo code DWRAFF. Valid through: December 18, 2008
A $1.95 handling charge will still be applied.
Valid on regular U.S. shipping only. Does not include express charges. Taxes, shipping & handling do not count towards minimum purchase amount.

20% off a purchase of $99 or more at Eastbay.com
Use this link to activate the coupon. You should see LKS18NE9 in the Source Code box during checkout.
Valid through: November 28, 2008 11:59pm CT
Items excluded from this coupon will say “This item is currently excluded from any promotional discounts.” Not valid on gift cards or team orders. Does not apply to prior purchases or open orders and cannot be combined with any other coupons/discounts.

$20 off and free shipping on orders of $80 or more
Use this link to activate coupon.
Valid through: December 31, 2008
Valid on Sale and Regular price merchandise of $80 or more. Offer valid online only. Not valid on gift boxing, applicable taxes and shipping charges. May not be combined with any other promotions, discounts or coupons. This coupon is not redeemable for cash, and may not be applied to previous purchases, or purchase of Gift Cards. Non transferable.

$20 off and free shipping on orders of $80 or more
Use this link to activate coupon.
Valid through: December 31, 2008
Valid on Sale and Regular price merchandise of $80 or more. Offer valid online only. Not valid on gift boxing, applicable taxes and shipping charges. May not be combined with any other promotions, discounts or coupons. This coupon is not redeemable for cash, and may not be applied to previous purchases, or purchase of Gift Cards. Non transferable. Excludes ASSETS and Absession.

Eighteen years ago I was working in the educational-software industry.   There were a lot of computers in that office, but only a few of the tech people had computers with Windows.  The rest of us were running DOS.  If the computer froze up, it would take about 5 minutes to get through the rebooting process.  I worked in quality control, which meant that I had to try to “break” the software and then describe to the programmer how I’d managed to do that.  Then the programmer would fix the vulnerability in the software.  Sometimes I had to reboot my machine twenty times a day because certain software errors would hang up the whole computer.

That job helped me to develop a valuable skill.  I’m not afraid to jump in and try out new software.   I know that there will always be a learning curve when I try out a new program or an updated version of a favorite program.  And I admit that when a new operating system comes out, I fight it tooth and nail, because I do appreciate the comfort of the familiar.  But sooner or later I give in and try out the new version, and generally I find that I like it much better.

I’m amazed at how much computers have changed since I had that job.  Not only has the technology gotten way better, it’s also gotten way cheaper.  The first computer my husband and I purchased–not top-of-the-line by any means–cost about the same as three computers today.  And it’s gotten smaller as well.  Those DOS computers I used at work had a 20-megabyte hard drive.  We thought that was huge.  It certainly took up enough physical space!  I have a pocket-PC/cell phone that has twice that storage space, runs Word and Excel, and fits in my pocket or purse.

The improvements in technology over the past eighteen years mean that I am doing some things I never dreamed of:  getting in touch with old friends from high school and college through social-networking sites, keeping my family recipes and menu plans in a “paperless” manner, using a powerful database (on my cell phone) for my grocery shopping, and text-messaging with my teenager.  I’d be toast without the QWERTY keyboard on my phone, let me tell you.  I don’t know how those teenagers manage it.

Since I volunteer in my younger children’s school, I’m going to have to learn how to use what L calls “iApples.”  I haven’t touched an Apple computer since I finished my education, and they’ve certainly changed a lot since then.  The kindergarteners have a better clue than I do about how to use them–but I’m not going to let that stop me.  Maybe I can get one of them to give me a little one-on-one tutorial.

Last night my husband took apart his computer, cleaned it, and figured out what upgrades he’d need in order to prolong that computer’s life.  There’s going to be some technology-shopping going on.  We’ll definitely be checking out the tech deals below.

COUPON TIME

Computers have gotten a lot cheaper over the years but they’re still a big investment.  These deals can help you get the most bang for your technology buck:
25% off Inspiron Desktops priced over $1099 at Dell Home
Use coupon code 9ZLMZJB7KRBM45.
Valid through: November 20, 2008 5:55 AM CT or after 4,000 redemptions
Excludes order code DDDOFA2, DDDODG4, DDDOOB1 & DDDAOG4 Cannot be combined with mail in rebates, dollars off, percentages, or select other promotions. Only one coupon may be applied per cart at checkout. Taxes, fees, shipping, handling and any applicable restocking charges are extra, and vary. U.S. Dell Home and Home Office new purchases only. Purchase limit of 5 systems per order, but coupon discount applies to only 1 system per cart.

20% off Inspiron Laptops priced over $999 at Dell Home
Use coupon code J3G4?Z4LC6D799.
Valid through: December 1, 2008 11:59pm CT or after 5,000 redemptions (whichever occurs first)
Excludes order codes DNDOPM2, DNCWUA1, DNDOUM1, DNDOJC2, DNDOWE1, DNDOWE2, DNDOVC2 & DNDOVC1. Cannot be combined with mail in rebates, dollars off, percentages, or select other promotions. Only one coupon may be applied per cart at checkout. Taxes, fees, shipping, handling and any applicable restocking charges are extra, and vary. U.S. Dell Home and Home Office new purchases only. Purchase limit of 5 systems per order, but coupon discount applies to only 1 system per cart.

Free shipping on all Computers at Alienware.com
Discount will appear in your shopping cart.
Valid through: December 31, 2008

Save up to $100 on the new iMac at Mac Mall
New models start at $1144 + Free Parallels Desktop 3.0 + Free Epson Stylus Printer + Free Intego Antivirus
Valid through: Unknown

$150 off Sony VAIO CS 190 series Notebooks
During checkout enter eCoupon code TYRXDKSUYRVVDU.
Valid through: November 27, 2008

$200 off Sony VAIO SR 200 series Notebooks
During checkout enter eCoupon code SRFVXERTYU.
Valid through: November 27, 2008

We are a three-guitar (and one organ, one keyboard and one banjo) household.   But we don’t have a band, and I don’t drive a multicolored school bus.  All the kids are interested in learning about music, which is fun for me, since I have been playing guitar for a long while.

My teenager is trying hard to teach himself electric guitar by downloading tablature from the internet. Since I have a 12-string Ovation, I generally only play “by the chords” so I can’t be much help to him.  He wants me to write parts for him in tabs, not notes. I read music; he doesn’t. So I don’t do tabs.  I think he’s just too lazy to learn to read music.  I could write these parts in “music” in about 10 minutes, but it takes me more like an hour to manage it in tabs. 

Once, as we went around and around in the Tabs Vs. Real Music argument, I tried what I thought was a brilliant parting shot: “I bet Andres Segovia doesn’t play by tabs!”

He didn’t know who Andres Segovia is.

“Only the Best Guitarist Of All Time,” I told him.

He disagreed.

“He is SO better than Jimi Hendrix,” I said.

“But what about Jimmy Page?” he countered.

We need to get Nintendo to put some Segovia into Guitar Hero.  Maybe that would convince him.

COUPON TIME:

Musicians and music-lovers alike will find some great deals here:

$10 off a purchase of $100
$35 off a purchase of $250
$75 off a purchase of $500 online at Musician’s Friend
Use the above link to view all eligible brands. 1,000+ brands are included in this offer. During checkout (NOT IN YOUR SHOPPING CART) enter Coupon Code MF23.
Valid through: December 31, 2008 11:59pm PT
Valid online only. Offer not valid on catalog or previous purchases, or with other offers or discounts. Offer based on merchandise total of participating brands. Not valid on gift certificate or extended warranty purchases.

15% off online orders at Music 123
Valid through: November 26, 2008 11:59pm PT
15% savings shown in cart. Cannot be combined with other offers or coupons. Discount applies to qualifying brands only. Does not apply to purchases of gift certificates or extended warranties.

Free Shipping on orders over $49 at Music 123
Heavy Gear Included!
Valid through: November 30, 2008
Valid on most shipments to Lower 48 states. Does not apply to orders shipped to Canada. Free shipping to APO/FPO addresses limited to 70 lb. per box and is subject to the same restrictions as domestic deliveries.

Free shipping & free accessory when you buy an iPod nano
Choose a wall charger, portable speaker system, or silicon case.
Valid through: November 15, 2008
Accessory may ship separately. May not be valid in combination with other offers. Valid on in-stock items only. Offer subject to change.

Free shipping when you buy 2 or more items at MusicSpace
Use link above. Two-disc collections, box sets, and special multi-title packages count as single item. Valid through: Ongoing

UltimateCoupons Exclusive!

12% off online orders over $50 at Time Life
Use this link to get the coupon code.
Valid through: Ongoing
One coupon code per customer. Merchandise total should be $50 or more, excluding taxes and shipping charges, before discount is taken. Cannot be used in combination with any other offer, prior purchases, or gift certificates. US, APO and FPO customers only.
Offer excludes Opus Super Bowl Books. In-stock merchandise only. Discount is not applicable to gift cards and gift certificates. Discount does not apply to taxes, shipping and handling charges, gift-wrapping or similar charges. on orders placed through Group Sales. Cannot be combined with any other promotional offer nor is this offer valid on previous purchases.