Bonnie McCarthy
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Family budgets: Make movie night safe again with family-friendly review sites
Bonnie McCarthy
Nov 20th 2009
Filed under: Budgets, Kids and Money, Saving Money, Technology
Around my house, we don't make the decision to pile into the car and head over to our local Cineplex as easily as we once did. It costs a lot of money these days to see talking animals, wild things and giant meatballs falling from the sky -- and don't get me started on the popcorn.Going to see the latest kid's film use to be a no-brainer and if the adults slept through it, well, it didn't really matter, but no more. When a family of four has to pay a total of $40.50 to see a "regular" movie, or $56.50 to see that movie in digital 3D, or splurges to see that same movie in digital 3D playing on the "giant" IMAX screen for a whopping $60.50, it suddenly becomes very important that everyone is at least mildly amused or entertained.
To buy tickets to all of the new movies coming out would cost literally hundreds of dollars, and if you throw in drinks and snacks -- there goes college. How to find one that's family-friendly and worth the expense?
Movie reviews for kids are not new, but they are getting increasingly relevant as families demand more of a sure-bet for their entertainment budget. It's impossible to promise that everyone will like a movie, but if you know who to listen to there will be more hits than misses.
Most of the websites are free, such as Kids-in-Mind., Commonsensemedia, Parentpreviews, and Moviemom.
Sweet stuff: DailyCandy to sell fashion at Swirl
Bonnie McCarthy
Nov 18th 2009
Filed under: Kids and Money, Shopping
DailyCandy, the often irreverent, quirky guide to style and scene has developed a devoted following of online fashionistas seeking to be first to find out who, what and where is hip, fresh and now. Offering tips and trend alerts via email categorized by region and "everywhere" (i.e.national), the website will soon be taking the next logical step toward global style domination. Instead of just talking about fashion, they will be selling it. Holiday wish lists go online to make gift giving and getting virtually easy
Bonnie McCarthy
Nov 18th 2009
Filed under: Kids and Money, Shopping
Too big for Santa's lap this year -- or does the whole idea just sort of creep you out? If you're not up for waiting in line at the mall, and the man-in-red isn't returning your emails, there's another way to get your wish list heard -- without bribing the big guy with cookies and schnapps (or is that just me?).Velvettag.com, Freegiftregistry.com, Mygiftlist.com, Myregistry.com and Wishpot.com are free, one-stop, all-occasion gift registries that allow members to create wish lists from an unlimited number of online retailers. Instead of slogging through site after site, Kris Kringle can find out exactly what you -- or the kids -- are dreaming of this year. Wishpot.com also allows members to prioritize items with helpful phrases such as: "I want it", "I really, really want it", "I wouldn't mind having it", and "I neeeed it" (this last comment referring to one subscriber's desperate plea for a certain cell phone strap). whether or not you've been naughty or nice is still something you'll have to take up with Santa.
Holiday travel with kids: Save money (and your sanity) by renting baby gear instead of schlepping
Bonnie McCarthy
Nov 16th 2009
Filed under: Kids and Money, Travel
If you happen to be bringing baby over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house for Thanksgiving, you're not alone. Despite the fact The Air Transport Authority is reporting a 4% decline in air travelers, Gail Weinholzer, director of public affairs for AAA said the auto club still expects 40 million people to travel this holiday. Thirty-five million of them will be driving their own cars.If you're traveling with kids, you not only have to pack your patience, but also a whole lot of gear. It can be tempting to stay home, lock the doors and order-in Chinese.
But tradition calls. In an attempt to actually see out the windows of our SUV, my family recently invested in one of those soft-sided, roof-top storage thingies that strap to the roof rails on top of the car. It definitely helps, but it also transforms our ride into a cross between Vacation, the not-so-funny sequel and Grapes of Wrath.
If you'd rather not go the Sherpa route or are looking to avoid outrageous fees for checking items under the plane, baby equipment rentals seek to offer the solution. Stocked with the kind of sanity saving amenities to which baby has become accustomed (high-chair, Exersaucer, baby gates, infant swing, jogger, double jogger, Boppy ring, etc.) instead of schlepping a frazzled parent might consider renting --and it's not too late to make reservations for those must-have items.
Regifting: The gift you keep giving
Bonnie McCarthy
Nov 12th 2009
Filed under: Kids and Money, Saving Money
Leslie Lait immediately recognized the adorable, pale-blue, corduroy overalls she unwrapped at her baby shower. The infant-sized outfit with the tags still on was the same pair she had given to the very same friend, who was now regifting it back to her. Boomerang gifts are not new, and they're about to get a lot more common as consumers seek to uphold gift-giving traditions on a shoestring budget. Thrifty is good, thoughtless is bad and public humiliation is even worse.
According to a recent survey by the National Retail Federation, Americans plan on spending an average of $682.74 on holiday-related shopping this year. That figure represents a 3.2% drop from spending in 2008 -- and it's not because we have fewer friends.
Get in the mood for a snood: For the fashionista who has everything (else)
Bonnie McCarthy
Nov 10th 2009
Filed under: Shopping
The Lorax said, "Sir, you are crazy with greed. There is no one on earth who would buy that fool Thneed!" Dr. Seuss had the Thneed; we are being asked to consider the snood (like: s-nude). The snood is also a "fine-something that all people need." It's a scarf, it's a hat, it's a hood, it's a muff, and there are other great uses if that's not enough.
Designers and retailers alike appear to be romancing the snood this holiday season in a desperate attempt to sell us something we don't already own. Dictionary.com defines the snood as either a small, net-like cap that holds or covers the back of a woman's hair; or as the pendulous skin over the beak of a turkey (who knew!).
Needless to say, we're talking here about the first definition.
Like Netflix for your closet: New way to swap old clothes
Bonnie McCarthy
Nov 6th 2009
Filed under: Bargains, Kids and Money, Technology
Has the passion waned? Lost that loving feeling? Instead of banishing your scorned clothing ("It's not you, it's me...") to the back of the closet, it may be time to 'ThredUP."
Transforming fashion flings into peer-to-peer style "swaportunities," ThredUP, a Cambridge, Mass. start-up plans to pioneer the $2 billion dollars-worth of potential they see in the used clothing market.
Touted as a fashionable blend of Netflix, StubHub and eBay, ThredUP is the brainchild of co-founders and "Chief Knitwits" James Reinhart, Oliver Lubin and Chris Homer. Reed Hastings, founder and chief executive of Netflix is an adviser to the company. Far from being fashionistas, the ivy league grads and former roomies are poised to capitalize on the convergence of trends in "green" recycling, economics and the public's ever increasing comfort with online transactions.
The new online clothing exchange, ThredUP.com has been live for five weeks and is currently in its beta stage with a small community of 6,500 beta members. In an interview with WalletPop, Reinhart says the beta members have been trading for two weeks and satisfaction ratings are posting high. He reports the amount of clothing posted for trade has also reached staggering proportions in only a few weeks.
WalletPop readers are invited to join the early adapters. When registering on the member screen, enter the code "WalletPop" and you can get started.
Five Halloween kids' costumes you can make at home
Bonnie McCarthy
Oct 30th 2009
Filed under: Home, Kids and Money, Simplification
If you hear bloodcurdling screams and ghastly groaning this Halloween, it's coming from retailers. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF) consumer spending for the holiday is expected to drop from the average of $66.54 spent last year to a recession rocked $56.31 for 2009. In 2008, revelers shelled out a spooky $2.1 billion dollars on costumes alone. Eeeek!
This year we've been scared straight. Halloween costumes will not only be judged on their cuteness or creep factor but also their cost.
With this in mind, it's time to get creative. Think Project Runway: the home version. The challenge: Create children's costumes utilizing household items to assemble a Halloween ensemble that won't haunt the budget til Christmas. Oh, and your kid has to be willing to wear it. Although, free candy is a terrific motivator...
Obvious answers include a neighborhood costume swap, or the time-honored tradition of sibling sharing. Borrowed sports or cheerleading uniforms, re-purposed bridesmaid dresses (see, it really can be worn again!) or sleepwalker-style pajamas are also fun, easy and most importantly free(!) options. The hobo look hits a little close to the nerve this year, it would be more fanciful to dress up like someone with eighteen months of living expenses in savings and flowing credit at zero percent interest...but I digress.
If you've already mined familiar themes for hauntings past, following are five fabulous costume tricks that treat your wallet right.
This year we've been scared straight. Halloween costumes will not only be judged on their cuteness or creep factor but also their cost.
With this in mind, it's time to get creative. Think Project Runway: the home version. The challenge: Create children's costumes utilizing household items to assemble a Halloween ensemble that won't haunt the budget til Christmas. Oh, and your kid has to be willing to wear it. Although, free candy is a terrific motivator...
Obvious answers include a neighborhood costume swap, or the time-honored tradition of sibling sharing. Borrowed sports or cheerleading uniforms, re-purposed bridesmaid dresses (see, it really can be worn again!) or sleepwalker-style pajamas are also fun, easy and most importantly free(!) options. The hobo look hits a little close to the nerve this year, it would be more fanciful to dress up like someone with eighteen months of living expenses in savings and flowing credit at zero percent interest...but I digress.
If you've already mined familiar themes for hauntings past, following are five fabulous costume tricks that treat your wallet right.
