I Got Your Recession Right Here

SHAMELESS IPHONE APPEAL

2012-01-05T11:33:00.001-08:00

You may be saying right now, "Wow, Mark is incredibly solipsistic and greedy, asking people to buy him an iPhone."

But let me explain.

We have wedding registries, baby shower registries, gift registries, etc., but no "Ah Hell I Just Want That But Don't Want To Get Married Or Have A Baby To Ask For It" registries.

One of my 2012 resolutions is to promote "Personal Life" registries. These are just like wedding and baby shower registries, but without the weddings or the babies.

And with ChipIn you don't even have to buy the whole thing. Throw in a dollar (or more if you like) and - boom - you've made someone happy.

Then go and create your own Personal Life Registry.

BANK OF AMERICA RETREATS

2011-11-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

American consumers scored a victory today when Bank of America announced it would drop its debit card fee plan. Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, SunTrust and Regions Financial all dropped their plans as well.

Although they've changed their minds about the plan, I'm wondering how many customers will leave the large banks for smaller banks and credit unions.

STEVE JOBS RESIGNS AS CEO

2011-08-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

Steve Jobs resigned as CEO of Apple today. Tim Cook will replace him.

Can the behemoth company survive without the leadership of Jobs?

GARAGE SALE

2011-08-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you cross a pack-rat with a downsizing of your living space? A helluva lot of left over crap crammed in a storage unit. (Okay, maybe that's not the best punchline in the world but it's better than Carrot Top's A-material)

It's been a year since the crap entered the storage unit and it's time to shove it off onto other people. So we're preparing for a garage sale. I found an article on how to have a successful garage sale on Money Crashers. It covers everything from planning to throwing the sale. Oh sure, any idiot can throw a garage sale, but I always say "there's only one letter separating a 'garage' sale from a 'garbage' sale."

What are your secrets for a successful garage sale?

HOW TO SAVE ON GASOLINE

2011-08-10T22:21:00.000-07:00

With the S&P causing worldwide panic, everyone is looking for a way to trim some meat (forget the fat) from their budget. And with the price of a tank of gas nearing the price of a second-tier hooker, here are a few ways to save some money.

1. Don't drive. Hello Mr. Obvious. Try walking, riding a bike or getting your neighbor to push you around in a wheelbarrow.

2. If you have to drive, try a scooter. Scooter sales are up and it costs chump change to fill one up with gas. I happen to think Vespas are the coolest of the scooter world.

3. Okay, so you have no choice but to drive a car. Then you need to bookmark gasbuddy.com. You can check where to find the cheapest gas (you can also check to see who's selling the most expensive) You can also download an app for your smartphone.

4. Don't carry around extra weight in your car. For each 100 pounds you lose about 2% fuel efficiency. So lose some weight, chuck the golf clubs and tell grandma she has to walk. (And don't tie grandma to the roof. She'll increase aerodynamic drag)

5. If you need to rent a car, use Autoslash.com. The site searches the Web for discount coupons on car rentals and applies them after you book.

Feel free to share your ideas here for one and all.

MY LEAP TO REDBOX

2011-08-08T21:43:00.000-07:00

I finally dumped those bastards at Netflix and am about to make the belated leap to Redbox. Yeah yeah yeah, I'm late to the party. Who knew they were so cheap and chockfull of deals? Everyone, it seems, but me.

Create an online account for a free rental. Join the Text Club for Free Movie Mondays. Tell friends and get one-day rentals. You can even try Redbox free. Just use the promo code DVDONME (valid at the kiosk only).

You can also find the mother load of Redbox codes here.

BLACK FRIDAY

2009-11-24T11:26:00.001-08:00

Here's a pretty good article about some Black Friday Sales.

BLACK FRIDAY - APPLE

2009-11-24T11:17:00.000-08:00

Click here for the latest info on Apple's one-day Black Friday sale.

Update: Here's some leaked info. Click me.

FREE TACO DAY

2009-08-11T06:13:00.000-07:00

It's free taco day at Yack-in-the-Box.

HARD UP?

2009-05-14T14:40:00.001-07:00

Unemployed? Trying to find a new job? Not so fast. Being unemployed may not be so bad.

Pfizer says it will provide 70 of its most widely prescribed prescription drugs — including Lipitor and Viagra — free to people who have lost their jobs and health insurance.

It gives new meaning to the phrase "hard up."

FREE BIRTHDAY STUFF, THE WEBSITE

2009-04-22T12:12:00.001-07:00

Geez, I had no idea it had been so long since I posted here. I guess traveling and working got in the way of my blogging.

I got an email from Celest Benn, who runs Freebirthdaystuff.com. She wanted me to give her site a shout-out. It's a great site. You sign up for free and then a month before your birthday, she sends out info on all the free stuff you can get for your special day.

So hie thee to Freebirthdaystuff.com and get your free stuff!

FREE BIRTHDAY STUFF

2009-03-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

Do you have a birthday coming up? Well if you plan in advance you could live high on the hog on your special day. Below is a list of birthday freebies, courtesy More With Less Today.

TOYS R US - Birthdays R Us - sign up on-line 6-8 weeks prior. Available every year until child is 10.

Geoffrey sends a card and gift and phones your child if you set this up ahead of time on-line. If you bring the child into the store and notify staff, they will receive a birthday crown, a balloon and an in-store announcement.

Hollywood Video - a free birthday movie rental- update your membership account with birthdates of everyone on your account. All will receive the free rental on their birthday.

Disney - free admission to Disneyland in California or DisneyWorld in Florida on your birthday. Register at Disney's website.

Cold Stone Creamery - register on-line, add up to 5 family members. Free birthday creation.

Burger King free kids meal,pre-register on-line.

Wendy's - sign up on-line for Wendy mail

Bennigan's - register on-line. Buy one entree and get one free. Bday guest receives free ice cream dessert and coupons by mail.

Houlihan's - free appetizer for joining on-line and free entree for birthday

Red Robin - join e-club for free gourmet hamburger on your birthday

Aveda - free personal blends perfume or a custom blended body care product for birthday club members.

Children’s Place (retail clothing store) - special gift coupon for each child enrolled in the birthday club.

Applebees - free dessert

Baker’s Square - free pie

Beaches Restaurant - free meal

Bobs Big Boy - free hot fudge sundae

Buffalo Wild Wings - free dozen hot wings

Carrows - free cake

Chevys- free dessert and sombrero

Chilis - free dessert and song

Claim Jumper - free dessert

Dairy Queen - free cone coupon by mail

Friendly’s - birthday offer for each family member enrolled in the birthday club.

Hard Rock Cafe - free dessert

Joe’s Crab Shack - free cake

Macaroni Grill - free dessert and “opera-style” birthday song

Marie Callendars - free dessert

Outback Steakhouse - free sundae

PF Changs- free cake or cheesecake

Red Lobster - birthday surprise for Fresh Catch members

Round Table - free personal pizza

Sonic Drive-In - free Wacky Pack Kid’s Meal for child registered in birthday club.

TGIFridays - free dessert

Todai - free meal with one paying adult

Tony Roma’s - free entree

any others?

POLE DANCERS WANTED

2009-03-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

I never thought I'd ever write these words but here goes:

The Foxy Lady strip club in Providence will hold a job fair this Saturday.

They're looking to fill around 30 positions, from strippers and waitresses to disc jockeys and bartenders, at that club and two others in Massachusetts.

And there's an article in today's New York Times entitled:

More Women Needing Cash Go From Jobless to Topless.

And you thought this site wasn't helpful.

BRING ME BACK HOME ON ITUNES

2009-03-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

My song, Bring Me Back Home, is now available on itunes!

If you can spare the $0.99, please download it. If you could also rate it (ooo, 5 stars would be fantastic) and write a short review I'll be eternally thankful.

All of this will help me get on the itunes radar and hopefully be a featured artist.

Thanks so much. And if you can help me spread the word that would be great.

You can use the lame link below to go right to the song. Seriously, can't Apple come up with a better link?

RETAIL ME NOT

2009-03-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

Retail Me Not is a great site for online discounts and codes. But don't download the Firefox extension. I hear it's not so good.

MORE COUPON SITES

2009-03-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

The coupon websites keep on coming. I had no idea there were this many out there.

Better Budgeting, a broad money-saving site, which includes several calculators for working out budgets or paying down debt, tips, links to coupons and more.
The Dollar Stretcher, run by a former financial planner, features tips on groceries and dozens of other ways to save.
Grocery Coupon Guide, offers a range of resources on where to find grocery coupons and how to use them to full advantage.
Grocery Savings, run by the creator of Better Budgeting, offers more than 200 tips for saving at the store.
Wesabe, a financial community, allows users to track their own finances and share thoughts, concerns and tips with other members.

FROM BRAWL STREET TO BAWL STREET

2009-03-12T22:01:00.000-07:00

Oh my. I'm still reeling from tonight's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Jon hammered Jim Cramer and CNBC for putting entertainment above journalism in what was billed as the "the weeklong feud of the century."

This was no funny-face/fart joke show. Jon was as serious as a financial meltdown. "I understand that you want to make finance entertaining, but it's not a fucking game," Jon told Cramer. The line drew applause, not so much, I think, from "oooo, our guy won a point" but from relief that finally someone was saying what we've all been thinking.

It was clear Jon is pissed off at CNBC and unfortunately for Jim Cramer, he had to bare the brunt of it. At least Cramer had the testies to come on the show. But Jon let him have it. He said Cramer was "disingenuous at best and criminal at worst" -- in a giant fraud that had been played on investors.

For his part, Cramer looked nervous and contrite. I thought he was going to break down and cry. It was uncomfortable and mesmerizing.

Now why can't real journalists be this tough and prepared? Why does it have to be a comedian to show them how it should be done?

The full episode will be on The Daily Show website soon. I can't wait to watch the whole interview.

UPDATE: Andrew Sullivan has written a great article about the show on The Daily Dish. You can read it here.

FINALLY -- COMPASSION

2009-03-12T19:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a fantastic story about a CEO determined to save people's jobs. Hopefully more businesses will be as smart as Paul Levy.

COUPONS ARE THE NEW BLACK

2009-03-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

Coupons are the new black. Coupons are back in style. Everywhere I look I see articles about coupons. Which sites have the best coupons? Hell if I know. But here's a pretty good list.

FEED A RECESSION? OR STARVE A RECESSION?

2009-03-10T19:20:00.000-07:00

Amy VanDeventer. Smart, frugal shopper? Or a recession's worst nightmare?

There's an article about how people are going to extremes to save money during this economy. Amy VanDeventer is going to extremes.

Before the economy tanked, she was still wearing maternity clothes from her last pregnancy, clipping coupons and using hand-me-downs to dress her daughters, ages 2 and 3. Now, she's salvaging bagel scraps left on their plates for pizza toppings and cutting lotion bottles in half so she can scrape out the last drops.

She's really saving money but aren't you suppose to feed a recession? Or starve a recession?

If everyone in my neighborhood gives up going to Starbucks, the store will not make enough money to stay open. Starbucks will have to close the store because it's not making any money and the employees will most likely have to go on unemployment.

But no one knows where the end will be, or if they'll be the next person with a pink slip, or if they'll have enough money to pay for life's necessities.

It's a difficult path to tread. I wish I knew the answer.

PINK SLIP PARTIES

2009-03-10T13:08:00.000-07:00

There's a great article on msnbc about pink-slip parties with recruiters. You can read the article here.

BEST CITIES FOR JOBS

2009-03-03T10:27:00.000-08:00

Forbes has come out with their list of the Top Ten Cities for Job Growth in 2009. If you're looking for a job and don't mind moving, one of these cities may be for you.

Madison, Wis
Washington, DC
Boston, MA
Richmond, VA
Milwaukee, Wis
Pittsburgh, PA
Baltimore, MD
Seattle, WA
Houston, TX
Dallas, TX

BEINGGIRL SAMPLE KIT

2009-03-02T14:36:00.000-08:00

Here's my favorite deal of the day:

Get a free Beinggirl sample kit from Beinggirl.

You get:

2 Regular Tampax Pearl Tampons
1 Lite Tampax Pearl Tampon
Always Infinity Feminine Pad
2 Always Pantiliners
1 Always Feminine Wipe

What's not to love?

SMOKE YOUR OWN SAUSAGE

2009-02-26T19:37:00.000-08:00

Here's my favorite money saving tip so far: Make Your Own Sausage at Home.

It also includes my favorite line in a recipe: You can smoke your sausage.

And if I could smoke my sausage, I'd save a lot more money by not dating.

NOT CLOWNING AROUND

2009-02-26T18:20:00.000-08:00

Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus is going to be at the Wachovia Spectrum in Filthadelphia...sorry, Philadelphia, from May 13 to 25, 2009, and then at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton from May 28 - 31, 2009.

You can save 20% on tickets by ordering online, and using the coupon code Z3977 for Philadelphia tickets and the coupon code Z3993 for Trenton tickets. You can also use those codes if you order by phone at 800-298-4200.

The Philadelphia offer ends March 8 and the Trenton offer is good until the end of the run.

SMARTY PIG

2009-02-26T14:26:00.000-08:00

I love the name of this site: Smarty Pig.

Smarty Pig is an online savings program that right now has a whopping 3.25% (APY). That's more than HSBC or INGDirect.

Here's the best part:

SmartyPig functions as a social network where, if you make your goal public, friends and family can provide financial support. You can also add your personalized SmartyPig widget to your Facebook or MySpace page, blog or Website. Not to mention, you can start your own SmartyPig Friends Network.

And it's FDIC insured.

So start saving now for that certain something and get your Aunt Edna to pitch in some dollars.

JOB COMPASS

2009-02-26T10:14:00.000-08:00

The unemployment rate is rising and you're one of the unemployed? First off, that sucks. Secondly, jobs are out there.

A great site to use is JobCompass. It lets you look for jobs in a specific area and you can use it while you're on the go. It's available for smartphones and the iphone.

BEST MEAL DEAL IN TOWN

2009-02-25T12:29:00.000-08:00

The wife and I went to Ikea out in Red Hook today. Who knew they have the best meal deal in town?

A combo: 2 hot dogs, chips and a soft drink for $2.50.

The two of us had lunch for $5.00.

We took in 1006 calories each, but hell, it was cheap.

TWO FOR ONE AT TGI FRIDAY'S

2009-02-24T20:20:00.001-08:00

T.G.I. Friday's is offering a buy one get one free deal through March 1. So grab a a friend and go eat some fried stuff on the cheap.

EBATES

2009-02-24T13:15:00.000-08:00

I love Ebates.com. Whenever I shop online, I always check here first.

Here's how it works:

Join ebates.com (it's free)
Sign into ebates.com.
Shop over 1000 stores from the ebates.com site (Target, Old Navy, Nordstrom's, etc)
Save money on your purchase.
Ebates.com sends you the money you saved.

I recently got back about $100. I'm not going to become a millionaire from it but every little bit helps.

FREE MEALS

2009-02-23T21:02:00.000-08:00

With this blog I'm going to attempt to post tips and articles on how to survive the current recession.

And out of the gates are two free meal deals:

Deal #1: IHOP/National Pancake Days. On Tuesday, Feb. 24th, from 7:00am to 10:00pm, IHOP will be giving away free short stack buttermilk pancakes. Find three IHOPs near you and you've got all three meals covered.

Deal #2: Quiznos is giving away 1 million coupons good for a free sub via their million subs website. So far they've given away 184,195 subs.