July 2008 Archives
Get ready for the Alabama Sales Tax Holiday August 1st - 3rd, when qualifying purchases will be exempt from state sales tax. Even better, most local governments in the Birmingham area are participating, so they will not be collecting taxes either.
Qualifying purchases include things like clothing ($100 or less per article of clothing), DIAPERS (yes, diapers; see for yourself on the Sales Tax Holiday Quick Sheet) and of course, the mother-of-all back to school purchases, personal computers.
If you aren't purchasing for kids but could use some things yourself, note that the tax exclusion also includes hosiery, underwear, and shoes. (Sneakers are acceptable, sport shoes are specifically excluded; no mention of stillettos? Let's not point this out). The holiday even includes books at $30 or less.
The sales tax holiday can mean you save a combined 10% on your purchases, depending on location, but do consider your overall purchase price. I'd rather pay a reduced sale price with 10% tax helping to fund my highways and schools than a higher purchase price with no tax.
Following is a list of Birmingham-area governments, with most participating. For more details, see the List of participants.
Alabaster Helena Mountain Brook
Birmingham City Homewood Trussville
Center Point Hoover Vestavia Hills
Calera Irondale
Gardendale - NOT PARTICIPATING
The big retail complexes will be buzzing, so plan your shopping strategy accordingly. On the other hand, if you don't need to make purchases this weekend, I suggest you reschedule your SuperTarget and Wal Mart runs for after the sales tax holiday ends Sunday at midnight.
Stop digging in your purse or diaper bag for your keys while you've got a child by the hand and an arm full of groceries. This key finder will allow you to put your hands on your keys every time, no matter how many things you have to handle during the transition from store to car and car to house.
I purchased my Finders Key-Purse at Monograms Plus (1360 Montgomery Hwy., Vestavia) months ago and am sold on the functionality of this little piece. It is essentialy a large lobster clasp that holds your keyring and includes a hook that slips over the side of your bag or an inside pocket.
* Retrieve your keys without looking - just reach the inside of your bag and there they are
* Move your keys from purse to diaper bag, book bag, beach bag effortlessly
* Easily add or remove key rings from lobster clasp
* Hook doesn't damage leather, straw, fabric, etc. and accommodates thick and thin materials
Monograms Plus has several options, so if fleur-de-lis are not your thing (I was in a particularly French mood when I bought mine), there are plenty of options, including monogrammable versions.
The Rack Room Shoes promotional key finder has a pocketbook motif, so of course there is not a selection as you will find at a specialty shop, but this is a trade that is more than worthy. Birmingham area Rack Room Shoes locations are:
Colonial Alabaster, Brook Highland Plaza, Wildwood Centre, Riverchase Promenade (across from the Galleria), Riverchase Galleria, and Colonial Promenade in Trussville.
This is a brilliantly conceived product that works beautifully.
The Squirt Spoon by Boon functions like a cake decorating bag with a spoon for a tip. Fill the chamber/bulb with baby food, screw the top on, and you're set to feed baby in mess-free, manageable spoon fulls.
*Use with one hand (Other hand is free so you can feed yourself!)
*Cap keeps the spoon sanitary and prevent leaks
*Holds up to 3 oz. of food
*Dishwasher safe
The chamber opening is large enough to pour food in straight from the individual food jar or plastic tub. When the food is almost gone and there is more air in the chamber, it is likely that the squirt spoon really will "squirt" on baby, so shake it down carefully and don't forget the bib.
The Boon Squirt Spoon retails for $7.39 and is available in Birmingham at Babies R Us at Lakeshore Parkway.
The cornerstone of a meal is the entree, and for most families, the main course includes meat. Mr. P's Deli in Bluff Park has a package that will give a BirminghamMom a head start.
The Mr. P's Monthly Meat Specials - currently meat for 30 meals for $99.99 - changes monthly but always include select cuts of beef, pork and chicken, and usually a fish selection as well. Incase you're skeptical, these are not thinly disguised slow sellers but premium choices that you would likely select at your own meat market. Mr. P's has been in business over 30 years and is a fixture in Bluff Park so you can be assured of the quality of your purchase.
A monthly meat special takes much of the work out of meal planning so you can focus on side dishes. Mr. P's has simple recipes and serving suggestions incase you don't already have a serving plan in mind, and the instructions read like what your grandmother would tell you in her own kitchen ("grill till the meat shrinks 1/2 inch off the bone").
If the man of the house is a grill meister, he may be eager to prove his skills with some of the cuts from this package. And the aforementioned recipes won't intimidate anyone who's handling dinner, be it Dad or teens. For example, the popular stuffed pork chop instructions are all of three sentences: "Preheat oven to 325. Wrap pork chops in foil or place in foil-covered casserole dish. Place in oven and bake one hour."
The deli also sells several original seasonings that complement the meat packages. If your kids eat adult-size portions, you will want to consider purchasing additional portions or even two packages. Call ahead (823-6136) and your meats will be packaged and ready for pick-up when you arrive. Mr. P's closes at 6 p.m.
When the kids head off to school this fall, consider taking a course yourself: Financial Peace University. This is a program created by Dave Ramsey, known for his syndicated radio show and speaking engagements.
I consider myself a pretty savvy consumer, and my husband is also a conservative guy. He frequently listens to Dave's show during his commute, so when a course was offered through a nearby church last year - childcare included - we decided to see if ol' Dave could teach us anything.
I admit we had misgivings. Would we be asked to divulge personal information? Would balance sheets be illuminated on a PowerPoint slide? What sort of people would be in the class? We speculated on a whole cast of characters. They could be seniors who had lost their nest eggs gambling in Vegas, bankrupt entrepreneurs, or maybe families living hand-to-mouth. We were none of those things, and were maybe even a bit prideful, admiring Warren Buffet over Donald Trump.
We needn't have worried. The sessions were like a book club, only with video of Ramsey's seminars. There was discussion, but it was more along the lines of negotiating for better deals, evaluating necessities, and avoiding all forms of debt. Several participants were engaged couples or newly expecting parents, which I thought spoke well of their preparation for the next phase of their lives. The highlight of the class was near the end, when some participants ceremoniously cut up credit cards with an industrial pair of shears in a procedure known as a "plastectomy". My greatest personal discomfort was in the realization that bringing a Starbucks cup into class would not reflect well on my judgment.
Dave's program is faith-based with frequent references to scriptures, though the program does not emphasize any denomination. Most church-sponsored programs charge only for materials, which last year were around $70. In our case, I think we benefitted most from having a weekly "money date" that allowed us to review our expectations and appreciate progress toward our common goals.
Birmingham Area Financial Peace University classes beginning this fall include (click below to view):
Dreamland Barbeque on 10th Ave. South is sharing its 50th anniversary with its fellow baby boomers. Anyone who can provide proof they were born in 1958 is treated to a free lunch or dinner, up to $15 value, on MONDAYS this summer through August.
This offer does not include alcohol, so your friends hitting five-oh will not be able to drown their sorrows (on the house, anyway) if they are having a tough time accepting age fifty. Just remind them that 50 is the new 30, then gently suggest they take their $15 savings and tuck it into their Roth IRA. If they will still speak to you after that, join them for their meal at Dreamland and snap a photo for the Dreamland BBQ Photo Gallery.
BirminghamMom tip: If you haven't been to Dreamland, there is a neon sign in the front dining room that most BirminghamMoms might consider impolite, but school age kids will love it and Dad will snicker. Kids Meals include chips and a drink.
We've all recognized the greeting card that came from an assortment box. Telltale signs include illustrations of large-eyed teddy bears, goofy poems, and overuse of the word "special." Although it's the thought that counts, some of these cards do make the thought seem a little discounted. I used to be a card snob, but for years now I've stocked up on greeting cards at Dollar General, Dollar Tree, or Deals, where cards are 2/$1.00 and I don't have to feel at all apologetic about the card itself.
The cards in these stores have come a long way. The card stock is thicker, the print is clearer and higher resolution, and the designs are fresher, with envelope colors coordinated for each card. Yes, there are still some goofy poems, but there apparently is a market for goofy poems.
The selection in these stores has greatly expanded. All the holidays are represented: Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, etc. - as are a range of as specific occasions (70th birthday, baptism, new house) and person (juvenile, aunt, step dad). Even so, these cards are produced by a variety of manufacturers and do not scream "cheap."
Hallmark has trained us to look at the back of each card to see if the sender "cared enough to send the very best." But how many birthday parties have you attended where the birthday kid (maybe your own!) ripped right though the card to get to the gift certificate? Can you blame him? With cards from stationery stores priced anywhere from $2.98 and up, I'd rather spend 50 cents on the card and put the rest toward the gift itself.
The diaper bag is an essential part of any outing with a baby, but not all strollers can accommodate the bag easily. What's more, who wants to wrestle a bag out of a stroller basket beneath a reclined and (finally) sleeping baby?
These stroller clips offer a solution by allowing the diaper bag to be easily clipped to the stroller handles. By attaching the bag to the handles, the bag is always accessible for retrieval of cell phone, keys, or pacifier and can be quickly removed for a trip to the diaper changing station. The bag stays off the ground and out of the way, and leaves the stroller basket for shopping bags and other items. Plus, if your stroller has drink holders or other compartments near the handle, these clips allow you to manage the bag without tumbling a drink on accident.
Although the clips, by Petunia Pickle Bottom, are associated with a line of diaper bag accessories, they fit most diaper bags regardless of manufacturer, so you can use the clips interchangeably with any of your bags or strollers.
These clips are $18 at Red Wagon Clothing on 18th Street in Homewood and would be an easy, one-size-fits-all gift for a BirminghamMom regardless of baby gender, stroller configuration, or size of diaper bag. Meanwhile, if you're the one slinging your diaper bag around on stroller handles, get to Red Wagon and get a set of clips for yourself.
Neflix' business model has some great advantages: Home delivery, no late fees, and the ability to create a movie list and leave it on autopilot for awhile. But for us, Neflix felt more like Nagflix. When are we going to watch this movie? Shouldn't we just stay in and watch this movie tonight? It seemed like another thing on the monstrous to-do list. And, because I never know when we will have the luxury of an evening to watch a movie (much less whether the audience will be the whole family, only kids, or only grown-ups), I need a more spontaneous system.
An easy alternative has been the DVD kiosks around town. No memberships or fees, just a flat .99 cents or dollar plus tax to rent a movie for an evening. You pay with your credit/debit card and the movie pops out of the machine like a soda (a thrill for the kids, by the way). You can elect to receive your rental and return receipts via e-mail. The only drawback is that you will receive occasional e-mails announcing new releases and allowing you to reserve in advance; then again, this may be an advantage for your family.
You won't find an extensive library, only the latest releases. Frankly, this limited selection has saved us hours of browsing and debating the merits of one title over another. Instead of arguing over which movie to rent, the kids jockey to manage the touch screen. Movies are due back before midnight the following day or else there is a $1.50 charge for each additional day. Returning the movie isn't as inconvenient as it sounds since we are frequently passing the grocery store, and even if we do forget, the fee isn't devastating.
For those who can plan ahead, it is possible to access the actual inventory of each kiosk online and even reserve your movie before you arrive. DVDs must be returned to the same kiosk where they were rented.
DVDXpress kiosks are in Birmingham at these supermarket locations:
Bruno's: Alabaster, Homewood (Wildwood), Center Point, Hoover (Montgomery Hwy and Riverchase), Summit
Food World: Pelham, McCalla, Pell City, Homewood (Greensprings), Hoover (Lorna Road)
Redbox kiosks are located at WalMart Neighborhood Markets in Vestavia and Homewood (Palisades)
Most BirminghamMoms probably consider rearing children a boot camp in its own right, but there is another version in Birmingham.
Adventure Bootcamp for Women is a program is for those who want to jump start their workout routine with a minimum of fuss and equipment. I recently attended - and survived! - a boot camp experience, and it was both challenging and fun.
Boot Camp sessions are led by certified instructors in outdoor locations around town: Mountain Brook at McElwaine Baptist Church off Montevallo Road, Vestavia at Wald Park off of Hwy 31, and Hoover at Veteran's Park off Valleydale (near Spain Park High School). Participants arrive ready to work out with a mat, small hand weights, and a water bottle. The instructor supplies everything else.
Sessions are outside. At first I found this daunting because I admit I like climate control and outdoors it is usually 1) hot, or 2) cold. However, activities in shaded areas of the park alternate with sunny spots that keep the experience moderate overall. It was refreshing to be outside for something other than playground supervision or a ballgame.
I am not an athlete and admit I am quickly bored; the thought of circling a track dozens of times makes me numb. Adventure Boot Camp is circuit training, though, so instead of one interminable run, exercises are switched frequently enough to keep you engaged and wondering what's next. Brief runs are interspersed with jumping rope, drills, crunches and squats.
Part of the appeal of Boot Camp is also the comaraderie that develops among the participants. No one wants to wimp out on the other gals in the group, and their encouragement is helpful. (The photo at left is of Jamie, Boot Camp instructor, leading some of the Vestavia participants in a short run).
Workouts are held each weekday with programs from three sessions to five sessions per week. Packages start at $199 for four weeks. Each Bootcamp is independently operated so session times vary, though all Birmingham camps offer an early morning session. If you live near a camp, you can probably get back from a morning workout in time to see the kids off to school. For just a moment in Boot Camp you can stop being the family drill sergeant and let someone else worry about what to do next.
However, I was pleasantly surprised. Instead of a dusty warehouse, there was a wide, welcoming porch filled with tablescapes, garden ornaments, and furniture clustered in conversational groupings. Inside were more vignettes of upholstered pieces in of-the moment fabrics like large-scale damasks, inspired paisleys with details like contrast piping and nailhead trim. There were beds sumptously made up in white or natural linen and luxurious sheets by manufacturers usually found only in specialty stores (Pine Cone Hill).
The baby and child section also had a selection of beds, cribs, chests and armoires, with juvenile bedding from Lulla Smith and Kristabenhome Baby. Domino and Traditional Home readers would find accessories to their liking, between preserved boxwood wreathes (square and round), faux bois bronzed candelabra, and gourd lamps. As for gifts, the scented beeswax and soy candle selection was as good as any boutique's.
With over 30 familiar furniture manufacturers represented, the store was full without being crowded, and there were plenty of displays to explore. There wasn't a lot of redundancy - you didn't walk a few feet and see the same thing, different color - and they did have catalogs for special orders incase the desired version wasn't on the sales floor. My advice is to get there before your decorator does and avoid the markup.
Alabama Furniture Market is south of Birmingham in Calera, Exit 231 off I-65. Turning right from the exit, the store is 1/2 mile on the right.
