September 2008 Archives
Ulta is to cosmetics, hair care and skin care what Home Depot is to appliances, hardware, and garden tools.
This comsmetics superstore has everything from common national brands (Revlon, Pantene) to those usually sold in department stores and salons (Smashbox, Urban Decay, Fekkai). Ulta frequently distributes coupons in the Sunday paper or in fashion magazines, and it's not unusual to find an offer of $3.50 off a purchase of $10 or more. There are few exclusions (usually on premium cosmetics) and most other sale merchandise is included. You may not realize that most of these Ulta coupons can be used along with manufacturer's coupons as long as the total purchase meets the required minimum.
Given that coupons are already plentiful for national brand haircare, skincare, and beauty products, you can stretch ten bucks pretty far at Ulta. If you buy your family's regular brands of shampoo, lotion and sunscreen here, you are bound to reach a minimum purchase of $10 or even $20 quickly. Add an Ulta coupon on top of manufacturer's coupons and you can score some great deals.
On a recent visit I bought lotion, shampoo, and mascara with $1 off coupons for each; after coupons, my total was almost $12, and then the Ulta coupon brought my total to less than $10 before taxes. I've previously used an Ulta coupon to purchase professional shears (already on sale) for $6, perfect to snip bangs in between appointments.
Of course, the temptation is to use your savings for a splurge on the upscale products like a luminizing foundation primer or luxurious make up brush. Well, what would be wrong with that? This is a guilt-free way to parlay the savings from boring body wash into a new shade of nail polish.
Birmingham's Ulta location is in Hoover at the Patton Creek shopping center behind the Riverchase Galleria.
BirminghamMom tip: Beauty junkies know the most universally flattering shade of blush is by NARS. Just the name of this shade is blush-worthy; you'll recognize it as well as its coordinating lip color.
My friend and fellow BirminghamMom Kathy envisions the day she will leave the cubicle farm behind and call Starbucks her office. She'll walk in and the barista will greet her by name, ask her if she wants her usual order, and inquire about the family before Kathy accepts her steaming latte and heads to a table to check e-mail or meet a client.
This type of arrangement is already a reality for many people. Visit a Panera Bread any morning and you'll find a hive of busy workers, not behind the counter (although the employees are certainly efficient) but at every booth and table. Many of these wired workers are enjoying an office away from the office, often pursuing interests that have nothing to do with their usual workplace. They prepare sermons, practice a presentation, meet with fellow volunteers on an upcoming project.
These spots are a BirminghamMom's haven for an uninterrupted moment to read e-mail or catch up with a friend. If you can't think straight as long as there are dishes in the sink and/or clothes to be laundered, get away to a place where the loose ends at home can't be distraction. I know a woman who goes to the Barnes & Noble cafe near her home every Saturday morning to clean out her purse, gather her receipts/coupons and plan her week. If she didn't leave the house, she says she would just begin cleaning mindlessly and not make the time to prioritize.
Although there have always been good public spaces for meeting with friends, the option of WiFi allows you an even greater freedom: Meeting with yourself. A few minutes over coffee or at lunch with your laptop can be time well spent. Investigate customer ratings on a future purchase, double check the school calendar with you own, develop your next Big Idea. More and more spots in Birmingham are offering WiFi, and some of the best don't charge for the privilege. Besides coffee houses, many restaurants now have WiFi. (Not a coffee fan? Go to a McAllister's with wi-fi and enjoy a giant sweet tea).
I acknowledge there are places I hope never allow digital intrusions, but I am grateful for all the locations that allow us to catch up with our friends, virtual and in the flesh, without having to clean our houses. Check out these Birmingham area WiFi spots when you need a neutral spot to engage with or retreat from the rest of the world.
You know you're giving gift cards, now how to package them for maximum impact? These gift card holders have a card-sized pocket on the back and are cute enough on their own, but the loop attached to them gives them double-duty as Christmas ornaments.
Sport-themed gift card holders would be a great way to package the cards you'll give your fall ball coaches, and they're only $5 each at Christmas and Company in the Vestavia City Center. Take a colorful Sharpie pen or paint stick and write "Thanks, Coach" with the team name and year and see if it doesn't wind up as a favorite reminder of the season. Get a jump on the holidays and pick up one for your sports-minded kid or husband to include a gift card for their favorite sporting goods store - these will fit nicely in a stocking, dress up a wrapped gift, or be a fun surprise on the tree.
Christmas and Company also has gift card holders shaped like purses, flip-flops, and maryjane style shoes, so cute for girly girls.
Just think, you can gather several of these ornaments and be sitting pretty by Christmas, when you can buy the appropriate gift cards at a grocery store kiosk. Wouldn't visiting neices and nephews love to search your tree for their ornament/gift card? Again, just personalize with a permanent marker and they'll be thrilled.
We are so fortunate to have a premier children's hospital in our city, and I daresay we sometimes take the convenience for granted. Although most of us associate Children's Hospital with acute care, the Children's Health System offers many other services for health and wellness, including free medical information tailored to your interests and delivered to you via e-mail.
Partners in Parenting is an e-zine that is perfect for busy BirminghamMoms. Medically reviewed, current articles are sent to your e-mail based on the interests that you select. Even parent health and well-being is an available feature, a worthy topic given the stresses most of us face. Other topics include:
ADD/ADHD Asthma Divorce and Kids Sports Medicine Twins/Multiples Weight Management and Kids
You can take the service a step further by signing up for My Kids' Health Reminders and My Kids' Health Links.
The Health Reminders aren't just for kids; you can add any loved ones - parents, spouse - and receive reminders for preventative care and recommended exams based on their age and gender. What a help for the sandwich generation! Besides, you know you will have to keep after your husband to get his physical and the dreaded rectal exam. (Please! Given we carry and birth a child, does he have any excuse to avoid this?)
The average BirminghamMom is carrying around enough stuff in her trunk or back seat to fill a grocery cart. Chances are high that she has cleared out every single item only to be defeated again when the next soccer season rolls around. At a certain point, it becomes easier to just give in and house the stuff in the car than to remember to pack it every time.
Such it is that this tote offers a way to camouflage the flotsam and jetsam that rolls around in the back of the vehicle. This thing is roomy, made of nylon with a breathable mesh top that cinches closed. It will easily hold a stadium blanket, soccer or football(s), and snacks, but could also serve as a laundry bag for dry cleaning that wouldn't look as unkempt (read: nagging) as those made completely of mesh fabric.
If you drive an SUV, this is a stylish form for tucking away the things that would normally go in a car's trunk but won't fit in your console, such as the first aid kit, DVDs and audio equipment. The bag even has an interior pocket with a velcro closure that will keep smaller things from rolling out. Just shove everything into this bag and you can skip the profuse apologies usually required for those guests who dare to ride with you and your necessary clutter.
This bag is $16.99 at The Nesting Place at 3118 Heights Village on Cahaba Heights Road.
Years ago I worked with Michelle from Lakeland, Florida who told me the one thing she missed living in Birmingham was shopping at Publix. I wasn't familiar with the chain at the time, but she assured me that I didn't know what I was missing.
Now that Publix is well represented in Birmingham, I have to agree with her. Although I can't say that Publix always has the lowest price on every item, I can unequivocally say that the quality is excellent, the stores are clean and bright, and they do make sure "shopping is a pleasure."
I'm praising Publix now because they have continued to offer each of their Publix brand essentials at what they term a "surprisingly low price." At first I worried this was a loss-leader gimmick that would only last a week, but as the prices have continued to be promoted for several weeks now, my hat's off to employee-owned Publix for holding the line.
Publix' list of essentials includes milk, orange juice, bread, ground chuck, vanilla ice cream and Cheerios; in other words, the items that are always on the list and that are most likely to force a mid-week grocery run. Although I would normally look for the quickest place to get in and out for an in-between grocery trip, these prices and the pleasant interior are enough to coax me into full-size Publix rather than the corner pharmacy for milk.
Another thing I like about Publix is that they positively glorify the home cooked meal. I am the first to admit an unbecoming dependency on take out and convenience foods in a pinch, but Publix inspires me to aim higher whenever I can. Every Wednesday circular has an Apron's Simple Meals plan that includes shortcuts and tips, and they always plug the fact that you can feed a family of four for markedly less than cost of a restaurant meal. They have an excellent publication of Thrifty Tips.
I'll offer them one more compliment: This is the only grocery chain where I have never heard the cashier and bagger shuffling my bread and discussing when their shifts finally end.
Prime Time Treasures houses all these things and more at 1755 Oxmoor Road in Homewood, just at the south end of 18th Street's downtown shopping district. You may have driven by the building countless times and not realized that you were passing a retail store with a unique twist.
Prime Time Treasures doesn't stock the typical items that are mass produced in a factory on the other side of the world. Instead, every item is made by a craftsperson here in Birmingham. These aren't amateur efforts, either. The dollhouse-inspired book case shown here is sturdy enough to last for generations, and the pride of craftsmanship is similarly evident in most every piece on the floor.
This precious hand-smocked gown is only $17 (for detail, View image ). The coordinating bonnet with blue piping is $9. You won't find a better price on a hand made ensemble like this and you can feel good knowing your purchase will benefit local crafters. Few of our own grandmas are creating this handiwork these days.
Prime Time Treasures is a program of the Assistance League of Birmingham that allows seniors (defined as those age 55 and over) to sell their hand made products with only a small fraction of the purchase used to offset overhead costs. This means an incredible savings for BirminghamMoms and a winning situation for the seniors who participate. Since its inception, over $3.5 million has been returned to over 4500 Alabama Seniors.
Children's items are in the back section of the store along with baby blankets, quilts and afghans. Toy chests aren't recommended for kids these days, but you may find a version here that would do nicely as a coffee table/storage bench in your home. Don't shortchange the front of the store either. Some of the Adirondack chairs are particularly nice and at least two vendors offer pastel portraits from whatever photo you supply.
This brush holds cleaner within a chamber in its handle. Press a button on the handle and the liquid is released into the brush itself, all at arms' length. You don't need to wrangle with the bowl cleaner's cap, squirt it all around the rim, then pick up a brush to clean the basin. This is also quicker than the disposable scrubbing versions that have to be loaded before using and then released.
You've probably seen or used a brush for washing dishes that dispenses dish soap. The same principle is at work here, only this brush obviously has a much longer handle and can hold more liquid. The top of the handle unscrews, you pour in a cleanser (something with a clinging consistency is best; too thin and the liquid could leak into the holder), and the brush stays loaded and ready for a daily swish.
With the big label removed, it isn't as obtrusive as it looks here, but the only version I found had blue trim. While this item is not really aesthetically pleasing, I don' t know of many toilet brushes that are. Your main bath probably has the storage space for cleaning products and doesn't pose a problem for cleaning, and a powder room does deserve the nicest-looking necessities. However, a water closet in a master bath is the perfect place for this brush, since it can be tucked behind the toilet and only family is likely to ever notice it. This saves you having to pull out the cleaning caddy just to swish the bowl.
This brush is under $7 at Wal-Mart and is in the housewares aisle near laundry baskets and other plastics.
It's a small thing, granted, but if skipping a latte every day can make you a millionaire in 30 years, maybe paying less for spaghetti sauce each week can buy you...a tank of gas one day. Either way, it's worth pointing out that you have options.
I am convinced that spaghetti sauce is one time saver that would cost more to make from scratch than to buy. It's readily available, inexpensive, and there are dozens of varieties to suit any taste. Since I use this product at least once a week as a base for a casserole or soup, over pasta, or as a sandwich/cheese stick dip, I figure it is worth it to get the best value.
Your first thought is probably the jar of sauce that is typical for the national brands whether Prego, Ragu, or a store brand. However, let me draw your attention to the lowly canned version, which is inevitably shelved below the jars. The can is 26 ounces just like the jars, only it costs almost $1 or so less than the jar versions.
It's not as if you're taking a risk by buying the canned version, since it's produced by the likes of Del Monte and Hunts, the same manufacturers who bring us so much of our ketchup. True, you can't portion it out and screw the lid back on as you can a jar, but that's what containers are for. Besides, there is rarely any left over to store. And if you've ever dropped a jar and broken it, you know how quickly your kitchen can go from being clean to looking like a crime scene in two seconds flat.
Give the can a try and consider your savings as a coupon you didn't have to clip.
School just started and homework is already dominating family life? You don't have to go it alone. FREE on line tutoring is available to you with nothing more than your library card. Real, live tutors are available from 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday evenings. You'll need to supply your name, library card number, and zip code to log into the service.
If you're reaching the limits of what you can remember from your school days (let alone illustrate or explain for your kid), you'll be delighted to know this free tutoring service goes all the way through 12th grade, including pre college coursework. Don't even attempt to help them with a geometry proof and thereby dishonor your 10th grade vow to never revisit that torture again; there are qualified tutors just clicks away. Algebra and Trigonometry tutoring is also available - whew! You won't feel responsible for teaching a problem-solving method that is no longer the educational standard or, worse, confusing your kids even more.
September 7 - Make-Ahead Meals using your slow cooker and Dutch oven- September 14 - Always All Clad (sounds like a pitch for the cookware, but interesting nonetheless)
- September 21 - Comfort Foods such as upscale Macaroni & Cheese (will the kids notice upscale?)
- September 28 - Cocktail Mixology - for those planning holiday entertaining
- October 5 - Knife skills - chopping and slicing techniques as well as fancy cuts
- October 12 - Cookies & More -basic sugar cookie recipe and techniques for rolling, cutting, baking, decorating
- October 19 - Roasting - classic roasted chicken and how to carmelize roast vegetables
- October 26 - Fall Soups - from purees to chowders
You can see that many of these technique classes are perfect for BirminghamMoms and all are complimentary. Why not take advantage of such a convenient opportunity to learn something new? Contact the store at 205-970-4101 to reserve a spot.
Brighten the most mundane everyday task - locking or unlocking your door - by upgrading your humble house key. You don't have to settle for boring brass among keys that are all but impossible to distinguish from one another.
Organizing experts recommend a stroke of colored nail polish to identify each of your keys, but that is so much less satisfying than these, with permanent designs that would take years to wear away. Besides being fun, these designs could also prevent an extra set of keys from being all but lost among the other items in your desk drawer.
If you're having overnight guests who you wish to come and go as they please, leave one of these keys tied with a red ribbon in their room - what could be more welcoming? If your kids are older and letting themselves into the house before you arrive home, they might enjoy a special key that they select for the purpose. And to those lucky enough to have a vacation home, how can you resist?
Your keys can be distinctive, especially when they are out of your hands at the gym, body shop, or valet stand. More importantly, someone else is less likely to mistakenly pick yours up from a pegboard of nondescript keyrings.
These keys are available for only one or two dollars more than a standard key and you can choose from colorful stripes and patterns, licensed collegiate teams and even Disney character versions. If boutiques were in the key cutting business, these would have caught on at twice the price already. Instead you'll find them displayed in the hardware section and occasionally near check out lines in Home Depot and Lowe's.
With Grandparents Day approaching, it's a good time to reflect on some of the entertainment our grandparents' generation enjoyed before MTV, shopping malls and the cell phone changed the teen landscape forever.
Now that we have seen some of our own youthful entertainment become classic (SchoolHouse Rock, Incredible Hulk, Care Bears), we can appreciate the timeless quality of previous generations' fun, particularly old radio programs.
Programs from radio's "Golden Age" were the YouTube of their time, drawing families together after evening meals (and before call PAPA meant pizza delivery). Just like "I Love Lucy" for television, many of the old episodes are still funny and relative despite occasional references to the political issues of the day.
Now you can download some of the best of these programs in MP3 format for free. Consider burning a CD for a grandparent, sure to be delighted to listen to radio as he or she remembers it. While you're at it, download some episodes for your own family. Kids can enjoy original versions of Superman or Flash Gordon during the next extended car ride, and budding grammar students can check out - and hopefully understand - the humor of Abbott & Costello's "Who's On First?" routine that you've heard quoted all your life.
Unlike audio books which are read by an actor or author, these are full-scale productions by actors and comedians, complete with sound effects and live studio audiences. If your kids are curiously fascinated by mechanics, be sure to let them see the Back of the Mike [sic] tour for how sound effects were created (a little slow-moving by today's standards, but interesting nontheless).
