When I was growing up, this is the outdoor furniture that we had 
. Times have certainly changed! There is a big market for all kinds of outdoor furniture and outdoor furniture covers. If you have the money, you can buy this fancy set. The price is $1,849 for the chair and the table, while the chaise is $3,099. Pennies!
It seems that high fashion in Europe eventually makes it way to the United States. Sometimes that includes car accessories as well. A new trend in Europe, led tail lights, is making its way here and you can now buy custom led tail lights for almost any make and model of car. I must say, they are pretty futuristic looking! But, since I drive a mini van, I don’t think I will make the switch!
Platform beds started to become popular in the 1970s. A simple mattress was put on the platform and they were not very comfortable. They also came in various shapes (remember the round bed in Austin Powers?). Those old beds were very uncomfortable and they soon made way for the mattress and box spring combo.
Things are not coming full circle. It seems that platform beds are again making a comeback. What is the difference? The mattress. It is not the old, lumpy mattresses from the 60s and 70s but a new kind of memory foam mattress. These mattresses are comfortable and less expensive than their mattress/box spring counterparts.
PayU2Blog.com recently conducted a contest in which four lucky bloggers could win a memory foam mattress. I was too lazy to get a video done, but I enjoyed watching the completed ones. Here is my favorite of the four winners. Congratulations to all the winners! These mattress are shipped directly to your home, are easy to set up and are very comfortable!
I know that a stair lift can be an important device for handicapped people. Stair lifts are great devices and can be installed in almost any home. Of course, you had better hope that your staircase is not attached to this:
Is the playstation 3 on your gift list? We have a Playstation 2, so I am not sure that we are ready to upgrade to a new system yet. Sony decided recently to drop the price of the Playstation 3 to $399 in hopes that sales will pick up. Currently leading the game box wars are the Nintendo Wii and the Microsoft XBox 360. Sony has also released 15 exclusive games for the system. Look for a big advertising blitz this holiday season!
Do you want to dress like a celebrity? I just found a new site called Seen On! Seen On! features products that are worn by celebrities on television and film. You can find handbags, jewelry, clothes and more. You can even buy bobble head Dwight dolls from The Office if you wish. I am on the lookout for a North Face jacket, but unfortunately, it doesn’t look like any celebrity has worn one lately. Oh well, they are still my favorite jackets!
If you are looking for a nice romantic getaway that won’t cost you celebrity prices, check out a Bed & Breakfast. There are so many different styles and types to choose from. Many Bed and Breakfast inns are located in restored historical buildings. A few have even been used for the setting for films. The best thing about a Bed & Breakfast is the home cooked meal in the morning. Most inns offer a variety of menu items and a variety of times when breakfast is served. Many inns offer other cooked meals as well.
When I was small, we always had the Fuller Brush Man come to our door in hopes of selling his cleaning products. My mom sometimes bought them. Today, you don’t see many door to door salesmen anymore. In the 50s, 60s and 70s you would see them all the time – trying to sell encyclopedias, cleaning products, vacuums and even Funeral Insurance.
Many cities starting passing a Green River Ordinance (named for Green River, Wyoming where the bill was first passed). This ordinance prohibits door to door selling without permission from the household ahead of time. Some ordinances include a clause that prohibits even political, charitable or religious groups as long as there is a “No Trespassing” or “No Solicitation” sign posted. The Supreme Court has reviewed several of the ordinances and found that those that prohibit selling are constitutional (and a state’s rights issue). However, those suggesting a total ban may be deemed unconstitutional based on freedom of speech and religion issues.
For the first time since the 1930s, American’s savings have been in the negative! According to the Federal Reserve Bank, only 41% of Americans save regularly and three-fourths of all households carry some debt.
It all started with the baby boomers. Credit was readily available and the baby boomers used it effectively. Houses, cars and other big purchases were really the only purchases made with credit. Then along came credit cards. At first it was very difficult to obtain a credit card. I remember how hard it was to get a Sears card! Eventually, though, anyone could get a credit card. It did not matter what financial situation you were in.
By 1981, Americans were saving 11% of their income and had 4% on credit cards. By the year 2000 the savings rate had fallen to ZERO and the percentage of income on credit card to 12%. Today we talk more about debt management then we do about saving money. According to experts, we have lost the “feel of money.” When we actually have to pay with physical money we tend to spend less then when we pay with credit.
Budgeting has become a thing of the past, but needs to be revisited. We tend to focus on the items that we WANT, not just the items that we NEED. I was caught in the debt cycle after one Christmas and was fortunate enough to get low rate loans to pay off the higher rate credit cards.
The easiest way I have found to save money is to set up a savings account at a totally different bank then your checking account. Have money deducted every pay period and transfered directly to the savings account. You will be surprised how quickly the money accumulates!
