HoliDAILY Contest #11: Win A $25 Gift Card to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

December 8, 2008 10:00 AM | | Posted in holiday, the coffee bean and tea leaf

From now until Dec. 31st, Kathryn and the gang at TBF will be giving away daily prizes to lucky TBF winners. Check back everyday at 9am to enter.

At midnight, five lucky TBF reader will win this prize, from The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

The Prize: One of five (5) gift cards for The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

Why you want this: Let’s face it—holiday shopping is exhausting, and caffeine is our friend. Boost your holiday spirits (and your energy level) with tasty beverages from The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, on us.

To Enter this Contest, Tell Us Your Favorite Coffee or Tea Beverage in the Comment Section Below

The Rules- no purchase necessary
- contest ends the day of the posting at 11:59pm
- must comment below in order to enter this contest

- must be a US citizen
- recipient is responsible for any federal, state or local taxes associated with the prize package
- must respond within 72 hours (3 days) or prize will be given to another entrant

Yesterday’s Winner

Congratulations mscurious1 on winning the Fruity Foaming Bath in yesterdays’ HoliDAILY giveaway!

Holiday Gift Tips on a Budget

November 11, 2008 05:00 PM | Comments (1) | Posted in gifts, economic survival guide, holiday

It used to be that Thanksgiving ushered in the holiday season, but these days? It’s the minute Halloween is a memory—so that means it’s time to start making our strategic holiday plans. This year, saving money will be more key than ever, so we’ve compiled a few tips to help you enjoy the season without worrying about paying off some huge bills come Jan. 2 . . .

- Hold a White Elephant Party. A White Elephant Holiday party (aka “regifting”) is when you gift something you already own. The key to white elephants is to give the person something they want (family heirloom, your plasma TV) and not stuff that would otherwise be headed straight to the garbage.

- Use Giftcards. I use this tip especially during the holiday season. I put my entire Christmas budget on a Visa giftcard from my bank and once the money is gone, I’m finished shopping. Also works well for back to school.

- Get Coupons. Many of your favorite stores, like Off Fifth, Saks Fifth Avenue outlet, Lord & Taylor, Bloomingdales and Filene’s Basement, offer in store coupons if you sign up for their online newletters.  You can also find coupons online by entering the name of the store and the word “coupon” in your search browser to find a long list of sites with coupons for the store.

- Check Online Before Buying in the Store. Use the SKU number (the numbers underneath the bar codes on the price tag) to find your favorite items online for less. Entering the SKU number into Google and a list of sites/stores that sell that item will pop up. Compare prices for the best deal Furthermore, many online discount/off price stores like Smartbargains.com and Overstock.com, are not allowed to use the name of certain designers but will have the SKU numbers listed on the page.

Extreme Budget Halloween Costumes

October 25, 2008 07:00 AM | Comments (0) | Posted in halloween, holiday, costume

Halloween is almost here, and you’re at a loss for a costume. Not to worry—here are three cheap and easy costumes that will be sure to make you the life—or at least the talk—of the party:

- Sarah Palin. A pair of glasses, a little red suit, some fab heels, and a prom-queen hair-do (we’re sure there are cheap wigs that will suit at Walmart and the like). Carry a pig stuffed animal and a tube of lipstick, or a hockey stick for good measure. If you want to be really creative, tell people you’re Tina Fey as Sarah Palin.

Total cost: Assuming you already have or can borrow the suit and heels (and don’t count out the thrift stores), $0-$25, depending on the price of oil

- The Dow Jones. Get one of those giant chart paper pads with graph paper, draw on some official looking-numbers and a big fat arrow heading downward, cut out a place for your head, and voila—you are the most relevant and potentially depressing character around. For the best effect, carry around some fake dollar bills you can toss at random, so that they flutter uselessly to the ground in your wake . . .

Total cost: $10, depending on the day’s closing loss

- Tabloid Queen. Throw on a short trench coat, big sunglasses (think Mary Kate Olsen), gather one or two tabloid newspapers, and pretend “like your trying hide, while secretly wanting to be noticed.” You can turn this into a couple costume by having your partner act as a member of the paparazzi, your publicist or—if you’re feeling anti-social—your bodyguard.

Total cost: $0.00-$10.00, depending on the size of your headline