Changes: "Adult" Furniture

When the Lumberjack and I got married, we moved into our first apartment, which we still live in. When we moved, we blended together a mash of mixed hand-me-downs....a white Ikea computer desk, 30-year-old hardwood coffee table, a decades-old Crate & Barrel taupe love seat, an Ikea futon, a white printer table, a cute white-spray-painted-black sofa table, a gingham red ottoman, etc. All of the pieces were functional and perfect for us at the time--FREE!

Well, after almost a year and a half, the Lumberjack and I decided it might finally be time to get some real grown up furniture. We loved the things we had been given, but the truth is that none of it was "our" style.

The timing happened to be perfect, as my younger sister was moving into her new place and happened to be needing everything we were getting rid of. Don't you just love hand-me-downs?

After a few nights of furniture shopping, the Lumberjack and I finally found the perfect furniture, and in our price range. We ended up purchasing a black leather sofa, matching wood- and-glass coffee and end tables, a black corner desk, and a headboard-foot board bed set for our room.

Of course, projects like that never end there--only start. We figured, if all of the furniture is going to be moved out, we should get the carpets cleaned. But, before we get the carpets cleaned, we should fix up the paint in the living room. And, if we're going to paint the living room and get a new bed in the bedroom, we might as well paint the bedroom too.

And of course, if we're getting a new bed in black wood, now our black comforter is going to look overwhelming, so we'll order a white down comforter. And the brown Tommy-Bahama-esque lamps no longer match, so we'll need new lamps too.

See what happens?

I ended up with a crisp white duvet to cover my overstuffed down comforter, along with new bedroom and living room lamps.

It was all worth it when my furniture was delivered. Now, seeing the house all set up, designed how we like, painted how we like and with furniture that we like, all of the hard work and late nights were totally worth it.

(I wish I had before pictures, but at least here you can see the amazing bed headboard and foot board we got.)

Love it!

New Rides

After nearly one year of car shopping, I took the plunge and traded in my beloved 2003 Honda Civic for a 2009 Honda Fit. I debated for awhile between the Fit and the Mazda3. When it came down to it, the 2010 Mazda3 had a few things I didn't like, including:

1. Huge blind spots for me;

2. Low gas mileage compared to the Fit; and

3. Higher price compared to the Fit.

The Fit has everything I need and want, all for a great price. For the first time ever, I have a car that unlocks with the push of a clicker. I also have great speakers, navigation, tons of cargo space and 33-mpg.

Tani at Honda of Escondido made our sales experience quite possibly one of the best I've ever had. And, for the cherry on the sundae, the Lumberjack got a 2009 Honda Civic in replacement of his 2004 Civic, which was slowly but surely biting the dust.

So, if you're looking for a Honda, Mazda, Acura or Audi, go visit Tani at the Penske Auto Group in Escondido. She can sell all four brands and will make sure you get everything you want at a price that works for you!

Freebies/Almost Freebies

I have a confession: I have become obsessed with free/so-much-on-sale-that-its-almost-free stuff.

For the past month or so, I've received a sample of something in the mail a few times a week. It started out because I just wanted to try some products: Starbucks instant coffee, new Quaker chocolate raspberry granola bars, or new Tide Total Care detergent. But, it's grown. I've now received Kashi cookies, Huggies wipes, Zyrtec, Crest teeth whitening kits, Dr Pepper coupons....the list goes on.

But, hey, it's free!

I've also become mildly obsessed with huge sale/discount sites. I love finding jewelry marked 85% off, or trips to Hawaii for about $500 a person (including room and airfare), or kitchen gadgets that are marked ridiculously low.

But, what kind of a person would I be if I kept it all to myself?

Here's a list of my favorite free/huge discount sites:

1. Travelzoo.com. Anyone who knows me know that this IS, in my opinion, the best travel site out there. I flew round trip to London for $600 through this site. I booked a $700/night Las Vegas room in the Planet Hollywood Hotel for $79/night. I've flown throughout Europe for $2 each round trip flight. Seriously. I haven't booked a vacation without using travelzoo.com in years.

2. Bradsdeals.com. If you're not a member of this site, join today. I cannot believe the deals posted daily here. Two days ago, I saw a KitchenAid stand mixer for $129 (usually $300). Yesterday, they had a Bulova women's watch--WITH DIAMONDS--for under $200 (usually $995). The deals change every day, and they're always items marked way down.

3. Spaweek.com. This amazing site holds spring and fall events each year where qualifying spas in your city offer $50 treatments. Yes, you CAN get a massage from an expensive spa for just $50. I have personally participated in the last two Spa Weeks (Fall 2008, April 2009) and was impressed. During the fall event, I received a $50 Swedish massage (usually $85) from a spa near my house. It was hands down the BEST massage I've ever received. Last month, I received a Hot Stone massage (usually $95) from the same spa, which was equally amazing. For $50, some spas also offer facials, microdermabrasion, 60-minute pedicures, etc. They also also discounted services at participating spas throughout the year. Sign up today!

4. Walmart.com. While I rarely actually shop at Wal-Mart, their Web site (http://instoresnow.walmart.com/in-stores-now-free-samples-and-trials.aspx) always has free samples available. From wipes to detergent to allergy medicine, you can order a sample before you commit. I love that I can try something (like Crest whitening strips) before I spend money on a product.

5. Gilt.com. I am a relatively new member of this site, and I'm loving it. Each day, they host new sales online. New DESIGNER sales. Lucky for my bank account, and my marriage, I don't go to a lot of place that I can rationalize having a $1,000 handbag (originally $2,500) or a $150 silk top (originally $350). But, if I did, this would be where I buy my entire wardrobe.

5. Restaurant.com. I love food. And, I love eating out. Restaurant.com helps me eat out without breaking my budget. This Web site sells gift certificates for a reduced rate. The catch is, you have to spend a certain amount, which you're going to anyway. For example, they sell a $25 gift certificate to McCormick and Schmicks for $10. The catch is you have to spend $35 at the restaurant. Still, if you spend $35, that means you're only paying $20. And, restaurant.com has major sales. I have purchased a $25 gift certificate for $2. That means, for a $35 meal, I'm only paying $12. Come on, you can't beat that. Only certain restaurants qualify, but within 30 miles of my house, almost 200 restaurants participate. Check it out!

6. VRBO.com. I love travelling, but staying in a hotel can get expensive. Not only do you have to pay for the room, you have to plan on eating every meal out. Not so anymore. VRBO (vacation rentals by owner) offers condominiums and houses at discount prices. For our honeymoon, the Lumberjack and I used VRBO to stay in the most amazing condo in Hawaii (http://www.vrbo.com/131306). It was every bit as good as the photos on the site. The condo was beautifully decorated and a fraction ($169/night) of what we would have paid staying in a hotel. Plus, it was 2 bedrooms/2 bathroom and had a full kitchen! Not to mention, it came with a new Jeep for us to drive. It doesn't get much better than that!