WalletPop Wire
Gift fair's best deals and a knickknack parting whack
WalletPop attempted to cull the the functional, fabulous and frugal from the recently wrapped International Gift Fair in New York City. Much of the show featured the tchotchkes coming to a novelty shop or airport kiosk near you, so we had our work cut out for us.
Here are my top five -- sorry, Terrorist Teapot, you didn't make the cut -- in no particular order.
Teroforma's soapstone cubes keep your whiskey or other liquor chilled longer than real ice cubs, and they don't dilute the taste, according to the maker. You just stick the Whisky Stones in the freezer and plop them into glasses when the guests arrive. Much of their value comes from the conversations they might inspire when the cocktail banter runs dry. The cubes are reusable and look cool in your Canadian Club. Nine cubes for $25, we were told, but online they're listed at $20.
The combination of eco-chic and utility makes Brelli's biodegradable clear plastic rain poncho for kids irresistible. It's an impermeable and science project rolled into one. Children can wear it as many times as they want, then bury it. Don't worry, Mom, it'll rot like apple peels! It folds into a pouch for purse or backpack convenience. Designer Pam Bronsius also makes an adult trenchcoat and poncho but the higher price removed it from WalletPop consideration. $22 for one child's poncho (red ribbons make it more for girls).
You'll know your foreclosures by the poop
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When she was first for sale my husband, who's worked for a few of the city's top residential real estate agents, called his old friends, dreaming of an investment -- he loves how enormous and elegant she is. I told him it was a foreclosure waiting to happen: even pre-crash I could see it couldn't work. The numbers just didn't make sense; the house had been a rental for many years and, despite its great "bones," there were problems that would prevent even the slummiest of landlords from breaking even.
Got cookies? 10 secrets of top-selling Girl Scouts
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"I have no doubt my top sellers will become very successful business women someday," says Kim Lasden, a troop "cookie mom" in Chicago. "These girls could teach Wall Street a thing or two."
Girl Scout cookies by the numbers: Just where do all those dollars go?
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Despite their undeniable tastiness, there's no denying that, at $3.50 to $4 per box, Girl Scout cookies can be costly. But it might soften the blow to know where your cookie money really goes.
Nicole Jones, 'The Shoe Professa,' and how losing $150,000 bought her a future
Last night on Shark Tank, America met Nicole Jones of Chicago. "I've been in love for a very long time," she purred. "In love with shoes!"
Thus was introduced Pillars of Slippers, a retail store with a service that throws shoe parties at ladies' homes. When her pink SUV arrives, the pink carpet unfurls, the champagne cork pops, and the fondue melts. "I throw the ladies into a shoe frenzy," exclaimed Jones, and everyone hopefully racks up big bills buying footwear.
Do these two housewives have the balls to attract the Sharks' quick money?
Last night on another roller-coaster episode of Shark Tank, we met Michele Kapustka and Melisa Moroko, sisters behind SendABall, a Web-based company that sends inflated balls through the mail -- address it, stamp it, and send it, no box required -- instead of greeting cards. Between them, they have seven kids, and the families collaborate out of a garage.
In their taped introduction, they confessed they were doing so well, they couldn't keep up anymore. "We are slammed with orders. We need the Sharks and we need them now," said one of them. (Which one? We needed more time to distinguish them.) A problem like that -- too much guaranteed income -- is the sweet smell of chum to such finely tuned noses as our Sharks'.
They wanted $86,000 for 20% of their biz, and right away, they explained what they would do with the cash: They wanted to buy their own manufacture equipment so they wouldn't have to pay to outsource anymore. One of the sisters (the one whose name starts with M) said they would put their new equipment in "our little place in Chicago."
Retail sales climb -- Is that a light at the end of the tunnel?
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Retailers across product categories reported higher than expected sales in January, beating Wall Street expectations and in some cases, the retailer's own projections. Wholesale clubs BJ's and Costco had particularly strong showings in January, with sales of stores open at least a year rising 8.4% and 8% respectively.
Aphrodisiac foods cheaper than you think for Valentine's Day romance
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Feb. 14, Valentine's Day, the day devoted to red-hot romance, love and hearts, is notoriously hot, hot, hot. And whether lovers are toting home heart shaped boxes of chocolate under their arms, ordering in heart shaped pizzas or going out for a romantic dinner, food plays a big role in Valentine's celebrations.
So WalletPop thought we'd give lovers a helping hand this year. With the help of Dr. Melody Hart a practitioner at ChicagoHealers.com, we compiled a shopping list of must-have aphrodisiac foods. And, as an added bonus, most of these foods are pulling double duty, offering numerous health benefits, too.
Bargain hunters can save at GNC by following these tips
![GNC stores offer bargains for dieters](https://web.archive.org/web/20100207141320im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.walletpop.com/blog/media/2010/02/guestsreceivbach58362518.jpg)
But in my quest to gain weight and build more muscle, I've turned to GNC -- and with the easy combination of a discount card and soon-to-expire clearance items, I've found that shopping at GNC can actually be cheaper than buying junk food at Walmart.
Here's how it works: For $15 per year, you can get a GNC Gold Card, which entitles you to 20% off almost anything (including almost all sale/clearance items) for the first seven days of every month. On top of that, GNC offers deep discounts on soon-to-expire bars, shakes, and other nutritional products. If you buy stuff two months before it expires, you can save a fortune.
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SHOPPING FROM SMARTMONEY
CVS Photo offers 50 free prints
February 6, 2010
Friday Freebies: breakfast, diapers, biz cards, lotion and more
February 5, 2010
Free e-book for Kindle, iPhone, and more
February 5, 2010
Free lotion sample from PerriconeMD
February 4, 2010
Vista Print offering free business cards, mug, address labels
February 3, 2010
Free emergency food stash
February 2, 2010
Free sample of Pampers Cruisers diapers
February 1, 2010
Denny's Superbowl freebie again
February 1, 2010
Free coffee at Peet's when you buy one drink
January 30, 2010
Friday freebies: candy, light bulb, body lotion, and more!
January 29, 2010My Investments
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