1. People are having BABIES

2. People are getting MARRIED!

Not always in that order but you get my drift.. I am being a little dramatic while making this statement, but it seems like every other week I am shopping for a new wedding gift. Let me tell you, sometimes that can be very difficult! No, I’m not speaking of the cost and my pocketbook, though it is true, one must keep control of costs when buying so many gifts. No, I’m just speaking of buying gifts for people (usually family) that I might not know so well. What do you buy for cousin Erin (who you haven’t seen since 7th grade) and her new husband (who you only met briefly last Thanksgiving)?

There are a couple of rules of thumb when purchasing wedding gifts. Methods to insure that your gift is appreciated and not secretly despised. Here we go:

1. Money - Yes you can just give them money. Didn’t you see The Godfather? Just slip the bride an envelop of cold hard cash. It isn’t as tacky as you might think. It’s old school, and you probably will feel like a true player as you do it.

2. Use the registry - We all know at least one person who went a little crazy and registered for something outrageous like $100 toothbrush holder. However, if the registry lists gifts within your price range, choose something from the list. The couple will be thrilled to get exactly what they asked for.

3. When using the registry, try to complete a set - If you see that someone has already bought a place setting off the registry, buy a second one. If the casual dishes are filling up but no one has bought a formal setting, stick with the pack. One setting of formal dishes isn’t going to get a lot of use.

4. Always include a gift receipt - In spite of the best of intentions, duplicates happen when it comes to wedding gifts. (My sister received three fondue sets.) Resist the urge to think, “if I don’t include a gift receipt they’ll have to keep mine.” Remember that it’s a gift and it’s supposed to be about the bride and groom. A gift receipt is a simple way to ensure that your gift won’t go to waste.

5. Consider a gift card - This achieves much the same as the cash envelope option. If you’re traveling to the wedding, are unsure what to get, have budget concerns or simply want to be practical, buy a gift card for the store the couple is registered with. You can’t go wrong with that. Gift cards don’t break, are always the right color and they guarantee the perfect gift every time. Best of all, they’re really easy to wrap.

Now if you are really insistent on purchasing off the registry, I really advise at the very least shopping in a “safe zone”. Meaning buying from a store where all of the stuff is pretty classy, and almost everyone likes it. A good option is Pottery Barn. We have some very nice Pottery Barn coupons available, and there is a whole section on their website dedicated to wedding gift special. Here are a few of the highlights that I enjoyed:

Square Decanter Vintage styling. Handblown glass fitted with a round glass stopper. $25.00

Bedford Digital Photo Station Offers modern technology and organization in one. The 3.5″ Digital Frame can store up to 40 photos, and the top surface can be used to hold electronic devices while recharging. Smart feature includes a power strip with 3 plugs available for plugging in the frame, a camera and other portable electronics. Enjoy a sideshow of favorite photos while charging your camera and other electronics. The Digital Photo Station, the newest addition to our Bedford Smart Technology collection is designed to integrate technology seamlessly into daily life. $119.00

Bill Organizer This hand-finished organizer holds paperwork and has a numbered slot for each day of the month. $59.00 

Limited Time Offer: 15 Gorgeous Roses for just $19.99!

Perfect gift for a loved one who could use some good cheer and beauty!
(Hurry offer ends this Friday 6/26/09)

No coupon code required if you are interested in this Multicolored Roses Deal from 1-800 Flowers, click here!

For more free 1-800Flowers.com coupons, special promos and deals, click here.

SIRIUS is a 100% commercial-free music Satellite Radio Service and official home of the NFL, Howard Stern, Martha Stewart and NASCAR. With SIRIUS Satellite Radio, you can listen to what you want, when you want, wherever you are. You get over 130 channels, including 100% Commercial-Free Music from every genre, plus Sports, News, Talk and Comedy — all with crystal-clear, coast-to-coast coverage, all in one place and all at your fingertips. I know he will be just overjoyed with this gift.

Offering some great deals on their radio hardware a little shopping on their website got me a unit with all the functionality that i was looking for at a very nice price. I decided to go for the Sportster 5 radio with the vehicle kit. The Sportster 5 boasts a vivid multi-color display, simple navigation, advanced features and everything you need to enjoy SIRIUS in your vehicle. Optional universal accessory docking kits and audio systems easily allow this radio to be used in your home, boat, office or in additional vehicles. I know for a fact that he will especially enjoy features such as the personalized sports ticker for real-time updates of his favorite sports, and SIRIUS replay: the function that allows one to pause, rewind and replay up to 60 minutes of live radio.

The Sportman 5 radio with the vehicle kit. was $149.99 Orginally $169.99, (I saved $55 bucks!)

Not only that but Sirius is offering free shipping on all orders over $50!

PLUS COUPON: Enter SIRIUS Radio coupon code: SIRIUS at checkout to get 15% off already reduced prices (expires 6/30/09)
Since the deal on the radio was so good (and since he doesn’t have a SIRIUS subscription), I have decided to throw in 3 months of of the SIRIUS Everything Plan for an additional $38.85. I have no doubt that once Dad is reconnected with his Howard Stern he will have no problem keeping up his subscription for a mere $12.95 a month. He may even opt to pay annually which will provide him with one month free!

I’m really happy with my decision to gift SIRIUS to my father this year, and I know he will be positively overjoyed.

So what did you get your pops? …

All stuff that I personally, would very much like to receive.

1. Land’ End Basic Cotton T-Shirts - $14.50 buy 3 and save $2.50 each!

Who doesn’t need a regular tshirt refresh? I prefer a new round of tshirts approximately twice a year. I like the comfort, but have to keep myself looking good and put together don’t you know. Land’s End makes a great shirt. 100% cotton, sewn side seams for a more comfortable fit. Resists fading, pilling, wrinkling, shrinkage and staining.

2.  Revelation Hybrid Golf Club Set - 15% Off - Coupon Code: 5568

I can’t claim to be a serious golfer, but I do know it’s quite a bit of fun. I would love to have a set of clubs of my very own. GigaGolf will allow you to build the perfect set and configuration to suit one’s specific need. Perfect for the beginner and 15% off when you use coupon code: 5568 at checkout!

3.  Apple 1GB iPod shuffe - Unbelievable price of $27 at eCost!

I am a big iPhone devotee, however I have found that while I am exercising worrying about dropping my expensive toy messes with my concentration. The tiny shuffle is what I need in this situation. Just clip this tiny wearable digital music player to your sleeve, your belt or your gym shorts for a little music wherever you go. Offered for the almost unbelievable price of $27.00 from eCost.
4. Makita 18V Cordless LXT Lithium-Ion 1/2″ Hammer Driver-Drill- 52% off for Father’s Day

I have a strong opinion that rare is the project around the house that couldn’t be made much easier with a decent power drill. Makita is offering the LXT power tool series for up to 52% off for Father’s Day. This compact two speed model is $109.99 marked down from $218!

5.Nike Air Edge Trainer 08

A decent pair of trainers (or not) can make all the difference in the world as to whether I make it to the gym or not. Another item that I need refreshed every year, if not twice. The Air Edge Trainer is a simple training shoe providing everything that one needs and everything I don’t. Lightweight mesh with synthetic overlays. Reinforced stability zones. Forefoot and rear foot Nike Air Phylon midsole, Ortholite cushioned sock liner and solid rubber outsole with multi-directional traction pattern. Nike is offering up to 40% off select styles and this model goes for $49.99 from  $78.00!

For more Nike coupons and free shipping codes, click here.

There is a rising popularity and recognition of beer brewing among American men and this has brought about a boom in the beer making industry. There are a lot of father’s that love to drink beer, they often have their own brand or type of beer they like, but giving your father a six pack is not really a personal gift at all. Most father’s like some time on their own after a long day of work and that is one of the reasons brewing your own beer has become so popular the last ten years. And another good reason most fathers will like beer brewing equipment as personalized gifts is that it also saves them money in the end. And you will save money by taking advantage of our beer and wine hobby coupons for the Beer and Wine Hobbyist or check out these wine coupons.

True Brew Equipment Kit PLUS Ingredient Kit. Don’t look any further, here is the perfect gift for the beginner beer brewer on your list. The True Brew Maestro Beer Equipment Kit comes complete with a True Brew German Style Light Ingredient Kit. All the basics at a great price! Only available for a limited time!
Includes: Basic Book, 6.5 Gallon primary fermentor with lock and lid. Bottling bucket w/spigot, bottlefiller, adhesive thermometer. Rack and Fill Kit, Hydrometer, capper, bottlebrush, santizer. Excellent starter kit. Comes with a True Brew German Style Light Ingredient kit. True Brew Ingredient Kits are all malt kits that are designed to step the the beginner to intermediate, yet challenging enough for the intermediate Brewer. They come complete with easy to follow instructions, malt, hops, grains, grain bag, yeast, bottle caps and priming sugar.

You get all this for the Limited Time Promotional Price of $94.95

If you are interested in checking out the True Blue Equipment Kit PLUS Ingredient Kit - click here!

Yesterday I wrote on things I wanted for Father’s Day. I tried to keep it simple, affordable and within reason. There was one glaring omission however. The item I would really like to have, is a new desktop computer. Not just any desktop mind you, but one that has a media focus. This desktop needs a large HD screen, it needs power, and it needs to be stylish because I would like it to become the central core of our home entertainment system. This in addition to handling every other function that you would like a computer to accomplish. Sound extravagant? Maybe a touch, but you would be surprised how affordable taking this route can be. Especially when compared to an older mode of thinking where one would purchase a television, dvd player, stereo and a computer. I’m thinking consolidation, and I really think this is the best way to go!

I started investigating, I found a few options that definitely stirred my interest. These being the new Dell Studio Desktop and the Dell Studio Hybrid.

The beauty of Dell is that they offer premium quality and great affordable prices, check out the following Dell discount codes! Their prices and free coupons certainly skew my decision, there are so many options and each of course has advantages.

So when shopping for a new desktop what should we consider? How can tally the score card, so a decision can be made? So much of this depends on what you are going to be using your computer for: if you are just a general daily user you won’t demand the same specs as a power user who is editing video or engaged in resource intensive gaming. I want mine to be configured primarily for entertainment. I also want it to look good in the living room.

But looks aren’t everything, it’s really important to buy something with the goods “under the hood” so to speak. The first thing is comparing the processor chip. Processor choices are a bit more difficult now than they were before. It is still really a choice between an AMD and an Intel processor. The difference really comes in how many cores there are in the processor and its relative speed. Each company now has a performance rating system that isn’t really easy to compare. a desktop with a dual-core CPU and enough power to run productivity apps, view and edit vacation photos, manage MP3s and videos, and even play many of today’s games–the core activities most common to families, students, and the general purpose PC user.

The second thing to consider would be the memory. Most desktop computers now use a type of memory called DDR2. DDR3 is now finally making its way to PC systems but it is more expensive. In terms of amount, it is best to have at least 2GB of memory in the system and preferably 4GB. Memory speeds can impact performance as well. I would make sure that there is ample room for future expansion as well. You may only need 2GB now, but in a couple of years I wouldn’t be at all surprised if many tasks you might want to take on required 4, 6 and so on.

Hard drives really boil down to size and speed. The larger the drive and the faster, the better the performance and capacity. In a desktop, it is best to have at least 500GB or more of storage space these days. In terms of speed, they are pretty much all running at 7200rpm now. A few high performance 10,000rpm drives are available. Most drives use the Serial ATA interface now for ease of installation.

Most systems sold now feature DVD burners, even the budget systems. It is best to make sure that you get a multiformat DVD burner that can support both the +R/RW and -R/RW formats. Speeds should be 16x for the recordable speed. Dual or Double Layer media support is also a common feature although less likely to be used due to media cost. Options also include LightScribe or Labelflash support for burning labels directly to compatible media. Blu-ray is an option for those wanting to use their PC for the high definition video format.

Video card technology seems to change every three to six months. If you aren’t really doing any 3D graphics at all, then integrated graphics may be just fine. Beyond this, there are a wide selection of cards. Things to consider include performance, the amount of memory on the card, output connectors and the version of Direct X supported. Those looking to do any gaming should really consider a Direct X 10 card with at least 512MB of memory onboard. Pretty much all new systems will use the PCI-Express graphics standard.

What good is a desktop PC unless it also has a monitor? Previously users would need to choose between a CRT or LCD monitor, but LCDs are pretty much the standard now because of their reduced size and power consumption. The real issue is more about size and cost of the LCDs. The price difference between 19-inch and 22-inch models make 22-inch the best overall value although 24-inch models are quickly dropping in price. Most all screens use the wider 16:10 format but some are now being released with a near 2:1 ratio best suited for movie watching.

Whew! I know it seems like a lot, but I think we can agree it’s a good investment and useful for the entire family. As for me, if my dearly beloved family is reading this I think I gave ample hints as to which new “affordable” computer I would like for Father’s Day….*coughs* - DELL!

For more free Dell online coupons - Click here!

Father’s Day will be upon us in just a few short weeks. No this is not hint, actually it’s a bold and forthright statement! You better come up with something good! Seriously though, this year I was asked to give an account of what I would like to receive for Father’s Day 2009.

• Music - I can’t get enough of it. I’m somewhat of record collector. I have been since I was a kid. I amass and consume music at a ridiculously quick rate. My tastes however tend to be pretty eclectic and esoteric however, so don’t presume to pick out the music for me. Let me do it. A iTunes or Amazon download gift card would be very much appreciated. See? I told you I was going to concentrate on the affordable!

• Headphones to listen to all that new music. I’ve been thinking for quite awhile that I could really use a pair of true audiophile headphones. Now my iPod earbuds that i currently use do the job, but I would really like something much more dynamic. They are really quite reasonable in price as well. One can find a very nice pair of premium headphones for well under

• USB Record Player. Not to beat the “I like music drum” overmuch, but this is something I’ve been wanting for a long time. I have a lot of vinyl albums. Unfortunately due to space limitations most live in our storage space, not the house proper. In any case, like most people these days I find it much more convenient to consume my music in the digital format. That being said, I own a lot of very cool records. I have fantasies of spending many a happy Saturday converting them to MP3 format. I need a USB record player to accomplish this. The prices on these units have drastically come down this past year. They are not expensive at all. Please family, if you are reading…help me live my dream.

• Beer. I really like beer. No I’m not suggesting that my family arrive home with a six pack “Here you go Daddy! Have fun!” No I’m actually thinking of a Beer Club were I receive a new selection every month that I wouldn’t normally run across. I personally am very fond of Belgian Trappist ales, in case anyone is paying attention.

• LCD TV. Ok this a little bit extravagent, but not really. The prices on flat screen television have really fallen. We don’t need the biggest one on the block, a modest size will do. Oh and if I attach it to the wall, think of all the space this will free up! Actually when I think about it, this isn’t so much a gift for me, but for the whole family! Yes I know, I am the most selfless of souls.

• The Roku Digital Video Player. Noticing a theme here? Yes I enjoy gadgets and media, so sue me. But really, who doesn’t enjoy movies? With the Roku Digital Video Player dad will have access 40,000 + choices on demand. No need to visit the video store this Father’s Day. You’ll have the Amazon on Demand library and the Netflix library at your disposal.

• A weekend getaway, would be really nice. If there is one thing I like more than playing with my toys at home, it’s getting away from home for a little bit. I’m not speaking of an extravagant two week tour across the continent. No just a few days away and out of town, that would be really nice. I

• No ties. Yes anything other than a tie would be just fine.

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To shop for Father’s Day Gifts & Coupons - Click here!

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Mrs. Field’s Coupons Codes - Click here! or To shop for Father’s Day Gift Baskets from Mrs. Field’s - Click here!

I know, I know, you are out of the house, we are all busy, have a lot of stuff going on…but I’m telling you: you don’t want to drop the ball on this one! Oh she will tell you it doesn’t matter, that it’s no big deal, but it is. You will hurt her feelings. She will feel bad, perhaps dropping just how much it hurt her feelings in conversation at inopportune times in conversation for years to come…and then you will feel bad.You my friend will feel bad because you know you screwed up, and that you were a bad kid. Don’t let it happen! There is no reason for that!

I am reminding you, I’ve got your back! Don’t know what to get her? Not a problem, our friends at Red Envelope are here to help. They are THE place for unique and specialized gifts. There is so much cool stuff to choose from, you will no doubt find the perfect gift for the lady who gave you the gift of life.

No money? Also not a problem. They are offering us through April 30 10% off of any order, 15% off of any order over $80, and 20% off of any order over $125! See? I told you we had your back! Ta-dah, you will not face years of veiled digs about how you dropped the ball that one year. No you will be the best child in the world. Your mother will scream your praises! Geez, you’re like some sort of superhero. In fact your future is looking so bright, I’m getting kind of jealous.

To find more Mother’s Day Coupons, Discount Codes and Gift Bargains - Click here!