http://blog.wantacode.com/ en jenna@yibs.com Copyright 2010 2010-09-07T23:32:07+00:00 http://blog.wantacode.com/site/dust_off_your_digital_pictures_with_snapfish/ http://blog.wantacode.com/site/dust_off_your_digital_pictures_with_snapfish/#When:23:32:07Z I probably have at least 400 pictures on my digital camera, and they will most likely stay there, lonely and collecting digital dust.  Why is that?  Pictures are meant to be tangible, or at the very least, be on display to be admired.  They shouldn’t be trapped in a little box where most of them will be forgotten.  While I was going through my old closet at my parents’ house recently, I found all of my pictures from high school. Loads of them! Actual pictures of all my friends on glossy photo paper.  I was thinking about how weird it must be for high school students these days. How the times have changed. I started to feel bad for this year’s senior class and thought about how they probably just have their memories in a file on Facebook somewhere.  How sad.  I asked my cousin (who is a college freshmen this year) if she brought any mementos to remind her of her friends from home.  She started rattling off a list of objects: collages, magnets, a mug, a mouse pad, a calendar, and on and on.  She explained she was able to send her digital photos to an online retailer, and they could put her pictures on these objects.  What the heck? I no longer felt bad.  I think it would be a lot more fun to find a cool picture calendar in my closet then just some dusty old pictures.  I investigated further and found Snapfish, a website that does everything I mentioned above and then some. Snapfish made me look at my digital pictures in a whole new light.  I could do so much with these pictures I was too lazy to print out before. Digital pictures can be used as a creative outlet to create cool projects.  You can make cute photo books, personalize notebooks and calendars, and indeed put your pictures on mugs and magnets.  You can even put your pictures on a blanket, or a necktie!  You’d think that such innovative services are pricey, but Snapfish is actually very reasonably priced.  Make a collage poster for just 9 cents, or a collage mouse pad for just $12.99.  Or if photo objects are all a bit too much, then you can get traditional prints.  If you sign up with Snapfish you can get 20 4x6 prints for free!  In any case, if you happen to be like me and have more then a few pictures stuck on a camera in your desk drawer, then do your pictures a favor and turn them into something you can look at everyday. But before you get over to Snapfish and start a photo project, you can have even more fun by saving a little money.  Visit WantACode and get discounts and coupon codes you can use at Snapfish to save more.  2010-09-07T23:32:07+00:00 http://blog.wantacode.com/site/stretch_out_that_pool_season/ http://blog.wantacode.com/site/stretch_out_that_pool_season/#When:04:14:44Z Most people associate pools with only summer. But, weather permitting, swimming pools can be enjoyed through Indian Summer and well into fall in many areas around the country. The only caveat about mixing pools and autumn is the amount of time you’ll spend skimming leaves! Home Furnishings & Appliances, Outdoor & Garden, Tips for Living 2010-09-03T04:14:44+00:00 http://blog.wantacode.com/site/getting_away_for_labor_day/ http://blog.wantacode.com/site/getting_away_for_labor_day/#When:22:07:52Z As I sit here at my desk searching images of Greece, Cozumel, and Belize, I, probably in dire need of some serious eye candy, or, perhaps living vicariously through the smiley, dancing people in the pictures, realize that just around the corner is (thank God!) Labor Day weekend. Though the celebrated weekend may not allow quite enough time for a holiday in Crete, it may be the perfect opportunity to book a last minute flight to somewhere closer (and cheaper). There are many options and difficult decisions to be made. Do I want to be in a city where there is endless nightlife and restaurants on every block? There is, of course, San Francisco. The Bay area is lovely during the end of summer: the air is soft and breezy, trolley cars are coasting up and down the steep hills, people are sitting outside of cafes where they sip espressos and read Kerouac and Kesey. Or perhaps I should visit New York City. It is, after all, the best city in the world: a tiny island barely a mile wide with almost two million people rushing about. There’s Central Park, where the leaves will just be starting to change from light green to vibrant oranges; Little Italy, where dozens of quaint Italian eateries sit side by side, enjoying each other’s company; the Village, where NYU students are saddling up for school and yummy mummies are shopping the streets for autumn’s most stylish boot; the Lower East Side, the most fashionable place to be for young hipsters peddling their art and posing with fedoras and pompadours. New York City is certainly the most versatile of cities to visit. But maybe I don’t want to be in a city at all. I do live in a city where there’s always gridlock and bustling nightlife. Maybe what I really need is some place like Carmel or Monterey on the Pacific coastline: stay at a bed and breakfast, catch up on my reading, hike the mountainous trails along the ocean, go into town for an intimate dinner by candlelight, listening only to the soft quietness of the evening. Sigh. Just thinking about it inspires me to book a flight. But where can I book a flight (and lodging) that doesn’t charge an exorbitant amount of money on such a last minute basis? At Travelocity.com , they feature round-trip flights starting at only $110, which seems like a steal for this Labor Day holiday. LastMinute.com offers 50% off last minute travel, and also provides dinner and show packages as low as £20 (about $36). And probably the best deal I found yet, Expedia.com is giving $50 off any plane ticket with the code, RELAX10. So as I sit at my desk pouring over pictures of islands far, far away, I realize that with savings like these, perhaps an island in Greece or the tip of Mexico isn’t as far away as it seemed, and a much more plausible idea for the holiday after all… Remember to visit WantAcode to save. 2010-08-26T22:07:52+00:00 http://blog.wantacode.com/site/you_can_rent_textbooks/ http://blog.wantacode.com/site/you_can_rent_textbooks/#When:05:43:38Z I think every college student will agree that one of the most annoying expenses is textbooks.  I remember spending $300 one year for books I used for 6 months and now they’re under my bed collecting dust because reselling them was such a lame hassle.  Textbooks are way too expensive, or are they?  This year I found an alternative to buying textbooks.  I rented them.  Renting, at first, seemed a little sketchy.  How long would it take? Would shipping be a hassle? Would it end up being more expensive then it would’ve been if I had just bought them in the first place? Well, after placing my order and learning how easy the process is, all of my anxiety was put to rest. Keep reading, and I will clear the air about textbook rentals so you too can save hundred of dollars the next time you purchase textbooks. A fabulous textbook rental retailer to checkout isChegg.com. Chegg offers the same textbooks as in our campus bookstore, and you can rent them for up to 80% off.  I rented all of my books this semester for $156.  That’s insane!  The great thing about Chegg is it also tells you how much money you’re saving.  I saved just over $200.  You do have to pay for shipping (which is very reasonable), but return shipping when the semester is over is 100% free.  Also, I should add, that I ordered my books with standard shipping and they arrived only 2 days later.  I don’t know if that’s a regularly occurring trend atChegg, but they sure scored points with me because of it.  Needless to say, I had a wonderful experience with Chegg and I fully recommend their services. A couple of other handy websites you should checkout when you’re exploring the world of textbook rentals are Campus Book Rentals and Textbooks.com. Campus Book Rentals is brilliant.  It’ very similar to Chegg in the respect that you can search for the books you need, and rent them for incredibly low prices. However, Campus Book Rentals also offers free shipping both ways and it’s ok for you to highlight the books! Textbooks.com is equally fabulous, in that they too offer free shipping both ways. Textbooks.com also has the nifty option to sell the books you previously got suckered into buying.  Either way, no matter what retailer you go with all of these options for textbook rentals are a great money savings tip.  So when the next semester rolls around, be sure to rent those textbooks! So before you investigate the world of textbook rentals, be sure to visit WantACode for additional savings with coupon codes and discounts from Textbooks.com, Chegg, Campus Book Rentals. 2010-08-26T05:43:38+00:00 http://blog.wantacode.com/site/ten_happy_little_piggies/ http://blog.wantacode.com/site/ten_happy_little_piggies/#When:03:16:42Z 2010-08-24T03:16:42+00:00 http://blog.wantacode.com/site/three_words_that_carry_tons_of_baggage/ http://blog.wantacode.com/site/three_words_that_carry_tons_of_baggage/#When:23:03:37Z Back. To. School. Those three words might by now be repetitive and obnoxious, but they don’t have to be.  Because as in-your-face as the commercials and printed ads may be, they also don’t lie: there are some killer sales going on now for back to school! With so many deals available, it can sometimes be hard to narrow down the ones you need most.  I know at least I can get caught up on the sale frenzy—buying things I don’t really need, just because they’re marked down. Know what I mean? As much as I like to be an easy going person, I find myself having to make lists when I go on shopping trips so I don’t a) forget something I need and b) buy more than is necessary.  In terms of back to school purchases, this is probably a good idea too, for students and their families alike. Take bags for example.  These days (and even in my day), teachers have their students carry around multiple books and binders to and from classes.  Whether or not budget cuts are to blame for not having a textbook set for the classroom and for the home, the fact remains that today’s students need supportive school bags.  Of course it’s all about style as they say, but with so many options online, you don’t have to sacrifice either. Reliable retailers like eBags and Luggage Online are both offering great Back-to-School deals on backpacks, laptop bags, messenger bags and more!  There isn’t a better time than now—even if you’re not a student—to find those items at their most affordable prices. But before you shop, be sure to stop by WantACode for all the latest eBags coupons and Luggage Online discounts.  And if you want to expand your options, feel free to check out WantACode’s other top bag merchants. Welcome back, students! Shopping Tips 2010-08-19T23:03:37+00:00 http://blog.wantacode.com/site/cure_teen_angst_with_back_to_school_savings/ http://blog.wantacode.com/site/cure_teen_angst_with_back_to_school_savings/#When:06:58:14Z End of summer only means one thing… Back to school! And parents with teenage girls fear those words.  Let’s face it, girls are expensive.  But being a teenage girl is hard!  There are few simple pleasures living as an angst-y teenager.  One of them just happens to be a new outfit. I remember looking forward to the first day of school because it started by putting on new clothes.  But luckily, there are Back to School savings to help you through the season.  So give your teen a great first day by sending her back to school with the latest clothes and accessories, and I can show you how to do it without spending a fortune.  First stop, Alloy and Delia’s. These are 2 stores that teen girls go nuts for! So as you could imagine, they have great deals going on right now. Alloy is giving you 20% off all denim and at Delia’s pants and denim are buy 1 get 1 50% off.  That’s an awesome deal, especially since bottoms are usually the most expensive pieces.  Both stores also have cute tops on sale, and to make the deal a little sweeter, both stores are offering free shipping with your purchase of $75 or more.  Not a bad deal for a Back to School outfit! Another simple female teenage pleasure is bath and body products.  What girl doesn’t want to smell like a vanilla bean? WantACode happens to have an exclusive deal running with Avon right now for up to 50% off body care products.  I particularly recommend the Skin So Soft Bath Care Collection in Luminous Pearl.  It smells fantastic and it, well, makes your skin so soft.  There are also endless amounts of bath scrubs, bubble bath, moisturizers and more.  Even if you’re not getting products for your teenager, it’s perfectly natural to spoil yourself with Back to School savings at Avon. Lastly, it’s always nice to end a long first day with a great set of pajamas.  Nothing beats comfy pj’s, and great place to find pj savings is Hatley.  Hatley has all kinds of sleepwear from tank and pant sets, to adorable long sleep shirts.  Visit Hatley for Back to School savings and find pajama pieces for as low as $14! Be sure to hurry, because these discounts last forever. Remember to visit WantACode for additional savings with coupon codes and discounts at Delia’s, Alloy, Avon, and Hatley. 2010-08-17T06:58:14+00:00 http://blog.wantacode.com/site/go_gaiam_for_goodness_and_all_that_is_green/ http://blog.wantacode.com/site/go_gaiam_for_goodness_and_all_that_is_green/#When:05:20:36Z 2010-08-17T05:20:36+00:00 http://blog.wantacode.com/site/late_summer_love/ http://blog.wantacode.com/site/late_summer_love/#When:21:09:05Z 2010-08-15T21:09:05+00:00 http://blog.wantacode.com/site/back_to_savings_with_staples_back_to_school_sale/ http://blog.wantacode.com/site/back_to_savings_with_staples_back_to_school_sale/#When:07:40:52Z It’s the end of summer and it’s that time of year again.  It’s Back to School!  If you’re like me, then when you hear the phrase “Back to School” you immediately think of kids… going back to school. So Back to School savings only benefits parents and students, right? Wrong.  Back to School is a magical time of year that benefits anyone in need of office supplies.  Post-Its, pens, paper, scissors, tape and all those familiar desk inhabitants are all on sale for everyone to enjoy.  And some of the best deals are going on at Staples.com.  So whether you are a college student, a parent stocking up on glue sticks, or an office supply enthusiast, keep reading to learn about the best deals going on right now at Staples. I feel a little flutter inside when I find big ticket items on sale. So imagine my excitement when I saw laptops on sale at Staples.  That’s right, laptops. All HP laptops are on sale for 20% off. And what makes this deal even sweeter is that shipping is free with orders of $50 or more… so your computer will ship for free. Not a bad start to our Back to School tour! Let’s press on. Another electronic find worth a shout-out is the ScanDisk 4GB USB retractable flash drive. No one should be without one of these, and you can get one right now for 60% off. Staples is looking pretty good right now, but just wait, there are more deals to be mentioned. Moving on to actual school supplies, Staples is a mecca for such items so much they have an entire center devoted to them.  The Staples.com Back to School Center highlights all of the best discounts and bargains on pens, art supplies, binders, backpacks, calculators, paper, pencils and so much more that if I keep listing supplies I might get a wicked case of carpal tunnel. It also features free downloadable school supply lists separated by grade so you can remind yourself of all the supplies you or your child may need throughout the year. Handy! The Back to School Center is a must-see, so save yourself some time and money and check it out. One thing I really want you to consider before I go is the Staples Do Something 101 program. Staples has created a program that allows you to donate school supplies to a school near you, even your own child’s school.  You can also run your own supply drive and help out a school in need, and these days public schools are very much in need.  So think it over, and remember to visit Staples.com for more information on how you can help. So before you take advantage of the fantastic deals you’ve read about, be sure to visit WantACode.com to find Staples coupon codes and discounts for extra savings. 2010-08-12T07:40:52+00:00