The Orange County Comptroller’s Office has launched its first-ever online auction of surplus county property. Need exercise equipment? Don’t join a gym. You can shop online from your couch, my flabby friend. Among the hundreds of surplus county items up for bid through Friday are three stationary...
I was walking through the supermarket the other day and another shopper walked by. She looked in my cart and said, “Wow, somebody sure likes cereal!” It’s true that I had multiple boxes of cereal in my shopping cart, but this encounter reminded me that not everyone shops the way I do. When something...
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: We've all been inundated with details about the royal wedding, but I am confused by one thing: The bride was a divorced woman marrying for the second time but came down the aisle in a white gown and veil. I was under the impression that this is a major breach of traditional...
Father's Day gifts from the coolest smart watch to Dennis Hopper's "Easy Rider" sunglasses.
We all know to slather on sunscreen when we go out, and cosmetics companies are adding UV protection to skin care products and makeup, so you can look good and ward off skin cancer. But do cosmetics with SPF really offer protection, or are they giving users a false sense of safety? Dermatologists...
“Dear Jill, Can you share how you keep track of rebates? I feel like I either mail them too late or lose track of them completely. It has turned me off from doing them sometimes because they get denied for the most ridiculous of reasons. All of this has made me apprehensive about rebating – but...
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: Why do female meteorologists on local news wear such short, tight dresses? Some of the women look very uncomfortable. Is it the new style or what? I'm not sure it looks very professional. The male meteorologists wear suits and ties. I'd be interested in your thoughts, also...
Belt bag, bum bag or fanny pack. No matter what you call it, this classic belted pouch — best known as a fanny pack — is being embraced again by the fashion industry and turning into the hottest bag to have for spring and summer.
Mobile wallets can make paying by credit or debit card seamless: Tap your phone at checkout and you're on your way. But mobile wallets are just the beginning. Payment networks and manufacturers are building payment functions into more devices — expanding your options as well as freeing up your...
Spring cleaning is the time to tackle those places we usually ignore during our routine home tidying. Cleaning professionals say to divide your focus between the secondary areas of the home and the machines that do the usual cleaning. Caring for these products now can make spring cleaning more...
“Dear Jill, I have a question about coupons that state they are only to be used on products of a certain price. For example, I have a coupon for an over-the-counter medication that says it is ‘valid on all products of this brand valued at over $17.88.’ What if the medicine is regularly $19.99 but...
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: Can you tell me how to handle this shopping “etiquette” question? I am often in a store (many of them with narrow aisles), and I hate it when shoppers push their shopping carts into the aisle blocking the already narrow passage and often blocking access to the clothing...
Bring the tropics to your summer party.
“Dear Jill, I have dabbled in couponing before and am wondering what is the best use of my time: to become a more frequent coupon user or simply shop at a discount grocery store? We have a small grocer chain in my area that sells all house-brand grocery staples and some name brand things, too....
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I always get good advice when you ask your readers for their suggestions on solving beauty and shopping questions. So, please consider asking your readers how they have transitioned from coloring their hair to going natural gray. I know many who are considering it, but...
Royal wedding guests know there’s a “no gifts” rule when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle marry May 19 in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. But that doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t go on a right regal spree picking up all kinds of royal wedding souvenirs from the usual tea things, like tea...
Traditional weddings are deeply rooted in gender-based rituals, but the growing LGBTQ wedding industry is reimagining that. Many couples are engaging with centuries of tradition but crafting their own way to the altar. "Structurally, what is required in the wedding planning process is the same,"...
One of the keys to saving on the items you buy for your household is estimating how frequently you use or consume items. Then, you can stock up on the appropriate amount of each product when sale prices are low and coupon values are high. As sales cycles continue, and prices go up on these same...
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: Why is it so hard to find a decent bathing suit for plus-size gals? Men's swim trunks are mostly to the knee and look very comfortable. It would be nice to find a ladies two-piece suit that has swim shorts that are modest and comfortable. I'm tired of tugging to keep the...
Every homeowner makes mistakes. The real trouble, however, starts when these blunders become habits that cost a lot of money over time. Some behaviors also create safety issues. If you're guilty of these bad habits, break them -- pronto. 1. Inadvertently clogging pipes Be mindful of what you're...
Most financial literacy efforts in schools don't improve people's behavior later in life. That could be because we're focusing on the wrong things. Trying to teach teenagers how to shop for a mortgage, for example, may be an exercise in futility. The information simply isn't relevant to them —...
“Hi Jill, In the last three months or so I have had difficulties with using coupons on three separate occasions and all involved the same brand and retailer. Is my story an odd coincidence or something else? A nasal spray has had $10 off coupons in the Sunday inserts about once a month. In each...
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I read in a national newspaper about a new trend called “upcycling” that has “high-end fashion designers reworking old or used clothing and fabrics into new pieces that can cost just as much.” I fear I am doomed to the style dustbin because I won’t wear secondhand clothes....
The extra chair, ideally, should be like the extra man: available, useful and quite personable. What makes the ideal extra chair depends, of course, on one’s personal taste, decorating budget and what role said extra chair will play in a specific room. An exhibit at Chicago’s Richard H. Driehaus...
Americans aren't terrific at saving for retirement. Many are even worse when it comes to figuring out how much to spend once they get there. An actuary who's studied the issue for three decades recently proposed a relatively straightforward strategy that can help. In its simplest form, the "Spend...
Ah, the joys -- and burdens -- of becoming a homeowner. Buying a home is an exciting milestone, but afterward you're responsible for maintenance. You no longer have a landlord to fix that running toilet or leaky faucet. The upside? Having a few essentials in your toolbox can help you make some...
“Dear Jill, I want help saving for a vacation. I have a family of four. We live in Houston and want to go to Florida for one week. Help me know how long it will take to save this money if I put all my coupon savings toward it.” Annabelle I. It’s difficult to put a vacation-saving strategy together...
When I asked readers for their solutions to fix weak, peeling fingernails I had no idea that so many of you had wrestled with the same problem. Hands down, I got more email on this issue than on any beauty or makeup topic I have ever tackled here. Thin, splitting, soft nails are much more of a...
Selling all or part of the contents of a home tends to follow one of the three Ds: divorce, downsizing or death. Professional estate sale companies are often called in, but many no longer operate like the ones that dispensed with your grandparents’ belongings. As shopping continues to migrate to...
You see the labels out there — organic, cage-free, natural — but what does it all mean? If you’re trying to make better shopping choices for the environment by choosing “greener” or ethically made products, you’re going to be bombarded by dozens of labels purporting to measure up to a certain standard,...
In a recent column, I shared an email from a reader who wished companies would get rid of coupons completely, noting that coupon shoppers often take longer in line than regular shoppers. This column generated a great deal of responses from my readers. Here’s a sampling: “Dear Jill, I read with...
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: Here’s a question that has been on my mind for a really long time, but I keep forgetting to write you. The problem comes up every time I am at the beauty salon or standing in the hair care department at a drugstore or Target. Is it better to stick with only one brand of...
Traveling for work means taking a smaller version of your office with you. The good news is that improvements in technology make it easier to work from the road without hauling a bunch of wires and heavy equipment. Many of the new office products are wireless, so no more tangles in your briefcase,...
Retail therapy is but one technique that a consumer may utilize to brighten their disposition or to serve as a reward after a long day. And if the therapy went a bit overboard, the consumer may opt to return items they didn’t want or need without a second thought. But now some retailers are using...
Cooking isn’t a competition unless one is on TV, but most people want to do their best in preparing and serving food and drink to family and friends. It’s that sense of love, of sharing, of spending wisely, of honoring the food being consumed and — OK, let’s be honest — doing such a bang-up job...
“Dear Jill, I had to share a great deal with you that I got. A month ago there was a food sampling in store of a new frozen pizza. The sample station was handing out $2 coupons for the pizzas but the regular price was $7.99 each. They gave me four coupons. I remembered what you had said about how...
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I’m going to a destination wedding this summer in Europe. I’d like to travel with only a carry-on. Any suggestions on essentials to pack in a carry-on and how? Also, picking the right walking shoes to explore Europe. — Veronica Dear Veronica: My family and friends kid me...
Buying an umbrella is like buying a pair of shoes, says Bella Umbrella owner Jodell Egbert. "You can have incredible shoemakers using the same materials, but it all comes down to functionality for you. Does the umbrella need to be compact? Do you put it in your purse, or does it need to have a...
There's something about Scandinavian interior design that sings in small spaces. The style's signature clean lines, soft colors, functional furnishings and simple silhouettes can inject warmth and light into a cramped living area and create the illusion of additional square footage. "I love the...
“Dear Jill, I just want to vent my frustration. Several chain drugstores often put the words ‘Coupon in Most Sunday Papers’ in their weekly ads. Our city has several hundred thousand people, yet many of these coupons are never in our Sunday paper with tons of other coupons. One drugstore usually...
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I usually wear delicate necklaces on short chains, but lately I find myself intrigued by some unique statement necklaces, some clearly vintage, that I've seen, often on long chains. Where do you suggest I look? —Tired of the Little Stuff Dear Tired: I know exactly what...
Solar panels are no longer just for hippies. If you're just as interested in saving money as you are in saving the planet, solar panels can help. Their price has come down, their effectiveness has gone up, and Congress extended a 30 percent federal tax credit for installing them until the end of...
One cannot fully articulate the magnitude of the International Home and Housewares Show which descends on Chicago’s McCormick Place every year. The massive show brings together 2,200 vendors, all putting their best products forward, and 60,000 attendees from all corners of the world. Powered by...
“Dear Jill, I do not use coupons and would like to see you address two issues from millions of others like me who are very busy people. If a company wants you to try a product, why not just discount the price in the areas of the country where they want people to try it rather than go through all...
Remember those days of going to brick-and-mortar stores to buy one item, but coming home with a few other items you didn’t know you needed but had to have? That is happening online, too, as e-commerce is changing from simply buying a specific item to also discovering new products you didn’t even...
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: On a recent lovely day I was waiting at a stoplight and saw a guy (he looked like a high school or college kid) crossing the street in front of my car at lunchtime and his outfit was a little surprising. He was wearing pajamas pants and those Adidas slides that soccer players...
“Dear Jill, I have a question about how to use digital coupons when I bring them up on my laptop, and it says ‘Download’ – what do I do next? Do they have to be printed, or is there some way to put them on a thumb drive and take it to the store?” Wanda K. While print-at-home coupons can also be...
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I’ve finally worked up the nerve to try “pattern mixing” in my outfit choices. For a long time I have resisted the idea that you can wear — for instance — a plaid print blouse and a floral skirt and look “fashionable.” But I’m slowly coming around to the idea that this...
Having a baby changes everything, and that becomes especially apparent once the shower gifts show up. Of course, there are the must-haves: diapers, bottles and itty-bitty onesies — and, then, there are the toys. Across the board, most baby shower gifts hoist up function over form and tend to lack...
You may consider yourself a savvy shopper when you search the Web for free shipping promo codes or a few bucks off an online purchase, but there are a host of less-obvious discounts that can save you money. These tips work either online or in physical stores and don’t require spending money on...
Remember those days of going to brick-and-mortar stores to buy one item, but coming home with a few other items you didn’t know you needed but had to have? That is happening online, too, as e-commerce is changing from simply buying a specific item to also discovering new products you didn’t even...
“Dear Jill, My local newspaper stopped carrying one of the main weekly coupon inserts. What is the best place to buy them online?” Maeve R. While I’ve addressed the topic of purchasing coupons numerous times over the years, it’s still a hot topic with couponers. It’s true that there are plenty...
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I’ve been looking for women's flannel shirts that are the same thickness (warmth factor) that men's shirts are. L.L. Bean has nice ones, but they still aren't made from the warm fabric that the men's shirts are. — Mary Pat S. Dear Mary Pat: The problem — one I have complained...
March is National Sleep Awareness Month, and with daylight saving time beginning on the 11th, you’ll probably be painfully aware of how many z’s you’re catching. Though the crankiness that comes with the “spring forward” time change is scary on its own, it’s worth noting the real risks of sleep...