Buying a New Mattress

Last weekend, as I was getting ready to go to my photography class, I plopped down on husband's side of the bed only to be horrified by the crater he'd been sleeping in!  I guess that's the thing about a mattress - it sloooowly gets a little less comfortable, so you don't realize it's awful...which is what happened to us.  I always assumed the "buy a new mattress every 8-10 years" rule was made up by the mattress companies, but since ours is 10/11 years old, I guess it's true.

Since husband is on the verge of needing back surgery, I knew we needed a new mattress IMMEDIATELY, so decided to spend Sunday looking for one.  We got lots of suggestions from friends about their favorite mattresses, and decided we'd visit Jordan's, Sleepy's and Bob's to see what they had, but we didn't end up making it past Jordan's!

Our helper, Ann, started us out by laying on their "Jazzzz" machine.  You lay on the bed on your back, side, and stomach, and it maps your points of contact (no contact, some, or pressure points) with the bed.  Then, based on your needs, they are able to recommend mattresses that will help support you while you snooze!

We tried out three mattresses and were completely sold by the second one - Jordan's 10" version of a TempurPedic.  It was so comfortable, but took me a minute to get used to since it was SO different from our current pillow top (which I've loved until now).  I felt like I was being suctioned to the bed...but in a good way...does that make sense?  With free delivery and take-away of the old mattress, we were sold.

If you're from around Boston, you're probably saying...whyyyy didn't you check out the Bob-o-Pedic??  Well...I did on my cell phone...and their mattresses are $100 more.  Easy decision.
  

The bad news was the earliest it could be delivered was that coming Saturday (SIX days away)!  After laying on the new mattress, I realized how bad ours had gotten.  This week couldn't go by quickly enough.  Yesterday we got our delivery schedule - it would arrive today sometime between 7:30-10am.  Really...we couldn't have gotten the 10-1pm timeslot?  Oh well.

Thankfully they were right on time this morning - in at 7:45, out by 8 am!  I was planning on taking pictures...but they were SO fast there was no chance.

We can't wait to try it out tonight!

Even Toby likes it!

My favorite deal sites

Who doesn't love to save money?  Not I.  :)

While I have mixed feelings about whether daily deal sites are actually good for businesses in the long run, one thing is for sure...as a consumer...I love'em!  I don't usually buy many of these, but I do have my "regulars" I check when I'm looking for something specific.  Every now and then a really great deal rolls around and I snatch it up.  Here are some of my favorites...

One Kings Lane

Every day, One Kings Lane features sales on lots of items - home decor, gifts, pet items, tableware, etc.  Instead of presenting members with a mass of products jumbled together, there are different categories for you to shop - everything inside high-quality and beautiful!  Items range from vases for $12 (originally $30) to antique or vintage tables for $3,000!  Sales usually last for 72 hours and the number of items are limited, so act quickly if you like something! 

My most recent purchase from One Kings Lane was from a pet sale they were having.  I couldn't resist the dachshund umbrella - it was so cute!  Bright blue with light blue dachshund silhouettes around the bottom.  It came in last week...and I couldn't wait for it to rain so I could use it!

Groupon.com

Most everyone has heard of Groupon by now...right?  On New Year's though, I was talking with my roomie from college and she had never. heard. of. it.  You heard me right...crazy!  (I love you Holly!!)  :)  Groupon started as a daily deal site, featuring one company offering it's service/products at a steep discount (usually 50% or more).  Now, there are LOTS of deals each day.  Sign up for their newsletter and they'll email you deals in your area.

The trick is to not just buy everything that you might like.  Don't get carried away at the beginning - just get the ones you know you'll use, because they have expiration dates!  (Although, if you don't use the deal by the expiration date, you'll still have a $ credit for the amount you paid at that place of business - at least you don't lose your money.)

My most recent Groupon purchase was for a Truffle Making class with the Boston Chocolate School.  The 2.5 hour class (where you make truffles to take home!) usually costs $88 - the Groupon allowed me to take the class for $45!  Check out the blog about the class.

ScoreBig.com

Score Big is a discount ticket website with a bidding system similar to Priceline's "name your price" system.  Enter your city/zip and they'll populate a list of available tickets and venues in your area - sporting events, concerts, plays, musicals, comedy shows...you name it.  

When you find an event you want to go to, put your bid in!  If tickets are usually $80...bid $60...or $50...heck...shoot for $40 if you're daring!  Enter your credit card number, and submit your bid, and if it's acceptable, the tickets are yours!  If your bid isn't accepted, you're not charged anything...you just try again tomorrow a little higher.  

We've gotten great Sox tickets for 35% off just a few days before the game.  Always check this site first!  Don't pay full price if you don't have to!

Some other favorites are:

 - Overstock.com - HUGE selection  of stuff at great prices!
 - ideeli, myhabit, and ruelala are all daily deal sites/emails for clothes and accessories.  I've never used these, but have a lot of friends who LOVE them.

 - RetailMeNot.com - don't buy anything online without using a coupon code.  Search by website and look for a code before you buy.  You can also submit coupon codes you find to help others out.

 - Priceline.com - My favorite part of this travel site is the "name your own price" (or bid feature) for hotel rooms.  We once got a hotel that was normally $225 per night for $75.  So cool!

 - LivingSocial.com - super similar to Groupon - sign up for their daily email list!
 - Costco, BJ's, Sam's - these member-only big box stores have a yearly membership fee, but more than make up for it with their discount prices.  We easily saved more than the membership cost us just from our savings on hummus last year.

**Check out part 2 here - more of my favorite ways to save money online**

You should also check out other companies you're a member of for discounts.

 - Health Insurance companies offer lots of discounts on reputable, healthy living companies - many of which don't typically offer discounts any other way.  Often times, gyms will have a "member perks" plan too, where they partner with other local companies to provide discounts to their members.

 - Your credit card company or bank will probably offer "points" for clicking through to a website through their online portal.  If your card has a cash-back or "perks" plan, you can rack up lots of points for the online shopping you were going to do anyway!
 - AAA is more than a car emergency company!  As one of the largest membership companies out there, they have amassed one of the largest round-ups of discounts ever.  Mentioning you have a AAA is a must when booking hotels, but can also save you lots of money when shopping at the mall or dining out.
 - AARP - similar to AAA, if you're a member, you should always ask if the retailer offers a discount when checking out.

When all else fails...just ask if the company offers discounts.  It won't hurt!  After Christmas, Travis and I went to the movies.  I asked if they had a student discount (since hubby is still technically in school).  The answer was no, but they offered me the senior discount instead...and gave it to both of us!

What are some of your favorite deal sites or club memberships to help you save money?  I'm always looking for new ways to stretch a buck!  And don't forget to check out part 2!

Southern Season and Dad's New Car

Happy New Year's Eve!  As we're gearing up for a fun evening of games, old friends, and snacks, I thought I'd share one of my new favorite store experiences with you - Southern Season.  But first...

Last Saturday, we went to Raleigh to pick up my dad's newwwwww car!  He'd been looking for a new car for some time, and finally settled on the 2013 Avalon.  Toyota totally updated the body of the car - it's much sportier now - and it drives even more smoothly than his last one.  It's got lots of neat bells and whistles too, like heated seats, navigation, a bluetooth phone system that connects with your cell phone, and a "blind spot" warning system that flashes when someone may be hiding to your left or right!  So cool!

When we left the dealership, we decided to head over to Southern Season in Chapel Hill.  I've heard awesome things about this place, but had never been before, so I was excited!  

Southern Season is a huuuuuuge store full of specialty food, wines, kitchen gadgets, home decor, coffee and teas...you name it!  Apparently their restaurant is delicious too, but we weren't able to stay for dinner.

The perimeter of the store had different shops - a coffee bar, candy shop, old-timey ice cream store, a bakery & cheese shop, and a prepared food bar (which I literally had to drag husband away from).  

The center of the huge warehouse is sectioned off into different categories.  We started in the kitchen gadgets and then wove through every section, eyeing all the goodies.  Being December, there were lots of really cute Christmas things I wanted.  The thought of having to haul everything back to Boston was enough of a deterrent to keep me from buying everything in sight, though.  :)

We went home with some chocolate truffles for dad (which were devoured on Christmas day), some Angry Bird gummy candies for Mark's stocking, some crazy NC pickles for Trav's composition teacher (a pickle fanatic), and a North Carolina-shaped cheese board for me! 

If you're in the Raleigh area, this is a must-see.  So much fun!