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10 Best Amazon Books Under $10

[ 0 ] February 21, 2012

We love a good read here at FS, especially when we can get Amazon books for cheap! So we’ve scoured the online giant’s bargain books selection for the 10 most entertaining reads you can get for a cool $10 or less. And don’t forget to use our Amazon coupons for even more savings.

1. It by Stephen King - $8.99

They don’t call him the Master of Fear for nothing. If you’ve never read the reason why most Gen X and Y members fear clowns, you might want to start now. If you’re brave enough, that is.

2. 1984 by George Orwell - $9.99

If your teachers didn’t make you read this infamous dystopian tale, you were really missing out. Without spoiling too much, it’s a book about a totalitarian society that’s not too far off from our own. Side note: this title was hilariously found listed under “non-fiction”.

3. This Is Why You’re Fat by Jess Amason & Rich Blakely - $9.99

The meme-worthy food website that launched this book (which shut down last year) was so-bad-its-good and the tradition continues in this collection of indulgent and disgusting foods. Meat cakes? Corn dog pizzas? Oreos stuffed with 30 layers of creme? Don’t mind if we do.

4. Wicked by Gregory Maguire - $7.99

You might have sung along to the musical, but have you clicked your heels for the bitingly witty book yet? Grab your broom already! No one mourns the wicked…

5. Serenity: Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon - $9.99

Sure, Buffy The Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon’s Serenity was a box-office flop, but it lives on in the form of this brief but entertaining graphic novel. All we have to say is: poor Wash.

6. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith - $5.05

The literary “trend” of remixing old classics with darkly funny monster themes might be over, but there’s no reason not to check out the book that started it all. Perfect for readers who prefer a little blood with their 19th-century romance.

7. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane - $6.00

Nobody does psychodrama thrillers better than Dennis Lehane. This gothic mystery drama will be waaay more effective and chilling if you read it before watching the movie.

8. The Disaster Preparedness Handbook by Arthur Bradley - $5.98

Is there really a bad time to prepare for a disaster? Not to mention the price of this definitive (and potentially life-saving) guide is definitely right.

9. The Corrections: A Novel by Jonathan Franzen - $6.00

Legendary novelist Jonathan Franzen’s 500+ page family opus was worth the long read at full price, so it’s absolutely worth it at a meager $6. Bonus: HBO will be adapting it into a mini-series starring Ewan McGregor.

10. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris - $8.80

David Sedaris eschews his usual wry essay style for a collection of grimly funny animal fables. It’s about as weird as it sounds, but still highly entertaining and undeniably Sedaris-like.

What are some of your favorite bargain books you’ve found on Amazon?

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$25 off Jackson Hewitt Tax Service printable coupon

[ 0 ] February 15, 2012

What’s next after Christmas, New Year’s and Valentine’s? Well, my friends, that would be…TAX SEASON. Eeek!

Don’t fret. This year, get smart about your taxes and save while doing it. Use this printable coupon to get $25 off tax preparation. Just present the coupon to your tax preparer to save!

Offer good until April 30, 2012.

(click the image below for a printer friendly version of this coupon)

 

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love bites: top 8 anti-Valentine’s Day activities

[ 0 ] February 14, 2012

The so-called most romantic day of the year isn’t hearts, roses and chocolates for everyone. February 14th is fraught with events and activities for couples, but what about the singles and self-professed Bridget Joneses?

Tell Saint Valentine how you really feel with our top 8 ideas for Anti-Valentine’s Day activities:

1. Anti-Valentine’s Day Movie Marathon

There’s nothing better than using a feel-good holiday to watch a few feel-bad movies. Our suggestions? 500 Days of Summer, The Breakup, Kill Bill, Fatal Attraction, Unfaithful and any Lars Von Trier movie. Get your marathon started with our Netflix coupons!

2. Throw an Anti-Valentine’s Day Party

This might be the most obvious activity, but it’s worth it if you have a few like-minded friends. Whip up a batch of broken heart-shaped cookies, serve all your appetizers on skewers and blast some angry music. Also, have booze on hand. Lots of booze.

3. Have an Anti-Date

For those rare Valentine haters who are actually coupled up, go against the grain this year. Don’t bother going out to an overcrowded restaurant. Splurge on a nice bottle of wine, exchange a few gag gifts or buy the sappiest VD cards and make fun of them.

4. Take a Haunted Tour

Getting scared silly is the perfect antidote to frilly pink hearts and cupids. If your town offers a haunted tour of any kind (haunted houses, murder mysteries, etc.) what are you waiting for? Just use our free Viator coupons for 7% off the haunted tour near you.

5. Single in the City

Want to go social? Google your city + Anti-Valentine’s Day and you’ll be surprised at what pops up. Many urban areas across the U.S. have special events, bar nights and other social activities for the fabulously single on February 14th.

6. Send an Anti-Valentine’s Day Card to Your Ex

For the truly brave. You can find some great (and bitter) card ideas here, and some hilarious cards from Etsy here.

7. Celebrate “Singles Awareness Day” Instead

Couples get all the attention in February, but what about everyone else? This tradition actually exists in South Korea and China (Black Day and Singles Day, respectively).

8. Do Nothing

Don’t care about Valentine’s Day? As the famous motivational saying goes, “Keep calm and carry on”. Bust out that novel you’ve been putting off reading, eat something really delicious and unhealthy, or catch up on all those episodes of New Girl you’ve DVR’d. It’s just another night, after all!

For more Anti-Valentine’s Day goodness, remember to read our Dating Site Horror Stories. What are you doing on February 14th?

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the best of the worst Valentine’s Day gift stories!

[ 0 ] February 7, 2012

Ah, Valentine’s Day. A day filled with happiness, love, romance and bonding. Psssh, yeah right! If you’re into that stuff this holiday – look away! For my fellow anti-Valentine’s, read-along and enjoy.

In preparation for this post, I threw out the question – “What’s the worst Valentine’s Day gift you’ve ever received?” And boy, were there more responses than expected. So, we’re dishing the dirt on the top, worst gift stories of Valentine’s past.

Read below for the craziest, most hilarious worst gift stories we received from you.

And remember: if you’re looking into really impress your valentine this Feb. 14th , don’t forget to check out our top Valentine’s gift ideas under $100!

 

archery bows, Jimmy Buffet and garbage cans

Apparently some “romantics” just don’t understand the point of gift-giving, as proven by our first set of gift stories. Hint: When giving a Valentine’s gift remember, the gift is not for you. It’s for your Valentine. Get something you think he or she will enjoy!

Brina from The Younique Boutique - My ex-husband gave me an archery bow for Valentines Day. He was a hunting enthusiast and since I had zero interest in archery and/or hunting, I am pretty sure he used the occasion as an excuse to buy a second bow that he had his eye on. What a Prince Charming.

Jennifer - My boyfriend gave me a Jimmy Buffet CD. I cannot stand that music… but it’s his favorite.

Maribeth - The worst Valentine gift I ever received was a grouping of garbage cans. One was a yellow janitorial style, five-gallon bucket on rollers complete with ringer and a mop. There was also a waste basket and a 50 gallon garbage can in the group. You might think that this was a joke but it wasn’t. This guy was serious. I broke off our relationship. He went to a mutual friend indignant and said, “She wouldn’t have a bathroom scale, a broom, or a garbage can if it wasn’t for me!

old pizza, ‘found’ flowers and sawdust

I’m not sure if there’s any saving this next group of gift giver’s. This set has left me speechless!

Cindy from BohlsenGroup.com - I picked up a previous boyfriend from work, and he said, “I got you something for Valentine’s Day.” He handed me the pizza box from his lunch, and he had carved a heart shape out of a piece of pizza. Before you say ”aw,” just picture it: A cold, congealed, leftover piece of pizza from 5 hours earlier. My face fell. And he got so angry at my lack of gratitude that he grabbed the box and threw it out the car window. Needless to say, I married a far sweeter man! (And yes, that was the only gift I received that day.)

Rebecca - I was trying not to make a big fuss about Valentine’s Day because I knew my (ex)-boyfriend was tight on cash. So I just asked that on Valentine’s he cook me my favorite meal. Valentine’s Day comes, he shows up to my house 2 hours late with a single one of those miniature roses that he later admitted he had “found.” That was it. He then said it was too late to start cooking. Happy Valentines Day. I have since moved on. 

Fran from PunksAndRoses - I received a bag of sawdust one year for valentines day. Yes, really. I had mentioned that I really wanted some sawdust to mix with beeswax and pine cones to make some firewood starters for my fireplace. So for valentine’s day I got a bag of sawdust in the mail.

break-up flowers, bb guns and irons

If you’re planning on leaving a relationship, giving flowers to your oblivious-to-your-cheating-ways girlfriend prooobably won’t make up for it - just sayin’! Read on!

Lynn Maria from Old Maid Cat Lady - Worst Valentine’s gift I’ve ever gotten was flowers from my college boyfriend. Why was it the worst? Because we were in a long-distance relationship at the time and I’d just called him the Saturday before to ask him what was wrong because I’d sensed things weren’t the same between us any more. He said that he’d “just been writing me a letter,” which I knew was not a good thing. So I was waiting for the letter to arrive, and then Valentine’s Day comes that week and I get flowers from him. I called to ask WTH was up with that, and he told me he didn’t want me to get the letter on Valentine’s Day, which really told me it was bad. And it was; he broke up with me via letter. Had met someone else who was more available than I was (i.e., in the same town). I kicked myself for wasting three years of my life with somebody who I wasn’t going to marry, and trashed those flowers that were an ugly reminder of it all. Never have enjoyed getting flowers, ever since then, because it always makes me think the guy sending them has done something he’s trying to make up for!

Rita from Chi-Town Cheapskate - The worst gift I got? A BB Gun, yep you read that right. A hand-held BB Gun. I thought it was a joke, it was not. As it turns out he wanted it so he bought it for me for Valentines Day then took it and kept it. Guess that was his way of being frugal. It made me feel like I didn’t matter. Needless to say that relationship did not last!

Katie from U Star Novels - My worst gift was an iron…but my best gift was a personalized romance novel, starring me and my Valentine.

What’s the worst Valentine’s Day present you ever received (or didn’t receive)? Are you spending this Valentine’s with the one that gave it to you?

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Starbucks D.I.Y. winter drink recipes

[ 2 ] January 17, 2012

So delicious. So expensive.

A Starbucks opened up by the FabulousSavings offices not too long ago (finally, we’re just like the rest of the world!) and our wallets have heard it loud and clear. It’s no secret that buying your daily coffee, latte or espresso from the Green Mermaid quickly becomes an expensive habit.

When it comes to saving money, I know a lot of us are reluctant to give it up. But don’t fret, homemade Starbucks drinks are easier and tastier than you think. The following drink recipes have all been tried and tested by yours truly:

Peppermint Mocha

1/4 cup sweetener of your choice
1 1/2 cups hot milk
1/2 cup hot coffee
1 drop peppermint extract
1 tbsp. chocolate syrup
Whipped cream (optional)
Crushed mint candies (optional)

If you have a milk steamer, be sure to froth your milk before adding it. Otherwise just pour, mix and enjoy.

Gingerbread Latte

1/2 cup hot espresso
1 cup hot milk
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup sweetener
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Gingerbread syrup to taste

This is my personal favorite Starbucks drink, so of course I have a shop-worn recipe for it.

Combine ingredients except espresso and syrup in a saucepan and boil until the sugar dissolves. Then turn the heat down and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the gingerbread syrup, espresso and heated milk. For those without an espresso maker, substitute with freshly brewed coffee.

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

Having never made this sweet and salty treat before, I had to turn to the web for help. This recipe from Simply Love Food is a delicious and surprisingly accurate approximation of the Starbucks drink (trust me, I’ve eagerly tested it).

Just be sure to stir well and often or you’ll end up with all the sea salt at the bottom of your mug. And I agree with the recipe, Ghirardelli for hot chocolate is the way to go.

Caramel Macchiato

1/2 cup hot espresso
1 cup hot milk
2 tablespoons vanilla syrup
3 tbsp. caramel sauce

I like making this for a Caramel Macchiato-obsessed friend of mine. She hasn’t complained so far! Simply add all ingredients together (again, espresso can be replaced with coffee) and drizzle with caramel sauce.

White Chocolate Mocha

This is another goody I’ve had to turn to the Internet for help with. This recipe from Mommy’s Kitchen is surprisingly easy, but because it involves melting white chocolate chips, it takes a little more time than simply stirring a few hot liquids together.

Altogether it took me about 15 minutes, but it’s worth it on a cold January night, trust me!

What are your favorite Starbucks drinks? Have you tried making them at home?

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from the archives: tax season tips

[ 0 ] January 5, 2012

Sometimes we like to take a look back at the many posts hidden away in our fabulous blog archives. We often come across posts that made us laugh, posts with awesome tips, even posts that got you talking! So, we’re re-sharing those fabulous posts with you in our “from the archives” series! We hope you enjoy them…again! ;)

 

Are you ready for filing taxes? You may not want to start thinking about it, but whether you like it or not, with a new year brings an all new looming tax season. But you can make tax filing easier if you prepare your files ahead of time. And with a little research, you can also find ways to maximize your return or lessen your liability. Check out our tax season tips to make things a little easier.

Prepare Your Files

When you’re organized, things seem much less complicated. Check your mail daily for W-2s and 1099s that are being sent out. Once you receive these forms, file them away in a folder labelled: Year Taxes. Create other folders to file receipts for charities and other deductions plus any other receipts you’ll need for filing your taxes.

Set Up Direct Deposit

If you know you’ll be receiving a healthy refund, the last thing you want to do is wait months for it after all that hard work. By setting up direct deposit to your bank account, you can get your refund in half the time.

Research Your Options for More Deductions

One way to maximize your refund is to find out what you may be eligible for. For example, are you aware of the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit)? According www.irs.gov (IRS Information site), if you earn under $48,362 or less a year you can be eligible for a tax credit, resulting in a greater refund. Here are some other options to think about:

  • Parental tax benefits for each child under 17 years old.
  • Parents may be eligible for a refund due to their child’s tuition or student loan interest.
  • You may be able to claim medical or dental expenses.
  • If you work from home, you may be able to declare refunds for things like your office space, phone bill, internet & more.

For more information on what you might be eligible for, visit the IRS information site anytime!

Update Your Information

If your social insurance information isn’t up to date, you could be waiting months and months for your return, due to complications. Did you change your name this year due to a marriage or divorce? The SSA needs to be notified, so the name on your tax refund and the name they have in their records match.

It’s easy to notify them of this change. Just fill out form SS-5, which is an Application for a Social Security Card and bring it to your nearest SSA office. You’ll also need a government-issued document, like a driver’s license, for proof of your name change.

Free File Software

Free File Software is secure tax-filing software. It was developed through a partnership with the IRS and tax software companies. If you earn $58,000 or less, you can use this software free of charge! It’s safe to use and makes filing taxes much easier.

Chose from software like eSmart Tax, TaxSimple, TaxSlayer and more for free. They help to ensure errors aren’t made, list deductions you might be eligible for and some are even offered in Spanish.

Double Check At Least Twice

Before sending in your taxes via mail or electronically, it’s always a good idea to check and recheck your inputs to avoid errors.

What tips do you have for filing your taxes? We’d love it if you shared them!

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viral video new year’s resolutions for 2012

[ 0 ] December 27, 2011

We live in the Information Age. It’s almost impossible to make any major life decisions without first consulting your Facebook friends, twitter followers or uploading a video to YouTube.

So for your 2012 New Year’s resolutions, I’ve chosen the best of this year’s viral videos and construed some helpful personal goals we could all benefit from. Ready to start making some realistic commitments? Hold on to your Nyan Cat.

Woman Cries About Loving Cats

Video: The internet’s obsession with cats has been documented time and time again, but nobody’s ever expressed their lunatic love quite as memorably as this single lady.

Resolution: Adopt an animal in need or spend more quality time with your pets. Optional resolution: find more excuses to dress your pet in adorable costumes.

Did You Hear A Click?

Video: Two senior citizens sweetly attempt take a picture with their computer’s built-in camera, only to be thwarted repeatedly by technology. And, let’s face it, their oldness.

Resolution: Respect your elders. Or at least teach them how to use Face Time.

Rebecca Black – Friday

Video: An insightful critique of the work-school-weekend structure and the social pressures facing modern youth.

Resolution: Save up enough money to send your preteen child to military school.

I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy

Video: TV host Jimmy Kimmel dares parents to film themselves telling their spoiled kids they ate their Halloween candy. Crying and hysterical reactions (“Dad, you’re ugly!”) ensue.

Resolution: Watch Jimmy Kimmel Live! more often.

Lana Del Rey – Video Games

Video: Divisive indie artist Lana Del Rey hits the big time with a pretty montage of vintage clips and a sad, sad, sad song.

Resolution: Don’t upload anything – anything – without putting a Hipstamatic filter on it.

Thom Yorke Dances To Everything

Video: The internet loves putting things out of context, as evidenced by Thom Yorke’s trippy Lotus Flower choreography being edited with every pop song under the sun. My personal favourite: Thom Yorke Dances to Single Ladies.

Resolution: Learn to love the way you move. Just because you dance like a drunk uncle at a wedding you weren’t invited to doesn’t mean you should be ashamed!

What were some of your favorite viral videos from this year?

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alternative christmas movies on Netflix

[ 0 ] December 20, 2011

Whimsical holiday fun, trees decorated and lessons learned – doesn’t that just make you sick? The same feel-good Christmas movies are shown on TV year after year, and it’s rare when the more, shall we say, unusual type of holiday movie is celebrated.

Thanks to Netflix, there’s ample opportunity to sample all the staples of a great Christmas movie: terrorists, alcoholic Santas, deranged serial killers, drunken pop stars, and of course, aliens from Mars. So heat up some popcorn, begin a free trial with our Netflix coupons and welcome in the yuletide spirit.

Die Hard

A few guys in the FS office consider this the ultimate Christmas movie and I have to agree. So many people forget that this over-the-top action flick takes place during the holidays! But what’s more festive than Bruce Willis killing terrorists and blowing things up?

Bad Santa

This movie should be a holiday tradition. It’s certainly mine. The premise is simple: a boozy, foul-mouthed criminal poses as Santa to rob department stories. R-rated hijinx ensue. To quote anything from the movie would require more censoring than an old episode of The Osbournes.

Just Friends

“Ugh, a Ryan Reynolds rom-com?” you ask? Look, Just Friends is hilarious. The flashbacks to Reynolds as an obese teenager are hysterical and I dare you not to laugh at Anna Faris’ parody of a Britney Spears-esque trainwreck. It’s whole a lot more daring than your average holiday romance fest (ahem, Love Actually).

Black Christmas (1974)

Prefer something more scary with your eggnog?  Forget the horrible remake, the original Black Christmas is still one of the best slasher movies of all time. Although it’s got a hokey premise (sorority girls are picked off by a stalker during Christmas break), it’s saved by good performances, a spooky set and a genuinely scary villain. Worth a look for holiday horror fans!

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

And now for some Christmas cheese. Widely regarded as one of the worst movies of all time, this gem from 1964 should be required viewing for all B-movie enthusiasts. Martians (actors wearing facepaint and funny hats) kidnap Santa and force him to bring Christmas to the children of Mars. It’s as utterly insane as it sounds, and the whole experience is made better by the MST3K crew’s commentary.

What are some of your favorite ‘alternative’ Christmas movies?

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lindy’s phone picks

[ 0 ] December 13, 2011

My phone is terrible. Okay, it’s not so much terrible as it is old and simple and people laugh when I answer it. It was pretty cool back in the day, and to be honest I’m still a bit attached to my Motorola Flip W385. Go ahead. Have a giggle. At the time I bought it, it had everything I needed. It called people. It could send texts and even take really blurry pictures.

However, now that my contract is up, I’m thinking it’s about time to upgrade. I really love my husband’s iPhone, when I get a chance to check it out, so smartphones are looking pretty good right about now. Which one to get? Here are a few I’m currently looking at:

Samsung Stratosphere 4G

Like most smartphones, the Stratosphere has a touch screen. It also boasts a 5 mega pixel front and rear camera for video conferencing which is always nice if you have loved ones far away. Plus, it offers Bluetooth technology, which is always a nice bonus.

Galaxy Nexus

Ah, if I only had a million dollars…or even $700. This phone would be mine. The Galaxy Nexus is the first one to run on the Ice Cream Sandwich operating system which means it’s pretty slick. Added features include multi-media messaging and email and calendar synching. That would be really helpful. Oh, and the cool factor of the Nexus right now is off the charts. Unlike my current phone.

 

HTC Wildfire S

One of the biggest pluses of the Wildfire for me is that it’s sturdy. If you’re a major klutz, you may want to avoid dropping it on purpose, but it’s a nice reassurance when your phone feels a bit solid in your hand. Although the screen is not necessarily as clear as some other models, it does have a cool feature in that the screen subtly vibrates when you “click” something to let you know the signal went through – a nice feature for those of us not used to a touch screen.

 

iPhone 4s

If the idea of purchasing a new phone is too overwhelming, there’s always the safe bet, which in this case is the Apple iPhone 4s. Should you go for broke (almost literally), and update to the newest version, you’re sure to get a treat in the iPhone 4s. The operating system makes it the most powerful iPhone yet. Then, of course, there’s Siri which is like having a personal secretary built into the phone. And if you love taking candid shots while you’re out and about, the camera is pretty great. Definitely Facebook worthy at the very least.

 

Please help me choose! Add a comment below about which phone you think I should get. And don’t forget to use Best Buy Coupon codes for free shipping on select phones.

 

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fabulous staff picks for the “it” gifts of 2011

[ 0 ] December 7, 2011

Finding the perfect gifts for those on your holiday wish list can be pretty stressful. Sometimes we over think it, trying to find that unique gift, when in actuality some of the best gifts are the ones we all want.

I did an informal poll of our staff to see which items are on their wish lists this year. The result? We are one tech-nerdy bunch. And we also love our sleep.

Kindle Fire. One of the most popular items on our holiday wish list seems to be the Kindle Fire. I live in an eReader-friendly household, and they’re absolutely amazing. But the Kindle Fire takes it one more step, adding tablet elements. It includes free cloud storage for all your movies and music, as well as a super-swift dual-core processor. And it’s in color!

 

Samsung Galaxy Nexus. This was a close second in the polls. The Galaxy Nexus is the first phone to run on the Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. It’s a big deal! I’m not 100% sure what that means, but it sounds fast and delicious. (If you can lay it out in plain-speak, comments are welcome.)

 

Nintendo 3DS. Gamers everywhere are waiting impatiently for the possibility of getting the Nintendo 3DS this year. This portable gaming system offers 3D imaging (no glasses needed), parental game restrictions, and you can even adjust the “3D-ness” of the screen.  Handy!

 

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. When Mr. Jobs and Mr. Isaacson were planning this book, Steve made it clear he wanted everyone interviewed, both friend and foe, to be completely honest. What came out of the almost 40 interviews conducted is a completely rounded story of a man who was tough as nails, a visionary and one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time.

 

The Snazzy Sleeper. Running a website is hard work, as shown by this submission by one of our staff. No words. Just watch. Oh, and it’s very real: Watch it here.  


Honorary mentions go to the iPad2 and iPhone 4S. Basically, if you’re stuck on ideas, look towards the world of electronics and tech gadgets. And don’t forget to use our Amazon coupon codes to save. So, tell us: What’s on your gift list?

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