Posts from — June 2009

There are only a few things in this world that can make me feel happy when I am down; shopping, watching a movie, or chocolate.  Well, Mars has decided to single handedly cure depression and make the world a happier place by giving out free chocolate bars.

Mars has apparently released a Mars Real Chocolate Relief Act.  Each Friday until September you can go to www.realchocolate.com and get a coupon for free chocolate bar (single-sized package of any M&M’S Brand, MILKY WAY Brand, SNICKERS Brand, 3 MUSKETEERS Brand, TWIX Brand and DOVE Brand product.)**  You can go to the website now and enter your email address so that Mars can remind you Friday to get your free coupon.

The world just got a little bit happier … and also just gained 5 lbs.

** Limit: one (1) Coupon per email address per Friday and four (4) Coupons per household during the Offer Period.

I am just going to share some link love with everyone this week.  It is the best I could muster up since my brain feels it’s melting from the hundreds of wedding details I have been mulling over.  I am having fun with the planning, it’s just that I wish I could turn it off sometimes and not think about it.

So speaking of weddings my co-worker sent me the best wedding invite ever.  It really is so unique and fun.

I caught a few videos on MTV/VH1 recently and noticed grown-ups in furry animal costumes kept popping up (i.e Jaime Foxx Blame It On The Alcohol, Lady Gaga Just Dance).  What is up with the furry animal costumes?  Candy Galore wrote a post with a few music video links that had more furry costumes in it.  She did not have an answer for me though.  Now I know I am old, because I just don’t get the joke.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey just aired their finale and I have to admit I was a little disappointed in this cast.  I honestly liked all of the women, except for Danielle, and I didn’t think their lives were that outlandish, except for Danielle.  So the show didn’t really get me excited but it was a crazy finale!  I honestly don’t know who was telling the truth in that room.  They all have may been lying a little bit.  Well, now there is more bad publicity for Danielle: Steve is now putting out a sex tape of them together.  This lady just makes one bad choice after another.  Anyway, if you are a Real Housewives fan like myself you should go to this link and take the “Which Real Housewives Show Do You Belong On?” quiz.  I apparently would fit in with the New York crowd. I love my hometown so I would be glad to join the cast.  I’ll have my agent call their agent.

And speaking of New York, how cool is this print, posted by Oh Joy?

Since Mr. Juicefairy is a big Howard Stern fan we subscribe to Howard TV.  They put up most of their celebrity interviews and recently I watched an interview with Eliza Dushku where she looked great.  If you can see in the video she was wearing skin-colored fishnets with skin-colored heels.  I would never have thought to wear flesh-colored shoes but they made her legs look so much longer.  It really was a cool look.  You Look Fab had an article about skin colored shoes and I now I am kind of interested in how I would look in these.  Wish I had legs like Eliza.

I am supposed to get my new iphone tonight.  And as soon as I get it I am downloading this app.  Told you wedding was always on my mind.

We are doing a So You Think You Can Dance pool at work which I am having so much fun with right now.  Every week after the Wednesday night episode we pick who will end up being the bottom three couples and which girl and guy we think the judges will send home.  You get one point for each couple you get right and three for each person sent home you get right.  I am having so much fun picking every week.  I am in third place now because of the surprise cutting of Max this week.  Has anyone else heard the rumor that Katie Holmes is going to dance on the show to promote an anniversary DVD of Wizard of Oz.  Honestly that is just silly and she should stay home and watch it on the couch.  I want to see real dancers on the show.

So Mr. Juicefairy and I thought since we are getting married we were ready to have little ones running around our feet.  No, of course not kids (I like being selfish and I think I am going to keep it that way for a long time).  We bought a puppy!  And English Bulldog to be exact (you can see our cutie pie above).  Mr. Juicefairy is an ex-Marine which may explain his small obsession with bulldogs.

We realized of course with every major purchase you should do your research. Just like you can look up the total lifetime cost of ownership on a car we should be able to calculate something like that for a dog, right?  Here are a list of things that Mr. Juicefairy and I considered into our “cost of ownership” of our new puppy so could decide whether we could afford to provide it with the best home possible.

1. Cost of the Dog - If you adopt a dog from a rescue or the Humane Society (which I highly recommend) the cost of a dog varies but is usually pretty affordable (somewhere in the $20 - $100 range).  A lot of times these are dogs that came from other homes so they may already be up to date on shots, be microchipped and be neutered.  All of these costs will have to be factored in if they aren’t done before you buy the dog.  Mr. Juicefairy and I, for our own personal reasons (which I will not go into here on this site), decided to buy a pure bred dog from a breeder.  This is usually a more expensive way to go.  I won’t share how much our puppy cost but you can Google a bulldog and get an idea.  Pure bred dogs you can generally take home around the age of 8 weeks and may some their shots but usually there are more needed after the dog comes home with you.
2. Vet Costs - Dogs will need a vet visit as soon as you get them.  Depending on where you get the dog from it may anything from an average check-up and fecal exam (under $100) to needing all of their shots, possibly medications and neutering (at about the age of six months).  After these initial visits you will most likely go only once or twice a year and spend an average of $100 - $300 a year.  Of course there are always dogs that may need extra care.  Just like a human, you can’t predict health problems and emergencies and these things should be factored in when deciding if you can afford a dog.
3. Food & Treats - Depending on the dog you can expect to pay somewhere between $20 and $60 a month for food.  Some dogs have food allergies as well and may need more expensive brands with different types of fillers.  Treats are a must if you plan to train your dog.  Trust me, a treat is a big motivator.
4. Toys - You will need to stock up on some toys of varying hardness for your dog to chew, otherwise expect them to use your shoes or furniture.  I have heard bulldogs even like to chew on drywall so ours has plenty of chew toys.
5. Beds & Crates - If you are planning to crate train your dog you will need to purchase one before you get your dog.  The larger the crate the more expensive and the size depends on how big your dog will be.  Our crate was about $60.  A pet bed is also a nice thing to have for your dog, but probably not a necessity.  We bought one a Ross (a lot cheaper there btw than a pet store) for $12.
6. Leashes & Collar - It is important to have a collar on your dog with an ID tag. You want to be prepared in case your animal gets lost.  A leash is also a necessary item to have.  While you can train your dog to walk without a leash, most places have leash laws that you have to abide.  I think we spent $40 for a matching collar and leash.
7. Grooming - The amount of grooming necessary is based on the type of dog you have.  This is an important factor for most people in making the decision of what type of dog they want to own because of cost and time spent.  This could cost anywhere between $30 (basic nail trimming) to $500 a year.
8. Flea and Heartworm Prevention - Your dog will need Flea and Heartworm prevention starting at about 10 weeks.  These are monthly applications that are necessary to keep your dog healthy.  You can buy the applications in bulk (6 months or 1 year of applications) and expect to pay around $30 - $80 a month depending on the weight of your dog.
9. Obediance Training - Not all dog owners take their dog to an obediance training but we chose to take our dog to Petsmart which is $109 for an eight week class.  We think it has helped us a lot as first time dog owners.

So now for “total cost of ownership” peteducation.com has an article claiming that the average cost to own a dog per year (not including the first year) is $1,386.  The doctor that wrote this article guesses he will spend $12,468 on his dog over it’s 14 year lifetime.  So think carefully when before you decide to buy a pup and make sure you are willing to shell out the cash.  I have no regrets about getting my puppy and think she has made life just a little fuller … but I sure do miss that extra spending money I had.

A guest post from Rather Be Shopping …

My wife loves clothes, and she is always asking me how she looks in a certain dress or swimsuit or shoes or jeans. You get the point. Whenever she asks my opinion, a red flashing light immediately goes off in my head. I think to myself, “careful Kyle, very slippery slope, proceed with extreme caution.” For a guy, you have to avoid saying the wrong thing just for the sake of self preservation. From personal experience, I have learned how to stay out of the proverbial dog house by memorizing ‘4 Things You NEVER Want To Tell Your Wife’.  On with my list, followed by, guess what, some great clothing and apparel coupons. Drum roll please…..

1. No honey, those jeans don’t make your butt look big, I prefer the word “healthy”.
2. Um……..yes, you look very nice. (NEVER delay your response)
3. Yes, honey, that color looks nice on you. Plus, it reminds me of that poopy diaper I just changed.
4. I love that dress! It really brings out the color of your eyes and the size of your hips.

OK, now on with some money saving online coupons. As always, if your favorite store is not listed, please contact me and I will do my best to personally track down a coupon for you. Happy savings!

Anne Klein.com

Get free shipping on your entire online purchase

Coupon Code: None Needed

Expiration: 7/05/09

See All: Anne Klein Coupons

Ann Taylor.com

Get 30% Off any Full Priced online order over $150

Coupon Code: 104007268

Expiration: 7/06/09

See All: Ann Taylor Coupons

Charlotte Russe.com

Get 15% Off your entire online purchase

Coupon Code: AFF15PCT

Expiration: 6/14/09

See All: Charlotte Russe Coupons

Lands End.com

Save up to 50% Off your entire Swimwear order

Coupon Code: None Needed

Expiration: 6/15/09

See All: Lands End Coupons

Lord & Taylor.com

Get 25% Off your entire online purchase

Coupon Code: FREINDS

Expiration: 6/15/09

See All: Lord & Taylor Coupons

Puma Store.com

Get 25% off your entire online purchase

Coupon Code: POPS

Expiration: 6/18/09

See All: Puma Coupons

Shoebuy.com

Get 10% off your entire online purchase + Free Shipping

Coupon Code: RATHERBESHOPPING10

Expiration: 7/31/09

See All: Shoebuy.com Coupons

Smart Bargains.com

Get $15 off $100, $20 off $150 or $25 off $200 thru this LINK

Coupon Code: None Needed

Expiration: 6/15/09

See All: Smart Bargains Coupons

Steve Madden.com

Get 20% off your entire online purchase

Coupon Code: CJDAD20

Expiration: 6/13/09

See All: Steve Madden Coupons

Urban Outfitters.com

Get 10% off your entire online purchase

Coupon Code: SUMMER10

Expiration: 6/21/09

See All: Urban Outfitters Coupons