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Buying Flowers on Valentine's Day - Choosing Between A Local Florist Or Ordering Online


Buying Flowers on Valentine's Day - Choosing Between A Local Florist Or Ordering Online

Published 2/13/08  (Modified 3/9/11)

By MoneyBlueBook

Well Valentine's Day is here again and it's time to carry out the age old tradition of sending flowers to that special girl in your life. While women today frequently send flowers as well, I think the great majority of gift flowers purchased for Valentine's Day are made by men for their love crush, their girlfriends, or for their wives. Anyway you look at it - women love flowers - the commercially universal symbol of love (that and diamonds). They love to receive them, look at them, show them off to friends and co-workers, and display them on their desks for all to see (I see it all the time). Today, flowers make great presents for any occasion, and they're no longer just for the major holidays and birthdays anymore either.

Since giving flowers during those special holidays is almost a given, for the guys, if you really want to score bonus points, try sending your special lady flowers for no special reason at all - it's even better when she's not expecting them. That will really brighten her day. Not that I am an expert in the flower-sending department or even have that extensive of an experience in wooing girls with flowers, but I've done it before - through both traditional local florists and through online flower delivery services. Both techniques have always yielded great results.

Flowers Are Expensive, But Buying and Sending Them Doesn't Have To Break The Bank

Now one of the biggest gripes with sending flower arrangements as gifts is that they're usually quite

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Breaking Down The Details Of The 2008 Economic Stimulus Plan and Your Tax Rebate Check

Published 2/12/08  (Modified 3/14/11)

By MoneyBlueBook

Update: Read About The Possibility Of A 2009 Second Stimulus Check

With both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate having nodded their respective approvals of the nearly $160 billion economic stimulus package (that's "B' as in Billion), the bill has finally been signed, sealed, and delivered to President Bush for final approval. The President has already indicated that he will quickly sign the economic aid into law - so I believe the rebate checks will soon be on their way to a mailbox or direct deposit account near you.

I shall try to explain how the 2008 economic stimulus package will work and how much you can expect to receive in the way of a rebate check.

1) Why Are We Getting A Tax Rebate Check?

The Tax Rebate Check is part of the U.S. government's emergency pro-growth economic stimulus plan to prevent the U.S. economy from stalling out and entering a period of prolonged recession. Due to the recent slowdown in the economy caused by housing bubble problems and subprime mortgage related issues, the federal government wants to keep the economy on the up and up by putting money into the hands of U.S. consumers to encourage increased consumer spending. Like jump starting a car, the government wants to hand consumers extra wads of cash to encourage increased business investment and consumer activity. Surveys have indicated that at least half of consumers intend to use the money to pay down existing debt, while the other half intends to either save or spent

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Dishing Out Feedback About eBay's New Pricing Structure and Policy Changes

Published 2/11/08  (Modified 3/9/11)

By MoneyBlueBook

If there's one group of zealots you never want to upset, it's the eBay sellers. Ever since eBay announced several key changes to its pricing and feedback policies over a week ago, eBay sellers have been flipping out and storming the discussion forums to express their outrage over the impending doom and gloom. A great number of them have become so upset that they've banded together to plot a futile boycott of eBay's auction services around the February 20, 2008 launch date to protest the new fee hikes and feedback policy changes.

Here is an overview of the key controversial eBay pricing and system changes that have sparked such emotional reactions as well as my own thoughts on the matter. You can view the actual eBay price structure changes (here).

1) Listing Prices Will Be Reduced But Final Value Fees Will Be Increased
The new eBay pricing changes will cause up front listing costs such as Insertion Fees and Fixed Price Listings to be reduced. This upfront listing fee reduction is to encourage more listings since eBay auctions have been stagnant for years now as auction interest has waned. Although it used to come at a small cost, eBay now plans to make Gallery picture listing free - a nice free addition that will save a few cents and dollars for some, but it's basically a trivial bonus. It's nothing that will greatly benefit eBay sellers, but with the way eBay has been cleverly marketing the changes by

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Save Money By Using Free Public Library Services

Published 2/7/08  (Modified 3/22/11)

By MoneyBlueBook

Despite what some people may think, many people still visit public libraries - such as myself. Although the societal trend seems to be shifting towards an entirely digital world where the internet dominates the information landscape, traditional brick and mortar library branches still serve their useful purpose.

Other than studying at the school library during college or university, the last time most people were inside their local public library was probably during high school. These days, your local public library branches are a bit different than those that are affiliated with schools. Rather than focusing on academic research type resources, many cater more to community and family needs. Today they offer a wealth of free services that should be part of everyone's everyday frugal living strategy. Instead of buying expensive books, movies, video disks, or audio tapes without sampling first, you should think about test driving them out at the local county or city library before committing.

Here Are Some Free Services Your Local Public Library Likely Provides That You May Or May Not Be Aware Of:

  • Books - Okay, duh that's stating the obvious. It's a library so obviously they provide books on loan, but the key thing here is that they are free. The average book worm spends hundreds of dollars each month at their neighborhood Borders or Barnes & Noble bookstore on new books. Frequently, once those books have been read, the pages are never opened again. I personally have a hardback cover of The DaVinci Code that I bought a few years
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    Will Verizon Wireless Please Stop Harassing Me To Renew My Cell Phone Contract

    Published 2/6/08  (Modified 3/9/11)

    By MoneyBlueBook

    For the last few weeks I've been receiving incessant phone calls several times daily from some unknown toll free number - specifically 1-800-261-1646. Because I have a habit of screening my calls and not picking up my cell phone if I don't recognize the caller ID, the missed calls kept coming in. The unknown calls were perplexing because I recalled signing up my number for the National Do Not Call List. Eventually I gave up and chose to call the number back to see what was up.

    The Verizon Wireless Sales Pitch - May We Bind You To A New Multi Year Contract With Just A Few Freebie Offers?

    When I called the number, at first there was dead air and I wondered if I had called a scam number, but then a voice over the phone introduced himself thanking me for my interest in Verizon Wireless and requested my cell phone number. I was a bit suspicious but since my cell phone was indeed serviced through Verizon Wireless and I figured my cell phone number wasn't really confidential information, I gave him my information. If he had inquired about the last 4 digits of my social security number I might not have readily given him the number, since I was still a bit suspicious at that point. But with my phone number information, he immediately ascertained my name so I figured he was at least somewhat legit.

    Immediately he launched into a sales pitch to get me to sign up for a new binding multi year

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    Diversions - Super Bowl Half Time Shows Need To Feature Better Music

    Published 2/5/08  (Modified 3/9/11)

    By MoneyBlueBook

    Warning - alarm - I am about to drive off the personal finance road and head into the entertainment marshes.

    Well it's been months since I rambled off topic but I think after having watched this year's 2008 Super XVLII, I feel compelled to comment on the deteriorating quality and excitement of the once highly anticipated half time musical performances. It used to be that I always looked forward to watching the Super Bowl half time shows since they used to feature pretty good superstar performances. But unfortunately, what was once an exciting party bash has in recent years turned into a safe and cautious yawn fest.

    Tom Petty's Performance Was Decent But Too Safe For A Super Bowl Half Time Show

    This year's half-time show featured Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, a band that probably caters more to the older generation than today's kiddies, myself included. While I will admit he did pull of a pretty skillful performance and sang some great songs, I've never been much of a fan of his band's music. I wasn't really moved or pumped up by their performance as it wasn't really much of a performance - mostly just a karaoke selection of his greatest hits.

    I think future shows need serious tuneups. Ever since the whole Janet Jackson alleged wardrobe malfunction episode of Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004, the quality of the halftime shows have been sliding downhill. We really need MTV to bring back the excitement that the event once had or I think we're going to start

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