So I was at a friend’s house last weekend for a little get-together. We brought food over for dinner as it was a pot-luck night. Besides enjoying the good food, we were also entertained by the hostess son. There is nothing more enjoyable than a night with good friends, food and music. One of my friends baked some cakes and she used this lovely CakeBox to safely carry her cakes to the house. It is a reusable cake box that can carry up to 10 cakes. I love it! She got it from PieBox.
If you are throwing a party in the near future, you may consider getting these cute BeerMo Six Pack. These hygienic silicone moustache can be slipped around the neck of the bottle to create the perfect handlebar moustache. Drinkers will never lose sight of their drinks while having a little fun at the same time. Available at Fab.com.
For the average bookworm, buying new books in a store can be a drain on your finances. Some books only sell in hardcover formats for $25 or more and unless you use coupons, this could equate to several hundreds of dollars in book-buying per year. While there are certain benefits to buying new (no wear and tear, you can reread it whenever you want, etc.), there are much more affordable alternatives out there:
Good, Old Fashioned Library
In wake of local budget cuts, many libraries have cut their hours or shut their doors entirely. However, unlike that one Twilight Zone’s episode, libraries are not wholly obsolete. They’re still valuable resources for people who’d rather check out books than buy them. Libraries often sell books as well, usually for pennies on the dollar (though don’t expect any well-known bestsellers).
Online Resources
If you’re more of a digital reader, Google Books and Project Gutenberg have thousands of free ebooks in their databases, many of which you can download or read straight from the websites. Newer, popular titles are absent, but if you’re looking for something more obscure or out of print, these two resources might have what you’re looking for at the low cost of $0.
*Don’t forget online book swap communities such as Paperback Swap, where you can swap books with other members and earn points for discounts on books for sale.
Preview Before Purchase
If you’d simply rather buy the book for one reason or another, then be sure to browse through reviews and/or sample chapters prior to making the purchase. This could save you from dumping loads of money on books you either won’t read or won’t like. Amazon is a great resource for this with its “Look Inside” feature (front page, table of contents, and first few pages or “Surprise Me!”).
eBooks
Once you’ve sorted through which books you really want and which ones don’t look so great after all, buying books for your Kindle, Nook, or other electronic reading device is generally cheaper than buying hard copies. Think about it: the publishing costs are minimal in comparison and there are no shipping costs involved. They may not have the same feel as physical books, but ebooks save both money and trees, plus they can be read from anywhere if you have the cloud feature (e.g., I’m able to read ebooks on the Kindle apps on my smartphone and iPad).
Garage Sales
One place to find interesting and/or barely-used books is garage sales. Some people buy books and leave them to gather dust on a bookshelf for years, only to sell them later for a couple quarters. There is also a fun surprise element about garage sales, since you never know what you might stumble upon. Thrift stores are also worth looking into.
Share Books
This option is especially helpful for students and parents. Students who are in the same class(es) can split the cost of textbooks (used or rented books are always cheaper than brand new). Also, for parents with young children, buying a few picture books and swapping with other parents when your child grows bored with your current collection is another great way to reduce the cost of introducing your child to the exciting world of literature.
If you are fond of using paper food bags, then you may want to take a look at Foodbag from Unikia.com. It is 100% reusable and is made of BPA-Free silicone. FoodBag is dishwasher safe and can be rolled for more compact storage. A very practical and gorgeous alternative to the large and bulky lunchbox.
I love this simple textile which I saw at Art & Article. This large furoshiki cloth can be used as an apron, a tote for carrying groceries and produce, a bread bag, something to transport potluck and meals, a table cloth or even a reusable gift wrap. The possibilities are endless. I would love to get a few and use them as gift wrap. Actually I would love it if someone were to gift me a Furoshiki. I can do so much with it.
When I was done with the business card printing for my new company, I went online to check out some party decors for my cousin. I came across these pretty Hearts balloons from Carousel.com. They are so colorful, pretty and fun. I am sure these Heart Balloons are going to liven up my cousin’s big bash. These eco latex balloons are bio-degradable. I think 30 pieces would be just nice.
Want to have some fun this weekend but scared of the needles? Well no worries. Just get yourself a pack of Tattly Designy Temporary Tattoo. No one would know they are fake. Printed with soy-based ink, they are safe and non-toxic. Each set includes 8 Tattlys and comes in a new card stock sleeve with a full-colour photo on the front.
Love this multi-coloured triangle picnic paper plates which are designed by My Little Day. It just perfect for picnic or birthday parties. I am definitely going to get some for my next birthday party. Oh, I just can’t wait!
Over the weekend, we attended a housewarming party as well as an 8 year old birthday party. Yeah it was a pretty busy weekend for everyone in our household. We had fun at the housewarming bbq party. The host even serenaded the guests with some songs on his electric bass. Music was great because the host just bought some new dr strings from musicians friend. We also had a swell time at the kid’s birthday party and the highlight of the day was when everyone was given some frozen delights – Zipzicle Pop. They are so good especially on a hot day. I had a lot of these when I was a kid. Sure brings back some good memories.
Just came across some really nice paper straws again. Oh how I love them. If you don’t know by now, I am quite smitten with paper straws. I saw these beautiful floral ones at http://emeraldandella.com.au. Check them out soon if you would like something unique for your party. If you are like me who just cannot get enough of paper straws, get some for your collection.
