I’m not that tall (5 foot 8 inches) but I do have long legs, and that makes it hard to find pants. Manufacturers and designers tend to think that only people over a size 6 can be tall, and it’s very difficult to find pants in a size 1 or 2 that have a long enough leg for me. I’ve been able to find pants in my size, in a longer length, at Old Navy and Gap, but they usually need to be special ordered. They don’t tend to stay on the racks long.

That’s why I was pleasantly surprised when I tried on a pair of pants at Express, from the Editor line, and they FIT! Not only did they fit perfectly in the waist, hips, and butt without being too loose or too tight, but they were plenty long enough. The regular size 2 has a nice long leg, which is great, since they don’t offer a long length option. I snagged a pair off the clearance rack for $40, which is a steal considering the regular price is closer to $80. Trust me though, these pants are worth it! I get irritated when I try pants on and they fit well in the butt, but leave a big back above my butt…I could fit another person in there! Not so with the Editor pants from Express, and I’m hoping Santa brings me another pair. They’re a classic tailored look with a not too wild flare leg that’s perfect for work.

Thank you Express, for realizing that skinny girls can be long legged!

I received another $200 in donations this week for my sister’s 3-Day walk. She’s only $250 away from her goal, and I’m confident we’ll meet that by the end of the month. You can help too - just read how to donate here, and you’ll be getting the link love too!

Thanks to:
Kitty
Kelly at That’s What She Said.
Vedis
Barnett Associates (specializing in Washington real estate)

I had a friend over yesterday, who happens to be newly single. She and a single friend of hers are trying the online dating thing, so I got to hear a few horror stories about the men she’s met, and a few that she’d like to see again. It got me thinking - meeting people online is great, but the internet is a big melting pot. When I met my husband (at work, not online) one of the things we found out we had in common was church. Finding out that we both attended the same church was an instant bond, and I imagine a lot of church-goers want to marry someone who has the same beliefs that do. That’s why sites for Christian dating are getting to be popular right now. A lot of churches do singles nights and such, but that limits you to people in your own parish. With websites focusing on Christians meeting other Christians, you can find a potential match across town, or across the state.

Ever hear the term “shopping for college”? I don’t mean buying things for your dorm, I mean actually SHOPPING for the right college. Once you get to be a junior in high school (assuming you have decent grades) you’ll start to receive mail daily from schools wooing you. How do you decide? Every college has a different feel, from their location (small town, rural area, or big city) to the student population (all women, or mostly African-American) to the personality of the school (big on frats? Into athletics?) Finding the right fit for you can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. There’s where the MatchCollege.com search comes in handy.

With over 6,000 certification programs, vocational schools, colleges and universities, MatchCollege.com can help you to narrow down your choices, and find the right school for you. They help you compare schools by comparing housing, the amount of financial aid give, admissions, athletic programs, and more. I looked up my alma mater, St. Petersburg College, on MatchCollege.com and was able to see a listing of fees, programs, and a lot of other info. The fee area is especially helpful when comparing 2 schools. The whole site is a great resource for anyone contemplating college.

I love to shop. But I shop responsibly. Oh sure, I buy things I may not need from time to time (and those things end up in the gift closet), and I’m sure I could name an impulse purchase or two, but I only spend the money I’ve got. I was watching an episode of Big Spender recently where a women was spending thousands of dollars a month, money she didn’t have, on clothing. Designer clothing - so much that it was in her closet by catergory - one for Marc Jacobs, one for Chanel…she had over 300 pairs of shoes. Most of the clothing still had tags on it.

If you want to learn more about shopping smart and avoiding debt, check out Bills.com’s Debt Freedom guide site. If one of your New Years resolutions was to make yourself more financially fit, this is a site you can’t live without. You can download this free (see, you’re already saving money!) consumer guide in a PDF format by visiting http://www.bills.com/guide or sending an email to guide@bills.com. The guide is 17 pages long and chock full of information on smart saving, and being, or becoming debt free. You’ll learn how to establish your household budget and stick to it and manage your cash flow. If you’ve never learned about smart money management, here’s your chance - for free!

Technorati Tags: debt, debt free, shopping, shopaholic, big spender, debt freedom, bills.com

If you want to promote your blog, (and I sure want to promote this one, and increase my traffic here!) here’s a great new option that’s completely free: Fuel My Blog. You pick your sqaure, add an image, and viola, your blog is listed. Check out their blog as well, they feature bloggers on there from the big wall o’ blogs!

Walk your rear on over to my other blog and check out one of my latest entries…it’s all about the reality show RockStartUp, PayPerPost, and ME! I’ve always said I should have my own television show…and I’ve got the next best thing now - an appearance in RockStartUp.

If you want to blog with PayPerPost like I do, and earn money (by blogging about the things you love), click over there in my sidebar and sign yourself up!

Technorati Tags: PayPerPost, blog jobs, making money, get paid to blog, RockStartUp, reality TV

Did you guys take advantage of the free book offer I posted earlier? I received a notification this weekend that I was randomly selected as one of the winners - cool, huh?

I’ll be receiving a copy of “I`m Not Julia Roberts” by Laura Ruby in the next few days. If you didn’t win this time, you can enter again - maybe you’ll get lucky!

Technorati Tags: books, free books, reading, Great American Book Giveaway

It’s actually been cold enough here this week for me to wear my flannel Victoria’s Secret jammies! Would you believe I took them all the way to North Carolina on vacation and didn’t get to wear them?

For the record, I ordered a size small. If I had gotten the size XS, the waist would probably fit better, but they would have been too short. If I wear the size S at my hips, the pants are long enough. They have an elastic waist and a drawstring, which I am using. Haven’t worn the top yet, because I’d probably sweat in long sleeves in bed - I usually wear a t-shirt.

Here I am, modeling them - they are soooo soft and comfy!

(Picture taken by daughter laying on couch, which is the reason I look much taller than normal!)

Technorati Tags: jammies, Victoria’s Secret, flannel, pajamas

I’m in a contest, and I need your help! RealRock 101 (WJRR-FM) is sponsoring a contest with PayPerPost, where we were invited to share our most outrageous, exciting, or embarrassing concert experience! Watch my video and see what you think of our story about a VERY embarrassing incident at a Jimmy Buffett concert in Tampa.

The 3 videos with the highest # of views on YouTube will go to a finals round on the RealRock 101 website, and they’ll be voted on there.

Here’s the link to the video - have a laugh on us!

Technorati Tags: PayPerPost, YouTube, concert contest, Real Rock 101, PayPerPost Contest, Jimmy Buffett, Margaritaville

It’s that time of year again, time to start thinking about filing your taxes. I always look forward to doing my taxes…probably because we always get a refund. If we had to pay, I’m sure I’d be singing a different tune. Speaking of paying taxes, for most of us, sales tax is a necessary evil. We pay it without even thinking twice about it, because we’re so used to sales tax. Now you can get a piece of that sales tax back, from the IRS.

Did you know that shopping can provide you with a deduction on your taxes? It’s true! You can claim deductions on state and local sales tax, and you can deduct even more if you purchased certain “big-ticket” items. You’ll find these deductions already built into tax preparation software like Turbo Tax, but if you file a paper income tax return, you’ll need to use form 1040 (Schedule A), not 1040A.

If you’ve saved all your receipts, you can claim the total sales tax you paid based on those amounts. (Make sure you DO have the receipts - no sense in claiming it if you can’t back those figures up in case of an audit!) If you didn’t hang on to your receipts, not to worry - there’s a sales tax table available for each state. It’s based on what an average taxpayer pays out in sales tax, and your income, filing status, and the number of children or other deductions you have is taken into consideration. You may want to consider saving your receipts in the future though, and then you’ll be able to compare your actual tax paid versus what the tax table states. Depending on what you did in the previous year, you may find that your sales tax paid is quite a bit higher than the taxpayer average in the sales tax tables. For example, my family moved in 2006, and bought a lot of new furniture, appliances, and a new car. Our sales tax paid is going to be higher than the average taxpayer. Speaking of that new car, there’s an option to add in tax paid on new cars and boats. You can add it right on top of your average sales tax deduction. The IRS also allows the Treasury secretary to add other items to the new car and boat rule as he sees fit.

Remember, if you’re using online filing, you’ll find that the software is updated with all of the latest tax information. If you’re using paper, make sure you’ve read the newest rulings on credits and deductions so that you get the money you deserve!

Technorati Tags: sales tax, taxes, Turbo Tax, online filing, paper filing, IRS, deductions

My friend Laura shared the link for NoiseBot.com with me a few months ago, and I knew I’d find something there for Christmas for my husband.

When I spotted this T-shirt, I knew I had a winner. My husband is a HUGE hockey fan, and just Catholic enough that he wouldn’t object to wearing Jesus across his chest. The shirt has been a big hit - he wore it out a few times on vacation and people loved it. This week, he went to see the Tampa Bay Lightning play, so he wore the shirt again to show off. What’s really neat about all the products at NoiseBot.com is that you can customize them - for instance, I was able to choose any color of T-shirt once I picked out a design. I got the shirt for my husband in royal blue, to match the team colors of the Lightning.

I’ve got my next purchase there already picked out too - and this time, it’s for me. How cute is this “Get Low” shirt? Quite fitting since I have a daschund! And if you’re not into T-shirts, you can get a hoodie, or a tote bag. The shirt I got was $17.95, and it’s a nice cotton T-shirt - not too thin at all, so I know it will hold up when going through the laundry. Definitely worth the price, and worth a visit if you’d like to make a statement across your chest.

Technorati Tags: Noisebot, T-shirts, funny t-shirts, vintage t-shirts, hockey t-shirt, tshirt, Daschund t-shirt

So you want to hang pictures, decorations, mirrors, or shelves…but you’re not so handy with a drill? Don’t forget, you need to find the studs and make sure everything is level, too! That must be why, after 7 months of living in our new house, we STILL have a stack of pictures waiting to be hung.

I’ve found the solution - Hercules Hooks! One of my fellow PayPerPosties, Dan, has found a great deal on these hooks on Amazon. For less than $15, you get 20 of the hooks and a laser level. The hooks will hold up to 150lbs each, and don’t require a drill or studfinder for installation. In other words, so easy, even I can do it! I absolutely love that I can use these and not wait on my husband anymore to hang pictures!

Not to mention, it’s great to hear about a “sold on TV” product that actually does what it claims!

Technorati Tags: Hercules Hook, Hooks, As Seen On TV, Hercules, Sold on TV, TV products, Amazon

Yes, I am a brand new addict. Especially where underwear is concerned. I ONLY wear Victoria’s Secret bra and panties. Why? Well, as far as the bras go, I know my size, I know the style I prefer, and I don’t ever have to try a bra on in order to purchase it. As far as the panties…you can’t beat ‘em for comfort and style. I used to wear nothing but the cotton bikinis, especially since you could always snag them for $5 a pair, but then I got a freebie Body By Victoria bikini and fell in love.

Victoria’s Secret claims these Body By Victoria string bikini panties are “Tagless panties destined to become your everyday favorite”, and they’re right. My husband bought me a few pairs back from his last trip out of town, and then got me a few more pairs for Christmas. They work great with my low rise jeans and are so unbelievably comfy. I’m tossing everything else and buying these in bulk!

I previously blogged about the new steak knives my husband and I got before the holidays. We had priced out the larger knives at Kohl’s as well, but I held off, thinking they’d be great for a Christmas gift for my husband. The following week, I was in Ellenton at Prime Outlets with friends and saw the very same knives (a carving knife, a bread knife, and a slicer) for much less than Kohl’s, so I purchased them, and a sharpener.

If you’re considering buying new knives, I also found some great deals on these at Overstock.com, like this set with steak knives, kitchen shears, and a sharpener for only $99.99. We absolutely love ‘em and wish we hadn’t waited so long to get new knives!

One of the things I consider myself to be an expert on, is Disney World. I’ve been going to the Disney theme parks since my 3rd birthday, and we have seasonal Disney World tickets that allow us to visit the parks as often as we want. If you’re thinking about heading to Disney for a vacation, now is the time to go. The parks aren’t as busy from January through March and you’ll find some great deals on lodging in the Orlando area at this time as well. I’ve even written about how to save money on Disney dining during your trip!

Technorati Tags: Disney, Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Walt Disney, Disney vacation, Disney dining, Disney World tickets

Yesterday afternoon it was announced that I won $1000 from PayPerPost in their RockStartUp puzzle contest. That’s a LOT of shopping cash, right before Christmas. Thanks, PayPerPost!

(You can get paid for blogging too - just click on the PayPerPost image in the sidebar and sign up today!)

Technorati Tags: PayPerPost, RockStartup, paid blogging, blog jobs, make money online

My love for Coca-Cola has finally paid off. For the past few months, I’ve been collecting (and inputting!) the Coke Rewards code on each 12 pack we buy. And lordy, do we buy a LOT of Coke! The codes off smaller packages are worth 3 points, and the codes off the 12 packs are worth 10 points. Once you input your codes, you’ll be able to see how many points you have. You can then spend your points on everything from free magazine subscriptions to free Blockbuster rentals to exclusive Coca-Cola items. Save your points, and you can apply them to high end rewards! I turned in my points today and got a 12 month subscription to Good Housekeeping and a 12 month subscription to RedBook - not bad freebies for buying something I neededwanted anyway!

Technorati Tags: Coca-Cola, Coke, Coke Rewards, Coke freebies, freebies, free magazines, Good Housekeeping, RedBook, Blockbuster

Kudos and props and good karma to Overstock.com for shipping my sheets so quickly! They shipped the day after I ordered them via UPS and arrived a few days ago. After I popped them into the washer and then into the bed, it was time to test them out. It’s been several nights now, and we LOVE THEM. The color is absolutely beautiful (we got Ruby to match our duvet) and they feel wonderful. I can’t believe the difference between the new sheets and our old sheets. Amazing…and I’ll definitely buy more!

Technorati Tags: Overstock, 600 thread count, shees, Overstock.com, fast shipping

Means I’ve got to have a little fun money so I can splurge once in a while, right? Maybe you need to pay for preschool, or ballet lessons, or a new furnace. Whatever you need extra cash for, if you have a blog, you can make some money by blogging with PayPerPost. I’ve been using PPP on my main blog since July, and I’ve made $3600 so far - not too shabby for a part time job, right? They’ve made a lot of great changes to the site recently, so take a look, and if you like what you see, sign up under me