CUTS ABOVE

Ever wonder what, exactly, those cuts of meat are in your supermarket bargain bins? Or how to cook them? The New York Times has answers. Check out the article here. 

Closet Confidential: Designers, slumming it.

The ladies at recessionwire.com have a great roundup detailing what designers are doing lower-cost lines for larger discount stores this spring. Check out the article here.

WRAP PARTY

Image via staceysnacksonline.com

While this post has nothing to do with living on the cheap, it has everything to do with living a better life. Brace yourself, for what I'm about to reveal is going to be life-altering to the extent that it may cause you too look back on the past few decades and have you shaking your fist in anger. After that, you may actually cry tears of relief. Here goes: 

Did you know that there, on the side of your Saran and Reynolds Wrap boxes, is a little tab that locks the roll in place? I'll bet you 23,094,820,983 phony bucks that you didn't.  Because, seriously: who looks at the side?

A friend posted this link on facebook and, after reading the news, I'm pretty sure I'll never be the same again. 

How  many times have you tried to pull of a sheet of saran wrap only to have it go kerplunk on the floor, rendering it somewhat dusty and you fully frustrated? I've done that so many times now that I approach the rolls with total trepidation. Plastic and aluminum foil companies (oh yeah, even the generic brands seem to have the tab) should put flashing lights on the sides of their packages to alert you to this feature. Can you imagine all the aggravation this would have saved had we known about this? We'd all be better, happier, nicer people. It's amazing.

Anyway, spread the word. 

Does This Trend Have Staying Power?

The NYTimes had a great piece today on "staycations" -- breaks from work in which people opt to stay home rather than jet off to someplace they can ill afford.

I have to admit: the concept appeals. But life as a freelancer is pretty much a staycation--especially now that I have approximately, uh, ZERO work to do on account of magazines dying at the awesome rate of about 309842098420983402984 per second. Watching Law & Order every day is only fun for so long, is what I'm saying. And I'm not convinced that were I on a staycation that I would ever feel like I wasn't just wasting time at home--which is how I feel nearly every day these days. 

Of course, perhaps the presence of my live-in boyfriend would change all that. I can picture us drinking wine at lunch, picking up cheese in the afternoon at the new creamery down the street, maybe even popping into a museum or seeing a show. But I can also just as easily picture us on the couch staring at our television, feeling like we were just wasting time. (We both have blackberries, and so in the latter scenario, I also can see us working... not exactly the point of a break.)

Jezebel asked their readers if they've ever had a successful staycation and, since I haven't had an original idea since college, I'm asking the same: Have any of you ever done it and felt like you actually pulled it off? The boyfriend's vacation is in August and my wallet isn't getting any fatter...

BLOOMING DEALS

Now through April 26th, Bloomingdale's is offering 20% off to their friends and family. Online shoppers should use promo code SPRINGFF. For some reason, I can't figure out how to post the coupon for in-store shoppers, so leave me your email in the comments section if you'd like me to forward it to you. 

FYI, the discount code is good for their wedding registry too. If, like me, you have a bajillion weddings coming up this summer, now might be a good time to take care of all your gifts...

OPRAH OFFERS

Image via sigg.com

In honor of Earth Day, Oprah has partnered with some ecologically sound retailers to give you some economically sound deals. These offers are only good for a limited time, so act fast!

GET A FREE, REUSABLE LUNCH BAG FROM WHOLE FOODS

GET 20% OFF SIGG PRODUCTS

GET 20% OFF TO-GO WARE

Happy Earth Day!

ABOVE: Going green is a bright idea. Image via oprah.com

After a week of vacation, I'm back. Back to this shiteous weather, back to paying for my meals (Hi Mom and Dad! I MISS YOU), and back to parking my increasingly fat patootie on the couch to watch she-of-the-also-round-buttox, Oprah. 

Today's show was all about Earth Day, and Oprah had a lot of great recommendations for going green and saving some cash. Here are some of her best and most NYC-applicable: 

1. Buy LCD flood lights. While they cost $40, they last 10 years and will save you up to $740 during that time.

2. LCD TV's are more energy efficient than their Plasma counterparts. Also, as in most things, smaller saves more energy. 

3. Go meatless one day a week. Having a "meatless Monday" every week will save you cash, and is the equivalent of removing 20 million mid-size sedans from the road. 

4. Gardening is the single greenest thing you can do (and, though Oprah says that it's not so easy to garden in NYC, I'd like to point out that I have beets growing on my rooftop right now) and a $60 investment will save you nearly $200 in fresh produce. 

5. Finally, for all you home owners: If you make a green improvement to your home before the end of 2009, you may be eligible for a $1500 tax credit.

Check out Oprah.com for more green ideas.