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Prepare Yourself For Cyber Monday: Get Your Shopping Tips Here

GeekSugar — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:30:23 -0800

To be completely honest, Cyber Monday excites me more than Black Friday. I can skip the early morning wakeup call, the crowds, and the rushing around from store to store trying to get the must-have items on my shopping list. Cyber Monday means I can do all my shopping online without having to set foot in a busy mall, while still scoring some amazing deals. To make this day even more exciting, I have buckets of tips in this slideshow that will help you save even more while you're clicking away. Check them out - you can thank me later. Source

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How to Buy an Engagement Ring Online

GeekSugar — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:02:31 -0700

Online shopping can be daunting, especially if the item in question is something you want to ensure the authenticity of, like a Wii, a designer handbag, and yes. . . an engagement ring.

I know some of you are groaning about who or why someone would shop online for something so important, but the practice is rising in popularity as shops are becoming more trustworthy and offering better deals, not to mention the fact that the Internet promises something more rare than the cheesy jewelry store at your local mall.

Buying and browsing online for rings is great whether you're the proposer or the proposee - say you're waiting for a proposal but don't want to march in to your local jewelry stores - it's totally ok (and incognito) to check out rings and styles to find what you like. For the tips, read more

My personal favorite kinds of engagement rings are antiques, which can be hard to come by at brick-and-mortar stores, depending on where you live. A good friend of mine proposed last year with a gorgeous and one of a kind antique ring he'd found online, and then had it resized for his fiancee.

Or maybe there's a large, specific retailer (Tiffany's comes to mind, and goosebumps come to arms) that you want a ring from but can't make it to a location.

Here are some important things to keep in mind:

Like any ring shopping, do your research first on the four C's: Cut, clarity, carats, and color. Blue Nile has a great, comprehensive guide for you to bone up on your ring knowledge.
The website Pricescope reviews and compares diamond prices of Internet stores and physical stores - a great second stop after you've gotten your four C's class.
Look for GIA certification for any diamond - it's a gemologist's grade of the quality of the diamond.

Tiffany & Co.: It's Tiffany, so prices and standards are going to be higher, but like I said, if you can't get to an actual store, online is a great source, especially because you don't have to worry about the quality.
Antique Rings: Swoon! I love the idea of an engagement ring with history, and it's also a socially conscious choice. Some sites are: the Antique Jewelry Mall, Art Deco Diamonds (my fave for the photography), and don't count out eBay - just be smart about the seller.
Brilliant Earth: This awesome site specializes in conflict-free diamonds and if you don't necessarily want one of their rings, you can buy the loose conflict-free diamond and shop for a setting elsewhere. If you don't use Brilliant Earth, at least read the buying guide so you can learn to avoid "blood diamonds." Green Karat is another conscious online retailer - they use recycled gold.
Blue Nile: A reputable seller that boasts personal proposal stories from buyers (awww) and uses PayPal!
James Allen: Here, you can design your own ring (including a 3-D video of what you design) and use a virtual loupe (the thingie you use to inspect diamonds closely). Bonus: download diamond screen savers (for Windows only)!
Diamond Ideals: features a no-questions-asked return policy and a lifetime upgrade policy.
White Flash: offers free verification and free shipping.

And of course, do a lot of research on the piece and any retailer you might use prior to clicking "add to cart"! Oh, and, congratulations!

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Geek Tip: Save Serious Cash With Amazon's Gold Box Lightning Deals

GeekSugar — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:01:07 -0800

Although it may be too late to get free shipping and receive your Amazon goodies by Christmas, it's never too late to save some serious dough on things you crave.

Want a good way to get the most out of your Amazon gift card? Try Amazon's Gold Box Lightning Deals. Every hour on the hour, Amazon releases another item for sale at a seriously discounted price.

You'll never know what item is up next, and that's part of the fun of it. But Amazon does give you a little hint on what it could be to pique your interest so you return in an hour . . . with that gift card in hand! Yesterday I got SingStar Abba for $15 bucks (62 percent off the sticker price), which is totally going to take my SingStar New Year's Eve party to another level.

ReSellerRatings Saved Me From Getting Bamboozled Online

GeekSugar — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:00:58 -0700

I've been itching to get a digital SLR camera so I can take full advantage of all the photography tips I've rounded up over the last year, but naturally, I'm looking for a good deal. So when looking online, I noticed that there is a huge range of prices for the same camera at different online retailers - can it be true that my coveted Nikon D60 really could cost me only $400 versus the $675 I've seen it priced elsewhere? My grandmother used to tell me, "If it's too good to be true, it probably is," and once I checked out these online retailers with ReSellerRatings, I knew my dream of getting the camera on the cheap was over.

Although it's easy to be swayed into going with the lowest price you can find online, see why it's smarter to spend a little more (and get what you pay for) when you read more

You could spend way less going with some random retailer that offers a lower price, but you might end up sitting on the phone with X Company's customer service as they try to bait and switch you into spending above and beyond what you could have spent for the same product elsewhere.

That is what ReSellerRatings is for: check out deals and surf thousands of ratings from actual customers, who have learned the hard way that going cheap may cost you more in the long run. Just enter the online store you're thinking of buying from, and you'll get a pretty good idea if they are reputable and worthy of your business. And seriously, if I'm going to fork over almost $700 for a camera, I better be getting great service, a great product, and a reliable seller! There are a few other places you can check out online retailer ratings to keep your money safe:

The Better Business Bureau gives you valuable info on if the retailer you're looking into has any service, business, or transaction complaints filed against them.
Share your experiences on StoreRatings. Not only can you leave a review, you can rate important factors like customer service, shipping process, and tech support.
BizRate has a handy and fairly comprehensive ratings guide to their most used online retailers.

Do you have a go-to rating site that lets you in on online retailers' dirty little secrets? Add to the list in the comments below!

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Geek Tip: RetailMeNot Adds Firefox Extension

GeekSugar — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 10:00:40 -0800

If you ever used RetailMeNot to find coupon codes for stores like Victoria's Secret, JCrew and American Eagle, there's now a RetailMeNot Firefox extension that makes online shopping that much more exciting. Discussed on lifehacker, this free extension will automatically check for coupons and provide you with a notification if a coupon is found for the site you are visiting. How great is that?!

Geek Tip: Use Frucall To Get Online Deals

GeekSugar — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 14:00:35 -0700

The next time you go shopping and you want to know if you are getting the best deal on a product there's a great free service called Frucall that lets you know if you can get a better deal somewhere else.

All you have to do is dial 1-888-DO-FRUCALL, enter the barcode from the merchandise into your phone and Frucall will read back the best online prices to you. They will also give you the option of purchasing directly from the online merchants while you are on the phone or bookmark it for later reference from your laptop.

You can also use Frucall text and Frucall mWeb so you can access and compare online prices of products using your cell phone!

How to Use the Internet to Manage Your Wedding Registry

GeekSugar — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:30:40 -0700

Engaged? Congratulations! You're about to start your life as a married couple, and one of the advantages of getting married is getting to register for fabulous things to feather your nest with. But like many things that sound fun at first, it can also become overwhelming.

The Internet is your best friend in managing your registry. So much can be done online that you (almost) don't even have to set foot in a store to look at china patterns. Of course, you also need to know where to start, which is where I come in.

First step: Deciding where to register.

These days, it seems like most couples are moving away from registering only at stores that have a lot of brick-and-mortar outposts because so many people are comfortable shopping online. It's also good if you don't know which store is convenient for most of your guests - but pretty much everyone has an Internet connection. The best places to register, in my opinion, have both physical stores (so you can see things in person) and online-accessible registries.
Some bigger stores that have both a physical presence and online registries are: Macy's, Crate and Barrel, Bloomingdale's, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Target, and CB2. For each, you can either go to the store and register there, and they'll set up your online registry simultaneously, or you can just set up the registry online.

To see the rest of my online registry tips, as well as linking etiquette and some warnings, just read more.

Want things that are only available online? You can register with Amazon, or alternatively, you can register with the website Wishpot, which lets you add products from any website on the Internet and it puts it into one registry.
If you decide on multiple registries, you can use MyRegistry or Wedding Channel to add gifts from tons of stores.
Don't want home things? You can also register for your honeymoon at HoneyFund or you can request charitable donations with JustGive.org.

Getting the Word Out:

Although etiquette usually dictates that people find out about registries via word of mouth, it is the 21st century, and if you're going to create a wedding website or blog, a discrete (read: not flashing) link to your online registries is OK in my book.
If you didn't create a wedding website or don't feel comfortable linking, rest assured that people can search The Knot for any online registry just using your name.

But Be Careful:

Be aware that if you register at certain stores in person (like Macy's), the prices for sale or promotion items online may be different - that is, not on sale. If you think the full price is unreasonable, then ensure the price matches online.
Exchange and return policies are not always the same for the online registry purchases as they are in store. Some stores even require receipts if you want to return a gift, so make sure that you read all return and exchange policies for the stores you register at.

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Website of The Day: DIY Planner

GeekSugar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:00:13 -0700

There's just something about actually writing down your to-dos that makes you get 'em done. I admit - as much as I tout the joys of using my iPhone to list what I have to do during my day, I always find that I remember more when I'm physically writing them down on a piece of paper. So if you are also a fan of low-tech methods to help you get things done, then check out DIY Planner.

DIY Planner is your one-stop shop for free downloadable and printable to-do lists, exercise logs, budget planners, and the like; plus, you can find tips to making your own planners and productivity templates. You can still get your digital fix (by going online and downloading your planner) while still getting that fulfillment of checking things off your list the trusty old analog way - with a pen and paper.

10 Simple Tips For Getting Organized

GeekSugar — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 07:03:52 -0800

While most of us jot down our New Year's resolutions in low tech notebooks and organizers there are billions of helpful websites and handy tech tips that can help us reach our goals.

If you spend your whole day in front of a computer or carry a PDA in your pocket or purse (meaning you have constant web and calendar access) you really don't have an excuse to be disorganized.

Put everything in its place! – This one is a no brainer, but you'll be destined for organization if you create a proper home for your PDAs, iPods, cell phone and chargers. If you don't want to spend any money you can turn a pretty bowl or basket into a simple gadget haven, or if you want to get a little fancier, check out the Smart Tech furniture and charging stations from Pottery Barn. You'll never run around the house looking for your charger again. Okay, maybe you will, but you'll have a better idea of where it might be.
Use your camera phone – I love using my camera phone to make lists, take pictures of items when I am shopping and even to help me remember where I parked in a lot. Think of your picture phone as a notepad without having to carry a notepad. Most modern phones have notes sections, or even text message functions where you can write yourself a quick note and save the message for later reference.
Manage your finances online – We all know we can pay bills online, but did you know you can automatically track and organize your online and offline purchases?
Make the best of your digital pictures! - One of the best things about creating a blog or joining a photo sharing service or other online archive is the fact that it allows you easy access to your photos and memories without taking up all your computer memory. Plus, you can share your experiences with friends and family, or keep items private. Check out my guide to making the most of your photography.
Use your online calendar and PDA – Spend some time selecting an online calendar that can easily sync with your gadgetry and life. Online calendaring makes your schedule easily accessible and will help you keep track of birthdays, special dates and appointments.

To check out the rest of my list of tips (and goals!) for keeping your schedule and life on track this year read more.

Clean out your address book – I tend to hang on to email addresses because people seem to keep them for a long time but I highly suggest cleaning out your cell phone's address book. I programmed my high school boyfriend's number into my first cell phone and have automatically transferred it into more than a decade of phones without realizing it. It's time to let go.
Use an RSS Reader already – An RSS Reader (Really Simple Syndication) is a web feed aggregator, also known as a feed reader, that aggregates syndicated web content such as news headlines, blogs, podcasts, and vlogs in a single location for easy viewing. Examples of popular RSS Readers include Google Reader, Netvibes, Bloglines and My Yahoo's RSS feature. If you read more than five websites a day and don't have a reader you are in for a treat.
Program your TiVo online - You don't have to panic if you forget to set a season pass for Gossip Girl. If you have a Series2 TiVo box, you can easily schedule recordings anywhere you have access to the web. You just have to set up an online account. By the way, did you know if you have a TiVo Series2 DVR connected to your home network you can take your TiVo recordings "to go" by putting them on your laptop, video iPod, Playstation Portable, Palm Treo, Creative Zen Vision:M, Nokia N80 and Toshiba gigabeat?
Clean up your computer and e-mail – You know you don't need the 6,999 e-mails in your inbox or the 17 photos of Britney getting out of her car. Seriously, you don't. Get rid of them.
Make use of my tips! – As you know, I share geek tips every day. Some of them are simple, some are downright geeky, but 90 percent of them will help you be more organized and make better use of your technology. The rest? Well, they're just fun.

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Gadget Gift Help Galore on geeksugar!

GeekSugar — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 09:00:42 -0800

Just in case you've missed some of my handy holiday gift guides, here's a roundup of some of my favorites to help you discover some great last minute gift ideas! And if you're planning on shopping online, be sure to check out some of my last minute shipping tips and tricks.

Last Minute Gifts	Stocking Stuffers	Gifts For Guys
Gifts For Sisters	Gifts For Moms	Gifts For Dads

For more gift ideas head on over to HolidaySugar for holiday coverage and gift guides across the Sugar network!