The Blawgirl crawls the Interwebz to find steals and deals for the frugal law student and the competitive bargain shopper. Find a new Frugal Finds 11:30 (ish) p.m. PST every Monday through Saturday! Also, each post is updated as I come across items. You’re welcome.
A note from the Blawgirl: Frugal Finds will continue on a daily basis until the beginning of August, when it will become a weekly feature.
Gadgets and Gear:
- Internet, phone and satellite TV starting at $100. Sign up for the Verizon FiOS Triple Freedom package at Verizon.com and receive $150 cash back plus an extra $5 off per month. Price and availability varies by location, but starts at packages start at $99.99 per month. (via DealNews)
- $50 desk. Staples has the Z-Line Aura Desk in silver/clear for $49.99 (Was: $69.99) with shipping at $9.95. According to DealNews, it’s best to pad your order to $50 for free shipping.
Odds and Ends:
- Two makeup kits for $60. Ulta.com has two of its Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Get Started Kits together with the Bare Escentuals Refillable Compact and three product samples for $60 via the directions at DealNews with free shipping.
- Free online makeover. This weekend, the Blawgirl and the Boyfriend went to local shopping center South Coast Plaza to watch my friend (and former boss) take part in a makeover/runway show hosted by “What Not To Wear” host Clinton Kelly! After seeing all the awesome transformations, I remembered that there are tons of videos online that could help even the most clueless of us(*Blawgirl raises hand sheepishly*) achieve a professional look. Here are a couple of videos from hosts I like, but definitely poke around to find someone who shares your same makeup approach (simple and light, dark and glamorous, etc.) There are also tons of hair tutorials out there too! Guys, if you’ve ever wondered what takes some of us so long to get ready, watch these videos.
Photo: annia316 / Flickr
Deep Dark Secret: In which the Blawgirl reveals sordid details about her life and innermost thoughts.
If you’ve read this blawg in the past, you’ll know that the Blawgirl, besides referring to herself in the third person on occasion, loves her some cute. Which is why I was thrilled, to say the least, when the White House finally announced that Pres. Barack Obama had made good on his promise to his daughters and had adopted Bo, hereafter referred to as the First Dog of the United States of America, or FDOTUS.
I was equally thrilled when I discovered that, besides posting candid shots of the president at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., the White House’s Flickr photostream also showed photos of the FDOTUS intereacting with Mr. Obama and White House staffers. Here are the Blawgirl’s favorite photos of Bo so far!
Bo being friendly with a staffer:
Bo checking out his new office:
And here’s one that, according to Fox News, shows the president bowing to the FDOTUS. The Blawgirl thinks he’s just stooping over to give him a bellyrub:
The Blawgirl crawls the Interwebz to find steals and deals for the frugal law student and the competitive bargain shopper. Find a new Frugal Finds 11:30 (ish) p.m. PST every Monday through Saturday! Also, each post is updated as I come across items. You’re welcome.
A note from the Blawgirl: Frugal Finds will continue on a daily basis until the beginning of August, when it will become a weekly feature.
Gadgets and Gear:
- $470 notebook. Lenovo has its Lenovo ThinkPad SL400 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.1GHz 14.1″ Widescreen Notebook for $569 (Was: $710) with free shipping, but coupon code “USPEMAIL62″ brings the price down to $469 . (via DealNews)
- $600 notebook. Dell Small Business has the Dell Vostro 1320 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.1GHz 13.3″ Widescreen Notebook in cherry red for $599 (Was: $988) with free shipping via the directions found at DealNews.
- $40 computer cart. Walmart has the Mainstays Computer Cart for $39, with shipping adding $12.97, or opt for free Site-to-Store. Features include a lower CPU shelf, pullout keyboard tray, front-locking casters and more. (via DealNews)
Entertainment:
- $2 Seabird album. Amazon.com’s MP3 store has downloads of Seabird’s 12-song album ‘Til We See the Shore for $1.99. If you like Keane, Travis or Coldplay, you may like this album, which has lots of piano-driven melodies. Check out a video of “Falling for You” (complete with half-face, emo hair) at the end of this article!
- Free admission to national parks. The U.S. National Parks Service is offering free weekend admission to over 100 national parks on select weekends throughout the summer. Free admission will be in effect on June 20 to 21, July 18 to 19, and August 15 to 16. Click here for a list of participating parks!
Odds and Ends:
- Happy, happy donut day! In honor of National Donut Day, Krispy Kreme offers a donut of your choice for free. Limit one donut per person. Find your nearest Krispy Kreme here.
- BOGO at T.G.I. Friday’s. Buy one entree and get one free at T.G.I. Friday’s from June 2-22 with this coupon. Find your nearest location here. (via DealNews)
- 50 percent of Toasty Torpedo. At Quiznos, buy one Toasty Torpedo sandwich and get 50 percent off a second Toasty Torpedo sandwich with this printable coupon. Find your nearest Quiznos here. (via DealNews)
The Blawgirl crawls the Interwebz to find steals and deals for the frugal law student and the competitive bargain shopper. Find a new Frugal Finds 11:30 (ish) p.m. PST every Monday through Saturday! Also, each post is updated as I come across items. You’re welcome.
A note from the Blawgirl: Frugal Finds will continue on a daily basis until the beginning of August, when it will become a weekly feature.
Entertainment:
- Free admission to national parks. The U.S. National Parks Service is offering free weekend admission to over 100 national parks on select weekends throughout the summer. Free admission will be in effect on June 20 to 21, July 18 to 19, and August 15 to 16. Click here for a list of participating parks!
Odds and Ends:
- Buy one get one free tees. At Aeropostale, buy one graphic tee and get a second one for free, shipping starting at $7.95. Men’s and women’s graphic tees start at $15.50. (via DealNews) While you’re there, you should also check out their weekend clearance sale, which includes basic camis for $5.99 (Was: $16.50) and a selection of jeans for $15 each (Was: $49.50).
- $26 Hug Me Pillow. After you drive away your significant other with your law school-related hissy fits (j/k. or am I?), you might want something to cuddle up to. Like the Hug Me Pillow. Overstock.com has this pillow, which is shaped like an arm attached to half a torso, for $25.97 (Was: $39.90). (via DealNews) Loved this review: “I bought this pillow to keep my company on nights when my husband, a correspondent for the Trans-Alaskan News Network, was out of town. The pillow exceeded even my wildest expectations. I’m told the pillow was modeled after Brad Pitt, and I believe it! When I first nestled against the soft, but firm chest of my new ‘husband’ I slept better than I ever had before. Now I don’t mind when my husband goes out of town!” Don’t know if that’s funny or sad. Another option is finding a free hugs campaign spot near you! Here’s a video of the free hugs campaign in China:
Whoops. Wrong video. Here’s the right one!
If you’re a California resident or even an outsider who’s been following news of us here in the Golden State, you know that we’re in deep doodoo when it comes to the state budget, which is seeing a $24 billion deficit.
In order to close the state’s budget shortfall, the Governator has proposed steep cuts to many of the state’s programs, including cutting $1.9 billion to the University of California and California State University systems and $5.2 billion to the state’s K-12 schools. This could mean very bad news for the U.C. Hastings School of Law, which would lose $10 million in funding under the governor’s proposal.
It could also mean very bad news not just for students looking to go to community colleges, which fall under the K-12 umbrella, but also for a state that needs all the help it can get.
According to the California Community Colleges Web site, the institutions “supply workforce training and basic skills education, prepare students for transfer to four-year institutions and offer opportunities for personal enrichment and lifelong learning.”
In other words: community colleges are not just a proving ground for students planning to attend a four-year university, they’re a training ground for workers who want to learn new skills or improve on the ones they have already acquired
If the community college system lost significant funding or were cut entirely, it would mean some students who want to go to college but who can’t necessarily attend a public or private university straight out of high school will be left in limbo.
It would mean that some people who lost their jobs during this recent recession may not have the option to take classes to build skill sets that would help them find gainful employment.
It would mean that potential sources of revenue for the state – the entrepreneurs, scientists and engineers who could have been produced and/or trained by the colleges – may not reach their full potential or even leave the state to find training elsewhere.
As a product of a community college and of a state university (If you’re thinking “Hmm. That explains a lot,” we don’t love you anymore), I know that both systems of higher education are invaluable. I discovered my passion for journalism in community college and honed my journalism skills at the state university.
I also know, however, that no matter how you slice it, it’s going to be painful when the budget axe finally falls here in California, and there are going to have to be some tough decisions made (don’t believe me? Try closing the budget shortfall)
But the worse thing the state can do is limit the accessibility to these institutions of higher education.
Photo: Franco Follini / Flickr
Surprise! Law school students on Twitter have a lot to say about the law and law school. The Blawgirl compiles some of her favorites from the past 24 hours or so.
We’ve all heard how competitive law school can be, but I wonder what madness Tweeter @shiratic encountered that prompted her to ponder this:
I was a vegetarian for about five years, then I discovered that sausages and the animal(s) that go into them are delicious. But I do have to agree with Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck, Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg, Prince of Bismarck (yes, that is just one person) that learning what exactly goes into those sausages might not be the best thing if I want to retain my regard for them. The same goes for the law. [@ericdkuzma]
After months of working on and bitching about law school applications, this next tweet just annoyed me. [@dunord]
Despite the reputation that lawyers have, at least one law student states that he will have no problem announcing his lawyer-ness to the world. Good luck with that. Might as well write “slash my tires, break my windows and steal my GPS, please!” on the side of your car with neon spray paint. [@noelbagwell]
[@shiratic, @ericdkuzma, @dunord, @noelbagwell]
The Blawgirl crawls the Interwebz to find steals and deals for the frugal law student and the competitive bargain shopper. Find a new Frugal Finds 11:30 (ish) p.m. PST every Monday through Saturday! Also, each post is updated as I come across items. You’re welcome.
A note from the Blawgirl: Frugal Finds will continue on a daily basis until the beginning of August, when it will become a weekly feature.
Gadgets and Gear:
- $374 notebook. Dell Home has the Dell Inspiron 15n Intel Core 2 Duo 2GHz 15.6″ Widescreen Notebook in matte black for $374 via the directions at DealNews.
- $450 notebook. Lenovo has its Lenovo IdeaPad Y550 Intel Core Duo 2GHz 15.6″ Widescreen Notebook for $599.99, but coupon code “USPIDEA48U” brings the price down to $449, with free shipping. (via DealNews)
- $550 notebook. Dell Small Business offers the Dell Vostro 1520 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.1GHz 15.4″ Widescreen Notebook in obsidian black for $549 (Was: $887) with free shipping. (via DealNews)
- $650 notebook. Dell Small Business has the Dell Vostro 1320 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.1GHz 13.3″ Widescreen Notebook in cherry red for $649 (Was: $956) with free shipping via the directions found at DealNews.
- $13 backpack. Yugster.com has the Pacific Design Action Pro Backpack for $17.97 (Was: $49.95), but coupon code “chat5off5″ brings the price down to $12.97, with shipping at $7. (via DealNews)
- $35 backpack. In That Case via Buy.com has the Samsonite Interchange Computer Backpack for 17″ Notebooks for $34.99 (Was: $49.99) with free shipping. (via DealNews)
Entertainment:
- Free Amazon MP3 downloads. Check out “Easily Bruised” from Matthew Barber’s album Ghost Notes; “In my time of dying” from The Lovell Sisters’ album Time to Grow; and “Shadows” from Au Revoir Simone’s album Still Night, Still Light.
- Free iTunes Starbucks download. Last week, I picked up a free download from Starbucks Coffee for the Great Lake Swimmers’ song “Still”. If you’re not familiar with the promotion, Starbucks offers a free download from the iTunes store each week via a card you can pick up at the front counter. New cards are available every Tuesday. No purchase is necessary. Find your nearest Starbucks here.
Odds and Ends:
- Free root beer float. Get a free Root Beer Float any time between 8 p.m. and midnight today at participating Sonic Drive-Ins. Find your nearest location here. (via DealNews) If you want a more adult version of the classic summertime drink, check out this recipe for a Root Beer Floatini. Yey, summer! (Drink responsibly!)
Photo: Jeremy Brooks / Flickr
The Blawgirl crawls the Interwebz to find steals and deals for the frugal law student and the competitive bargain shopper. Find a new Frugal Finds 11:30 (ish) p.m. PST every Monday through Saturday! Also, each post is updated as I come across items. You’re welcome.
A note from the Blawgirl: Frugal Finds will continue on a daily basis until the beginning of August, when it will become a weekly feature.
Gadgets and Gear:
- $600 notebook. Buy.com has the Toshiba Satellite L355-S7907 Pentium Dual-Core 2GHz 17″ Widescreen Notebook in onyx blue for $599.95 (Was: $649.99) with free shipping. (via DealNews)
- $650 notebook. The HP Home & Home Office Store has its HP Pavilion dv7t Intel Core 2 Cuo 2GHz 17″ Widescreen Notebook for $649.99 with free shipping via the directions found at DealNews.
- $850 notebook. Newegg.com has the Sony VAIO Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz 14.1″ Widescreen Notebook in glossy black for $849.99 (Was: $949.99) with free shipping. (via DealNews)
- 50 percent off netbook sleeves. PC Micro Store knocks 50 percent off its selection of netbook sleeves via coupon code “Dealnews50%NetbookSlv” with free shipping. The coupon expires after 100 redemptions.
Entertainment:
- Amazon.com MP3 deals, including free music. Amazon.com’s MP3 store has tons of deals on albums and individual MP3 downloads. What I like about the site is that, unlike iTunes, it has tons more free and discounted stuff available to you. You can find a list of all the MP3 deals here. The Blawgirl’s free download picks: “Dorchester Hotel” from The Sounds’ new album Crossing the Rubicon; “Born on a day the sun didn’t rise” from Black Moth Super Rainbow’s new album Eating Us; “Led to the sea” from Jenny Owen Youngs’ new album Transmitter Failure; the “Six Degrees Indian Music Sampler” by various artists (scroll to the end of this article for a trailer for an awesome free movie Sita Sings the Blues); and “Frank’s Tavern” by Calexico (This song sounds like getting drunk after a good ol’ fashioned bar fight, and I love it)
Odds and Ends:
- Free root beer float. Receive a free Root Beer Float any time between 8 p.m. and midnight tomorrow, June 3, at participating Sonic Drive-Ins. Find your nearest location here. (via DealNews)
Image: Screengrab from Sita Sings the Blues via Fabrikproject.com.
The Blawgirl crawls the Interwebz to find steals and deals for the frugal law student and the competitive bargain shopper. Find a new Frugal Finds 11:30 (ish) p.m. PST every Monday through Saturday! Also, each post is updated as I come across items. You’re welcome.
A note from the Blawgirl: Frugal Finds will continue on a daily basis until the beginning of August, when it will become a weekly feature.
Gadgets and Gear:
- $540 notebook and free external hard drive. Dell Small Business has the Dell Vostro 1520 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.1GHz 15.4″ Widescreen Notebook in obsidian black with a Seagate FreeAgent Go 320GB External Hard Drive for $539 (Was: $778) with free shipping. (via DealNews) If you think you’re going to need tons of storage space for movies, outlines, music, etc., investing in an external hard drive might be a good idea. In fact, the Blawgirl is actually thinking about getting one so she can keep stuff for the blawg and for law school stored on it.
- $580 notebook. Dell Small Business also has the Dell Vostro 1320 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.1GHz 13.3″ Widescreen Notebook for $579 (Was: $729) with free shipping via the directions found at DealNews.
- $100 digital camera. OfficeMax has the Nikon CoolPix P60 8.1-Megapixel Digital Camera in black for $99.99 (Was: $199.99) with free shipping. (via DealNews)
- $70 desk. Staples has the Z-Line Gemini L-Desk in maple/black for $69.99 (Was: $99.99) with free shipping. Sales tax is added where applicable. (via DealNews)
Entertainment:
- Free DVD rental. Today only, Redbox.com has a free 1-night DVD rental with coupon code “FM63H7″. Find your nearest Redbox kiosk here. (via DealNews)
- 50 albums for $5 each. Once again, Amazon.com’s MP3 store is offering 50 albums for $5 each. This month Amazon brings us a collection that includes music from Eartha Kitt, Elvis Costello, Bon Iver and Coheed & Cambria. Ms. Kitt’s album Gone But Not Forgotten includes 21 songs, including “C’est si bon” and “Let’s do it”. Scroll to the end of this article for some bonus videos of Bon Iver and Ms. Kitt!
Odds and Ends:
- $30 charging station. The Home Decorator’s Collection Outlet has an Accessory Charging Station in white for $29.99 (Was: $149) plus $9.95 for shipping. The charging station measures 18″ x 13-1/2″ and features two drawers, bulletin board, key hooks, faux-leather lining, and more. Get a larger version with four drawers in black for $34.99 (Was: $159) plus $9.95 for shipping. (via DealNews)
- $5 clever tees. Threadless Tees marks down select T-shirts to as low as $5 each during the Summer Heatwave Sale with shipping starting at $4.40. Sale ends June 8. (via DealNews) The Blawgirl’s favorites? Life is like a box of terrible analogies, I feel all warm and fuzz on the inside, like I swallowed a kitten, While you were reading my shirt I took your wallet, and this one.
I am currently reading …
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