The heat is on. The water is waiting. And your beach bag is wearing thin. Why not transition to something new — a carryall or backpack that can make it through autumn, and maybe even next summer, in solid shape?

If the upcoming school year is your primary bag-related concern, drop by Kohls.com for 25-50% off the entire stock of backpacks, slings, messenger bags and more. You'll also receive FREE standard shipping on orders over $75. AND earn a 2% rebate from ConsumerClub.com.

Don't miss the extremely fashionable bags fit for the beach, the classroom, the office or even a dinner party at UrbanOutfitters.com and Buckle.com. Both sites have style to spare. Buy your bags at either one and get a 3% rebate from ConsumerClub.com.

Are sporty bags more your speed? Find something down-to-earth on EddieBauer.com, where you can search for bags by color, price range or category (diaper bags, backpacks, etc.). Make sure you fill up your virtual shopping bag, because you'll earn a 3% rebate from ConsumerClub.com on all your purchases.

Speaking of sporty bags — and saving money — stop by REI-Outlet.com for duffels, totes, backpacks and day bags at more than 50% off. (Much more in some cases.)

Saving the best for last, I have to mention Ebags.com, where you'll discover deals saving you up to 70% off during the Summer Sale, enjoy 10% off and free shipping on all orders over $35 thanks to the Back to School Sale — and get a 5% rebate from ConsumerClub.com. Don't wait to visit this site. The back-to-school offer apparently ends at midnight on August 1st. And you're definitely going to need some time to dig through the hundreds of bags to be had.

Posted by Paige Price at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Maybe you're about to marry the man of your dreams. And you want to give him something special — in addition to the rest of your lifetime. Perhaps you're a groomsman needing to commemorate the occasion between friends. Or a parent whose little boy is about to walk down the aisle and leave your basement apartment forever. Whatever your connection to the groom, he deserves a gift to remember.

Let's see, he's about to become the man of the house. His own house, if he wasn't already. So, stereotypical as it may sound, how about a remote control? Not just any remote control, the InVoca™ Hands-Free Voice-Activated Remote? For only $50.
Find it on Brookstone.com and earn a 5% rebate from ConsumerClub.com. If nothing else, he'll enjoy the symbol of his soon-to-be rule over another entertainment center.

Of course, no online shopping trip for special gifts is complete without a stop at RedEnvelope.com, where you always earn 5% back from ConsumerClub.com. The Key Tree, the Modern Catch-All and Brushed Nickel Accessories box are all perfect choices for a groom-to-be, among hundreds of other gifts that will catch your eye.

So, you want him to survive the time before the wedding — and his early years of marital bliss — without a hitch, right? Get him the "Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook" for Weddings and even the Parenting version if you dare. Buy these books and more at BarnesandNoble.com and earn a 3% rebate from ConsumerClub.com.

We know there's nothing more stress-relieving than your favorite music. So I'll close with perhaps an obvious choice for the music-loving man who hasn't yet taken the iPod® plunge. Stop by the Apple.com store and pick up a personalized iPod Nano engraved for the special occasion. You'll also earn 1% back from ConsumerClub.com.

Posted by Paige Price at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Are you having a hard time saying "I do" to a gift for your bride-to-be? Are you perhaps throwing a bridal shower for the woman of the hour? Or are you a maid of honor unsure of what to give your dear friend before she marches down the aisle?

You want to celebrate the lady in white with a gift to end all special gifts. Something personal, memorable and unexpected. Leave the stemware and the rest of the registry for the other folks. Here are a few creative gifts she won’t be expecting.

Just for fun: Shop OrientalTradingCompany.com and get her the “Wedding Time Capsule,” an under-$20 kit that will make it easier for her to preserve the best memories from her wedding day — and remember your generosity — for all time. You'll also earn a 3% rebate from ConsumerClub.com for shopping at OrientalTradingCompany.com.

Buy her a book that's truly timeless: "Legends," by John Miller. Get it on BarnesandNoble.com and earn a 3% rebate from ConsumerClub.com. The subtitle is "Women Who Have Changed the World through the Eyes of Great Women Writers." A book like this can sit on her coffee table for years and be read one page/story at a sitting. And it might even qualify to be handed down to her daughter one day.

Browse the crystal treasures on Swarovski.com. Check out figurines, desk accessories and plenty of other tiny little timeless gifts online. Find the right one for your favorite bride and earn a 4% rebate from ConsumerClub.com.

Discover plenty of presents that double as modern art at the MOMAstore.org. She'll love the "Hues" photo album set, featuring six cloth-covered albums in a slipcase, as well as the uniquely modern "Silicone Lace Vase" or "Grass Vase," yet another cause to remember you when she gets fresh flowers. The online sale shop has the lovely "Bloom" bowl and "Asteroid" vases discounted now, among many other great gifts.

And speaking of vases, there are indeed flowers that never wilt. For example, the Steel Flower Bouquet on UncommonGoods.com. Buy her 18 silver-plated blossoms in "fresh from the florist" packaging. And earn 5% back from ConsumerClub.com.

One final unexpected gift idea: The dainty, colorful cordial glasses on PlumParty.com. Pick up a set of six hand-blown glasses perfect for after-dinner drinks, or just displaying in her newly acquired china cabinet. Throwing a bridal shower or bachelorette party in the near future? This is the place to stock up on themed party essentials.

Posted by Paige Price at 08:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So many reasons to give special gifts. So little time to shop for them. I've found it helpful to keep a stash of gift-worthy items around the house all year long. That way, when I need to celebrate a birthday, say goodbye to a co-worker, congratulate a couple on their lovely new home, etc., I don't have to spend a full day shopping.

The best presents are both useful and beautiful. At FlaxArt.com, you'll find card cases, book easels, vintage posters, wine bottle bags, frames, umbrellas and a WHOLE lot more — and that's just in the online sale shop. You'll also benefit from the gift that gives back to you right away: A 5% rebate from ConsumerClub.com.

I can hardly discuss gift-giving without my mind turning to the top-notch selection on RedEnvelope.com. Warning: You may have a hard time thinking of anyone but yourself as you browse. Still, you can pick up "one for me, one for you" candles, plants, snacks, jewelry, journals, office supplies and a whole lot more. Right now the Summer Sale may just save you 50% on memorable gifts, some under $10! And you can always count on your 5% rebate from ConsumerClub.com when shopping RedEnvelope.com.

This Sunday the 9th is the last day of the BathandBodyWorks.com Semi-Annual Sale. What does that mean for you and your most treasured friends? Trial-sized beauty essentials, two for $5. Room sprays for the same price. Aromatherapy sugar scrubs only $10. Half-priced hand lotions. And yes, a whole lot more. The sale won't last much longer. But the products will wait patiently for your next attack of generosity.

Another hot online spot for creative gifts: ZGallerie.com. Check out glass bowls, photo frames and albums, entertaining coffee-table books, even jeweled domino sets. Right now the sale shop has lots of lovely candles and vases too. Here's a tip on a gift almost anyone could use: The "Takeout Menu Organizer," complete with binder, pens, menu slots, service rating record cards and more.

I'll end with the aptly named UncommonGoods.com, a site where great gifts happen to good people. From art flipbooks to "Flowers in a Can" to modern salt-and-pepper shakers to "His and Hers" key holders to recycled tin flower art, the gift selection doesn't get much more creative than this. Stock up on gifts for others here and you'll not only earn yourself a virtual halo, you'll earn a 5% rebate from ConsumerClub.com.

Posted by Paige Price at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)