The Chronic Consumer

I went out for my annual end-of-the-year shopping spree today. Sometime at the end of December, I like purchase all new office supplies for the next year. So out go my old calendars, date books, and anything else with “2007″ printed on it, and incomes new 2008 stuff.

I bought a desk blotter/calendar for my computer area, refills for my appointment book, several packages of fresh pens, a box of envelopes, and new file folders for my 2008 paperwork and receipts.

I already have a 2008 Outer Banks wall calendar that someone brought back for me as a souvenir from their vacation, so I’ll be looking at beautiful scenes of lighthouses and boats all year long.

In addition, I recently restocked my supply of staples, paperclips, rubberbands, and inkjet printer cartridges, so I didn’t need to buy any of those things today.

I now feel completely organized and prepared to take on the new year!

I’ve mentioned several times before that I’m trying to build a reading library for my son. I’m slowly replacing his toddler books with titles that I hope he’ll be able to read from himself in the coming years. One of the recent additions to his library is Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein.

Where the Sidewalk Ends was my favorite book when I was in grade school. I loved the crazy poems and the funny drawings that accompanied most of them, and I’m hoping that my son will find them just as charming.

I’ve been reading a few of the poems to my son every day since I bought the book. He seems to like them, but right now he’s definitely more interested in looking at the pictures. That’s fine for now; I’m sure his interest in the words will develop along with his reading abilities.

The version I bought is a hardcover without a dust jacket. The cover just has the illustration and title words printed directly on it, which I think is great for a children’s book. It cost $12.91 at Amazon.com, which is certainly worth it.

Overall, I think Where the Sidewalk Ends will bring my son years of pleasure and enjoyment. I’m glad I bought it for him!

We bought a new mattress about six months ago. It was a very tedious process that I hope I won’t have to go through again for another 10 years or so. There’s just so much information to take in before making a decision: Do we want firm, extra firm, medium, or soft? Do we want a traditional mattress or a newer foam mattress? Do we want a pillow-top or a plush-top; flip or no flip?

The choices were seemingly endless, and we spent several days trudging around to different furniture stores to test out as many mattresses as we could find.

And then of course there was the whole matter of price. Once we finally settled on what kind of mattress we wanted, we had to go back to all the stores again to compare prices, ask about sales, and try negotiating better deals. It was completely exhausting!

I’m going to write down all of our mattress preferences now so when it comes time to make another purchase, we can avoid the hassles by buying online.

My mother-in-law sent us a Christmas care package from Japan last week, in which she included this 100 percent lambswool scarf from East Boy for me. East Boy is a very popular brand among high school and college kids in Japan, and as such, their products are somewhat overpriced. For example, this scarf retails for about US$45 — an amount that I personally would never pay for this type of item.

But as a gift, I definitely don’t mind it ! I like the colors in this particular scarf, and think that it goes very nicely with the black wool overcoat that I’ve been using this winter. The scarf is approximately five feet long by 11 inches wide, which I’ve found to be perfect for the way I wear it. I fold it in half to cut the width down, and then I wrap it once around my neck so that both ends fall in the front (with the Statue of Liberty logo visible, of course!).

I did have some “itchiness issues” the first couple of times I wore this scarf, but I think my skin is getting used to this wool now because I don’t even notice it anymore.

In addition, the scarf has a tendency to leave white lint fragments on my black coat, which obviously doesn’t look too attractive. I now have to go over my coat with a lint brush nearly every day before I leave the house — definitely a nuisance. Hopefully this situation will change once the scarf gets broken in a bit more.

Well, what else can you say about a scarf, really? It keeps me warm, it looks good, and it was a gift. That’s a pretty good deal if you ask me!

(Click thumbnails to enlarge photos.)

I decided to brave the crowds today and check out some of the post-Christmas sales at the mall. I got there early enough where parking wasn’t much of a problem, but naturally every single store was packed. I’m glad I went though, as I found a bunch of kids’ clothing on sale for 60-80 percent off the ticket price.

I ended up buying an entire winter wardrobe for my son (for next year) for about $70. I got a nice Carter’s jacket, numerous long-sleeved t-shirts, a couple of sweaters, and two pairs of jeans as well. Seriously, this stuff would have been at least $300 if I had paid full-price for everything, so I’m very happy with the deals I got.

I guess the headache and hassle of shopping on the day after Christmas really can pay off, so if you feel up to it, I recommend checking taking a look at some of the sales going on right now. There’s really no better time to save!

When I was younger, the only used items I ever bought were cars. Beyond my vehicles, I wanted brand-new everything: furniture, clothes, books, you name it. But now that I’m much more budget-conscious, I am open to purchasing used products, particularly when I can save 50% or more off the retail price.

For example, I recently bought a used video game for my five-year-old son. The game didn’t come with a case or instructions, but the cartridge itself works perfectly well. I saved nearly 70% on this purchase by buying used instead of new.

I’m also getting ready to replace some network hardware here at home, and I’m probably going to buy a used cisco router for at least 40% off the retail price of a brand-new item.

I’m starting to buy used books, DVDs, CDs, and more, and I’m really saving a bundle on all my purchases. As long as the items are in good condition, then I see no reason to shell out extra money just so I can say something is brand-new.

If you’re shopping on a budget, you might want to consider this approach the next time you need to make a purchase!

Although we have every major gaming console available on the market today (except for the PS3), my husband most definitely prefers the Xbox 360. He feels the graphics, titles, and seamless online playing features elevate this system heads and shoulders above the rest, so it’s no surprise that whenever he buys a new game, he buys one for this platform.

His most recent acquisition was a game called Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, the sixth installment of the celebrated Ace Combat series, but the first that my husband has ever played. He purchased this game mostly because of recommendations from friends and the extremely high review scores that the title received from respected websites like GameSpot. My husband likes war/fighting games anyway, so I was expecting him to get into this series at some point. I’m just surprised it took this long!

Backstory: From what I gather, two fictional countries, Emmeria and Estovakia, are at war with each other. The player is on the Emmerian side, and is a fighter pilot for that air force. The war begins because the Estovakian Air Force invaded the Emmerian capital city, so the Emmerians have no choice to retaliate and defend themselves. The player is a squadron leader (callsign “Talisman”) and has a wingman who flies under the callsign “Shamrock”.

As gameplay progresses, there are transitional scenes that provide additional backstories about what’s happening to some random Emmerian civilians while the war is going on. For example, there’s a mother searching for a lost child, a young woman searching for a missing boyfriend, etc. My husband felt these scenes added a lot to the game; but from an observer’s perspective (mine) they seemed kind of cheesy.

Gameplay: The gameplay is the strongest part of Ace Combat 6. The flight controls are very easy to get used to, and can even be changed to a “novice” setting for those who have trouble with the default arrangement. There’s a nice variety of aircraft for the player to choose from (including several real models), and the planes are very responsive to the controls.

The first part of the game is relatively easy, so my husband was able to cruise through the early levels without any problems even though he’d never played any of the previous Ace Combat games before. However, the levels do get progressively more difficult, and by the final stages, things looked and sounded pretty hectic during the combat scenes.

The background scenery and peripherals are fantastic, which just serves to round out the whole experience. Moreover, there’s a constant stream of radio chatter that helps make it sound like the player is really in a wartime combat situation.

Reaction: My husband thinks that Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation rates as one of the best games he’s ever played. The makers thought of every facet of the gaming experience, and have really put a fantastic product out there. This title is highly recommended for anyone who likes realistic war/flying/fighting games!

Here’s a shopping tip that I picked up many years ago and have been following through on ever since: you should personalize gifts whenever possible. This lets the recipient know you were thinking especially of them when you purchased the present, which definitely makes it more meaningful.

That makes sense, doesn’t it? Wouldn’t you rather receive custom pens than a generic package of Bics? Wouldn’t a backpack with your initials stitched on it be more special than one straight off the Sportmart shelf? Wouldn’t a monogrammed shirt or sweater be much more appealing than clothes from the Kmart sales rack?

In most cases, monogramming or engraving a gift only costs a few dollars extra, so there’s really no reason to pass this service up. Try it the next time you give a gift, and see for yourself what a difference a little personalization makes!

When I was in grade school, my two favorite books were Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends and A Light in the Attic. I used to read those poems over and over again, never tiring of the whimsical rhymes and fanciful illustrations. I already have those two books for my son, and figured I’d give other Silverstein works a try. I therefore purchased The Giving Tree (without knowing the story or having read it myself) based on the mostly favorable Amazon.com reviews.

The Giving Tree is the story of a friendship between a boy and a tree. The tree provides the boy with everything he needs (apples, a place to climb and play, shade, etc.), and this continues throughout the boy’s life. As the boy gets older, his demands on the tree become more substantial; yet the tree keeps giving — without getting anything in return. The tree is happy so long as the boy is happy.

Finally, there’s nothing left of the once-glorious apple tree except a tiny little stump. And still the boy, who has now become an old man, asks something of it. The tree willingly complies, and is once again happy that he could give something to his friend.

I guess there are many different interpretations one could have of this story. For example, many readers consider it a beautiful tale of generosity and unconditional love/friendship. Others may consider it a dire display of exploitation and selfishness on the boy’s part. I took this latter view, and therefore don’t think this is a book I’ll be reading to my son after all. (Moreover, there’s quite a menacing picture of Silverstein on the back cover that I think would likely give my kid nightmares if he saw it.)

I must say that I’ve been disappointed with my last two children’s book purchases from Amazon.com (this one and Love You Forever). I bought both of those because of the glowing reviews, but ended up not liking either of them. I guess my experience just reinforces the notion that reading choices are highly personal and shouldn’t be influenced too much by what others think.

If you’re considering buying The Giving Tree for your child (while it is advertised as a children’s book, the recommended age is stated as being 10+), I suggest giving it a quick read at the store first. Then you can make a more informed decision of its suitability.

*The cover price of this book is a relatively steep $16.99 ($11.55 at Amazon.com).

With 2008 just around the corner, it’s almost time for me to start making my New Year’s Resolution. I’m not exactly sure what they’ll be this year, but I know that at least one resolution will pertain to weight loss. Like most other people, I set this goal for myself every year, and, again like most people, I usually fall a bit short.

This time around, I think I’m going to try using some diet pills to help boost my metabolism. I’ve heard some good things about a product called ThermoLean, so I might give this one a try. ThermoLean is ephedra-free, which is very important, and is affordable as well (unlike a lot of similar products).

I just want to lose 10 pounds and get in better shape, which is pretty reasonable. Hopefully ThermoLean can help!