The Chronic Consumer

I like to buy a few new Chicago Bears items before the start of each football season. Not only does the new apparel help get me psyched up for all the Sunday action, but it’s also usually necessary because I wear my football-related gear so much that it doesn’t last all that long.

This year is no exception, as I’ve been shopping around for some great products to add to my collection for ‘08-’09. While browsing over at FansEdge.com earlier, I came across this very cool throwback jersey shirt that I would LOVE to have. It’s made from soda-rubber washed 100% cotton (whatever that means), with felt/distressed cotton applique lettering on the chest and chainstitch embroidery across the left shoulder (the words National Football Conference appear there).

Apparently, this is the kind of jersey that the old Chicago Bears wore, and I think it’s awesome! The only problem is that it costs $44.99, which is a bit on the high side for a long-sleeved shirt.

I’ve got one week until the season starts, so if I’m really gonna get this jersey, I better order it soon!

Well, I did it! I splurged on a $500 leather recliner for the living room so that I could have a nice, comfortable place to unwind while watching TV or reading a book. The only thing is, I now worry about it constantly because my 5-year-old son isn’t as careful about spills and sticky hands and so forth as adults are. He knows he’s not supposed to eat or drink while sitting in the new chair, but sometimes he’ll run his hands over it as he passes by (right after he’s eaten Cheetos, of course), or lean over it while eating a popsicle.

I don’t want to have to closely monitor what’s going on in the living room all day long, so I’m going to go shopping for slipcovers this weekend. I’m planning to get one for the recliner and also for the couch. Those are our two most expensive pieces of furniture in the living room, and I’m definitely interested in protecting them so that they last for years and years. Slipcovers seem like the easiest way to go.

I’ve been checking around online and have found several options that feature lovely designs and are affordable to boot. Maybe I’ll save myself the hassle of schlepping around from store to store and just order from one of the online retailers I checked. I buy practically everything else online, so why not slipcovers too? I’ll let you know which ones I end up going with!

I’ve wanted to get a formal family portrait done for quite a while now, so I’m currently comparing the different packages offered at nearby photography studios. There’s one studio at the mall, and a couple of independent ones in town that I’m going to check out.

From the preliminary research I’ve done, the important things to consider when shopping around for a portrait studio include:

• What kind of props are available for the photo shoot
• How well the photographer works with kids
• Examples of past portraits
• How long the photo shoot will last
• Whether or not the photographer is willing to go “on location”
• The ability to purchase negatives and/or digital files as part of the photo package

That’s a lot to consider, and that doesn’t even take into account accessories like picture frames and albums. Getting a family portrait done could turn out to be a very expensive proposition. I still want one, though, because some things are just worth paying for, ya know?

I’ve mentioned several times on this blog how my husband and I hate spending money on furniture, and only buy the cheapest stuff we can get our hands on. That’s why we have a plastic coffee table, a $200 couch, a TV stand that’s way too small for our flat-panel, and a desk chair held together by duct tape.

Well, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately and have decided that it’s time to invest in at least once nice piece of furniture. I’ve always wanted a nice comfy chair to curl up in for reading or watching TV, so I’m planning on buying a leather recliner as soon as we have enough money for one.

I haven’t found a specific model that has taken my fancy yet, but want to get something like the chair/ottoman combo pictured above. We don’t have a lot of space in our living room, so I can’t get something huge, which is why the one in the picture should work.

My goal is to have a great recliner in place by the start of football season. I can’t wait to spend all of my Sundays sitting on that thing watching the Bears and Chargers play!

I absolutely love Sausage & Egg McMuffins from McDonald’s, and have often tried making them at home to save a few bucks. The problem is, the extra work and mess this creates usually isn’t worth it in the long run, as I end up either being late getting out the door or with a sink full of dirty dishes and frying pans to look forward to when I come back from the office.

That’s why when I saw this “Back to Basics” Egg-and-Muffin Toaster, I figured it would be perfect for my needs. It simultaneously toasts English muffins, poaches an egg, and warms up pre-cooked bacon or sausage so that all the fixin’s for a homemade breakfast sandwich are ready to go at the same time.

I haven’t actually purchased this machine yet, but it’s definitely going straight to the top of my Wish List. I’ve read through lots of customer reviews, and the overwhelming majority of them are positive. They say that everything cooks perfectly, that the food tastes great, and that cleanup is a breeze.

I would love, love, LOVE to be able to make Sausage & Egg McMuffins at home anytime I get a craving for them, so I want to get this appliance as soon as possible. It’s only $30 at Target, which is not a bad price at all. Hopefully I’ll be able to buy it within a couple of weeks!

A couple of my friends have truly beautiful homes that are decorated like something out of a magazine spread. In addition to new modern furniture and amazing artwork, they also have the most luscious carpeting, the trendiest electronics, and all the latest kitchen gadgets. In fact, I can’t help feeling just a wee bit jealous whenever I visit one of these upscale homes.

I really wish we could upgrade our interior, but that’s just not in the cards right now. Nevertheless, I’ve been keeping track of all the fantastic furnishings and accessories that I’d love to have in our home someday, so whenever we have some extra cash laying around, I can make a purchase or two!

Does anybody even use PDAs anymore?? I like my PDA well enough, but for the past year or so, I’ve just been using it to read ebooks and track appointments. Now that I have a dedicated ebook reader, I’d like to get rid of my PDA and get a smartphone instead.

I’ve been looking around at a few different phones already, even though my current contract doesn’t expire for another 6 months or so. Out of all the ones I’ve checked so far, I think the Nokia N82 Black is the best for my needs. It’s got a ton of great features and is reasonably priced for a cutting-edge smartphone.

I want a new phone RIGHT NOW, but there’s no way I could afford to pay for a Nokia N82 plus the early cancellation fee on my contract. Bummer

I haven’t been purchasing as many books as I usually do, mainly because I choose to read free e-texts or go to the library to borrow novels and audiobooks. But one title I’ve been hearing a lot of great buzz about is A Line Between Friends by Michelle Cozzens.

It’s a bestseller on Amazon.com (though they update those stats hourly, so this could be a bit misleading) and has received 21 positive reviews from customers. Twenty-one is not a lot, I know, but this isn’t the only place the buzz is coming from.

At any rate, I’m going to wait until the title is available in paperback, and then order it. For now, I’m putting it on my Wish List so I don’t forget about it!

Like most other avid sports fans, I have a personal list of major sporting events that I’d like to attend in person at some point in my life. The Super Bowl. A Final Four matchup during March Madness. The World Cup finals. A gold medal game or match in any Olympic event. Game seven of the World Series when the Chicago Cubs finally break their 100-year-old championship curse. And the Men’s Finals on Centre Court at Wimbledon.

Watching the Wimbledon tournament on television has been a summertime tradition in my family ever since Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, and John McEnroe held their epic battles on the most revered stage in tennis. To say it would be a dream come true to catch all the action from Centre Court would be an understatement!

I actually checked into Wimbeldon tickets this year just to see how much it would cost to make this dream a reality. I went to TeamOneTickets.com, where they had several different ticketing options to choose from — including great seats to the 2008 Wimbledon Finals on July 6. The prices aren’t quite in my budget, but then again this is a premiere sporting event, so I’d expect to have to pay a bit more.

At any rate, I’m not giving up on my Wimbledon dream just yet. We’re building up a nice nest egg for retirement, and will surely have something extra for a Centre Court excursion in the future!

I was checking out something on Amazon.com yesterday and ended up checking out the Kindle one more time. I enjoy reading user reviews to see what people think of the electronic book reader that has been out for about six months now.

When I got to the Kindle page, I was surprised to see that the price has gone down by $40 since its release! When the Kindle first hit the market, it sold on Amazon for $399. Now it’s listed at $359, though I didn’t notice an announcement or anything to explain the price drop.

Even so, however, $359 is still too much to spend for a device that does nothing except allow me to read electronic texts. I really would love to buy one of these things, but in order to do so, I have to wait until the price drops to under $300 (preferably around $250). That’s possible, right? These types of devices always come down in price. Remember how much the first generation iPods were?

Anyway, I’m going to be keeping an eye on the Kindle price and will post alerts here as applicable.