Jason Is the Next Bachelor!

That's correct--Jason Mesnick is the next Bachelor. Personally, I am so excited! I wish I knew someone to sign up on his show. He is a class-act.

You may remember he got down on one knee and proposed to Bachelorette, DeAnna Pappas, only for her to reject him on national television. Talk about taking a hit to your ego. Well, now he gets to call the shots.

Sign-up to be on the show and possibly his new wife!

As for DeAnna? Well, remember how the beginning of each episode began by criticizing Brad Womack?  The shoe just changed to the other foot...

The engagement is off between Bachelorette couple DeAnna Pappas and Jesse Csincsak. I guess the adventurous and fun-loving Jesse wasn't what DeAnna wanted after all. I'm starting to wonder if the girl is high maintenance.

I can't say I'm surprised, can you? I didn't think they had the connection for a long-term relationship, especially marriage.

Jesse was quoted in Us Magazine as saying, "DeAnna broke up with me two days ago, and I just wanted to come on here and tell you guys face-to-face," he continues. "I'm sorry - I did everything in my power to try and make this work."

"She's a great person, but she wasn't willing to try anymore," he says. "She wanted something different. The answer I got was, 'I love you, but I'm not in love with you.'"

"That's a lot to swallow, no matter who you are," he says. "It's a lot to take in."

I can't believe Jesse apologizes. I wonder if he will be "The Bachelor" in a future show. 

As for DeAnna, not surprisingly, she has landed a new job.

She will be co-hosting Lifetime network's Get Married, a show that covers everything about weddings, premiering Jan. 5. How ironic.

I truly hope Jason finds the wife of his dreams!

Photos courtesy of People.com and ABC.

The Next Price Hike

Hang on to your wallets, Pepsi is next to jump on the price increase bandwagon, but they have a new twist on things: they think we are stupid. Here is their line of thinking---stop producing the popular 12-packs, swap them on store shelves for a new 8-pack and don't change the price.

 Hmm.  I caught on right away.  You?

I know some of you are thinking the same thoughts I had, "I'm sure glad I drink Diet Coke instead of Diet Pepsi."  Then my second thought was Coke will follow suit. It always happens that way; one is not to be outdone by the other.

So what should we do as consumers besides complain?  Stop drinking the stuff?  We all know how bad it is for us, right? Stock up on it and put it in the pantry with all of our other disaster supplies?

I, for one, will *try* to limit my intake of Diet Coke. I've tried before to no avail, but finding money in the budget wasn't my biggest challenge back then. Now I am a little more motivated.

Geez, I just need a little (OK, a lot) of caffeine. I like the fizz.  It makes me.... happy.

For those like me who attempt to make sense of these things, I will give you the Pepsi link; not because it talks about the price increase and our assumed stupidity, but because their site made me dizzy and I want you to share my experience.  Besides, we're all in this tight economy together, right?

Teaching Children to Give

Our nation's challenging economy will certainly affect all of us this holiday season. In addition to budgeting for gifts and meals, we also need to find creative ways to continue teaching our children the value of giving to others.

I recently discovered a website, founded by Michelle Jones, which has a wonderful idea to teach children the act of giving. Its focus is spotlighting military families and it will only cost the price of a postage stamp. The website, http://www.grocerysavingtips.com/expiredgrocerycoupons.htm has referenced addresses where you can send your expired grocery coupons to U.S. military families who are stationed overseas.

The military families are able to use manufacturer coupons for up to six months after the expiration date. Only manufacturer coupons are eligible; they cannot use coupons that are store specific. You may send the expired coupons to one of the addresses listed on the website or to a specific person in the military, if you know someone personally.

What a wonderful project for you to do with your children! It not only teaches children that giving does not have to involve money, but they will also benefit from math skills associated with sorting and classifying coupons according to expiration dates. 

When beginning this project, talk with your child about the importance of giving to others; then, work your way through the following list. I suggest classifying 10-20 coupons at a time. When finished, you will have practiced a minimum of four important math skills with your child.

• Have your school-age child count 10-20 coupons, depending on the child's age, and put them in a stack.
• Write today's date (the date you do this project) on a piece of paper and post it where your child can see it.
• Place a calendar by your child for reference.
• Help your child determine which coupons are still valid and which have expired. Remember to allow for mailing time before the six months has lapsed. Sometimes overseas mail takes weeks.
• Return the valid coupons to your coupon envelope for safekeeping.
• Assist your child in determining the coupons which are less than 6 months past their expiration date.
• Put those coupons in a mailing envelope. If your child is old enough, have your child address the envelope; otherwise, have your child watch you as you talk through the steps involved in addressing an envelope properly.
• Have your child place a stamp on the envelope. If you are mailing the envelope to a U.S. military address overseas, it only requires regular postage.
• Have you child place your return address label on the envelope for security reasons.
• Involve your child in mailing the coupons.
• Review with your child the importance of giving, especially during the holidays, and the project the two of you just completed. Remind your child how it makes us feel good to give to others and how happy the military families will be to receive a surprise envelope full of coupons!

If you know someone in the military serving overseas, find out if they would like their base to be added to the list. Then, contact Michelle Jones at the above mentioned website.

Your children will be inspired after completing this project with you. After all, you will have taught them a meaningful lesson in giving. It cost 42 cents; yet provided assistance to others. Imagine the happiness the surprise will bring! It is a wonderful way for your children to experience unpretentious joy.

Hot Dog Recall

Hot dog products were recalled by RL Zeigler Co. today in five states--Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee.  There is confirmed contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, which causes listeria, an illness that causes severe headaches, high temperatures, stiffness in the neck and nausea.  People who have compromised immune systems have an increased risk of becoming ill.  Healthy people rarely contract listeria; however, it is important to note that listeria can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

The list of recalled products includes:

• Chicken hot dogs
• Pork hot dogs
• Vacuum-packed Par-Ti Pups
• Ziegler Original Recipe Wieners
• Ziegler Jumbo Franks
• Ziegler skinless wieners

 The recall involves 28,610 pounds of hot dog products.  The packing dates were in September, but the "use by" dates are November 21-26.

Black Friday Legal Woes

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is traditionally the most massive shopping day in our country.

Retailers discount their goods in hope of attracting shoppers to lethargically rise at the crack of dawn and stand in line outside their store, right behind those who camped out in the same line. It's pretty simple logic: The first shoppers who enter get the best deals and when the sale items are gone, they're gone.  Sometimes this strategy brings out the worst in people as they push and shove through the opened door, not caring who they trample, including the poor employee who drew the short straw to be the one to open the door.  I can imagine that the current state of our economy coupled with weary customers could cause that the scenario to get real ugly, real fast.

Yes, Black Friday---the official start of the holiday shopping season.  Did you know there is a website specifically designed to keep consumers up-to-date with the latest Black Friday ads... before they are published??  It is appropriately addressed:  www.blackfriday.info 

So, what happened to Thanksgiving Day?  The day of giving thanks for all that we have--- our family and loved ones, our health, and our 14 inch thick newspapers containing all of the Black Friday ads.  Most likely, consumers who make it their goal to take advantage of Black Friday sales are thrilled with the early information.  Apparently, some of the companies don't feel the same way since they are sending "cease-and-desist" letters to www.blackfriday.info, letters that were generated by the company's attorneys, threatening legal action if their ads continue to be posted on that site.  Wouldn't you think once the ad has already been posted on the internet that it is a little too late to send a "cease-and-desist" letter?!

Two stores demanding their ads be removed, so far, are:

 KB Toys

and Big Lots.

The companies claim they own copyright to the sale prices. Hmmm, think about that...does that mean if KB Toys has a sale price of $59.99 for Little Tikes "Giddyup N Go Pony" (which, by the way would be a steal and worth getting up at 4 a.m. to stand in line), then say, Target, cannot advertise the same pony for the same sale price?

Let's take this a step further and assume that answer is yes--- then if the ads are prohibited from being posted until Thanksgiving Day, how would Target know they couldn't lock in $59.99 for the pony and that KB Toys already had copyright on that price?? Does anyone else think this is crazy?  Isn't the goal to make money?  Anyway, KB Toys and Big Lots ads have been removed and replaced by a copy of the cease-and-desist letter.

 What about the other stores?  Well, Circuit City said they are fine with it. Of course they are, their stocks have tanked, they announced last Monday that they will be closing 155 stores and they plan to lay-off 17% of their employees.  The company needs all the help it can get.

So do the 17% of Circuit City's employees who won't have a job at the holidays.

Just things to ponder, my Black Friday shoppers, since the election is over and there is nothing else to occupy that space in your brain.  My parting thoughts, and yes, I always have them, is the smartest shopper will take this information and put it to good use figuring out a way to have ownership to the first place in line at your favorite store.  Have your attorney draft a letter with said information and tape it to that place in line.  Then, the morning of Black Friday, casually get up an hour or so before the store opens, have a cup of coffee, a shower and drive to the store to claim your place in line.  It's like having a reservation...a legal reservation.  Oh, and you might want to bring your picture ID--- because someone will surely challenge you.