Best Buy – Greener Together Program

You trust Best Buy when it’s time to buy the latest electronics. You can also trust Best Buy to help you safely dispose of your old ones.

In fact, many of your broken, obsolete, or unwanted gadgets are just waiting to be e-incarnated. So bring them to Best Buy. And they will make sure they’re properly and safely recycled, so they have the chance to perhaps come back as something even cooler in the future. It’s all part of the Greener Together™ program.

And Best Buy will take just about anything electronic, including TVs, DVD players, computer monitors, cell phones and more. You can bring in up to two items a day, per household, and most things are absolutely free. However, there is a $10 charge for TVs 32″ and under, CRTs, monitors and laptops — but we’ll give you a $10 Best Buy gift card to offset that cost. It’s just a little e-incarnation appreciation.

So do it for the Earth. Do it to get rid of some old junk. Or just do it for some good Karma. Best Buy® + You. Greener Together.

$10 recycling fee and $10 gift card offer do not apply to stores in California, or to any Insignia®, Dynex® or VPR Matrix® products. Gift card good toward future purchase.

What They Take:

Two items per household per day.
Nearly everything electronic, including TVs, computers, DVD players, monitors, or cell phones.
We charge $10 for TVs under 32″, CRTs, monitors and laptops. But you receive a $10 Best Buy gift card.
Desktop or laptop computers with the hard drive removed. See this Geek Squad video for Do-it-Yourself instructions, or we will remove it for $19.99.

What They Don’t Take:

Internal & External computer hard drives.
Console TVs, or TVs and monitors larger than 32″. Use our haul-away or pickup programs for these items.
Electronics containing Freon, like mini refrigerators or air conditioners. Please contact your local waste disposal department.
Appliances. Use our haul-away or pickup programs for refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, washers and dryers, ranges and microwaves.

Recycling kiosks –Every U.S. Best Buy store has free kiosks, just inside the door, for you to drop off inkjet cartridges, batteries, cell phones, CDs/DVDs, PDAs, smartphones and Best Buy gift cards. Find a store near you.

Tech Trade-In -Exchange select gently used electronics for a Best Buy gift card. Go to http://www.bestbuy.com/tradein.

TV and appliance haul-away-We’ll remove an old TV or appliance from your home for free when a replacement Best Buy product is delivered by Geek Squad® Home Theater or Best Buy® Home Delivery. Exclusions apply. Learn more.

TV and appliance pickup -For a fee, Best Buy will remove up to two TV units , or two appliances, or one TV and one appliance from your home for recycling.

1-800-RECYCLING –Still can’t determine what to do with your old electronics or other recyclables? Call 1-800-RECYCLING (1-800-732-9254) or visit http://www.1800recycling.com for other resources.

Greener Together™.Best Buy is taking a new approach to helping us all consume less energy and make smart technology decisions. See how.

Coupon Stockpiling

“I noticed you got 5 free deodorants today. How did you get not one, but FIVE for free?!”

The answer? I STOCKPILE MY COUPONS!

One of my favorite things to do when I come home from the store is to take a picture of my “loot pile.” I then upload this picture onto my website and blog about the deals that I found at the store. Frequently you will see that I was able to grab several of the same item because of a great sale/coupon combo.

I am able to get more than one of the item because I have a coupon stockpile, meaning, I usually have more than one of every coupon. How do I do this? I buy several copies of the Sunday paper.

I’ve seen some websites recommend buying 1 paper for every family member in your home. Other people have different methods of deciding how many to buy. My method is simple: I buy 5 papers. There’s no real reasoning behind it, other than 5 papers seems to be enough to get a lot of items from the store!

If I get a tip that the upcoming inserts hold especially valuable coupons, I might pick up 1 or 2 additional papers. I save money on buying so many papers by purchasing them at the dollar store. Check to see if your dollar store sells them!

Next week’s topic: Organizing Your Coupon Stockpile!

Devon posts regularly on her blog, www.mamacheaps.com. When she is not blogging or designing personalized candy wrappers for her store, Winterwood Press, she is spending time with her husband and her 9 month old daughter.

Men’s Wellness Workshop at Eagle Chiropractic

Dr. Cynthia Glendening & Dr. Andrew Gottlieb

Eagle Chiropractic, P.C.

www.eaglechiropractic.net

30 N. Village Avenue

Exton PA, 19480

(610) 458-7777

This FREE event is on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 7PM

Summer Travel with the Please Touch Museum

Where to this summer? Whether you’ll be catching some rays at the Jersey shore, lounging on your back porch, taking in the sights at the Grand Canyon, or traveling abroad, Please Touch Museum’s pal wants to come too! Simply print out, decorate and cut out your very own pal and snap a few group photos at all of your must-see destinations. When you get home, check back to post your photos and tell us about your trip. In the meantime, make sure to pack your sunscreen next to your camera. Enjoy and we hope to see you soon!

Click here to download your Please Touch Museum Pal

Hanging out in your backyard this summer? Heading to the shore? Climbing through the Grand Canyon? Going to a different country?! Please Touch Museum wants to hear about your summer travels! Click here for more information how to post your travel pictures and to download fun, FREE travel games.

Your Local Real Estate Resource

Chester County Real Estate…By The Numbers

What is really going on with the real estate market in Chester County? The following table of Trend MLS statistics shows the real estate picture for the month of May in 2007, 2008 and 2009. By comparing the number of homes in Chester County that were “For Sale”, “Sold” and “Under Contract” (pending settlement) during the same time period during the past three years, it is clear that fewer homes are selling and the ones that don’t sell are staying on the market longer.

Is It Disaster or Opportunity?
To be honest, the answer to this question all depends on your specific situation. Besides being local, real estate is also individual. Last month there were 4,908 homes for sale throughout Chester County. Since only 525 homes went “under contract” in May, it would take over 9 months for all of the homes currently for sale to sell…and that’s if no other homes were listed!

Typically speaking, an inventory of homes for sale over 6 months is considered a “buyer’s market”. While inventories do vary depending on specific locations and price ranges it appears that buying opportunities are abundant in today’s market. From the buyer purchasing their first home and qualifying for the $8,000 tax credit, to the buyer moving up into a larger single family home… there may not be a better opportunity to make a move. The government cannot continue to keep printing money and keep interest rates at historic lows forever, can it? Just like the seller’s market that ended in 2006, this buyer’s market will eventually end because real estate is a continuous cycle. The question is…will you have missed your best opportunity before it does?

But I’m Selling…That Can’t Be Good, Can It?
Well, you may be in luck too…unless you bought in the last few years. Even in a robust market if you’re trying to sell a relatively unchanged house only a few years after purchasing it you may be lucky to break even.

Now, if you have treated your home like a long-term investment it may still be a good time to move. What? Yes, it may still be a good time to move if you have some equity in your home. If you are buying into a higher price range, moving to an area with a weaker market, or considering purchasing new construction today is ripe with opportunity. For example, if you had a $200,000 home to sell and were purchasing a $400,000 home and both homes lost 10% in value this year, you would still save $20,000 by purchasing the higher priced home. Generally speaking, the higher the price, the greater your savings. Here’s another example. Let’s say your parents have been in their house for 30 years and it’s paid off. They want to move to a better climate. Florida, Arizona, Las Vegas, etc…if they have equity in their home in Pennsylvania they can get a lot for their money in these hard hit areas. Sell here and go buy those bargains!!!

We’re Ready To Help When You Need Us…
Sometimes moves are planned, other times they’re not. When you or someone your know needs specific information about the local real estate market, please email us directly at craig_wiley@comcast.net.

Craig & Gina Wiley REALTORS
Coldwell Banker Preferred
390 Waterloo Blvd., suite 101
Exton, PA 19341
Office: 610-363-6006
Direct: 484-881-6066
craig_wiley@comcast.net
gina.wiley@comcast.net

“Teamwork makes the dream work!”

Pennsylvania Dutch Folklife & Fun

The 60th Annual Kutztown Festival

June 27 – July 5, 2009

9am – 6pm

Kutztown Fairgrounds, Kutztown, PA
Route 222 between Allentown and Reading, PA

Win A Free Overnight Trip For Your Family To The Kutztown Folk Festival!

Check out the Entertainment Schedule!

Click here for a $2 off admission coupon

Bring your family to enjoy the finest in traditional crafts, food, music and folklife. Fun for all ages! 200 of Americas finest traditional craftsmen. Fascinating demonstrations and treasures you can take home ….

Visit America’s largest Quilt Sale. Over 2,500 traditional quilts, handmade by local quilters. Experience the exciting quilt auction of the top 24 prize winners on the second Saturday.

A wonderful experience for children! Delightful baby farm animals, puppets, make-and- take crafts, hay stacks and mazes, story time, singalongs, and hands on fun.

History unfolds before your eyes. Folklife, farming and gardening, churches and weddings, PA-Dutch dialect and folklore, spinning and weaving, country cooks, blacksmiths, furniture, candles, and more…

Mouthwatering PA-Dutch Food! Tantalizing family style feasts, ox roasts, sausage sandwiches, pies, pastries and lots more! Non-stop entertainment. Live music and dancing, comedy, country auctions, parades and bands. Fiddling, storytelling and historical seminars and traditions.Witness a 19th century hanging or take part in an old-fashioned cake walk.

The best examples of Pennsylvania Dutch and early American folk art and crafts are found in the outstanding works of 200 of the nation’s most skilled artisans.

Included in this year’s festival will be fine furniture, miniatures, pottery,clothing, musical instruments, hand-painted art, iron ornaments, weavings, brooms, baskets, florals, hex painting, jewelry, leather, cut paper art known as “scherenschnitte,” Pennsylvania German calligraphic writing called “fraktur”, beeswax candles and more.

Click here to visit the festival blog.

Frugal Finds Friday: Getting Control is the Key to Frugal Living

The other day I pulled out my favorite pair of jean shorts. I was shocked at the condition they were in. Paint splattered down the front. Errant strings hung down like a warped version of Daisy Duke’s country attire. I wondered when they had gotten so bad?

I thought of a bazillion parallels to life. We get so busy. One day, we open our eyes and it may be paper piles, cleaning, weight, or finances that have gotten out of control. Or maybe all of the above. Remnants of past good intentions are hidden in a messy drawer or a box in the basement. Systems that once controlled your life are now in shambles. What’s a person to do?

First, take stock of the situation. Just how bad is it? How far are you from your goal weight? How far are you from your desire to be out of debt? How quickly can you get your house clean? How big is that mountain? If you don’t know, then how are you going to do anything about it?

Click HERE to read more!

Sarah Peppel is a Frugal Living columnist at the Phoenix and runs the following blogs: DIY Frugal and Genesis Moments.

Surf Sweets Review & Giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

As moms, we know that filling our kids up on unhealthy treats and sweets isn’t the best thing in the world! But every now and then our little ones want a sweet treat…or better yet…they deserve one! But in a market full of treats made primarily with high fructose corn syrup and truck loads of sugar…what’s a mom to do? Is it possible to reward our little sweeties with sweets of their own and not feel guilty about it?

You bet!

There’s an incredible organic candy & natural company called Surf Sweets…they are making some of the yummiest gummy candy around! We were able to try out some of Surf Sweet’s most delectable treats…and let me tell you…they are incredible! Don’t think for even one minute that you have to sacrifice on flavor or taste just because they’re organic and all natural! Surf Sweets has hit the jackpot! Some of our favorite Surf Sweets products are the Gummy Swirls (SO scrumptious) and the Sour Berry Bears (Mmmmm)!
You’ve gotta try them!

All of their treats are made with natural sweeteners and organic ingredients such as Organic Fruit Juice and Organic Cane juice…they are Vegan, Gluten Free, contain Vitamin C and are made in a Nut-Free facility (yay)! And last but not least…they do not contain GMO’s or corn syrup!

So…our little ones can snack on yummy treats and all of us mamas can sit back and relax knowing that they are eating natural, organic & quality treats!
Surf Sweets even has little 9 oz. packets of Gummy Bears – perfect for tossing in the lunch boxes, packing for a picnic or even giving them to all the local neighborhood kiddies who will be over all summer long!

Surf Sweets products can be found at local retailers and organic markets. Click HERE to see if you have a retailer carrying Surf Sweets near you! You can order them online as well.

Want to Win a Prize Package full of Surf Sweets treats and a free Surf Sweet t-shirt?!

All you have to do is email us at contests@chestercountymoms.com (Subject Line: Surf Sweets) or leave us a comment below with your email address so we can contact you if you win!

Want extra entries?

Follow us on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway! Leave us a comment below or an email letting us know you tweeted!
Follow Surf Sweets on Twitter too! Let us know you are following their tweets in a comment below or send us another email!
Become a Fan of Surf Sweets on Facebook! Tell us that you are!
Become a Fan of Chester County Moms on Facebook too! Remember to tell us for your extra entry!

This contest is open to US citizens only. Contest ends at midnight (EST) on June 30, 2009. The winner will be chosen randomly…so make sure you give us your contact info so we can let you know if you won!

Community Economic Discussion

Share our Struggles & Successses

The Greater Brandywine Cultural Alliance will be sponsoring a series of 3 free afternoon sessions at the Chester County Art Association, 5:30pm – 7:00pm, June 30th, July 28th and August 25th.

You are invited to join your peers in a group forum setting, no presenter or agenda have been prepared. We invite you to help us all find ways to survive the challenges of the current economy, bring along your ideas and issues to share with peers and possibly find a way to partner.

Enjoy sandwiches and lemonade and BYOB beverages on the back patio at the Chester County Art Association.

The programs are sponsored by the Greater Brandywine Cultural Alliance Marketing Peer Group and hosted by the Chester County Art Association and Chester County Community Foundation.

Photography 101 with Caitlin Domanico

“OMG I love your pictures, what kind of camera do you use?”
Part Three
Are you ready for the latest installment of “OMG I LOVE YOUR PICTURES”?

I really feel that this is one of the most important tips, but it is very intimidating for people to begin to use. Would I make you do anything TOO hard? No! Just relax and read on.

Soak up natural light when it’s available.

Turn off your flash.

I know, it’s hard to do, but do it. If lighting is low, then use your arms as a tripod and prop your camera on a steady
surface. No surface available? Draw your arms in tightly, hold your breath, and take the photo. If you are using an SLR and know a bit more about the technical
end, boost your ISO, widen your aperature and/or adjust your shutter speed. There is nothing like a beautiful portrait lit by a window. Skin tones are more natural,
colors are more true, and there are no harsh shadows and flash spots.

Check out these examples:

Flash~ could have been so much better! (or will require much more editing)

No Flash~ sigh…so pretty!

Have you mastered all of these techniques and still want more from your photography? Stay tuned for next Thursday’s topic- editing software for all budgets.

Until then, happy shooting!