Garmin now offers lifetime map updates on a unit for a decent price and lowered the cost of a onetime update. In addition, Garmin offers a one-time free update within 60 days of first acquiring satellites on your device, so don’t wait too long after purchasing to update. Without understanding the cost associated with building these maps, it seems realistic that Garmin customers should be receiving free updates with any device, but I guess that’s out of the question.

The new and improved map update prices are:

• 1 free map update (within 60 days of first acquiring satellites with your device)
• One time map update =  $49.99
• Lifetime map updates = $89.99
  • You will receive up to four (4) map data updates per year.

On a recent trip to New York City, my wife and I saved $50 on a room naming our price on Priceline and again saved another $60 on a recent hotel room for a wedding near Austin, TX just last week.  When I say we saved money, I actually mean if we were to go to the hotel’s website and reserve the same room or even use another site like hotels.com to reserve the same room, we would not have gotten the rate we did.

How does Priceline work? Well, basically, the commercials are accurate; you simply name your price. However, it can be a little scary because you don’t get to name your hotel, rather, you name the area you would like your hotel to be in (generally this is narrowed down to small sections of cities) and you name how many star hotel you are looking for. After choosing the following two options, you submit your proposal and wait to see if any Hotel’s accept your offer, if they do, then a deal has been made. If not, you can try again by offering more money or lowering your star preference or even expanding the area you would like to stay in.

It’s actually kind of a fun process, I like to start out a few weeks in advance by really low balling my offers just in case I am able to sneak in a great deal, but I generally have found that I get better deals by waiting till close to the date I actually want to be there. Perhaps the logic is that the room would be empty anyways so they might as well fill it, even if they don’t get as much for it.

The only hesitation I think you should have with Priceline is if you are going to be rooming with more than two people. My experience is that they do not guarantee rooms with two beds, but you can request this with your hotel after the reservation have been made through Priceline.  But, this is only a request and may mean you might not actually get the extra bed. So, if you are traveling with three or more people, Priceline may not be your best option. On the other hand, if you are a couple traveling, Priceline will save you money and likely get you into a hotel nicer than you were originally seeking out.

The main streamers on the market now (including Apples future machine)
is the Roku XR, Pop Box, LG BD550 and Apple TV. How do they stack up?
Well, as far as price goes, the cheapest options are the Apple TV and
Roku players at $99, but the others aren’t far behind at $130 (Pop
box) and $150 (LG BD550).  As far as their capabilities, they vary
more than their price, mostly on what type of files/services they can
play. For example, some can play downloaded files, while others rely
on services like Netflix and YouTube.

So, which media streamer should you buy? It really depends on what
type of content you like to watch and where you get the content.

Pros and Cons of Available Media Streamers:

Apple TV

Pros: The price is pretty good at $99, and like most Apple devices,
they are generally easy to use. Another positive of this machine is
the size, it’s amazingly small and has the neat Apple look we have
come to expect.  Another great option, which we should expect nowadays
is that it handles a WiFi connect.

Cons: The video quality tops out at 720p and doesn’t offer a 1080p.
The content is limited to HD TV shows from ABC & Fox for $0.99/piece,
HD Movie rentals for ($4.99/3.99), and Netflix, iTunes, and YouTube.
So don’t expect to download or stream your content from random sites
with this box.

Roku XR

Pros: The Roku is also fairly small in size and offers more content
types than the Apple TV.  Another plus is that it also accepts a WiFi
connection and will soon have a 1080p upgrade (currently 720p). One
content that stands out from the rest with this box is that it accepts
an MLB.tv account, so baseball fans, this is the choice for you.

Cons: The only available content is Netflix, Amazon VOD, $0.99 HD TV
show purchases from Fox and ABC, MLB.tv, UFC, NBA GameTime, YouTube,
and Pandora.

Pop Box

Pros: Finally, an option where we can download some of our own
content, this machine can play XviD, MPEG-4, MKV, AVI, h.264, and WMV
files. Like the others so far, the Pop Box also a WiFi, but it’s an
optional adapter. Lastly, this machine does 1080p.

Cons: It’s fairly large and slightly more expensive than the others.
It does handle some subscription content (YouTube, Revisions3,
Blip.tv, but not as much as the Apple TV or Roku player.

LG BD440

Pros: This unit has the best audio option with 7.1 audio, DTS-HD MA,
Dolby TrueHD audio (the others all have 5.1 audio). Also, this machine
is a Blu-ray player, which none of the others even have a disc drive
of any kind.

Cons: Again, the content is limited (Blu-ray discs, VUDU, Netflix,
CinemaNow, YouTube, Pandora, Napster). Another major con of this unit
is the lake of WiFi, this will have to be wired to the net. As far as
size goes, it’s a little big, but about what you would expect from a
Blu-ray player.

[ UPDATE: 9/28/2010]

1. Christine O’Donnell - Already somebody who wasn’t on the original list, but quickly deserves the top spot.  Christine O’Donnell won a surprising Republican primary in Delaware and has been making the headlines since, with much thanks to Bill Maher. How do you dress like O’Donnell for Halloween? Well, you could go with a classic politician look with a twist–lets say a suit, Congressional looking pin, and a witch hat or broom (don’t you dabble in witchcraft?).
   
2. Steven Slater – Made famous by freaking out on a passenger on a plane, while working as a flight attendant, Slater stole a beer and slid down the emergency exit on a JetBlue flight. Slater adds another reason to consider purchasing the all you can fly deal from JetBlue.  A Slater costume can range from a flight attendant getup to well a flight attendant getup.
3. Michaele Salahi – I guess you don’t have to be invited to the party if you show up dressed as Michaele Salahi. The famous White House party crasher and now apparently a DC Housewife, requires a blond wig and a dress, I guess.
   
4. President Barak Obama – Neither color nor religion is an issue if you decide to dress up as Obama this year. Apparently, he’s black/white and Christian/Muslim. All you will need to pull of the Obama look is a suit, big ears, a birth certificate, noble piece price, graying hair, and low approval ratings.
   
5. Sarah Palin – Sarah Palin says so many crazy things that this costume can go a number of ways. Of course, your going to need the famous glasses and crazy hair, but from their you can go a number of directions. Maybe bring along your pet grizzly bear, fishing pole, a dictionary of made up words, a certificate of congratulations for half a term as Governor or Alaska, a gun (fake) or a lamestream media partner.
   
6. Levi Johnston – How can I not include Levi after Sarah? Levi is another easy costume to put together, it’s just going to take a few accessories to tip off who you are supposed to be. Some options could be to bring a “pregnant” partner to play as Bristol Palin, a Playgirl, or a “Vote for Levi” for Mayor sign.
   
7. Bristol Palin – I hate to put all of these back to back, but they play off each other so well. Bristol is a costume that like all of them probably can go a number of ways. You could be pregnant, carry a People magazine, or have a priest almost marry you throughout out the night (there is always a priest at a Halloween party).
   
8. Rod Blagojevich – Close friends call him Blago, we call him crazy. Blagojevich requires a nice mop of hair, a suit, $500 tie, credit card debt, jail jumpsuit, or a “Your Fired” sign.
   
9. Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) – Scott Brown became an instant household name with his surprise win for the late and I will say Great Ted Kennedy. He’s no ordinary Senator, however, he landed on the Hill’s most attractive people list and once was featured as the “Sexiest Man” in a centerfold piece. Again, take this costume how you’d like…
   
10. Tea Partier – This costume might be a little more expensive depending on how you look at it. It could range from a tea party character dating back to the Boston Tea Party or pick out a person in the crowd at any tea party rally and give yourself a prop that gives your costume away. Perfect props could be anti-Obama signs, political signs with misspelled words, and a copy of the constitution or bible.
    
11. Justin Bieber – If you don’t know him, ask your kids, if you still cant find out who he is then Google in him Incognito. I suppose all you need to do is have the Bieber hair due, which is pretty much flat across your forehead slightly to one side and make sure your constantly throwing the hair out of your face. Oh, and you should probably be short and wear extremely tight undies to get your voice at the right octave.
    
12. LeBron James – Normally I don’t think he should be on a Halloween costume list, but after the bizarre year he had how can he not?  [Warning: Do not dress up at LeBron if your going to be going to a Halloween party in the entire state of Ohio]
    
13. Brett Favre – I’m willing to guess this will be the last year Favre makes it on a Halloween costume list, but never say never with Brett. Perhaps a dip in your mouth, a Vikings jersey tucked into tight Wrangler jeans, a walker, and an indecisive drink order all night will work perfect to pull off the Favre.
    
14. Tareq Salahi – Michaele’s husband is not nearly as famous of the two White House party crashers, but definitely will be showing up at parties this Halloween. I’d venture to guess it will be the biggest couples outfit this year. Don’t be afraid to go with a polo outfit.
    
15. Glenn Beck – The man who can compare nearly anything to the Nazi Germany days should be an easy costume to pull together with things you probably already have. The glasses he wears when giving his professor like lectures are a must. If possible, some type of chalkboard, a gold endorsement, and constant chin grabbing.
    
16. Elizabeth Warren – Ok, this costume may only work if you live in the Washington DC area. It was Warren’s idea to have a Consumer Financial Protection Agency, which has recently been created by Congress, and Warren is now a leading contender to get the job. An Academic with, well, an academic look, Warren is a pretty easy costume to pull off. This is either a bust or a hit costume, depending on the party.
    
17. Elena Kagan – Sticking with DC fame, President Obama’s successful Supreme Court pick Elena Kagan, cruised through the confirmation process with relative ease. With her sexuality in question and her love for softball and constant short jokes (even from Obama), Kagan can easily mimicked with a homemade Supreme Court robe.
    

Who are we forgetting?

I’m happy to report that it does actually keep the coffee warm, but not hot. Basically, for me it keeps the drink warm enough to drink, which is exactly the purpose in the first place. They do serve USB coffee cup warmers that plug into a USB port on your computer, but I have read that these don’t really produce a whole lot of heat. The candle warmer will heat up your mug to the point where the bottom will be pretty hot to the touch.

So if you are looking for a gift to give a coworker or you just hate cold coffee, then try buying a cheap candle warmer, just don’t forget to turn it off, burnt coffee smells…Choose from the most used tags in Post Tags

Having to wear a suit everyday for work, I have purchased many dress shirts over the years at places like Kohl’s, Macy’s, Marshals, and Ross. But the problem with all of these shirts that I felt like I was getting a great deal on is that they are just simply ok. Many of them, even though they are advertised as “iron-free,” still come out of the dryer with plenty of wrinkles. In addition, many of these shirts would get wrinkly quickly throughout the day losing their crisp ironed look.

The solution for me has been Brooks Brothers. I’m sure there are other favorite brands out there, but I have found their iron-free shirts to be completely worth their high price tag. Generally, they run about $60-80 or so for just one shirt, compared to about $15-40 for a cheaper brand when you find them on sale. However, the quality of the material as well as the hassle free maintence of the shirt makes them far worth the extra dollar.

Brooks Brother’s shirts usually always come with the crease running all the way down the arm, which makes it look like it was just dry-cleaned. This crease is permanent, which means it is always going to look like it was just dry-cleaned. And, as advertised, their shirts actually do look great when taken out of the dryer fairly quickly after they are done. This translates into no ironing. I don’t know about you, but I prefer to spend my Sundays watching football with a beer and not ironing my shirts with a spray bottle.

Lastly, for those that do not know or probably just don’t care, Brooks Brothers shirts have a little wrinkle at the cuff of each shirt, which is very faint, but recognizable to those around you that know about fashion/quality. So the next time your in a meeting with “the suites” at your job, I bet you will be able to spot at least one shirt with this wrinkle.

If your going to try spending a little more on a shirt like this, make sure you get sized before you make the purchase and decide if you want a slim fit or traditional fit. In addition, decide if you like the spread collar vs. the traditional collar. You’re going to be spending a lot on a shirt that will last you a long time, so make sure you are getting what you want, because after you wear it, you’re stuck with it.

A nice site that is filled with these types of cheap gift ideas for sports fans is CSNStores, which of course sells loads of other products like dining room furniture. I recently got something there for my office that proudly displays the Minnesota Twins logo (don’t worry it’s a business card holder, I wouldn’t stick a Fathead on my wall or anything at work). Their websites sticks sports logos on just about anything you can think of.

Most sports fans really like the “old school” logo of their teams and for these eBay is great. Some of the real vintage sports gear is used, but sometimes that just comes with the territory. Look for great coffee mugs or vintage baseball helmets as good gifts.

Although not online, sometimes it’s a great bargain to buy merchandise on the way to the stadiums from the vendors on the street. Many times their hats and shirts are nearly identical to what you find inside as far as the style and for about half of the price.  This goes for the hotdogs too!

It’s only natural after a economic downturn and job instability that consumers are more or less scared into saving. Scared or planned, it is encouraging to see that some are starting to plan for their futures instead of outspend the present. How much should you have saved up? This is an evolving figure that nobody really seems to agree upon, but I think if you have between 2-6 months worth of living expenses, you are well prepared.

Whether you are on your way to your savings goal or just starting out, maybe some of these tips can help you reach your comfort nest egg

• Treat your savings like a utility bill and pay into your savings every month.
• Budget a reasonable amount per month that you actually deposit money into your savings without having to take it right back out.
• Put all or a significant chunk of bonuses/surprise windfalls into your savings account.
• Log into your savings account every once in awhile to see your progress and remember why you don’t have an iPad yet.
• Setup auto deposits to make your savings from your paychecks happen automatically.
• When you pay off certain items or bills, take that already budgeted amount and put it towards your savings.
• If you are lucky enough to get a raise, take a percentage of it and add it to your savings contributions. You’ll never get ahead if you’re always spending increases.

Everyone has heard (read) us rave about Redbox for their cheap rentals and numerous kiosks, but they have gotten better.  Why? Because they will now be carrying Blu-ray disks for a whopping $1.50.  That’s a pretty sweet deal and maybe enough to get people on the fence about buying a Blue-ray player to actually get one.  Although, I still stand by a media computer docked to the TV with a Blue-ray drive, but that’s not really the point.

Redbox admits that they don’t have the Blue-ray discs in every kiosk yet, but you can check out their site to see if they are near you.  The plan is that Redbox will eventually have Blue-ray discs in all of the locations by the fall.

I recently finished my first marathon and spent about 5 months training and around $200 on a GPS watch to help me track my progress. For anyone serious about biking or running and you have yet to try a GPS training gadget, you have got to give it a try.  Knowing exactly how far you have traveled and the exact pace you are going is key to tracking your progress and reaching your goals. Not to mention, it’s just pretty cool.

Now, you can give GPS training a go for free!  The Endomondo Sports Tracker application for your cell phone is now available that can give you most of the benefits of an expensive watch without any of the costs. This nifty application will not only track your runs, but when integrated with their website, you can find a summary of all your workouts, keep an eye on your friends latest workouts, see your workouts on a map and more. I guess the only downsize is you’ll have to figure out a way to carry or strap your phone on you during your run, but if you have a memory card in your phone, you can then use your phone as your GPS trainer and MP3 player.

Currently, the free application works with Nokia, HTC, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG, HP, Eten, Palm, and Garmin devices.

Give it a try, for $0.00, you cant go wrong.

Wow, I wouldn’t normally buy this, but its too cheap not to!”

Be sure you are buying what you can afford.  Oh yea…and don’t trample anyone….
Sam’s club
Acer Aspire One 10.1″ Netbook – $197.00
HP G71 17″ LED Notebook w/Blu-ray – $499.00
Olympus FE-4000 12 MegaPixel Camera – $98.00 ($30 savings)
JVC 1080p Blu-ray Player – $129.00
Garmin Nuvi 255w GPS Navigation System – $119.00 ($10 savings)
Hitachi 42″ 1080p LCD HDTV – $598.00
Phillips 52″ 1080p LCD HDTV – $1198.00 ($50 savings)
Vizio 47″ 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV – $997.00

Staples

Target

KMart

I’ll update these as I find them.  Just got my Google Wave invite…be back in 3 hours.

Its hard to really condone some of these phones simply because, not only are they wicked expensive, but in order to fully realize their potential, you have to buy into data plans that (per MB) are way more expensive than the data connection going to your house. [Remember this?]

Billshrink.com has put together a nice little huge image that captures a lot of the finer details of what these devices shake out at.

(Click to enlarge)

I received a link from a buddy of mine the other day to a site that kind of blew my mind.  Swoopo.com is a discount shopping site with lightening fast auctions that seems to work really well.

My first thought in seeing a site like this is to try and figure out the sites angle in how they make money.  Usually if thats not apparent, then there is usually something amiss, but Swoopo makes it clear how it operates:

1. Register with the site, supply your contact info and purchasing information.  (Site uses https, but you may get a flag that not all content is secure.  Check your browser)
2. Purchase credits in order to bid on items.  Each bid costs about $.60 (cheaper if bought in bulk, natch), and every time a bid is placed, a small amount of time is added to the ending auction time.
3. There is no ‘reserve price,’ so if you found a rediculously expensive item, like a MacBook Pro or 47″ plasma and you are the winning bidder when time runs out, thats what you have to pay.  Could even be $100.
4. The average savings are listed across the site as well as the MSRP of the item and it seems exciting.
5. Here’s their video:

Ok, so there must be a catch right?  How can all these items be let go for so cheap?  I am not sure to be honest with you.  My first thought is that they are making money on so many people bidding at about $.60 a pop but I haven’t done the math yet.

The other hold back I see is that unless you have budgeted for something specifically, yit would be very easy to fall into the trap of “It’s just too cheap NOT to buy this.”

A few weeks ago, Frank and I went to Harbor Freight to look around and it was the same sort of thing: you had to really be sure that what you wanted to get you knew you were going to get somewhere else any way.  Otherwise it was very possible that you would end up coming home with tools that you had no business owning.  Deals are incredible there as well…might write about that too sometime.

So take it slow and do lots of window shopping and be aware that this site feeds of the compulsion to buy things you don’t need.  For those things you do need, take a look and see if you can swoop in.

Expires on November 1, 2009.

Groupon is a relatively new site that aggregates new deals at awesome prices with an element of community involvement.  Not only is it great for consumers, but it is great for business as well.  Want to find deals that are more tailored to where you live?  They have that too.  The ability to discuss with other users is a nice feature and seems to have a very clear approach as opposed to others.  Send deals to friends quickly or simply tweet the deals.

You can learn more here, as well as subscribe to get their deals everyday in your email.

Let us know what your experiences are in the comments below!