The scent of a truly great sale

By Robin McMacken | Friday, January 13, 2012, 01:11 PM

My Facebook friend posted a link to a truly terrific online sale at www.bathandbodyworks.com.

The merchant is offering up to 75 percent off select body-care products. What I find remarkable: exclusive body creams and lotions, as well as fragrance mists and shower gels, which normally retail for $9.50, are now $3.

Don’t delay, however, as my favorite scent, Dark Kiss is already sold out.

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Look for great deals on fitness equipment

By Robin McMacken | Wednesday, January 11, 2012, 06:39 PM

Retailers are cashing in on New Year’s resolutions to get fit and making huge price cuts on fitness equipment this month.

“Now is a great time to create the at-home gym and adhere to any fitness resolutions,” says John Parson, director of sales for G&G Fitness, which is the parent company of the Fitness Stores in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.

“Time is a precious commodity,” he adds, and fashioning a home gym allows us to work out according to our schedules. “And arguably it can take you as long to get to and from the gym as it does to do your workout at home.”

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Fluff your winter wardrobe on the cheap

By Robin McMacken | Tuesday, January 10, 2012, 04:37 PM

Fashionistas will love to know that many shops — from upscale boutiques to junior apparel chains — are clearing out their winter merchandise this month to make room for the new spring collections.

Retailers have given us the perfect opportunity to fluff our winter wardrobes with such go-to items as down jackets, wool coats or hats and scarves.

Although after-Christmas sales focused on winter apparel discounts, many retailers are offering even stronger sales this month, according to www.DealNews.com.

Deal News also advises us to keep watch for impressive discounts from French Connection, Express (which last year progressively offered deeper discounts throughout the month), Levi’s, J.Crew, Aeropostale, Banana Republic and Barneys New York.

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Start saving now for winter getaway

By Robin McMacken | Tuesday, January 3, 2012, 12:45 PM

The dreariness of January has set in and the Christmas decorations have been lovingly put away. So now is the time to start planning a minivacation.

CheapOAir.com is a fabulous website to search for getaway packages, as the budget travel company is always offering some kind of incentive.

It also provides tips on how to save money while traveling, cool spots to visit once you arrive at your destination, as well as safety pointers, in the ongoing blog series.

To find out what steals and deals CheapOAir currently offers, visit www.cheapoair.com/vacations and then click on “Vacation Packages” and enter your desired travel dates and destination.

Remember: Rates are based on availability; taxes and service fees are not included.

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Walking an affordable way to get fit

By Robin McMacken | Tuesday, January 3, 2012, 12:39 PM

To step up your fitness goals for 2012 and overcome that feeling of post-holiday inertia, start walking.

It’s arguably the most affordable form of exercise (you just need a pair of good shoes and comfy clothes), and the world is your oyster as far as places to walk.

Here are my suggestions for getting started:

• Invest in good shoes. Turn to the experts at a shoe or sporting-goods shop to fit you with sneakers that offer comfort and support.

• Set realistic goals. If your goal is to walk two hours a day, 365 days a year, you might be setting yourself up for failure. Aim for a more realistic goal, such as 30 minutes five days a week.

• Track your progress. Mayo Clinic also recommends keeping a record of how many steps you take, the distance you walk and how long it takes to help you see where you started from and serve as a source of inspiration.

• Implement the buddy system to stay motivated. Nothing keeps us on our toes as much as making a commitment with a spouse, partner, friend or neighbor to work out.

• Make safety No. 1. If you walk in the evening, then be sure to wear reflective gear. If you walk alone, then be sure to tell someone the route you’re taking.

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Free Zumba class Sunday at Urban Active

By Robin McMacken | Thursday, December 29, 2011, 05:00 PM

Urban Active at The Greene Town Center in Beavercreek is helping members and nonmembers alike kick-start their fitness goals for 2012.

On Sunday, the fitness center will offer a complimentary 75-minute Zumba class at 2:15 p.m.

The Latin-inspired dance workout combines red-hot music with addictive dance moves. It also features interval training sessions where fast and slow rhythms are combined to tone and sculpt the body while burning fat, at about 500 to 800 calories per hour.

Urban Active is located at 4494 Walnut St., Beavercreek. For more information, call (937) 427-0700.

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Welcome 2012 with a snazzy calendar

By Robin McMacken | Thursday, December 29, 2011, 04:55 PM

With paper, ink and a printer, you can create a 2012 calendar to reflect your personal flair and help you slide into the New Year with a sense of organization.

Check out www.freeprint.com, for instance, where you can choose from a wide variety of calendar templates to download.

Or let the pros at such websites as www.vistaprint.com do all the printing. For a limited time, you can design your own 2012 wall, wallet, poster or desk calendar for free at the website. (You will pay for shipping and processing costs.)

The process is quite snazzy, and you can customize the templates provided.

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Spend more on cosmetics for better results

By Robin McMacken | Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 06:49 PM

According to www.DealNews.com, there are times when it makes sense to invest more in a product to get a better return.

For instance, the website recommends passing on cheap cosmetics. The goal of makeup is to make your skin look naturally flawless, and inexpensive cosmetics are more likely to look unnatural or cake later in the day.

One exception: Maybelline’s Great Lash Mascara ($6.40), which consistently makes the top beauty lists.

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Feel-good ways to use those gift cards

By Robin McMacken | Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 06:44 PM

Continuing in the altruistic spirit of the season, we have more ideas for spreading good will — especially to those less fortunate.

At www.Kinoliinc.com, consumer and money-saving expert Andrea Woroch has a fabulous idea: Donate unwanted gift cards to charities.

She says the Make-A-Wish Foundation, for example, accepts donations of gift cards that are then used toward granting the wishes of children facing life-threatening illnesses.

Locally, you also can call your favorite charity to see if it accepts gift cards; if it doesn’t, then simply use your card to purchase items (food or clothing, for instance) you know the nonprofit group will accept.

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How to effortlessly (almost) return gifts

By Robin McMacken | Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 06:39 PM

To make the process of returning or exchanging Christmas gifts easier this year, I recommend the following:

• Don’t delay. Most retailers offer a limited window of opportunity to make returns.

• Remember: Receipts are still the key to hassle-free returns. Some stores will allow you to exchange merchandise without a receipt, but oftentimes will only provide merchandise credit for the lowest markdown price at which the item was sold during the holiday season.

• Hang on to all original packaging, tags and parts. Some retailers won’t accept returns unless the item is in its original package.

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