eCoupons

Like most people, I'm always looking for easy ways to save a buck or two.  For groceries and other essentials, this used to mean clipping coupons.  This eventually turned into printing out online coupons.  Now, I've discovered eCoupons.  Or better put, I've recently discovered a new way to use eCoupons.

I've used eCoupons for online purchases for a while now, but until recently, I didn't know that you could actually load coupons onto your store loyalty cards.  This is great for two reason.  First, I don't have to spend time clipping and sorting coupons, only to end up leaving them at home or forgetting about them and having them expire.  Second, I don't have to limit myself to purchasing items online.

So how exactly does this work?  It's super easy.  First, you need to have a loyalty card.  If you don't already have one, stop by customer service the next time you do your grocery shopping and get one.  Next, go to your local store's website and register.  I tend to do most of my grocery shopping at Tom Thumb (aka Randall's, Safeway, etc), so I made a quick trip to TomThumb.com and registered.  Finally, select the coupons you want loaded onto your card.  On TomThumb.com, simply click on Coupon Center and select the coupons you want to load onto your card.  When you use your card at the checkout counter, the coupon is automatically applied.  No clipping required!  (On a side note, this also works great for those of you with significant others who are "too manly" to be seen with coupons!) 

The other nice thing about this is you can add coupons from other sites, not just the store's website.  For example, Tom Thumb allows you to add coupons from Shortcuts.com, Cellfire.com, and P&GeSaver.com.  They even have a link to those sites on their website.  You'll need to register on those sites and link it to your account using your card number.

And in case you're like I used to be and think that coupons don't make much of a difference, I saved $10 on $40 worth of groceries on my last trip.  That's 25% off without having to clip, sort, or remember coupons; I just spent 15 minutes online, did my regular grocery shopping, and handed my card over at the register!

Vacation Planning

I've been working hard the last few years, and I think it's time I treated myself to a real vacation.  I started saving up about a month ago, and my original plan was to take a nice long relaxing trip after taking the bar in February, but I don't think I can wait that long.  So to anyone out there who is reading this, any vacation destination recommendations? 

Here are some guidelines:

• It's going to be a long weekend only, so as much as I'd love to go somewhere like Europe or Australia, that's just not going to be possible at the moment.  Maybe February.
• It's probably going to be in September or October, so no snow-required destinations.
• I plan on going alone, so nowhere where I'm going to feel like crap for not having someone special to be there with....unless the plan is that I meet someone special there.  =)

I guess that's pretty much it.  Anywhere you absolutely loved that I should go?  Anywhere you absolutely hated that I should avoid at all costs?

Stupid Warning Labels

While preparing for my last final, I came across my notes for defective warnings.  I'm sure you've seen some warning labels on random products and thought, "Are people really that dumb??"  Unfortunately yes, some people are really that dumb.  And I have to admit that lawyers are the reason we have a lot of those stupid labels.  If someone doesn't realize that using a hair dryer in the shower is dangerous (or just plain stupid -- how are you supposed to get your hair dry if water keeps falling on it?), then there will be a lawyer willing to sue because the hair dryer maker should have warned them about that particular act of stupidity. 

When we got to this particular topic, the professor brought along a list of his favorite stupid warnings and shared some with us.  He was literally laughing so hard, he started crying.  Here's a sample:

• On a hammer -- May be harmful if swallowed.
• On can of pepper spray -- May irritate eyes.
• In a microwave oven manual -- Do not use for drying pets.
• On a stroller -- Caution: Remove infant before folding for storage.
• On a box of rat poison -- Warning: has been found to cause cancer in laboratory mice.
• On a chainsaw -- Do not attempt to stop the blade with your hand.

Thinking about all these brilliant attempts at avoiding lawsuits made me wonder what kind of gems I had lying around my house.  Here's what I found:

• On a hair straightener -- Do not use to straighten eyelashes.
• On a jar of peanut butter -- Allergy warning: Contains peanuts.
• On a bottle of stain remover -- Caution: Contains cleaning agents.
• On a can of Raid -- Do not apply to humans.

All I can say is, good to know.

Advice for a Future Lawyer

Today Career Services had a guest speaker make a presentation.  Overall, I would have to say this was one of the most informative speakers they've had, and definitely the most entertaining.  One of her pearls of wisdom stuck in my head and I felt the need to share.

Obviously, people are worried about getting jobs once we graduate.  And once you finally manage to get a job, what if you hate it?  There are hundreds of areas of law, but what if you end up taking a job not in the area you want simply because it's the only job you can get?  Are you going to be stuck there for the rest of your career, or will you eventually be able to make it back into other areas?  What if you do end up with your dream job, in your dream city, with the dream firm.....and then you make a mistake that nobody ever lets you live down?  Are you going to be the butt of jokes forever?

What I learned today from this speaker was that it really didn't matter what I did when I got out of school.  Whatever I do is not going to determine where I spend the rest of my career.  Or as she put it: "The worst thing you can do straight out of law school is commit a felony and get caught." 

There are two things I'd like to point out about this bit of advice.  First, apparently the problem is not committing the felony, it's getting caught.  And second, if you commit the felony and get caught, it's ok as long as you're not straight out of law school.  I'm pretty sure that's not what she meant, but it does make it more entertaining and memorable to think if it this way.