Shopping Links
Look up someone's Amazon Wish List. If you're unsure how to do this through the normal amazon.com front page, here is a little short cut. Just put in the name you're looking for, like "schneidler".
Own a digital camera? Want to find the best price for your prints? Check out this very impressive page! It lists just about every site there is that makes prints from image files, and it is really up to date. Awesome site.
NEW****So you've heard of "voice over IP", or "internet telephony"...or maybe you haven't. Anyway, to make calls for free or super cheap, its the way to go. Often they involve a monthly fee and then unlimited "free" calling (like skype, net2phone, etc). Everyone offers it now, like yahoo and netzero. Anyhow, they often require special equipment as you're sort of talking over your computer out to the world. My buddy Ian turned me on lately to jajah, which basically uses their VOIP network to route the call, but uses a normal phone on each end of the call. You go to the site, sign in and enter the number you want to call, and then both your phone and the phone you're dialing start ringing, and voila. The rate is 2.5 cents a minute, zero monthly fee, but if both the caller and receiver belong to jajah, the call is free. Ian and I talk for about 2 hours every Tuesday for free this way, with no problems. The best part is, calls to Australia, Japan, Europe, and other places fall under the same deal--free or 2.5 cents a minute at most! I've finally found a better deal than my costco calling card... J If you're not strapped for cash and like your current phone service...why are you still reading this?
NEW***Want to plop your dream home down on the silty banks of the muddy kuskokwim? Or is that the muddy banks of the silty kusko ah never mind. Do we have the deal for you!
USAA - the world's best insurance company, bank, and who knows what else. Well, maybe not, but the best I know of. How about free use of any ATM anywhere (even overseas)? You can even make deposits from home over the internet by scanner and the funds are instantly available (I kid you not, is that crazy or what). All of the insurance is replacement level. So what? Just wait until you're filing a claim with another company and this will take on some meaning.
Powell's, biggest and best used (and sometimes new) bookstore on the planet! Located in Portland. Massive selection, and cheaper than Amazon or B&N or Borders. Always free shipping if you buy $50 or more!
Half.com, sort of eBay's little brother. No auctions, just browse and buy on the spot. I've never had a problem with them, and not having to bid makes it a lot less hassle. The tradeoff is there is less selection than eBay, and you will generally pay a little bit more, but still way under retail.
Travelocity - Pretty good site for buying plane tickets and other stuff. No tricks. You see the price, the airline, the flight time, and all the details before buying. I often use this site to find the fares/flights I want, and then I go to Alaska Airlines to book it.
Hotwire - Another travel site. I have heard excellent things about using this site, particularly in regards to hotel reservations. The gimmick here is that you can pick the general rules and get a good price, but you don't know the details (except the price) until you've paid. For example, it might offer you a RT ticket on a major airline from Seattle to New York on a given day for $189. But it won't tell you until after you pay which airline, and at what time the flight is. This is OK if you have a flexible schedule. So I would guess that their target audience is the "starving college student" demographic.
Want to buy LOTS of dry food for cheap? Probably not. ☺ But Walton Feed is where we buy some of our food, cause it's dehydrated (which means it is light, which means it is cheap to ship) and a bargain. Peanut butter powder, anyone? You think I'm kidding! We get several different veggies from these guys, as well as sour cream, soups, juices, and more. This site is absolutely enormous. Ridiculous, in fact.
NEW***A competitor is Honeyville. The site is more slick and corporate, but has way less stuff than Walton Feed, where you could wander forEVer and never read it all. The nice thing about honeyville is the shipping is less than $5, anywhere in the lower 48 (which means I have to impose on relatives to forward it on to us via US mail, but it still is cheaper than paying Walton for shipping). Lately we've gotten way into their berries. We put them on cereal, oatmeal, ice cream...YUM! They have a good price on egg powder too, and butter powder. Mmmmm...
A favorite site for SLPs is Super Duper Publications. This is like the Amazon.com of the speech-pathology profession. Any SLP will gladly take a gift certificate to this site for a birthday or Christmas gift (hint hint!).