Category: Product Reviews


Carolina Postcards That Make ‘em Go AAh

Filed Under: Carolina Vacations, Product Reviews
Dec.21, 2011
Remember the last white Christmas or remember when you drove the Blue Ridge Parkway to experience the beauty of the crisp Carolina blue mountain skies?  Christmas just happens to be our family favorite time to make ‘em go AAh ..by sharing our story in digital print.   The reaction we get from the postcards goes something  like this..‘’AAh how did you get him to do that”  or “tell us more about that trip”.  We send memories to keep ‘em (family and friends) guessing and anticipating something new and different every year!    
 
Past year Christmas postcard ideas …

Two years ago we dressed our family pet in his Red sweater and boots while wearing a pair of sunglasses.  It took us 30 minutes to get the perfect snapshot because he kept shaking his head to drop the sunglasses.  He is still the coolest –K9 that gets all the attention.  We sent his K9 photo in a red candy stripe border postcard.

 
Last year we visited a North Carolina Tree farm to learn more about the Holly Tree we have growing in our yard. 
We learned that it is a super- fast growing tree from 6 feet-to-10 feet in 3 years.  This tree quickly captures so much attention for its beauty that I knew then the Holly Tree would be the perfect backdrop for our family Christmas postcard so we snapped a digital photo of our Holly Tree.  The Holly Tree is now a festive focal point best known for its vibrate red berries and green holly leaves.  
 

       

 This year we have chosen to send the Carolina winter snowfall postcard of 12 mile creek in North Carolina.   With an online history of all of the postcards that I have sent each Christmas I can be sure I don’t send a repeat card.  They ask me how do you remember all of the postcards you’ve sent over the years..I tell them it’s no secret..It’s the software that remembers it for me.)   And To save time I have saved my addresses of family and friends  in the online address book so now I just click to select the list of 50 names to be sent postcards.   

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                     
This postcard of snow on the bridge in North Carolina ..has a message of Joy written on the front.  By creating postcards online I can send it 1 week in advance to arrive on time.   No more paper address books that get lost and cause you to have to write out your list of addresses all over again every year .  Now I can enjoy the process of sending cards by focusing on the fun and creative side of family photo expressions with colorful borders and custom messages that connect with the sender.  I am also providing ideas to friends to help them choose and create their best family photo expression to make ‘em go AAh!

   
 
 
   

Where to create and send your own postcards.. 

You can start here to select from hundreds of postcard designs to upload your digital photo and send your card to your list of family and friends or save time by using our custom designed Carolina postcards above.. to send to your family and friends.  We provide discounts up to 50% on any Cardstore.com cards you create and send from this site.

 
 
Like our Carolina Postcards?  Let us know. Tell us how you preserve or share your family memories?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Share
Tags: , , ,
read more

Bucket List for Carolina College Success

Filed Under: Product Reviews
Sep.28, 2011

 

From High school to College Bucket List

You don’t have to be over 60 to have a bucket list of things you must do.  After attending a local college planning seminar I was overwhelmed with so much information I learned that I started taken notes.  Did you know that only 25% of college students graduate within 4 years?  Such a low number made alarms go off in my head thinking ok so why is that..and what has happened since I graduated to negatively impact the 4-year college graduation rate and that means it would cost you more to go to college if you are there beyond 4 years.  The main reason for this is the student’s strength was not matched to the college.  The lesson here was to choose your college based upon the students strength.  If the student is strong in English then he/she would have better success enrolled in a college that offers English or journalism as a major.   Here’s the high school bucket list for college success:

#1.  Know the College enrollment requirements before applying

While students are in high school you can start calling colleges to ask questions, talking to the high school guidance counselors and reading college handbooks to  look for the college enrollment requirements before applying to see what High School courses are required and what SAT or ACT score is required to enroll.  This will help you to know if your student meet the requirements before waisting your money to apply.

Francis Marion University- Florence, SC

  #2. Visit Colleges

Notice I said visit colleges meaning as many as you can.  College is a business so don’t be fooled by the luscious landscape and brick and mortar.  Hang out on campus and watch college life in action as students change classes during the day. Check out the door rooms and classrooms size and teaching style.  Know if your students learning style..do they learn better with 100 of students in 1 large classroom who drop in a number when entering for attendance..while the instructor instructs from  his overhead notes and then  at the end of class says read the next 3 chapters and be ready for a Quiz. Some  students learn better in a smaller classroom setting where you can ask the instructor a question or meet with the instructor after class for more in-depth one-on-one explaining of concepts and guidance.  Check out campus safety and inquire about the campus safety guidelines.  Check out the cafeteria ..which today maybe called the canteen or more like a food court or restaurant court on campus.  

#3. Teach Money Management for Teens

Most campus will have a financial company on campus for students to apply for a student checking account and/or Debit card and Credit card.  During high school you can open a student checking account at your local bank and obtain a debit card and free online banking to start early to deposit money in the student checking account and show the student how to go online and check their balance of their account from their smart phone and take them shopping and give them a real world experience making a purchase in a store by swiping their Debit Card and entering their pin number or signing so they’ll understand they can only spend the money in their bank account .  So while you are miles away and they are at college you can transfer money to their account and the student can purchase their books or other needs with ease.

#4. Calculate your EFC

Before you apply for financial aid you can find out how much you will need to pay to go to college by calculating your EFC which stands for Expected Family Contribution.  The government service FAFSA will use the EFC to determine your need for college so you should know your EFC.   When filling out the FAFSA form you’ll need to enter the college code you can find the college code here.  You can calculate your EFC for free by using Sallie Mae’s online calculator you can enter your personal data as the pages prompt you. Check out the link below:

http://www.collegeanswer.com/paying/est_efc/efc_index.jsp

#5. High School Timeline Calendar (printable)

Junior Year

Timeline Action Completion Date
Sept -April Talk to HS Guidance Counselor for SAT and college scholarships  
Sept – April Visit  Colleges  
April 15 Parents and students file taxes and keep a copy of taxes for input to FAFSA application  
Nov – May Request Letters of Recommendation from teachers (2 – 3)  
May – June Students should create their resume  

 

Senior Year

Timeline Action Completion Date
January Apply for FAFSA online  
Feb – Apr Apply to Colleges that match students strength  (4 – 6)  
Mar – Apr Financial aid awards letters go out to students that applied early in Jan  
May 1 Students receive  college acceptance letter  

 

Do you know someone that can use this bucket list for college success? Let us know your comments on our bucket list.  Add your comments.

Share
Tags: , ,
read more

Carolina Mobile Lifestyle

Filed Under: Product Reviews, carolina business
Jul.24, 2011

Several local radio stations and small businesses have found new ways to connect with the community and improve their lifestyle.  The local radio station provides the option for listeners in the local community to send a text to be included in their weekly contest give-away of $250.   You’ve probably heard the radio ad that says text a keyword to this 5 digit mobile code to be entered into their contest to win $250. 

Small businesses are also joining in to offer their customers the option to send a text to take a survey to provide valuable feedback to let the business owner know immediately his service rating or how he can provide the personal service customers want.  The small business owner of Carolina Green Lawn Care can provide his customers the option to send a keyword to his 5 digit mobile code to interact with his customer by sending out 3 short questions (140 characters or less)  to the customers cell phone to allow the customers to provide a text reply with a response to the question. 

Questions such as:  

1.  What 3 lawn care products  have you purchased for your home in the past 12 month?   

2. What online sites do you frequently use to purchase home improvement or lawn care items? 

3. What lawn care projects do you have on your to-do list?

By texting and receiving instant feedback to a few short questions a business owner can find out exactly where customers need help the most and how he or she can reposition their business to help meet more customers needs.  The business owner might find that his customers also need help with controlling weeds, beetles and planting large trees.

More businesses are using tools such as Textingly to save money and time spent on paper mailings to customers and instead they are communicating with their customers instantly to send appointment reminders, survey questions and more.  I recently checked out Textingly myself and I found that it is as easy as creating  an online account so you can track your outgoing text message sent to a cell phone user and feedback or responses received.  You can send your text to an unlimited number of customers from a small population of 40 customers to a large population of customers all at once. 

 Here’s how to establish your mobile business text strategy:

  1. Go to www.Textingly.com and create your account  (it’s free to try it)
  2. Enter your keyword that you want customers to send to you ( a short code will be automatically assigned)
  3. Enter the text greeting message you want your customers to receive when they send  you a text
  4. Enter your contacts..name and cell phone number 
  5. Create a text message you want  and press send  to send out the message to your list of contacts

 

And that’s all it is to it.  Now you have a 2 way mobile text connection established with your customers.  So whenever you want to announce a new promotion a sale or discount you can instantly send a text message to alert your customers and receive their response.  And when your customers want to text you they can also send you a message or question back..so make sure you check your Textingly account often to review if you have received recent feedback from customers so you can respond quickly.  To continue to grow your business you can add the keyword and short code to your business cards that you had out to potential new customers.

Share
Tags: ,
read more

Honey I Shrunk the Gas Budget

Filed Under: Charlotte-NC, Product Reviews, Waxhaw-NC
Apr.20, 2011

 save on GasWith the rising cost of food and gas prices how on earth can we continue to take our family trips?  It’s reality that the ugly “I” word inflation is upon us.  For youth who didn’t know what inflation was before today we witness a real life lesson of inflation and its impact.  For every problem there is an opportunity which means an opportunity to be creative to find new ways to cope with or solve this problem.  Since everyone can’t just go out and purchase a new hybrid car or fuel efficient car or  purchase a motorcycle or even riding  your bike to work is probably not feasible for most families. 

Ideas to shrunk your gas budget are not as far-fetched as you might think.  Try our tips to keep your family trips going!

 7 Ways to Shrink your Gas Budget:

  1. Reduce your trips to your local grocery store by buying in bulk.  Instead of making weekly or biweekly trips to the grocery store try going once a month to a store like BJ’s, Costco or Wal-Mart to stock up or buy in bulk.  For additional savings bring your coupons since most of these stores also accept coupons. 

 2. Grab your profits from rising stock prices. Check out the best high-performing oil & gas exploration company stock to invest wisely as these stock prices rise.  3 Top Company’s such as Northern Oil & Gas (NOG), Concho Resources (CXO) , Whiting Petroleum (WLL) just to name a few but there are more.  NOG prices has gone from 24.36 to $30 3 weeks ago.. where as CXO price was $90 in Feb 2011 and now as high as $100.. Why not profit 20% or more from investing in a profitable high-performing oil company..you stand to reap the reward if you buy at the right time when the price is low and hang on for the ride as the price goes up.  Do your research and check out www.investors.com  for their electronic stock newspaper you can purchase online or in paper form at your local bookstore. 

Bi Lo Bonus Reward Card

3. Fill-up at Gas Stations that accept your BI-LO BONUS card which pays you rewards for shopping at Bi-LO and  rewards for purchasing gas at gas stations that accept BI-LO Bonus card.  So how do you know which gas stations accept Bi-LO Bonus card?  Just enter your zip-code at the following website http://www.bi-lo.com/pumps  and you’ll get a list of participating gas stations that accept the BI-LO Bonus card. 

 4. If you live anywhere near Charlotte, NC you know gas prices are about $375 a gallon for regular and up from there.  Whereas right next door is the state of South Carolina where locals can purchase gas on average 10 to 15 cents less and that savings can add up quick.  Just 5 minutes South past the Ballayntine area on Johnston Road which crosses over into Lancaster, SC here is where you’ll find  5 gas stations to choose from at 15 cents less than North Carolina gas prices.

5.  Go online to check where to go for the lowest gas prices around town.  Just enter your zip code and you get a list of gas stations and then you can click to check lowest gas prices over the last 48 hours.

http://www.charlottegasprices.com/GasPriceSearch.aspx

6.  Buy the lowest grade (octane) of gasoline that is appropriate for your car.  Your owner’s manual will have this information. As long as your engine doesn’t knock or ping, the fuel you’re using is fine. You can save hundreds of dollars a year.

Van pool

7. Start or Join a Vanpool.  Commuting to work around the Carolinas can be costly if drive more than 25 miles to work and also pay parking fees, the cost of driving range from $200 – $350 per month.  The Charlotte Area  Transit System (CATS) provides a van for workers that commute from Kannapolis to Charlotte to work.  Some commuters have saved $200 on  with a $75 monthly van service fee.  The cost will be determined by the commute in miles and how many riders  the more riders the more savings is the idea here.    Check out more details here.. http://www.charmeck.org/city/charlotte/cats/commuting/vanpool/Pages/default.aspx

Share what you’re doing to shrink your gas budget?  Join the conversation and post your comments..

Share
Tags: , , , ,
read more

The Ultimate Backyard Retreat

Filed Under: Charlotte-NC, Product Reviews, carolina business
Feb.25, 2011

Spring is drawing near and it’s a great time to start planning for your outdoor entertainment. Don’t get stuck on what to do or where to start. Did you know by starting with just a patio design you can transform your outdoor space into an attractive, entertaining backyard retreat.

Before

Designing a custom patio isn’t as hard as you might think. Start with something that are personal to you that reflect your style such a diamond ring, your initials or your house colors. All 3 of these were used to come up with a sketch of a unique patio design. With the right design team to help your vision become reality the possibilities of a unique outdoor patio are endless. I learned some great tips from Todd Huff (VP Landscape Management from Ultimate Greenscapes of Matthews, N.C.) who specializes in designing outdoor living spaces. With more than 20 years of experience doing landscapes, hardscapes and landscape management his expertise clearly shines thru his work.

Day 1

The “B” curve
Carolina homeowners are WOWed by the unique, attractive and surprisingly affordable design options Todd offers to improve their outdoor living space. Take a look at the before and after photos above. The construction of the patio using pavers, fire pit/grill and stone wall took about 3 days to complete. Notice the interesting curve shapes in the form of a “B” around the patio and a “C” for the stone wall and the circle ring pattern around the stone fire-pit/grill. The blue-grey stone border was used to enhance the round curves.  An assortment of landscape greenery was recommended to break up the hardscape stone pavers next to the home by using shrubs and flowers of different heights and colors to add softness. Low-voltage lighting was also added to the stone wall. “Absolutely Gorgeous” is all I could say!

 

The "C" shaped stone wall

After

With several entertaining options year round, by day the patio can be used for grilling out on the fire-pit that converts to a grill while the songbirds near the backyard feeder sing. In the fall to early winter the e fire-pit can be used to keep warm by the crackling fire outdoors while wrapped in a blanket and by night the lights will come on to create an illuminating scene. A mix of solar lights and candles are also great for entertaining guest with or without music or for watching a movie with a portable outdoor movie projector.

With a patio there are a variety of options from concrete stained patio colors to stone or brick pavers. You can create a long walkway towards a garden entrance or you can add a stone fire pit or grill, stone wall, stone pond to stock fish, water fountain or even an outdoor fireplace.

Top 6 Carolina Springtime Lawn care Tips..

  1. Turf spray to clean up any fall weeds
  2. Time to apply round one of crab grass prevention / 50-60 days apply round two
  3. Use a slow release fertilizer so not to accelerate the grass growing good number is 13-0-5
  4. If a fall aeration wasn’t completed then now is the time to do it, once the grass has come up and been cut twice then you would start the crab grass prevention
  5. Cut back your roses if you haven’t completed that yet, all flowering plants can be trimmed now
  6. Bermuda grass can also be treated now for crab grass use a 0-8-8, no nitrogen needed at this time

And here is the Ultimate Discount for you! Carolina homeowners can get a free fire pit (natural wood burning fire pit) when you buy 300 square feet of pavers. And that’s not all .. an extra 10% off the price is being offered to customers that respond via email to: todd@ultimategreenscapes.com or call Todd at 704-821-5543. He’ll be glad to come out and provide you a quote on your Ultimate Backyard Retreat!

For more patio inspiration check out these designs from Ultimate Greenscapes.

Describe your favorite backyard design idea.. Did you see a design you like? ..add your comments

Share
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
read more

SPA Retreat for Desperate Housewives

Filed Under: Carolina Vacations, Product Reviews
Jan.08, 2011

While most of us would agree that the housewives on Wisteria Lane of the hit TV show “Desperate Housewives” have a lot of drama and juicy gossip that appeal to the masses that watch each week. We’re talking rave reviews about the treatments that make you feel good all over.

NC Housewives Choose

Grove Park Inn – Carolina Mudd Pie

 

There’s a group of housewives (and their husbands) from the Carolinas that meet almost every year to enjoy their desperately deserved “Carolina Mudpie”. They are referred to as Desperate Housewives of NC not because of drama but for the hard work of balancing family life while working full-time.

They told me all about the “Carolina Mudpie”. No.. It’s not the Mudpie (cost $250 for 80 minutes) you can eat, this mudpie includes an exfoliation with warm mud along with a body wrap and the cool whip on top is the half-hour body massage. They also liked the “Aura Imaging Photo” which is a special camera that takes your image that reveals in colors the wavelengths of your energy fields before and after (cost $60) the body wrap treatment so you can compare the results with a professional expert interpretation. Their husbands also seem to like the wrap as well as the “Classic Gentlemen’s Facial” for the smooth and relaxing feeling. “You know it’s relaxing if you fall asleep and they have to nudge you when their done”! Most of the husbands preferred the facial after a morning round on the 18-hole golf course or tennis in the sports complex to help them to relax and daydream.

Spa Mineral Pool

So how far did the desparate housewives travel to their SPA retreat? It’s an easy 2 hour scenic drive from their NC home to the NC mountains of Asheville to the SPA at the Grove Park Inn. (address: 290 Macon Avenue, Asheville, NC 28804 877-772-0747) The Spa was opened in 2001. When you enter the subterranean spa you’ll hear the sound of the waterfall plunging into one of the many water centers. There are mineral pools, lap swimming and an outdoor whirlpool with heated deck. The spa houses 26 treatment rooms offering a myriad of treatments customized for women and men.

Some of the most popular treatments are the seasonal Epicurean treatments, Grove Park Classic ($140 for 50 minutes; $200 for 80 minutes); Grove Park Classical Facial ($175 for 80 minutes); Grove Park Spa Manicure ($80 for 60 minutes) and Walk-in-the Clouds Pedicure ($100 for 60 minutes) which also include a romantic touch w/ glass of champagne and chocolates.

If you have never been to a spa then here are the TOP 7 Spa Etiquette tips the desperate housewives would want you to know (like an experience pro) before you go:
#1. Expect to tip between 15 – 20% if the gratuity is not automatically added to the bill so check the bill first.
#2. All spas require that you arrive a certain amount of time before your treatment begins, some only 15 minutes other maybe 1 hour.
#3. All spas have strict cancellation policies. Most require 24 hours notice prior to cancellation.
#4. Know the spas minimum age requirements. Most require a minimum age of 18 or older. The good news is there are spas that are kid-friendly and offer kid spa programs..if you don’t see signage stating kid-friendly inquire if you’re not sure.
#5. Leave the tech gadgets behind..don’t bring your cell phone, pda, pager, laptop nor camera. Remember you’re there to relax and so are others.
#6. Spas stay booked up..so make your reservation in advance of your arrival if you’d like the earlier the better.
#7. Don’t wear jewelry to your appointment; most spas don’t have safes for client’s valuables.
What has been your best SPA experience? We wanna know..


Share
Tags: , , ,
read more

YearEnd Carolina Furniture Finds

Filed Under: Product Reviews, carolina furniture
Dec.26, 2010
 

Furnitureland South - Marge Carson Chair

 If you’re searching the internet to compare furniture prices and waiting until you can get the best deals.  Then the time has arrived!  Year-end is the time when North Carolina furniture retailers and wholesalers need to clear out the showroom to make room for next year’s new line of furniture.  So the tip I heard from a sales person at Crate & Barrell was “discontinued”. “At the end of the year we’ll have some discontinued items that will be marked down to reduced prices”. Discontinued doesn’t mean anything is wrong with the furniture it is just being discontinued could be due to low sales or the manufacturer decides to stop making that style.  And that creates a great opportunity for you that is if the quality and style meet your criteria.  Since I’m not brand loyal, unique style and quality is more important to me.

I am comparing a few items at Crate and Barrell to furniture items at Furnitureland South and NewSouth Interiors. I chose these retailers for the quality real wood furniture that would last a longer time versus furniture that is made with a lot of veneer which is much softer and prone to nicks, dents, scratches or damage. Crate and Barrell will have discontinued items on sale starting Dec 26, 2010. Furnitureland South has up to 60% off between now and the New Year. And Furnitureland South also has an outlet store with even more markdowns. NewSouth Interiors has floor samples that are marked down up to 50% off.  Here are a few selections I’ve found so far:

1. Crate & Barrell (Charlotte, NC next to Southpark Mall)

2. Furnitureland South (5635 Riverdale Drive Jamestown, NC 866-436-8056)

3. NewSouth Interiors (300 Chatham Avenue, Suite 104 Rock Hill, SC – I77 to Exit 79 803- 329-1661)

NewSouth Interiors- Modern Dining Table set

 

Furnitureland South - Trunk

View Full Article »

Share
Tags: ,
read more

Carolina BUG-FREE Backyard BBQ

Filed Under: Product Reviews, carolina pest
May.24, 2010

Carolina Bug-Free BBQ

It all started on a warm Saturday afternoon when I was cleaning out the garage I encountered a HUGE black beetle in the garage and later I saw a spider.   Naturally, I thought hmmm.. this is not good a good thing since there are most likely more of its kind lurking nearby and I was right there were more beetles.  The bug spray from the local hardware store did not work I needed a more potent solution for what was bugging me.  The next day I received a flyer from a company with an odd name that I had never heard of called “Bulwark” so I called and explained my bug problem and made an appointment.

Bulwark came out and explained that they would spray a prevention barrier around my home that would make it very hard for beetles, spiders and other creepy crawling insects to penetrate.   They also sprayed inside my home.   A few days later I started noticing several dead beetles lying on their back near the driveway and near the front porch.  I did my famous “YES” shout!   I could clearly see evidence of  how well the Bulwark “secret solution” worked.  I say secret solution because I have no idea what the Bulwark formula consist of but I know IT Works to keep the BUGS AWAY!  The quarterly treatments are very reasonable for the satisfaction of knowing I have a pest-free home.

Carolina Pest ControlMosquitoes can also be a problem in the Carolinas especially if you live near a lake, creek and/or have a wooded lot with lots of trees.  Last summer the week before my backyard barbecue I needed help with mosquitoes and once again Bulwark to the rescue.  I received a one-time lawn and pest control treatment to eliminate mosquitoes from disturbing the party!  We had the famous OFF mosquito repellent on hand as a backup plan just in case but it turned out we didn’t need to use it.  We noticed    how pleasant it was to relax and dine outside without fanning OFF mosquitoes.  

I like the service I received because there has been several times I called before my scheduled treatment and they responded quick to put me at ease..   And the treatments I receved have proven to be highly effective solutions that has helped to gain control of my pesty situation.  It’s good to know that Bulwark is just a phone call away.  Add your comments regarding how you solve d your tenacious bug problem?  What’s bugging YOU?

Share
Tags: ,
read more

GPS Saved My Marriage

Filed Under: Product Reviews
Apr.07, 2010

  Gps turn-by-turn voice activatedIf you find yourself spending time studying your paper map to map out your long distance driving route and not familiar with where you’re going then you can probably relate to the unpleasant trip I encountered.  I was planning on relaxing and catching up on a good book to read while my husband drove to our family vacation destination until I was handed a paper map to assist with navigation.  My directions turned out to have some wrong turns that took us much further out of the way and of course we were all mad, tired and frustrated!   It reminded me of the movie where the kids would say “ARE We There Yet”?  After such an unpleasant, long 600 mile trip I refused to navigate again.  I was desperately seeking  the GPS that would save my marriage!   

Life with GPS (Global positioning System) is so much better now since I can relax and leave the navigation to Karen who tells us turn-by-turn directions.  Who is Karen?  Karen is the “GPS voice” that communicates our directions the voice has become a part of the family so we named her appropriately. Karen assist us with directions for traveling to school sports and when we rent a car there is no need to pay for a GPS rental since our personal GPS is portable to another vehicle (plug-in and navigate) so we take Karen (our Garmin Nuvi GPS device ) with us wherever we travel on the road. 

               which gps - Garmin GPS

Top 7  Navigation Benefits I rely on Most:

  • Night driving – the 4 inch screen lights up to show a graphical map image that moves as you travel and highlights street names that are coming up as well as announce each turn before you get to it.
  • Touch screen to locate restaurants, movies, shopping nearby my exact location
  • Telephone integration (hook your cell phone) which allows “push button” to call in restaurant reservations and “hands-free” talk while driving
  • White-arrow back-light shows you when you should be turning and in what direction (we’ve missed less turns because of this novice-proof feature)
  • Enter your destination address and press Go!   (save your trip for easy recall)
  • Displays up-to-the-minute  time of arrival  (Now I know what time I will bet there)
  • Very Good navigation accuracy except for when a new street is unknown…new streets will not show up

Drawbacks to GPS:

  • Maps become outdated so eventually you’ll need to purchase an upgrade for new streets map

 

Provide your comments …on how you solved your long-distance trip delimma?   Are you still using a paper map or which GPS did you choose?


Share
Tags: , , , ,
read more

Hard-to-Find Furniture Deals

Filed Under: Product Reviews, carolina furniture
Feb.08, 2010

carolina furniture

The best place to shop for new furniture is in the furniture capital of the Southeast. You can plan a weekend stay or a short drive for the day in one of the largest carolina furniture locations in Hickory, NC at the Hickory Furniture Mart.   You’ll be amazed to find so many different styles under one roof of a four-story building. 

Small towns like Thomasville, NC and Waxhaw, NC offer BIG outlet discounts on furniture.  Thomasville,NC  has formal dining table groups and bedding by local carolina furniture designers in rich contemporary wood grain. 

I asked around during a visit to the Thomasville furniture outlet and found that furniture prices are discounted before the springtime mid-Feb thru March before the annual furniture show which is usually held in early April.  The leftover merchandise is discounted.  You can call the Thomasville showroom or Hickory Furniture Mart to find out the exact date of the annual show to help you plan for your next furniture shopping trip.  Most of the furniture outlets do deliver to your front door for a reasonable price too.

The Waxhaw furniture outlet is also well-known for the famous furniture slogan that compares retail store prices to Waxhaw outlet prices that says if you shop anywhere else “You will pay too much”.  Just the message alone grabbed my attention so I had to check it out for myself.  The message is right on and not only are they much lower by at least up to 40% they constantly receive new lines of furniture from a large variety of furniture vendors at a lower cost.  Since there is so much variety in the Waxhaw furniture outlet you can find some really good quality furniture at lower prices.  They even design their own furniture pieces and you can mix and match bar stools and dining chairs to a dining table.

The last stop at WOW furniture outlet in Fort Lawn, SC also has a large carolina furniture showroom and an accessory store right next door.  The one unique thing I like about WOW furniture is the large inventory and variety of size Rugs. There were runners, octagon shaped, round and square rugs from kid-room size to large room sizes and lots of colors and patterns.  I’ll be making another visit to WOW furniture to provide my custom measurements for an oriental runner that I’ll need to have special cut and bound to fit my room dimension.   

Whether you’re looking for that fine leather sofa, old world dining, bar stools or another unique style it’s well worth the drive to catch the best furniture deals and styles around town.  Enjoy the ride to beautify you home! 

Comment on this post and tell us where you like to shop for furniture!




Share
Tags: , , ,
read more
Powered by Wordpress and Motion by 85ideas.
View in: Mobile | Standard

Switch to our mobile site