I spent a month in Egypt and picked up a free night for every three nights I booked from Hotels.com. The stipulation is that the free night must price match with the paid nights or be of lesser value. The main reason that this booking company offers the best hotel deals is that you do not need to stay in the same hotel with consecutive nights to cash in on huge savings.

In addition to free nights, the travel savings keep mounting with deep discounts and cash back when you use the Hotels.com promo code program. Simply cut and paste your Hotels.com promo code or your Hotels.com coupon to your booking page and Hotels.com will instantly slash their already low prices.

I booked a total of two weeks in Cairo, three nights in Aswan, seven nights in Luxor and six nights at the Red Sea in Hurghada. The Hotels.com free nights incentive program kept the cost so low that I was able to splurge on four and five-star hotels throughout the entire trip.

All of my Hotels.com accommodations came with a free hot breakfast buffet, which sealed the deal with even greater travel savings. Food costs at Egyptian restaurants come to approximately $10 per meal, or $30 per day. However, when a free hot buffet breakfast comes with the room, that’s a savings of about $300 for the month’s food budget. Shop around and you will discover that Hotels.com has the rock bottom rates you are looking for, then watch the rates roll back some more when you use the Hotels.com coupon page.

I have scoured the web for the best hotel deals, and although some sites appear to be lower, they are actually higher priced over the duration of the entire trip. In addition, if you prefer staying in the Cairo hostels, Hotels.com also offers great rates on those budget-friendly rooms and they all come with a free cold breakfast. The Cairo hostels are a fraction of the cost of the traditional hotels, they provide free wi-fi in the rooms, most let you use the washing machines for free, and they are centrally located downtown for easy access to the museum and the Cairo metro stations.

I’ve traveled to Egypt nine times and will be going back for more the rest of my life. Egypt’s absolutely fabulous and Hotels.com gets me there every time at the right price that I want to pay.

Reduce Bags Under Eyes the Natural Way

Apply Tea Bags Apply two cold black teabags to the eyes. Black tea contains caffeine, which helps reduce puffy eyes. Wet two teabags with cold water, then apply the bags to the eye area for 10 minutes. Wrap each teabag in a tissue to prevent staining the skin.

Pillow Prop Sleep with an extra pillow. Propping up the head with pillows will encourage drainage in the under-eye area.

Cold Cures Place a cold compress over the eye area. Wrap a handful of ice cubes in a towel, and then apply the towel to the eye area. Leave the compress on for at least 10 minutes to help temporarily reduce swelling underneath the eyes.

Stay Allergy Free Stay away from allergens. Get an allergy test, then avoid these allergens whenever possible. Allergens trigger a histamine release, which may cause swelling underneath the eyes.

Frozen Spoons Place two spoons over the eyes to help reduce puffiness. Freeze two spoons in the freezer overnight, then place the concave sides over the eyes. Leave the spoons on the eyes for several minutes, until puffiness has diminished.

Easy on the Salt Eat less salt. Sodium can create fluid retention under the eyes. Consume less fast food, canned vegetables, canned soups and salty snacks to help reduce your sodium levels.

Get Extra Help Although there are many natural ways to reduce bags under eyes, it can be challenging to keep up with the demands of aging skin. Elizabeth Arden carries many Opthalmologist-tested beauty enhancing products including those that help reduce the appearance of under eye bags like the Ceramide Premiere Regeneration Eye Cream and Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Eye Serum. The special cream and hydrating serum can also be used to battle fine lines and crows feet.

References: Mayo Clinic

Take care of your skin and health by eliminating or reducing stress and getting enough rest. Utilize the skin care products found at Elizabeth Arden to help your eyes and skin defy the causes of aging.  Remember to visit Wantacode.com before shopping online to find all of the latest Elizabeth Arden promo codes and Elizabeth Arden coupons.

Simple Fall Decorating Ideas

Embrace the Shorter Days of Fall We should all agree that the earlier sunset is nothing short of a downer.  But you can turn that frown upside down and light some candles at dusk.  Enjoy candlelight dinners, or simply burn some fall-scented candles when you’re done for the day.

Display the Leaves of Fall When Mother Nature starts putting on her big show, take advantage of those brilliantly colored leaves and display branches of them in big vases. You can find some great vases at Sears.

Get your Snuggle On For fall decorating ideas that are visually stimulating yet functional, we suggest that you display your chunky knit throws, velvet pillows, and any other accessory in colors that scream fall. These can make a big change in the feel of your rooms and make everything feel more comfy during autumn’s cool evening.  We love the throws at Bed Bath & Beyond.

Fall Nature Inspires DIY Leaves, acorns, and pine cones reflect the harvest mood and can be used in all sorts of ways to make your house feel seasonal. Plus, your basic materials are free — just go for a stroll! Martha Stewart has tons of creative ideas, like this acorn mirror you can make yourself.

Beautiful Fall Colors This season’s rich colors are unique and go a long way in reflecting the mood. Try a small rug in shades of brown, a pumpkin-orange glass vase filled with pine cones and yellow leaves, or a throw pillow in bright maple-leaf red.

Add Spice to Your Tables It’s easy to find table linens, glassware, and even dishes that exude the fall feel since Thanksgiving is just around the corner. You can find small decorative dessert plates and inexpensive glassware at Macy’s, Kmart or Sears that can make a big impact without the need to revamp your entire dish collection.

A Big Impact with Small Touches If you’d love to be the person who switches out her decor completely with the seasons — but your time, budget, or tolerance for shopping don’t match that ambition — just a few tweaks in small rooms can make a difference. Place a vase filled with leaves on a hall table or coffee table and surround it with gourds or mini pumpkins. Or set fall-scented candles in the bathroom and autumn-colored hand towels on the racks and we promise it will go a long way.

There! You’ve set the mood for the season without crushing your budget or cutting into your schedule. Your house is now officially ready for fall!

We look forward to reading your favorite fall decorating ideas. Please share with us in the comments section.

How to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Just say no to the Halloween Candy

As noted, Halloween is where it all begins. If you stock up on candy in advance, you may want to store your candy at a friend’s home or keep in the back of the freezer where you don’t have to see it all the time. Remember, out of sight-out of mind. If the temptation is too high, avoid buying unhealthy Halloween treats in advance or…wait for it…at all. You could give out non-edible Halloween treats like silly putty, Halloween-themed pencils & erasers, stickers, temporary tattoos or anything you can think of.  If you are stuck with leftover candy, try out some candy-based recipes and give out your creations as gifts to neighbors, co-workers and relatives.

Every Day Counts   

Social events are going to start popping out of the woodwork and each of those parties present an opportunity for you to overindulge.  They key is to balance out your calories over the day or at least over a couple of days. For example: If you know you’ll be consuming extra calories at a party, try to adjust earlier in the day.  Keep your appetite in check by focusing on vegetables and fruits, lean proteins and high-fiber grains.  Weight Watchers is an excellent program that helps individuals keep track of daily intake, activity and also provides a great support system during the Holidays and throughout the seasons. Weight Watchers approaches Holiday weight gain realistically and provides tools that help you enjoy this fun time while still keeping your weight under control.

Buffets are for Buffoons 

Besides having a large selection of food, there is no real benefit to eating at a buffet.  Survey the offerings before you dig in. Chances are that you could live without some of the food. (That won’t be the last time you’ll see a dinner roll.) Focus on what may be too good to pass up and load up on the greens. Be selective.

Control the Alcohol 

Alcoholic beverages contain “empty calories,” offering little to no nutritional value and contribute to Holiday weight gain. If you can’t limit to a few sips, it is best to avoid mysterious cream-based cocktails. (Egg nog is the devil). Try having a seltzer with a lime twist or a glass of water between alcoholic drinks to help cut calories and remain well hydrated. Intoxication can also hinder your ability to make smart eating decisions so be wary of overindulgence.

Keep Moving 

Your date book will be filling up for the rest of the year and a busy schedule may tempt you to cut back on your exercise routine. Do not set yourself up for Holiday weight gain by forgetting to go on your walks, go to the gym and continue your strength training regime.  It is important to keep moving and increase your activity during this time of year.

Never Give Up Hope

Ok so you fall off the health wagon a couple of times and declare defeat until the next year. In actuality, 1-5 days of eating poorly is much less offensive than months of ignoring your health. If you happen to go ballistic at a Holiday buffet, take it easy the next couple of days. Run an extra lap and be sure to eat healthy the rest of the week.  Don’t give up hope and you’re likely to minimize or, better still, avoid holiday weight gain all together.

Get Some Help

Since avoiding Holiday weight gain is no easy feat, consider joining a support group like Weight Watchers to get you through. They have affordable no-obligation membership fees. With Weight Watchers you can lose and maintain your weight by eating your own food.  Be sure to use a Weight Watchers promotion code or coupon to receive a discount on your membership fee at Wantacode.com.

You’ll also find that, by brown-bagging it, you take control over your healthy eating habits, free up your lunch hour to run errands or relax, and expose yourself to creative new recipes to make your lunch more interesting.

My co-workers go out to lunch daily.  While they frequent the various restaurants in the neighborhood, I stay in and enjoy eating my brown-bagged lunched.

Why is this a great idea?

• I can control what I’m eating.  I always make sure to include a good balance of proteins, grains and vegetables. My lunch is home-made and likely to be much healthier than my co-workers.
• After working in the same area for some time, I got tired of eating in the same restaurants. I can add more variety to my lunches when I cook them myself.
• While my co-workers are out, I catch up on some things like reading my favorite blogs and e-mail. I always feel like my lunch hour is more productive by not going out.
• I save a ton of money.

I save at least $3,000 a year by making my own lunch. How? Well, my co-workers often spend $10-15 per meal on lunch. My lunch costs between $1-3. I save $11-12 every weekday, for 52 weeks of the year, which leaves me with approximately $3,000 in savings. It’s really that simple.

I also started to apply this principle to reducing the amount of times my family and I go out to eat dinner and the savings have been gargantuan thus far. (I’ll write a separate article on this topic later.)

How to Make it Work for You

• It must be great. I love to eat sandwiches that pack a lot of flavor. I use fresh ingredients like basil, spinach and fresh tomatoes and always use fancy condiments. I buy delicious breads, cheeses & deli meats so I never feel deprived when reach into  my brown bag.
• Take advantage of leftovers. Sometimes my favorite lunches are great meals I had from the night before. When I make a delicious stew, for example, I make a large quantity and then pack it in several different containers so that I can just grab one for lunch during the week.
• Pack some snacks. I don’t just eat one meal during the middle of the day. I’ll usually prepare two sandwiches, to be eaten a couple hours apart, so I don’t get to be starving by dinner time and make a pig of myself. I also pack snacks, such as nuts or fruits or yogurt (I use soy yogurt and granola and berries) or pretzels, and I can eat these whenever I get hungry.
• Canned foods. I’m not a big promoter of canned foods but I do buy low-sodium, organics soups whenever they are on sale. It’s easy and ultra-cheap.
• Prep the night before. Mornings can be crazy, so I often prepare my lunch the night before — by packing up leftovers, for example, or getting my snacks ready. Then I just grab and go in the morning.
• Be sure to save the savings. Saving money on lunch doesn’t really matter if you don’t actually save the money. It’s easy to just absorb the savings in your other spending. Calculate exactly how much you’re saving by brown baggin’ it, and deposit that much extra into your savings every payday. Make your effort count.
• Designate your lunch time. If you eat lunch at your desk, you’re probably saving at least 30 minutes of driving time along with the time you wait for your food — so designate that extra time for something productive, or relaxing. Don’t let that time slip away too.

Another great way to save is to visit Wantacode.com whenever you shop online. Find coupons, deals and promotional codes to over 1800 stores and save big.

Unfortunately, some boots aren’t made for walking. Especially when they can cause or aggravate foot ailments simply because they’re not the right fit. Too often, we purchase shoes without considering how they can affect our foot health. Although there are plenty of fashionable shoes to choose from today, the wrong shoes can create problems that can last a life time.

You can buy great shoes while still paying attention to your foot health.  We created a checklist to help you find the right shoe for you because wearing the right shoes is essential to the health of your feet.  With the right pair, you’ll be walking all over any potential foot problems.

The Right Shoe for You will be Constructed Properly

• Leather tends to be the best due to its breathability and its ability to mod to your feet.
• Shoe soles should have a good grip and be strong. Flexibility is also important.
• Examine insoles and be sure that they have proper cushioning.
• Examine Arch supports. They distribute weight over a wider area and should provide good support.
• Although ladies may love their high heels, they should not be work for extended periods of time or for extended walking.  Unfortunately, they cramp the toes and contribute to bad posture and back aches.

The Right Shoe for you Should Fit Properly

• The right fit depends on you. When purchasing shoes online, be sure to examine return policy. If the shoe does not fit, do not wear it!
• Feet spread with age and you should have your feet measured yearly.  Because feet tend to differ in size be sure to measure both of your feet. Purchase your pair of shoes for the largest of your two feet.
• Measure your feet later in the day when they are swollen for use.
• All sizes vary from designer and style.  Your shoe size may differ depending on the brand and type. For example: I wear a size 7 in heels and a 7.5 in tennis shoes.
• All your toes should be easy to wiggle in your shoes.
• Your forefoot should NOT be wider than your shoe.
• The heel should fit snugly and the instep should not gape open.
• If you can’t find shoes that fit, ask your doctor for advice.
• For Children, check often to see if they have outgrown their shoes.

Good luck with your shoe shopping.  Make sure you find the right shoe for you.

Remember to keep WantACode.com in mind when shopping online.

I’m a huge fan of coffee.  Actually, I’m a huge fan of the coffee-drinking experience.   To me, there’s nothing better than sitting down at a coffee shop or café and sipping a perfectly brewed cup of joe.  As I sink into my caffeine buzz, I bask in the delicious  smell of espresso and let the sounds of some mellow jazz transport me.  The eclectic artwork on the walls successfully intrigue me long enough to tempt me into buying a delicious butter croissant or chocolate scone.  I’m a sucker for scones.

After all is said and done, I manage to spend an average of $10 a visit to my local coffee shop or café.  That translates into approximately $280 a month. I’m talking over $3,600 a year!  If a daily trip to the coffee shop can do a number on my wallet, it can certainly do a number on yours too.

Cafés are Expensive

Frequenting coffee shops is an expenditure that is difficult to justify when dealing with a limited income or trying to save for a big purchase. Now, does this mean that carefree days at the corner café are soon to be over?  Absolutely not.  Although some may be content with drinking their coffee out of styrofoam cups and gulping down their coffee while on the go, I’m of the belief that the experience of drinking great coffee is one that should be savored and done in a leisurely manner.

Create Your Own Coffee-Drinking Retreat

Creating a café in your home is an excellent way to save money while still enjoying a daily cup of java. All it takes is a small investment and you can easily transport yourself into coffee bliss while keeping your pockets full.

Step 1

Start off by sectioning off a corner of your home that you will convert into your own private little coffeehouse.  You can even give it a fun name like “The Coffee Corner” or  get a nice plaque personalized with your name on it for added emphasis. Cost: $20-$50

Step 2

A coffee table set is a must have.  You need not spend a ton of cash on the tabletop of your choice. Stay within your set budget and have fun with your search. There may be even be a coffee table accumulating dust in your messy garage right now.  Conjure up a couple of chairs and you can enhance them by adding decorative seat cushions.  Cost: $0-$1000

Step 3

Hang some nice artwork that can help distinguish your coffee corner from any other space in your home. Because sitting down for your morning cup of coffee may be the calmest moment of your day, you may want to consider something that will nurture that feeling.  Cost: $10-$500

Step 4

Get yourself some nice coffee cups and saucers.  You can purchase identical sets of 4 or mix and match patterns and solids to create a palette that suits your personal style. Cost: $10-$150

Coffee Cups

Step 5

You’re going to need a durable coffee press or top-brand espresso machine in order to secure your ongoing patronage.  Get ready to spend a significant amount on a device  that produces a coffee elixir  worthy of your praise. A coffee grinder is in order as well. Cost for press or machine: $25-$1000 Cost for grinder: $10-$50

Espresso Machine

Step 6

Be sure to choose some tunes that embody your definition of coffeehouse music.  Cost: $10-$15

Step 7

Call your favorite coffeehouse or café and ask for the names of some of the coffee brands they serve.  You can start off by purchasing some of those brands or do some research on budget-friendly gourmet coffee beans.  Cost: $5-$15

Coffee Beans

Annual Cost of Coffee Shop Visits: $3600-$5000

Total Cost of Creating a Coffee Retreat: $55-$2,730

Anjali's* Private Coffee Corner

*Photo Credit to Wantacode Canada Twitter Follower @anjali_handa

Always Keep Wantacode in mind as your first stop when shopping online!

Weight Loss Redefined

It is tempting to embark upon a weight loss journey without first determining what your ideal weight should be. Too often, we try to shape our weight loss journey around celebrity body images.  Logically, attempting to compete with a false body ideal will inevitably end in failure.  Understanding that television and the media will bombard you with unhealthy body images is your first step to conquering weight loss. Challenge yourself to look at weight loss in a realistic manner and you’ll be on your way to a healthy new year. Creating small weight loss goals for yourself will position you for success.

The Weight Loss Equation

Eat Well + Move More = Weight Loss

Weight loss is in the numbers, isn’t it?  In general, the need for weight loss comes from an overabundance of calories and a sedentary lifestyle. Reverse your behavior and voila. No more gut. Easier said than done, right? Luckily, there are countless tools available to consumers these days that can be utilized to get you ready for swimsuit season.  If creating a diet plan is not your strongest suit, take advantage of companies that can create a diet plan for you like Ediets.

While you get your eating under control, don’t forget to lace up those sneakers and get some activities under your belt.  Walking, running and dancing are inexpensive ways to get your heart rate up.  Joining a gym like 24 Hour Fitness is another way to ensure a healthy new year.

Emotional & Spiritual Weight Loss

Can you count the amount of times you’ve attempted to lose weight?  You may have lost weight successfully only to gain it back again and resolved to the fact that you’ll just try again later. It’s a struggle for most Americans and the existence of this reoccurring event should lead you to explore other reasons why weight loss is such a difficult feat.

Perhaps it is time to clear up the clutter in your mind that is keeping you from being the best version of yourself that you can be. You may be struggling with emotional baggage that is keeping you from having a healthy new year.  Or you may have lost sight of your spiritual self and it is time to reacquaint yourself with it. Whatever it is, give yourself a fighting chance and dig deeper to find out why weight loss has been such a struggle for you.

Simple Tips to Getting Organized:

Organize Your Holiday Decorations

Storing your holiday decorations can be a nuisance.  Organize.com is running a spectacular January White Sale where you can save up to 20% on Holiday storage containers.  Use a 10% coupon code on your purchase to maximize your savings.    You can also check out GetOrganized.com who also has a special Holiday Storage category to help get your decorations organized in just minutes.

Organize Your Home Office

Treat your home office like a real business and equip yourself with durable plastic storage containers and paper or plastic filing systems.  You can simplify the organization of your bills and personal documentation by purchasing organizational products from Office Depot. Multiple coupon codes available to apply at checkout with minimum spend.  You can also check out great deals at Office Max to help organize your home office.

Organize Your Entire Home-Indoor and Outdoor Organization

The moment you begin your organizing project, you will find that every corner of your home could be clutter-free with the strategic use of specialty products created to make your life easier.  Organize your bathroom, bedroom, laundry room, garage and more.  You can shop organizational products by room at Problem Solvers and save up to 60% on outlet items.

Organize Your Photos

Your days of putting off that picture project are over.  You probably have hundreds of physical and digital photos that need an album or photo book to call home and Mixbook can help you preserve those special moments.   For a limited time only, use a 40% off discount code at checkout.  Lifephoto also has great tools that will help you organize your photos.  You can save up to 30% on select items.

Organize Your Life

If your mind and spirit are cluttered, your home and home office are likely to follow.  Perhaps the most important tip, try addressing any personal issues before tackling any large organizational projects.  The team at Gaiam is extremely helpful in physical, mental and spiritual transformation.  Visit our Gaiam page for featured coupon codes on select products.  We have a category dedicated to Health and Wellness that will help you organize your life as well.

With many lawyers charging high hourly rates, it could be costly to retain a professional to handle all of your legal matters.  Sometimes it is necessary to employ a lawyer.  However, you can visit an online legal resource to obtain information about a variety of topics and to find appropriate forms and agreements for many standard legal matters.  Here are five popular ways to save money by using an online legal resource instead of hiring an attorney.

1.     Create a Complete Will for free with Rocket Lawyer

One way to help ensure that your belongings and other assets will be properly taken care of after you pass away is by preparing a Will.  Hiring a lawyer to draw up your Will could cost several hundred dollars.  However, Rocket Lawyer is an online legal resource that offers a free template for a Complete Will.  You answer questions in order to help you generate your Complete Will online.  Rocket Lawyer members can chose to print out the Complete Will and can view instructions about how to sign the document.

2.     Start your LLC with no hassle for under $300

For professionals ready to start a Limited Liability Company (LLC), it can be time consuming and confusing to complete all of the appropriate forms.  Plus, paperwork needs to be submitted to the government for approval.  LegalZoom offers a standard LLC package for around $300 that includes the creation of documents such as the Articles of Organization.  LegalZoom will also submit the required forms to the Secretary of State on your behalf.  Just fill out a free online questionnaire to get started.

3.     Establish a Power of Attorney for free with Rocket Lawyer

Appointing someone who you trust to make legal decisions on your behalf in the event that you become too ill to act yourself is a way to help protect your professional and personal interests.  You can visit a lawyer and pay the attorney an hourly rate to complete an POA form for you.  However, it’s free and simple to complete this document on Rocket Lawyer.  An online interview will guide you to ensure that your form is completed correctly in just several minutes.  Rocket Lawyer members can print and share their form.

4.     Change your name for under $150

In order to legally change your name, you need to fill out documents specific for your county and submit them to your designated court.  LegalZoom offers an economical Name Change Package for $139 that makes this process easy to complete on your own.  The package includes your state’s forms, directions on how to file the forms in court and even a list of the government and financial agencies which you may want to notify about your name change in order to update your records.

5.     File a Provisional Application for Patent for around $300

Inventors can take the first step in patenting their creations by filing a provisional application for patent with the U.S. Patent Office.  Filing will allow you to label your design “patent pending.”  At home inventors may not be able to afford to hire a lawyer to handle the patent process.    Luckily LegalZoom offers a package in which they create an application for you for $199, and then they will file it with the U.S. Patent Office for $110.  You won’t need to consult a lawyer to draw up an application or worry about submitting the government paperwork.

Although online resources offer valuable guidance, they do not represent users in legal matters.  You can visit Rocket Lawyer’s online lawyer directory to find a legal professional if needed.

Photo Attribution: by walknboston on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkn/3314688999/