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One family feels the economy's pinch
In late 2006, they bought a 52-inch high-definition television set and accessory package for about $2,600. It now provides the primary source of the family's entertainment, replacing expensive trips to the movie theater. They paid a contractor about $8,000 for a new kitchen countertop and cabinets, on which they pride themselves for getting a great deal. They enrolled their older son, Jerry, in a soccer program for a $50 fee, plus a $34 equipment package. "That wasn't in the budget, buying that," Christine Barnes, 33, says. "But he was so excited." In September, just before Christine gave birth to Cody, the Barneses refinanced their four-bedroom house on Club House Road, a raised ranch in a modest neighborhood not far from Lynnhaven Mall.
20 tips for being frugal and fabulous
Buying all the best brands? Not so frugal. Picking through your neighbor’s trash? Not so fabulous.With the country’s economic health on the line, how can you save money without suffering style? Here are some ideas to live the fabulous life while still being frugal:Do your own darn toenails.The only people who might look at your feet closely enough to know the difference between a DIY pedicure and a fancy spa treatment won’t judge you for it anyway, suggests Megan O. Steintrager, 35, an editor in New York. Use pale colors; a bright red coat might show if it’s out of the lines. And besides, sandal season is months away. .
TheStar.com | Hockey | Leafs should start chopping from the top
Ideally, the Maple Leafs would have the pick of the litter, the very best hockey minds in the world clamouring to work for them. But that's just not the way it is.Moreover, to get one of the really big names - Brian Burke, Lou Lamoriello - they'd have to wait until June or July, and this thing's going downhill faster than that.There are quality hockey people out there, available today. Even Pat Quinn, as utterly laughable as that may sound. Then again, this is an organization that brought back Punch Imlach, Carl Brewer, Mike Pelyk, Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour for second go-rounds, so it's not like the stupidity of bringing back Quinn would be out of the MLSE strike zone.So who would you get? As a new GM, or president, or coach?Click here for a closer look with Damien Cox in his blog, The Spin.
Hawaii's Most Popular State Parks Are on Kauai
HONOLULU (AP) — They don't call it the Garden Isle for nothing. A new survey by the Hawaii Tourism Authority shows four of the state's 10 most popular state parks are on Kauai: Wailua State Park, Haena State Park; Waimea Canyon; and the Napali Coast. .
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