Blog: Shop Resale, Read Online and Live Green

You can save money, yes, but there are also bigger benefits to be had by being a wise -- and conscientious -- consumer.

Most everyone I know is following a budget and looking for ways to save money. I am always on the lookout for ways to live green for less and save while helping others do the same.  Patronizing resale shops, reading the news online and couponing are the topics of todays live green for less blog. Resale stores are a great way to save on clothing, household furnishings and home maintenance. From gently used castaways to brand new items, some with designer labels, good deals can be found awaiting new owners at resale shops. Today I visited the Goodwill store on Aurora Avenue in Naperville and found two new purses for under $5 each. One had a designer label. Both are in mint condition, attractive and functional.  Goodwill was packed with …

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The Local Dish

Now for Something Completely Different … Dining at Ikea

It may look like a giant furniture and housewares store from the outside, but their restaurant is worth a visit in and of itself.

IKEA RESTAURANT The folks at Ikea take their Swedish roots very seriously, as if you couldn’t tell from the bright yellow and brilliant blue hues of the store’s façade – the colors of the flag of Sweden. But what you find inside this big box is more than just ultra-modern furniture at ultra-low prices with ultra-unpronounceable names. A large portion of their second floor is devoted to a dining court and if you’ve not considered sampling their fare, we humbly suggest you give it a try. It’s a bit like a mini-excursion to Scandanavia and a bargain to boot. Who needs a dollar menu when you can get a plate of Swedish meatballs, a scoop of homemade mashed potatoes and a dollop of lingonberry sauce for just $3.99? (Here’s a helpful tip if you …

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Store Managers Say Post-Christmas Shopping Lighter Than Expected

Combination of dreary weather and the Bears game may have kept people home, but it's expected the next two weeks will be busy.

Traditionally, the day after Christmas is one of the busiest of the year -- sometimes rivaling the day after Thanksgiving - but not so this year for Plainfield stores, managers said Sunday. "Normally the day after Christmas is our busiest day of the year, because we get returns, we get purchases, [and] everyone has gift cards," said Brendan Eelay, manager for GameStop. Earlier in the morning more than $400 in gift card purchases were made as well as about 100 video game trade-ins, but things had slowed quite a bit by afternoon, Ealay said. "There is a football game, so not so much (business)," he said, referring to the Chicago Bears-New York Jets match-up that began at noon Sunday. A lot was riding on the game, including the Bears inching…

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