Rent the Runway

Need a gorgeous designer dress for a special occasion but don't feel like paying retail price for it? Check out Rent The Runway. Sign up for a membership (there's a waiting list right now) and you'll have access to lots of expensive party dresses that you can rent (prices are from $50-$200/dress).

RTR sends you the dress of your choice, plus an extra size, just in case, at no extra cost. With your rental, you will also get a kit that includes double-sided Flash Tape, deodorant Wipe Outs, and a Magic Clip bra converter to help avoid any wardrobe malfunctions.

There is a $5 insurance fee which basically covers you if you end up spilling something on the dress (or any other minor damage)...unfortunately that $5 doesn't cover you if you completely destroy the dress (you break it, you buy it).

You have 4 days to return the dress (8 days if you rent it for longer). To return it, just put into the pre-paid, pre-addressed return envelope that it came with and pop it into the mailbox. Easy!

Oh and if you live in NYC, that dress can be at your door by the afternoon if you order it in the morning.

Check out Rent The Runway to get all the details and sign up for the membership.

Maghound: The Netflix of Magazines

Maghound is an online membership service that allows you to choose, change, and manage all the magazines delivered to your home. Just like with Netflix, you pick the magazines you want delivered each month. Unlike a regular magazine subscription, which requires you to commit for a certain period of time, Maghound members are charged on a monthly basis based on the number of magazines selected.

There are 3 tiers of memberships:

• Tier 1: 3 magazine titles: $4.95/month


• Tier 2: 5 magazine titles: $7.95/month


• Tier 3: 7 magazine titles: $9.95/month


• Tier 3+: 8 or more magazine titles: extra $1 each/month

Check out the site to see which magazines are included with your membership. Maghound carries over 100 titles, however some of your favorites may not be included just yet (Us Weekly!!!)

Have Someone Else Pay for Your Honeymoon!

In lieu of a typical wedding registry, a co-worker of mine has decided to register on TheBigDay.com. This website lets you create a registry that allows your friends and family to help pay for your honeymoon. Here's how it works...you create an account with the site and then add pieces of your trip (eg, flights, hotel stays, excursions) at different price points. Friends and family can log onto your registry and purchase parts of your trip. Your account tracks all of your gifts and their givers so that you can send thank-yous. Couples decide how and when to receive their cash funds. Very cool. Because, honestly, when are you really going to use fine china?

RunPee.com

This post has nothing to do with shopping...I just thought this website deserved a mention.

Tell me if this sounds familiar? You're at the theater watching a movie, when all of a sudden you have this desperate urge to pee. You are torn. Leave and you might miss something. Stay and you might develop a bladder infection. What to do?

Well, the creators of RunPee.com are here to help. This website tells you exactly when during a movie would be the best time to go take a leak! RunPee is available as an app at the iTunes store. The developers are working on making the program available on BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Palm Pre, Nokia, and Android. Download the app and save yourself the bladder infection.

Zafu: Never Pick the Wrong Jeans or Bra Again?

Two items of clothing that always seem to be a problem in terms of fit: jeans and bras. Well, fret no more, Zafu.com is here to help. Their website is designed to help you pick the perfect jeans or bra. Just answer a few simple questions and poof! You're denim and bra choices are displayed on the screen in record time (about 30 seconds). Whether you agree with their choices is up to you. I tried it out and none of the jeans I own showed up on my list (hmm...either I'm buying the wrong jeans or these people have no idea what they are talking about).

My favorite questions are the ones that relate to the bra search.

Example: How much drape do you have? (# of pencils you can hold between the bottom of your breast and your body?)

Do they seriously expect me to go hunting for pencils to put under my boobs? I guesstimated this one.

Bottom line: If you are really bored and need to kill time, try this website out, but don't expect any amazing revelations.

CPSC: Sign Up for these E-mails

The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has a great website where you can sign up to receive alerts on products that have been recalled. This service is especially beneficial to people with kids. Because no matter how safe you think the stuff you buy your kids is, you are bound to be part of a recall eventually.

Just imagine how surprised I was when I received this recall for my son's coat:

Gap Recalls Children’s Coats; Toggles Can Break and Detach Posing Choking HazardI returned the coat to The Gap and they gave me a store credit for the full purchase price. It's definitely a good idea to keep informed of these recalls.