All posts by: Kelly Anne Fitzpatrick

Space heater safety: Be cautious, not panicked

Home & Garden
By Kelly Anne Fitzpatrick on December 13, 2012 in

Space heater safety

In our recent space heaters report, we discovered that nearly every professional comparison test included some measure of safety -- we love that. Usually, though, these reports also offered strongly worded warnings about potential fires, burns and worse.

Sure, we think it's important to be cautious any time you operate an electronic appliance that produces heat, but are space heaters really so dangerous you should be worried about them? We did some digging. Read more

Shop local: 7 pop-up stores to inspire your holiday shopping list

By Kelly Anne Fitzpatrick on December 11, 2012 in

Pop-up stores to inspire your holiday shopping list

Pop-up stores are the new "it" way to get your holiday shopping done. One day you've got a vacant storefront, and the next a trendy, local shopping destination. According to Christina Norsig, founder of PopUpInsider and author of Pop-Up Retail; How You Can Master This Global Marketing Phenomenon, the pop-up trend evolved from the perfect storm of economic changes in real estate and the retail industry along with changing consumer demands.

"Today's consumer is always hungry for something new ... pop ups serve that demand like no other format before them," she explains in her book. Here are a few pop-ups that'll help you support your local community as you hunt down your holiday gifts no matter where you are in the U.S. Read more

Holiday gifts for the boss: Yay or nay?

By Kelly Anne Fitzpatrick on December 6, 2012 in

A handshake wrapped in a bow

From career advisors to the reigning queen of etiquette, Emily Post herself, most experts agree gifts for a workplace superior are an unwelcome addition to the holiday festivities. But as with most gift-giving guidelines, this one varies significantly from one workplace to another and depends on your relationship with the intended recipient. Read more

Pop quiz: What kind of holiday gift is appropriate for teacher?

Family & Pets
By Kelly Anne Fitzpatrick on December 6, 2012 in

Boy giving teacher an apple.

Gift giving around the holidays can be a major stressor, especially when it comes to the folks you aren't even sure you should give to. Holiday gifts for teachers are commonplace, but some laws have cracked down on accepting valuable gifts from students. We rounded up the best gifts to give teachers that don't involve shelling out a huge amount of cash or buying five types of scented lotion in a holiday-shopping induced panic. Read more

Click quick! Holiday shipping cut-offs are coming

By Kelly Anne Fitzpatrick on December 3, 2012 in

We Americans are so pro-procrastination there's actually a "holiday" for it. Oh yeah, nearly 1,000 retailers are expected to participate in "Free Shipping Day" on December, 17. Teasers suggest it may actually be in your favor to hold out for Free Shipping Day, as participating merchants will feature free shipping by Christmas Eve and "other discounts."

However, all the offers won't be revealed until midnight on the 17th. The FAQ page at the Free Shipping Day website reveals some retailers may have minimums for free shipping while others may not even reveal that they're offering free shipping until the day of. With the deals hidden until the last minute, we checked with a few major retailers to see what shipping details they are publishing.

Note: Some shipping offers may not apply to large, bulky, or high-demand items. Most offers apply to the continental United States only. Where retailers did not offer their holiday shipping deadline, we made our best guess based on their listed delivery times--double-check before placing your order, though. Read more

Hurricane Sandy disaster relief donations: Charities putting your dollars to work

By Kelly Anne Fitzpatrick on October 31, 2012 in

Hurricane Sandy disaster relief donations

As we watch devastation strike an entire region of the U.S., it's natural to want to reach out and help. What's not so natural is to question the intentions of those collecting donations -- that's why we did the research for you. Here are the best charities to work with if you want to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Read more

The future of buying on Facebook: Gifts and Collections

Computers & Internet
By Kelly Anne Fitzpatrick on October 28, 2012 in

Facebook Gifts

Facebook has been getting its feet wet in the e-commerce industry and the recent announcement of the Gifts and Collections features are continuing the trend. What do these programs mean for users and consumers? Learn more as we describe how Gifts and Collections will work and how they will impact your experience on Facebook. Read more

Pink ribbon beauty products: Giving the most to the cause

Health & Beauty
By Kelly Anne Fitzpatrick on October 16, 2012 in

Pink Ribbon beauty products: the dollars and cents of supporting Breast Cancer

Every year when October rolls around, commercial outposts are pink-washed with breast cancer awareness products. While we love retailers' enthusiasm to support a worthy cause, many are jumping on the bandwagon more to see higher profit margins than to fight against breast cancer. (We documented this phenomenon last year, too.)

Several blogs have cropped up around the subject of pink ribbon abuse, and Think Before You Pink recommends asking some questions before reaching for a ribbon-clad beauty product - among them: how much money actually goes to a charity, which charity, and does my purchase affect that number? We asked just those questions, and these are the products we found that benefit both the charity and consumer (plus one that doesn't). Read more

Pink groceries: The dollars and cents of supporting breast cancer research

Kitchen
By Kelly Anne Fitzpatrick on October 16, 2012 in

Pink groceries: The dollars and cents of supporting breast cancer research

Anyone walking through his or her local grocery store is well aware that October equals pink-ribbon-palooza. But just because an item is affixed with a pink ribbon doesn't mean that all the proceeds from that yogurt or popcorn purchase will go to supporting a good cause. Unfortunately, our research has shown that our purchases have very little affect on donations to breast cancer charities. While there are other ways to support those fighting breast cancer, if you shop smart, you can still impact change with your grocery shopping. We rounded up the best options for doing right by breast cancer charities. Read more

Facebook "Offers" bring discounts to fans, but should you claim one?

Computers & Internet
By Kelly Anne Fitzpatrick on September 24, 2012 in

Facebook Offers

If your Facebook newsfeed is suddenly cluttered with a new type of status update -- friends seemingly bragging about coupons they scored at local or national businesses -- then you already know about Facebook Offers. But what are these discounts all about, and should you get in on the action? Read more

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