PDQ Guides

Many people agonize of appropriate Valentine gift ideas as they are not sure of what to do for their loved ones or friends. Many people want to find something different from the more traditional gifts but you can also give these more common gifts a new twist making them fun and unusual. You can personalize traditional gifts or come up with your own gift using kits or inexpensive materials.

Valentine’s Day and chocolate tend to go hand in hand and while many people enjoy getting chocolates, you can take a new twist and get some unusual and one of a kind chocolates. Although special chocolates can be ordered online such as chocolate and wine truffles, they may be a bit too expensive. Instead consider using really cheap chocolates like M&Ms or Hershey Kisses to spell out your devotion. For example you can make a batch of fudge and then spell out "I Love You" on top using M&Ms. (more…)

A favorite New’s Years resolution is to lose weight and get fit. But health clubs and gyms are too expensive for many people. Some want to save few dollars on their fitness equipment. If you want to save some dollars then you need to shop for discount fitness equipment.

Home fitness equipment is great for folks who want to remain in shape but are not interested in joining the health club.

Where to find the best deals

• Major online retailers: There are a number online sites like Amazon that offer discounts on all types of fitness equipment.
• Local merchants: Look for sales at stores both on and off line, especially during major holidays. (more…)

Personalized gifts are given as a remembrance to friends and relatives during Christmas. Personalizing the gift makes the recipient a feeling of respect and importance. Giving custom-made business Christmas gifts to office friends, business  contacts and the boss produces a good impact for the person giving away the gift by strengthening the relationship in the office and liked for thoughtfulness.

A unique personalized business Christmas gift is a business bobble head. Some bobble heads are available in the form of card holder and bobble head in company suit which are useful for daily use. (more…)

What is not to love about Halloween when you’re a kid? Next to Christmas it’s probably the second most favorite holiday of any child (or child at heart). I mean come on … what other holiday do you get to stay up late watching scary movies, get more candy than you could possibly shake a stick at, along with the added bonus of not having to visit all those relatives you really don’t know that well either? And of last but most certainly not least, you get to dress up in those absolutely fantastic costumes.

Dracula, Superman, Spiderman, Zombies, ghosts and other assorted dead and undead: the list is endless when it comes to potential choices for costumes. But what can be so much fun for kids can be a true Halloween nightmare for the parents because those fabulous kids Halloween costumes don’t come cheap … or do they? There is no good reason why quality should have to suffer just because you spent fifty bucks less than you would have elsewhere.

There is no reason for you to have to pay full price for anything in this day and age, thanks largely to the wonderful invention that is called The Internet. It is an unwritten guarantee that anything your heart desires can be found out there in the electronic ether of the web … and the best part is that it is almost always cheaper. Lots cheaper. (more…)

Just as with any other fashion, certain themes stay popular year after year. Coco Channels ‘little black dress’ has remained a main-stay of cocktail parties for many years and probably will remain just as popular for decades to come.

The same can be said about Halloween costumes too. The most popular costumes seem to be ones that have lodged themselves in the collective consciousness of the American people, thanks, in part at least, to the success of the movies and stories that have brought them to generation after generation of fans. (more…)

Beer Clubs are growing in popularity. Some beer lovers have become connoisseurs and enjoy trying premium microbrews from around the nation. These award-winning breweries are attracting the same kind of attention that top-notch wineries enjoy.

Read more about popular beer of the month clubs in the new PDQ Guide devoted to our favorite summer-time beverage.

Earlier today I uploaded the newest PDQ Guide: Enjoying Organic Food. It’s all about choosing food that tastes good and is good for you and your family. Organic food has become popular because it makes sense.

Where I live organic food often costs a bit more, unless you go to the popular farmer’s market. If you don’t know where to find a farmer’s market in your area, use LocalHarvest to find one nearby.

Side note: I was shocked to see a report on Yahoo News about $100 hamburger being sold by an exclusive upscale restaurant in Florida. Eating a 20 ounce hamburger — regardless of the price — has to be the opposite of sane and sensible eating.

PDQ is an intriguing acronym — it means different things to different people. I happen to like Pretty Darn Quick, Pennies, Dimes, and Quarters, or Price, Dependability, and Quality. On this website it never means Pretty Dumb Question.

The PDQ Guides are mini information sites intended as starting points for more in-depth exploration. Check back frequently, because new articles and topics will be added frequently.

Disclaimer: The PDQ Guides are for informational purposes only. Always contact a qualified professional for financial, legal, or medical advice.