Wedding Help

I’ve never planned a wedding myself, but if I did, I would definitely use theknot.com.  It’s a one, stop shop with everything you need to plan out your special day.  I love checking out the dress and hair ideas.  The site is especially helpful during these times when money is tight.  For example, check out the DIY (do it yourself) section.  It has a lot of cool, money-saving options.  For more about this site, check out my plugged in story.

Vacation Pictures

It’s sure been awhile since my last post! And this is one of the reasons why. I went on a vacation! Get this, my best friend’s boyfriend flew me down to Wilmington, N.C. to surprise her! My visit was part of their three year anniversary gift! It was a wonderful present for me as well! We had a ridiculously good time!

Caught on Camera: My Best Friend's Surprise!

 

My Best Friend's Backyard

Dinner with Friends

Our Yummy Sushi

Free Lucky Borscht

The 17th Street Cafe in the South Side is giving away free cups of Red Borscht Soup tonight, for Pens fans who show up to watch the  game. Borscht is the kind of soup that Natalia Malkin makes for her superstar son, Evgeni Malkin. Here is the recipe that the restaurant sent out in a mass email. Yummy! Let’s Go Pens!   

1 pound any kind of meat, cubed (approximately 1 1/2-inches)
3 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 medium head cabbage, cored and shredded
8-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 medium beets, peeled and shredded
3 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 teaspoon white sugar, or to taste
3 cloves garlic, minced
6-ounce can tomato paste
3/4 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup sour cream, for topping
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Fill a large pot halfway with water (about 2 quarts), add the meat and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cover the pot. Add the potatoes and bring to a boil. Add the cabbage and the can of diced tomatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the beets, and cook until tender. Add the carrots, the white sugar and the raw garlic. Stir in the tomato paste and water until well blended. Add skillet contents to the soup and bring to a boil, cover and turn off the heat. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes. Taste, and season with salt, pepper and additional sugar, if desired.

Ladle into serving bowls, and garnish with sour cream and fresh parsley.

New iPhones & Price Reductions

A big announcement from Apple this week. Two new iPhone models will be coming out at the end of the month. Even better news, the old iPhone and a number of laptops are getting a price reduction! The 8-gygabyte iPhone will be $99. Some of the MAC notebooks will see a $300 price cut! Much easier on the bank account!!!

For more on the new products and to see who was NOT at the conference, check out my Plugged In story.

 

 

Learn Anything In Five Minutes

Got five minutes? Then I’ve got a website for you. It’s called 5min.com. It’s kind of like ehow.com, but video style! They are highly produced videos that are informational. Some are very entertaining. My faves are how to breakdance, how to create the perfect ponytail and one of those Gilette Fusion how to shave videos (very funny)!  Learn more about this site by checking out my Plugged In story!

The Best Pens Songs

Geez, remember when people were saying the Pittsburgh Penguins weren’t even going to make the playoffs? Hard to believe now! It’s Stanley Cup Final time..again! And all those fan songs are starting to roll in. Here are some of my favorites from the web.

Boom Boom Pens

 

Evgeni Malkin Song

 

It’s A Great Day For Hockey

 

Penguins Fight Song 

 

Don’t Stop Believin’ 

 

And here’s my story.

The Pizza War Hits Facebook

I moved to Pittsburgh from Charlotte almost seven years ago. Since then, I have learned a lot about the Pittsburgh culture and the people.

One thing I’ve learned: Pittsburghers LOVE their pizza. They are willing to dish out that extra cash for local pizza joints known for their quality. They’re also very loyal to their favorite pizzeria.

The great pizza debate in Squirrel Hill is a perfect example. Mineo’s or Aiello’s? The fight has now spread to Facebook! Mary Murrin began the group for her friends. Now more than 1,000 people are taking part. Here’s a link to the group so you can join!

I decided to examine the Murray Avenue pizza war myself in Squirrel Hill. You can watch my Plugged In story here.

We also have a web poll. I want to find out which pizza place YOU like best … vote here! Can’t wait to hear from you guys! Happy eating!

 

 

 

Sell Your Hair For Cash!

Brushing Mike's Italian mane!

We hear it practically every day. Many folks are looking for ways to make money during the recession. I found out that thousands of people are turning to thehairtrader.com for an easy way to make some cash.

A 25 year old man from Greensburg is selling his hair on the site.  I interviewed Mike Ward.  He was a great sport and as you will see, he’s very funny! 

Mike even brought a brush with him to the interview so I could get the chance to comb his hair! Mike wants to sell his long, luscious Italian mane so he can make some money to donate to charity. No bids yet, but we all have our fingers crossed! To find out more about Mike, and thehairtrader.com, check out my story!

Plugged In Is Back!

Hi everyone!

Ashley Diparlo has left us , so now I will be working on Plugged In stories. If you don’t already know by now, I’m the Links N’@  girl. I’m also a producer for Channel 4 Action News.

My first story deals with online job searching. So many people are looking for work during the current recession (especially all you college grads out there)! There’s a good chance that potential employers are going online and googling your name. Believe it or not, you should WANT your name to pop up! A good way to make that happen is to join a social networking site or create a blog. Write about your experiences and link to sites that show off your accomplishments. Basically, get a digital resume out there! It could help you! Just make sure you try to get rid of those crazy party pictures! For more do’s and don’t’s, check out the full story.

Please email me with any story ideas you have for Plugged In or for Links N’@. My email is becky@thepittsburghchannel.com. I’d love to hear from you!

A Bittersweet Goodbye

Today is my last day here at Channel 4.

I want to thank all of the viewers, those of you that watch Channel 4 every morning and those of you that watch my stories online. Thank you for accepting me and accepting Plugged In. You have watched me stumble and really grow as a reporter.
 
I think about what Plugged In has become and I feel so very proud. Plugged In began as just an idea and has since grown to be a regular segment on our morning newscast and an intricate part of ThePittsburghChannel.com. It’s sad this chapter is ending in my life. Plugged In has been a part of who I am for so long that it’s hard to let go.
 
But I feel truly blessed to have been not only behind Plugged In’s success but to also be part of such an incredible morning show team.

I have absolutely loved my time on the morning show, despite the difficult hours. I think it’s actually rare to work with such a talented group of people like Kelly, Mike, Demetrius, Scott, Amber and Ari who are not only great at what they do on TV, but they are also really great people. The morning show (both those on TV and behind the scenes) have really been my family away from family and I’m going to miss all of them.
 
I have lived in Pittsburgh for 7 years and I have to say this city is pretty amazing. It has so much to offer and the people that live here are so very proud of where they come from. It’s really inspiring.
 
So it is bittersweet that I have to say goodbye. My personal life has just taken me in a different direction. I’m so excited about this next chapter of my life, but at the same time I’m actually very sad to finally have to say goodbye.
 
 
Ashley

 

(From the blog editors: Click here if you want to watch the video of the Channel 4 Action News morning team saying goodbye to Ashley DiParlo on the air.
Thanks for everything Ashley!)

Plugged In’s Favorites: The Best Coupon Sites

All this week I have been dishing out my favorite sites. Today it’s all about saving money by shopping online. 

 

  Retailers are looking to make sales by offering even more coupons online these days. But in order to snag the deals–you have to know where to look.

 

Here is my list to the ultimate coupon sites.

First up: CouponMom.com is a site that covers online coupon codes, printout coupons and free samples. The site’s simple design makes finding discounts easy. Plus you can sign up for email alerts on sales at your favorite retailers.

 

RetailMeNot.com and currentcodes.com are some of the originals and my personal favorites. RetailMeNot.com’s dedicated community is what makes this site stand out. Users indicate whether a discount code worked for them or not, helping shoppers quickly filter out bad deals.

 

Current Codes lets users scroll through lists of stores that are offering discount codes. Find the store where you want to shop and a box with the current discount codes will pop up.

 

Another similar site would be keycodes.com–it’s also worth adding to your favorites.

 

Next on the list is CouponCabin.com. Similar to the other sites, CouponCabin.com also offers sections for “most-used coupons” and “favorite deals” which feature the best ongoing promotions at online retailers.

 

And yet another coupon site worth mentioning is mycoupons.com. The Pittsburgh based site lets you search for categories, products and stores all from the same search bar.

 

To make sure you don’t miss out on any free shipping offers, always check these sites before placing your online order: FreeShipping.org and FreeShippingOn.com.

 

Also, before purchasing anything online, always check with price-hunting search engines like PriceGrabber.com or NexTag.com first. These sites will search the web to find the cheapest total price on a product from a reputable store, including taxes and shipping fees.

Plugged In’s Favorites: Travel Bargain Sites

Are you starting to think about making summer travel plans?  Well, here is my favorite list of travel sites that are sure to get you some pretty sweet deals.

 

When it comes to the best price in travel it’s often last-minute deals that give you the biggest savings and these sites are perfect for that.

 

 Lastminute.com lets you book vacation packages just hours prior to your flight. You can save up to 70 percent on trips that would otherwise go unbooked.

Another top last-minute vacation site is Travelzoo.com. Make sure to sign up for its weekly Top 20 newsletter email.  They will gather the best travel deals from around the web and send them directly to your inbox–it’s great! Travelzoo is also great if your vacation date is flexible. And it too has a last minute travel section.

 

Also worth clicking on for last minute travel–Licketytrip.com and VacationsToGo.com.

 

And when searching for travel deals make sure you’re searching lots of sites. Sites like Sidestep and Kayak make searching even easier. They don’t book reservations. Rather, they search multiple travel sites at once and connect you to the source.

 

Also I love sites that will keep tabs on airfare prices for me. Sites like Farecast, FareCompare and Yapta will keep tabs on airline historical data. Just enter departure and destination cities and travel dates. You’ll see pricing trends. The sites will even help you decide whether to buy or wait.

 

To get even more specific, I love cruise vacations! So here are my favorite search engines that will help you sail away with the best deals.

     Vacationoutlet.com

      Cruises.com

     Cruisecompete.com

     iCruise.com 

     Cruise411.com

 

Finally if you’re looking for really cheap travel– there’s always couchsurfing or homeexchange. CouchSurfing.com is a worldwide network that helps travelers link up with hosts offering free accommodations. Homeexchange.com is exactly that –you exchange homes with someone else.

 

Remember the key to getting really great travel deals is to be somewhat flexible with your dates and to constantly search multiple travel websites.

Plugged In Favorites: Tech Recycling Guide

Whether you have an old cell phone, outdated computer or even an old iPod, when it comes to recycling your old tech gadgets, there are plenty of options to choose from.  But here is my list of favorites.

 

First, Apple.com will take Macs, iPods, iPhones, as well as other cell phones, computers, and monitors, regardless of manufacturer. Check out the Apple Recycling Program.  You’ll get 10 percent off your purchase of a new iPod for every old iPod you recycle. Apple will also recycle your old computer or monitor for free with a purchase of a new one.

 

If it’s cash you’re after, HP’s recycling program will pay you for any used desktop, laptop, or peripheral, regardless of the brand. You can receive instant quotes for your products online and HP will also pick up the shipping.

 

Like HP, Gateway’s Trade-In Program will give you cash in exchange for your unwanted tech.  Also check out Gateway’s Trade-In Estimator to compare pricing before you commit to any program.

 

BuyMyTronics.com will buy Apple iPods and iPhones, Microsoft Zunes, cellphones, PDAs and game consoles. Gazelle.com will also cough up cash for just about anything related to tech and you can also opt to donate the trade-in value of your unwanted stuff to one of Gazelle’s 30 associated nonprofits.

 

If you have a working computer that you wish to donate, visit the National Cristina Foundation. This organization delivers working computers to children and adults that are economically disadvantaged all over the country, including charities in the Pittsburgh region.

 

You can also donate your computer locally with Goodwill. You can drop off your computer at any of the Goodwill stores in the region.

 

Plugged In Favorites: Spring Cleaning, Alternatives to eBay

This week it’s all about Plugged In’s Most Favorite Sites.

 

Yep, I will be dishing out my favorite sites all week. And it starts with a little spring cleaning.

 

There are those of us who are diehard eBay fans, but believe it or not there are other sites out there that could actually get you better deals. You just need to know where to look.

     

So kicking off my list is Govsales.gov. This site is run by none other than the government. Everything from cars, boats and real estate to clothing, jewelry and books can be found here.

 

Then there’s Propertyroom.com. This auction site auctions off items seized by police. They’re trying to get rid of this stuff. 

 

Next, Mpire.com, is another site that will answer your dream of auction shopping online. It’s a mega search site– collecting millions of listings from not only eBay but Amazon, Overstock and dozens of other top retailers.

 

There’s also uBid.com for electronics.  This auction site lists excess inventory from Sony, Dell, Gateway and more.

 

If you’re more of an Amazon fan you’ll want to bookmark refundplease.com. The site will alert you to price drops on Amazon. This way, if you’ve purchased a product, you may be able to get a refund for the difference.

 

Finally, if you’re looking to create your own online eBay business, check out ecrater.com. It’s a free web store builder and a free online marketplace. Sellers can easily create their own free online store and buyers can browse and compare between thousands of products. It’s sort of like eBay without the fees.

Shop Online, Save Some $$$

Forget eBay and craigslist, if you’re looking to buy and sell unwanted stuff through online classifieds turn to Oodle.

 

Listing items on Oodle is free. And you won’t have to pay closing fees, either. Once you list an item with Oodle it will then automatically post your listing on hundreds of great classifieds Web sites. And if you’re on the hunt for stuff, Oodle is also a great place to shop.

 

Pricepinx makes comparison shopping easy. It will help you find the lowest prices possible.

 

All you need do is install a bookmark in your browser. Then, when you’re on a site’s product page, highlight the price and click the Pricepinx bookmark. You’ll then receive a notification if the price drops!

 

Another site that will help you find the best deals around is ZingSale.com. This site will also help you find low prices. Start by entering the item you would like to buy. Then search through the list of results. When you find an item you’d like to buy “Zing” it. You’ll then be alerted when the item goes on sale.