Ever since we heard that Club Monaco was planning to roll out online shopping last month, we have been waiting with bated breath for the launch.
Well, the wait is almost over! According to their Twitted feed, they will be launching tomorrow (exclusive to their Facebook fans). If you don't have Facebook, you will have to wait until Wednesday to shop.
We still haven't heard anything about what shipping costs will be like, but we'll be sure to update as soon as we know!
The team here at RedFlagDeals.com spends a lot of time on their computers. A lot of time. Over the years we've come across some great free (of course they're free!) software/programs/add-ons that make our days just a little easier in one way or another. Here's a quick rundown of some of our favourites.
(Thanks to Vivian, Val, Vincent, Jerowe and Jeff for contributing!)
Sure, the three-year cellphone contract makes buying that shiny new phone a lot more affordable, but wouldn't it be nice if you weren't locking in? If you're unhappy with your cellphone bill or thinking of switching providers, you'll be relieved to hear that the Ontario government announced today that it is moving towards adopting legislation that would allow you to cancel your cellphone contract at any time. It would also protect you from those crazy penalty fees by putting a cap on them.
If the legislation passes, providers would also have to provide more easily digestible information about your bill costs, and would need your express consent to renew, extend or change your contract (I have a friend whose contract was accidentally extended to a 99-month term who would be happy to hear about this).
This new rule would go into effect six months after passing and take effect six months after. If you were to change or extend your existing contract after that date, it would apply to your contract as well.
The consensus seems to be that this would be a win for Canadian consumers, who are tired of being forced into contracts (you can see that with the rising popularity of low-cost, unlimited usage plans in urban centres).
What are your thoughts on the proposed legislation?
I never thought I would find myself following the Royal Canadian Mint news cycle, but they're up to some interesting stuff lately! After nixing production of the penny (a decision that the government, not the Mint itself, made) and modernizing the $1 and $2 coins with lettering on the edge of the $2 coin and micro-engraving on both coins they're now moving forward with MintChip, an adorably named virtual currency system that they are calling "the evolution of physical currency".
Currently the system is in the Research & Development phase and they're actually running a contest to see who can come up with the best potential uses for the technology. Registered participants in the contest will receive a software development kit, two microSD MintChips and two remote MintChip accounts. Originally, the contest organizers intended to accept participant applications through June 27, but they stopped accepting applicants just a week into the challenge because the level of interest was so high! Certainly, a virtual cash system that could replace the crumpled, torn and easily lost paper currencies of the world has a lot of appeal. Not to mention -- the winner of this contest will receive 10 ounces of gold, which holds a total value of $17,000 CAD.
Any real bargain hunter knows that the best candy prices come right after the big candy holidays. That's why you'll find the team at RedFlagDeals.com eating chocolate hearts through March and chocolate bunnies through May! I mean, you didn't really expect that an office full of bargain hunters would pay full price for snacks, did you?
On display below is the start of our 50% off Easter haul. In the background you can see what looks like a palm tree, but you'll have to visit our Facebook page for full details on that one.
With Easter and Passover both this weekend the team here at RedFlagDeals.com is lucky enough to have four days off in a row! Some of us are headed on vacation but I personally am extremely excited about staying home for the duration. I plan to read, watch some movies, cook a few complicated meals and oh yes, sleep in.
We'll be back on Tuesday with our regular lineup of HQ news and stuff we like. For now: if you have a long weekend, what are your plans -- closer to a staycation or closer to a vacation? And exactly how late is too late to sleep in? And can anyone hear the phrase "four day weekend" without thinking of that great moment in The Simpsons?
It’s spring, and the wedding bells are within earshot – I’ve got three weddings to attend before mid-July. I love wedding season, don’t get me wrong, but it can be a pricey time of year, and not just for the couples shelling out for their nuptials. With these three weddings come three wedding gifts, probably two wedding shower gifts, three new dresses, airfare for three people (thankfully only one of the weddings requires air travel), two hotel stays, and it looks like at least one cash bar. And I suppose my husband and son might expect at least a new tie or a haircut or something as well.
So how do we survive the season of love and still enjoy the finer things in our own lives this spring/summer…like a family vacation, new summer wardrobes, and those pesky expenses like car payments/rent/food/electricity? Well, I guess it’s time to get creative. Instead of writing cheques for gifts we’ll try to do something more personal…and, er, cheap this year.
One of the couples getting hitched have more than a few sweet teeth between them, so we’re heading to a British/nostalgia candy store to load up on kitschy, yummy candies, which we’ll put in a very cool vintage cookie jar we bought at a thrift store, wrap the whole thing in cellophane and tie it with a big pink bow. Total cost - $50. Couple number two are ex co-workers we used to share a lot of spirited games nights with. For them, we picked up a Newlywed Board Game and paired it with a nice bottle of wine and a box of gourmet chocolates. It’s a romantic game night to go!
The third couple has stumped us so far, but luckily that wedding isn’t until July. Any cost-effective solutions would be much appreciated, as we’ve already spent a good chunk on airfare for this one.
Recently the RedFlagDeals.com team won a gift card to Amazon.ca. Since we won as a team, we decided to put the money into something fun for everyone. And so:
That's right -- golf! We have three miniature holes set up around the office. Each one has a hole, plus a sand trap and a water feature that are each about the size of a side of ketchup at your local diner. They might look a little puny in pictures but they're actually a lot of fun! And since we're not out of money yet? We're thinking trying out in-office bowling next!
What would your office spend a little free Amazon.ca money on?
(Thanks to Vivian for the pictures!)
Yesterday morning, Well.ca launched a virtual store in downtown Toronto. You might have heard of the concept before from last year's Homeplus virtual stores in Korean subway stations, but the Well.ca display outside Union Station is Canada's first of its type!
Here's how it works: there's a display on the wall complete with images of products you'd typically find on the shelf in grocery stores (brands include Tide, Pampers, Old Spice and more). Scan the QR code for the item you want using the Well.ca app, then complete your shipping info and check out. As always, Well.ca offers free shipping across Canada, with the exception of remote locations.
The items will ship out shortly afterwards (often the next day). While it's an interesting concept, if you're in a rush to get your items, you might be better off stopping at the grocery store on your way home from work. If you happen to think of a few items that you forgot to grab in your weekly shopping trip, however, this'll be a great opportunity to order them on the go. We've been seeing some great deals from Well.ca lately, so we're looking forward to trying out the virtual store!
If you want to check it out, the virtual store will be at the corner of Front and Bay St. in downtown Toronto, just outside the Union Station subway stop until April 30.
Here's a video of the store in action:
Beautifying your home can be a pricey process, but luckily there are a lot of affordable ways to find artwork online! Here are a few can't-miss sites that will help you find something to put on those bare walls:
Etsy (range: $0.22-$100,000+)
If you're looking for something a bit more unique, take a look at Etsy's art section. There's over a million pieces to browse through, though, so it may be more efficient to use the search feature to find what you have in mind. Keep in mind that pieces come from individual sellers, so shipping prices/times may vary from merchant to merchant. Take a look at seller feedback before buying.
Art.com (range: $2.99-$10,000+ for prints, $31.99-$2000+ for framed artwork)
Art.com has a huge collection of art prints to fit any taste. Their selection includes a lot of classic pieces from well-known artists such as Picasso, Matisse, Dali, Warhol and Van Gogh, but my favourite section of the site is their vintage art, which has a nice array of old magazine covers, vintage ads and film posters.
Society 6 (range: $16-$160+)
Society 6 carries art prints (framed and unframed) and stretched canvas starting at $16. Although the site carries collections from popular sites like Threadless, StumbleUpon and Design Milk, they also print, frame and ship artwork from verified Society6 members. This is a great way to find some unique work while supporting independent artists.
20x200 (range: $24-$2400+)
The curated collection at 20x200 contains limited edition artwork and photographs -- once a piece is gone, it's gone for good! All works come with a signed and numbered certificate to ensure authenticity. You can shop the site by category, price, colour or artist name. The site has a selection of custom-framed pieces, which are ready to ship the next buisness day. One thing I like about this site is that each piece is accompanied by an artist statement (study up so that you can impress houseguests with your insightful art talk!) and artist profiles.
Art Bomb (range: varies)
An interesting application of the flash-sale idea: every day, a new piece of art by an emerging Canadian artist goes on sale at Art Bomb. You can bid on the item throughout the day. If you win, the work is delivered to you within two weeks of purchase. The pieces are curated by Andrea Carson.
