Shopping Books

The only thing I found lacking about this book is that it didn't rate the mystery shopping companies it listed. I found many of them to be an awful experience applying to. I hope she makes a second edition explaining the pros and cons of the companies she listed, and what they do and don't offer (like pay.)

I am still in the process of reading the book and am really enjoying it. I hope I can put this to use when I get back home to MN in a month or so. Thanks.

Mystery Shopping Made Simple includes a forward by Niccole Rogers of the NCPMS. This book refers heavily to the NCPMS and its web-based resources. The MSPA is consistently named behind the NCPMS. Newhouse's rationale seems to be "The MSPA ...is an organization of mystery shopping companies for mystery shopping companies" which she contrasts to "[NCPMS] is an organization of shoppers for shoppers." She chooses to completely ignore the dominance of the MSPA in Mystery Shopping. Dr. Newhouse further explains "The two organizations sponsor different programs and have different agendas pertaining to their populations." Mystery Shopping Made Simple is sold on the NCPMS's website.

Dr. Newhouse offers "I have heard a rumor that the MSPA plans to have all it's members hire only shoppers who have taken this program" referring to the MSPA Gold(or further) certification. "Although this may be the MSPA's future intention...this organization has only over 100 members ... and there are over 750 mystery shopping companies."

Her writing contains numerous testimonials and poses and answers and questions all in letter form. Sometimes the letters are cumbersome, but lend credibility to Newhouse's information.

Dr. Newhouse provides the NCPMS's data collection on Independent Contractors including demographics, but does not disclose the sample size or population. The statistics are intriguing, but without the information on the gathering process it is not compelling.

Several things make this book standout:
The book includes a section on the KASST test and a Study Guide.
The certification process is sold in a more convincing way than even the NCPMS website does.
This book makes mention that once $400 is earned an independent contractor needs to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes.
Dr. Newhouse does endorse Select A Shopper; the only pay-for-leads company to receive any endorsement in these books.
Dr. Newhouse highlights the ease and cost effectiveness of Internet application, but still advocates sending the LOIS and does in fact list 100 companies that work offline.

The "LOIS" is the Dr. Newhouse equivalent as Mr. Poynter's "Letter Requesting Employment" she however includes a list of MSPs that will work with you offline.

Dr. Newhouse's book includes 217 pages, 49 of which are URLS or company addresses.

This book is very informative and I can attest to most of its accuracy. I have been mystery shopping for National Shopping Service for years and love it. They have some really fun mystery shopping opportunities and the pay is pretty good. This would be a great company to get started with as they are very big and have a ton of clients. You can sign up online on their website at http://www.nationalshoppingservice.com.

The book is more like a treatise for a doctorate.
It is probably suitable for college credits in Mystery Shopping
but definitely not recommmended for a newbie. There is nothing SIMPLE about its content I found it overwhelming.

The 'List by Item' at the front of the store and restaurant chapters is invaluable. The boxed tidbits make this guide book easier and more enjoyable to read. With the changing of NYC the author's suggestion of calling a business before a visit sure makes sense.

Gerry Frank is a local boy (Portland, OR) and keeps us informed about where to go in Oregon, but he also knows "all the right stuff" about New York. He is definitely a man to follow when it comes to finding a great restaurant and more.

fantastic book for anyone visiting or living in NYC. the only drawbacks are (1) the absence of any subway map and (2) use of the index to refer back to specific items in the book itself i,e, it's all in there, you just have to work to find it.

We bought an early edition of this book, and have found it wanting. Yes, there were some good shopping recommendations. But the ratings for restaurants and many other points of interest are just not that good.

The Blue Guide to New York is a much better bet, for my money, particularly given the book's inclusion of establishments long closed--or destroyed by terrorists.

I purchased the 2006-2007 edition of the book and am shocked to discover that it still includes New York's Finest French Cleaners & Tailors, three gnerations of the same family operating this quality business. The author hasn't bothered to update this edition. The business was sold to Orientals 2 years ago and service is no longer acceptable. The author has absolutely no credibility with regard to anything else listed in the book. I could list many more entries that are invalid. I guess all he does is slap a new cover on the book. This tells you all you need to know about the reliability of this guide - and the ethics of its author.

Each year, my husband gets a cost of living increase. It's always eaten up by rising cost of living. That's expected. What isn't expected is the economy's increase has also eating up his other raises over the past couple of years. Our biggest expense is food and household products. Please know, we are fairly frugal and I really thought this is just how life is going to be. I didn't think we had any control. That's how I felt before reading Nelson's book.

Before I go further, I want to say that we've tried this coupon thing before. In fact, if you read the back of GREATEST SECRETS OF THE COUPON MOM, she describes us perfectly. Here's what it says.

"You tried clipping coupons once. You even made a grocery shopping list to go with them. And how did that work out for you? If you're like most consumers, you ended up with an industrial-strength headache and vow never to try that again!"

"It's no wonder that in spite of massive promotion by the grocery and coupon industries, fewer than 2 percent of the $300 billion of grocery coupons printed are ever used. Clipping coupons can be a pain!"

"Here's the dilemma: You really need to cut your food costs. And the billions of dollars of coupons that could help you are at the bottom of a landfill. This is serious. You need help! You need a Mom to do all the hard work for you!"

That fit me perfectly!

In her book, Nelson teaches you how to become a coupon expert. The steps seem easy enough. She also says to go to her free interactive website and print out a shopping list for your supermarket.

The book committed me to the idea, but the website got me excited. It will take time to reap a serious reward, but I feel that it's like starting a new business. We'll have to invest first and later see the "serious" payoff. I'm not doing this to save a few bucks though. I am doing this to save some serious money. We have a family of five. Our monthly cost of household products extends over $1,000 each month. If I could cut this in half or at the very least, by 25%, I'd be thrilled. Nelson says I can do it. Steve, the accountant, says it's possible with what he's read, both in her book and on-line. It will be a lot of work and a major change, but I'm willing.

book was helpful in some ways very basic information
good for newbies to the craft of saving money.........
over all a good book.

RECEIVED PROMPTLY. HAVE BEEN READING THIS AND HAVE FOUND A GREAT DEAL OF INTERESTING INFORMATION.

I want to break this book down for you. Look at it in 3 parts.

1st part- Common knowledge and same mission statement repeated over and over again.

2nd part- Plugging her website which is more $ to spend.

3rd part and comprises HALF of the total book- Telling you to donate food to charity. Nothing wrong with donating food, but it takes half the book to tell you this.

I will take the 17.99 that I spent at a bookstore for this as a learned lesson.

I agree you don't need the book. If most people were wise they would go to the library and borrow the book. If your library does not have it request it.

You can save money with double coupons not every place in the country has double coupon stores. But in our region we do. So your consumers request your stores do it. Their are groups through yahoo groups that teach you how to save money. I find the people who critique the most about supposively not saving money don't really want to make the effort. Let's face it coupons are a lot of work. Stuff this woman teaches I knew for the most part. I am always learning. But you can get deals with coupons at your local department stores too. It is what people are willing to compromise to do. Most people who don't want to change their brand favorites are definately not going to fair well with coupons. It is all about flexability. Not to mention I think her goal was to in the end help the needy. I think that is commendable in itself. In fact I have donated several items this way. I am all for helping in our community by doing her tactics because that is what is about. In this economy you never know if it could be you being the recipiant of having to depend on the local food pantry. If anything else I think that is what the point of the book is. I found out through the guidepost about this book. Later I found it at the local library. I live in a rural area but I drive to shop too. I just do my shopping where I work. If you go out to get your hair done, work, driving the kids to school then make use of your trips. There are lots of people who live in the rural areas and travel one time a week or once a month. It is a matter of planning.

I was so excited to get this book--only to be disappointed. Most everything in the book I either already knew, or was REALLY common sense. This mom wishes she would have got it from the library. I could've saved money on the internet that way! ha ha

Good reference for someone just starting out.......but is not a definite "must have." You can spend very little time on the internet to find the same and MUCH MORE information for free. I was very disappointed to learn I had already signed up for the same sites mentioned in the book and have been a member for at least 5-6 years on those sites.

This book is a great resource for oodles of websites for almost everything. Over the last few years I have spent a lot of time on the internet and already am aware of most of the content offered, but there was lots of stuff that was new to me as well. I was hoping for a little more on the earning 'thousands'aspect, but I think that is in part due to limitations on what is available on the internet. Of course, it also depends on how much time you are willing to spend doing these things. Overall, I thought this was a great comprehensive guide to anyone who uses the internet, not just moms.

I found this book listed in an article and it really caught my attention. I'm a part-time working mom but it never seems to give our budget enough boost. This book gave me such much needed information and insightful advice on how to change that without having to work more hours away from home.

I felt like the authors spoke directly to me and had been there, done that. Some of the topics I was familiar with, but there's a lot I didn't know along with a very organized approach on how I could make this work for me and my individual circumstances. This book hasn't moved from it's place next to my computer and I find myself consulting it almost on a daily basis.

So far, the earnings are adding up quickly (nice to have pin money in my pocket again!) but the real surprise is all the savings I never quite managed to put together in this way that the guide teaches.

All in all, it's a great little book and perfect for those struggling to make ends meet. Thumbs up from me!

I have been making money online since 1998 and am always checking out resources to help me make more. The Mom's Guide to Earning and Saving Thousands on the Internet offers some terrific savings ideas and resources in one place. It's especially helpful for busy moms who don't have time to research and investigate resources themselves.

I was very intersted in the earning aspect especially since it covered surveys and mystery shopping. I still don't feel this is a great way to earn income from home. I have tested many survey sites and have yet to get paid by the legitimate ones. Turns out I don't qualify for most surveys I'm sent. (I'm a 40 year old mom of two, married who owns a home...). I've gotten a free lunch with mystery shopping, but that won't pay the mortgage.

If you are looking for great resources and ideas to save money using the Internet, this is a good resource. But if you want to make money, this isn't your book.

Although I knew the copyright on the book was 2003, I bought the book and went shopping in NC in June 2007. A lot of the retailers are gone. I was looking forward to shopping at Rose and Utility Craft and both were closed for business. Blacks has moved. Furnitureland South has 1 million sq. feet of furniture and a good place to look, but prices were better at Blacks. Also be careful because a lot of the furniture is not from NC, but from Asia. This book was probably helpful years ago, but now is very outdated.

I used this book to shop for furniture in the High Point area. It was useful in locating stores and in knowing what product lines each store offered. There are two main problems I have; (1) I think the savings are overstated - it is probably more in the area of 20 percent off, and (2) I think the author was uninformed or else very soft on rating the customer service side of things. The salespeople treat you like family (as stated in this book) when they are trying to make the sale, but for me, that was where the good customer service ended. I bought almost all of my furniture at Rose Furniture. They were very helpful and responsive until after some items arrived damaged. That is where all the competence and responsiveness ended. If you read Ms. Shapiro's review of Rose Furniture, she only talks about how wonderful the sales people are - she offers no information about treatment after the sale. I think this is a huge oversight. What you want in a furniture retailer is good service - this is all they do. They don't build furniture, they service the customer. I waited 5 months for my order to be delivered - Rose estimates an 8 to 10 week delivery timeframe. Rose Furniture would consistently tell me something that just wasn't true. After waiting 5 months for my items, one of the items would not even function properly and was covered with some dark, gummy substance - all over the finish. I refused delivery and I'm seeking a refund. Rose Furniture has a condescending way of dealing with people that is very aggravating. They have a pleasant exterior appearance while all the time they could care less.

I agree with a couple of previous reviewers that this book is a bit dated now and to check specifics before making the trip. I used this book before my first trip to shop High Point, and have made two subsequent trips. I agree that the savings are not that great, and if you have to ship, plus now pay tax, you will probably not save over your local retailer. I priced a Henredon bed and dresser at Boyle's, and my local store quoted the exact same price. In the end, Boyle's offered a 10% discount, free shipping (as they should on the amount I was spending) and no tax, so I saved a bit over my local store who would not offer a 10% reduction, but it was probably a wash after the trip expenses. You may save more if you live in an extremely price-inflated area. On the flip-side, you can indeed look, touch, and feel an incredibly wide variety of furniture in one day. Sitting on that couch that you are spending a couple of grand on cannot replace ordering it from your local retailer's catalog sight unseen. Second, if you live in a more rural area like I do - we have only one good furniture store - you get a much better idea of what is available to you. This book gives you some good basic information on the stores and the lines they carry. I agree with other reviewers that the service is not that great at most stores. I have never been able to get anyone to give me "design help" and the sales staff at most places will clearly size you up based on appearance, so if you want serious help, dress like you have some money to spend. Otherwise they are just order-takers. Be sure to visit manufacturer websites before you go to narrow down what you are looking for.

My wife and I decided to make a trip to NC for our 10th wedding anniversary. Figured since we were going to spend the money to go someplace anyway, we'd go figure out the NC furniture mysteries. This book was a great guide to helping us plan the trip. As for the contents, it is everything you need. But, make sure to update the store hours via the web or phone calls before you travel. Many of the stores had changed hours/days. In fact, one location that is prominantly mentioned as a cluster of many retailers, a good one stop shop, is almost out of business. Most retailers have left.

As for whether you save money shopping in NC, I really don't believe it. Before we left, we had found some furniture groups we liked here locally. We called several of the stores in this book for competitive quotes. The actual per piece price was about the same. Some were cheaper, some were more expensive, so the group price was about the same. Then you have to add on shipping. BTW, NC is collecting sales tax for most states now, so you won't save that, either. It would have cost more to buy in NC.

So we took the trip. Even writing off the entire cost of the trip, which is not insignificant, but since we were going to spend it to go someplace anyway, we didn't count it, we didn't see where you could save money if you have to have the furniture shipped. At best the savings were $50-$100 per peice. The liquidation outlets are something of a joke. We saw two women get into a fight over who could buy something that was damaged. We saw a bedroom suite "on clearance" that was within $100 as a group of what we saw it new for in a showroom earlier that morning. You might get lucky in a clearance center, but having seen what we did, I'd never go back. The Thomasville factory outlet was OK, but the selection was extraordinarily limited, and if you wanted a group, you were out of luck. But, it is the only way to get Thomasville cheaper than your local store.

Overall, the book is good, and it would be valuable to give you a few numbers to call to check your local retailer's prices. I am one of those people who research for a year before buying anything, and it is a good resource. However, unless you live in an increcibly inflated area such as New England/DC/NY area, you are going to end up spending the same or more by shopping NC. About the only advantage of going there in person is you can make one stop in Highpoint, by Furnitureland South, and in one day you can basically see every single piece of furniture currently made between the 6 stores clustered right there.

I just returned from a trip to NC for furniture having purchased this book as a guide. As it turned out, the book was not very helpful and I wasted a lot of time by relying on its recommendations. For starters, it's very outdated and the author's website for updates is no longer online. Many of the recommendations are based on the author's personal opinions without explanations that readers could use to judge for themselves. She lists her favorite stores and downplays others without providing a basis for her reasoning. Much of the information provided on the various dealers is straight out of the stores' marketing materials. There are a few useful tips scattered through the book but overall it wasn't very helpful.
As far as whether NC is worth the trip- it IS, but only if you are already looking to buy very high quality name brand furniture (pieces that typically are special ordered in your pick of fabrics and finishes). NC is not a great place to go if you're shopping primarily based on budget. You aren't going to find very low priced furniture, but if you were already prepared to pay $4000 for a leather Natuzzi couch from a local retailer, it's worth the trip to save 40% on it. If budget is your most important criteria, you're better off at IKEA or a local retailer that carries lesser known manufacturers catering to a lower price point. Just from personal experience, we did great at Furnitureland South- AMAZING selection and service in one stop. This author had little good to say about FLS but her hands-down favorite- Rose Furniture- was a total bomb- rotten service, cramped showroom and so-so selection.

This was delightful to read, what a great idea to compile all these lists. If you are in a bad mood, pick it up; sure to make you smile.

Gave this gift to an English Professor and then bought one for myself. It is unique enough for the coffee table and fun to read aloud with the family. Seeing photos of the grocery lists makes you feel like a spy into our commercial culture.

Great book,i love the little fun facts through the pages..you learn some things while having fun reading these lists. Everyone in my house has been taking turns reading it.

Bill Keagy shares his love of the unusual, your discard shopping list. At his website and his book, Milk Eggs Vodka, we get to see what some people are shopping for, as well as Keagy's humorous commentary. It is completely amazing to see the misspellings and how our own shopping list can be seen as a source of amusement for others. This book is funny and irreverent and worth taking a peek.

This extensive collection of discarded grocery lists (many of them apparently written by semi-illiterates) might be of interest to sociologists on some level but as a book being marketed as a laugh riot, forget it.

Misspellings, bad punctuation and odd juxtapostions of products initially provide a few scattered chuckles but author's snarky commentaries on every single list aren't that funny to begin with and very quickly become repetitive and tiresome. (By end of book, even the author seems to admit he's run out of ideas when he starts concocting bizarro--and unfunny--recipes using only items found on individual lists.)

A far more interesting use of this material might have been an in-depth magazine piece about how these lists were collected and what they say about American consumerism. As is, will probably be best appreciated by people whose own grocery lists include items like "rolling papers" and "munchies."

Heard the taped version of SEX AND SHOPPING: CONFESSIONS
OF A NICE JEWISH GIRL by Judith Krantz . . . I must admit to
having never read any of her novels, though I did see SCRUPLES
when it was on TV . . . so I did not know too much about her, but I now feel that she is almost a friend after listening to this interesting autobiography . . . from what I've since discovered, many of the tales contained herein have since appeared in her various novels . . . if you're a Krantz fan or interested in the life of a novelist, then get hold of this book . . . an added "plus" for me was the fact that she also served as the narrator.

I've loved Judith's work over the years. Her last two novels haven't been the greatest and one wonders what's she's doing now. Because I was mildy disappointed in her last two novels, The Jewels of Tessa Kent and Models (?...really the worst one, but much better than any other fiction I try to read), I wasn't as hopeful. But, it really was Judith at her best! I couldn't put it down and I had to read it until 5 a.m. (Just like the old days:-) I hope we have more coming.

... I didn't find Judith being self-serving. If you write about yourself, which must be very difficult for anyone; what are you going to say? Hopefully you will try to be objective and say some positives and negatives. I found that she dicussed both the good and not-so-good in this book.

When I checked out this book, I was not quite sure what to expect. However, after reading the first few pages, I knew this was going to be a very good read. Judith Krantz is a wonderful storyteller (there is not one dry or boring moment) and she has led a fascinating life! (Many of her experiences you will recognize from her 10 books.) I definitely recommend that any fan read this book; I was sorry to finish it!

Anyone who ever read one of Judith Krantz's novels and wondered exactly where she finds her fascinating ideas will have that mystery resolved by SEX AND SHOPPING. Trite though it may be to say, Mrs. Krantz has led a life more amazing than most fiction.

Maybe it just has been luck, or maybe she really was born under a lucky star, but her life has been filled with magic. She was born to two successful European Jewish immigrants to New York who gave her every advantage educationally and materially--except perhaps mother love. Barbara Walters set her up with her husband, even provided the dress she would wear when they met. (Admittedly, they had not yet grown up to be Great Dames; they still just were a couple of eager girls.) Her brother married Shari Lewis. She and her husband sold their co-op on Central Park West to David and Helen Gurley Brown. By her own report, the entire ride's gone that way.

Immediately following World War II, right after Judy had graduated from college (Seven Sisters, it goes without saying), her father placed her for a year with an impoverished aristocrat in Paris. At the time, Judy barely understood French. By the end of the year, she spoke a perfect, fluent, Parisian-accented version, in which she can converse to this day. Anybody who read SCRUPLES, her first blockbuster, will remember that this is a history that her heroine shared. Oh, yes, and Judy also finally lost her virginity in the City of Love.

She writes bluntly about the sexual conventions of her generation, strange by contemporary standards. In those pre-birth control days, she ended up needing an abortion. And she had the abortion the day before she had her first date with her husband. Yet the date must have gone well, since they are married over forty years, with children and grandchildren.

This is a woman who would have had a lovely and interesting life, even if she never had written a word. The most serious problems she admits to having encountered were the polite anti-Semitism of post-war Paris and some overt anti-Semitism when she was on a book tour in Germany in the 1970's.

Professionally, Judith Krantz has specialized in writing the kind of popular novel which often is referred to by a more vulgar phrase than "sex," always combined with shopping. She certainly did not invent this genre, but she formalized it and designed the format which has had to have been followed by any author emulating SCRUPLES.

With sex and shopping to keep her busy along the way, Judith Krantz has led a fascinating life.

I wasn't going to write this review, but this book was so bad I just had to.

I couldn't wait to get this book home and dig into it -- I love adventurous women! But what a disappointment -- it was horrible; I couldn't even finish the last third of it.

Let me sum up Ms. Krantz's opinion of herself in three words: "I am AMAZING." She takes narcisissm to an all-time high. Yes, it is an autobiography, but her constant sounding off about how great she is at everything she does made me nauseous. By the way, she actually had that "amazing" quote above in the book, as an excerpt from her journal (actually, her word was SUBLIME, all caps, but you get the picture). Her books set all kinds of records, she landscapes better than professionals, she handles herself wonderfully on television, she's run just about every department at Good Housekeeping magazine, and she's a damn fine friend. Oh yeah -- did I mention she was so wonderful at gymnastics, including the trapeze, that her instructor told her to take it easy when new students attended class because she was so good the instructor didn't want the new students "discouraged"? Yep, it's all there in the book.

I won't even go into her popularity with men -- of course every man she dated asked her to marry him. That's because she's so cute. I know because she told me. In the book.

She also fails to realize what an American princess she is. Her lamenting of having to go out to the deli on a dark, stormy night to get chicken soup for her sick husband because it was the housekeeper's night off will really make your heart bleed. To this day, she is still traumatized by that night (yes, she actually said this). And once she had to endure being on her feet for THREE HOURS without food or a bathroom break at a book-signing party. Can you believe the suffering she had to endure?

She has always had servants in the form of housekeepers, laundresses, nannies for her children, etc. She has lived a privileged life from the very beginning, which isn't bad in itself, but somehow I think she's never realized it. She thinks her problems are, well, real problems.

The paper-thin depth of character exhibited by this woman is truly astonishing.

And oh yes -- the book certainly needs editing. Krantz tells about a long-time friend of hers who becomes ill. Out of the blue, she says, "The CIA took over his illness." Now what the hell does that *mean*?? Turns out her friend had been an operative for the CIA all along, but I'm not sure how an organization can "take over" a person's illness. Does this mean the CIA made him even sicker? Actually, I *think* what she meant was the CIA paid for his medical expenses -- but I'm still not sure.

The book is replete with sentences in this vein -- it really got annoying to try to figure out what she meant.

Don't buy it -- it's a waste of money and time.

I purchased this book while I was 16 months pregnant. I'm a college educated woman who didn't know the difference between a crib and a cradle. I figured this book could help. The descriptions of the products were informative and the "must have" and "might want" labels were helpful. The problem I found was that the book didn't really prepare me when I dropped by my local baby store to register. The car seat models, crib models, etc. were old. The baby industry changes rapidly along with the number of recalls. I found the Baby Bargins book (and website) by Denise and Alan Fields a better consumer guide. Baby Stuff helped me decide which items were necessities, while Baby Bargins helped me decide which brands were top rated by both Consumer Reports and real life parents. If you buy this book, be prepared to keep looking for more information.

I found this book to be one of the best I've ever read on "baby stuff". I've bought copies for everyone I know. This book is definately worth buying!

When I was pregnant and trying to figure out how to prepare for the baby and what to buy, this book was a tremendous help to me. My husband and I live in a one bedroom apartment, and my friends and co-workers had been scaring me by constantly telling me that I just couldn't imagine all the things I was going to have to buy and how expensive it was going to be. I kept arguing with them, thinking, how much can a little baby possibly need in the first year? But I realized that I really didn't know, and decided to try to find out. In the process of educating myself I found this wonderful book. Some of the previous reviewers are right that this book lacks the detailed product comparisons that are available elsewhere. If you are looking for lists of different brands with ratings, this book is not for you (and most of it's recommendations of particular products are already out of date). However, it is wonderful if what you are trying to do is figure out how many little onesie outfits to buy, what on earth a "receiving blanket" is and why you need some, how to decide what kind of car seat you need, and what the difference is between one that costs $50 and one that costs $200. The book systematically goes through all of the many things you could buy and lists them as "optional", "might want", or must have" and goes on to explain why this is so. It also breaks things down into three different budget levels ("lotto winner", "lots of money", or "lots of love") and provides estimates of the total cost of everything you will need based on these different budgets. If you are planning for a first baby, this book may be for you.

I found this book to be far too general for my purposes. I was looking for much more detailed product reviews. I also found it annoying that Mr. Lipper was so heavily biased toward independent juvenile products stores (e.g. the store he manages in New York). He made himself out to be an expert, given his vast experience in selling baby products to expectant parents. However he doesn't have children of his own, so he has never really tested any of these products in real life experience. Don't bother with this book if you are a first time parent and need the nitty gritty details about baby products. Instead, I'd suggest you buy the book BABY BARGAINS by Denise and Alan Fields. They have two very young children and have actual experience with the products that they list in their book. Also, they are not biased toward any one type of store. They advise parents to shop around. I would rate the Fields book 5 stars and can't give more than 2 stars to Lipper's.

This book is somewhat helpful to a new mother. However, I found the book, Baby Bargains by Denise & Alan Fields to be more useful.

If you have the Baby Bargain book by Alan & Denise Fields, YOU REALLY DON'T NEED THIS BOOK. First, it's not as detail as Baby Bargain. Second, the information seems to be outdated because (1) copyright is 2000 and (2)I send in for some info. per author's instruction and I got a return to sender with NO FORWARDING ADDRESS. Third, these type of books should be updated annually since we are looking for the latest information. Companies form, merge, and go bankrupt annually. If the information is not updated, how is it a good guide? I got the book because of all the five stars review I read.

The book is not up to date. Web site is not working.
They tell you to send a self-addressed envelope for coupons, and after two weeks, the UPS return it to me with a note: the address is not longer valid. Do not give your money away!!!

If you want creative ideas on cutting the expense of a new baby, take a look at this book! There are lots of clever substitutions (use puffy fabric paint on plain socks instead of buying the expensive non-skid kind!) as well as been-there-done-that advice on what NOT to buy in the first place. This book will pay for itself almost instantly, and will save you both time and money all through the first year. I highly recommend it for the kind of advice you won't find in parenting books!

Christina Raley, Managing Editor...

If you want creative ideas on cutting the expense of a new baby, take a look at this book! There are lots of clever substitutions (use puffy fabric paint on plain socks instead of buying the expensive non-skid kind!) as well as been-there-done-that advice on what NOT to buy in the first place. This book will pay for itself over and over, and will save you both time and money all through the first year. I highly recommend it for the kind of helpful advice you won't find in parenting books!

What a great resource for new and expectant parents! I saved hundreds of dollars on baby furniture and accessories by reading this book before I went shopping. You'll definitely save more than the cost of the book by following just some of the ideas in it. I also liked the information about shopping online. Who knew there were so many great places on the Internet to buy baby products? Every expectant and new parent should make the investment in this book - if not for the money-saving information, for the health and safety information that I didn't find anywhere else.

This book is great for someone trying to understand the basic structure of fashion or in my case, for someone trying to intelligently by clothing gifts for the women in their lives.

This book is so helpful... it is advice i am amazed i have lived without. I have a copy of this one and "Does this make me look fat?" Both incredibly valuable. Of course it is for anyone who desires to dress in a classic style. Highly recommended.

The book was a bit old ie some of the information related to fashion in the 1980s and 1990s. That said, the advice provided on style versus fashion remains relevant at any moment in time.

I bought this book because I liked "Does this make me look fat?" by the same author.

I am a fan of Feldon's books. I love the interesting fashion "types" in the beginning of her books, for example "Bas Couture." Many of these fashion types are still on streets today. However, the illustrations of pleated pants and mini-skirts (a la Calista Flockhart) are as outdated as the era that the book was written in. Ms. Feldon advocates a classic look, which works for many but can be dull if the wearer doesn't inject personality with accessories, textures or creative use of color. Another drawback is that it doesn't cover dressing for your body shape. For that, you will have to purchase her other book, "Does This Make Me Look Fat?" If you overlook these drawbacks, this book is a fun read and a great way to put together a good look on a budget.

Feldon's book will help you to organize your wardrobe and make wiser fashion purchases, but much of her advice is predicated on two assumptions: that everyone looks good in black (not true and boring besides!)and that everyone should/wants to dress like Audrey Hepburn.