Author: ThriftyMomma

*This review is my own unbiased opinion and I am not being compensated.*

I admit I have trouble finding a bra that gives me a great fit and support. I want one that will look smooth under tops and still feel comfortable. I actually prefer soft cups as the under wire bras will poke me. I was intrigued by the commercials for the Genie Bra. When I found a pack of two at Target for $20, then I had to have it.

On the back of the package, there is a chart which shows you the size you should buy based on your shirt size. I bought the next size up since I put on some weight after the holidays. The pack comes with a beige and black color. I prefer the nude color since it is more of a flesh tone. I could not wait to get home to try them on.

Each Genie bra comes with the pads, but they are easily removed if you prefer. I tried it on first with the pads. I quickly realized the pads were going to have to come out as they were not completely covering. It just did not feel or look right. I took out the pads, but I still did not feel the cups were separated properly. It was not quite as bad as my sports bra with the one boob look, but it was not too far from that look.

The Genie bra promises comfort and no need for shape wear as you will eliminate the back fat lumps. I can tell you this was not the case. This bra did not look smooth under my top. The bra came down very low in the back. It did nothing to help smooth out the back or on the sides. The material is very thin so if you do not use the pads, then you can see your nipples. That is not a good look.

The worst part of the Genie bra is the lack of support. I am well endowed and let’s just say my cup size is past C. I need a bra with support and cups that will lift and separate. It did not lift or separate. I was more comfortable with it off than on. I am definitely returning this package. The only positive thing I can say about the Genie bra is it is inexpensive at $10 a bra. I would rather spend more on a good quality bra that will support and look good while wearing.

The Genie bra might be great for some people, but I would definitely not purchase if you are on the fuller side. I would save your money and use that $20 towards a bra that will give you good support and comfort.

I realize many people reading this post title are thinking I have lost my mind! They are looking out their windows to see snow covering the ground. There isn’t a hint of spring to be seen.

Here in the deep south, we are seeing a much different sight with spring already here. We did not have much of a winter this year. It was pretty mild, and this is the warmest January I can remember in years. January is normally one of the coldest months of the whole year in South Louisiana, but not this year. We are getting a day or two of cold weather, but then it warms back up to the 70’s and flirting with the 80’s! I have even had to run my air conditioner a few times already this month. That is really crazy!

The biggest sign of spring are the clover patches in my grass, and many trees are already blooming along with my azalea bushes. The picture above are blooms from one of my azalea bushes. They are so pretty. I usually do not see this sight until mid to late February. My husband actually had to cut the grass earlier this month. Again our grass is usually dead and no clover in the yard.

All of this spring weather has gotten to me thinking about my spring garden. If you want to grow your own transplants of tomatoes or bell peppers, then in Zone 9 you would have started earlier this month. I decided to skip growing tomatoes as we do not really eat them. I simply do not have the time to make sauces. I am growing bell peppers, but I have my fil giving me some next month as I only need a few plants. I usually chop them up to freeze. The main plant I want to grow this year is cucumbers. I eat at least 2-3 weekly in my salads, but I want to make Refrigerator Sweet Pickle Chips again this year. It was a huge hit with everyone. I will also get some blackberry shoots from my fil as I love fresh berries. One year I plan to tackle growing strawberries. I think I will also grow some red potatoes as well. Nothing like harvesting fresh vegetables and fruits.

Are you seeing signs of spring in your area, or does old man winter look like he is staying? Are you planning your spring garden yet? If you are, then please share with me what you are growing. I love reading about what others are doing in different parts of the country and world.

First I want to mention I am not being paid or reimbursed by the website. This is a review with all my own opinion. I truly enjoyed the site and savings so I had to share with my readers.

I needed three textbooks for my Spring college classes. These books were not cheap even if I rented them at my local stores and many online sites. When I came across BookRenter.com, I was excited at the prices I was given for my three books. The most expensive book was well over $100 to buy, but still would have cost me well over $60 to rent. I was given the same price for a digital rental. The Bookrenter.com price was $30 for the semester! That was a 50% savings. One textbook was only $3 cheaper. The last book I needed, I couldn’t even buy at many stores as they were sold out. Their price was $27! Again that is a 50% savings.

My total for all three books was $94 with tax. Shipping is free both ways. You can upgrade your shipping to express for $20-40 depending on the weight. I ordered them a couple of days ago and will receive them by Tuesday. It took less than a week with free shipping. They shipped them the next business day after purchasing. I also went through Ebates (double money offer) and received $8 in cash back. I paid less than $90 for all three textbooks which is a huge savings. If I rented them at any of my local rental stores, then I would have paid close to $200 with tax. I saved almost $100 on my books. I can definitely use that money in my pocket.

If you refer 5 people to rent their books within 5 days of your purchase date, then you will receive your order for free! That is a great incentive. I’m still more than thrilled with my savings. If you or your child want to save more money on renting their textbooks, then please go check out Bookrenter.com! I also saw they will buy back textbooks. I don’t know much about the program as I prefer to rent my textbooks. I did buy one textbook last year for Dreamweaver. I got it at Amazon for $50 used. It was in excellent condition.

Last May I posted about remodeling my house. We painted almost every room in the house, put down new vinyl floors, painted kitchen cabinets, fixed cracks above the door frames, and put in a new bathroom sink and toilet. I bought new furniture for our bedroom which I got on clearance. We only had nightstands, and we needed a dresser. I wanted a nice set of matching furniture for our bedroom. When it came time to redo our son’s bedroom, we didn’t want to buy him all new furniture. He has lots of shelving in his closet so he doesn’t need a dresser. He already had a couple of mismatched pieces of furniture in his room. He had an entertainment center and a nightstand. They were still in great condition but in dire need of a makeover.

We watch a lot of remodeling shows on DIY and HGTV channels. My husband had already completed the kitchen cabinet hardware project (you can read about it here). The obvious solution to our problem was to paint the furniture. It was going to be a lot of work with sanding, priming, and then painting. I already did that with the kitchen cabinets and was not in the mood to do another big painting project. My husband had a brilliant idea to solve our problem. He decided to spray paint the furniture. We already had the black satin spray paint from the kitchen hardware project. My son’s room was gray with diamond plated outlet covers. Hubby thought black furniture would compliment the room nicely. He was exactly correct. I told you we watch a lot of remodeling shows on tv.

The spray paint had primer already mixed in so no need for another step. He did rough up the nightstand with a 120 sanding block. Then he wiped it down thoroughly. He used a satin black finish which brought out beautiful details of the piece. He used two coats which dried very quickly outside. It was a very sunny day with little humidity which helps it to dry faster. The one mistake we made was not using a clear coat protector afterwards. The nightstand has a few chips as you can see in the pictures. I am going to wait until spring to add another light coat and then apply a clear protector coat. To further protect the top of the nightstand I had a glass top cut by the local glass shop. It cost me $12 plus tax. I think it adds a nice touch to the nightstand. I also did the same thing to my nightstands and my bathroom vanity. It’s a built-in vanity to the wall. I spent around $80 for all four items. It makes cleaning so much easier and protects the pieces more from water stains.

The project was very easy and inexpensive. I paid around $15 for two cans of spray paint to makeover the entertainment stand and nightstand. I didn’t take pictures of the entertainment stand, but it looks just as nice. Hubby also spray painted the drawer pull a nice silver which gives it a wow factor. It was just a plain brass color. We already had the silver spray paint color. I am planning to do the same thing for my living room end table and entertainment center. I promise to do more of a step by step with pictures for those pieces. This project extends the life of furniture you already own. Why spend more money when you can just give your furniture a makeover. Do you have any furniture you would like to makeover? I would love to read about it.