Looking for the best deals before your next trip to Kohl’s? We’ve identified some of the best product categories that you can find on sale at Kohl’s as well as some of the worst that you will want to avoid. These picks are based on average discounts as well as the potential for additional coupons used in the transaction.

Five Best:

1. Small Kitchen Appliances (Magic Bullet, Waffle Makers, Keurig)

More focused with online sales rather than in-store savings, this is the product category we on sale most often on Ben’s. Kohl’s typically offers greater discounts than other retailers.

Look to stack coupons on these items and add bonus savings with a rebate (Example: 20% off any order coupon + $10 off $30 or more Home coupon + a $20 rebate.)

2. Towels, Bedding, Rugs, Linens, General Home Decor

Look for the best sales on Kohl’s store brand products, then combine those sales with stacked coupons with dollar-off codes on the Home category.

Consider purchasing multiple items to reach the dollar-off coupon minimums. (Example, a recent deal offered 16 of Kohl’s “Big One” bath towels for $36 using stacking coupons; just over $2 per towel.)

3. Outdoor Kids’ Items (Mini-Pools, Inflatable Water Parks)

Similar to small kitchen appliances, these deals are more plentiful online rather than in-store. Look for the bonus addition of Kohl’s Cash on the higher-priced items, ideal for your next trip to Kohl’s.

4. Adult Apparel (Logo t-shirts, Work Clothes)

While we recommend avoiding adult apparel at regular retail prices, the savings in the clearance section when combined with coupons is tremendous.

Specifically, look for the best deals on men’s graphic t-shirts, Dockers slacks and Big & Tall sizes for men as well as women’s underwear / lingerie.

5. Apparel Accessories (Purses, Sterling Jewelry, Gloves)

As long as you aren’t a brand snob, Kohl’s offers excellent prices on quality purses and gloves (often made from real leather). You are also going to find more aggressive sales on sterling silver jewelry when compared to competitors like Macy’s or JC Penney.

Five Worst:

1. Kid’s Toys / Apparel

Unfortunately, Kohl’s is one of the worst retailers to find a significant discount on toys. Retail prices are inflated on toys; thus coupons don’t have much of an impact. Look to Target and Walmart for better deals in-store as well as Amazon for online deals.

The same advice applies to children’s apparel as the base MSRP starts too high for solid sales. For example, Kohl’s sell Carter’s brand of baby and toddler clothing. You are better off going directly to Carter’s for significantly cheaper prices during sale periods.

2. Electronics (TVs and Small Electronics)

Likely an attempt to become more relevant around the Black Friday shopping period, Kohl’s does carry some electronics. Unfortunately, the quality of the off-brand TV models is poor and Kohl’s doesn’t often allow coupons on other small electronics. Prices are usually better at any number of electronic retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon.

3. Shoes

While Kohl’s occasionally offers decent sale prices on lower-end Nike sneakers, these cheaper models are usually poorer quality than models that can be found in a specialized shoe store.

In addition, other brands that Kohl’s carries are lacking in quality. You are typically better off shopping at retailers like Nordstrom Rack and 6pm.

4. Furniture

Retail prices on Kohl’s furniture offerings are usually too high for coupons to have a significant impact on dropping the cost for the consumer. In addition, shipping charges are exorbitant on oversized items, pushing the price tag up even more. Alternatively, look to retailers like Target, IKEA and Walmart for better prices on furniture that’s of similar quality.

5. Wrapping paper, Greeting Cards, Gift Bags

In general, it’s never a good idea to purchase these items at retailers like Kohl’s. You will be paying a premium for these items simply due to the convenience. As long as you have time, hit up a dollar store for significantly better prices.

Check out our latest Deals from Kohl’s

Five Best & Five Worst Things to Buy at Kohl’s

I used to be a “gym girl” before the pandemic, but since 2020 I’ve been slowly building up my own home gym, with everything I could possibly need to do my strength training workouts at home. My black and pink basement gym, sometimes lovingly referred to as my “dunGYM” (dungeon + gym) is truly my happy place, and the commute down the stairs is certainly better than driving across town to get my lifting in.

My second happy place is my pop-up camper, which despite being an amazing place to spend summers on the road with my family, doesn’t have many fitness amenities. Here’s where the Yaheetech Adjustable 40lbs Dumbbell Set comes in. I have always been curious about the popular Bowflex SelectTech adjustable dumbbells for traveling, but have not been interested in spending over $350-$400 for them. The Yaheetech set I tried out is similar in specs, but is currently priced at $210 on Amazon. Cheap? No, but if one set of weights could save me the hassle of packing 4-5 sets of metal dumbbells when we travel, it might be worth it!

How They Work(out)

The Yaheetech adjustable dumbbells are super easy to use. They can be set to 12 different weights between 3lbs and 40lbs. To set the weight you want, you place the dumbbell on the storage tray, turn the dial to the weight you need, and lift the dumbbell off of the tray. It’s basically releasing and/or picking up smaller plate weights to get to your desired pound selection. It literally took me 2-3 seconds per dumbbell to do this process.

When you want to change the weight for a different exercise, you have to put the dumbbell back on the tray, move the dial to the new weight selection, and then pick them up again. Overall, not as fast as having a bunch of dumbbells laid out, but it really didn’t slow me down too much at all.

Because the dumbbells are designed to hold up to 40 pounds of plates, they are fairly large in size. When I’m using regular dumbbells, 10s, 12s, 15s, 20s are quite a bit smaller in my hands. This is probably not much of an issue for a larger person, but as a fairly petite female, they felt a little bulky during lighter weight moves like lateral raises, bicep curls, and upright rows.

Not gonna lie, I was slightly nervous to try any exercises where the dumbbells were moving over my face, but after shaking the dumbbell around many times to make sure it wasn’t going to release any plates, I did successfully perform pullovers without any incident! The locking mechanism felt solid and secure, which is obviously pretty important (especially when you’re setting these to the higher 30+ lbs).

Value Gainz

At $210, are the Yaheetech adjustable dumbbells a better value than buying a standard dumbbell set? These adjustable dumbbells cover 12 weights. My current rack consists of 5s, 8s, 10s, 12s, 15s, 20s, 25s, 30s, 40s, and 50s (10 sets) and it most definitely cost a lot more than $200 to collect them all; the rack to hold them probably cost close to $200 on its own. So if you’re starting from scratch, the adjustable set is a good value. I also like that the adjustable dumbbells include weight intervals in between some of my regular dumbbells. For example, for some moves it can be a big jump going from 30s to 40s, so having a 36lb option is pretty cool.

I haven’t had a chance to use the Bowflex SelectTech adjustable dumbbells to compare, but they look very similar (down to the black and red color scheme). The biggest difference is the Bowflex version goes up to 52.5lbs, and covers 15 total weights. Bowflex is also close to double the price, so there’s that.

Final Weigh-In

Overall, the Yaheetech 40lbs Adjustable Dumbbell Set is a great value if you’re looking to get started with lifting, have a small space, or need a good solution for road tripping/camping with weights. As you can see from the photo below, the adjustable dumbbells take up a lot less space than a standard weight rack, so if you don’t have a dedicated dunGYM like me, they could be a great option.

Yaheetech Adjustable 40lbs Dumbbell Set Review: Are They a Worthy Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dupe?

Long before Macklemore made it cool, thrift store shopping, or just “thrifting” as I like to call it, has been saving (and in some cases making!) people a lot of money. If you’re new to thrifting at places like Goodwill, here are 20 tips that will help you make the most of your experience.

1.Go often! Part of the fun of thrifting is that you never know what you’re going to find, as they’re constantly putting out new items. We end up at Goodwill at least 2-3 a week most weeks. Some days we walk out with a cart full of awesome finds, and other days we leave with nothing. If your first visit is a wash, don’t assume your next will be the same way.

2.Be smart about which stores you shop at. I think a lot of people think thrift stores are full of junk, but you’d be really surprised at the super nice, brand-name things people get rid of. If you’re looking for higher-end items, try the Goodwill in the rich side of town. I’ll sometimes drive an extra 30 minutes to a specific Goodwill in a certain fancy suburb because I know they always have tons of designer jeans there.

3.Always check the “just donated” bins and carts first. Most thrift stores will have carts of random stuff around the store. These are items that have been priced but not yet put out on the floor. A lot of the best deals get snatched up before they even hit the shelves by people who know where to look.

4.Get coupons by donating your old stuff. Around here, Goodwill gives you a 25% off coupon whenever you make any donation, and most of the other local thrift stores offer similar discounts. You probably have stuff laying around that you would like to get out of your house anyway, and the donation process is generally easy and fast. In most cases you just drive up to their donation garage (usually behind the store), and someone comes out and unloads the stuff from your car and gives you the coupon good on a future purchase.

5.Shop on holidays for 50% off everything. Most thrift stores offer 50% off on these holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Definitely go early in the day as things get picked over pretty quickly.

6.Be aware of other discount days. Many stores have a seniors day every week (where seniors may get 25% off, for example), or a kids’ day (our local Goodwills offer 50% off kids’ toys and clothing every Thursday). Most stores also have 50% off certain colored tags every week. If the store doesn’t make it obvious which specials they have running, just ask! Usually you can find a list of discount days/weeks near the checkout register.

7.Sign up for free rewards programs. Many thrift stores have free “loyalty” cards you can sign up for. Some are punch card-type programs where you get a discount after a certain number of purchases, while others give you access to special sales and discounts reserved only for card members.

8.Shop thrift stores for Halloween costumes and holiday decor. Seriously, Goodwill is where it’s at when it comes to costumes. They save up all the costumes that are donated throughout the year and put them all out on September 1st (or around that date). The selection is amazing if you go early! I not only buy our familys’ Halloween costumes, but stock up on dress up outfits for the kids to play with all year.

A lot of people think of thrift stores for Halloween, but they’re also the best place to shop for other holiday decor. One of the local thrift store chains around here (Arc’s Valu Village) sets up a whole “Merry Thriftmas” area every year, with huge displays of ornaments, stockings, tree skirts, lights, decorations and more. It’s a great way to build up your collection, especially for young families.

9.Don’t pass on something just because it’s dirty. You might be surprised at how well things clean up with a little bit of effort. You can make a pair of Chucks look like they just came out of the box with a little bit of nail polish remover and laundry detergent, and can get a rusty cast iron pan looking looking good as new by simply heating it in the oven and scrubbing with steel wool. Google will tell you how to clean just about anything you can think of.

10.Thrift stores are a DIYer’s dream come true. Browse the home goods and furniture sections for cheap pieces that can be restored. Just because something is ugly, doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful with a fresh coat of paint and some new hardware. These chairs were $1.99 apiece at Goodwill and all it took was some sandpaper and a couple cans of spray paint to freshen them up:

11.Know how to spot high quality items even if you don’t recognize the brand. Widely known brands are often marked higher at thrift stores simply because the person who priced the item knew the brand was popular. But there are plenty of expensive, lesser-known brands that end up flying under the radar. Be on the the lookout for stuff that looks and feels high quality regardless of the name on the tag. For shoes, that might mean anything with a genuine leather sole. For sunglasses that means heavy duty hinges and thicker lenses. You might see a pair of $60 MRSP Oakleys priced at $20 next to a pair of $200 MRSP Maui Jims priced at $2.99 just because Oakley has the better name recognition.

12.Ask if your local thrift store has a relationship with any retail stores. Here in Minnesota, Target sends their leftover clearance items to local Goodwills. You can get brand-new clothing, toys, home goods and more for a fraction of what you’d pay at Target.

13.Be aware of return policies. Some thrift stores, like Goodwill have a 7 to 14 day return policy, while it’s final sale for some of the smaller shops. If there are no returns, definitely be sure to test all electronics before leaving the store–you can always ask to use an outlet if you don’t see one on the sales floor.

14.Don’t go looking for something specific; go looking for something awesome. If you walk into a thrift store thinking “I need to find a new cookware set today,” you will likely be disappointed. Target is where you go when you know what you need; the thrift shop is where you go when you to find that treasure you didn’t know you needed.

15.Follow your local thrift stores on Instagram/Twitter to get heads up on awesome scores. Lots of local thrift stores have social media accounts and will post when cool items come into the store.

16.Buy things to sell on eBay. You can actually make some really good money buying stuff at thrift stores and flipping on eBay, but certain types of items are definitely better for that than others. Before buying anything you intend on reselling, make sure to look up similar items on eBay to see what they’re selling for so you know it’s worth your effort. More on good items for flipping ahead…

17.Check out the watches in the glass case. Many thrift stores have a glass case with jewelry, watches, cameras, and collector’s items. My dad, who I consider to be the Thrift Store Master himself, has found some legendary deals on old watches this way. A few months ago he bought an old Seiko Mickey Mouse watch for $2.25 and sold it on eBay for over $200. A lot of the time, the only thing wrong with the watch is a dead battery, which is cheap enough to replace.

18.Get a sweet deal on a lens by buying an old film camera. Another thing to look out for in the glass case is old film cameras. Often, especially with Canon models, the lens that is attached to the camera actually works on newer digital SLR cameras. So while the camera itself might not be worth much (and priced very low), the lens might be worth hundreds.

19.Keep in mind “vintage” today isn’t as old as you might think. A lot of people assume something needs to be super old to be worth anything in the vintage market. But the reality is there are a ton of people looking to recapture items from their childhood–things from the 70s, 80s, even early 90s. Old Gameboys, old Apple computers, certain vinyl records, discontinued LEGO sets/minifigures, these are all items that are good to snatch up when you see them.

20.Be curious. I saved this one for last because it’s one of the most important. After you’ve gone thrifting a few times, you’ll realize there are all sorts of weird things out there you didn’t even know existed. It’s often those oddball items that end up being the real money makers. If you don’t know what something is, but it looks interesting or expensive, whip out that smartphone and do some research!

Annnnd of course, have fun! Enjoy the thrill of the hunt and the pure delight that comes with knowing you just got yourself one heck of a deal.

20 Thrift Store Hacks for Saving and Making Money

Looking for the best deals before your next trip to the store with the big red bullseye on it? We’ve identified some of the best products that you can find on sale at Target as well as some of the worst that you will want to avoid. These picks are based on the average discounts as well as the potential for additional coupons.

Target’s Five Best:

1. Toys

5 Best / 5 Worst Products to Find on Sale at Target

You know what’s really awesome? The surprisingly high number of photos that come up when you type “awkward cat family photos” into Google Images. Like there were so many that only a fraction of them made it into this post — the ten absolute best of the best awkward of the awkwardEST. Without further ado, here they are in all their stunning glory.

10.

A classic, there’s too much to love about this picture: the mid-90’s snowflake sweater, the exact same facial expression being shared by both pet and owner, the miniature Santa hat. But the best part of all is clearly the huge cat head floating around to the left.

9.

A similar dramatic cat inset, only this time everyone’s wearing matching turtlenecks. #win

8.

A man lovingly shields his beloved cat from a frightening game of laser tag. Wait, is that a mullet or a rattail?

7.

And is this cat trying to escape? (Can you blame him?)

6.

These eyes…so soulful. And ladies, this one’s wrapped in garland (I hope).

5.

Um… Thank goodness for big cats!

4.

This picture leaving you feeling super jelly? Have no fear; you too can turn your cat into the mythical creature of your dreams with this inflatable unicorn horn for cats. They also make one for adults.

3.

Two out of the three cats in this picture are too embarrassed to even look up at the camera.

2.

Best feline photo bomb. Ever.

1. 

And lastly, there’s these people who thought it would be a good idea to paint themselves like cats. That scowling kitten on the pregnant belly is going to give me nightmares well into the foreseeable future.

10 Most Awkward Cat Family Photos

I’m sure we can all agree that bacon is great for eating. But did you know it’s also a very aesthetically pleasing artistic medium? Or that it’s capable of being hooked up to oxygen gas and cutting through steel? Here are a few of the greatest, most unique uses of bacon from around the web.

Bacon Roses

Regular roses are just kind of lame, especially when compared to ones you can eat. Next time you need a romantic gift for that special lady in your life, follow these instructions and you’ll have the key to her heart: through her stomach.

Bacon Mug

Why would anyone use a regular old cup when you could drink from a bacon mug? Fill it with some Rogue Maple Bacon Ale for the most bacontastic experience possible.

Starry Bacon Night

Bacon: as exceptionally pleasing to the eye as it is to the tongue.

The Ba-K-47

This guy created a full-size replica of an AK-47 out of bacon. In his own words: “I came up with the BA-K-47, a 1:1 scale AK-47 made out of bacon. It took a total of eight hours to create, a lot of bacon, and a blowtorch… oh yeah, and our good friend beer helped too.”

Flaming Bacon Lance of Death

And this guy used bacon to literally cut through a steel pan. A bacon lightsaber? Could there possibly be anything cooler?

Bacon AT-AT

This specimen of pure awesomeness stands 3 feet tall and contains over 40 pounds of bacon. Here are some additional pictures so you can gaze upon its greatness from every angle.

Bacontivity

My mom makes an egg bake every Christmas morning. I’m going to pass this along and tell her she really needs to step up her game next year.

Kevin Bacon

As part of his series of celebrity portraits, artist Jason Mecier created this stunning portrait of Kevin Bacon, crafted entirely out of, fittingly, bacon. His other portraits are also pretty funny (though I’m not sure any are able to top this one).

Awesome Things Made Out of Bacon

Decking out your room with your favorite movie, TV show or comic book hero doesn’t have to end when you “grow up.” Here are some amazingly character-inspired cool rooms and living spaces, along with easy ways to add some similar, nerdy flair to your current home decor.

Batman Hotel Room

This Batman-themed hotel room, located in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, costs $50 per three hours of use. Judging by the pictures, that’s a total bargain.

Do it yourself: You can buy a Batmobile bed frame on Etsy ($750) or, for a lot less, a pretty cool batmobile graphic for the wall ($90).

Superman Bedroom

This Superman bedroom has it all — a giant globe, the iconic telephone booth, and even Superman himself.

Do it yourself: Add a Phone booth sticker/poster to your door ($60), purchase a  life-size Superman cardboard cutout ($58), or just go all-out with a life-size fiberglass statue (only $4,999.99).

Star Wars AT-AT Bedroom

There are about a million awesome Star Wars rooms out there, but this AT-AT bed might literally be the coolest thing I have ever laid eyes on in my entire 27 years of life.

Do it yourself: Here’s a step-by-step tutorial for making your own AT-AT bed (and securing your place in the “best parent ever” club). Or just get this cute AT-AT quilted bedding (and score yourself a spot in the “pretty great parent” club).

James Bond Home Bar

This 007-inspired luxury home has a study with a secret rotating panel that turns into a bar.

Do it yourself: Being James Bond came up with this list of 12 James Bond home bar essentials. You can also get some official 007 martini glasses ($13 apiece) to class up your bar area.

Doctor Who Tardis Room

This guy created a replica Doctor Who TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space — basically, a time machine) at his parents’ house. It cost about $1,500, and according to him, involved lots of “drawings and math and many long nights involving mad laughter” to complete.

Do it yourself: Unfortunately, we aren’t all talented enough to build an actual TARDIS. Thankfully, there are many other TARDIS-themed items available to help you spice up nerd up any room (including a trashcan, lamp, tent, and cookie jar, just to name a few).

Comic Book Bathroom

Because bathroom walls covered in comic book pages not only look cool, but give you something to read while you’re in there.

Do it yourself: eBay sells pre-made comic book wall murals ($200+) or, follow these instructions to make your own wallpaper out of old comic books.

Star Trek Living Room

Sadly, the guy who spent 10 years turning his 500-square-foot apartment into a Star Trek fanboy’s dream home recently had to dismantle it after getting a divorce last year.

Do it yourself: If you want to follow in his footsteps*, installing this Star Trek Electronic Door Chime ($30) is a good place to start.

*You should probably make sure your wife is cool with the home makeover before you begin.

Balloon Bag End

Well, this Lord of the Rings-inspired room was constructed entirely out of balloons.

Do it yourself: Buy yourself some balloons and go all out I guess.

Avengers Playroom

This Avengers-themed playroom was featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. More pictures of the awesomeness can be found here.

Do it yourself: The comic book-inspired talk bubble whiteboard is a really fun touch. You can get four of them for around $50.

Batcave Home Theater

Remember when I said the AT-AT bed was the coolest thing I had ever laid eyes on? Well, scratch that. This might just top it.

Do it yourself: Gothic lighting is a must for any batcave-inspired room. Here’s a bunch of options (prices vary).

X-Men Hotel Room

Why do all the coolest hotels have to be so far away? This one is located at Hotel Victoria in the Philippines.

Do it yourself: Unfortunately, there’s a serious lack of X-Men decor available for purchase online. However, here’s a tutorial for making your own X-Men bed.

Star Wars House

This Star Wars-inspired house is located in Hawaii, and it’s beyond awesome — just check out the home theater room, complete with a three dimensional fiber optic starscape and acoustic wall panels that look like starship doors.

Do it yourself: If you don’t have a few million dollars lying around, you can pretty easily and cheaply spruce up your entertainment area with some cool Star Wars film posters ($9 to $20). This Wampa rug might make a since addition as well ($116).

Cool Rooms: Nerdiest Geektastic Rooms Ever

We’ve had the longest, snowiest Minnesota winter in recent memory. I figured maybe if I put out some patio furniture, spring would take hint and make an appearance! I decided to try this Yaheetech 3-Piece Outdoor Patio Bistro Set from Amazon (MSRP $220).

We have a corner lot on a hill with a small, narrow backyard that has always been hard to buy outdoor furniture for; everything is always too big and clunky looking for the space. I was hopeful this set would give at least the two adults in our family a nice little spot to relax while watching the kids jump (/wrestle each other) on the trampoline.

So did it do the trick? Would it make our little backyard patio more comfortable and usher in a new season of sunshine and warmth? Let’s take a look.

Packaging/Unboxing

You never really know what you’re gonna get when you order furniture online. Sometimes you get a bunch of boxes, sometimes you get just one. In this case, the Yaheetech Patio Set arrived in one big square box.

The set appeared to be at least somewhat assembled when it arrived, which was a nice surprise.

Assembly

Assembly was also surprisingly easy. The table came ready to go, and the chairs really just needed the legs to be screwed on. The instructions were simple and the whole thing took less than half and hour to put together.

Quality

Honestly I’m very pleased with this set, especially for the price. It’s cute and it’s sturdy. My husband is 6’10” and nearly 300 pounds (so yes, an actual giant) and he can sit on the chairs just fine. He didn’t feel like he was going to break them, and trust me, he has felt like was going to break chairs before.

The cushions seem to have some sort of water repellent on them which is a plus. Of course we got rain the day after we put the new chairs outside, but the next morning it was easy to sort of “push” the water off the cushions. My only complaint is that they are white; no matter how much stain repellent you add, there’s no way they will stay white for long with 3 kids!

The table is also small but sturdy. It’s not big enough to hold much, but it could certainly handle a couple of beers which is all anyone really needs, right?

Overall Thoughts

This is a great little patio set for under $200 (it’s currently $156 after a “clippable” coupon on Amazon). The design in trendy and cute, and it’s neutral enough to go with really any design scheme. It would look really nice on a front porch or apartment balcony–any space where you just don’t have a lot of room, but need somewhere to sit and hang out.

Now I’m gonna go plop down in one of my cute new chairs and I’m not getting up until warm weather is here and here to stay.

Yaheetech Patio Bistro Set Review

The first year (or two) after college can be both incredibly fun and incredibly scary. You go from “college world,” with its parties and dining center meals and all-night cram sessions, to the “real world,” full of jobs and bills and waking up before the crack of dawn. And most likely, you’ll be broke.

But that doesn’t have to mean you can’t still have the time of your life. Here are a few tips to help you stretch your money and have fun in the process in the first year after college.

Ditch the Cable

Instead of paying for cable, get a Netflix subscription. The monthly streaming-only package is only $8 a month — easily $50 less than what cable will probably end up costing you (you know, once the “introductory offer” expires and your bill quadruples without warning). Their movie selection has become kind of “meh” lately, but the TV shows they offer are great. From Parks and Rec, to Mad Men, to Workaholics, to all 4,000 seasons of Law and Order, the selection is pretty good. Plus, they have exclusive rights to stream the new season of Arrested Development next month, so you’ll need to sign up for that alone.

Also, don’t make a habit out of renting movies from Redbox. If you’re anything like I was, you’ll never return them and end up accidentally adding titles like 17 Again, Grizzly Park and Doll Graveyard to your film collection (at like $30 apiece). 

Learn to Cook (and while you’re at it, learn to brew)

I shudder to think about how much money I spent eating out (and ordering in) my first year post-college. Going out to eat was just as much about entertainment as it was about, you know, needing to eat. Once I discovered that not only was making food at home not that hard, but actually kind of fun, I saved a lot of money. My friends and I would have sushi nights at home, or get together and down a bottle of wine while attempting to make the perfect Pad Thai. The internet is full of great food/cooking blogs to help you get started (Here’s a list of some of the best; also check out the hilarious Thug Kitchen).

You know what’s even more expensive than eating out? Drinking out. You can get a starter homebrewing kit for less than $75. Making your own beer or hard cider is easy, fun and saves a lot of money in the long run.

Just Say No to Credit Cards

I guess if you are uber-responsible and can resist the temptation to spend more money than you actually have in your bank account, go for it. But for me, credit cards were just bad news. I’d see a pair of $100 jeans I wanted but couldn’t afford and think, “No worries! I’ll just put them on my card!” Thankfully none of the credit cards I got right out of college had very high limits so I didn’t dig myself too far into debt, but I certainly would have been better off without them!

Treat Yo’self

It’s very important to make a budget, be smart about spending, and put as much money away in savings as you possibly can. But for every 10 days you’re stingy, you should have one day where you allow yourself to splurge on something special. As Donna and Tom from Parks and Rec would say: sometimes you just have to treat yo’self. Get that urge to splurge out of your system every once in awhile and you’ll be more likely to spend sensibly the rest of the time.

Pop Some Tags

Thanks to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, thrifting is like the new hip thing. But it’s also a really great way to get yourself cool stuff without spending a lot of money. There are few things more exciting than scoring the ultimate thrift store find. I’ve gotten a $200 wool Pendelton blanket for $5, dozens of designer jeans for under $10 apiece, tons of $0.50 records, a brand-new Timbuk2 bag for $7…the list goes on and on. The secret is finding a shop in the right part of town, usually a more affluent area where rich people donate their stuff.

Craigslist is also good for getting cheap furniture and stuff, but not nearly as much fun.

Get a Bike

Right out of college I signed up for a Lifetime gym membership for like $60 a month. I think I literally went three times in the four months I had it. A much better way of staying active is to get a bike. Not only will riding around help you stay in shape, it will also save you a lot of gas money. Instead of driving to Target, bike. Or instead of driving to the bar, bike (another perk of biking is never having to pay for a taxi home). Obviously, certain cities are going to be better for biking, but you might be surprised that most probably have pretty decent trails/paths for you to use.

Make sure to watch Ben’s for deals on bikes (you can get a decent one for a couple hundred dollars).

Surviving the First Year After College Without Going Broke

There was once a brief moment in time I found myself half-seriously entertaining the idea of buying a Dyson hair dryer for $500. When you have thick, frizzy, naturally wavy hair that takes forever to dry, the idea of being able to style it faster will make you think crazy thoughts I guess. As cool as those Dysons look, spending that much money on a hair tool is just out of the question for most people.

Thankfully, we’ve reached the point where there are less expensive options out there…”dupes” as TikTok might call them. I recently tried one of them, the Tensky Ionic Hair Dryer w/ Brushless Motor & LCD Intelligent Display. Priced at $175, it’s still not cheap, but it’s about half the price of even the least expensive Dyson brand dryers.

Is it worth it? Would it tame my hair better and faster than my trusty $20 hair dryer from Target? Let’s find out.

Unboxing

We all know if you want to make something feel “premium”, you package it like an Apple product. The Tensky Dryer comes in a box that looks like it could contain a really big iPhone. It looks and feels very nice.

Design

When I first picked up the Tensky, I was surprised at how lightweight it is. Like it really weighs next to nothing. It’s a nice shape–a lot smaller than my old hair dryer but not too small where it would be hard to hold onto.

There are three buttons: one that turns it on and off, one to adjust the heat, and one to adjust the speed. There are three heat settings (cool air, 120 degrees and 175 degrees) and two speed settings (high and low). There’s a digital display that makes it easy to see where all these settings are at.

The dryer also comes with a magnetic nozzle attachment. I’m gonna be honest and admit I’m not sure when you should/should not use it, so I just kept it on the whole time.

According to the manual, the Tensky has “wind speed” of up to 23m/s (2x faster than traditional hairdryers); they claim it should take 3-5 minutes to dry a head of hair. I was skeptical, but here we go.

First Use

First thing I noticed is how quiet this dryer is. Definitely less shrill sounding than a normal hair dryer, if that makes sense.

I started with the 175 (highest) heat setting because I wanted to see how fast I could get my hair dried with this thing. Somewhat weirdly (but very pleasantly) it never felt very hot on my head. This is a huge complaint of my normal hair dryer–how it feels like it’s scalding my scalp! According to the manual, the Tensky Dryer has a microprocessor that “monitors the air temperature 100 times per second and makes small adjustments” to avoid heat damage. I have no idea how to tell if this was in fact happening, but I did notice my head never got hot.

I didn’t set a timer (I probably should have), but I think my hair took more like 5-7 minutes to dry. I have a lot of it. I could tell it was faster than normal–usually it takes me 10 minutes or so.

Results

It wasn’t a huge super dramatic difference from my normal hair dryer job, but my hair did look straighter and less frizzy after using the Tensky. My goal right now is to use my straightener as little as possible (so as not to damage my hair), and I think this will help make that possible.

I’ll still need to go over some spots, particularly on the back of my head, with a straightener, but you can see there’s a surprising lack of flyaways to contend with.

Overall Thoughts

Will this hair dryer change my life? I mean, probably not. Will it improve my hair styling routine? For sure! Is it as good as a Dyson? That I can’t really say, but I’d have to imagine it’s pretty close.

Tensky Ionic Hair Dryer Review