If you want new, call a few hotels/motels and see if they will hook you up with their supplier (which might be costco).

It means the towels will be white, but they'll be new, they'll be yours and they'll be cheap (on a per towel basis. You may be required to buy at least 24 of them, which may be too many for your needs...)

Honestly, Goodwill is probably your best bet for cheapest/best finds. They generally have a decent linens collection. But if you want brand new and super cheap, I'd guess that the giant cheap superstores are the way to go (Ross, Target, TJ Maxx, Walmart). Of course, those cheap towels maybe won't last as long as a nicer more expensive set. But that's always the way. If you don't mind the online experience, Overstock.com carries some of the mid-range towels (available at the bigger mid-range department stores) for about 50% less. So that might be a nice compromise.

I'd love to send you to some of our wonderful local stores, but if low price is your primary concern, they won't meet those needs. One shops local for customer service and quality, but not generally for the cheapest price. You'll only find those 12 tube socks for $1 at Walmart/Target, ya know?

Good luck.

Hi Olivia, getting ready for the heat? I'm a former 'zonie myself.

There's an Ikea in Chandler.

Also ASU is about to let out, meaning lots of seniors are about to move out and sell their stuff, so if it's expense you are concerned about this might be your best bet.

I'm curious. How did you find Questionland, if you're not in the Seattle area? I'm always interested in how people find us.

Do you folks have access to Woodard Wrought Iron patio furniture up there in the Pacific NW?

I don't think Home Depot puts their cheap outdoor furniture online. But what you don't see online is your standard patio furniture fair that you've seen all your life, something like this: http://www.marqueerents.com/sc_images/products/1619_image.jpg

I'd also pop into Costco if you have a membership.

I worked with a chef who said that fabric softener is made of some sort of oil, and it remains on your clothes. If you wash towels with it your towels won't be as absorbant because the oil will be repelling water.

Unless you have a septic tank, it makes no difference if you use chlorine bleach. It will be added and removed later anyway. Sewage treatment includes a final step that removes the chlorine that is added in that same process.

hm... i found this website- different types of kotatsu- cheap to high quality - most on sale! im planning to get one myself or have it made once i decide what height is best for me. http://global.rakuten.com/en/category/electronics/air_conditioning/heating_equipments/kotatsu/

I'm not sure I really understand the utility of the NEST. I recently bought a regular 7 day programmable thermostat and after 10 minutes of setup; I feel like I have 90% of the functionality of the NEST.

It doesn't know when I get home, but I have it set to start heating every day at 5pm (it's usually close or at the 68 degrees when I or my wife get home). It stops heating at 10pm on Sun-Thurs and 12pm Fri-Sat. It maintains 62 until 5:45am when it kicks on and should have the house pretty close to 68 by the time I wake up. At 7:30am in the morning, it turns off again and only needs to maintain 60 until 5pm. On Wednesday's, I work from home, so I have it set to keep 68 that day as well as Saturday and Sundays. There's a simple vacation hold function that you turn on right before you leave.

The thing is basically set it and forget it 95% of the time. If I'm home sick, or taking a day off, or working from home some other day, it takes two seconds to tap the touch screen a couple of times and adjust the heat back up to what I want.

I'm sure the NEST would do things better (on a warm day it might not need to kick on the heat as early as I have it set), but I feel like I've grabbed almost all the energy savings that I can. That last little bit is hard to grab.

http://www.amazon.com/Lux-TX9000TS-Touchscreen-Programmable-Thermostat/dp/B000I7MANA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1323898488&sr=8-4

(I have no information to share, sorry. Just wanted to say that your typo "light blub" has entertained me greatly. Blub is very satisfying, phonetically, and now my brain just keeps repeating light blub light blub blub blub. So, thanks for that! *smile*)

I think we discussed full-spectrum light therapy here on questionland before.

Some people claimed they had built their own, some directed us to Instructable.com for plans, and others disputed whether standard flourescent bulbs wouldn't do the same thing.

But I don't recall any conclusion, nor how to find that thread here.

As for buzzing, that may be a function of the starter or ballast...and changing it out for a new one may solve that annoying problem.

Speaking as someone who used to machine engrave for a living, I'd be surprised if some of the trophy shops didn't have sophisticated enough machines to add the calla lily. It's pretty simple clip art. Hand engraving is often better (not always), but so much more expensive. Check around.

Most of the major malls have a kiosk or store that would offer some basic and cheaper glass engraving options. For example, the "Things Remembered" store is in Northgate, Alderwood, and Southcenter malls. Also, I'm guessing that many of the "trophy" stores could offer this service.

The Calla Lilly design is where you might have issues. Many of the less expensive stores will have programs where you can pick the font and size, etc. But may not have a Calla Lilly programmed in. For that, you might want to seek out a company that etches by hand. I think Barone Crystal might work for that. (see below)

If you want something truly fancy/masterfully done, carrying the higher pricetag, there's Barone Crystal downtown. http://www.baronecrystal.net/contact.html Yelp reviews are VERY positive, they've been in business forever, and i'm always partial to small family-owned specialty shops. It's a rarity these days, but wonderful when you can find one.

A quick google search found this company in Issaquah (but looks like they do a lot online and ship products, too). http://nationaletching.com/index.php And perhaps Dimensional Imaging in Seattle could help, but their website isn't updated. http://www.dimaging.net/contact.htm

I use foodquality 3 and 5 gallon pails with lids. Just about ANY restaurant or bakery generates these as (recyclable) waste - wash them out, including a bleach/sanitizer solution, fill with filtered or tap water, and hammer the lid on. No leaks, I promise, and the handle is convenient if you need to run. Pain in the ass to open (box cutter knife helps), but hopefully you never have to.

otherwise, food-quality 33 and 55 gal barrels are cheap - there's a place in the ID that sold them recently for 3 bucks each.

IKEA, seriously. I think parent map even awarded them a 'best kids furniture award' or something.

Otherwise for best price, go used: value village, CL, curbside freepiles, ask around to friends with kids (kids outgrow beds, I found the hard way!). Dixon's had a kids bed once, but I haven't been there since they moved back to 12th.

Bedrooms and More -on 45th is okay.

Once Upon a time on QA, or, Again and a Gain in west seattle have some okay stuff sometimes.

There is a wood working shop on Jackson and 23rd that is part of the woodworking program for Seattle Central Community College.

try Kohl's or Marshall's

Try an Army/Navy store. Although if their stuff isn't high-density polyethylene (HDPE), it's likely to be aluminum, so choose your poison.

Seriously, for something you'll use hopefully never, and probably very few times in a lifetime, and then for just a temporary period of a few days, don't sweat the BPA thing. Bisphenol isn't cobra venom.

I use empty 2-liter pop bottles. Rinse them and fill them up with water, they'll last 1-2 years. They taught me this in Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training.

Our local EMA office is suggesting clean, rinsed gallon milk jugs, and to rotate the water stock in them periodically. That way they remain "fresh" and taste better if you have to use them.

Overstock.com has a great selection and only $2 shipping. All of our area rugs were ordered online from them, and a few from Costco when they have them in stock

I've had really good luck at Ross! I bought three (smaller) sized ones for under $15 each. They've held up for 2+ years.