Been waiting for just the right time to replace your well-past-its-life-expectancy travel gear? Today (March 31st, 2010) is the day to go check out luggage at Kohls online for some unbelievable deals. For one day only, it’s all at least 50% off (some is closer to 75% off!) plus there’s coupons and bonuses available. Check it out:

1) You get free shipping on $75+, automatically.
2) Kohls card holders can use coupon code GRAND15 for an additional 15% off; without a Kohls card, use NEW6381 for an additional 10% off.
3) Kohls Cash is in effect—get $10 back for every $50 spent to use on a future purchase.

Happy travels!

I absolutely adore these stylish and incredibly practical placemats. The subtle, pretty patterns are hand silk-screened on non-toxic silicone that can be wiped down after use. Yes, this means that these are good enough for company and for family meals where spills are common.

$22 each at LekkerHome.com

If you know you won’t be able to plug in your iPod while you’re on the road, charge this slim backup battery up — it uses the same cord that came with your iPod, and can be charged through your computer as well as the wall — and tuck it in your pocket. An easy-to-read gauge lets you know exactly how much power you have left, and it works with iPhones, too.

$29.99 at Buy.com.

I stumbled upon these at our local Costco and loved them — they’re savory, rich, and slightly sweet — but what sealed the deal was when my 5-year-old daughter tasted one, asked for another, and then asked if she could have them in her lunchbox the next day. An easy lunchbox meal that doesn’t involve baloney or chicken nuggets? Score! These chicken meatballs are studded with bits of real pineaple and come already cooked; all you have to do is heat them in a frying pan or even the microwave for a few minutes, and then serve with rice, veggies, or even wrapped in a lettuce leaf and drizzled with hoisin sauce. An easy weeknight dinner that doesn’t involve tons of prep or cooking time? Score!

It’s time again to scoop up big savings and make date night affordable again—right now you can shop for dining certificates at Restaurant.com and save 80% through the end of March! Just use coupon code COOK to take 80% off your purchase.

How good is that? Well, that makes a $25 dining certificate cost just a cool $2, and if you can’t think of a bunch of things you could do with the $23 you save, well, I don’t even know what to say.

Note: New restaurants are being added all the time, so do check again if you didn’t find something that worked for you in the past. Also, always read the fine print—most eligible restaurants have minimum purchase and/or day-of-the-week restrictions, so make sure you understand the terms before you buy. All in all, though, it’s a great way to enjoy a nice night out on the cheap!

I use Evite.com to send out invites for events like my daughter’s birthday party but for more formal occasions, like a Passover Ceder or say, a wedding, I’d still go to paper invites. I recently discovered Paperless Post, a website where you can send out beautiful online invitations which are nearly as elegant as those you send by mail. It costs a bit of money - but we’re talking nickels or less per invite vs much more if you use paper.

Paperlesspost.com

The children’s shows at PBS are fun and educational, and their iPhone apps are just as cool for kids. My 5-year-old likes watching Martha Speaks, but she really took to the talking dog’s set of four vocabulary games in the iPhone application “Martha’s Dog Party.” There was one, “Mama, what does ’scarlet’ mean?” and then she basically figured out the rest by herself — and had a ton of fun doing it.

$2.99 at PBS.org/mobile.

I’ll admit it: I was skeptical about this product. Noxicare promises to ease join, muscular, and even nerve pain with it’s blend of seven natural pain relievers. Developed by a Harvard-trained physician, Dr. Reza Ghorbani, the active ingredients in the cream — tumeric, willow bark, ginger, holy basil, rosemary, boswellia, and Alpha Lipoic Acid — work individually and in tandem to reduce inflammation, relax the muscles, and increase blood flow to the area. Unlike many topical creams, it doesn’t rely on menthol to create a tingling sensation; Noxicare is unscented and non-greasy. I’m sure that the way it’s applied (rubbing it throroughly into the affected area twice or three times a day) also helps ease pain a bit, but over the course of a couple of days Noxicare really did consistently ease the shoulder pain that’s been keeping me awake at night for ages. This skeptic is now a believer.

$19.95 for a 3.5-ounce tube at Noxicare.com.

I was browsing around in the Kiels store the other day and tried this Midnight Recovery Concentrate on my face. (It’s like an essential oil, if you’re curious about the texture.) It felt fine and I didn’t think much of it until I realized later that day that the part of my face where I’d tried it felt much softer and smoother than the rest of my face. So I went back and bought a bottle and I’m happy to report that I think it’s really helping soften up the few highly dry and wrinkle-prone parts of my face. Money well spent, I say.

$42 at Kiels.com

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Okay, so it’s not normally a holiday that makes you think about pets, but all that is about to change. Today only, for 17 hours, shop PETCO and get 17% off your order (exclusions apply; check the fine print) and also get free shipping on $50+.

It may not be the traditional way to celebrate, but it’s definitely a great deal if you have pets to feed/treat/play with!

(Also: Is it just me, or is that bulldog there actually smiling? He must really like a bargain!)