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Coffee Break: What I’m Getting at Amazon Prime Day

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This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Does anyone else feel a bit like Amazon Prime Day is the abyss — there's way too much stuff on sale and the only way to find stuff to get excited about is to dig, dig, dig (or ignore, ignore, ignore)? I fell into the first trap of digging and thought I'd share a few of the deals that I'm noticing and getting for myself and my family — what are you guys getting?

Pictured at top: bag / dress / sunscreen / laptop bag (in other fun colors too)

How about you guys — are you finding any good deals in the Amazon Prime Day sales? 

This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

Sales of note for 3/26/25:

  • Nordstrom – 15% off beauty (ends 3/30) + Nordy Club members earn 3X the points!
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale + additional 20% off + 30% off your purchase
  • Banana Republic Factory – Friends & Family Event: 50% off purchase + extra 20% off
  • Eloquii – 50% off select styles + extra 50% off all sale
  • J.Crew – 30% off tops, tees, dresses, accessories, sale styles + warm-weather styles
  • J.Crew Factory – Shorts under $30 + extra 60% off clearance + up to 60% off everything
  • M.M.LaFleur – 25% off travel favorites + use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – $64.50 spring cardigans + BOGO 50% off everything else

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

151 Comments

  1. I’m thinking about getting an instant pot. But everyone I know mainly uses them for meat, and I’m a vegetarian. Any vegetarians with one who can speak to how much you use it? Any websites for recipes?

    1. I use my IP to make yogurt probably every other week, and to make lentils quite frequently. I know a lot of people who also use them to make hardboiled eggs if you like those. You can also make dry beans without soaking them first, which is wonderful.

    2. My mom is a vegetarian and uses hers a ton. If you like Indian food, there are a lot of Indian vegetarian instant pot recipes online.

    3. I’m mostly veg (I identify more as “plant-based”) and get zero use out of mine. I buy my lentils from Trader Joes, they’re microwavable. I buy my beans canned. I buy my grains frozen (again, microwavable). Apparently they’re great for cooking dried beans rather quickly but I just haven’t gotten into the habit.

      1. Oooh, I will say if you’re interested/have time making quality, fresh beans in your instant pot results in much tastier beans than canned. I buy them from Rancho Gordo and I loooove eating just plain beans straight out of the Instant Pot.

        1. I just made cassoulet yesterday in my instant pot using Rancho Gordo beans! I love them.

          To OP, if you like Indian food and/or dried beans, the instant pot will be worth it. Otherwise I’d say no.

    4. Unless you make a lot of dried beans and you forget to soak them in preparation, it’s not worth it. I cook a lot of lentils and the instant pot isn’t much of time saver there. It’s just another large thing to store and wash.

    5. We eat mostly plant-based and use it regularly to make beans (no soaking needed), stews, soups, etc. When I make hummus I prefer to cook the dried beans as they tend to make for a smoother hummus. It also makes great boiled eggs and is fabulous for most Indian dishes.

    6. I use it for large vegetables that take forever (spaghetti/butternut squash, artichokes, etc) along with the aforementioned beans/rice. Good for random veg soup compilations or other inventions.

    7. I’m primarily vegetarian and cooking dried beans in under an hour is the primary way I use my instant pot. I also use it for soups and boiling eggs and steaming sweet potatoes.

    8. There are a handful of instant pot vegetarian and vegan communities on Facebook. Lots of recipes and tips from group members.

    9. I make veggie chili in mine. Even though it doesn’t really need to be cooked in the insta, I find that it tastes long-simmered after 10 minutes on high pressure.

      Rice is a miracle in the insta. Jasmine rice, high pressure 6 minutes, 10 min natural release, practically jumps out of the pot – no sticking to the pot, perfect texture.

      Lentils, hard boiled eggs, all great in the insta.

    10. Madhur Jaffery just came out with a book of instant pot recipes for South Asian food.

  2. Nothing. I’m not a total princess about amazon but I refuse to spend anytime shopping simply because they’ve decided to have a sale. Ditto Nordstrom.

    1. Same here! If I have to dig to find something I’m excited about, that probably just means I’m not very excited about the sale and don’t need to be buying anything.

      I’m also trying to disentangle myself from Amazon, so that helps with my mindset that I’m not buying anything today.

      1. I’m glad to see another person tryign to get away from Amazon! I swear, it has been soo bad for consumerism, the environment, workers, etc.

        1. +1 – the only thing i’m still using is my kindle, but I haven’t ordered a physical item in more than a year.

        2. I don’t follow on the environment? Bc big box stores are so much better for the environment? I agree last minute one day shipping isn’t good, which is why I only do subscribe and save which should allow for logistical costs to be minimized. My high horse is I don’t patronize big box. Local bodegas yes but I’d youre arguing whether Target or Amazon have hurt the environment more, given that Target exists in and perpetuates a personal car based system and cars are the number one source of carbon do oxide…

      2. Becoming a Target RedCard holder has been invaluable for disentangling myself from Amazon – 5% off everything and free two day shipping with no minimum purchase normally. And that’s all free, there’s no annual fee like there is for Prime. Target definitely doesn’t have the selection that Amazon does, but I have been able to get most staples, including pet food and lots of baby/kid stuff there. I think I buy from Amazon once a year or so.

    2. Same here. At least Prime Day is one day. There will still be tons of coverage about the Nordstrom sale. I just skip by those posts and don’t watch any related videos on YouTube channels.

    3. I had one thing that had been in my Amazon cart for a while and happened to be 30% off today, so I bought that. I really try to buy from Amazon as little as possible, but I’m certainly not perfect.

    4. I keep things I “need” (or want) on my wish list, and then check the list to see if they have gone down in price. I don’t browse and buy random crap that I don’t actually need.

    5. I agree, although I did end up buying something today because I was browsing sous vide circulators online and the top rated one happened to be 35% off for Prime Day.

      1. How do you plan to use yours? I’m considering getting one, but I don’t know if it will just be another appliance that I don’t use that often or if I’ll really love it.

    6. Same here! I identify an actual need, determine whether I have it in the budget, THEN I’ll keep my eye open for sales at appropriate retailers.

      1. This is what I do. Just because something is a Prime Day sale, it isn’t a savings if I was not planning to buy it anyhow.

      2. +1 — I checked to see if anything on my “keep an eye on it for a good price” list was part of the sale. Not interested in browsing just to find something that I didn’t know I wanted…

    1. I’m not ordering anything today or tomorrow because of this – this is the most impactful type of boycott IMO, more so than year round less organized ones.

    2. John Oliver recently did a show on e-commerce (a lot of problems aren’t specific to Amazon). But Amazon sets the course in what other retailers try to match (so Target follows their lead).

      While the coverage was incredibly funny, it really helped humanize the issue:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9m7d07k22A

    3. Yes, my boyfriend and I decided to respect the strike and not order from Amazon, not shop at Whole Foods, not use Audible, Amazon Video, IMDb (yes, they’re a subsidiary, I just learned this), etc. today and tomorrow. My boyfriend was kinda bummed because he wanted to order a new tablet, but thankfully other retailers are having sales to rival Prime Day so he still managed to get a good deal.

      1. I love Whole Foods and frankly do not understand b/c their people are nice so why would we boycott them? Just b/c Jeff Bezoz makes so much money? He gave his ex $38 billion dollars. That is alot of money for anyone. I think we should NOT be jelous of him or his ex or anyone else just b/c they were sucessful. I read an article about how she stuck with him in the beginning when they had no money, so she deserves it now that he decided to leave her for Miss Sanchez, another woman. I do not think he will be marrying her tho, so she should be careful while dating him.

  4. I’ve been waiting to get a new Kindle, so I am doing that today. You know how they are so slim and light? Ya, I think I put my old one down on a pile of magazines and threw it into the recycling Dumpster. It’s been missing for 3 months, so that seems the only explanation. I kept hoping it would turn up.

    2. Ugh, I left mine in the magazine holder on the airplane. I was so mad at myself. I filed a claim with the airlines lost and found to try to get it back, but of course nothing came of that. However, in one of the best endings ever, the next day I won an apple ipad at a work event!

        1. I did that too, and was SO lucky that the very kind airline staff found and held it, and refused a tip. I wrote glowing reviews for their bosses though.

    3. Can you share what kind of Kindle you purchased? I bought my husband a Kindle Fire years ago and i think it could probably use an update. TIA

      1. I love my Paperwhite. Actually, I have two, because I am always losing one in couch cushions.

      2. I have a paperwhite and I love it. If I lost it, I would replace it again in a heartbeat.

        My husband has a fire and I hate it so much. Downloads are slow, the battery life is terrible. I borrow it here and there to watch videos on travel but I would never buy another one if it disappeared.

  5. I bought two kindles for my kids. Which actually were a better deal than usual, so I count it as a win.

  6. I’ve randomly had a pain in my left br**st for a couple of weeks now. The exact location isn’t consistent – it varies from near my arm pit to along the bottom like where my bra sits. It’s a weird ache. It doesn’t hurt more when it’s touched and I can’t find any lump or discernible irregularity. What would you do?

    1. If in doubt, see your Ob/Gyn. Ask for an ultrasound.

      Two questions:
      1. Is it correlated to your menstrual cycle?

      2. Have you started a new exercise regime? Just one experience from me: I had this in my right breast randomly, and found it correlated to ironing my clothes, strangely. I got a new job and had a lot more formal shirts to wear, and it turned out to be muscular pain from ironing.

    6. I had the same issue on the right side. Told my doc, got a mammogram and ultrasound and everything is fine. They concluded it was hormonal pain though it was something I have never experienced before and it was rather severe.

      1. +1 I had the same experience, on the left. Definitely get it checked out, of course, but apparently unexplained breast pain is pretty common and not immediate cause to fear the worst. FWIW mine appeared out of nowhere but now about a year later it has gone away.

    7. Have you been drinking more coffee than usual? According to my gyn, there’s a correlation between pain/sensitivity and increased caffeine. I feel it on my left side when I have more than one cup of coffee.

      1. If you have cysts, caffeine instigates them esp around your period.
        Op I get the same thing every few years and always go get mammograms (since my teens) and it’s always been fine, but better safe than sorry.

    9. Fwiw I have regular breast pain (often correlated to my period but sometimes random too) and my doctor has never been concerned or done a mammogram. She said breast cancer is almost never painful and it’s more important to notify her about lumps than pain.

      1. Thanks, all. Much appreciate the gut check. I am definitely going to get it checked by my gyn and take any necessary next steps (mammo, etc.), but I appreciate all of the other thoughts on alternative causes and positive stories. Other than PMS pain or pregnancy/nursing related pain (and this isn’t that – just had my period last week), I’ve never had anything in that area hurt before and at 39, my brain just jumped to the worst. It still could be. But it’s nice to know that it might not.

        1. Another thing is to go for only wireless bras, especially if the pain is near where the bra is hitting. Just try it- I was skeptical when my gyno recommended it, but the pain went away.

  7. Can we talk about coping mechanisms? When you have slightly traumatic incidents, how do you cope with all the crappy feelings? I’m vacillating between working out intensely and eating my feelings. I’m going back to therapy because it seems to have triggered other past issues but until then, I am just having a hard time focusing and acting normal.

      1. I never understand what this means! Like I get that I can “feel the feelings” when I’m sad and cry. But sometimes it’s not appropriate to show expressions of negative feelings–like I don’t like crying at work. And yelling isn’t an appropriate expression of anger. And feeling fear is real and palpable and paralyzing. Why would I feel that feeling??

        1. Because if you don’t, you internalize it and it comes out as depression or anxiety, among other things. You don’t like crying at work? That’s too bad. That’s emotion you’re having at that time in that place and it’s worth seeing if you can duck out for a few minutes let it out and then go back to what you’re doing. I’ll has her to guess that you’ll feel better afterwards

      2. +1. Don’t avoid them. Find distractions so you don’t wallow too much and can get the mental break, but it’s okay to have the feelings.

    2. Name the feelings. With specificity. I find that knowing what I’m feeling (beyond “I’m sad”) helps me figure out how to handle them. My best friend passed away last year and I’m often very sad. But it helps more for me to say “I’m lonely, and I’m angry and I feel like no one knows what I’m going through.” That gives me some ideas to address those feelings and I also know what they feel like for the next time.

      Also, Headspace helps me get to sleep and I like their meditations generally.

      1. Journaling or even talking it out to myself helps me name the feelings because I go on long enough to get past the first level (I’m sad) to the specifics.

  8. Has anyone had genetic testing, and is it useful? I recently learned about the BRCA gene, and want to be tested for it due to my ancestry as an Ashkenazi Jew and some history of breast cancer in the family. There are also some other conditions I’d like to be screened for. I’m in my mid 20’s, married, and want to have children someday, but not currently TTC. My family members think I’m being a hypochondriac when I brought it up so I’m curious what others’ experiences have been?

    1. My best friend is Jewish and had it to screen for Tay-Sachs. She was negative for that but learned that she and her husband were both carriers for a rare genetic condition (not related to their Jewish ancestry) and had high odds of passing it to a child. They opted to use IVF so that they could screen the embryos (and in fact, 75% of their embryos had the condition).

      1. I had a friend in the same situation. You should definitely be tested. Look up Jscreen.

    2. Just ask you gyn. She should be up on whatever testing is recommended pre-conception for Ashkenazi Jews and can discuss whether BRCA testing is necessary for you.

      1. Maybe this is just a result of the fact that I live in a place with a very small Jewish population, but my OB had no idea genetic testing was a thing for Jews and I had to be really insistent that I wanted it. I imagine it’s different in NYC or some place like that. But I still don’t know that this is something you can totally leave up to the doctor.

        1. OP here, yeah my OB was kind of nonchalant about it. Knowing what I know about it I’m shocked this wasn’t recommended for me without my bringing it up. She was just like, sure, do it, you don’t need my referral

    3. My mom had the testing for the BRCA after she had breast cancer. I’m glad it came back negative, but it doesn’t really impact how I view my risk that much because it doesn’t test for all genes that cause breast cancer and my risk is still high with a grandmother who died from it in her 30s and a mom who got it in her 50s.

      If she hadn’t done it, I wouldn’t have.

      1. +1 – Mom was BRCA negative but with two occurrences that were unrelated, I’m super high risk and will be getting my first mammogram at 35 years old. I’d want to know if I were positive for it, but also because I’m negative doesn’t mean I’m taking the foot of the better-safe-than-sorry-gas.

        1. +1000 My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer at 52 and so was I. Same type too. I tested negative for BRCA. My genetic counselor told me that there are so many genes and they all work in combination so just keep in mind that a BRCA negative result doesn’t mean no risk.BRCA is just the gene they have discovered so far.

    4. My husband is 100% Ashkenazi and I’m 50% so we did the standard Ashkenazi genetic screening panel before we got married. I’m pretty sure it didn’t include BRCA and only included recessive genetic diseases, because they told us my husband’s panel was completely negative and so there was no need to screen me. BRCA hasn’t really been on my radar since no women in my biological family have ever had breast cancer that I know of, but my MIL had breast and uterine cancer relatively young (60s) and two of her sisters have also had breast cancer, so probably it’s something my daughter needs to be aware of/possibly screened for.

    5. DH did 23andMe in large part because he wanted to do the health testing, especially since his dad has Alzheimer’s and he is Ashkenazi. I was not really supportive of this because the Alzheimer’s gene especially is not very predictive of the disease. (It is something like a 30% increase of risk of developing the disease over 80 if you have both indicators. You can get the disease if you don’t have it, and half of people over 80 have it anyway.) I was afraid this would make DH depressed and a hypochondriac. But when he saw he had one of the indicators (which idk if that even increases the risk), he has actually taken it to heart, been reading up on reducing his risk, and started eating healthier. So, for him, at least, I think it was a good thing.

    6. I have now opted not to on two occasions. Ultimately, I just don’t want to know if I carry a gene that could cause a terrible illness. Some people really want to have that information, and it gives them peace of mind. For me, I would always worry about whether I would end up with the disease. But my thought process both times is below if helpful.

      One of my parents has very terrible type of cancer. During the course of their treatment, they randomly learned they may carry a gene that causes a genetic form of the same cancer they have – strangely, they don’t have the genetic form. My parent offered to take the genetic test, so that if they tested positive, I could take the test. However, since my parent has a form of this terrible cancer, I already undergo enhanced screening and take other doctor-recommended preventive measures. I would not pursue the most radical preventive option even if I had the gene, so the test was irrelevant to me, and I was afraid the test would reveal something else (most tests are panels, not isolated tests for a gene) I did not want to learn about.

      I also elected not to do any screening before TTC. I have no risk factors and would rather do the screening after I get pregnant and make a decision based off of that test.

    7. I’m in favor of it as someone with a genetic disease (cystic fibrosis). I haven’t gotten tested for BRCA yet (although I’m guessing I have it) but I strongly believe knowledge is power, and quite frankly, I’d prefer that people know they’re carriers of my particular disease before deciding to conceive. They can consider what they’d like to do as opposed to being blindsided during the pregnancy or after birth.

      1. I’m with you Hermione. My family is coping with serious inherited issues in two of my siblings, and one of the reasons why I didn’t have kids myself is because there’s no test yet for it.

  9. Related to the Prime Day strike: do you have any retailers you don’t shop with or products you won’t buy because of ethical concerns? Or, do you have any retailers or products you feel like maybe you should boycott but just don’t?

      1. Hobby Lobby and Walmart.

        I wish I could 100% excise Chick-fil-A from my life, but it’s my road trip guilty pleasure.

        1. Chick Fil A is too good to quit. I also agree with others that they have absurdly kind employees and clean stores compared to most fast food chains, so they must be doing something right when it comes to employees treatment. Dang now I’m craving CFA.

          1. Significant campaign donations to politicians in favor of complete abortion bans.

            I don’t need my Diet Coke that badly.

          4. Yeah, but it’s not like Coke is in the abortion or anti-abortion business. They just want to monopolize the vending machines on state properties (and maybe get some incentives). And Coke donating in Georgia is unremarkable. I bet they donate big to the winners and a little to a loser who might be a contender just to make sure they are not in the bad graces of either. And they donate to legislators.

            But I doubt they care (as a business) about this policy. No Green New Dealer will win in Georgia. So their $ goes to the electable ones.

            I’m TeamPepsi, but I don’t think that this is “Coke wants to take away your right to chose Pepsi and abortion.”

        2. Coca Cola for me too. Did not respond well to horrific animal abuse at a huge dairy operation they own (Fairlife )

          1. Cocacola doesnt own fairlife – they provide a distribution network and the abuse was limited to a single farm that went rogue and did terrible things.

        3. I get your stance on CFA, but I do think it’s worth thinking about how CFA pays its employees well, gives them a day off a week, etc. I am not aware of any instance of a CFA employee refusing to serve someone, CFA itself refusing to hire someone, or anything like that. So it is just a matter of the owner’s personal belief. Does that outweigh all of the positive treatment of CFA’s employees?

          1. I now live near CFA (transplant to the SEUS) and compared to other fast food outfits, the employees are cheerful and OMG so helpful. And they get the orders right. Say what you want about the owners, but I suspect that businesses get good employees when they pay them well and treat them right (all relative to an industry dealing with many entry-level workers). The restaurants are super-clean. It is like night and day with their competition with their staff though — I’ve never seen it before. And the CFAs always have huge lines (to the point when I choose not to go there, it is b/c the line is too long at rush hour).

    2. I feel like I should boycott Amazon. But it is just so easy to order stuff there and I still end up placing a dozen orders a year. I try to order from Target instead, but they don’t carry everything

    3. I feel like I should boycott Amazon, but I haven’t. My compromise is to not order very often. I also stay away from pretty much all the random brands you find on Amazon, and Amazon only. Even if they get good reviews (and they often do!), the products and companies seem SO sketchy.

      I have cut waaaay back on fast fashion because so much of it is so freaking bad for the environment and contributes to a consumerist culture. Once I noticed that nearly everything in my clothing donations bin came from a fast-fashion store — Target and Old Navy were big culprits — that was enough for me to rethink my buying habits. I don’t want to be continually chasing down the next best thing. I’m trying to buy fewer, but better quality, clothing items. That said, Old Navy jeans are still my favorite, and I wear them to death. ON tops, not so much.

      1. My theory with Amazon reviews is that people write them when they initially get the item and don’t update them. Most of the clothes I’ve gotten from Amazon looked great out of the box and were great for a couple of wears and then fell apart. So, long enough for someone to write a review of how great something is and then forget about it. I always look for a review after being washed. (And I also have stopped buying fast fashion.)

        1. It doesn’t help that Amazon (and other retailers) ask people for a review pretty much the second the package is delivered, or maybe a week after, so people feel compelled to review the item before they’ve had a chance to evaluate the long-term value. I wish these retailers would send followup requests for reviews at least a few months after delivery, maybe longer depending on what it is. That said, some products are only available for a few months, so in those cases I can see wanting a review quickly.

    4. I went off Walmart when I was 14 or 15 due to concerns about their labor practices, so when my beloved Modcloth was purchased by Jet, which is owned by Walmart, I reluctantly stopped buying from them.

      Now, it hasn’t happened yet because the thread is new, but I feel like this has the potential to turn into an ugly “oh well if you’re swearing off this company, I hope you’re gonna swear off all these other big companies! Can’t do that, can you? Yeah, that’s what I THOUGHT!” kinda discussion, so . . . can we not? I’d rather let people pick their battles, than tell them they shouldn’t bother with one “battle” if they can’t fight a whole war. “All or nothing” thinking isn’t productive.

      1. I am conflicted about Wal Mart. On the one hand, the labor practices you mention. On the other hand, their disaster response seems quite impressive (Atul Gawande discusses in one of his books their actions during and post Katrina).

        1. I hate Walmart’s labor practices. However — it’s often the only option in rural areas and is pretty much a godsend for lower-income folks. And yes, I’m well aware that Walmart is partially responsible for the dearth of local options in those communities, but here we are. At least in my state, Walmart employs many people who would have difficulty finding and holding jobs elsewhere. So, it’s a mixed bag for me. I don’t shop there often, but I also try not to vilify it because I’ve known enough people who have benefited from it in some way.

          1. Local for 90% or so of my purchases. Co-op or local Indian market for groceries. Target for a few household goods. No need to go to a Hobby Lobby or Chik Fil A. I try to make do with less in general. Very rarely have a need to go out to WalMart.
            I have less of an issue with WalMart since they’re more or less out and proud about their business practices. It’s not great, but they acknowledge what they do in order to turn a profit. The Disneyfied huge green supermarket of the south that has near cultlike loyalty in Florida gets SO much side-eye from me for how they treat their workers (no different than WalMart, but FFS, don’t act like you’re better than them, then). I share this side eye with any retailer who tries to get all sanctimonious about their labor practices. It’s retail. Profit margins are slim. If it’s mass-market, your labor practices probably suck, unfortunately.

    5. For those swearing off Walmart (and I agree BTW) how do you feel about Sam’s Club? DH recently bought a Sam’s Club membership without telling me and I was like, ew why would we support this company. We already have a Costco membership which is ethically such a better company, from what I know, and is more convenient

      1. Yes- Costco seems great. I read a great article about Costco that Modern Mrs. Darcy linked and I also have known some people who worked at and loved working for Costco.

      2. I do, yes. If I’m gonna go that route, there are perfectly good Costcos and BJs’ in my area, there’s no need for me to join the one owned by Walmart.

        That said, if someone is really on a budget and there’s a shiny Sam’s Club membership deal on Groupon, fine, I won’t judge. Same goes for people who live in rural areas in general and are really trying to stretch their dollars, if Walmart and Sam’s Club are their only decent options, then I’m not gonna judge.

      1. I’ve stayed away from Uber because it seems rotten to its core to due to its board being ineffective (or maybe just made up of horrible humans).

      2. People have jobs that make them take Ubers?

        Sorry, I don’t want a job that can make me do that. An hour away from here someone got raped and killed by a person posing as an Uber driver (and I have a minivan and cannot tell you how many people try to jump into my car if I pull up to a light outside of a bar at night, which happens on my drive home if I work late on a Th or F night). I’m sure things vary by level of intoxication, but I don’t like being made to do things that in an instant I may be uncomfortable with (e.g., driver shows up not in the car they should be driving, which could be explainable but why risk it?).

        1. I think it comes across as silly and naive to worry about Uber but not a taxi. Hello, if I get into a taxi no one knows the name, license number, what my route is — if I get into an Uber, there is a record of the person, time they picked me up, I can set it to automatically broadcast my route live to someone of my choosing who can monitor … sorry, every time this comes up, it’s invariably someone who is a hick from the sticks who is unfamiliar with both taxis and Ubers who is “scared” of Uber.

    7. I don’t do Walmart. I try to minimize Amazon, but haven’t been successful in weaning myself off entirely. Not buying for Prime Day, though.

      I actually find fashion pretty easy to be ethical for – I have a set of companies that I buy from, and the options are growing all the time. I don’t ever have to dress business formal, which helps. But for business casual, there are plenty of options these days.

      It’s the random kitchen utensil type things that I find much harder.

    8. I do shop at Walmart because my parents live in a small town where it’s literally the only retail option. Need a gallon of milk, a pair of socks, or a socket wrench? You gotta go to Walmart. I console myself that the in-person shopping there does support local (admittedly bad) jobs.

      I struggle with Amazon. I try to really, really limit what I buy from them.

      I don’t do Chik-Fil-A,Hobby Lobby, or Nestle.

      1. Where Wal*mart is a valid local job, the alternative is . . . no job?

        It’s great to have choices, but so many people do not. Choice is a luxury.

    9. I avoid: Wal-Mart, Modcloth, Hobby Lobby, Chick-fil-A, Kat von D, Tyson, KFC, Tesla, Trump, Forever 21, Hershey, Sea World, HP, Victoria’s Secret, Urban Outfitters, Salvation Army, Papa Johns. Some of these boycotts obviously affect my daily life more than others. I also won’t buy red meat or leather and try to put my dollars towards humane eggs, fair trade chocolate, recycled toilet paper, etc. I buy lots of products and from lots of places that I wish I didn’t (Amazon, H&M, seafood from collapsing oceans and clothes made in sweatshops and all the plastic) but I strongly believe in not letting perfect be the enemy of trying-to-be-better.

      1. Yes, you reminded me, I also stopped buying Kat von D! I did accept some freebies as a birthday gift from Sephora, and I will still wear my old KvD, but I won’t spend money on new stuff from that company. Stila is better anyway!

          2. Yes

            Also boycotting Jessica Biel, who can’t even be 100% clear in her antivaxxing. And Jenny McCarthy, who is the devil.

          4. +1 – antivax and horribly antisemitic (but denies it…ish). I have some of her products already but won’t be buying more, plus I think Fenty filled their market niche very nicely.

      3. Why Tesla? It’s not a great employer from what I’ve heard and its board doesn’t seem to have effective control. However, for me, I view the cars and service as good and the company is doing a lot of good for the environment compared to its competitors.

    10. Hobby Lobby, Chick Fil A, Walmart, Trump, Salvation Army. Don’t order Ubers for myself but DH uses them (he can’t get Lyft to use his carpool benefits) and I ride with him occasionally. Any companies that animal test.

    11. I’ve stayed so far away from some companies due to ethical concerns that they’re not even part of my orbit anymore, so I don’t feel like it takes any action on my part to stay away. Ethical concerns inform a lot of my shopping, particularly around food. It takes more energy than I’d like and I’m not perfect, but I figure it’s worth trying since I have the resources.

    12. Founders Brewing. https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/2019/02/21/founders-brewery-detroit-grand-rapids-racism/2929524002/

      Bullit Bourbon. https://slate.com/human-interest/2017/08/homophobia-allegations-from-the-daughter-of-bulleit-bourbon-s-founder-are-rocking-the-beverage-industry.html

      I live in a smallish town, where my options are WalMart or Amazon for most things, with a lot of fast fashion that I order. I must get better quality stuff than most, because I have t-shirts that are closing on a decade old that while they are now used for weekend/after-work wear, they haven’t fallen apart or developed holes.

    13. Trump and Hobby Lobby are the only absolutes, but neither of them is very difficult for me to avoid (although Trump owns some things that don’t have his name on them, including the ice rink in Central Park!). I much prefer to support Target over Walmart and Amazon, and I spend probably 98% of my big box store money at Target, but I wouldn’t say I boycott Walmart or Amazon. I will shop at the former if I’m traveling and there’s no Target around and at the latter if I need something very specific that Target doesn’t have. I use Lyft over Uber personally but wouldn’t object if a friend or colleague called an Uber. Generally, with the exception of Trump and Hobby Lobby, I focus more on putting the majority of money towards companies I’m enthusiastic about supporting and not worrying too much about whether I occasionally throw a dollar or two at a less ethical company. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good and all that.

  10. Has anyone found a lash serum or whatever that works with dry eyes? The R&F one made my eyes feel like sandpaper after one baby test use.

    1. IME, if you don’t like the R&F one, the other OTC ones are likely to give you a similar response. I’ve not tried the original prescription kind though.

    3. can anyone recommend one other than R&F or Latisse? I used to get mine from Lash Out Loud Canada but they folded. I live in Europe, so find a R&F consultant isn’t all that easy. And lash serums don’t seem to be a thing here in England.

      1. I recently ordered Grande Lash from Macy’s. It absolutely has made my eyelashes significantly longer in a month of daily use! I am blown away. No side effects so far. Latisse darkened the skin at the outer corners of my eyes and I think hollow out some under-eye fat. So far so good with Grande Lash.

  11. I’m searching for a cheaper version of Crate and Barrel’s “Aspect Walnut 47.5″ Floating Wall Shelf” – I’d like three and if I can do it for cheaper than CB, I’d love to…. Must-haves are walnut color and longer in length. Many I’ve found are only 3′ long. TIA!

  12. The Kitchenaid mixer is rock bottom pricing but I already have one. I might get a second Dyson. But no, I’m not spending extra time digging. They are obviously trying to compete with or build on the NAS which I’ve seen some other retailers do too. It’s a great time to check competing sales. Like the Patagonia better sweater is cheaper and has more colors during the NAS at the same time the NAS has the product marked down somewhat.

  13. My 2YO iPhone with moderate usage during the day (texting sitters, coordinating camp pickups, some surfing while waiting in line for lunch) runs down to <50% charge from full when I leave home. Is this normal?

    In the days of the bberry, it would hold a charge for like a week.

    Now I feel like I have battery anxiety (if my car breaks down on the way home, will I have the juice to call AAA? or use a map app if I get lost?) and may buy a plug to plug in at work. Or is this the way Apple is planning to make me buy a new phone?

    1. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have a phone charger at work — Am@zon Basics sells compatible ones for like $6.

    2. My phone battery lasts about 3 hours. I have a charger in my office and my car and so does everyone else I know.

    3. You can check under Settings, Battery, and scroll down to see what apps are using the most power. If you see apps that you are not actively using high on the list, consider whether you can get rid of the apps.

  14. I just lost my kindle fire on a train so that is getting replaced, and my husband is getting his own rather than borrowing mine for his extended travel.
    I’ve been trying to limit the Amazon but it’s hard. I haven’t shopped at Walmart since that gender based class action lawsuit happened, pretty much. Chick Fil A is so delicious but I’ve avoided them as well. Hobby Lobby I would also avoid but I have to admit that it’s a non-issue for me since other hobby stores are much more convenient. Victoria’s secret, same — I stopped shopping there as a teenager (before online stores like Third Love!) when I realized finding a bra there would require me to get implants (I’m small and that’s clearly NOT ACCEPTABLE at VS!)
    Re: Amazon, I only look to see if things I’m thinking about getting are on sale… because I’m trying to shop less/ship less generally.

  15. My husband and I agree on most things home-related, but bedding is the one thing we can’t agree on. We are finally getting a king bed and moving into a beautiful condo, and I was really looking forward to finally having a nice bedding set, both based on how it feels and how it looks (coordinated duvet cover, shams, throw pillows, sheets, etc.). We have objectively nice bedding now, it is just the bare minimum.

    My husband is so disagreeable about it, which is really out of character for him. And he is against having anything “extra” on the bed (i.e., shams and throw pillows). He also wants no top sheet (we have used one for a decade and he has never complained) and wants a polyfil (!!!) duvet (we currently have a silk-filled duvet that he complains about constantly). No embroidery on the sheets/pillow cases. No “rough” and “pilled” sheets, and he considers our current sheets “terrible” (we have Matouk, Sferra, Vera Wang). He says he has never had sheets trouble with sheets he bought, and he says he always bought cheap ones at places like Costco or BBB. He ordered pillow cases on Amazon for less than 5 dollars a piece because ours were so rough they were making him break out.

    Setting aside the feeling he is trolling me (I think the sheets are quite soft), what on earth do we buy/do? Should I just drag him to Nordstrom/Saks and make him pick the sheets/duvet/etc.? Should I just go get cheap sheets and save myself the disappointment of him not liking what we get? I am so over fighting about it, that I have broken down on it looking great (just not mismatched and crazy is all I ask for – so something like all grey is fine) and have also agreed to no flat sheet (and the maid is changing the duvet at least once a month over his objections).

    1. Regarding sheets: I think you should do a blind, randomized test for sheets comfort. Not sure how to operationalize this, but it sounds like fun to me.

    3. You could do what we did and get a fully adjustable Sleep Number bed, which has a split down the middle because it’s really two adjustable extra long twin beds. Then you could each have the bedding you want, and the firmness you want, and adjustability, and, if you are like me, a ridiculously expensive option that warms the foot of the bed that is truly some of the best money I’ve ever spent in my life given how happy it makes me.

      (We actually use the same bedding and share a king-sized fitted sheet and comforter–but you could have different options!)

    4. I’d put the responsibility on choosing and buying the bedding on him. When he didn’t do it, I’d get what I liked keeping his (many, unreasonable) desires in mind but ultimately doing what I want.

      If you are buying sheets I love my Target percale sheets. So soft. And a fluffy down comforter is easy to find. Trust that he does not want poly fill. Its so heavy.

  16. Today they have Chico’s at half price. Normally not a big fan of Chico’s but their slimming pants are well rated. As long as you stay away from the overdone prints and stick to solids, they have good basic pieces.

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