This week we’ve decided to spice things up a bit.

The lucky contestant who can correctly guess what’s in the picture below, wins it!

What is this?!

This contest will require a good imagination. So think before you type, because you only get one guess per day. I’ll post the rules below and then it’s time to start the guessing!

How to Enter

1) Log-in to Livefyre via Twitter or Facebook

2) Type your guess in a comment below this post, including the following:

- Tag @onedaybuys
- http://bit.ly/x1hfRi (shortened Link to this Page)

3) Check “Post to Twitter” or “Post to Facebook” (If you don’t do this, your entry will not count!)

4) Come back and guess every day!

 This contest ends on February 29 at 12:00am. If there is more than one correct guess, a winner will be randomly chosen from among the correct guesses.

Also, keep an eye out for some instant-win trivia contests on Facebook and Twitter in the coming weeks. And, if you’re on Pinterest be sure to follow us.

Good luck to everyone!
 

We’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately, here at OneDayBuys.com, and we’ve decided that we really like free stuff. And what better way to honor our love of all things free than to give away free prizes to you fine people.

Starting on Tuesday February 7th, 2012, OneDayBuys.com will begin running a new giveaway every two weeks. There will be plenty of chances to get your hands on these freebies, all you have to do is stop by and enter as many times as you would like.

Win a $100 Gas Card

With gas prices as high as they are, we figured what better way to kick off this string of giveaways than with a gas card. One lucky winner will be announced on Wednesday morning February 21, 2012.

The giveaway starts today (with this post) and ends on Wednesday February 21, 2012 at 12am (Entries will be accepted until 11:59pm on Tuesday).

How to Enter (Multiple Entries are Allowed)

We will be using the 3rd party application, Rafflecopter, to host these giveaways until future notice. Upon the recent updates on Rafflecopter users can now directly log-in via Facebook or with a name and email address. Once logged in users will remain logged in for future visits.

Enter by completing at least one of the following:

-“Like” OneDayBuys on Facebook
-Follow @OneDayBuys on Twitter
-Add OneDayBuys to your Google+ Circles
-Mention OneDayBuys on any of the Social Media sites (once per day)
-Leave a comment on OneDayBuys.com via Livefyre (once per day)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Find more giveaways here: Super Sweeps | WinPrizesOnline Sweepstakes | Free Sweepstakes | CashNet Sweepstakes | ContestHound.com Contest Directory

Fortunately, with a little creativity you can save a lot of money and still impress your significant other. A little creativity usually adds that extra touch everyone loves. Personalized gifts are more sentimental than just anything off the shelf. With that in mind, let us take a look at a few creative ways to save money without having to cut back on an impressive gift.

Creative Valentine’s Day Ideas

Last Minute Deals

 Keep an eye on sites like Groupon and LivingSocial for huge discounts on travel packages or even for a cheap dinner and movie date. While it’s a little risky to wait until the last minute, coupons purchased from sites like Groupon and Living Social can usually be validated right from your phone.

This is a great way to spare a would be crash and burn night.

Take a Class Together

 The new year has come and gone and many of us have long forgotten our resolutions. Valentine’s Day could be an excuse to finally sign up for a yoga class or a photography class.

Many community centers and local community colleges offer all kinds of classes for cheap or free. Simply doing a little research could end up producing a creative and productive gift this year, as opposed to the usual box of chocolates and a card.

Romantic Night In

 The chaos and raw excitement of a night on the town isn’t for everybody. Maybe this year you just want to change things up. Either way, a romantic night in is easy to prepare, cost effective, and many times a much more intimate and enjoyable time.

Find your favorite recipe, a good movie and light some candles and a night in could be more than enough this Valentine’s Day.

Baked Goods

 Finally, who doesn’t enjoy the surprise of homemade baked goods. Whip up a batch of delicious cookies or brownies, or maybe even a cake, and you’re sure to be greeted right back with a grateful smile.

Sometimes the effort, time and thought put into a gift are appreciated more than its raw value. If you’re really loved, they will understand that you don’t have to break the bank to show love and appreciation.

If you’re planning on running out this weekend because you invited all your buddies over to watch the big game on your 32″ value screen only to realize your fatal flaw, then here are some of the better deals I’ve found to get you started.

Best Deals on HDTVs this Superbowl XLVI

Best Buy is offering hot deals on a lot of their Samsung brand HDTVs. Discounts are advertised anywhere between 5-25%, according to their website. Regularly priced at $2,030 this particularly TV has been marked down to $1,299 right now. With a 1080p display and 120Hz refresh rate, you won’t miss a thing this Sunday. A pair of 3D glasses are included as well.

Walmart is offering free shipping to store and same day pick-up on most of their HDTVs online. One that really caught my eye was this $3″ Samsung for only $499. With a 720p display and 600Hz refresh rate, that’s a steal in my book. I know it could be bigger, but Samsung is a quality brand and most TVs this size can easily go for at least another $100.

If you really want to go all out for the Superbowl this Sunday, Sears is offering up for your delight this 60″ Panasonic for a price cut of $600, bringing the sale price down to just $999.

So, there you have it. A few recommendations for all of you last minute big purchase shoppers. A few more tips to remember when buying a TV for the big game: make sure they have the TV in stock if they offer in-store pick up, ask about a 30-day price guarantee and be sure to measure out the space you plan on putting your new TV. As always, OneDayBuys will bring you all the daily deals on HDTVs and HDTV accessories.

So, if you are holding off on any big purchases and you are wondering if the time is right to buy, reference this list for the best things to buy this February:

Boats

As new models hit the shelves, buying a boat is cheapest during February.

Broadway Tickets

February isn't a big month for Broadway, allowing you to snag tickets at rock bottom prices.

Digital Cameras

Great deals on high-end cameras are best found starting in February. Keep an eye out for bundles that include a free case or lense.

HDTV & Home Theater

Thank the Superbowl for this one. HDTVs are cheapest in February as retailers compete to be the store that sold you that new HDTV for the Superbowl.

Video Games

It's still not too long after the holidays. The post-Christmas shopping rush has died down and retailers are looking to unload excess merchandise for lower prices.

These are only some of the deals to be found this February. As always, OneDayBuys.com is your place for all the best deals, so check back here often and keep a look out for that new TV or boat!

I hope you’re having a wonderful Friday. I have one quick announcement.

There have been a lot of changes lately here on One Day Buys, the most notable of which is our heightened concern for Social Media Integration. As you may have noticed we now have social media badges on our homepage, which we hope will make it easier to bring you every sale of the day.

We are new over at Google+ so come +1 One Day Buys or add us to your circle for exclusive hand-picked deals not found on our other social media sites. It’s like the valet of deals, only free. Who doesn’t want that?

We appreciate you choosing One Day Buys as your Price Comparison Shopper!

Winter

In the early winter months, you can make savings by purchasing things out of season. For example, purchasing summer items, such as gas grills and air conditioners, or even having a winter wedding would be smart ideas, because people do not stereotypically buy summer items or have winter weddings this time of year. For this reason, you will be given far better prices.

January makes for savings on purchases like bicycles and other sports equipment. So long as you are in a colder climate for winter, the savings can be big, especially in January as companies hold sales to get rid of the extra stock they couldn’t sell during the Christmas shopping season. Broadway tickets are also good to buy in January, as it is one of the worst months, in popularity, for theatre. Due to some trade shows in January, you can snag digital cameras fairly cheaply as well.

Due to the fact that the holiday season is now over, many things are cheaper during the first month of the year. Some of those yet to be mentioned are: carpets, furniture, gift cards, calendars, video games, motorcycles and HDTVs.



Knowing when new stock comes in is invaluable.



February is the best time to save big on boats. As newer models are preparing to hit the shelves, you can be saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Other things covered in January will still be cheap in February such as: TVs, cameras, tickets and video games, as these things tend to come out brand new later in the year, or have peak times when people buy them.

March is still buying season for boats, as you can get old models before new ones are released. Interestingly, frozen foods are cheaper in March, being it is National Frozen Food Month. Use the fact that it’s early in the year to your advantage by buy gardening tools, golf clubs and luggage (luggage is cheaper now because it is the lull between peak vacation seasons).

Spring

The second quarter is the time for electronics, because the Japanese business year ends in March, allowing you to purchase older stock for cheap as newer stock rolls in. Houses are also good to buy now as well as cooking utensils.

April is an ideal time to cash in vacation days, with the peak season being in March. Shopping after tax day will allow you to buy cheaper furniture, cheaper car parts and cheaper laptops. Now that the cold weather has gone, buy snow-related gear, like snow-blowers, along with sneakers before they come into season.

May means cheaper mattresses before the new stock comes out. As such, any summer items are best bought NOW, before new stock is brought out and before old stock is all sold off. There may also be sales on various home upgrades, preparing for summer, so shop around for fridges, washers and dryers, and home security systems.

June is best for champagne. Because of the amount of weddings that occur in June, the amount of competition drives the price of champagne down tremendously. This also means deals on dishware and suits. Gym memberships are on sale now too, as people begin to forget about (or drop) their resolutions.

Summer

The third quarter means back to school is on the horizon, so expect lots of deals on laptops, mp3 players (especially iPods just before the new one comes out), and big appliances.

July means cheaper Broadway tickets again. Furniture is cheaper again now as well, as is paint. Get deals after the Fourth of July on summer items like grills, propane and patio furniture, as the next big cook-out day isn’t until Labor Day.

August makes for an excellent time to purchase linens, school supplies, uniforms and other things needed for the college student in your life before sending them off to the dorms. As the weather becomes colder, outdoor items for camping will be in low demand, meaning much less expensive.

September is the month of new models when it comes to items such as bicycles and cars. This means older models will be going for cheap prices to clear the way.

Fall

With the tail end of the year come discounts on health insurance, jeans, pools, tools and electronics. Swimming season may seem far off, but the savings are worth it and you’ll be happy come summer time.

October means cheaper Broadway tickets, cheaper health insurance, and surprisingly, cheaper jeans.

November is time to look out for deals on HDTVs, laptops, computers, electronics, gaming systems and games, among other things in black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Also, aluminum foil is cheapest in November, oddly enough.

December means yet again a drop in price for champagne. Golf clubs and pools aren’t in season, so look for deals on these as well in the month of December.






So, there you have it. Shop with knowledge and save big in 2012. Keep up to date on all the one day sales at OneDayBuys.com RSS Feed, Facebook or Twitter.

There are a few myths surrounding the truth as to why clocks and watches come factory set to 10:10. Let’s start with the myths.

Some say the hands being at 10:10 are meant to memorialize Abraham Lincoln / John F. Kennedy / Martin Luther King Jr. because it was the time they were shot or died. In reality, this is false on all accounts. Lincoln was shot at 10:15 pm and died at 7:22 am, Kennedy was shot at 12:30 pm and died at 1:00 pm, and MLK Jr. was shot at 6:01 pm and died at
7:05 pm.

The truth behind the default factory setting is actually pretty mundane, when compared to the myths. Aesthetics. The 10:10 position offers a number of design benefits:

• The hands aren’t overlapping. Rather, they are fully visible to be admired.

• The symmetry of the hands is visually pleasing.

• The manufacturer’s logo, usually in the center of the face under the 12, is not only visible, but nicely framed by the hands.

• Additional elements on the face (like date windows secondary dials), usually placed near the 3, 6, or 9, won’t be obscured.

Timex, who now sets their products at 10:09:36 exactly, used to set them at 8:20 but this made the face look like it was frowning. The setting was then flipped to what it is today, a smile.

Now that you know some history behind watches, here are some deals on watches. Right here on One Day Buys, find an Activa watch for $10, or an Invicta Women’s Wildflower Silver Dial Stainless Steel watch for $45.

Some hotels jack up the price to use their in-room phones in the hopes that the “idiots” who use them won’t realize the higher price. So while they are being praised for lower room rates, a few people are really paying for it.

The same is true with stores like Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Target. When they sell electronics, like HDTVs that require HDMI cables, they seemingly offer great deals but buyer beware. Most likely you will overpay for all the accessories that go along with that HDTV. Best Buy is probably more excited to sell you the accessories than the TV itself.

This is especially true with HDMI cables. Throw one in with that new HDTV you just bought and the only way you could be ripped off more is if they talk you into buying the extended warranty (but that’s a different story).

Best Buy, for instance, is selling an AudioQuest Diamond 3.3’ HDMI cable for a whopping $1,095.99!

Meanwhile, monoprice.com offers a comparable 3’ HDMI cable for $2.50.

The HDMI cable from Best Buy costs over 438x more than the HDMI cable from monoprice.com. Naturally, you would think “you get what you pay for,” right? Well, in this case that isn’t so.

Think of an HDMI cables as a garden hose. Whether you buy a $5 hose or a $500 hose is irrelevant. When you turn the knob the exact same water comes out.

In an attempt to cloud customers’ judgment, places like Best Buy advertise expensive HDMI cables plated with silver and gold, and others with higher refresh rates leading to a higher quality picture.

Unfortunately, the refresh rate has nothing to do with the cable but the TV itself, and unless you are constantly plugging and unplugging your HDMI cable, high cost metals means nothing but more money out of your pocket and into theirs.

So next time you’re in the market for an HDMI cable, save money by shopping online. Make your first stop One Day Buys. Cheap HDMI cables pass through here all the time.

Whereas Black Friday used to dominate in the number of consumers whom participated, the number of deals offered and the average discount per deal, Cyber Monday has closed these gaps and now serves a supplemental purpose rather than an opposing one.

Chain-retailers (like Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart and Best Buy) have shown constant growth in their presence on Cyber Monday. While the perks of Black Friday such as door busters, no hassle with shipping and the thrill of the hunt are ever-present and irreplaceable by Cyber Monday, Cyber Monday offers arguably the greatest perk of them all: shopping right from your own home. Also, many sites host giveaways which are essentially online door busters.

With that in mind, there’s still time left to win a free Amazon Kindle Fire here on One Day Buys, so don’t forget to enter. Remember, it’s free, simple and entries are unlimited so take a second to win now!

Suffice it to say, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two different, but equal, tools derived for the same purpose. It comes down to personal preferences this year, when deciding whether to brave the Black Friday crowd or risk passing up on deals not available on Cyber Monday. A little information can help you make an informed decision.

Here’s a website that lists all Black Friday Ads for 2011:
Black Friday Ads 2011

Track Cyber Monday information here:
Cyber Monday Information

Perhaps due to the relevancy of its origins, Cyber Monday tends to offer more deals on electronics, HDTVs and computers. But it’s highly unlikely to become a problem with the amount of stores running promotions this weekend.

Ultimately, while there are separate perks and slight differences between the two busiest shopping days of the year, whether you choose one over the other or finesse a balance of both to complete your holiday shopping, there will undoubtedly be plenty of deals to fulfill every nook and cranny of your shopping list.

And don’t forget to subscribe to One Day Buys Newsletter to receive exclusive information on deals this holiday season, and year round.