Gift Idea: Five Great Monthly Subscription Services

Who says gift-giving has to be a one time only? Gift subscriptions are great way to give someone a gift this month – and for months to come! And who doesn’t want to keep getting a special surprise into 2013?

 

citizen bean coffee of the month club
Citizen Bean Starter Pack

Citizen Bean

Coffee of the month seems to be the most obvious and basic “off the month” club, and considering how much people love their coffee, it makes total sense. For a serious coffee lover, Citizen Bean is the right choice: they deliver a full pound of top-quality roasted coffee every month, plus how-tos and accessories to go with.  Choose $79.99 for 3 months or $219 for a year.

 

 

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Finding the perfect 4G Tablet for my Dad

My mother called me a few days ago with a simple question:

“What kind of tablet should I buy for your father’s Christmas present?”

Should be easy to answer, right?  But, she had a few requirements:

– Must be 4G
– Large, bright screen
– Easy to use
– less than $400

And with that list, the pool of qualified applicants dwindled significantly.  However, this list of “must-haves” might also need some examination.  First off, we’ve explored previously in this blog that 4G doesn’t always mean “faster”.  I explained to my mother that, while dad may want the fanciest new technology, it might not actually provide a tangible benefit.  Unfortunately, I could hear her shrug through the phone; “Well, you know your father!” Read More

Better than an Ugly Sweater: Give the Gift of @Square this Holiday Season

Okay, so the Square credit card reader that lets you take credit card payments from your iPhone, iPad or even iPod touch is something we’ve only talked about a thousand times on this site. And sure, their little plastic credit card reader, much like the app that powers their service, is usually free. So maybe the idea of spending $1 for a gift-wrapped Square to give away as a gift seems a bit silly.

Actually, no it doesn’t. Look at that box. These gift-wrapped Squares are adorable. Anyway, what’s a dollar? You can’t even get a cup of coffee for a dollar anymore. Since you can’t usually get extra Squares to give away as gifts (you need to supply your personal info to request one from their site, or purchase one at an Apple store), this is the perfect way to give a gift that practically prints money.

After all, any small business owner or entrepreneur should be offering their clients the widest variety of payment options available. Seriously: do you know someone who isn’t already using Square? Then this is the perfect stocking stuffer.