Time for a Drive-Thru

Looking inside a woman's wallet gives you a glimpse of where she's been, places she frequents, and how much cash she carries around. A monthly cleanout shows everything from register receipts, to phone numbers scribbled on scratch paper, to outdated coupons. Most of this stuff belongs in the trash (excuse me, recycle bin) with the exception of the receipts. These days, whenever you buy something, merchants use their receipts as a map to their website, promising a percentage off the next purchase price if you go online and fill out a customer survey: 20% off at Target, The Gap, or Banana Republic could make this worth it, provided you're planning a return visit in the allotted time for which the deal is good. Some offer entry into a large cash drawing for filling out the survey in the next 10 days. Many times these offers overflow inside my wallet and, regardless of my desire, they more than likely end up getting thrown away-I mean, recycled. One time I responded to a Panera survey with, "Yes, I did really like the product but, no, they never seem to get my order right." I noted that the soup is usually cold and my chai latte was made with rotten orange juice. Should I be surprised I never heard back from them? I never won the prize, received a discount, or was offered a refund, but they sure did get my email address. The clutter flood tends to crest right about now, as we're on the cusp of back to school-although we're not quite there yet. I'm noticing more jumpy people lately, too. I was in line waiting to order a coffee and the woman in front of me turned and yelled, "I want a day off, don't you?" Actually, I just wanted the line to start moving so I could get some caffeine. Meanwhile, her 20-month-old son is clamoring to get a donut. I know his age because for the first 10 minutes of my wait she was talking very loudly on her cell to a girlfriend, telling about how he sleeps till 9AM every morning, forcing her to take her daughter to day camp he sleeps. She is so not happy with her daughter's camp counselor who's giving her charges camping tests and teaching them how to count money. She feels the work stresses her daughter out, therefore stresses her out. "Isn't summer camp supposed to be fun?" she asks. My idea of fun at that point was a quicker-moving coffee line.

She buzz words

• Lip Stains
• Wacky
• Essentials
• Separates

She could be a

• Fresh our of college looking for a job
• Botanist
• Amusement Park Customer Relations Aid
• EMT

She solution

Her cupboard holds a jar of olives, a can of crushed tomatoes, and some sausage-and dinner needs to be on the table soon. A good recipe is only a click away. www.Supercook.com is a search engine that can help her pool the foodstuffs she has on hand and create a meal. This free site also offers to keep a record of the goods she usually has on hand.

She might not be aware of the punch her drink is packing. It's recommended that she limit her caffeine intake to 300 milligrams a day.

• Starbucks Grande drip coffee 330 mg
• 1 oz of espresso 90 mg
• 12 oz Diet Coke 46 mg
• Snapple Ice Tea 42 mg
• Extra-Strength Excedrin 130 mg

Right now she could be

• Cleaning the moldy cheese out of her refrigerator
• Cleaning her grill
• Building a camp fire
• Packing for a trip to her in-laws' timeshare
• Playing with an Etch A Sketch

She beauty

Many more use Botox than will admit it, but this pricey face fix has a competitor called Reloxin. Currently available, this cheaper alternative is pending FDA approval and will be available in the states soon.

Here are Yahoo Shine's Top-10 beauty picks for this year:

• Sulfate-free shampoos, like L'Oreal's EverPure
• Reloxin
• Organic products like Terresentials, Rare2B, and Noah's Naturals
• Clairol Perfect 10 hair color
• Neocell Super Collagen Powder
• AgelessFantasy: the first anti-aging perfume
• Latisse: prescription eyelash grower
• Olay Pro-X: younger-looking skin packed in a box
• Keihl's Highly Efficient Skin Tone Corrector
• The Solution: day cream by Envision Beauty

She green

Here are some of the latest green tips as advised by designers associated with Shojo Beat:

• Stop using wrapping paper. Wrap gifts with newspaper, comics, old calendars, and glossy magazine pages.
• Buy from bulk bins. And no matter how cheap bottled water is, quit buying it.
• Stop using paper towels and start using old cut-up t-shirts.
• Recycle all the paper you can: receipts, cardboard, junk mail, etc. There is more surrounding us then we realize.

She's lovin'

• Johnson's Head-to-Toe Foaming Wash
• Clearasil Pimple Blocker Pen
• Disney Snack Cakes with less sugar (100 calories and 10 grams of sugar)

She money

Millions have switched their phone service to VoIP (voice over Internet protocol).

Internet calls are unregulated and untaxed, making them free or inexpensive. Broadband and an adapter are necessary. Here are some possible servers:

• www.skype.com
• www.vonage.com
• www.magicjack.com
• www.gizmo5.com
• www.lingo.com
• www.phonepower.com

She can find the best credit card deal at www.Creditorweb.com

• Get more She Prep at www.ShePrep.com