Christmas Shopping: 10 reasons to avoid Black Friday sales and save money

Before the Thanksgiving turkey timer has popped up, folks are thinking Black Friday ads. Every store promises the best Black Friday sales. But where's the allure of waiting in a frigid parking in the middle of the night for a cheap TV only to be trampled by fellow TV seekers? (hint: none). Here are 10 reasons to boycott Black Friday plus still get great deals on Christmas gifts [VIDEO].   Christmas Shopping: 10 reasons to avoid Black Friday sales and still save money

Mama June, Honey Boo Boo, pregnant Pumpkin spur weight loss debate

 If you can't get your fill of Mama June Shannon and her weight loss, she'll be back for season two of "From Not to Hot" on WEtv. But don't hold your breath: the reality TV star fessed up to the fact that her "makeover" was exaggerated. Lauryn "Pumpkin" Shannon nabbed the spotlight with her pregnancy and engagement. The 17-year-old used her gender reveal to start trouble with "Honey Boo Boo" Alana Thompson too.  Mama June, Honey Boo Boo, pregnant Pumpkin spur weight loss debate

Jana Duggar shows weight loss at Joe Duggar wedding: 'Counting On' courtship?

Poor Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell--their wedding prompts more speculation about Duggar family members than the happy couple themselves. Case in point is Jana Duggar. Does it look to you like the "19 Kids and Counting" daughter had big weight loss recently? "Counting On" episodes and Instagram show her steadily shrinking. And that seems to suggest a new romance for the #Reality TV star.   Jana Duggar shows weight loss at Joe Duggar wedding: 'Counting On' courtship?

'This Is Us' Chrissy Metz fuels weight loss feud in 'Kardashian' latex dress

NBC celebrity Chrissy Metz did the unthinkable. The overweight star of "#This Is Us" wore a plus-sized latex dress to the MTV Movie & TV Awards in May and did the snarky comments and weight loss [VIDEO] hints begin. In fact, they haven't ended. Folks are still fussing that she's advocating obesity in her red rubber frock. The truth is Ms. Metz was just "Keeping up with the Kardashians." But it proves that issues surrounding plus-size women are bigger than meet the eye.   'This Is Us' Chrissy Metz fuels weight loss feud in 'Kardashian' latex dress

Save money on Halloween giveaways and Christmas stocking stuffers at back-to-school sales

Hate back to school shopping? Then why not make it multitask, shopping for holidays, too? Shop back to school sales for Halloween, Christmas gifts, stocking stuffers, birthday presents and other holiday gift-giving. Save gobs of money and time.

Get cool candy alternative Halloween treats at back to school sales. Stock up on stocking stuffers for Christmas. Who says you have to give candy at Halloween?  Buy super cheap pencils, stickers, crayons, glue sticks, pencil sharpeners and pass them out for trick-or-treat. Or give healthier back-to-school snacks: fruit snacks, granola bars, crackers and popcorn.

Who decreed that stocking stuffers must cost a lot? Sure stores would like you to think that $10 is cheap but we tightwads know you can fill Santa's sack much more affordably. School supplies make awesome, inexpensive stocking stuffers. Fill kids' stockings with markers, scissors, calculator and other useful stuff. Shop back to school sales for pencils, glue sticks, notebooks, markers, crayons, scissors, pens, activity booklets, coloring books and craft sets. Throw in some Free Printable Coloring Pages from my blog here.

Back to school sales are a good place to find cheap gifts for holiday toy donations. Do you participate with Operation Christmas Child? Think BTS sales for shoebox fillers. Or use them for grandkid goody bags or travel kits or Easter baskets...the possibilities are endless! I made travel bags for my twin 2-year-old grandsons when they moved to Louisiana. Their parents said these cheap little goody bags literally saved everyone's sanity on the 21-hour trip!

Oh and if you  have a little extra to spare, buy school supplies and donate items to a school to distribute.

NeNe Leakes rejoins RHOA with big weight-loss: What's reality TV star's secret?

A newly slimmed down NeNe Leakes returned to "Real Housewives of Atlanta" since calling out Phaedra Parks for "playing dirty." Rumor has it, Parks won't be back, and her behavior toward castmates Kandi Burruss and Porsha Williams is reportedly the cause. Leakes must be feeling pretty fabulous after her big weight-loss makeover. The reality TV star says she's ready to take on another "RHOA" nemesis -- Kim Zolciak-Biermann -- with Parks gone.   NeNe Leakes rejoins RHOA with big weight-loss: What's reality TV star's secret?

'Dance Moms' Abby Lee Miller mocks Mama June but covets weight loss makever

The sharp-tongued Abby Lee Miller of Lifetime "#Dance Moms" is headed to prison for fraud. But she took time to throw shade at fellow reality TV diva Mama June on her weight loss. However, after mocking June Shannon's transformation, the ex dance coach was ready to cash in on the former "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" star's fame. Since her gastric bypass surgery, Miller is hoping for another reality television show like "Mama June: From Not to Hot.".   'Dance Moms' Abby Lee Miller mocks Mama June but covets weight loss makever

'My 600-lb Life' Tracey Matthews' husband enables obesity, but not weight-loss

 Why would an otherwise loving spouse refuse to assist his morbidly obese wife in getting healthy? TLC's "My 600-lb Life" explores this conundrum. Bedridden, 605-lb Tracey Matthews has life-threatening cellulitis and lymphedema. Her husband, who is so willing to enable her obesity, refuses to support bariatric surgery. Why does Anthony balk at helping with weight-loss -- the one thing that could save her life? It could be the baffling, cunning relationship between addiction and codependency.  'My 600-lb Life' Tracey Matthews' husband enables obesity, but not weight-loss

Kim Zolciak-Biermann boasts hot body, weight loss, forgets plastic surgery

Poor Kim Zolciak-Biermann boasts an amazingly body but a faulty memory. She flaunted her curves in a series of Kardashian-worthy beach vacation pics. When asked how she looks so good, the "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star credited everything but the biggest reason -- plastic surgery. The reality TV star boasted diet, exercise, and weight loss and neglected to mention her tummy tuck, boob job and possible butt lift.   Kim Zolciak-Biermann boasts hot body, weight loss, forgets plastic surgery

'My 600-lb Life' Gideon's story: sleep, weight loss fail more than laziness?

 My 600-lb Life' Gideon of season four is one of the most complicated cases of morbid obesity that viewers have ever seen. Some details of his story are sadly commonplace. Two unusual features are that after gastric bypass surgery, the 650-lb man has no trouble with the diet, but he also sleeps all the time, even more than he did before surgery. It's derailed weight loss. What's behind Gideon's story could be more than just laziness. It might be a dangerous trifecta of depression, sleep apnea, and lack of calories.  'My 600-lb Life' Gideon's story: sleep, weight loss fail more than laziness?