Best of Washington DC

Just a Few Days Left to Enter Montgomery County Writing Contest

2019-08-09T21:17:00.003-05:00

Residents of Montgomery County Maryland have until August 15 2019 to enter a short form writing contest sponsored by the Montgomery County chapter of the Maryland Writers’ Association and Montgomery Magazine. The top prize is $250 and publication is Maryland Magazine. There's no entry fee. Learn more here.

Make America Work Again T-shirt to Remember Furloughed Federal Employees

2019-01-24T00:19:00.002-05:00

This post contains affiliate links. That means if you make a purchase, you could be contributing to our snack fund. Thanks.

The federal government has been on a partial shutdown since December 22, 2018. As the weeks go on, there are thousands of federal employees who want to get back to work. I made this t-shirt after a conversation with a friend who's on furlough. She said she needs somebody to tell the president that she and her co-workers need to go back to work. If she finds that person I suggested her message to the president be that he needs to adopt the slogan 'Make America Work Again'.

Make America Work Again T-Shirt
by redbook

Shopkick Now Pays Out In Cash

2018-11-21T22:44:00.003-05:00

In the previous post, I reviewed Shopkick, an app that you can use to earn points to redeem for gift cards. When I wrote the review, the only drawback to the app was that you couldn't redeem the points, called kicks on the app, for cash. Since then, Shopkick has announced that you now redeem the app's points called "kicks" for cash via a PayPal gift card.

Money Monday: These Two Apps Pay You

2018-10-15T14:17:00.001-05:00

We're continuing our theme from last week, which was earning job-free income. Today we're talking about two shopping apps that pay you. I've earned money and/or gift cards from both of these apps (more on that later). If you click the links below, I may get some compensation (and you may too).

Ibotta gives you cash back rewards from shopping at major retailers. The way it works is you choose the retailer that you'll be shopping with. Then you select deals from what's available at that store. Each deal will show you a picture of the item, its name and the amount of cash back for the deal. After your purchase, you scan your receipt and your selected items with the app. While my account is usually credited with the money within a few minutes, Ibotta says this can take up to 48 hours. You need to have at least $20 in rewards to redeem the money. So far I've redeemed $40.

Pros: You redeem your rewards for cash via Paypal or Venmo. Ibotta gives you $10 at sign-up toward your first $20.

Cons: These rewards require a purchase.

Try Ibotta.

Shopkick is my favorite shopping app because you don't have to buy anything to get rewards. You earn points for a variety of activities. You can get points for opening the app while walking into selected retailers. Another way to earn with Shopkick is scanning barcodes of items at participating retailers. And you can even earn a few points wherever you are by watching videos in the Discover section of the app. Finally, if you are making a purchase of an eligible item you can get points for that too. I focus on getting points that don't require a purchase. I'v used my points to get Walmart, Target and Amazon gift cards so many times that I have lost count of how many I have redeemed. (I have earned over 38,000 points on Shopkick so far.) Last year I used my gift cards to do my Christmas shopping.

Pros: You don't need to make a purchase to earn. Earning points is easy.

Cons: Points count toward store gift cards, not cash.

Try Shopkick.

Legitimate Adventures in Job Free Income: Surveys

2018-10-10T08:47:00.001-05:00

If you're looking to make some money outside of your day job, the internet provides lots of legitimate ways to do so. However, be cautious because scams are also prevalent.

For taking surveys, these sites pay in cash and gift cards to major retailers. I've tried each of these and have received payouts. If you're wondering if this post has affiliate links through which I might receive compensation, the answer is of course it does.

YouGov
YouGov is one of my favorite survey sites. Unlike other survey sites, you nearly always qualify for the surveys they invite you to complete. YouGov will e-mail you when there's a survey that you qualify for. While point values per survey vary, the minimum appears to be 100 points with most surveys actually awarding 500 or more points. The results of YouGov polls are sort after by the media and other organizations. I've redeemed my points for a total of $150 worth of Amazon gift cards.

Pros: For your efforts, you'll be rewarded with cash or gifts cards to popular retailers such as Amazon, Macy's and BestBuy.
Cons: You need at least 25,000 points to redeem for a $15 Amazon gift card. You'll need more points for more valuable rewards.

Try YouGov.

Survey Junkie
At Survey Junkie, you'll need to complete a profile so the platform can send appropriate surveys to your member dashboard, which you'll see when you log in. Each survey on your dashboard has a survey number, the number of points you'll earn for completing the survey, and the approximate length of time it will take to fill out the survey. If you don't qualify for a survey, you may receive 3 points for your time. If the survey fills up before you finish it, you often will receive 2 points for your effort. The number of points you can get for a survey varies. Once you've accumulated 1,000 points you can redeem those points for cash via PayPal or your bank account. Your points can also be redeemed for gift cards to retailers like Target and Amazon.

Pros: Surveys have almost always been available when I've logged in. You can get paid in cash.
Cons: Most of the surveys I've seen award between 40 to 90 points. You have to take a lot of surveys to get to the 1,000 points, however, I've managed to do it in less than a week when I work on it a few minutes each day.

What is DC Vote Celebrating?

2018-10-04T21:48:00.003-05:00

Local organization DC Vote is celebrating its 20th anniversary with an event on December 4th. In case you've never heard of DC Vote, and it wouldn't be a surprise if you've never heard of DC Vote, the organization's vision to see DC residents become first class citizens. In its vision statement, DC Vote says reaching that goal will be evidenced by DC "gaining the freedom to control its own budget, pass its own laws without congressional interference, and having its citizens enjoy equal representation in the US House of Representatives and the US Senate."

What is DC Vote celebrating? DC citizens do not have equal representation in the US House of Representatives or the US Senate. Congress still has the legal authority to interfere with DC's laws. As long as Congress has that right, DC does not have complete control over its budget. DC Vote is zero for three in accomplishing its vision.

Someone who understands what there is to celebrate, let me know in the comments. Thanks.

Value Village Thrift Store on Annapolis Road

2018-07-25T22:44:00.002-05:00

We went to Value Village Thrift Store at 6611 Annapolis Rd in Landover Hills, MD today. We had heard that it was so large a thrift store that it had fifteen cash registers. While the bank of cash registers, each one was with its number posted up to fifteen as described, is impressive, the rest of the store leaves a lot to be desired. The selection of items is huge, some areas of the store are more organized than others, and the prices are on the high side for a thrift store.

My son and my nephew found a very clean set of plastic railroad tracks in its original storage box but without the train that would give the tracks a purpose. We also saw a tricycle that was missing a pedal, a Paw Patrol bucket that had some food in it, and lots of books and board games. The books are buy 4 get 1 free, which is nice if you can find five books to buy. Children's picture books are $1.29 while kids' chapter books are $1.79. Also in the media section were CDs for $1.99. There were even some VHS tapes for sale. (Does anyone still have a player for those?) We saw a used pencil case marke $1.29 that we had seen new the day before at Target for 99 cents.

The good news is that Value Village Thrift Store is having a 25% off back to school sale for three days starting Friday July 27. Even betters news is that they're having a 50% off day on Saturday August 4.

Bottom line: This store has it all: furniture, apparel for the whole family, toys, books, games, knick knacks, shoes, home decor and more. Do your research and make sure you're getting your used item cheaper than a new one.

Save 20% Off T-shirts and More This Weekend

2018-04-27T17:48:00.001-05:00

Save 20% All Items Today and Tomorrow with code WEEKENDDEALZ

Shop Make a Statement T-shirts and Gifts

Truck Touch Tomorrow Saturday April 28

2018-04-27T09:17:00.000-05:00

Kendall Demonstration Elementary School PTA is having a Truck Touch tomorrow, Saturday April 28. Admission is free but there's a cost for some activities such as the yard sale and for food and drink.
Kendall Demonstration Elementary (@Gallaudet University)
800 Florida Avenue, NE, Washington, DC

On the Recent DC Public School Scandals

2018-03-08T14:35:00.001-05:00

Today DC Councilmember David Grosso put out a press release regarding the recent scandals that have plagued DC Public Schools. In the following quote from that press release, the councilmember refers to addressing the root causes of those scandals.

At this time, I believe it is best to keep the Education Committee's time and energy focused on our students—an effort that requires a deeper examination of the root causes of the scandals that have beset our education system in recent months in order to swiftly and deliberately resolve them in meaningful ways.

Let's applaud the councilmember's commitment to addressing the cause of these scandals rather than the scandals themselves. As he points out in his press release there are other investigations that will look into the scandals.

In part, scandals involving officials skirting the school lottery system result from the perception that there only a few schools within DC Public schools that will provide a quality education. And of course, the other scandal related to graduating students who did not meet graduation requirements only reinforces that perception.

All of want the best for our children. It's so sad that DC Public Schools has yet to show solid results in providing quality education in most schools. If there are a limited number of schools that are perceived to be good, most parents, who find themselves in a position to pull strings for his or her child, would also find it difficult to resist the pressure to do so. DC ultimate solution for lottery scandals is to improve the quality of education in schools throughout the city each school is attractive to families and not a select few.

Capitol Hill Bookstore is hiring

2018-01-20T23:22:00.000-05:00

Riverby Books is advertising an opening for a Bookstore Manager/Clerk. They say that the job boils down to:

Long hours
Low pay
No hope for advancement
No benefits

Still interested? Learn more at the store's website.

Price Rite is Hiring

2018-01-16T23:17:00.003-05:00

PriceRite, the discount grocery store located at 3104 Queens Chapel Road Hyattsville, MD 20782, is hiring per this poster that's up now in their store.

Who's Hiring in Maryland: Aldi

2018-01-15T21:36:00.001-05:00

Aldi is still hiring. The grocery store is holding another hiring event on January 18 in Lanham. It's 8 am to 8 pm at 9343 Annapolis Road.

Who's Hiring in DC: Dick's Sporting Goods

2018-01-13T00:23:00.001-05:00

Dick's Sporting Goods Store at 2470 Market Street NE (The Shops at Dakota Crossing) has the above now hiring sign posted. Apply online at dicks.com/jobs. As of the time of this post, the store's website says they're looking a sales associate for the golf department at the Dakota Crossing location. Other locations have additional positions available.

Who's Hiring in the DMV: Art Enables

2018-01-12T09:05:00.001-05:00

Art Enables creates opportunities for adult artists with disabilities. The DC based organization is hiring for a Development and Communications Manager. According to the job listing, this is a new role at Art Enables in which they're looking for someone who can provide both structure and imagination to their development and communications efforts. Learn more.

2018 is the Bicentennial of Frederick Douglass' Birth

2018-01-11T22:49:00.001-05:00

2018 marks two hundred years since the birth of famed author, orator, abolitionist, and statesman Frederick Douglass in February 1818. The National Park Service is celebrating the occasion with a party on February 17th and 18th from 10 am to 4 pm at Douglass' home in Anacostia.

Picture of Frederick Douglass
by redbook

*This site is not affiliated with the National Park Service. Purchases made from this site do not benefit NPS.

Who's Hiring in the DMV: Aldi

2017-12-16T23:02:00.001-05:00

Aldi, the discount grocery chain, is hosting a hiring fair on Wednesday December 20 at 7 am in Beltsville. See the details on the poster below.

For Maryland Parents: Ideas for What to Do With the Kids for the Last Days of Summer

2017-08-24T23:48:00.000-05:00

Here in DC our kids went back to school on August 21. For those parents of Maryland students who be going back to school until September 5 or later, here are some ideas on what to do with the kids for these last days of summer.

1. Visit an off the beaten path museum.
Learn about aviation without the crowds at the College Park Aviation Museum. It's open daily.
For a weekend activity, admission to the National Capital Trolley Museum includes unlimited streetcar rides.

2. Play at a new playground.
The huge playground at Cabin John Regional Park has the added benefit of being in the shade of the park's many trees.
Check out the Wizard of Oz themed playground at Watkins Park,

Starting Another Business - Day One

2017-08-24T08:58:00.001-05:00

My plan was to start a new business when the kids went back to school. I'm chronicling this new business on my blog as a bit of accountability for myself. As a little bit of backstory, I've had a couple of online shops for a number of years. The oldest one is focused on Washington DC themed apparel and gift items but over the years I've added a lot of other topics. My other shop is similar to the first but it's on a different company's platform. This year I opens two new, niche stores online. For My Home is a home decor shop while Ready to Wed sells wedding stationery and bridal party gifts. Ok, enough backstory. Getting back to my new endeavor. My plan was to start a resell business the week my kids went back to school. I am having trouble deciding what to sell. My advisers have wanted me to go into selling furniture. This is a good idea, however, there are some barriers. I am a small person who drives a small car. Until I figure out how to overcome those obstacles, I wanted to deal with something smaller like books and dvds. Yesterday I set out buy books to resell. Immediately I ran into another obstacle. My app to scan books for value prior to purchase wasn't working properly. I scanned several books but each time the app gave me an error message instead of a value. I've used the app before so I don't know what went wrong yesterday. Day 1 Purchases $0 Sells $0 Lesson learned: Have a back-up plan.

Washington DC Back to School Fairs 2017

2017-08-02T21:59:00.001-05:00

This time of year there are a number of back to school fairs. Usually these festivals feature free admission, a school supply giveaway and fun activities for children. Follow the links for times and addresses. DC GWUL 2017 Health and Wellness Back 2 School Festival Maryland Back to School Fair Back to School Community Day Back to School Family Fun Day Capitol Heights

T-shirt says Tell me how to spell 90 I'm from DC

2017-05-31T23:32:00.000-05:00

Recently, google reported that the word that DC residents most often search how to spell is 'ninety'.

Tell me how to spell 90 I'm from DC Black T-shirt
by redbook

New Free DC T-shirt is a reminder of DC's Status

2017-05-31T23:15:00.001-05:00

Those of us who live in DC know that that the residents of Washington DC are obligated to perform all duties of US citizens, including paying federal income taxes. However, DC residents are taxed without representation since we do not have a senator and our house member is a non-voting delegate. As a reminder of this, here's a men's panel t-shirt says "Free DC" in white letters on a red background.

Free DC Red Panel T-shirt
by redbook

Washington region must respond to proposal to relocate government agencies

2017-05-11T12:02:00.002-05:00

According to the Washington Examiner, House Democrat Tim Ryan has proposed decentralizing the federal government. Rep. Ryan's proposal is designed to be an economic stimulus to other parts of the country. Local officials must engage now to prevent this threat to our local economy. While relocating federal jobs might boost economies in other parts of the country, the federal government is the backbone of how we feed our families today throughout the DMV. Even folks who don't work for the federal government benefit from its presence here. The issue of decentralizing the federal government should be a priority on the agendas' of Mayor Bowser, Rep. Norton, Gov. Hogan, and Gov. McAuliffe.

Despite the Wall Street Journal's argument that the influence of the federal government on the Washington region's economy is diminishing, even the WSJ admits that 11% of the region's workers are employed by the federal government. And that number doesn't count people who indirectly benefit from the presence of federal government, such as restaurant workers.

Washington DC Inspired Flip Flops

2017-05-09T12:57:00.002-05:00

Be prepared for next month's arrival of summer in DC with these red flip flops.

Washington DC flag inspired flip flops
by redbook

Congratulations to Ballou High School

2017-04-05T08:03:00.000-05:00

For the first time, every member of the senior class at Ballou High School has applied to college, according to an article in The Washington Post. While this is an exciting development, what's even more encouraging is the attitude of Ballou's administrators. Principal Yetunde Reeves wants to Ballow to become a place where college is expected as an "automatic next step." Leaders like Principal Reeves who raise the bar of expectations are exactly what students in the District's public schools need. Hopefully, the Post will update this story when the acceptance for this class becomes available.