“In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids. We go after the cool kids. A lot of people don’t belong, and they can’t belong.”
—Mike Jeffries, CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch

Are you not “cool” enough for Abercrombie & Fitch? Don’t worry, neither are we.

These awesome protesters in Chicago believe that beauty comes in all sizes, and that size has nothing to do with coolness.

Fortunately, the rest of the world operates on a completely different definition of “cool”. While Abercrombie & Fitch sees it as the top tier of a teenage caste system as determined by one’s popularity and proximity to size 0 jeans, the team here at BradsDeals thinks that diversity and inclusion are much, much cooler. We’ve built our site on the premise that anyone can live the good life for less – and by “anyone” we mean “everyone”. Frankly, we’re not terribly impressed or inspired by the message that Abercrombie & Fitch is sending. We’ve made a list of ten of our favorite fashion stops that make Abercrombie & Fitch look, well, a little thin and pale in the social consciousness department.

Check out our picks below and add your thoughts in the comments.

Aeropostale

Aeropostale’s corporate giving program, Aero Gives, offers grants to local charities and organizations that are working to make a difference in the lives of teens. From Aeropostale.com: “Through the heart and spirit of the Aéropostale family, we work to spread our belief that all young people should have the opportunity to learn, feel safe, be passionate and have fun.” That message of inclusion is not lost on us, and earns Aeropostale a well-deserved place on our list. Through May 20th, you can get 25% off your entire purchase with Aeropostale coupon code SPRING25.

Forever 21

When a tsunami devastated large swaths of Japan two years ago, Forever 21 pledged 100% of a single day’s worldwide online sales to the Red Cross for disaster relief. The campaign raised more than $2 million. But Forever 21′s sense of social responsibility doesn’t end there. Those awesome cutoff shorts you bought at the mall last weekend helped to support FEED Projects, the Humane Society of the United States, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, The Samburu Project, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Starlight Foundation, and the ASPCA. Aber-who?

TOMS

These distinctive canvas shoes are more than just a fashion trend. For every pair of shoes you buy, TOMS gives a pair to a child in need in Haiti, El Salvador, Peru or Malawi. TOMS Eyewear is less well known, but the formula is the same: every pair of TOMS glasses you purchase results in prescription glasses, sight-saving surgery, or other medical vision treatment in a dozen countries including the United States.  Just think – if you and all of your friends are wearing TOMS, then somewhere out there in the world is another small gang of friends who have shoes because of you. That’s completely awesome. Take $5 off when you spend $25 or more with our exclusive TOMS promo code BRADSDEALSTOMS.

H&M

Abercrombie & Fitch cuts their sizing off at a women’s size 10 because they don’t want their brand associated with people who are overweight. On the other hand, fashion retailer H&M not only offers larger sizes, but featured plus-size model Jennie Runk in a beachwear campaign – helping to promote positive body image for women everywhere and proving that you don’t have to be a toothpick to be trendy. H&M also just signed a factory safety pact with Tommy and Zara in the wake of the tragic factory collapse in Bangladesh, committing themselves to stricter safety standards than most retailers do for their factories overseas.

ModCloth

As an online boutique that generally flies under the radar, ModCloth has quietly built a strong following for it’s quirky vintage styles, often chosen by their fans. And although we couldn’t find any kind of statement about it, we’re happy to note the plus-sizes prominently featured in the main navigation, and gorgeous product photos featuring models whose curvier bodies look a lot like our own.

United Colors of Benetton

The hipster of retail, United Colors of Benetton had a social conscience before corporate social responsibility was cool. This pioneer of retail branding with a social conscience challenged the public to embrace diversity long before corporations were expected to come equipped with community outreach and charitable giving programs. The Benetton Group supports the Unhate Foundation, an organization that strives to “fight against hate and discrimination in all its forms” – including race, religion, sexuality and body type. Recent projects by the Unhate Foundation include art and photography projects by New Delhi street kids and working with street kids and teens in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Armani Exchange

When an earthquake leveled most of Haiti, Armani Exchange partnered with Mercy Corp to create a special edition t-shirt to raise relief money for victims. And for World AIDS Day? There was a special edition tee for that, too. The designer duds here are a little more expensive than at Abercrombie & Fitch, but Armani has shown that they’re not afraid to pitch in when a great cause is on the line.

American Apparel

Sweatshop labor is often the dirty little secret of cheap apparel, but American Apparel puts their commitment to sweatshop-free products front and center. It’s hardly “American” apparel if it’s made in Sri Lanka, after all. Everything they sell is made in downtown Los Angeles. American Apparel has also been a vocal proponent of immigration reform and gay rights through its ongoing Legalize LA and Legalize Gay campaigns. Stepping beyond mere social acceptance of immigrants and GLBT issues and into the civil rights arena earns American Apparel a gold star.

fashionABLE

Scarves are super trendy, and I won’t lie, fashionABLE is my favorite place to ogle them. The thing that makes fashionABLE special is that they work with women in Africa to start their own sustainable small businesses making scarves, helping to lift them out of poverty. Purchasing a scarf here helps to create jobs, which in turn contributes to the development of local economies that otherwise would rely on charity. Each hand-dyed, hand-woven scarf comes with a short handwritten personal statement from a woman whose life has been changed for the better. Oh, and they’re beautiful and completely awesome.

Warby Parker

We thought that that the convenience of trying out different eyeglasses at home was the coolest thing about Warby Parker until we discovered their Do Good initiative. For every pair of glasses that Warby Parker sells, they provide a pair to someone in need. According to WarbyParker.com, “Glasses can increase one’s income by 20%, enable students to see a blackboard and offer dignity to those with poor eyesight.” Knowing the sort of impact that a pair of eyeglasses can have on someone living in poverty shows that Warby Parker truly understands how they can make a difference.

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For those of you who read “Do More, Spend Less”, you may remember a section on saving yourself time and frustrations at the airport by signing up for TSA PreCheck.  Inspired by Brad’s testimony on the awesome feeling of skipping that horrible TSA line, I decided to sign up for the program myself. Here’s my story of how it works. 

Early in February I set up a Global Online Enrollment System (GOES) account with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Trusted Traveler Programs. I was applying for Global Entry, a fast way to get through customs,which includes TSA PreCheck,which gets you through the fast line at security. Setting up a profile is pretty similar to a job application. They want to know your basic info, your Driver’s License number, SSN, address history and employment history.

Once I submitted my info it took about a week for me to receive an email saying that there had been an update to my account. They will always send you an email like that with no specific information so don’t lose your login info; you need it to find out what the message is! I was told that I had been conditionally approved and now would have to make an appointment within 30 days for my in-person interview.

In “Do More Spend Less”, Brad mentions having to go out to the airport to complete this step. Unfortunately for most people this is true. I was thrilled to discover that if you live in the city of Chicago  you can avoid O’Hare!  In Chicago you can go to the US Custom House at 610 s. Canal (right next to the Harrison Post Office) and avoid the trip out to the airport. Before I get further into my experience let me explain more about how Global Entry and TSA PreCheck work.

There are a few programs that you can sign up for through GOES. Global Entry is the one I chose because it includes TSA PreCheck but also makes it easier when flying back to the United States to get through Customs. There was a one-time $100 fee to apply for the program. If you are a frequent flier in certain airline programs you can get TSA PreCheck for free. If  you have an American Express Platinum card and use it to pay the $100, AmEx will reimburse you the $100. To apply you must be a U.S. Citizen or lawful permanent U.S. resident.

People who are not eligible:

• Anyone convicived of a criminal offense in any country
• Anyone who’se been found in violation of customes, immigration, or agricultural laws
• Anyone who provides false or incomplete information on their application
• Anyone who is the subject of an investigation by any Federal, State, or local law enforcement agency

I scheduled my appointment at the Customs house for 5:10 p.m. on a Wednesday. I was apparently their last appointment of the day and I was able to go right in. The woman took me a to a small room and took my fingerprints electronically and took a photo. She asked me a few questions about why I had applied for the program. She took my passport from me and scanned it through the system. Global Entry is good for five years but my passport expires in three years.

When the new passport arrives I’ll have to go back to the Customs house to have it scanned in to finish my last two years. Make sure you check the expiration on your passport to see if this will happen to you too.

If you’ve ever glanced at our Teacher Discounts page you know that BradsDeals wants to make sure teachers have the best access to discounts and special promotions that are out there to make their jobs easier. May 7th is Teacher Appreciation Day and so we’ve found you some extra deals to show our support. You might want to check with your local store on some of these promotions to make sure that they are participating.

Buy 1 Get 1 at Chipotle

Bring your school faculty ID to any Chipotle in the U.S. on Tuesday, May 7th from 4:00 p.m. to close and enjoy buy 1 get 1 burritos, bowls, salads, or order of tacos.

Free Chick-Fil-A  sandwich

Bring your school/teacher ID to Chick-Fil-A on May 7th between 10:30 a.m. and close and receive a free chicken sandwich. This offer is valid at participating restaurants only so we suggest calling your local franchise first.

Free pasta at Buca di Beppo

Members of the Buca di Beppo eClub will be receiving a coupon for a free Buca-Taster bowl of Ravioli or Baked Ziti good from May 6-10 for teachers when they dine in. There is no minimum purchase but you must present both your teacher ID and the coupon from your email. The coupon can also be used to get $20 off any Party pan purchase of $100 or more.

Free New York & Company

All nurses and teachers get 30% off (regular discount is 15%) in New York & Company stores May 2-8. Valid IDs include badge, paystub, or business card.

20% discount at Jo-Ann Fabrics

Educators that are signed up for the Jo-Ann Teacher Rewards Program enjoy a 20% discount May 5-11. Teacher Rewards members normally receive 15%.

20% off at Dressbarn.com

Enjoy 20% Off for Teacher Appreciation Day at Dressbarn.com, plus Free Shipping on orders of $50 or more.  Use code TEACHER13, Valid 5/7.

1 cent school supplies at Staples

Teacher Rewards cardholders can get the following items at Staples  for only a penny each after a $5 purchase: Ticonderoga Asst. Erasers, Bic Roundstic Pens-8pack, Sharpie Markers-2pack, Staples School Glue. There is a limit of 5 of each item and the promotion goes through 5/11/13.

We know a lot of local business or local franchises are offering special discounts for teachers in their towns. If you’ve heard of any, please share in the comments.

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Picture this: You’re lying at the beach, the sand is warm and the sun is shining. One problem, you can’t seem to relax due to the 16 screaming children strategically located all around your beach towel. We’ve got you covered. We’re giving one of our lucky fans a FREE Apple iPod Touch to drown out screaming children, loud traffic, or whatever else keeps you from relaxing.

The iPod Touch not only plays your favorite music- it has the Safari web browser, free messaging with iMessage, HD video recording, games at your fingertips, FaceTime, e-book capabilities, and tons more.

The Details:

1. To enter you must register at our contest page
2. You can register once per day for any and all of our contests
3. Contest ends on 5/12/2013 at 11:59PM CST
4. The winner will be notified via email once the giveaway has ended

Contest ends May 12, 2013 at 11:59 CST.

For official contest rules please click here.

Spring may have come late but it’s finally here! To celebrate we’ve brought you some end of April freebies to enjoy.

Free box of Wheat Thins Twitter Promotion

Wheat Thins is sending their Twitter followers a free box of Wheat Thins when you go to their Flavor Protection website log in with a Twitter account and this gives you the “Basic Protection Plan” against theft of your crackers. You can then file a ”WT-2″ complaint, telling them how someone stole a box of Wheat Thins from you. You have to enter your mailing address and your free box should be on its way. We’ve noticed a few websites that have shared this promotion saying that it has been selling out and then starting up again. On the confirmation screen it looks like there are additional “protection plans” coming soon.  The promotion is supposed to go until 6/9/13 so make sure you check back to see if there are additional giveaways with this promotion.

Free Candy Bar at CVS

Swipe your Extra Care Card at the CVS Coupon Center and get a coupon for a free Hershey’s or Mars candy bar at CVS. Please note that you must be an Extra Care Cardholder as of April 28th (so it’s too late to run out and sign up). The promotion runs from 4/28-5/4.

Build a Mini LEGO Model for free at Toys “R” Us on May 4

May the Fourth be with you. From 12-2 p.m. on Saturday stop by your local Toys “R” Us and build an exclusive mini-version of Jek-14′s Stealth Starfighter. Note: this promotion is intended for children ages 5+ and a parent must accompany them at all times.

Free 8X10 canvas photo for Mother’s Day

Upload a photo and have it made into a canvas 8X10 that makes a great Mother’s Day gift for free from Canvas People. You will have to pay shipping and handle and extra if you want a frame, but the 8X10 is normally $49.99 so it’s still a great deal.

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Enter to win the BradsDeals Samsung Chromebook Giveaway!

The Details:

1. To enter you must register at our contest page
2. You can register once per day for any and all of our contests
3. Contest ends on 4/28/2013 at 11:59PM CST
4. The winner will be notified via email once the giveaway has ended

When you register, you will also be signed up for the Brad’s Deals Newsletter, which gives you the latest handpicked deals everyday.

Samsung Chromebook Specs:

• Built-in dual band Wi-Fi
• Easily portable 2.4-lb. weight
• Over 6.5 hours of battery life
• Google products (Gmail, Google Search, Hangouts) all come built-in

Contest ends April 28, 2013 at 11:59 CST.

For official contest rules please click here.

Monday, April 22nd 2013 will be the 43rd Earth Day. Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin started Earth Day in 1970 an it has become a worldwide day of self-reflection and awareness of our diminishing resources. The theme for Earth Day 2013 is “The Face of Climate Change”. Earthday.org is collecting images of people and animals around the world affected by climate change. You don’t have to go out and buy a rain barrel or start riding your bike in order to celebrate Earth Day. Even one person taking a small step to preventing climate change is important.

In the spirit of BradsDeals and Earth Day together, we’ve compiled a list of places that will reward you for your green behavior.

1. Free entrance at  National Parks April 22-26 at.
2. Free Coffee at Starbucks when you bring your reusable mug. Starbucks did this giveaway last year and probably will again this year, but we’ve gotten no official word on it. It never hurts to try!
3. Free Coffee at Caribou Coffee. Although Caribou announced last week that they are closing their Chicago and other Illinois/Midwest locations, you can still get your free coffee when you bring in a reusable tumbler. Hopefully the stores that will be closing will still be honoring this promotion, it’s worth giving it a try!  Gain some extra karma points by liking Caribou on Facebook. For every new like their sponsors will plant a fruit tree in Central or South America.
4. Get a free packet of seeds at Pottery Barn Kids. Pottery Barn wants to plant 50,000 trees and you can help them! Proceeds from the sale of select lunch products will be donated to Trees for the Future.
   
5. Recycle your clothing and get a discount at H&M. All year long you can donate up to two bags of clothing in any brand to any H&M store and receive a voucher for 15% off an item for each bag you bring in. Since spring is a little late this year, this is a great time to clean out any winter clothes that you didn’t wear this season and make room for your new items.
6. Free Brave or Cars 2 Reusable bag at The Disney Store when you bring in 5 plastic bags to recycle.
7. Free reusable bags and sustainable product coupon book worth $40 at Target on Sunday 4/21. Target will be giving out 1.5 million reusable bags, approximately 250,000 of them will contain samples for sustainable products.
8. Free reusable tote bag at JoAnn to the first 50 customers.
9. Get $10 in organic coupons and a reusable bag when you bring in plastic bags to recycle at Wegmans. The bag exchange takes place on Saturday, April 20 from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. for the first 300 customers.
10. Free tomato seed packets at Lowe’s. The last few years Lowe’s has given away free trees on Earth Day  but this year they are downsizing to tomato seeds. Call your local store to see if they are participating.
11. Nail polish exchange at Zoya. From April 19-26 you can order between 6 and 25 Zoya nail polishes for half off when you send back other brands of nail polish that are not Big5Free using code ZOYAEARTH2013.

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What better way to celebrate Earth Day than with a free visit to one of the 100′s of U.S. National Parks! Photo courtesy of NPS.

As part of National Park Week, all U.S. national parks are waiving entrance fees from 4/22 through 4/26, giving visitors an opportunity to explore everywhere from Yellowstone National Park to Everglades National Park free of charge. With 401 national parks and at least one in every state, you don’t have to travel far to experience some of America’s most extraordinary scenery and wildlife.

If you’ve always wanted to visit the famous waterfalls of Yosemite or go rafting at Grand Canyon National Park, there’s no better time than National Park Week. Check with local and park-related businesses for special discounts on tours and other activities. And if the word “camping” makes you cringe, Travelocity has some hotel deals under $100 to save money on lodging.

There are a number of special events being held at some of the parks and lots of volunteer opportunities if you want help out.

For more information, check out the National Park Week website or the U.S. National Park Service.

Please note that fee waiver includes: entrance fees, commercial tour fees and transportation entrance fees. Additional fees such as reservation, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.

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Not everyone is lucky enough to get an income tax refund.

This is you on the beach after you paid your income taxes with a travel rewards credit card.

If you’re one of the unfortunate souls left owing Uncle Sam a chunk of your bank account, then I’m betting you took one look at the amount you owe and said, “I could really use a vacation right about now…”

A vacation, you say? No problem. You probably thought a vacation was out of the question since you had to be a responsible citizen and pay a tax bill instead. But we know exactly how you can turn your tax bill into a relaxing getaway, no joke, and no fairy godmothers required.  

At BradsDeals, we’re pretty big on using credit card rewards to travel. And guess what? Paying your taxes with a rewards-bearing credit card can earn you some serious travel benefits. Let’s take a look at a few of the offers out there right now.

If your tax bill is $500…

Spend $500 in the first three months with your American Express Gold Delta Skymiles Card and you’ll net 30,000 Delta Skymiles – enough to cover a round trip domestic flight in economy class. Cardholders also get Delta perks like one free checked bag per flight, priority boarding and 20% off in-flight purchases.

If your tax bill is $1,000…

Grab a Citi Platinum AAdvantage Visa and you’ll get 30,000 AAdvantage miles when you spend $1,000 in the first three months. The threshold is higher than with Delta, but since American is part of the One World network, their miles can be used on a dizzying number of international partner airlines. For example, your 30,000 AAdvantage miles can be converted to 15,000 British Airways Avios – a real plus if you took advantage of the British Airways Chase Visa offer earlier this year.

If your tax bill is $2,000…

Split your payment between two cards. Put $1,000 on the Citi Platinum AAdvantage Visa to get the 30,000 AAdvantage miles mentioned above, and the other $1,000 on the Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card for a reward of 40,000 HHonors Bonus points worth 5 free nights at any category 1 Hilton property. Your flight and hotel are both covered. Voila, you’ve got five days on the beach in sunny San Diego!

Alternatively, you can convert those 40,000 HHonors Bonus points to 6,000 AAdvantage miles, for a grand total of 36,000 AAdvantage miles.

If your tax bill is $3,000…

Our card of choice for a tax bill in this range is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. Spend $3,000 within 3 months of signing up and you’ll receive 40,000 points for signing up, plus 1 point per dollar charged for a grand total of 43,000 points. Not bad. What makes this card truly worth your while, though, is that Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer 1:1 to a number of popular airlines and hotels, including Marriott Rewards, Ritz-Carlton, Hyatt Gold Passport, MileagePlus United, Southwest Rapid Rewards, and one of our favorites, British Airways Executive Club. If you’re stocked up on air miles already, we recommend transferring these to Hyatt, where a night in a $1,000 room at a Park Hyatt is just 22,000 points.

If your tax bill is $4,000…

We found two attractive options for those with tax bills that are $4,000 or higher.

Option A: 58,000 Avios
Split your bill – $1,000 on the Citi Platinum AAdvantage Visa and $3,000 on the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. That will get you 30,000 AAdvantage miles and 43,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points. Now transfer both of those to your British Airways Executive Club account for a grand total of 58,000 Avios, which is enough to get you to Europe and back.

Option B: 43,000 Avios and 5 Nights in a Hilton
Once again, you’ll need to split your tax payment between two cards, this time the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card. Convert your 43,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Avios (or transfer to the airline of your choice) and use your 40,000 HHonors Bonus Points for 5 nights at a category 1 Hilton property, 1 night at a category 6 property, or something in between. This option should cover most of your airfare to Europe, plus give you a place to stay once you’re there.

How to Pay Your Federal Tax Bill Online with a Credit Card

Now that you’ve plotted your well-deserved escape, how can you actually pay your taxes with a credit card? The IRS has an entire page devoted to the subject, but the best options appear to be ChoicePay or PayUSAtax. Of all of the credit card payment processors, these two have the lowest credit card processing fees, 1.88% and 1.89%, respectively. ChoicePay accepts Mastercard and Visa, and PayUSAtax accepts just about anything you can think of. Keep in mind that 1.88% of a $2,000 tax bill is $37.60, so the fees can be steep if you’re not getting rewards out of your credit cards that more than make up for it. On the other hand, if you have a debit card with a rewards program, you can use that for a flat charge under $4 regardless of the amount.

Even if none of these specific deals will work for you, chances are good that you’ve got at least one rewards credit card in your wallet right now. The point here is that you can get something back from paying your taxes if you use those rewards creatively. Good luck!

An important caveat:
Paying your taxes with a credit card is not a great option if you can’t pay off the balance right away. This system works best if you already have the cash set aside and can apply it to your card immediately to avoid racking up interest charges. Let’s face it, credit card debt is ugly, and paying interest on top of taxes is even worse. But if you can pay it off right away, why not get a little something for being a good American taxpayer? We think you deserve it.

Photo Credit: arol.vinolas via Flickr. Some rights reserved.

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Please refrain from licking the screen. Photo courtesy of Ben & Jerry’s.

Ben & Jerry’s wants everyone to “cone together” (see what they did there) and enjoy some ice cream as part of their annual free cone day!

This year, Ben & Jerry’s free cone day will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, April 9th during regular store hours. Find the nearest locations in your neighborhood and stop in for a free scoop or two.

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