Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR), registered yesterday to take discount retailer Dollar General Corp. to Wall Street. The company plans to sell up to $750 million in stock through an initial public offering. If they get close to that figure, it’ll be the biggest IPO so far in 2009.

The Goodlettsville, Tenn., chain, a favorite of bargain hunters, has done well in this economy. The Wall Street Journal reports:

Discounters like Dollar General have done well in the recession as customers trade down to cheaper merchandise. The question for retailers is whether shoppers will remain frugal or slowly resume their old spending habits whenever they get more money in their pockets.

“We didn’t anticipate a recession as deep as the one we’re all experiencing,” said Michael Calbert, a KKR partner overseeing the investment, in a March interview with The Wall Street Journal. “But we did think Dollar General would be a good investment in difficult economic times.”

The market seems ready to buy:

Private-equity firms are taking advantage of a rally in equities to sell shares. In some cases, they are hoping to sell stock to raise equity and deleverage their balance sheets. In other cases the firms are exiting investments to return capital to their cash-strapped investor base.

Earlier this month KKR and a partner raised $650 million from an initial public offering of Avago Technologies Ltd., the first large offering of a buyout-owned company this year. Last week General Atlantic LLC and Hellman & Friedman LLC sold IPO shares in health-care company Emdeon Inc.

Time will tell if consumers have altered their spending habits for good. If so, stores like Dollar General could continue to grow profits, and provide healthy returns to stockholders.

Image Credit: robertstinnett, Flickr

The Trunk Club is an Oregon-based startup that offers men a female personal shopper via Skype video. Shoppers consult with men online to determine their fashion requirements, then FedEx them a set of clothes for free. TechCrunch’s Erick Schonfeld describes the service:

Once a man (the service is only for men) gets his “trunk” of clothes, he tries them on via another Skype session (he is supposed to change off camera, but I am sure some perv customers will “forget”), gives his feedback to his personal shopper, and then decide which ones to keep. He can return any or all of the clothes at no expense to him. He only pays for what he keeps.

The Trunk Club was started by Joanna Van Vleck, a personal stylist who opened up a showroom for her clients in Bend, Oregon. She was planning to open up retail outlets across the country where men could come in for their personal shopping sessions, but her angel investor backed out after the economy tanked. By necessity, she turned to the Skype model and only needed $50,000 in angel capital to get going. She has been in private beta with about 600 customers for the past six months. She now has 21 shopping experts working on commission, and is adding 5 to 6 every month. The Trunk Club’s hybrid approach is both high touch and scalable at the same time. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more retail concepts like this spring up in different categories, with real people helping you make a buying decision over Web video.

Read the whole article here (recommended).

Sounds like a boon for a select group of well-off single guys. It also helps that the women working for the service are all attractive.

I would like to see a similar service for women.

“Consumers may be casting a glimmer of hope for retailers, but the survey results indicate that value will top their shopping lists this year,” said Stacy Janiak, vice chairman and U.S. Retail leader, Deloitte LLP. “Although retailers may not see as many wallets snapping shut as they did in late 2008, consumers still plan to stretch their dollars, telling us that that their shopping remains constrained. Retailers should focus on delivering the best incentives and in-store experiences to get the most out of the back-to-school season this year.”

In addition to general inflation-related concerns for keeping back-to-school spending under control, consumers surveyed by Deloitte cited additional reasons for spending less this year:

• 22% indicated a loss of job in their household
• 17% expressed fear of a job loss
• 32% said they are saving more (up 10% from last year)
• 33% are paying down debt

Those who said the economy was weak or in a recession represented 85 percent of respondents, down 10 percentage points from last year. Fourteen percent currently believe the economy is starting to recover.

Discount Stores Rejoice

The winners in this recovering-but-not-quite-there economy may be discount retailers. At least if you believe the 90 percent of respondents who indicated they will do their back-to-school shopping at discount/value department stores.

Other changes for those polled included:

• Buying more items on sale
• Buying only what their families need
• Buying more lower-priced back-to-school items
• Using more store coupons
• Shopping at different (less expensive) stores than they usually do
• Buying private label brands
• Comparison shopping online 

What’s Getting Cut?

As you can imagine, clothing will be hit the hardest (81% of people say they’ll cut back on clothes), followed by shoes (49%). School supplies and backpacks take less of a hit, but around a third of respondents said they’d be cutting back on both of those as well.

“In today’s tough environment, retailers’ principal marketing strategies should include coupons, sales and loyalty programs,” said Janiak. “And with more than three-quarters of shoppers expecting to do the bulk of their shopping in August, retailers can implement promotions now that may encourage customers to spend a greater share of the back-to-school budget in one place. Campaigns that are both strategic and creative, such as mobile alerts or coupons, can target a specific customer segment, better engage shoppers and build loyalty.” 

Green Brings in the Green

The survey pointed to consumers’ continued interest in the green category. More than four in 10 (41 percent) survey respondents said they will likely seek out “green” products this back-to-school season, and more than three in 10 (31 percent) said they will likely seek out green retailers, both numbers remaining steady from 2008.

“Given the importance of understanding what consumers value, retailers should consider how they might be able to capitalize upon the sustained interest from their customers in not just eco-friendly items but practices that define the company, such as store design, materials and energy efficiency.”

For more information about Deloitte’s Retail sector, please visit www.deloitte.com/us/retail.

Image Credit: laffy4k, Flickr

A select few of these items truly do rake in money for their manufacturers. Thanks to spammers, you are probably already familiar with most of them. We decided to research which sexual enhancers are most profitable.

For the purposes of this article, sexual enhancer is defined as a product that improves the sexual experience. Because statistics in this niche either do not exist or are prohibitively expensive, we researched this article independently. We based the most profitable sexual enhancers on a combination of markup and sales volume. Our evidence comes from surveying sex shops and conducting online research. This list of 10 is the result.

Viagra
(Sildenafil)

First released in 1998, Pfizer’s Viagra was the first erectile dysfunction drug to hit the market. Researchers unexpectedly discovered the drug’s true benefits while using it on angina patients. It did little for the heart condition, but did have one prominent side effect—erections. So Pfizer changed gears, and the worldwide market rose to the occasion.

More than a decade later, the Blue Pill is still going strong. Pfizer reported $1.9 billion in sales revenues last year alone. Generic Viagra won’t be available until 2011, so the drug’s trajectory remains stiff.

Note: Viagra, as well as the other ED drugs mentioned below, are licensed and approved for erectile dysfunction. ED is a medical condition requiring multiple exams, diagnostic studies, and long-term care. However, drug companies have marketed the drug for enhancement purposes, and the market has picked them up as such. We don’t want to encourage pill-popping. Yet we also can’t ignore market forces, so we included these drugs on our list as sexual enhancers.

Cialis
(Lilly)

Cialis is like Viagra…on Viagra. Eli Lilly’s little pill, unlike its shorter-lived forebear, lasts up to 36 hours. Its patent also has a longer life, so Lilly will be enjoying the benefits of its “Weekend Pill” for some time to come. 2008 sales amounted to $1.44 billion.

Lube

People will pay more than $10/bottle for a bottle of personal lubricant. Apparently, reducing friction during sexual activity is that important. The lube market is so lucrative that manufacturers now develop the product in niches. Warming lube, scented, thick, thin, desensitizing, spermicidal—there’s something for everyone.

Most brands of lube come from humble beginnings. K-Y Jelly started as a surgical lubricant. Astroglide, meanwhile, was the result of a chemistry accident.

Chemist Dan Wray, founder and CEO of Astroglide manufacturer BioFilms, was working on a space shuttle’s cooling at Edwards Airforce Base when he discovered Astroglide.

“I was trying to remove the oil from anhydrous ammonia and I ended up with this substance,” he is quoted as saying in this North County Times article. “I gave a pint of it to a co-worker as a gag gift, and when he came back for a refill, I knew I had a product.”

Cock Rings

According to the 2008 Durex Sexual Wellbeing Survey, of men have reported trouble sustaining an erection. Enter the cock ring. This circular device, made of silicon, rubber, or other materials, sits at the base of the penis, where it constricts blood flow. As a result, men can hold erections for longer periods of time. With a cock ring, the erect penis can also become larger and harder.

No wonder cock rings fly off sex shop shelves. Our sources say that single-use cock rings, like the one by Trojan (pictured above), are especially popular. Vibrators mounted on top of the cock rings add extra pleasure. They’re disposable, so newbies can experiment without committing to a higher-priced ring.

The Rabbit

Arguably the bestselling vibrator in the world, the rabbit was popularized by episode 9 of the first series of Sex and the City. The rabbit, a clitoral/anal stimulator mounted on a dildo, penetrates the vagina and tickles the clitoris (or anus) at the same time. The dildo component may rotate, contain plastic pearls, or function at several different vibration intensities. And if Sex and the City wasn’t enough, someone also made a mockumentary about the rabbit.

Levitra
(Bayer)

Bayer’s Levitra is another Viagra-like addition to the ED pack. Unfortunately for Bayer, it doesn’t have Cialis’ half-life, or Bayer’s first-mover advantages. One expert says that the rigidity and “speed of erection” offered by Levitra make it the levitator of choice for some. Still, it only made an estimated $354 million last year, lagging far behind its peers.

The Butterfly

The ancient Greeks used vulvar massage to treat hysteria. Once a patient reached “hysterical paroxysm,” she was cured. The practice continued through the 19th century, when medical professionals decided that mechanizing the manual process might save time and effort. Enter the vibrator, an electric device that allowed women to attain paroxysm in under 10 minutes. (From Slate Magazine.)

The butterfly is one of the most popular modern vibrators on the market. The butterfly itself sits on the clitoris and labia, stimulating both through vibrations. Straps around the thighs or waist hold it in place. You activate it through either an attached control panel or a remote control. Best yet, the vibe fits in your pocket, or underneath your pants.

Herbal enhancer pills

Herbal sexual enhancer pills are sold over-the-counter. They are usually made from a combination of herbal stimulants, amino acids, and/or synthetic hormones. People buy the pills as alternatives to prescription drugs like Viagra. Many boast flashy brand names, like Stiffnights. Common substances in herbal enhancers include:

Yohimbine: Derived from the bark of a tree native to Africa. Stimulates sexual desire and contributes to erections.

Horny Goat Weed: From a forest plant native to Asia and Europe. Is said to cause erections.

Yi Ye Cao: A Chinese herb that stimulates ejaculation.

Tongkat Ali: Southeast Asian herb said to enhance testosterone.

Manufacturers claim that one pill can last up to 2 days. The FDA does not regulate herbal enhancers, so they do carry an element of risk. Nonetheless, these easy solutions have been around for millennia, and consumers show no signs of quitting them.

Supplements

An apple a day may keep the MD away, but a pill a day will give you a Ron Jeremy-sized endowment. Just ask the guys trying to sell you supplements like VigRX and Extenze. They’ll tell you all about how their main event grew 3 inches in four months. Impossible, thinks you? Perhaps. But people still buy the stuff. Which means spammers really do have a primordial notion of supply and demand.

If you really do think your penis will grow by taking supplements, bear in mind that, like herbal sexual enhancers, they’re mostly made from herbs, amino acids, and synthetic hormones. And, Mr. Big, they are not FDA-approved. Take them at your own risk.

The We-Vibe

Sometimes people get famous. Other times, objects grab national attention. Like Nintendo Wiis and Tickle-Me-Elmos. And vibrators. Like the We-Vibe. This deceptively simple, pocket-sized gadget has made global headlines, attended Oscar parties, and been featured in magazines. The little purple happy-maker stimulates the G-spot and the clitoris at the same time. As the “We” part of the name indicates, it even leaves room for a man.

The $130 vibe, which, incidentally, was created by a laid-off Nortel engineer, flew off shelves last holiday season. It shows no signs of stopping. Will this miracle vag clamp ends up a fad or a classic? Time, as measured in female orgasms, will tell.

Most women will agree that shopping for a bathing suit is one of the most unpleasant tasks of the year. Land’s End has created a new, interactive website that allows women to shop in the convenience and privacy of home. If they can win over women who usually shop in stores, but opt to go online for this one purchase, they may attract a whole new client base.

A lot of the the hesitance people have about buying clothing or shoes online have to do with getting the right fitting and feeling confident that returns will be painless. But once these objections are overcome, when a customer knows how a brand’s cuts fit her, and knows that anything not quite right can be easily exchanged or returned, then she’s potentially a customer for a very long time.

The new Land’s End site, The Island, with its waves audio, images of cabanas, and flowing waterfall is a little corny, but also sort of nice and relaxing. It just might work. And they are doing quite a lot of social network based marketing within the online mom demographic. They’ve also added a sweepstakes component.

“This season, we wanted to make the Lands’ End swimsuit shopping experience even more unique and exciting by creating an online destination,” said Joan Conlin, vice president of customer services, Lands’ End. “The Island offers women an interactive getaway, transporting them to a beautiful island retreat featuring the ultimate swimsuit experiences.”

Will it work? 

What’s the best online retail site you’ve seen lately? 

Image Credit: LandsEnd.com screenshot

1. Noise Canceling Headphones

Estimated price: $80

Whether headed to a dorm room or a crowded shared apartment, your grad will sometimes wish for peace and quiet. Noise canceling headphones make this a real possibility. They work well in coffee shops, crowded libraries, planes, and other loud spaces. Besides removing noise, they are highly responsive to all levels and tones of music, creating a fantastic listening experience.

2. Bluetooth Headset

Estimated price: $32

Driving and dialing can be a risky prospect. A wireless Bluetooth headset will ensure that your grad has no excuse to avoid a hands-free hookup. You might want to pick one up for yourself, too.

3. GPS

Estimated price: $160

If your grad is heading off to a new city, help them find their way with a GPS. Garmin’s products fit a variety of gift budgets.

4. The Naked Roommate Book

Estimated price: $15

This smart, witty, informative book is an indispensable guide for parents and college-bound students alike. Bonus: It’s cheap! (If you don’t like this particular book, bookstores offer a variety of other guides in the genre.)

5. Digital Camera

Estimated price: $156

If your grad still snaps pictures with her cell phone, upgrade her to a real camera. A small camera like the Canon Powershot packs a digital punch without being heavy in weight or price.

6. Gym Membership

Estimated price: $25/month

College-related stress can lead grads to neglect their diets–and, more often than not, grow beer bellies while they’re at it. A gym membership will help college freshman keep off the pounds, or help recent grads stay focused, healthy and fit while searching the want ads. Cheaper memberships cost about $25/month.

7. Luggage Set

Estimated price: $100

A quality luggage set can accompany your grad through trips back home, weekend excursions with friends, and, hopefully, high-powered job interviews in the big city. A good set will last up to a decade.

8. Professional Clothes

Estimated price: $150

Take your student shopping with you, or buy them a gift card to purchase their own set of professional clothes. Men need a tie and some slacks, while most women could use a pants suit or blouse/skirt combo.

9. Stock

Estimated price: As low as $1

If you can’t afford a big stock investment, buy as little as one share of company stock, then have it framed. Not only does a framed stock certificate remind a young grad to invest, but it acts as artwork to replace all those old dorm room posters. Best yet, it could increase in value over the years.

10. College Survival Kit

Estimated price: $50

You can construct your own care package, but it won’t have all the cool graphics and packaging featured in ready-made packages like the one above.

11. Resume Writing Package

Estimated price: $75

Offer your grad the chance to polish their resume through a professional writing service. Many specialize in college grads.

12. A Cooler/Grill Combo

Estimated price: $153

If your graduating student likes sports, this is the perfect gift. Tailgaters will be floored when they see this all-in-one roll up before the big game. It’s also handy for camping or BBQ-ing out in the quad.

13. A Roadside Safety Kit

Estimated price: $45

Make sure your grad doesn’t get stranded on the open road with a kit that includes rain gear, a first-aid box, snow equipment, jumper cables, and other necessary items. The fun safety kit featured above works well for young women hitting the road.

14. Beach Gift Basket

Estimated price: $65

If your college bound student is attending a college close to the ocean or has recently graduated, consider a fun, practical beach gift set like the one above, which includes a towel, snacks, a tote bag, sunscreen, margarita glasses- and mix, tortilla chips, salsa, and a frisbee.

15. NASCAR Experience

Estimated price: $129

Your NASCAR-loving grad will never forget the experience of flying down the track at over 180mph. The 3-lap qualifying run above, which costs $129, will give them the rush of a lifetime.

16. Spice Rack

Estimated price: $90

For the recent graduate who will be moving into their own place soon, a spice rack (complete with spices) makes an excellent gift. Spices can be expensive–your grad will appreciate a complete starter set.

17. Graduation Photo Album

Estimated price: $55

The photo album idea may be tired, but some companies offer original designs that bring life back into the book. For example, Uncommon Goods‘ hand-finished copper and acid-free sleeves makes it memorable memory-keeper.

18. Passport

Estimated price: $75

Remind your grad that the world is at their fingertips by helping them renew their passport. Even those without immediate travel plans will remember that eye-opening experiences are just a plane flight away. Add a cheap plane ticket as a bonus, if you can afford it.

19. Solar Powered Backpack

Estimated price: $199

The hip Gen Yers graduating from high school or college this year don’t consider themselves green so much as they consider everyone else to be dull gray. Show them that you understand their eco-coolness by outfitting them with a solar-powered backpack that will charge iPhones, laptops, and other necessary devices.

20. The Perfect Alarm Clock

Estimated price: $115

Does your grad’s clock radio have FM, Wifi, MP3, USB, headphone plug, a line out for RCA speakers, internet search capabilities, and two alarm settings with several different tones? Advanced clocks, like the one featured above, will make sure your favorite scholar has no excuse to sleep in. The lithium ion backup battery shorts any power outage excuses, too.

1. Framed photos or kids’ art. Hobby retailers like Joanne’s offer discount frames for photos and art. Meanwhile, Costco offer dirt cheap, high-quality photo printing. If you shop frugally, you can give your mother a professional-looking framed picture for less than $40. She’ll love it.

2. Maid service. Many maids charge between $20-30/hour. Give your mom a welcome break by hiring house help for an hour or two.

3. A picnic. Pack a basket with reasonably-priced wine, cheese, crackers, fruit, finger sandwiches, and cookies, then take your mom out to a beautiful place for a picnic. Active moms might enjoy a hike or bike ride to a scenic spot; otherwise, drive to your local beach, lake, viewpoint, or park, and enjoy one another’s company.

4. An outing. Your mom is sure to appreciate a trip to your local botanical garden, arboretum, animal sanctuary, museum, or other budget-friendly place of interest. Your company will matter just as much to her as the setting—or more.

5. Spa treatment. Spa Week is over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find an inexpensive treatment for your mom. Many spas offer promotions or coupons to lure in customers on Mother’s Day. You can also select a less expensive option from the spa menu, like a manicure or pedicure. Your mom will feel pampered, and you won’t feel broke.

6. Brunch at a restaurant. Some restaurants offer free meals for moms on Mother’s Day. Shop around for promotions and coupons, and you may be able to score one for under $50 for you and your mom.

7. Dinner of the Month Club. Give your mom the gift of delicious free food with a dinner of the month club membership. A couple of months could cost you under $50, depending on the club. Or try a chocolate, cheese, or coffee of the month club. Gifts.com has a selection of 30 different types of clubs.

8. Wine, chocolate, or cheese tasting. Take your mom out for a special day of sampling local wines, cheeses, or chocolates. Many wineries charge less than $10 for a tasting visit. If you’re lucky enough to live near a chocolatier or creamery, see if they offer tastings. Otherwise, you can create your own cheese or chocolate plate with gourmet cheese purchased at the supermarket, and have a tasting session at home.

9. A night at a bed & breakfast. Look for off-season deals in less-travelled places, and you could score a room at a B&B for $50 or less. Have your dad, or whoever will be sharing the room with your mom, chip in another $50, and you’ll have a better selection of rooms. If everyone in the family chips in, you could get mom some much-appreciated luxury.

10. Cooking class. Though many cooking classes run on the expensive side, your local community college, YMCA, or even cooking school might have a class for $50 or less. Look for promotions. Other alternative for Mom include online cooking classes or personal chef consultations in her own kitchen (look on Craigslist for personal chefs). Your mother will be pleased at a chance to improve her cooking skills with a pro.

11. Help her with chores. Give your mom a day off by doing the grocery shopping, helping in the garden, or cleaning the house.

12. Breakfast in bed. This oldie but goodie is still a sure winner with most moms. Find recipe ideas here.

13. Home video. Make a home video of you and the kids. Create a theme around why you appreciate mom or grandma. Put it on a DVD for her, and play it on Mother’s Day. She’ll have treasured memories to keep forever.

14. Photo album. Create a photo album of you and the kids. It doesn’t have to be a big photo album. Most thrift stores sell an abundance of smaller photo albums. Decorate the cover and dedicate it to Mom.

15. Gas card. Not the most intimate of gifts, but a good, practical one for the upcoming summer road trip season.

16. Scrapbook of memories with Mom. Find some pictures of your family, your mother, you and your mother, and your kids. Have the kids join in to create a scrapbook dedicated to fun and good times with mom. More on how to create a scrapbook. http://www.scrapbookscrapbook.com/beginners.html

17. A book. Buy your mom a book she’s been meaning to read. Couple the book with a card telling her you’ll make her breakfast or do errands for the day. That way, she’ll have time to start reading it.

18. Custom tote bag. Most hobby stores sell canvas tote bags for rock-bottom prices. Use fabric paint, stamps, and even your kids’ handprints to decorate the bag. Moms love these personalized, practical gifts.

19. A houseplant. An exotic houseplant or flowering garden plant is a lasting gift that your mom can enjoy every day.

20. Seed packets or vegetable plants for your mother’s garden. Seed packets will still work for locations with a long growing season. Otherwise, buy your mom some baby tomato, pepper, or basil plants for her garden.

21. Gardening kit. Put together a homemade gardening kit with a bag of soil, bags of seeds, bulbs, or several plants, a spade, gloves, and anything else your gardening mom might appreciate. Put everything inside a big pot or basket, and tie it together with a bow.

22. Homemade gift basket. EHow has a step-by-step guide on how to make your mother an inexpensive gift basket.

23. Memory jar. Write six of your favorite memories on colorful strips of paper. Have your siblings or kids each add six of their own. Please the strips inside a big Mason jar. Decorate or paint the jar, and tie it with a bow.

24. Make her dinner. Create a menu and decorative table setting. Cook something fancy or special, like tapas. Finish it off with your mom’s favorite desert.

25. Pottery painting. Most cities have DIY pottery shops, where your mom can select a ceramic piece for as little as a couple of dollars, paint it herself, and get it professionally glazed and kilned. Sign your mom up for a class, or, better yet, join her for a painting session.

26. Movie date. Treat your mom to a movie. Buy her popcorn and soda. Make it a surprise.

27. Print coupons. Visit online coupon sites and print out coupons that your mother can use—the more, the better. Arrange them into a custom coupon book.

28. A Bag, Borrow or Steal item. You can get your mom a Gucci purse for a week for less than $50 with a designer rental outlet like Bag, Borrow, or Steal. It’s a fun way to help her live it up, style-wise.

29. Homemade baked goods. This gift works especially well if you have kids. Bake your mom cookies, a cake, brownies, or even homemade chocolate. Have the kids pitch in with baking and decorating the goodies. Place them on a nice plate (if you can customize that, even better), wrap them in pretty cellophane, and top them off with a bow.

30. Aromatherapy and a soothing CD. Buy your mom a small bottle of essential oil and a relaxing CD—or make your own custom CD for her. Take it a step up by mixing the essential oil with Epsom salts and bottling the mixture just for your mom.

31. A concert. If your mother’s favorite big-name artist is too pricey, go for a smaller name in her genre of choice. Summertime jazz concerts, symphonies, and lunchtime shows are often discounted—check out your city’s summer schedule for more details.

32. Potted herbs for the kitchen. We can’t emphasize it enough—plants, rather than flowers, are a good idea for mother’s day. If your mom already has enough houseplants, try some potted basil, sage, thyme, or rosemary for her window sill. She can chop and use the herbs whenever she wants.

33. A letter. Handwrite a letter of gratitude to your mom on nice stationary, then mail it to her in time for Mother’s Day. You can’t beat the personal touch—or price.

34. High-quality chocolate. You can purchase some seriously fancy chocolate for far less than $50. Visit your local Whole Foods or specialty store for rare, fancy, and foreign chocolate.

35. A donation to your mom’s favorite charity. Plant a tree, educate a child, or help cancer research in your mom’s name. Most charities offer gift cards or e-cards for gift donations. This website has more.

36. An edible arrangement. Buy your mom flowers she can eat. People love these innovative bouquets, most of which cost less than $50.

37. Magazine subscription. Most magazine subscriptions are dirt cheap right now. Look for deals on your mom’s favorite magazine, from Elle to the New Yorker, which is amazingly going for $40/year at time of writing.

38. Perfume. Buy Mom a couple of small perfume samplers, or look for one of a wide range of quality perfumes under $50. If she has expensive taste, ask your local retailer for perfumes similar to her favorite scent that are also within your price range.

39. Mother’s Day cruise. Avoid pricey dinner cruises and go for a lunch cruise, which is often up to $40 cheaper.

40. A beading set. Crafty moms will appreciate a custom-made set of beading wire, clasps, and handpicked beads. You can purchase a wide range of beautiful items at your local bead store for little money.

41. Sandals, flip flops, or espadrilles. Women love pretty shoes, especially during the summer sandal season. Find some cute, open-toed shoes that your mom might like to strut. Most cost less than $50.

42. Cosmetics. Even one good bottle of mascara can make all the difference in a woman’s makeup set. Finding a couple of high-quality pieces of makeup or cream for your mom will make her day. Avoid wrinkle creams and deodorant.

43. A bottle of her favorite alcohol. This could include a wine, sherry, a keg of beer…whatever will make your mom happy.

44. Yoga or massage items. The yoga/massage genre is a big hit among moms. Pilates foam rollers, self massagers, eye pillows, and inspiration books usually only set you back around $20. Buy them online for better deals.

45. A babysitter and a date. If your mom still has kids to care for, buy her a night off by hiring a babysitter, then taking her out to dinner or a movie.

46. Book of kids’ artwork. Compile a homemade book of your childrens’ artwork. Have them make a fancy cover for it, and bind it with string. Mom will love flipping through the masterpieces.

47. Custom doormats. Buy inexpensive doormats, then have your kids step on latex paint, then leave their colorful footprints on the mat. This gift is especially good for proud grandmas.

48. Personalized jewelry. Design custom bracelets, pendants, and other jewelry using photographs and engraved names. Many online retailers offer this kind service.

49. Wind chimes. Outdoors, they make pleasant sounds; indoors, they’re good feng shui. Wind chimes, like these Japanese pond bells, are inexpensive and attractive.

50. Beach gear. A nice wrap, beach towel, pair of cute sunglasses, or floppy hat will help your mom enjoy the upcoming summer season in style.

It’s a national tradition for companies to offer tax day deals. This year, a variety of chain restaurants are discounting and even giving away free food. We’ve included a comprehensive list below. (Note: Some offers are regional. Call or visit the store nearest you to see what’s on offer.)

McDonald’s: Offers vary by region. Some locations are offering free coffee; others are offering a buy one-get the second for a penny deal for Big Macs and Quarter Pounders.

Cinnabon: Free bite-size cinnamon rolls between 5pm-8pm.

P.F. Changs: 15% discount on meals today.

T.G.I. Friday’s: If you spend more than $15 on food and drinks, you get a $5 gift card. If you spend more than $25, they give you $10.

Chick-fil-A: Some locations are allowing customers to buy a meal today, save the receipt, and receive the same meal–free–sometime within the next 30 days when you show your receipt. Others are offering free desert.

Papa John’s: Order a large, three-topping cheese pizza online for $10.40.

Donatos Pizza: Some stores will be offering pizzas for $4.15 on a first-come, first-served basis.

Maggie Moo’s: One free scoop of ice cream.

Walgreen’s: 15% off online orders with the coupon code TAXED.

McCormick & Schmick: Offering $10.40 dinner gift coupons for taxpayers.

Dunkin Donuts: One free doughnut when you buy a cup of coffee.

Panera: Free coffee tomorrow, April 16 only.

Zazzle.com: 10.4% off clothing orders with TAXDAYZAZZLE code.

Taco Del Mar: One free taco after you print out a coupon from their website.

Chipotle: No free burritos this year. Sorry.