Turn a Memory into a Treasured Piece of Art...for only $50!!

Looking for the perfect gift for the Grandparents? Want to have a special memory transformed in to a treasured heirloom? We all have special moments in our lives that have been captured on camera, now it's time to turn them in to a one-of-a-kind piece of art!

Today's daily deal helps you accomplish this for less!  66% less to be specific!  For $50, you will receive a $150 certificate to put towards a unique, hand-painted Portrait by Brushstrokes®!  These oil-on-canvas originals come hand signed by the master artist who paints your original piece of art, and includes a Certificate of Authenticity. This is your chance to give a truly unique gift, or to transform your memories in to art, without spending a fortune!  Head over to Friends and Family Circle today to get this great deal and order by December 3rd to make sure you receive your portrait before Christmas.

Black Friday Shopping Tips

'Twas the night before Black Friday
And shoppers galore
Vowed to not shut their eyes
Lest they miss getting to the stores

For the early doorbusters
They wanted to catch
So when those doors opened
They’d be part of the first batch

So they stayed up all night
Clipping through coupons
Mapping out shopping routes
And munching on croutons

But what should they wear?
It’s bound to be hectic
There’ll be tons of people out
So it’s got to be something basic

Like leggings and a cami
Hoping the weather’s not wetter
And just in case it gets chilly
They’ll bring along a sweater

They’re prepared for the lines
Looking forward to the deals
Let’s hope they find time
To fit in a meal!

And when Black Friday ends
They’ll rest until Sunday
Then start prepping again
To catch deals on Cyber Monday!

Black Friday is almost here. Can you feel the anxiety? And the excitement?!   Friends and Family Circle is here to ease your concerns and give you some tips to make this Black Friday a fulfilling experience!

• Arrive Early – You want to be in and out quickly. Maximize your time so you can make it to as many stores as possible!
• Try the Outlets – Outlet stores are usually where the best deals are.  If you can make it out to the outlet shops, you’re in for bigger and better offers!
• Check Online for Deals – It’s important to know in ADVANCE what’s on sale. Is it an all day sale? Or just a few hours in the morning? ALWAYS READ THE FINE PRINT!
• Dress Comfortably – Leggings and camisole under a sweater are comfortable.  And you can do quick try-ons on the sale floor. Who doesn’t like avoiding fitting room lines?!
• BE SAFE – Black Friday is definitely a busy time.  If you’re driving, make sure your purchases are hidden in your vehicle. Take a friend with you if possible. And if you can, leave the children home!

Happy Black Friday Shopping!

Thanksgiving Traditions

Just two more days until Thanksgiving!  Can you smell the Turkey? The cranberry sauce? We all know the Turkey Day staples.  So that got us thinking about Thanksgiving traditions!  A lot of us have traditions that revolve around food (OF COURSE!).  Others have family traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Here are our Top 5 Thanksgiving Traditions!

1. TURKEY MEAL: Well, that's a no-brainer!  The turkey meal is probably the MOST popular tradition.  Some go for a deep-fried turkey (have a fire extinguisher handy if you go this route), while others choose the vegan option (a Tofu-rkey). Whatever your preference, it's usually served alongside stuffing and sweet cranberry sauce!
2. GIVING THANKS: This is what Thanksgiving is all about!  Before the big meal is served, you go around the table and have each person say what they are thankful for, which gives you an opportunity to take a moment to reflect on everything and start thinking of some resolutions you want to make for next year!
3. BREAKING THE WISHBONE: Ever fought over the "lucky break"? A longstanding tradition is making a wish on the wishbone from the bird.  If you get the piece with the head on it, it's said that your wish will come true!
4. MACY'S DAY PARADE: This annual event is enjoyed by millions of people! The balloons, floats and bands are what make the parade such a huge event that is televised every Thanksgiving!
5. BLACK FRIDAY PREP: Pull out those circulars - it's time to shop!  Once your food has settled, it's time to get together a game plan for Black Friday. The stores open early so many take Thanksgiving evening to prepare and map their routes for early bird specials in the wee hours of the next morning!

Do you follow any of these traditions?  Is there something unique just to your family that you want to share? Remember it's never too late to start a new tradition!  The holidays are fun, take a step back from all the prep and craziness and just enjoy what is really important, being with family and friends!!

Today's Daily Deal: The World at your Fingertips for only $10!!

It’s Friday! You know what that means? You are only a few hours away from a happy hour, two days of no alarm clock, AND a NEW Friends and Family Circle deal!!!  (we know this last one is what you're really excited about!).

For ONLY $10, you can get a 10 Week Subscription of USA TODAY; or get a 25-week subscription for $49!  That's up to 80% off the newsstand price and it makes a perfect holiday gift for almost everyone! The businessman wanting to keep up with their stocks and trades; the sports fanatic who wants to stay on top of their favorite teams and easily track their fantasy football league with the free e-zine that comes with each subscription; the world traveler who wants to know what new, exotic location to visit next...you get the idea, just about everyone on your list!  Subscriptions start immediately so once you purchase, all you have to do is...well nothing!  Your first issue will arrive in 3-4 weeks and you can begin being in the know!  Who needs to keep up with the Jones' when you are already one step ahead of them!

Gift Ideas Sprinkled with Creativity

You love holiday shopping! But there’s always that one person.  The best friend who has everything.  The boss who can never be impressed.  Someone you just started dating and you don't want to send the wrong message. Well don't get nervous, Friends and Family Circle is here to help! Here are some great ideas to help get your creativity gears rollin' before you hit the Black Friday sales that are just around the corner!!!!

If you're gift-hunting for someone loves business, politics and the like, you may want to buy them a subscription to a publication that covers these topics. A subscription to Bloomberg Businessweek or USA Today shows you understand their interests and with various subscription options, it really is the gift that keeps on giving!

What about that friend who's a sports fanatic? Consider a gift certificate to help them better their game - if they're in to sailing, look into weekend charter courses, in to golf, maybe a lesson with a Pro!  A simple Google search will return lots of local options in your area, and it again shows you know and understand them!

Have a boss with an indescribable taste palette when it comes to wine or whiskey? How about an old bottle of one of their favorites?  They'll be very impressed!  Dress it up in a gift basket and add some pairings such as nuts, cheeses, cigars, etc.  This lets you decide how much you want to spend, and helps you put something together quickly that shows A LOT of thought!

You want your gift to be memorable. With a little thought and a sprinkle of creativity, you can give the gift that gets the right reaction, and sends the right message!  You don't have to spend a lot to show how much you care!

50% Off at MrsFields.com!

Its here! That scrumdiddlyumptious deal we've been talking about is finally here! Purchase your voucher NOW and receive  50% off at MrsFields.com. For only $15, you'll get $30 worth of treats from one of the most recognizable names in baked goods. That's right - $30 worth of yummy goodies!  Pick up something for the Thanksgiving dinner table... or your secret cookie jar stash!

This SWEET deal won't last forever so head over to Friends and Family Circle to retrieve your coupon!  You only have THIS WEEKEND to get in on the goods!!  Saving money never tasted so delicious!

Holiday Host Gift-Giving Tips

Guess what? It’s November.  That means holiday party invites will be rolling out any time now!  Whether you’re heading over to Grandma’s house or your BFF’s apartment, don’t show up empty handed! It’s never too early to start preparing for holiday parties.

Firstly, it’s important to KNOW your host. For example, don’t show up with a bottle of wine if your host doesn’t drink alcohol!  Go for something fun and creative that any host or hostess will love! The best gifts are the ones that stand out because of their unique and personal touch.  Try a gift basket of goodies like freshly baked cookies and a chocolate candy assortment with things like truffles and toffees.

Say your host doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, but you still want to the get them something edible - try an assortment of teas or hot chocolates!  These goodies are festive and can be sipped by the fireside during the holidays. 

Aromatherapy gifts are great gifting ideas and a welcome alternative to cookies and candies.  Just make sure your products use all natural fragrances, just in case your host has a sensitive nose.

While you shop for the perfect gift, choose something that is not too personal, but not too generic either.  Remember: A holiday party is NOT complete until you’ve picked out the right gift for your host!

Check in with us tomorrow for a deal that may make the task of deciding on a gift a little bit more delicious!

Oops... We're Back !

Whoops! Our blog was down for a little bit but we're back in business! Did you miss us? Because we missed YOU!

We launched our first deal this past Friday. For $10, people received $20 worth of beauty products from Trade Secret or Beauty Express! Cool, right? If you missed that, we've got something to lift your spirits. There's a pretty SWEET deal coming to you this Friday. Trust us, you DON'T want to miss it.

How do you like your treats? Crunchy? Chocolaty? Salty? Peanut-Buttery with a hint of Caramel? Or maybe topped with frosting? In an assortment of colors? All of the above? Our mouths are watering just thinking about what's to come! Just two more days until we give you a deal you can sink your teeth into!!!

The holiday season is right around the corner so this deal comes at the perfect time. Keep checking in with our blog for updates and don't forget to sign up to receive deals from Friends and Family Circle!

Building A Business

Can you believe it? After months of developing and planning for Friends and Family Circle, we’re finally launching – and we couldn’t be more excited!

Some of you may be wondering how Friends and Family Circle came about. With all the social buying sites out there, why start up another? For one, we don’t think people EVER get tired of saving money! But really, it was something we were passionate about. 

Friends and Family Circle is a company under Datran Media, a leading digital marketing company. That being the case, we already had a great relationship with top national brands and a huge group of email subscribers, so we were positioned to be able to deliver the best offers, across the country, not just in major markets.  Everyone likes to save right?  So shouldn't everyone have the chance to get a great deal even if they don't live in New York, Chicago or LA?  We think so.  

We started the process of developing Friends and Family Circle this past Spring. What you see now is significantly different from our original idea, but in a good way. It’s definitely more mature. We had to revamp a bunch of things and we learned a lot in the process. When we started, there wasn’t a lot of market research that existed on social buying sites that dealt primarily with national offers.  There was information available for local sites, but even that was skewed. It was tough in the beginning, but we had to make informed decisions.  We had to ask ourselves, “How do we make this work from a consumer’s standpoint AND a retailer’s standpoint?”  Friends and Family Circle had to be something that worked for everyone.

So we got a bunch of teams on the project.  The creative crew worked tirelessly on developing our branding– logo and all.  HTML coders made sure that whatever the creative team was working on worked across multiple platforms. Technical engineers worked on the website, the e-commerce platform and made sure functionality was in place.  Our legal team checked out our privacy policy and terms of service, making sure consumers and brands were protected. And the sales team did their thing with the brands they managed.

Now we’re a day away from our launch and we’re very proud! For those of you looking to start a business of your own, we’d like to share our top 5 tips!

• Have a clear vision
• Be open to change
• Do your research and establish a clear understanding of the market
• Create a brand that will be recognizable across various channels (online, mobile, etc.) and is unique to your product
• Listen to the experts - you know what you want to do, but listen to those around you who have experience in finance, legal, branding, etc - receiving input and listening to it will indefinitely make your business more successful!

We hope that you’re looking forward to receiving offers that can be used wherever you are. There are deals from some very exciting national brands on the way!