If you need to shop online, or just browse the web for some cool stuff, here are a bunch of online stores and sites that I have come across.  I have either shopped at these sites or have just come across then in my travels on the web and so I have accumulated them in one spot with my comments.

Start Your Engines!
These days, no one escapes the fervor of NASCAR.  What little boy hasn't pretended to drive in the Daytona 500 for all 200 laps?  The NASCAR cafe in Las Vegas has an awesome virtual reality driving arcade where you actually get to sit and drive a NASCAR vehicle.   Mario Batali, the well known Italian chef - you know the one with the orange clogs and shorts, recently published a NASCAR cook book.  The world has gone NASCAR crazy!  If you're into NASCAR like almost the rest of the nation, where do you go to chat, learn and exchange stories?  Try NASCAR Space message board and see what everyone is all geared up about.

Race Weapons
If you own a Subaru, then this site is for you.  Now don’t get me wrong, the last thing I like doing is customizing my own ride, but I do like to shop for and buy the accessories and then hand them over to my friend who could assemble hundreds of mixed automotive parts into one Speed Racer that can turn heads.  Race Weapons is full of Subaru accessories that you can't or shouldn't do without.  There is nothing more fun than customizing your ride with some of the latest gadgets like a new shifter or exhaust system made by aftermarket manufacturers.  So, if you want to shop for some Subaru performance parts then speed on over to Race Weapons.

Word Press Themes
Word Press Themes are the hottest turn-key applications for creating a professional blog.  If you know anything about blogs, you know that in addition to content you want to make the blog appropriate to the subject matter that you are covering.  As an example, if you want to launch a blog about fashion, the last thing you want to do is have a theme that looks – well out of place like a sports theme.  Pre-built themes create instant credibility.  If you’re looking for a word press theme that is appropriate for your special project, then Top WP Themes is where you start.  Top WP Themes has a huge selection of styles and colors, such a three column, fixed widths and even advertising-ready themes – (just in case you want to make some money from your blog).  Take a quick look and you are sure to find word press themes at Top WP Themes that are right for you or your project.

Personalize Your MySpace Page
When MySpace was first launched, back in the day, it was cool because everyone got to do a little profile about themselves, but since then, it has become one of the coolest sites and the way to make your MySpace page really yours is to add a custom div layout which is essentially a pre-formatted template that you can add to your page to make it look like … well… make it look like more like what you want rather than settle for the same old stuff.  Free Divs offers many formats from a Scarface template to a South Park one.  If you’re looking for free divs then you should definitely pick one up from Free Divs to personalize your MySpace.

Your MySpace Can Be YourSpace
Some of the coolest mini sites you’ll ever see are on MySpace; this we all know, but to make it cool and make it your own, what you really need is pre-formatted layouts… so you can customize your page.  In searching around I came across a site which offers free layouts which covers everything from holiday themes to inspirational themes and even tweaks like hiding comments and adding scrollable friends and comment boxes.  Another cool feature that I found is a code generator to add customized quizzes to your site.  So, if you’re interested in customizing your MySpace page, and are looking for free MySpace layouts, visit Get on MySpace and start creating a page that is really yours.

Watch Live Football...err Soccer For You Yanks
One of the most overlooked sports here in the U.S. is soccer...otherwise known as football everywhere else on earth.  Now, for you guys and gals that don't get to watch all the international games while you're here in the States, you can watch live football from this site that I've found for a low per game fee.  What's the big deal... well for one... you can't watch any game unless you have a satellite antenna and well.... you can't have one on campus.  So the next best thing is getting the game live right on your PC.  By the way.... U.S. games can be viewed too.  So, if you want to watch some live football (you know soccer) give Watch Live Football a try!

Top Universities
Looking for a party school? – Don’t let your parents see this.
Looking to get some insight into different colleges? Head on over to Campus Grotto to get a perspective of the many colleges and universities that are covered on this site.  This site offers everything from the top party schools to a great assortment of YouTube college prank videos.  If your search involves more serious academic ambitions, then take a peek at their write-up of the best colleges to attend.  The site offers many tips on how to study and prepare for finals and some advice on procrastination.  I’ll cover more on procrastination later….  In the end, Campus Grotto is a compressive look at all things college.

What are you Doing? – I’m Going to Disney World!
Well… not really… But if you are, then you definitely want to check out this forum which covers everything from Walt Disney World to EPCOT and the Magic Kingdom.  This forum has some of the more popular answers to the major attractions as well as offering some advice on villa rentals and where to shop and dine.  So, if you plan on visiting Orlando Disney World, you might want to drop in on Orlando Visiting and see what advice and tips you can pick up before you get there.

Student Credit Cards
We all know how important having a good credit record is, but sometimes, it’s not just about how many t-shirts you get for free on campus.  In my wanderings, I’ve run across Credit Wisdom which has a comprehensive site concerning credit cards and the the ability to select, or at least compare credit card offerings from multiple providers.  Whether you are a student in search of your first credit card, a shopper looking to amass frequent flier miles, or a business looking for short term operations financing utilizing business credit cards, then you need to surf on over to Credit Wisdom to get an idea of what you could be eligible for.

Vacation Cruises
If you have ever wanted to go on a cruise, then you need to see what options are available these days.  From what I have always heard, cruising was for the retired crowd, but these days, everyone goes on cruises simply because the cruise companies have designed so many itineraries it's opened up a whole new world of options for anyone and any age group.  You can sail the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska and even Canadian waters.  Cruises are a real experience, so if you want to see what's available, look for discounts - since no one ever pays full price for anything.  I've found a great resource for cheap cruise vacations & discount cruises  if you're just interested in seeing what available.  Cruise on over to Cruise Vacation World and see all the cool options are available for you.

Think Before You Use Your Credit Card
I don’t think I can ever say enough about how important it is to have good credit.  The real problem, as I have seen and read is that many students want to have credit cards to supplement their disposable income, but like many consumers you end up getting caught up in the moment and never really realize that what you’re spending on credit you eventually have to re-pay.  At first glance, the math looks easy.  You can buy a new cell phone for $300 dollars in cash – or you can buy the same cell phone on credit for $25 dollars a month.  On the surface, it seems as though you would have $275 dollars left over to do other things.  But, if you accumulate enough of those credit transactions, you could end up paying $300 dollars a month – each and every month - and now you have a problem.  Good credit starts from good decisions and those decisions start with what kind of credit card you have or want.  Before you ever start just signing up for credit cards, start by looking for 0% credit cards.  These types of cards, while they are somewhat unique, can typically be found by card issuers who will not charge a fee if you make full payment within the first billing month.  If you want to learn more about 0% credit cards, then a great resource is Card Guide which has an entire site dedicated to credit cards, how to find the best ones, credit advice and comparing credit cards.  Visit Card Guide and get a pretty quick education before you commit.

A Second Chance For Your Finances
As you may know, there seems to be a real credit meltdown in the United States.  The problem stems predominantly from years of low interest rates coupled with low inflation.  At the same time, many credit card companies, in spite of lower operating costs and low cost of money, have kept their interest rates artificially high.  This economic phenomenon has left many consumers with high debt levels that they can barely service.  If you are one of the many feeling that squeeze, debt consolidation may be the way to go.  Debt consolidation helps get all your debt under one payment to achieve lower interest rates and more manageable payments.  In some cases, if you are able to approach your old lender with a lump sum payment, you may be able to re-negotiate a lower amount than what you owe.  In my wanderings I have run across Rebuild.org which helps consumers manage their credit and their loans to get that bit of breathing room they may need.  If you’re thinking of taking out debt consolidation loans, visit Rebuild.org and get an education or apply for a new loan.  You may just find a way out of your personal credit crunch.