I’m a homicidal maniac. Technically it’s plant-slaughter, because there is no premeditation. In fact, my motive is always the opposite. Like a true sociopath, I rationalized that the problem was not me, it was them. I was buying the wrong plants.

Are you the grim reaper of gardening? Get these three tried and true no-fail plants for the green thumb challenged and stop wasting your money on seed packets and plants that only look good in the picture and in the store. Like Mr. Death himself, you just showed up with tools. You didn’t do it.

Rose Bushes

The rose bush: so easy to care for, a coonhound could do it. Image by Elisa Self on Flickr. Some Rights Reserved.

Give yourself a head start, killer, and get your hands on a potted plant. A rose bush is one of the best looking almost indestructible spring staples. Plant a rose bush in the ground or in a large pot with a drain (hole in the bottom), add some miracle grow, and enjoy the effortless buds in the spring and blooms every summer. This Morden Blush Rose Bush can be delivered to your door for $15. One reviewer said that this “tough as nails” bush has even survived Wisconsin winters.

Succulents

Succulents can live indoors and outdoors, even with a neglectful garden guardian. They store water in their leaves, so if you forget to water them, they don’t need you anyway. A big reason why these independent cactus-like leafy greens have become increasingly popular in event and wedding design is because they can be left out of water for a long period of time and still look fresh. They won’t leave your wallet out to dry, either. For around $16, you can get three small succulents or a 6 incher like this Hanging Basket Donkey Tails Plant at HomeDepot.com.

Cast Iron Plants

Like rose bushes and succulents, cast iron plants thrive both indoors and outdoors with minimal commitment required of their owners. They need little water or sunlight so they’re perfect for shady spaces like under a deck or an herb murderer’s living room. Get one for $9 shipped from TheGardenGates.

Also easy:

• Air Plants
• Aloe
• Lucky bamboo
• Jade
• Sago Palm
• Strawberry Begonia
• Moth Orchid

Steer clear of this tough-to-care for foliage, forgetful friends:

• Vegetables: Anything edible requires constant attention.
• Hydrangeas: They dry out very easily, so they will probably die of thirst.
• Ficus: It must be misted constantly during the first few weeks with you. What a diva.

What is your favorite plant that just won’t quit? Tell us in the comment section below!

Did we make you feel less alone? Don’t forget to sign up for our email alerts to get tips and deals like these delivered to your inbox!

Do you love NBC’s genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are? as much as I do? The show, sponsored by Ancestry.com, takes some of America’s most beloved celebrities and documents their journeys as they trace their family trees back to the root. It’s always fascinating to see where they end up, and I always come away with an incredible, powerful sense of how connected to the past we all really are, and just how easily forgotten those connections can be.

Is William the Conqueror your great grandpa? Ancestry.com may have the answer.

When I was growing up, my family never really had a sense of where we came from. My friends all knew that their families were Irish or Italian or what have you, but for me the answer was just “Chicago”. My Dad’s great grandparents were German, we suspected that Grandma was probably Irish, and my Mom’s family name is undeniably English… and that was pretty much everything I knew. Would I ever be able to trace my ancestry back any further than turn of the century Chicago? These kinds of questions are precisely what Ancestry.com helps its subscribers to answer. I’m a research junkie at heart, so I claimed my 14 day free trial to find out.

What did I learn in 14 days for free?

• My Dad’s great grandparents in Chicago emigrated from Germany, specifically Bavaria and Saxony. Very cool to find the record of my great-great grandfather’s Atlantic crossing!
• I found my grandfather on a census record, age 4, living just two neighborhoods away from where I live now. I could ride there on my bike.
• My mother’s family detours through nearly every royal family in Europe to William the Conqueror, Charlemagne, and Mark Antony. Yeah, that Mark Antony. And his wife, the one he cheated on with Cleopatra.

Mark Antony, you ARE the great-great-great-great grandfather!

Whoa whoa whoa, you say. You can get all of that with a 14 day free trial? Yes, but all of this info comes with a few points that are well worth keeping in mind as you go.

Nearly everyone of European lineage is somehow descended from William the Conqueror.

Historians and genealogists have some interesting theories about why this is true, but the fact is that pretty much everyone on the planet is descended from royalty. So my find is not particularly special. That doesn’t make it any less thrilling when you find the connection, though. And it will impress your aunts and uncles at your next family reunion.

While royal lines are very well documented, less glamorous ancestors are a lot harder to nail down. 

That leads to a lot of frustrating dead ends that can be difficult to get past without the sort of serious digging that goes well beyond a two week free trial. But once you find a connection, the whole project kind of takes on some crazy momentum that, if you keep digging and digging and digging, will lead you to Catholic saints, Viking rulers, Russian warlords, Scottish kings and, yes, Julius Caesar’s BFF.

Following hints on Ancestry.com is not a substitute for actual genealogical research.

Professional genealogists will tell you to research connections yourself before committing them to your family tree. There is a lot of misinformation out there, and you don’t want to mistake someone’s wishful thinking for a valid piece of your family tree. I freely admit that I did not do this for every connection, but I will say that Wikipedia was a fantastic quick resource when something seemed fishy or needed clarification. In my case, my tree included an English princess, married off to a Scottish king, who was erroneously attributed to the king’s wife rather than to his mistress. Interestingly, once properly attributed, it was the mistress who led me back to the Roman era.

It’s stunning what you can discover about yourself in just 14 days. I came away with a much deeper sense of my roots, from 21st century Chicago all the way back to the Roman Empire. Amazing.

Who’s lurking in your gene pool? Check out the 14-day free trial at Ancestry.com and let us know who you find! And don’t forget to sign up for Brad’s Daily Alerts to get more tips and deals like this one delivered to your inbox!

Do you want a NEW iPad? Let us rephrase that; do you want a new iPad for FREE? We’re guessing most of you responded with YES. We believe you can never have too much of a good thing. That’s why, along with our friends at Pacific Pillows, we’re hosting yet another contest and TWO lucky readers will each win a new Apple iPad!

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 5/20/2012 at 11:59PM CST
4. The winners 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.

Apple iPad Specs:

• Retina display for sharp, clear picture
• 5MP iSight Camera with 1080p recording capabiltiy
• Wi-Fi + 4G LTE connectivity
• Store your music, photos, and more on iCloud and access them from any device.

Pacific Pillows, our contest sponsor, has a selection of pillows, sheets, comforters, and luxury and green bedding options. Right now, you can get 15% off your order with code Take15May at checkout. See even more great Pacific Pillows deals at our Pacific Pillows coupons page.

Contest ends May 20, 2012 at 11:59 CST.

For official contest rules please click here.

The season of fun in the sun is almost here, which means it’s time to shop for the best bargains on swimwear for the family.

Old Navy Boys' Plaid Cargo Swim Trunks

Contrary to the popular belief, you need not wait till the end of the season clearance sales to score a steal on your new swimmies. Check out our list of favorite deals for lazy days by the pool:

Children’s Place takes 15% off all orders with code E4H2012. Plus, most swimsuits are marked down to around $12. We love this adorable girls’ Eyelet Trim Bikini Swimsuit for $10.20 after code.

Old Navy takes up to 30% off kids’ apparel, including swimwear. Check out the classic styling of these boys’ Plaid Cargo Swim Trunks, originally $16.94, now $10.

Carter's Pineapple Print Swimsuit

With one of our favorite promotions so far this season, Carter’s takes up to 40% off swimwear. Plus, spend $40 or more and take an extra 20% off with code GIGGLE. This baby girls’ One Piece Print Suit features a deliciously bright and tropical print, perfect for warm summer days.

Lands’ End offers a variety of quality swimwear for women, men, and children. Plus, shipping is free with code PARTY and pin 7120 through 5/9. Their new SwimMates collection features choices of tops, bottoms, tanks, and skirts for women to mix and match, like this Floral Scoopneck Cami Swimsuit Top for $35.

Lands' End SwimMates Tank

Swimsuits for All carries swimwear for women sizes 8 and up. Clearance items are up to 60% off, plus take an extra $5 off with code AQUA5. The Robby Dots Triple Tier Tank Swimsuit falls from $64 to $38.40 to $33.40 with the code.

Summer inches nearer every day, and with these deals on swimwear, everyone will be ready to relax, enjoy the sun, and play at the beach!

Do you want even more fantastic deals for summer gear? Sign up for Brad’s Daily Alerts today to get the best daily deals delivered to your inbox!

You want deals? Well that’s exactly what we do: deals better than anyone else.  And just to break down the savings even further, we once again bring you The Best of BradsDeals: the top 5 online deals, online coupons and reader comments of the week. Yes, we know. This is totally awesome of us. We can’t help it…it’s just who we are!

Top 5 Online Deals:

1. Intex 16′ x 42″ Easy Set Pool $225!: This pool comes complete with a filter and a ladder. Turn your backyard into a water park…for about the cost of four tickets to an actual water park!

2. Swarovski Crystal Pendant, 2 Styles $19: Choose from 2 exclusively priced designs in this crystal sale. Swarovski crystals are revered for their beauty, and these two pieces are no exception.

3. Men’s Under Armour Running Shoes $50: Get your jog on with these breathable running shoes. 

4. Rado Men’s Integral Watch $879 Shipped: This sweet watch is over 500 bucks less than we could find it anywhere else. It has automatic movement and it is Swiss made.

5. Refurbished Dyson DC14 Vacuum $182!: Dyson is one of the most beloved brands in vacuums. Their refurbs are no exception, with this one receiving 4.7 stars on nearly 500 reviews thus far!

Top 5 Online Coupons:

1. Kohl’s: 20% off via code EMERALD

2. Teleflora: 25% off via exclusive code BradsDeals25

3. OshKosh B’Gosh: 20% off $40 via exclusive code BDO20OFF

4. Moosejaw: 20% off Patagonia, The North Face, Arteryx Sale Items via code 20OFF

5. ShoeMall: 25% off via code EXCLUSIVE

Top 5 Comments:

1. WOW! great value with the free shipping! Thank you!!
- AMacK, May 7th, about the Spring in Bloom Gift Planter $20 Shipped

2. This girl loves her pearls and furs … and these pearls just may save me enough for another bling.
- PDStarnes, May 5th, about the Diamond X Channel Bracelet$80 Shipped

3. I have really enjoyed my Yonanas Treat Maker. With fruit being 0 points on Weight Watchers, it’s awesome way to have something yummy and not blow the program
- Zmusique, May 3rd, about the Yonanas Frozen Treat Maker $43 Shipped

4. great deal!!!
- Ness_leigh, May 6th, about the Women’s New Balance 773 Shoes $31 Shipped

5. i like the pleated look. it looks so fresh and neat! im going to buy acouple of skirts for myself!!!
- Cheryl Griffin, May 7th, about the Girls’ Pleated Skirt $9 Shipped

If you’d like a daily rundown of all the deals and top online coupons, sign up for Brad’s Daily Alerts today to get the best daily deals delivered to your inbox!

Still trying to shed your winter hibernation weight gain? Well with beach season right around the corner, there is no better time than now to start getting your taught pre-holiday physique back. While we’re not experts in fitness and health, we are experts in finding the best deals for everything.

We’ve scoured the internet for the best deals on all matter of fitness and health services and equipment. Whether you want to lose some weight, or just eat better, we’ve got you covered!

Weight Watcher’s Online is one of the most popular and effective weight loss plans around. Have you seen J-Hud? This deal gets you the 3 month plan for $56.85, normally $86.80, by waving the sign-up fee. It teaches you portion control and healthy eating habits by simplifying all foods to point values. Plus, there is an iPhone and Android app that allows you to keep track on the go.

Wanna take the guesswork completely out of your diet? Then try this Nutrisystem Plan for 40% off. They automatically deliver all of your meals, snacks and even dessert, and meals are designed to limit your calories to only the best ones for you.

Another option for healthy eating is The Bodybugg Calorie Management System by 24HourFitness.com. With this exclusive deal, it drops to $98.99, the lowest price we’ve ever seen by $15. This system, used on The Biggest Loser, tracks calories, steps and more and it includes a 6 month online subscription.

Maybe you work out often already, but your routine has become stale. If that’s the case, an easy fix is often as simple as some new running shoes to give you some pep in yours step. Try FinishLine and use our exclusive code BRADSDEALS613 for $10 off $60 most shoes, athletic apparel and more.

Toning shoes are touted for their benefits of offering a workout with minimal effort from the wearer. Use code ET10 at Reebok.com to get 10% off their selection of EasyTone sneakers.

Or maybe a home gym is just what you need to kick the flab for good. This Bowflex Classic Gym, with a free floor mat, drops to $584. Plus, shipping is free. It has most everything you’d need for a full-body workout in one machine.

Be sure to check back Friday for our next Beach Season feature, “Splash into Our Favorite Swimsuit Sales and Deals.” See you then!

Do you want to be up to date on all of the best health, fitness and other deals we can find? Sign up for Brad’s Daily Alerts today to get the best daily deals delivered to your inbox!

May is such a nice month. We honor our mothers with a whole day of love, we make increasingly longer trips to the outdoors, and we revel in the fact that Summer is almost here.

Oh, and if you’re like us, you search high and low for the best tech deals and tech coupons on the web. If you’re not like us, then just copy our work as listed below. Don’t worry, we won’t tell on you!

Top Tech Deals:

1) 10″ Sylvania 4GB Tablet $125 Shipped: This tablet features a 1Ghz processor, and it comes in at an entry level price. Plus, it’s large screen makes watching video nicer than on a simple smart phone.

2) 4InkJets.com: 10% Off + Free Shipping: This exclusive deal is for ink replacement on popular brands like Canon, HP, Lexmark, and more. Saving money on ink is like printing money. But don’t actually print your own money…bad idea.

3) Canon PIXMA Wireless Inkjet Printer $49: Need a printer to stick your print cartridges in? Here you go!

4) Dell Financial: Up to 30% Off + Free Ship: Up to 30% off and free shipping on select laptops from Dell. That’s a good Dell deal!

5) GiiNii 7″ Digital Photo Frame $45 Shipped: This digital photo frame can play slideshows, and it comes with your choice of SD card. Plain, non-digital photo frames? That’s soooo 2002!

Top Tech Coupons:

1) Dell: $639 off XPS 17 Laptop via code 7WR1C2?HTTQQ11

2) HP: $350 off Customized HP Pavilion dm4t Beats Laptops via code NBC1386

3) Newegg: $30 off Toshiba Blu-ray Player BDX2150 via code EMCNENG22

4) Case Mate: 20% off via code FBSWEEPS20

5) Dyson: 20% Off (link activated)

Seven more days until the next Tech Tuesday!

Want to see more tech deals like these? Sign up for Brad’s Daily Alerts today to get the best daily deals delivered to your inbox!

Teacher appreciation week is May 7-11 this year. We routinely try to save all of our readers money, but we know there are some extra discounts out there for teachers, students, seniors, and employees at certain companies. We do our best to put all of these discounts together for you, so you have a sense of where you can save, and how much!

Take a look at our Teacher Discount List

Oriental Trading Company

This week only, Oriental Trading Company is dropping prices on select teaching and school supplies in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week. Click to see more Oriental Trading Company coupons and deals.

Discount School Supply

Get 15% off Teacher Favorites through May 14 with code FAVORITE at checkout.

The Limited

The Limited takes 20% off with code 507 at checkout online or in-store.

For Teachers Only

Through the entire month of May, get 15% off your order at For Teachers Only with code APPRECIATE12 during checkout.

Dress Barn

On May 8, 2012 only, take 15% off at Dress Barn when you use code TEACH12 at checkout.

If you’d like to continue to save all year round, we’ve rounded up a List of 93 Stores That Offer Teacher Discounts. Many stores require a valid school ID or proof of current employment. Check out our list, print the .PDF version to hang on your refrigerator or email it to your teacher friends!

For even more great deals all year round, sign up for our free Daily Alerts and get the best coupons and online deals sent directly to your inbox!

A big congratulations is in order for our Beat BradsDeals champion, Laura D., author of the Wheel N Deal Mama blog! Not only did she outwit, outlast and outplay fifteen other bloggers in our first ever savings tournament, but she also defeated our own online deal expert, Brad Wilson. Here’s what she had to say when we asked her for a quote on her victory:

“I am beyond honored to have won the tournament! As can be seen from my blog name, I’m all about “wheeling and dealing” to get the best deals and prices on everything from groceries to the occasional “splurge”.   I NEVER spend full price when I can get a bargain!”

This isn’t the last you’ll see of Laura at BradsDeals. Over the next few months, she will be writing a few posts here on the BradsDeals blog, sharing her best online shopping tips and money saving strategies with our readers. So congrats, Laura! We’re looking forward to your posts!

As for Brad, well, we’re not kicking our fearless leader to the curb anytime soon. We’ll be hearing more from Brad in the months to come as well, and we’re all pretty excited about that.

Want to be notified when we publish one of Laura’s posts? Sign up today to receive Brad’s Daily Alerts. You’ll get all of the day’s news and best deals delivered to your inbox for free!

Mother’s Day is this Sunday. If your heart just started racing and your palms started sweating due to lack of gift ideas, we’re here to help!

Sponsored by 1-800-Baskets, we’re giving one lucky mom THREE amazing gift baskets! The winner will receive a Spring Delight Godiva® Chocolates Basket, Sheer Vanilla Spa Basket and Mom’s Ultimate Coffee Break Gift Basket.

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 5/13/2012 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.

The Prizes:

• Spring Delight Godiva® Chocolates Gift Basket
• Sheer Vanilla Spa Gift Basket
• Mom’s Ultimate Coffee Break Gift Basket

1-800-Baskets, our sponsor for this contest, is currently taking up to 20% off select Mother’s Day items with code GIFTBASKETS20 at checkout. Take a peek at our 1-800-Baskets Coupons Page for more great gift basket deals!

Contest ends May 13, 2012 at 11:59 CST.

For official contest rules please click here.