That quilted two-flap red caviar leather bag is further and further out of reach.  What once was $1,800 is now $2,300 and will soon be $3,000. The prices on Chanel are ballooning faster than gas!

Put down the white flag- you can’t surrender to fashion!  Those double-C’s are within your grasp. Check out this exquisite 3-book Chanel set, and learn all about Mademoiselle Coco’s inspirational sense of style. The three volumes cover her incredible fashion, jewelry and perfume. Best of all, it’s available at Saks Fifth Avenue for only $50.

So you can get the fashion you crave, AND pay your mortgage.

We love in Phantom of the Opera when Christine and Raoul are professing their love with the beautiful “All I Ask Of You,” and the Phantom drops a huge glass chandelier on stage to warn them of his disapproval. He may be a little disformed, but we’d pick that melodious Don Juan over a wussy Viscount any day. 

This $499 crystal table chandelier from Thingz Contemporary is beautiful, fabulous and dramatic, just like that incredible Broadway moment, but it actually fits into our everyday lives. 

Which, needless to say, a tortured, brooding murdering Phantom never could.

The Chococlock is a little effer.  

Let us explain. Each hour, on the hour, the retro clock plays a sweet little jingle- the Sugarplum Fairy song- and opens its doors to display a single piece of chocolate. In the small 20-second time it takes to play the tune, the chocolate sits in a little window.  If you don’t snatch it by the time it ends, it teasingly snaps it back up. As soon as you finish that hour’s “will I or won’t I?” battle, a new one begins.

To make it even worse, there’s a naughty little “cheat” button you can press in case of emergency/boredom/mental breakdown.  

We kind of want to buy this, and we kind of want to smash it. 

There’s no good in spotting a full-grown man belting out “Superstar” with Karen Carpenter in his car when you’re alone. And remember that time when your dog walked in the room carrying your brother’s jockstrap when nobody else was in the house? Or when you couldn’t put a finger on who was scrubbing your feet during a pedicure and finally realized it was your favorite 7-11 clerk? (True story). Who can you share life’s funny little moments when you’re the only one there?

Share all your little daily laughs with Inspired Smiles, a Web site that allows viewers to document their smiles of the day. No login or anything is required- all you need is a minute and a happy little blurb to share. And now Inspired Smiles is on Twitter, so you can pick up your phone and peek at the good fortune of others any time you need it.

We could have used it when we spilled Merlot on our favorite white jeans.

A giant oriental chicken salad is a wise choice for lunch. That handful of Snickers you chow down on from your office candy bowl isn’t that big of a deal. The whip on your frap helps you get the calcium you need to fight off osteoporosis. 

Ummm… we hate to tell you, but your take on nutrition is a little whack.

Check out our favorite .99 iphone app Daily Count, which helps you keep track of the hundreds (thousands?) of calories you’re unknowingly pounding each day. Enter the daily goal of whatever you’re trying to measure- calories, fat, protein, Weight Watchers points. As the day goes on, you’ll pace your snacking and make smarter choices as you log your meals and calories in the cute little measuring device. You also have the option of e-mailing yourself that day’s numbers so you can track your progress and reach your goals.

You’ll be dropping the Dunkin’ and L-B’s in no time.

There’s nothing like hearing a song you LOVE come on the radio.  Because it’s so unexpected, it’s just so much more satisfying than playing it on itunes.

What if we told you you could have the feeling ALL the time? Log on to Pandora for the ultimate radio experience. Just type the name of an artist or band you enjoy, and the genius Web site creates a perfect radio station for you of songs you’ll enjoy by that artist, and songs that have a similar sound and feel. You can then rate each song to help steer the station in the right direction, and it automatically saves your input. We have yet to dislike a song they’ve chosen for us.

Except for a few on the “Jessica Simpson” station.

Your neighbor’s dog won’t shut up. Every time you pick up the paper, walk to your car, get the mail and mow the lawn the little effer yips at you. But not all watchdogs are bad!

Log on to Airfare Watchdog, which alerts you weekly to the cheapest online airfares. That’s right, you don’t need to peruse Orbitz, Travelocity and Cheaptickets daily to find the best rates anymore! Just sign up, enter your city of origin, and you’ll be e-mailed the cheapest national and international flight rates weekly, with links to sites where you can snap em up. 

Maybe now you can escape from your neighbor’s obnoxious beast more often.

Dirty, cheap things are generally frowned upon. Adult movie stores, Frederick’s of Hollywood lingerie, street vendor hot dogs, Heidi Montag’s “Heidiwood” clothing line, Wal-Mart and Christina Aguilera are all good examples. But we found the one dirty, cheap item that actually warrants a purchase.

FishsEddy.com, a New York-based china and vintage plate shop, has an amazing line of china just begging to be bought. Designed by the amazing Cynthia Rowley, these “Dirty Dishes” plates and teacups feature the cutest little naked ladies ever. And they’re now 75% off, coming in at around $4 per plate.

There you have it. A dirty, cheap little miracle we wouldn’t mind at the dinner table.

Your friend Stephanie always smells like a dream. When you finally discovered her secret scent, you were unhappy to learn that you have a vial of the mystery concoction on your vanity. Why does it smell so amazing on her, and disappear in five minutes when you dab it on?

The answer is pheromones.  Pheromones and DNA.

But you too can find the ultimate scent! MyDNAFragrance custom-builds fragrances for you based on a DNA swab you mail them. Creepy? Yes. Effective? Not sure yet. 

We always knew shoe shopping was the answer to most of the world’s problems.  But now they’re covering new territory. Improving circulation, toning calves and even DIMINISHING CELLULITE.

That’s right, ladies. Shape Up Shoes have created quite the buzz- they’re the ultimate in workouts for the ultimate in lazy. These flip flops, boots and croc look-alikes have special “negative heels”. They force you to balance on the balls of your feet, working muscles you normally use while climbing Stairmasters, and you can see results from 30 minutes of use per day.

Now if only they’d lower our gas prices…