Thanks to Petitshoo for the photo.
How to Register for Pots
Tip #1 Register for many single pots rather than a set
Oftentimes when you go to Macy’s or other stores they’ll tell you to register for individual pots and then exchange them after the wedding for a packaged set. The reason for doing this is so that guests can purchase something at a reasonable price rather than paying $500-$1,000 for one gift. When registering for pots I recommend choosing them for the price range rather than for what you’d actually need.
Tip #2 Think about the pots you have used
There’s no doubt about it, purchasing a set over individual pots saves money. However, some of the larger sets might not be adding much value and may be unnecessarily cluttering your kitchen. Here are the pots I use 95% of the time:
- 6 quart stock pot – soups, boiling water for pasta, cooking for company
- 2 quart sauce pan – sauces and veggies
- 3.5 quart sauce pan – for when my 2 quart is in use and sauces
- non-stick fry pan – everything
And the pots I use 5% of the time but can’t live without:
- 12-16 quart stock pot with steamer options – pasta for the masses, lobster and crab, corn-on-the-cob, it’s my “party pot”
- 3 quart cassoulette– coq au vin, I love its multi-use stovetop and oven, great for entertaining
Once it’s time to return the individual pots for your set, do your research on what you’d like to get in return. The sets are often great deals, but sometimes they sneak pots that aren’t very valuable into the larger sets. A good example of this is the omelette pan. They’ll throw in a six and an eight inch omelette pan and charge $200 more than a set without those pans, when the added value is only $50. Not only that, but I wouldn’t use those two particular pans when I prefer my all-purpose nonstick 10″ fry pan.
Tip #3 Pick a slow day to complete your registry
If you go on a Saturday morning there won’t be enough associates working to help carry the items from your car, you’ll have to wait and they won’t have the time to make sure you get what you need. If you instead go on a Tuesday morning, you’ll have the store to yourself and the sales associate will be more entertained and interested in helping you complete your registry to your advantage. (see the next tip!)
Tip #4 Swap out lame bonuses for real value
Often All-Clad or Calphalon will have the double bonuses if you spend enough money on their cookware. One bonus might be a nice steamer and the other could be an apron and spatula. Ask the sales associate if it’s possible to switch out the one you don’t want for something else that’s more useful to you. At Macy’s I purchased a smaller All-Clad set and augmented it with a large 12 quart stock pan and steamer and a smaller sauce pan as their summer double bonus ~ free! Originally they’d been offering a panini grill pan but as cool as that sounded I thought the sauce pan would get more use in the end.
Tip #5 Get 20% off for completing at one time instead of 10%
Macy’s typically gives you 10% off wedding registry completion purchases if you come to the store within 90 days of your wedding. Try to get 20% off – it’s possible! This past weekend, for example, they had a semi-annual home sale where they gave 20% off “when you complete your gift registry any day of our home sale”. In the fine print they say it lasts from July 23 – August 16th,2009 (for Seattle stores). Chances are if you ask nicely when the last home sale was or when the next one is and are they running their 20% special, you’ll be able to get it.
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wanted to go to a bar that was both convenient for us and for some friends who were walking home after to Capital Hill. We were a little stumped as to where to go until I remembered GoTime.com. I’d seen my friend use it a few weeks ago to locate a cheap happy hour in Belltown and guessed that someone I was with had an iPhone. Sure enough, two minutes later the GoTime happy hour application was downloaded and in use. It directed us to Wann (2020 2nd Ave) which happened to be a preferred happy hour location of one of my friends anyway. Wann had $2.50 draft beers and an assortment of sushi rolls and other Japanese style tapas. We were elated to find the perfect place to go combined with non-downtown prices. 
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