More pizzas are delivered on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year. Pizza is easy, cheap, social and at least semi-nutritious, and it’s priced to move today. Whether you’re staying in or going out this Super Bowl Sunday, we have the lowdown on where and how you can score some serious pizza savings today.

Papa John’s

The nation’s third largest pizza retailer not only has some of the best Super Bowl deals going this year, but they’re also giving you a chance to win a free pizza. Enroll in Papa John’s Rewards now and if the Super Bowl coin toss lands on heads, you’ll be eligible for a free large pizza and Pepsi MAX. Official prize details will be released on Monday.

During the Super Bowl, Papa John’s is serving up any large pizza on their menu for just eleven bucks. Use coupon code 25OFF and you’ll save 25% off any Super Bowl pizza order today. And be sure to sign up for email and text deals which will push special offers, including Super Bowl deals, straight to your phone or PC during the game.

Domino’s

Domino’s will be selling $5.99 pizzas all day. Order any two medium, two topping pizzas and pay just $5.99 a pie. Need a bigger pizza? Use coupon code 56408 and pay only $5.95 for a traditional large pizza. Download and install the Domino’s iPhone app to get coupons and deals sent directly to your phone.

Pizza Hut

Pre-order your pizza before kickoff and Pizza Hut will give you any pizza with any number of toppings for just $10. Watch for special game-time pizza deals during the Super Bowl on the company’s website.

Little Caesars

Little Caesars famous Hot and Ready one topping pizzas will be $5 all of today. Pizzas must be picked up in-person. Use their free iPhone app to find a location near you and get special offers sent to your cell.

CiCi’s Pizza

Three medium pizzas ordered to-go today are on sale for $9.99. Choose from nine different specialty medium-sized pizzas and get them all for under ten bucks. Pizzas must be picked up in-store. Find the Cici’s nearest you on their website.

Don’t’ forget your local pizza shops and grocery stores. Pizza is on sale everywhere at the lowest prices of the year all day today.

And where to learn them all for free

There are certain life skills that everyone should learn at some point, because you just never know when or if you’ll ever need to give CPR or change a flat tire. These fifty quick lessons will make you a jack of all trades in no time.

1. 1. How to tie a tie.
2. 2. Take a screenshot.
3. 3. Write a resume.
4. 4. Kiss.
5. 5. Paint a room.
6. 6. Eat with chopsticks.
7. 7. Boil an egg.
8. 8. Fix a leaky faucet.
9. 9. Improve your credit score.
10. 10. Change a tire.
11. 11. Jumpstart a car.
12. 12. Jailbreak your iDevice.
13. 13. Live frugally.
14. 14. Clean windows.
15. 15. Negotiate a salary.
16. 16. Organize anything.
17. 17. Read a ruler.
18. 18. Caulk a tub.
19. 19. Clip coupons.
20. 20. Solve Rubik’s Cube.
21. 21. Zest a lemon.
22. 22. Ask for a raise.
23. 23. Clean a carpet stain.
24. 24. Get a passport.
25. 25. Change a lightbulb.
26. 26. Make a budget.
27. 27. Bake a potato.
28. 28. Boil water.
29. 29. Register to vote.
30. 30. Write a cover letter.
31. 31. Change your car oil.
32. 32. Clean a washing machine.
33. 33. Tie a knot.
34. 34. Bake a cake.
35. 35. File your taxes.
36. 36. Stop impulse shopping.
37. 37. Play poker.
38. 38. Pack a suitcase.
39. 39. Perform CPR.
40. 40. Recycle.
41. 41. Save money on gas.
42. 42. Build a fire.
43. 43. Tell a great story.
44. 44. Remember people’s names.
45. 45. Use a compass.
46. 46. Sew a button.
47. 47. Type.
48. 48. Deal with laundry stains.
49. 49. Read a map.
50. 50. First Aid.

Shop early, save big

Valentine’s Day is February 14^th. Like every other holiday, if you wait until the last minute to pick up a little something for your sweetie you may see higher rates at the register.  Shoppers are expected to spend an average of $126 on loved ones this Valentine’s Day, but we think you can do better, as long as you’re willing to shop early. Have a little time on your hands this week? Now is the perfect time to get in on these Valentine’s Day good buys.

Cards

Hallmark may have the market when it comes to cards but pennywise shoppers know there are better deals to be had. Cardstore.com will give you a free card this Valentine’s Day with coupon code 10KPEOPLE. As the code implies, once 10,000 free cards have gone out the door, the deal is over. Those late to the savings party can get 20% off all Cardstore.com merchandise with coupon code HEART20.

And if you want to be super creative and really win her/his heart, make your own card. Handmade cards speak from the heart and there’s no shortage of websites that will show you how to do it.

Flowers

Flowers remain the most popular Valentine’s Day gift for gals in every country around the world. A 2009 National Geographic study found that we put about $14.7 billion toward the purchase of flowers for Valentine’s Day. You can shave a few bucks from your bill by getting in on special sales this week and pre-ordering flowers. A few deals worth bragging about:

• ✔Amazon pre-cut flowers are as low as $19.
• ✔Get early discounts and free delivery at 1-800 Flowers with coupon code EARLYVDAY12.
• ✔Save 25% on Valentine’s orders at FTD.
• ✔Save 25% on pre-orders at Teleflora with coupon code EMCS25.

And if you want to go really crafty this year, you can try making origami roses or paper bouquets.

Jewelry

If fine jewelry is what pleases your gal (or guy), now is the time to shop. eBay daily deals are featuring 1.8 carot heart shaped red garnet earrings today for just $29.99. You’ll find similar impressive buys on other daily deal websites, and DODTracker.com has a bookmark-worthy list of jewelry good buys that’s updated daily. If you’d prefer to pick something out in person, Zales is having a 60% off sale this week, no coupon code necessary.

Food

There are few things more heartwarming than a romantic meal for two. Watch for local two-for-one deals on Valentine’s Day dinners in local ads and on Google Offers this week, or check out Restaurants.com, where you can pick up a $25 gift certificate for restaurant food in your city for just $10. Of course, you can also try your hand at whipping up a romantic meal for two in the kitchen yourself. See BBC Food, Kaboose and AllRecipes.com for ideas.

You can’t buy love, but you can get in on some great buys by shopping early. Found a good deal worth sharing? Tell us about it in the comments.

1.  Don’t call toll-free numbers for anything more than general info

Those 1-800 reservation numbers you see plastered all over television and billboards direct your call to central offices where workers are making minimum wage and have likely never seen the hotel where you’ll be staying. If you want accurate information, including pricing, call hotels directly.

2. Small hotels give bigger discounts

Big, pricy, conveniently located mega hotels are likely to scoff at any request for a discount or room upgrade. Smaller hotels and motels, however, frequently shave fees for guests or extend check-out times for travelers. Less overhead and fewer guests may also mean more personal service.

3. Check-ins happen fastest in the afternoon

The worst times to check-in to a hotel are before noon and after 7pm. Hotel staff is swamped with getting guests checked out in the hours before noon, and early evening hours are when travelers pull off the highway looking for a room. If you want the quickest service, plan to arrive at your destination in mid-afternoon.

4. Corner rooms have more space

Many a guest attempts to barter their way to a free room upgrade and while this works in some cases, the strategy fails more often than not, especially at hotels that are booked to the hilt every night. If you want a bigger room at no extra charge, request a corner or handicapped room.

5. Never call for a reservation in the morning

Check-outs most often happen from 9am-1pm and during these hours staff is preoccupied and can’t give you the attention you deserve. Call in early afternoons, however, and you’re more likely to get a bored hotel manager that may offer a few extra perks or discounts on your next visit.

6. The shampoo and soap really is free

Hotels are happy to give you those tiny bottles of soap and shampoo. That’s why they put their logo on them. Nab a towel or bathrobe or picture though, and your credit card will be charged. You won’t see the charges at check-out, but they will show up eventually and there’s very little you can do to dispute them.

7. You’ll get the best rates after 6pm

You won’t be treated to much of a room upgrade or price discount in the morning or afternoon, even if you ask, but it’s a different story after 6pm. Hotels are dealing with no-shows and empty rooms in the evening hours and they’ll do anything to fill those rooms with paying customers.

8. All rooms are germy

Hotels use disinfectants and cleaning agents designed to keep the spread of germs to a minimum, but much like using a public bathroom or telephone exposes you to a higher germ count, so does staying in a hotel. The biggest germ sources include bedspreads (which aren’t always washed between guests), the television remote, door knobs, and the telephone. If you’re worried about germs, bring some Lysol and some disinfectant wipes with you.

9. Use the lost and found

You’d be surprised how often a hotel guest leaves behind a phone charger and never returns to claim it. The next time you forget your iPhone charger at home, don’t run out in search of another. Odds are good that the hotel lost and found has many chargers to choose from and they won’t mind one bit if you borrow one.

Papa John’s

Order in or carry out and save 25% on any Papa John’s meal with coupon code VERIZON25. Coupon code is good on sale items, including Papa John’s new $11 large pizzas. Coupon code expires June 30, 2012. Get in on all of Papa John’s deals by signing up for coupons by text or email.

Restaurant.com

Restaurant.com is having another 80% off deal. Spend just $2 and you’ll get a $25 gift certificate to local restaurants with coupon code DATE. Restaurant.com features gift certificates to more than 18,000 restaurants nationwide and certificates never expire. Find participating restaurants near you on the Restaurant.com website. Offer ends Tuesday, January 31.

Fazoli’s

Fazoli’s is offering a free baked spaghetti meal with the purchase of a side chopped salad, drink and this printable coupon. One coupon per customer, and this limited deal lasts only until January 30.

Pizza Hut

Ten bucks will get you any size pizza at Pizza Hut this weekend, no coupon necessary. This dine-in, carryout or delivery deal lets you get any size pizza with any number of toppings for just $10. Plus, sign up for Pizza Hut emails deals and you’ll get a free order of breadsticks or cinnamon sticks.

T.G.I. Fridays

You’ll save $5 off the purchase of $15 with this printable TGI Friday’s coupon. Offer good on food and drinks, and expires January 31. T.G.I. Fridays is also having a cocktail recipe contest. Think you’re the best barkeep on the block? Submit your recipe before February 26 and you could win $2,012 in cash and other prizes.

Jack in the Box

Get free mini cookies with coupon this weekend when you purchase any Jumbo Meal Combo at Jack in the Box. And sign up for the Secret Society of Cool People at Jack in the Box and get coupons and specials delivered to your cell phone and email address.

Enjoy!

Jansport

Seattle, Washington backpack maker Jansport has been making high quality packs and luggage since 1967. And Jansport is so confident in their ability to build a pack that will last you a lifetime that they guarantee it. If your backpack or luggage rips, tears or otherwise becomes unsightly or unusable, Jansport will repair it or replace it free of charge. It’s guaranteed.

Tupperware

Tupperware was first introduced in 1946 and leads the plastic storage container market to this day. Since the very first piece of Tupperware hit shelves, Tupperware has offered a lifetime guarantee on any and all containers. According to the warranty, if your Tupperware ever chips, cracks, breaks or peels under normal non-commercial use, Tupperware will be happy to replace the damaged goods free of charge.

The North Face

American outdoor company The North Face has been guaranteeing their products since they first opened for business in 1966. While shoes are guaranteed for only one year and bicycles and eyewear come with limited warranties, all tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, clothes and outdoor gear carry an impressive lifetime warranty.

Moen

Moen, the company that designs and sells household faucets and fixtures, also puts their money where their mouth is. Once installed, if your faucet stops functioning, loses its luster or doesn’t live up to its hype, Moen will happily replace it at their expense.

Eagle Creek

Eagle Creek, the makers of travel bags and luggage, does one better than lifetime guarantees by offering their infamous No Matter What warranty. According to their website, your luggage or backpack will be replaced free of charge no matter what happens to it.

Kingston

Kingston Technology makes products you probably use every single day. The highly regarded technology firm is responsible for designing computer memory, USB drives, Solid-State drives, and Flash Cards. Unlike many PC manufacturers, Kingston offers a warranty that’s good as long as you’re alive. Kingston offers a lifetime warranty on memory modules, Flash memory cards, memory-expansion boards, and more.

Stanley

Founded in 1857, Stanley is the maker of fine hand tools and most of those tools are guaranteed for life. All Stanley Mechanics tools are sold with a lifetime warranty and most other products fall under a limited lifetime warranty. Tools covered under the lifetime warranty include wrenches, sockets, ratchets and drive accessories.

To learn more about products that hold their value and offer a buy-for-life warranty, visit Reddit’s Buy It for Life subreddit.

Magazines.com, the Franklin, TN website that can save you up to 90% off the retail price of print magazines, is having their annual January clearance sale. For three days only you’ll save on some of the biggest and most popular titles in the industry.

About Magazines.com

Magazines.com was founded in 1999 and is the oldest and biggest magazine distribution company in the United States. Based in Tennessee, Magazines.com offers more than 4,000 magazine titles at serious discounts and has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Not happy with your purchase or gift subscription? No problem! Magazines.com guarantees every single purchase made with a money back guarantee.

The 3 Day Sale

Today through Thursday, January 26, Magazines.com is having their annual January Sale. During this special three day event you’ll save more than 90% off the cover price of popular magazine titles. But hurry, because as the sale winds down, the prices go up. Today only many of today’s best magazines are priced at just $5.99/year. In total, there are 46 magazines going at discount prices today, including:

• ✔9 issues of Better Homes and Gardens
• ✔12 issues of Travel + Leisure
• ✔14 issues of Parents
• ✔14 issues of Newsweek
• ✔8 issues of Fitness
• ✔26 issues of Parenting Early Years
• ✔8 issues of Yoga Journal
• ✔12 issues of Family Circle
• ✔12 issues of Popular Photography
• ✔9 issues of Backpacker
• ✔8 issues of Maxim
• ✔17 issues of TV Guide
• ✔And many more!

To secure special advertised pricing you must order from the main sale page on Magazines.com.

The $1 Deals

In addition to the January 3 Day Sale event, Magazines.com is having a $1 Sale featuring today’s hottest magazine titles at up to 91% off. For a limited time, you can get a full subscription to more than 50 magazine titles for a buck or less per issue. Among the sale titles:

• ✔28 issues of Time Magazine for $16.
• ✔28 issues of Sports Illustrated for $19.50.
• ✔52 issues of Entertainment Weekly for $25.
• ✔26 issues of Rolling Stone for $26.
• ✔12 issues of Field & Stream for $9.97.
• ✔26 issues of InStyle for $26.
• ✔12 issues of Popular Mechanics for $12.
• ✔12 issues of Redbook for $8.
• ✔12 issues of Men’s Journal for $11.88.
• ✔10 issues of Details for $9.97.

You can connect with Magazines.com on Facebook and Twitter, plus stay up-to-date on their latest deals by following their blog.

Dryer sheets have been around since the mid 1970s. Looking for a more convenient and less messy way to soften clothes and stave off static cling, the folks over at Bounce created the first-ever microfiber scented cloth that could be tossed in the dryer with wet clothes. These days, dryer sheets can be used for so much more than just fluffing up your whites. Take a look..

Polish fixtures and faucets

Mineral deposits left behind on chrome and silver-coated bathroom faucets can be a bear to clean. It usually takes a pair of thick rubber gloves, a few squirts of chemical-laden cleansers and lots of elbow grease and time to get the job done. You can do it simpler with a fresh or even used dryer sheet, though. Clean water stains, dust and grime from faucets and fixtures by gently rubbing a dryer sheet over the surface until the gunk magically disappears. Works great on dusty light bulbs, dirty ceiling fans and blinds, too.

Clean pots and pans

Imagine tossing your old scouring pad in the trash and easily wiping away caked-on grease and baked-on food with a dryer sheet. According to Real Simple magazine, you can do just that. The next time you’re left with a pot or pan that needs serious attention, simply place a clean dryer sheet in the bottom of the dish, fill the dish with hot water and let it soak for an hour or two. The fabric softeners in the dryer sheet will go to work lifting the gunk from your dishes, and you’ll just need to wipe it out and dry it off.

Remove dust and static from electronics

A used dryer sheet will safely wipe away dust and help prevent static on computer monitors, television screens, computer cases, ereader screens, and even your reading glasses.

Freshen smelly stuff

Dryer sheets, used or new, are good at absorbing odors and freshening up foul smelling tennis shoes, cat litter boxes, gym bags, vehicles, pet beds, basements, and garbage cans. Going away for a few weeks or months on vacation? Prevent that stuffy smell from settling in on your house by tucking a few dryer sheets into drawers, room corners and laundry baskets.

Prevent thread from tangling

Running a threaded needle through a dryer sheet right before sewing will prevent that thread from tangling as you work on embroidery or sewing projects.

Pick up pet hair

If you ever find yourself without a lint brush, dryer sheets are fantastic in a pinch at removing pet hair, sweater balls and lint from clothing, furniture and hardwood floors. Just rub a fresh dryer sheet gently over the areas that need attention. When finished, the dryer sheet can still be used in the dryer.

Fight soap grime

Soap grime builds up on bathroom tile, shower floors and faucets no matter how much cleaning you do. You can help prevent soap grime by rubbing bath tiles and faucets with fresh dryer sheets immediately after cleaning. The fabric softeners in dryer sheets will coat your tile and faucets so that soap grime runs right off.

Are you using dryer sheets on something other than your laundry? Please tell us about it below.

Introducing ZipList

ZipList is an all new web app that can help you create a shopping list, put together a meal plan and even save your favorite recipes from across the web. In other words, ZipList is your new best friend. Just take a look at this impressive list of features. With Ziplist, you can:

• ✔Create a shopping list with one-click.
• ✔Share shopping lists between family members and devices.
• ✔Find new recipes.
• ✔Save your favorite web-based recipes to a universal recipe box.
• ✔Organize, sort and assign items by store.
• ✔Make your shopping list portable or printable in seconds.
• ✔Search a database of more than 300,000 recipe ideas.

And get this, it’s free!

How it all works

Step 1:  Sign up or sign in.

To take advantage of the many helpful features ZipList has to offer you’ll first need to register for a free account. You can sign up with your email address or sign in with popular social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, Google, and even AOL.

Step 2: Create a shopping list.

Ziplist’s smooth one-click list maker helps make the process of creating a shopping list simple business. Just add the items you need from the grocery store and Ziplist will categorize everything into an easy-to-use shopping list.

Step 3:  Make your list accessible.

Once your shopping list is complete, you can email, SMS or print your list for easy access. Mobile phone users can also access and create new shopping lists on-the-go with ZipList with iPhone and Android mobile apps. List makers can also share shopping lists with friends and family members free of charge. And with ZipList, you’re free to create as many shopping lists as you like.

Using the Recipe Box

Ziplist also comes with a free universal recipe box. Your customizable recipe box will help you do all the following:

• ✔Find new recipes online.
• ✔Add your favorite recipes.
• ✔Create new recipes of your own.
• ✔Locate recipes that famous chefs swear by.
• ✔Search for recipes by time, ingredient lists and serving sizes.

In short, ZipList takes your tired, stained recipe book from home and transforms it into an updated, easy-to-use recipe box in the cloud that grows with you.

ZipList is an unbelievably handy tool that can even create checklists, find and store coupons, and create shopping lists for certain stores. Are you ready to create your very own ZipList?

Your local 7-Eleven may not be the smartest place to get a bargain on cat food or cake mix, but there are some surprisingly thrifty deals to be found, especially when combined with coupons. Here’s what you should be stocking up on when you hit the convenience store in your neighborhood.

Bread

Most chain gas stations and large convenience stores not only truck in bagged loaves of bread daily, but many also make their own. And while the Wonder Bread prices are largely the same between your grocery store and corner shop, fresh bread is shockingly cheap. In fact, if your local convenience store has an in-store bakery it’s well worth a look around. Breads, muffins, donuts and rolls are often underpriced at gas stations to clear them out.

Ice cream

Most large-scale convenience stores carry their own brand of ice cream and it’s actually pretty tasty. Bypass the single serving frozen concoctions at the checkout, which are generally overpriced treats of convenience, and stock up on pails and cartons of ice cream instead.

Fruits and veggies

Photo by robin_24

Hard to believe, but most convenience stores have a superb selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, and many are grown locally. You’ll save a few bucks and lots of calories by grabbing a bunch of bananas at Kwik Trip instead of that overpriced bag of chips.

Alcohol

A good number of large convenience stores are beginning to seriously compete with liquor stores by undercutting their prices by as much as twenty percent. Beer, hard liquors and even wine can be found in abundance at large scale convenience stores, and the low price tags may shock you.

Butter

Most avoid the dairy case at gas stations and corner shops because things like eggs, yogurt and creamer can be had much cheaper from the grocery store. Butter and milk, on the hand, are routinely sale priced. Look for convenience store brand butter, milk and other dairy foods while paying for gas and you could save a few bucks on your weekly shopping bill.

Soda

The Big Gulp at 7-Eleven did away with expensive soda pricing at gas stations and these days nearly every shop on the block has some sort of carbonated beverage in bulk sale priced. If you need a caffeine and sugar fix, you won’t have to look hard.

What shouldn’t you invest in while popping over to your local store? Turns out, convenience items are your worst bet. Things like individually bagged treats, personal care goods, toilet paper, candy, and pizza are most expensive. Duh!

Meet Offermatic

Offermatic was founded in 2010 by Faisal Qureshi, a regular guy who was looking for a way to save consumers money on purchases they routinely made. Mr. Qureshi liked how Groupon and Mint.com both worked to free up his finances, but disliked that many deals weren’t relevant to his shopping habits. So, Qureshi set out to develop a system that would do three things:

• ✔Anonymously monitor purchases (like Mint.com).
• ✔Send good deals out (like Groupon), but target savings to shoppers’ buying habits.
• ✔Give consumers a way to earn passive income from things they already buy.

And so, Offermatic was born. Since its founding, Offermatic has been positively reviewed and featured on NBC, Fast Company, The New York Times and other news outlets.

How it all works

You can get started with Offermatic today in as little as five minutes. Just pop over to Offermatic.com and sign-up for a new account using a valid email address, Facebook account, or your login details from Google or Yahoo.  All new accounts are treated to a free $5 gift card from Amazon, Shell, Target, iTunes or Macy’s, so tick off the business where you want to spend your free cash while registering, and hit the submit button.

Next you’ll give Offermatic your credit card, debit card or PayPal information. Entering in this information gives Offermatic read-only access to view your past and current transaction history so that can send the most relevant deals your way.

And that’s it. You’re in. From here on out, Offermatic goes to work analyzing your past buys and sending only deals that interest you to your email inbox. Offermatic tracks the amount of money you’ve saved, any pending offers you still have available, and lets you set up a profile for yourself using however much details you’re comfortable with. (Note: there’s never a need to share your physical mailing address or telephone number with Offermatic.)

The pros and cons

Offermatic is a solid service that easily matches or exceeds the best deals you see on social buying websites. Within the first day of registering, I not only received my $5 gift card to Amazon, but also had these special offers sent my way:

• ✔Half off a Starbucks gift card.
• ✔$5 Barnes and Noble rebate.
• ✔$5 REI rebate.

All those deals were highly relevant to me since I routinely make purchases in those locations. That’s the good.

On the other side of the coin, it took a solid ten minutes to register my PayPal account with Offermatic, which certainly could have more to do with PayPal’s security than with Offermatic. Even so, it was slightly troubling to watch, wait and wonder whether I’d put my credit card info in good hands. Those fears were set aside, however, after my registration went through successfully and I began to read up on Offermatic’s security policy.

After you set up your Offermatic account and securely link your credit or debit card, your login credentials for your financial institution and your account numbers are never again displayed in Offermatic. So even if someone managed to obtain your Offermatic account login, then will not be able to access or view your card account numbers or the login credentials for your online account.

You can earn additional points for future savings by liking Offermatic on Facebook, following them on Twitter and adding additional debit and credit cards to your account. To learn more about Offermatic, check out the video below.

Tofu

You don’t have to be a vegetarian to take advantage of this protein-packed food! Tofu is just as tasty in stir fry as it is in smoothies and chocolate cake.

Cost: A pack of tofu costs about a buck and serves six.

Spinach

Popeye swore by the power of spinach and you should, too. Spinach is rich in antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, protein and iron. Fresh spinach can be eaten in a salad, steamed spinach makes for an easy side dish, and fresh and frozen spinach can be added to dips, eggs and casseroles.

Cost: Less than $.10 a serving.

Lentils

Lentils are nutty flavored pulses usually found in the bean aisle of your grocery store. This nutritional powerhouse is packed with protein and essential amino acids, and is cholesterol-free. Lentils are delicious in soups and tacos, and can replace meat in almost any recipe.

Cost: A bag of lentils costs $1 and serves ten.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is low in fat and carbs and high in fiber, vitamin C and folate. Cauliflower can be eaten raw, boiled, steamed, roasted or fried.

Cost: A head of fresh cauliflower runs two bucks and feeds four. Frozen cauliflower is about half the price.

Hummus

Made from garbanzo beans, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice, hummus is a high protein, low fat food that can be used as a dip, or spread on sandwiches to replace mayo.

Cost: Homemade hummus is five cents a serving and store bought hummus is about twice that.

Popcorn

Movie theater popcorn may be high in fat and cholesterol, thanks to the irresistible butter topping, but air popped corn is fat-free, high in fiber, and makes for a healthy treat any time of day.

Cost: A bag of generic popcorn costs $1 and serves 27, making popcorn less than four cents per serving.

Pinto beans

Pinto beans are the main ingredient in refried beans. One of the cheapest sources of protein on the planet, pinto beans can easily be turned into BBQ baked beans, added to your favorite soup, or eaten as a side dish.

Cost: Bags of pinto beans will set you back one dollar and feed six.

Oatmeal

If you haven’t yet traded in your pricy, sugary, unhealthy breakfast cereal for all-natural oats, now is good time to do so. Oatmeal is high in fiber, low in cost and extremely versatile. Oatmeal makes for a quick and easy breakfast, and can also be added to cookies, desserts and used as a yogurt topping or added to homemade granola.

Cost: Purchased in bulk, oatmeal costs less than five cents per serving.

What’s for dinner?

Didn’t get the eReader you wanted for the holidays? No problem! OfficeMax, America’s favorite office supply store, is having a special 20% off sale this week that (surprisingly) includes a major discount on today’s most popular reading devices and tablets.

The details

If you get the Sunday paper at your house, you likely noticed the large brown bag insert included with your usual coupons and special offers. The grocery store sized paper bag entitles shoppers to a 20% discount on anything that can be stuffed, squeezed or jammed inside the bag at OfficeMax. And you’re not out of the loop if you’re not a newspaper subscriber because anyone can print this coupon and receive a free shopping bag in-store.

The 20% sale includes popular eReaders, tablets, office supplies and more. Courtesy of OfficeMax, you can now get in on these remarkable eReader deals:

• ✔Kindle Fire for $159.20.
• ✔Kindle Touch (with special offers) for $79.20.
• ✔Kindle Keyboard (with special offers) for $63.20.
• ✔Nook Tablet for $199.20.
• ✔Nook Color for $159.20.
• ✔Nook Simple Touch for $79.20.

The online sale

Those not close to an OfficeMax retail location can also save 20% this week, though eReaders and tablets will not be offered at the discounted price. By using coupon code BIGDEAL20, OfficeMax online shoppers can save 20% on all internet store purchases of office supplies, tax essentials (like TurboTax and H&R Block At Home), cold and flu over-the-counter medications, paper goods, office furniture, print services, cleaning supplies and more. Only one online coupon can be used per address, and this sale excludes discount pricing on eReaders, computers and accessories, digital photo frames, and clearance items.

What are you waiting for? Hurry, this deal ends Saturday, January 14, 2012.

Camping gear

You’d think that all that outdoor gear you can only use in the heat of summer would be clearance priced in the winter, but that isn’t the case. Craig Anderson, former REI store manager in Madison, WI, says that January is the month to stay clear of stocking up on camping supplies. “Most outdoor shops hang on to outdated tent models to sale price them just before the camping season,” said Anderson.

When to buy: Anderson says that tents and other outdoor supplies for the summer season go on sale beginning in March.

Suitcases

Travel happens all year round, so suitcase sales are few and far between. Kohl’s store manager, Heidi Calumpute of Rosedale, MN, promises that you won’t see any memorable suitcase sales worthy of your money in January. “In general, you never want to buy any travel gear over the winter months.”

When to buy: Suitcases and carry-on luggage prices go down just before spring break in March and are at their lowest prices in August.

Computers

Because students are already outfitted with computer at the beginning of the year and Christmas has come and gone by January, it’s rare to get a good deal on a PC this month. Brett Phillips, Minneapolis-based Best Buy store manager, advises shoppers to hold off on all computer buys. “You’ll see a few exceptional deals in April when the Japanese fiscal market begins,” says Phillips, “but the best sales happen later in the year.”

When to buy: According to Phillips, computer prices are at their lowest during back-to-school sales in August.

Snowblowers

If you haven’t yet invested in a snow removal system for the season, it’s best not to do so now. Price tags on snowblowers, snow throwers, shovels, ice tools and ice fishing equipment are at their highest of the year during the months of January and February.

When to buy: Start shopping in March and keep an eye on close-out sales through spring.

Corn and other seasonal vegetables

Tomatoes sell at four for a dollar in August but go for more than a buck a piece in the winter. Stay away from buying fresh vegetables out of season. Veggies like sweet corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and other seasonals more than double in price during the cold season.

When to buy: Always buy foods in season. When fresh veggie prices go up, look to frozen vegetables, which often decrease in price in the winter.

Now that you have a powerful smartphone in your pocket, how are you going to put it to good use? Games are a good way to pass time on the train during your morning commute and finding the lowest gas prices in your neighborhood with a free app sure is thrifty, but there’s so much more you can do with that expensive toy you lug around all day. Our top five shopping apps for mobile phones should get you started.

Red Laser

Have you ever found an irresistible sale at the grocery store and then wondered if you couldn’t get a better deal across town? Red Laser will shake away those worries by telling you exactly how much an item costs in your town and online. To use, simply scan an image of any product’s barcode and Red Laser will get to work price checking that item at thousands of brick and mortar stores where you live and also online. Red Laser is a free app for iPhone, Android, and Windows smartphone users.

SnapTell

Does that $45 video game you’re about to buy really have good ratings? Is that best seller you’re standing in line to purchase at the book store really all it’s cracked up to be? SnapTell will help you find out. Just take a picture of the cover of any book, video game, CD or DVD and SnapTell will pull ratings, descriptions and prices from around the world and online for you to explore. SnapTell is a free app for iPhone and Android.

The Dealmap

Recently acquired by Google, The Dealmap uses Google Maps to search for deals in your immediate area. Perfect for a night out on the town or while traveling in a strange city, The Dealmap is free for U.S. and U.K. iPhone and Android users.

Google Shopper

Using your smartphone’s built-in GPS, Google Shopper price checks merchandise by barcode scanner, voice input or camera and then tells you where that item is on sale near you and online. Google Shopper searches for new merchandise, as well as refurbished and used. Google Shopper is free for Android and iPhone shoppers.

Deal Drop

Addicted to daily deal shopping? Deal Drop puts the best deals of the day in your pocket no matter where you are. Deal Drop scans and updates sales and happenings from Groupon, LivingSocial, Target, Buy.com, eBay, NewEgg, and local stores. Deal Drop is a free app for Android and iPhone.

Don’t forget, many of your favorite local retailers also have free apps available which will give you instant access to specials, sales and coupons.

Three simple things you can build at home on a budget

Who didn’t want to grow up and become MacGyver? Famous for turning everyday items into lifesaving devices, secret agent Angus MacGyver was the epitome of cool. Now you too can save a life with your own homemade contraptions..or at least charge your iPhone. Here are three ways to put your inner MacGyver to work.

iPhone charger

Never be without enough juice to power your iPhone again! Believe it or not, you can make a small, but powerful USB iPhone charger out of an Altoids gum tin, two AA batteries, a circuit board, one diode and a few other spare parts. This handy charger will also power an MP3 player, camera, cell phone or any other portable device with a USB port. Full instructions are available free of charge from MintyBoost. The less technical can buy a MintyBoost kit, which includes all the necessary components and instructions for under $20, and the more adventurous can throw together a Solar Altoids iPhone charging station.

Night bike

Who hasn’t lusted after the night bikes featured in the latest Blackberry Bold television ad? With a little Phosphorescent paint and time, you can set your wheels aglow, too. Perfectionists can add a black light while painting to make sure the paint is being applied evenly. Full instructions at DigitFreak.com.

Survival kit

Photo by instructables.com

You just never know when you’re going to find yourself lost in the woods or broken down on the highway. Be prepared for anything with your own homemade survival kit. Using an Altoids tin or similar container, pack your kit with waterproof matches, a multi-use tool, compass, paper and pencil, bandages, gum and anything else you think you may need to make it to safety. See a sample survival kit on Instructables.com.

Do you need to send a thank you to your mom for your awesome Christmas gift? Would you like to show your grandmother pictures from your latest vacation? You can now send professionally designed postcards to anyone in the world free of charge with Hugmail.com. And here’s how to get started.

Using Hugmail

Hugmail.com is web-based service that turns your digital photos into postcards that can be mailed free to friends and family around the world. Designed as a way to share photos with loved ones who aren’t Internet savvy, Hugmail helps you turn digital photos from your computer, mobile phone or Facebook postings into memories that can be sent by postal mail. 

Register for a free account. Click the send a postcard link from Hugmail’s main page and register for a free account. You’ll need a valid email address to join Hugmail.

Add photos. Using Hugmail’s intuitive interface, you can pull photos from your cell phone, computer, the cloud or your Facebook account and add them to Hugmail. And if you don’t have a photo, that’s OK too. Hugmail has a wide variety of stock images for you to choose from. Once you’ve chosen a photo, Hugmail’s online tools will let you edit your images any way you like.

Enter a message. Here’s where you add a personal message to your postcard.

Address the postcard. Enter the address of where your postcard is going. You can even save addresses and special dates to remember to your own personal Hugmail address book.

Preview your card. Take one last look at your postcard. If you find errors or want to change an image, Hugmail will let your backtrack.

Send your card. The first postcard you send with Hugmail is free of charge. Any additional postcards require tokens which you can purchase with a major credit card or PayPal. Pay for five tokens at approximately $1.50 each, and you’ll get a sixth token free of charge.

And that’s it. Click the send button and your postcard is on the way. You can send a postcard via Hugmail’s website or with a mobile app.

Who are you going to hug by mail today?

Dry, cracked and chapped lips are unsightly and painful. Sure, you can scoop up the latest chapped lip treatments in tube form your corner pharmacy or big box store, but each one of those tubes runs a few bucks each and rarely, if ever, do they really solve the problem. These five remedies will destroy chapped lips for next to nothing and also help prevent future problems.

Drink more water

The most frequent cause of dry lips is lack of moisture. Dehydration from exercise, smoking and lack of water intake can turn irritated lips into dry and chapped lips in no time. You can prevent and help to treat chapped lips by consuming healthy doses of water each day.

Protect your lips

The natural oils in your lip skin are destroyed by harsh weather conditions, dehydration, poor nutrition and repeated lip licking. You can aid your body in restoring the natural balance by sealing in moisture. There’s no need for over-the-counter treatments either. Your grandmother likely used one of these household remedies successfully her entire life:

• –>Petroleum jelly.
• –>A dab of olive oil.
• –>Beeswax.
• –>A drop of almond oil extract.
• –>Crisco.

Add moisture to the air

When you’re already suffering with cracked and chapped lips, you need instant relief and healing and this comes easiest by giving your lips the moisture they’re craving. Turn on a humidifier or take a hot bath or shower.

Breathe through your nose

Breathing through your mouth, especially when outside in the cold air, causes a constant stream of cool air to continually dry out your lips, making your condition worse. Try breathing through your nose instead. When that’s not possible, wrap a scarf around your face when heading out so that, if you are breathing through your mouth, you’re at least protecting those lips a little.

Use a toothbrush

Running a soft bristled toothbrush lightly over your chapped lips will remove dry and dead skin cells, helping your body to heal faster. Once you’ve brushed your lips, rinse them clean with water and immediately apply an oil-based moisturizer liked petroleum jelly.

Like everything else, it’s far easier to prevent chapped lips than to treat the problem. By staying hydrated and keeping the moisture in your lips with the remedies listed above, you can stay one step ahead of chapped lips this season.

The new year provides a fresh calendar on which we can all build new and healthy habits. Who doesn’t love starting over with a clean slate? Unfortunately, nearly 20% of all New Year’s Eve resolutions made are broken during the first week of January. Resolve to make your wishes come true this year by getting the right tools to help you succeed in place.

Get fit and lose weight

My Fitness Pal is a free online calorie counter and exercise monitor that will whip you into shape and give you a space to track your progress. The helpful forums will supply you all the support you need in your battle of the bulge and online trackers will note your weight changes, meals and measurements. My Fitness Pal also has free mobile apps for iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows smartphones.

Daily Burn creates personalized fitness routines, counts calories and keeps track of your health and fitness goals free of charge. Daily Burn even helps users connect and challenge each other with fitness and weight loss goals. Free mobile phone apps for iPhone, Android, your laptop and Apple TV can also keep your stats current while you’re on-the-go.

Get your finances in order

Mint is one of the few free online websites and mobile apps that manages to make budgeting fun and easy. With Mint you can see all of your accounts in one place, track your spending and build your savings with a hassle-free plan. The free Mint.com iPhone and iPad apps will help you keep your spending under wraps when you’re on the move.

Adaptu is a free online budgeting tool that puts a financial tracker at your fingertips 24/7. With Adaptu you can keep tabs on your spending habits, plan the future out with savings goals and track investments. The Adaptu iPhone app is free of charge until the end of the year.

Kick bad habits

Livestrong My Fit Coach. A free iPhone app from the folks at Livestrong.com, My Fit Coach gives you a solid game plan to quit addictive habits like smoking. You decide when you’ll kick your habit and Livestrong will put together a way to make it happen and track your progress.

Don’t Break the Chain is a new approach to quitting bad habits that works by relying on the premise that once you accumulate a few good days under your belt, you won’t want to go back to bad behaviors. The free online tracker can keep track of how many days you’ve gone without a smoke, drink, or anything else you can think of.

Happy New Year!

In earlier times, when you needed a tool of some sort, you swapped or bartered with your neighbor. Maybe you’d give your neighbor a hammer you never used in exchange for the saw you really needed. It was an inexpensive way to get the things you needed without having to buy them. These days, we have eBay and Craigslist, which both work relatively well if you’re looking to buy a cheap saw, but not so well if you want to trade goods. Sure, Craigslist has a barter section, but it’s mostly a ghost town. Thanks to Swap.com, an online bartering website, you can now easily trade the stuff you don’t want for stuff you do want.

Introducing Swap.com

Swap.com is one of the Internet’s biggest secrets! Though it’s been around for a few years and has gotten oodles of great press, it’s been largely overshadowed by cheap marketplaces like eBay and Craigslist. Unlike those buying and selling websites, however, Swap.com helps users trade stuff they don’t want for items they really need. Have an iPod you don’t use? No problem! With Swap.com, you can trade it for a laptop, kitchen appliance, game console or any number of other things.

How Swap.com works

Ready to get started trading your old stuff for new stuff? It takes just seconds to get going.

Register for an account: Click the Get Started button and register for a new account with your Facebook or email account.

Browse items and add your own: Once you’re registered, you can browse items currently in the marketplace or add your own goods to the Swap.com database. Swap.com has twenty categories to choose from, including:

• ✖Baby and kids
• ✖Books
• ✖Collectibles
• ✖Computers and electronics
• ✖Coupons
• ✖Daily deals
• ✖Gift cards
• ✖Handmade and supplies
• ✖Health and beauty
• ✖Home and garden
• ✖Men’s fashion
• ✖Motors
• ✖Movies
• ✖Music
• ✖Sports and outdoors
• ✖Tickets
• ✖Toys and hobbies
• ✖Video games
• ✖Women’s fashions
• ✖Everything else

Anything that doesn’t fit into one of Swap.com’s predefined categories goes into the Everything Else bin.

Swap: Once you’ve listed all the goods you’re willing to part with, the Swap.com algorithms go to work matching you with the perfect swap partners. If you decide to accept the proposed trade, you simply ship your old items and wait for your new items to arrive by mail. If you turn down the offered trade, your items get relisted and Swap.com attempts to find a new match.

Connect with Swap

In addition to swapping from your web browser, you’ll find Swap.com as an iPhone app, on Facebook and on Twitter. Swap.com even connects you to local swap events.

Aeropostale

If you’re hitting up the mall this week, be sure to stop in at Aeropostale where you can save $10 off any $40 purchase with this coupon. Coupon can be combined with current Aeropostale deals, like $15 hoodies, 50% off Yoga gear, and $5 graphic tees. Coupon good in-store only and it expires January 3, 2012.

Amazon.com

The Amazon.com Year-End Sale is on now. Every day through December 31^st you’ll find outlet-style savings on almost everything Amazon has to offer. Save up to 70% daily on cell phones and accessories, jewelry, shoes, electronics, and more. And don’t forget to sign up for Amazon’s Daily Deals email to get Gold Box deals delivered straight to your inbox. Amazon is also giving away thousands of free MP3s this week in the Amazon Music Store.

Banana Republic

Banana Republic is clearing out merchandise with a 50% off sale. Get half-price savings on men’s clothing, women’s clothes and shoes, and jewelry. Offers good in stores and online until December 29, 2011. Use coupon code BRSALE30 to save an additional 30% while shopping.

Bloomingdales

Bloomingdales is having an after-Christmas and clearance sale. Save up to 75% off clothes, shoes, jewelry and handbags this week only. Also, be sure to enter to win a $2,000 shopping spree with Bloomingdales before January 1.

Ikea

Ikea is celebrating their annual Seize the Days Sale until Friday, December 29. Each day offers a new deal at Ikea and savings can be found online or in-store. Today, get an Antonius basic drawer unit, perfect for bathroom or laundry room storage, at half price. See more on sale goods in the Ikea online flyer.

NewEgg

NewEgg.com has put 100 items on clearance this week. You’ll find huge markdowns on core components, PCs and peripherals, electronics, and more. New Egg also has 60 daily deals going on today that feature up to 75% off savings on computer hardware.

The Body Shop

Buy a $5 Bag for Life (for charity) at The Body Shop this week and you’ll be rewarded with 50% off savings. Offer excludes gift baskets, gift memberships and gift cards, but does include all sale merchandise.

Wilsons Leather

You’ll pocket up to 80% savings at Wilsons Leather this week. Save on men’s and women’s outerwear, footwear, gloves and handbags. Plus, when you subscribe to the Wilsons Leather email newsletter and get a coupon for free shipping.

Woman Within

WomanWithin.com, the super store for women’s plus-size clothing, is practically giving away deals this week. In addition to saving 20% off any order with coupon code WW66756, you can grab this fleece lined parka for just $1.99 and get free shipping when you sign-up for daily deals emails.

Good luck!

Don’t open it

If you find yourself face-to-face with a new Android device on Christmas Day when all you really wanted was an iPhone, don’t open it. Seriously. Never break the seal on electronics, DVDs, video games consoles and games, or appliances. Once you cut your way through the exterior packaging you’ll have to pay a restocking fee of up to $50 to return that gift to brick and mortar stores. It’s just not worth it.

Return it

A new Kindle is a sweet and thoughtful gift, but if you already own an eReader of some sort, you probably don’t want or need another. In that case, consider returning the gift. Understand that unless your goods came with a gift receipt you very likely won’t walk back out of the store with cash, but will instead get a store gift card or gift certificate worth the value of that Kindle. That’s OK. Once you have the gift card in hand,  you can shop for what you really want.

Sell it

Getting a gift card in exchange for your unwanted items is great, unless your gift came from some obscure, unknown shop that sells nothing but the one item you didn’t want in the first place. In that instance, your best bet is to sell the offending gifts. Take a good photo shot of the present and post your wares for sale on Craigslist or eBay.

Trade them

If you absolutely don’t want to mess around with selling your stuff, trade it in. Many retailers have trade-in programs that will allow you to get gift cards or cash for your stuff. See trade-in programs at Amazon, Best Buy, Gazelle and Ecosquid.

Regift or give it away

There was a time that my grandmother kindly sent me gift certificates to a hotel in Florida every year for five years straight. Problem was, I was living out of the country at the time and had no way to use the gift certificates. I did have family who frequently traveled to Florida though, so I was able to give those gift cards to someone who could actually use them. If you’re in a similar situation, it’s not a bad idea to pass along a gift you can’t use to someone who can.

Say thank you

Remember, it’s the thought that counts. No matter how disappointed you were with a gift, mind your manners, say thank you, and be grateful that you have people in your life that remembered you this season.

Merry Christmas!

Just in time for last-minute holiday shoppers is the SaveBrite super list of stocking stuffer ideas. Everything on the list costs less than $20 and can be picked up locally or online.

1. 1. iTunes gift card.
2. 2. Gift certificate to local coffee shop.
3. 3. Hand lotion.
4. 4. Magazine or magazine subscription.
5. 5. Comfy hat or mittens.
6. 6. Gamefly subscription.
7. 7. Locally made specialty soaps.
8. 8. Tea infuser
9. 9. Gym water bottle.
10. 10. Scarf.
11. 11. Cell phone accessories.
12. 12. Incense.
13. 13. Electronics holder.
14. 14. Bag of coffee beans.
15. 15. iPhone apps.
16. 16. Stuffed animal.
17. 17. Garlic press.
18. 18. Laptop sleeve.
19. 19. Digital measuring tape.
20. 20. Perfume or cologne.
21. 21. Christmas ornament.
22. 22.  Moleskine notebook.
23. 23. Puzzle.
24. 24. Coffee Press.
25. 25. Netflix subscription.
26. 26. Model airplane kit.
27. 27. Flashlight
28. 28. Harmonica.
29. 29. Board game.
30. 30. Travel mug.
31. 31. Craft supplies.
32. 32. Fishing lures.
33. 33. Toys.
34. 34. State Park membership.
35. 35. Stationary.
36. 36. Pen.
37. 37. Sketchbook.
38. 38. Grocery store gift certificate.
39. 39. Toothbrush.
40. 40. Popcorn seasoning.
41. 41. Combs, brushes, shampoos and hair care items.
42. 42. Movie theater tickets.
43. 43. Bottle of wine.
44. 44. Neck massager.
45. 45. Wool socks.
46. 46. Basketball, tennis balls, baseball or softball.
47. 47. Bike helmet.
48. 48. Bottle of hot sauce.
49. 49. Restaurant gift certificate.
50. 50. Kindle accessories.
51. 51. Books.
52. 52. Candy.
53. 53. Tea Press.
54. 54. Kite.
55. 55. Garden tools.
56. 56. Computer speakers, mice, and accessories.
57. 57. Knitting needles, yarn and craft supplies.
58. 58. Countertop kitchen appliances.
59. 59. Car windshield wipers, air fresheners and supplies.
60. 60. Gift certificate for a car oil change.
61. 61. Pajamas.
62. 62. Lego stuff.
63. 63. Bath mitt.
64. 64. Hammer, screwdriver, and other tools.
65. 65. Candles.
66. 66. Earbuds.
67. 67. Card games.
68. 68. Jewelry.
69. 69. Bubble bath.
70. 70. Bed pillow.
71. 71. Slinky.
72. 72. Disposable camera.
73. 73. Amazon.com gift certificate.
74. 74. Printer paper and supplies.
75. 75. Game console remote.
76. 76. Bird feeder.
77. 77. Sheet music.
78. 78. Nail polish.
79. 79. Tire guage.
80. 80. Giant coffee mug.
81. 81. Snowball maker or snow fort maker.
82. 82. Yo-Yo.
83. 83. Framed family picture.
84. 84. Keychain.
85. 85. Shaving soaps, razors, brushes or kits.
86. 86. Personalized photo calendar.
87. 87. Action figures.
88. 88. Comic books.
89. 89. Dolls.
90. 90. Hacky sack.
91. 91. Beanie.
92. 92. Nail polish.
93. 93. Lip balm.
94. 94. DVD movies.
95. 95. Book of stamps.
96. 96. Handy utility bracelet.
97. 97. Utili-key.
98. 98. Ice straws, ice cube trays and ice molds.
99. 99. Headphone splitter.
100. 100. Bookmark.

Photo by Kansas Explorer 3128

Peachtree Pro Accounting 2012 (Free after $190 rebate)

Sage Peachtree Pro Accounting normally retails for $229 in stores, but is now sale priced at Staples at just $190. Buy this deal at Staples, mail in the $190 rebate form, and you’ll get the latest Peachtree edition free of charge. Peachtree sells with a 60 day money back guarantee and can also be downloaded and used in trial form before purchase.

Old Navy

Who doesn’t love a comfy Old Navy tee or khakis? Groupon is featuring a limited time offer this week that rewards shoppers with 50% off. Spend $10 and you’ll get a $20 gift certificate to Old Navy by way of Groupon. This offer ends in three days. Combine this deal with Old Navy’s holiday sale for big savings or use the gift certificate as a last-minute stocking stuffer.

Gap

Save 30% off any Gap purchase with coupon code GAPCHEER. Coupon is good on in-store purchases or online, and can be combined with current sales. Don’t miss the 60% off Gap sale on now through Christmas Eve.

Best Buy

Best Buy’s 3 Day Sale is on now. Until Friday, you can pick up an ASUS laptop for just $399, $49 smartphone, and save 20% on kitchen appliances or washers and dryers. The Best Buy sale ends Friday at business close.

Circuit City

Unlike most retailers, Circuit City online is still guaranteeing they’ll get your purchases under the tree in time for Christmas. On sale through Friday:

• ★Sony 16MP digital camera for $139.99.
• ★Sony Network WiFi Media player for only $49.99.
• ★Magellan 5 GPS for $79.97.
• ★Ario 32” LED HDTV for $199.99.

Toys R Us

Toys R Us is having a last-minute 50% off toy sale today only. Athletic equipment, video games, board games, dolls and musical instruments have been reduced in price for one day only. See the full ad and sale details at Toys R Us.

Walmart

Today is the final day to buy from Walmart online and still get your goods in stockings in time for holiday celebrations. Online and in-store you’ll find super savings, including:

• ★Nikon COOLPIX 14MP digital camera for $89.
• ★Nintendo DSi Value Bundle for $159.
• ★Philips Blue-Ray WiFi disc player for $69.98.

Zales

Zales is having a one-day 10% off sale today only. Combine this sale with Zale’s ongoing 60% off sale to scoop up real values. The 10% off deal is also good on all clearance merchandise online or in-store.

Good luck!

First Class Mail

You have until Tuesday, December 20 to get your gift to the post office. Packages shipped after December 20^th are not guaranteed to arrive in time for the holidays.

Priority Mail

December 21 is the date to keep in mind. All packages must be out for delivery by Wednesday of this week in order to get to their intended destination in time for Christmas Eve.

FedEx

Photo by Darren B. Hillman

You can no longer ship FedEx Ground and expect your presents to arrive on time, but you can use other FedEx services. FedEx First Overnight, FedEx Priority Overnight and FedEx 2-Day services are still available. Packages can be dropped off at FedEx as late as Thursday, December 22. For the full FedEx shipping calendar, view their website.

UPS

Photo by pscs11

UPS has several shipping options left to choose from:

• ✔3 Day Select: Packages must be mailed by Tuesday, December 20.
• ✔2^nd Day Air: Ship by Thursday, December 22^nd.
• ✔Next Day Air: Must be mailed by Friday, December 23^rd.

Packages sent by 2^nd Day Air and Next Day Air will be subject to a $15 surcharge per package.

Many stores are also still offering free shipping, provided your gifts are purchased and mailed by midweek.  See individual store shops for details.

Shipping tips for the masses

Photo by Ice Foxx

You not only need to get your package delivered on time, but you want for it to end up at its destination in one piece. You can do that by following these basic shipping tips:

Use the sturdiest of supplies: Always use heavy duty boxes with the flaps intact to protect your gift during its long journey. For heavy and breakable items, double-boxing is a must.

Insulate gifts well: Whether your item is made of glass, wood or paper, you’ll want to insulate it against the elements and the bumps and bangs it will experience while in transit. Use bubble wrap, packing peanuts and other cushioning.

Don’t gift wrap the outer box: The outer box should be free of any gift wrapping, bows or ribbons. Use of such items can cause the package to get caught up in machines and slow delivery. It’s A-OK to include wrapped gifts, but the outer shipping box should be free of everything but the shipping label.

Label well: Include the appropriate shipping address and return shipping label on the outside of the box. If old shipping labels are still present on the box you’re using, rip them off or color over them with a black marker.

Don’t forget, you can avoid long lines at the post office or elsewhere by registering your package for delivery or pickup online.

One of the most eye-popping innovations to come out of LeWeb 2011 this year was a new mobile shopping tool from PayPal. The eBay-owned PayPal recently announced their foray into the daily deals market with a new app that will deliver mobile coupons to consumers’ smartphones, and they’re hoping to not only help shoppers save with money saving ecoupons, but also let users browse stores from their phone. Let’s take a look.

PayPal Window Shopping

Imagine browsing the aisles and racks of supermarkets, clothing shops and boutiques from your cell phone, even when stores are closed. You may not have to imagine much longer, because that’s exactly what PayPal’s new Window Shopping app will let you do.

The new PayPal system will project a holographic shopping interface onto closed shop windows, allowing a passersby to connect with their smartphone via the PayPal app. Through that app, PayPal shopers will then be able to browse store shop’s contents and buy goods directly from their mobile phone using PayPal as the payment gateway. Purchased items are then shipped to the shopper’s home, as they would be if you were shopping online.

Sounds impressive, right? The near-reality PayPal app can be seen in action in the video below.

What is Free Shipping Day?

Free Shipping Day is a one day online event that takes place each year around the holiday shopping season. This year, Friday, December 16^th is the day the magic happens. All day tomorrow a select group of online businesses agree to ship all of your online purchases for free. That means you can buy gifts for mom, dad, the grandparents and even your Aunt Bessie..and they’ll all be shipped, even to separate addresses, free of charge.

How can you take advantage of this offer?

According to FreeShippingDay.com, there are more than 2,346 online businesses participating in Free Shipping Day 2011. With only a limited time left to get your holiday gift list in order and all those packages in the mail, this special deal is perfect for those last-minute shoppers and penny-pinching gift buyers. Make the most of your online shopping by combining holiday sales with the free shipping deal.

Among the over 2,000 businesses participating in Free Shipping Day 2011:

• ➫Apple Store: There’s still time to get an iPad2 engraved.
• ➫Bed, Bath and Beyond: Lots of good buys in the clearance section.
• ➫Best Buy: Combine free shipping with the Deal of the Day for extra savings.
• ➫Boston Store: KitchenAid appliances are 33% off.
• ➫Cabelas: See Christmas Hot Buys.
• ➫Cost Plus: Tons of Christmas décor and gift items in stock and on sale.
• ➫Details: Free samples ship with every order.
• ➫Dick’s Sporting Goods: Save 50% on select items.
• ➫GiftCards.com: Save up to 25% on select gift cards.
• ➫Guitar Center: Special online clearance pricing just in time for Christmas.
• ➫JCPenney: Toys are up to 70% off.
• ➫Lands’ End: Shop the 30% off sale.
• ➫Office Max: Get a free $10 off coupon when you buy printer ink.
• ➫REI: Save 30% on any REI brand merchandise.
• ➫Sony: Save up to $348 on select laptops.
• ➫The North Face: See the holiday gift guide.
• ➫Zales: 70% off on clearance jewelry.
• ➫Zappos: Shop the Holiday Clearance Sale.

Don’t forget, Free Shipping Day lasts only one day! For a full list of retailers participating in Free Shipping Day 2011, check in with FreeShippingDay.com.

At home

1.  Cancel your newspaper subscription. You can read the newspaper online for free.

2. Get rid of your landline. If you get good cell phone coverage at home, you don’t need a pricey second line.

3. Use window stripping. Plugging up leaks around doors and windows can shave 20% off your energy bills.

4. Wash clothes in cold water. 75% of the energy your washing machine uses comes from heating the water. Wash in cold water instead.

5. Upgrade to CFLs. Traditional light bulbs have short lives and waste energy. Moving up to energy efficient CFLs will net you a savings of up to $30 per light fixture each year.

6. Drop premium cable channels. Most television shows can now be viewed online or rented free from the library or through Netflix. Dropping premium channels will save $150-300 each year.

7. Make your own household cleaners. You’ll free your home of dirt and chemicals when you use all-natural cleaners you make yourself. See MommySavers.com for cleaning recipe ideas.

In the car

8. Keep car tires inflated. You’ll improve your gas mileage by up to 3.3% by airing up your tires regularly.

9. Share a car with a friend. Ridesharing to work can save up to $3,400 a year.

10. Walk. Start walking or biking on errands and you’ll not only save gas money and wear and tear on your car, but get in better shape.

11. Let your groceries pay for your gas. You’ll earn gas at the pump by enrolling in free grocery store memberships. Gaint saves shoppers $.10 per gallon for every $100 spent on food.

On pets

12. See the veterinary school. Vet schools need patients. Let your dog or cat get attended to by student vets and you can save as much as 40% on routine procedures and surgeries.

13. Take advantage of your internet connection. Buy pet meds online and trim costs for prescriptions by 42%.

14. Don’t pass up the pet store. Pet stores offer deep discounts to members on food, toys, beds and more.

15. Make your own pet toys. We promise, your best friend won’t know the difference between an expensive store-bought toy and one you make at home.

16. Become a groomer. Trim your dog’s nails and fur and save up to $400 in grooming fees.

While shopping

17. Use coupons. Smart shoppers redeemed $3.3 billion in coupons last year.

18. Refuse to pay shipping charges. Ship to store for free or stay up-to-date on free shipping offers.

19. Know your sales. Knowing what’s on sale and where can save countless dollars per shopping trip.

20. Take advantage of technology. Cell phone apps can deliver money saving coupons in seconds and even help you pricecheck.

Android apps

Kung Fu Panda Holiday is now an interactive storybook for Android. Grab the app free today only. The innovative DreamWorks apps can be tested on your home computer before being pushed to your phone.

FedEx Mobile is a free app that lets you track your holiday gift purchases from any store to your front door.

The 4-Hour Chef was put together by lifestyle designer Timothy Feriss. This free Android app will teach you how to become a gourmet chef and how to decant wine in just 20 seconds.

iPhone apps

Football Connect is football for social networking fans. Play alongside a real game with other armchair quarterbacks around the world.

Office Jerk lets you take out your cubicle anguish on that jerk in the office by throwing things at his head. The more things that connect with Office Jerk’s head, the higher your score.

Singing Santa listens to what you have to say and then sings it back to you in Santa-speak.

Kindle books

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

A Christmas Greeting,by Hans Christian Andersen.

A Little Book of Christmas by John Kendrick Bangs.

The Children’s Book of Christmas Stories by Asa Don Dickinson.

Nook books

Within by Joshua Scribner.

Don’t Blink by James Patterson.

The Finding by Nicky Charles.

Blood, Sweat and Tea by Tom Reynolds.

Free samples and subscriptions

Nescafe Peppermint Mocha is free when you like Nescafe USA on Facebook.

Weather Underground is giving away a one year trial membership.

Purina Pro Plan Cat Food is free by liking Purina on Facebook.

American Baby one year magazine subscription.

Baby Talk magazine is also free for one year.

Free Coca Cola Polar Bear Mugs when you purchase any two Coke 12-packs from Family Dollar.

1. Take advantage of bird bargains

Supermarket rotisserie chicken makes for a quick and easy meal, but averages $7-9 for a three-pound bird. Instead of investing in the pre-made rotisserie deli bird, you can pick up a three-pound uncooked chicken for as little as $3, roast it yourself with herbs, and have enough food to put away for leftovers after dinner with the family. Buying uncooked meats is always cheaper than relying on prepackaged and highly processed meat cuts, precooked burgers and frozen chicken meals.

2. Cruise the frozen fruits and vegetables

Natural disasters and poor growing seasons significantly impact the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables. The same can be said for buying whole fruits and veggies out of season. Three cucumbers can be had in summer months for just a buck, while you’ll pay more than one dollar for a single cuke in cold weather months. Not so in the frozen food aisles. Frozen, unprocessed fruits and vegetables are every bit as healthy as fresh foods, but rarely change much in price.

3. Check out buy one, get one free deals

Photo by Route79

DiGirno frozen pizzas, normally priced at $8 each, were buy one, get one free last week at my local grocery store. Walking out with two pizzas for the price of one meant that I saved $8 on my grocery store receipt. When do you ever see an $8 coupon in circulation? Buy one, get one free deals can be found in nearly every aisle at the market.

4. Buy deli ends

Deli ends, sometimes called bulk ends, are the butt end of meats that most delis sell for next to nothing. Roast beef from the deli goes from $6-10 a pound in most places, but roast beef deli ends cost just $.99/pound.

5. Use a membership card

Grocery store membership cards and loyalty programs are free and can seriously cut your food bills. Membership programs like those at Aldi and Piggly Wiggly not only help to save you money on your food purchases, but also let you bank money away for college and save a few pennies per gallon at the gas pump.

Lastly, don’t forget your coupons! Printable coupons, newspaper coupons, mobile coupons and store sales and coupons can slash food prices and keep your grocery budget intact.

Nobody (and I mean nobody) enjoys pulling a fresh package of socks and underwear from their Christmas stocking on Christmas morning. Sure, they’re practical items, but when you’re opening your goods in front of extended family members, it’s not so much fun to be sharing your Fruit of the Looms with the grandparents. Want some killer stocking stuffer ideas for everyone in the family? Read on! All these gifts are on sale this week.

For Dad

Photo by theogeo

54 Piece Craftsman Power Driving Set: Normally $24.99, now just $9.99 at Sears.

Starbucks coffee: Starbucks is having a pre-Christmas sale in stores and online. From now through Monday, Starbucks features a different coffee deal each day.

Rolling Stone Magazine: BestDealMagazines.com is offering a one year subscription to Rolling Stone for only $3.60. Use coupon code MPS16 during checkout to secure the sale price.

Free music: Amazon is celebrating the season by offering 25 days of free music downloads.

Craftsman 21” Bow Saw: Sale priced at $3.49 at Sears.

For Mom

Photo by BlacKats

New appliances: Sale priced at just $25 each, Target is having a three day sale that will net shoppers a coffee pot, waffle maker, or other countertop appliance. Spend $50 at Target this week and you’ll receive a gift card for $10. Print this ecoupon to qualify for the gift card.

Chocolates: Fannie May boxed chocolate gift boxes are half price this week with coupon code 17349.

New boots: Amazon is ready to deck mom out in a new pair of winter or rain boots. All boots are now 50% off, start as low as $27, and qualify for free shipping.

Workout kit for Nintendo: Toys R Us has sale priced the 3-in-1 Lady Fitness Workout Kit for Nintendo Wii at just $4.98 (normally $39.99!). For a limited time only, all online orders also ship free.

For the kids

Photo by quinnums

Blue-ray disc player: Normally priced at $119.99, Amazon now has an LG Blue-ray disc player for only $59.98, and shipping is free.

Melissa & Doug toys: Amazon is having a 50% off toy sale this week. You’ll find a huge selection of Melissa & Doug toys as low as $9.99 with free shipping.

Mattel Toys: All toys at Mattel.com are 65% off and include free shipping.

USB cable for iPod/iPhone: Amazon has generic USB charge and sync cables as low as $.75.

Radio Flyer Classics: Groupon has three Radio Flyer Classic Cruisers for just $49 today. Hurry, this sale ends at midnight.

Assassin’s Creed Ultimate Collection: Now just $3.99 at J&R. Shipping is free when you sign up for the Friends with Benefits program.

Converse shoes: All Converse shoes, including Classic Kicks for kids, are up to 60% off at 6PM.com.

There’s a certain appeal that comes from giving and receiving homemade gifts. Unlike store-bought presents that are made for the masses and aren’t always constructed to last, homemade goodies are well thought out bounties that have been made with nothing but time and love. How can you give the gift of homemade when you don’t have a Martha Stewart bone in your body? Follow along.

MadeItMyself.com

MadeItMyself.com is an online marketplace that connects casual and professional hobbyists with buyers in search of handmade goods. Sellers get to market their self-made items to a wide audience and buyers can find unique and personally crafted gifts of all kinds in one location. MIM has an abundance of  cool and unique gift ideas, including art, bath and beauty items, jewelry, metal work, woodworking, and more. Account registration at MIM is free of charge and is as simple as choosing a username and password.

Etsy

Etsy.com is an e-commerce website with a heavy focus on homemade goods, vintage items, and arts and crafts supplies. Started in 2005, Etsy has a solid reputation in the arts and craft community, and is a great place to find something for everyone on your list. Etsy features homemade and vintage items of many kinds, including art, books, pottery, furniture, knitting, toys, and a whole lot more. Etsy buyer and seller accounts are free and can be registered for online.

ArtFire

ArtFire.com was founded in 2008 in Arizona, and has since blown up on the Internet. Heavily respected as the place to find the most creative artwork online, ArtFire has an easy-to-use website that helps you find the perfect gift for normally hard-to-shop-for friends and family. At ArtFire you’ll find an almost overwhelming selection of handmade goods, design items, craft supplies, media, fine art, and more. ArtFire also has special sale priced items, coupons, and free shipping deals. No registration is necessary for buyers, and all ArtFire items can be added to an Amazon Gift List for later viewing and purchasing.

Zibbet

Zibbet.com is a website where those wanting to buy homemade gifts can find artists looking to sell them. Zibbet has a wide assortment of offerings, like jewelry, glass art, antiques, photography, and more. You’ll need a Zibbet account to start buying and registration is free.

And don’t overlook local artists. Many of the world’s most talented artisans sell their stuff on Craigslist. When buying local, you can view pieces before investing, and even have some artwork, like furniture and knitting, made to size.

The winter season isn’t far off. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that the average U.S. household spends in excess of $2.200 per year on energy bills, with the bulk of that money going toward heating. You can’t stop the cold from coming, but you can stop wasting so much of your hard earned money on energy bills this season. Try out these tips to save money and still stay warm this winter.

Change your furnace filter

It’s a simple thing to do, but more than half of us neglect to replace our furnace filters when we should. Dirty furnace filters block airflow, leading to carbon monoxide poisoning, fires, and other household dangers. Clean air filters help your furnace work more efficiently, which means you’ll spend less on heating and energy bills. Furnace filters should be changed every one to three months, depending on the type of furnace you have installed. If you don’t know how to change a furnace filter, learn.

Check heating ducts

Even the smallest cracks in heating ducts can lead to heat loss and hundreds of dollars in wasteful spending. You can inspect your ducts for cracks yourself and seal any trouble spots with inexpensive spray foam or duct sealing mastic. Many utility companies also offer free energy audits which will help to pinpoint leaks.

Stop drafts

Drafty windows and doors are real energy drainers. Inexpensive door sweeps, window insulation and window coverings can help to keep cold air out and warm air in.

Control the thermostat

A programmable thermostat will pay for itself in just one month. Inexpensive programmable thermostats and easy to install and allow you to pre-program heat settings and control your heating costs.

Warm yourself instead of your home

Instead of heating every room in the house when you’re cold, try warming yourself first. Throw on a sweater or cuddle up with a blanket on the couch.

Close doors and seal off rooms

If you have unused or seldom-used rooms in the house, keep doors to those rooms shut or completely seal them off during the cold season by closing heating vents and drawing blinds. There’s no sense heating rooms that nobody is using.

Know when to open and close blinds and curtains

When the sun is out, open curtains and blinds and let the warmth in. Exposing your home to a few rays of sunshine can heat up rooms by as much as 10%. At night, draw curtains and close blinds to prevent air leaks.

To help ready your home for the cold season ahead and read more money-saving ideas, take a trip over to EnergyGuide.com.

New startup SavingStar.com has introduced an updated and carefree way to use coupons. Unlike traditional couponing, which requires clipping and organizing, SavingStar uses only your computer or smartphone to put coupons at your fingertips and money in your bank.

Getting started

SavingStar accounts are free and take just seconds to open. Users can join with a valid email address or Facebook account. Once you’ve verified your details by email you’re ready to get started.

Enter the zip code where you live and shop and SavingStar will return all the available coupons in your immediate area.

Registering your store membership cards

SavingStar works by crediting the coupons you want to use to your store membership cards, so you’ll want to register as many grocery, drug and pharmacy, and chain member cards that you own and use. After you’ve entered your zip code into Saving Star, you’ll be told which store memberships are available in your area. There are loads of participating retailers working in tandem with SavingStar, so be prepared to spend a little time getting the details right. The more member cards you register and the more coupons you use, the more money you’ll save.

Claim your coupons

With SavingStar, there are no coupons to clip, collect or organize. You simply claim which coupons interest you, and they’ll automatically be applied to your store membership cards. New coupons are added to the database each Thursday. You’ll find high value coupons for health and beauty items, grocery store goods, cleaning supplies, and more. Claim as many coupons as you like.

Collect your cash

Traditional couponing takes your coupons and applies them to your grocery bill, where you automatically and instantly reap the rewards of your hard work by saving money at the cash register. With SavingStar, you’ll see no change on your store receipt. Instead, your coupon savings will be added to your SavingStar account. Each time you use a qualifying coupon in a participating store, SavingStar will email you and let you know they’ve deposited funds in your SavingStar account. Once you’ve saved $5 or more with SavingStar coupons, you can cash out by transferring the money to your PayPal or bank account, putting the money into an Amazon gift card or by making a charitable donation.

Make saving money even easier with the SavingStar iPhone or Android app.

To learn more about how you can upgrade to ecoupons and do away with tired paper coupons, check out the SavingStar blog.

You can shop sale after sale this holiday season, saving oodles of cash along the way, but if you’re still shelling out ten or twenty bucks per order to ship all those goods to loved ones on your shopping list, you’re not exactly coming out ahead. Shipping fees can eat away at your gift budget in no time, leaving you with less money to work with, and more headaches than you ever imagined.

This holiday season, say no to spendy shipping charges and yes to savings. Here are five ways you can get free shipping just in time for Christmas.

1.  Mark December 16^th on your calendar

December 16^th is Free Shipping Day. Shoppers who participate in this one-day event are treated to free shipping anywhere in the United States, and a guarantee that packages will be delivered by Christmas Eve.

1,275 businesses have agreed to participate in Free Shipping Day in 2011, and it’s believed that when all is said and done, more than 2,000 retailers will be signed up and offering expense-free shipping. You can stay up-to-date with Free Shipping Day and see a current list of retailers participating at FreeShippingDay.org.

2. Bookmark money saving websites

Did you know there are websites out there that do nothing more than list the latest free shipping offers? It’s true! Here at SaveBrite, we have a special section on our website devoted to free shipping deals, coupons and coupon codes. You’ll also find the free shipping bargains on FreeShipping.org.

3. Ship to stores free

Site to store pickup lets you order your gifts online and then pick up those items free of charge from your local outlet, so you get the gifts home and under your tree free of charge. Hundreds of online retailers offer site to store pickup, including Walmart, Sears, Do It Best, Payless and Best Buy. To learn more, see SiteToStoreShipping.com.

4. Do all your shopping at once

Many online businesses offer free shipping when you spend a certain amount of money. Amazon, for example, ships orders free when they total at least $25. As long as you spend that $25, you can ship those gifts free to as many different addresses as you have on your holiday list.

5. Be mindful of holiday sales

The best deal going this holiday season is the gift of free shipping. REI.com is just one of many businesses shipping holiday gifts free this month. Pay attention to sales. Often times, free shipping deals will lower your overall cost more than a coupon or coupon code for 10% off your order will.

Many of your favorite department stores offer free shipping year round or as part of holiday promotions. To see a full list of retailers with the best shipping deals going, visit FreeShipping.org.

Where to buy into the best online shopping deals of the year

Black Friday has now come and gone and retailers and shoppers alike are rejoicing. For shoppers, it was a day of bagging perhaps the lowest in-store prices of the year. Retailers, on the hand, are celebrating record-setting sales. Z6mag.com is reporting today that Black Friday brought in $11.4 billion in sales, a number that’s up 6.6% from last year.

Unlike Black Friday shopping, Cyber Monday sales happen only online, which means you won’t have to wait in long lines, hassle with cashiers, deal with getting in and out of crowded parking lots or race around town in search of bargains that may or may not still be available. Tomorrow is Cyber Monday, the one day a year when the entire Internet goes on sale and allows you to shop from the comfort of your home computer.

Here’s a sneak peek of what’s to come.

Amazon

Amazon.com announced their Cyber Monday line-up the day after Thanksgiving and their Cyber Monday Deals Week webpage is already active and online for early viewing. As in previous years, Amazon has hinted about unadvertised doorbusters, but hasn’t given away any specifics. Right now, the best deals include:

• ☆ Sony Cybershot DSC-HX5V 10.2 MP digital camera for $199 (save $150).
• ☆ Microsoft Xbox 360 Holiday Bundle for $199 (save $100).
• ☆ Nokia N8 (unlocked) for $299 (save $249).
• ☆ 50% off VTech electronic toys.
• ☆ 50% off select Hasbro games.
• ☆ 60% off sweaters and fleece for women.

Babies R Us

Babies R Us is celebrating Cyber Monday with an unbeatable 70% off thousands of items, including car seats, strollers, furniture, toys, and bedding. The Babies R Us sale runs through Sunday, December 3.

GameStop

While supplies last, GameStop deals include:

• ☆ G155 Portable Gaming System for $249.99 ($50 off).
• ☆ Pictionary Ultimate Edition free with purchase of uDraw Game Tablet ($39.99 value).
• ☆ Unchartered 2 for Ps3 is $14.99 (regularly $29.99).

JCPenney

The JCPenney Cyber Monday deals began rolling out today. Best deals include:

• ☆ Xersion packable down jacket for women $39.88.
• ☆ Flannel and fleece sheet sets are 60% off.
• ☆ Kitchen electronics priced at just $14.99.
• ☆ Home lighting sale priced at 60% off.

Kmart

Kmart has declared every Monday in December to be Cyber Monday. All month long you’ll be treated to a variety of good buys. Tomorrow’s Cyber Monday sale will feature:

• ☆ Ario 32″ LCD HDTV for $199 ($100 off).
• ☆ GPX portable 7″ DVD for $49.99 ($30 off).
• ☆ Magnavox 19″ LED LCD HDTV $149.99 ($40 off).

Office Max

The Cyber Monday Office Max deals include:

• ☆ Toshiba L755D-S5250 notebook for $379.99 ($170 off).
• ☆ Kodak EasyShare 14MP digital camera for $69.99 ($60 off).

Many Cyber Monday deals begin at midnight. For the latest Cyber Monday news and promotions, visit CyberMonday2011.com or MyCyberMondayDeals.net.

If you’re like most, you didn’t set your alarm for 11pm last night, bundle up against the weather or stand in line for hours on end waiting for a doorbuster Black Friday deal. Have no fear, there are still lots of great buys to be had for the lazy frugal buyers among us, and here’s where you can find them.

Best Buy

Best Buy is offering free shipping all day today, so you can easily score big on electronics, computers, digital cameras, video games and more. Best Buy Black Friday sales flyers can be seen on the web. Be sure to check out the online only sale for special savings on LCD monitors, eReaders, iPods, and smarthphones.

Ikea

The Black Friday prices at Ikea are good until Sunday, November 27.  All stuffed soft toys are priced at half off right now at Ikea, and you’ll find closeout prices on home furnishings and kitchen items. Ikea’s sale is in-store only, though you can find a few good deals online, too.

Kohl’s

Kohl’s Department Store is celebrating Black Friday with special discounts in nearly every department. The best deal going this year is in the kitchen and housewares aisles where everything has been marked down up to 50% off. Sale prices are good in-store or online. Plus, spend $50 with Kohl’s through the weekend and you’ll be gifted a $15 Kohl’s Cash gift certificate.

Lowe’s

Black Friday savings at Lowe’s started yesterday online and continue today in-store and on their website. There are over 200 items marked down on Lowe’s website, and sales vary largely by store. Watch for clearance pricing on washers, dryers, tools, home décor and holiday decorations.

Old Navy

You’ll save online and off at Old Navy. The three day Old Navy Black Friday event ends tomorrow. Old Navy is clearing everything out this year, so look for unbelievably low prices on fleece, winter apparel, jeans, khakis, and clearance merchandise. Print this coupon and you’ll save $10 off any $50 purchase.

Staples

Staples is having a two day sale, which ends tonight. Best buys include $200 off laptops, a $199 price tag on the new Amazon Kindle Fire, and 80% off select electronics, software titles and office supplies. Sale prices are good online and in-store. Staples offers free delivery anywhere in the United States.

Target

Target still has a ton of Black Friday specials to choose from in every department.  Family gifts are sale priced at just $10 and the electronics departments have movies for as little as $1.99 per DVD. Target’s Black Friday flyer is available for viewing online, and prices are good until Saturday, November 26. Online shoppers can stock up on Christmas gifts with Target’s 4-Day Sale.

For the latest Black Friday sales updates, surf over to BlackFriday2011.com and BFads.net.

Don’t buy the farm

Photo by lancefisher

We tend to go overboard when hosting a big meal like Thanksgiving, buying enough food not only to feed our own family, but also every other family on the block. There’s no need to overspend, overbuy or go over budget this year. Remember, Christmas is just a short month away and you may need that cash for gifts soon.

In general, the following food rules apply:

• ⇨Allow one pound of turkey per person.
• ⇨Prepare 6-7 appetizers pieces for each guest.
• ⇨The more variety of sides you have, the smaller portion size each person will take.
• ⇨Plan for one to two beverages per person, not including tea, coffee and water.
• ⇨One cup of soup equals a serving.
• ⇨Diners usually eat 2-4 ounces of vegetables.
• ⇨You’ll need less lettuce than you think.
• ⇨Expect that each guest will eat at least one dinner roll.
• ⇨One yam, sweet potato or white potato per person.
• ⇨Figure each person at the table will consume one-half cup of gravy per helping.
• ⇨There are twelve servings in a pie.

When guests ask if they bring something, don’t be afraid to tell them what you need.

Do read labels

Photo by Edsel L

Each year more than 40,000 people in the United States get food poisoning from undercooked turkeys and improperly prepared and stored food. You don’t have to be a master chef to keep your guests happy and healthy. Read labels and understand food safety.

• ⇨How to defrost, prepare and cook a turkey safely.
• ⇨Avoid cross-contamination.
• ⇨Store leftovers the right way.
• ⇨How long do foods last after the holiday?

Get your coupons out

Photo by LeeLeFever

There are overabundances of retail and store coupons out this week that can cut your grocery bill in half. Many stores have frozen turkeys priced at under $.60 a pound and almost all chain grocery stores give away free yams, pies, whipped creams and side dishes with the purchase of $25 or more. Watch for sales and whenever possible, double-up manufacturer coupons with in-store coupons for maximum savings.

Have fun

Photo by gregoirevdb

Thanksgiving comes around but once a year, so enjoy it. Just because you have a house full of guests doesn’t mean you have to spend an arm and a leg on entertainment. A few ideas:

• ⇨Asks guests to bring along their favorite board game.
• ⇨Have kids play video games they already own.
• ⇨Play Charades!
• ⇨Watch a holiday movie on TV.
• ⇨Take in a football game or two.
• ⇨Go for a walk and show off your neighborhood while burning off dinner calories.
• ⇨Let the kids put on a talent show.
• ⇨Play party games.

From our table to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

Finding coupons can be a real chore. Whether you’re getting your money saving coupons from the Sunday paper or coupon websites online, there’s a whole lot of work involved. And no matter how you get your coupons, you still have to locate the particular coupons that interest you, cut them down to size, file them all away, and then remember to take them with you to the store when you go shopping. Thanks to CouponMap, now there’s a new and simpler way to get the coupons you need without all the hassle.

Getting started with CouponMap

CouponMap is a free coupon locating service that uses Google Maps to pinpoint coupons closest to your location. Getting started is easy.

Tell CouponMap what you need

In search of a pizza coupon for dinner tonight? Just type it in the search for field.

Show CouponMap where you are

In the near field, tell CouponMap where you’ll be shopping. You can name a city, use your zip code, or even specify your exact address.

Search

Hit the search button and let CouponMap get to work. CouponMap will search more than 390,000 local coupons in its database and return a huge list of coupons that you can pick and choose from. Searching for pizza in Chicago gave us nine pages of coupons to grocery stores, local restaurants and delis, plus an endless number of coupons, specials and sales.

The many benefits of CouponMap

CouponMap is fast, efficient and extremely useful to those who are used to sorting through newspaper coupons or doing Google searches for a particular coupon. CouponMap’s many benefits include:

• ↦It’s free; no sign-up required.
• ↦It’s easy! It takes just seconds to locate area specials, sales and coupons.
• ↦Works with Google Street View, which means you’ll get a close-up look at area businesses.
• ↦Can be imbedded in any website. Add the CouponMap widget to your website for simpler, faster searches.
• ↦It’s money saving. Whether you’re looking for gas discounts, a cheap hotel room or a pizza coupon, CouponMap can do it all.

You can connect with CouponMap on their website, with Facebook, or on Twitter. The CouponMap Android App will also help you find the best deals while you’re out and about and on-the-go.

Get a jump on the ads

Photo by elvissa

Retailers have been leaking Black Friday sale ads for more than a week now. Check out the sale ads ahead of time so you know exactly where you want to go, and when.

Do some research

Photo by Oleg1975

A little time behind your home computer now can save you serious face time at the customer service return desk later. All the deals are going to look amazing, but not all of them are going to be the great deals they’re made out to be. Spend these days ahead of Black Friday reading product reviews and checking product specs.

Price check everything

Photo by Phil and Pam

A $250 laptop sounds like a once in a lifetime bargain, but on Black Friday, anything goes. Compare sale ads and do some price checking to make sure you’re getting the most for your money. Websites like PriceGrabber and Froogle will help you compare sale prices against regular prices.

Watch for early sales

Photo by antwerpenR

While almost all retailers will open their doors earlier than usual the day after Thanksgiving, some will actually be having early bird sales that begin in the wee hours of morning and last only a few hours. Old Navy and Toys R Us are one of a handful of businesses that will offer sales on Thanksgiving Day, as well as Black Friday.

Know how many “doorbusters” are available

Photo by crd!

Doorbusters are those items that are priced so low that shoppers can’t help but bust the doors down to get inside. Each store carries only so many doorbusters. It won’t be worth your time to wait in line for two hours behind fifty other shoppers for a $200 laptop if the store has only ten laptops at the advertised sale price. Each ad you view will tell you just how many doorbusters are in stock.

Get social

Photo by GrowWear

Black Friday sales are no longer confined to sale ads. Major retailers are now posting ads and last minute savings to Facebook, Twitter and Google+. You can also use mobile apps like Foursquare to find sales on-the-go.

Remember your coupons

Photo by sdc2027

If your goal on Black Friday is to save as much as you can, don’t forget to take along your coupons. Many retailers are offering printable and Internet Black Friday coupons this year and those that are not, almost always take manufacturer coupons.

Photo by photo_gratis

The Christmas season is one short month away, and though bargain hunters are out and stocking up ahead of schedule, early reports indicate that most of us will be spending less this holiday season.

Retail analyst CRG Consulting reports that more than 29% of the shoppers they surveyed in Canada planned to invest less in the holiday shopping season and, here in the United States, Shoppers Trend Report showed that even though more than 20% of us are using an increased number of coupons and coupon codes, a whopping 51% claimed they needed to trim their gift giving budget in 2011.

Are you ready to get your Christmas thrift on? Here are three ways to keep your holiday spending down and still get something for everyone on your shopping list.

Make your social media time worthwhile

Photo by balleyne

New Neilsen data indicates that social media usage and coupon collecting compliment each other. The new report shows that in 2011, 60% of active social media users are getting online just to collect coupons and web-based coupon codes.  Kathryn Heigle, active Facebook and Twitter user in Minnesota, says that a little work goes a long way. “I print up about ten online coupons in a day,” said Heigle. “I saved over $200 on Christmas gifts with coupons this year and my shopping is done.”

You’ll find Internet coupons, coupon codes and sales information on nearly every social media network online, including:

• ⇨Twitter
• ⇨Facebook
• ⇨Google+
• ⇨Café Mom

To make the most of your online time, friend local businesses and your favorite chain stores, in addition to coupon sharing websites like SaveBrite.

Put coupons on your phone

Photo by kamshots

ComScore reported last year that 65% of holiday shoppers waited until the last minute to do their gift buying. Chances are good that if you’re shopping with time constraints, you’re also making impulse buys and doing it all without coupons.

Thanks to new mobile coupon and mobile sale websites, shoppers can now collect mobile coupons as they shop, and price check on the spot. Apps like FourSquare will alert you to nearby sales and special offers, and the Yowza app will put coupons in your pocket in seconds.

Go the DIY route

Photo by starshaped

What skills do you have and can use them to craft gifts this year? Your grandmother already has enough knick-knacks lining her shelves, and may appreciate a handmade scarf or picture frame more than another trinket that she’ll have to dust around. You’ll find inspiration, ideas and free plans here:

• ⇨Knitting patterns
• ⇨Woodworking plans
• ⇨Candle making instructions
• ⇨Learn to make soap
• ⇨Create gifts in a jar
• ⇨Craft ideas for kids

Have a shopping tip you want to share? Please tell us about it in the comments.

Photo by djLicious

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving in the United States, and also the busiest shopping day of the year. Frugal minded folks from coast to coast show up at retail stores after stuffing themselves with Thanksgiving turkey, and then stand outside in the cold for hours and hours, just to get a price break on goods and services when stores open. As any shopper with Black Friday experience will tell you, the deals go fast and in order to maximize your time and energy, you really need a game plan. If you’re testing the Black Friday waters this year, here are a few places that will let you know what deals are out there and where you can find them.

Bfads.net

Bfads is short for Black Friday Ads, and it’s one of the most up-to-date and helpful sites online. Updated daily, Bfads posts links to Black Friday flyers as they’re reported. Bfads also has a mailing list for those who want to have the latest news pushed to their email inbox, and an iPhone app.

BlackFriday.info

BlackFriday.info posts scanned copies of Black Friday ads and gives readers the lowdown on the latest specials and sales. BlackFriday.info also has a special section devoted to Cyber Monday, the biggest online shopping day of the year.

TheBlackFriday.com

TheBlackFriday.com also posts scanned Black Friday advertisements, and has sale sections for deals on digital cameras, LCD televisions, desktop computers and laptops. Follow TheBlackFriday on Twitter, and you’ll get the latest stream of deals 24/7.

BlackFriday.us

With BlackFriday.us, you can search for deals by store or category. The popular Black Friday Deal Detective helps you find the specials you’re looking for and compare the deals side-by-side.

2011BlackFridayAds.com

More than 22,000 shoppers are tuned to 2011BlackFridayAds.com’s Facebook feed, and for good reason. This website is giving away gifts and prizes just for liking them on Facebook, and also posting the latest leaked Black Friday advertisements as they happen. Sign up to receive email alerts and you’ll be notified the very second a new ad is posted.

Gotta Deal

Gotta Deal has a special Black Friday website this year. Handy Gotta Deal comparison charts give you a realistic look at electronics, and let you compare each product side-by-side, so you know which deal is truly the better buy. You’ll also find scanned sale ads here, in addition to an active forum where frugal shoppers discuss the best buys for 2011.

Black Friday advertisements have been leaked earlier than usual this year, so this is your best year for getting in on the really remarkable buys. To get the latest news as it’s released, be sure to sign up for email newsletters and put websites in your RSS reader.

Good luck!

Wish lists are the perfect way to let friends and family know what you need for the holidays, birthdays, the new baby or other special occasions. And for thrifty shoppers, nothing could be simpler than getting a gift you know is needed and will be appreciated.

The invention of the Amazon Wishlist was a giant step forward for shoppers, but didn’t do much for those who wanted to shop the whole Internet, and not be locked to buying from Amazon.com.  Amazon’s wishlist browser extension does take items from other websites and catalog them along with your regular Amazon wishlist, but it still requires that you’re logged into Amazon.com, and it doesn’t sort lists without great effort on the part of the user.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a universal wish list that you could use to store potential holiday gift ideas, birthday wishes, wedding registries and sale items from each and every store on the web? Now you can. Whimventory is a free online shopping community where users can create an infinite number of wish lists from products and services found anywhere online. How do you get started with Whimventory?

Sign up for a free account

Whimventory accounts are free, and you can sign up with your Facebook account or any email address. (Be sure to use a valid email address because you’ll need to verify it before being able to use Whimventory.)

Add products

Once your account is active and you’ve had a chance to browse Whimventory, add the Whim It bookmark tool to your browser by dragging and dropping it on your browser’s main toolbar. Now, go shopping. When you see a product that interests you, you can save it to your Whimventory account by clicking the Whim It bookmarklet. Whim It will collect the website URL, price of the product and even a picture, so that when you’re ready to buy, you know exactly where to go. For budget minded shoppers, Whimventory is the perfect way to price check your way across the Internet!

Create specialized wish lists

With Whimventory, you can create an unlimited number of wish lists. Create a wish list for your kids, your parents, the holidays, the groceries, and even you. Each time you use the Whim It bookmark tool, you’ll be able to add an item to whatever wish list you choose, and any wish list can be password protected. You can even import and export CSV files, which means you can easily add your Amazon Wishlist to Whimventory or share your list with others.

Whimventory is entirely web based, so it can be accessed from your computer, smartphone or iPad no matter where you are. Users can share wish lists with other Whimventory users or by downloading their CSV file.

Whimventory is still operating in beta mode, so they’re working out a few kinks here and there. Even so, Whimventory is a solid tool that makes easy work of wish lists.

It’s Veterans Day in the United States, the yearly holiday that celebrates the lives and sacrifices of U.S. veterans. Because this is a federal holiday, some have the day off work and school so that they can attend services locally and pay respects to our servicemen and women. Many businesses are also stepping up to say thanks to vets by offering free meals and discounts to service members and their families.

Free meal at Applebee’s

Applebee’s gave away more than one million free meals on Veterans Day last year to military service members and veterans, and they’re doing it again this year. There are seven free entrees on the menu for vets, and they’re all free today. Military ID or proof of service required. You can find the Applebee’s location nearest you on their website.

Free lunch or dinner at Bar Louie

Bar Louie is treating vets to a free lunch or dinner entree worth up to ten dollars all day today. Offer is available to all current and former service members who present a photo ID or military service card. Patrons must dine in, and will also be a given a free non-alcoholic beverage. Learn more and show your support on the Bar Louie Facebook page.

Complimentary lunch from BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse

BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse is handing out free lunches all day and free dinner mini pizzas to active and retired service members. Diners must present photo or military ID. Find a BJ’s location here.

Free Chili’s meal from 11am-5pm

All Chili’s locations are giving military veterans their choice of one of six free entrees between the hours of 11-5pm today. See the full list of free menu items online. Military ID required.

Free Grand Slam Breakfast at Denny’s

Denny’s is serving up free Grand Slam Breakfasts to veterans from 6am-10pm. While supplies last, diners will also receive a special VIP tag that will entitle them to 10% future Denny’s purchases. Read more about the Denny’s deal here and head to their website to find the restaurant nearest you.

Free and discount deals at Famous Dave’s

Participating Famous Dave’s restaurants are honoring vets with numerous free meals and special offers. To see deals in your neighborhood, head to Famous Dave’s online. Offers good for dine-in and carry-out orders only.

Krispy Kreme free donut

Select Krispy Kreme shops are giving active-duty, retirees, and veterans a free donut today. Not all stores are participating, so be sure to find your nearest shop and call to verify.

Free Crazy Bread from Little Caesars

It’s free Crazy Bread all day long at Little Caesars. Diners must present military service card. Offer good on carry-out or delivery orders.

And this, veterans, is just the beginning. There are loads more businesses, shopping centers and parks giving things away today. For a full list of Veterans Day savings, see MilitaryWallet.com. And thanks for your service!

Photo by BenSpark

Grocery shopping can be a tedious, time consuming chore. Once you get all of your coupons in order, you still need to traipse off to the store—sometimes with kids in tow– find and cart all of your items around, pay the cashier and then return home and organize and put away all of your purchases. When you’re short on time, grocery shopping duties can quickly suck all the excitement right out of your day.

Like everything else, grocery shopping can actually be done online and more cheaply than you think. Here are a few places you can buy groceries on the web and have them delivered right to your door.

Amazon.com: Yep, in addition to iPhones, computer and televisions, Amazon.com can also help restock your pantry. Amazon Grocery & Gourmet has thousands of non-perishable items, plus impressive discounts for subscription purchases that can be delivered to your doorstep at regular intervals. The sales section of Grocery & Gourmet includes Manager’s Specials, 60% off savings, and warehouse deals.

AsianFoodGrocer.com: You’ll find Japanese foods, spices, candies, Origami paper and even Asian toys here. The clearance section is loaded with on-sale food goods, dishes, and Japanese sauces. Shipping is free for all orders totaling $100, and purchases over $25 cost just $6.95 to ship UPS Ground.

AULSuperStore.com: Flat rate shipping fees and competitive prices make AULSuperStore.com easy to work with. Shoppers can make single purchases or by items by the case. Ships to the lower 48, plus military bases.

Groceries-Express.com: Non-perishables ship anywhere in the United States, and if you’re in the Michigan area, you can buy meat, vegetables, frozen foods and fresh deli items, as well.

IndianBlend.com: Indian foods, spices, premade dinners, dishes and sauces can all be found here. Shipping is free on all orders of more than $80. Deals of the week feature 10-40% savings on their most popular foods.

MexGrocer.com: Specializing in foods from south of the border, this online grocery store sells non-perishables, seafood, dairy and cheese products and household items. All orders ship USPS.

MyBrands.com: Features all the usual grocery items, plus hard-to-find regional holiday and specialty foods. The sales and special offers section has a handful of last chance deals, and you can sign up for a weekly newsletter that will clue you in about upcoming sales and specials.

NetGrocer.com: Delivers nationwide and to APO/FPO addresses. All deliveries ship FedEx flat-rate. Offers non-perishables, health and beauty items, frozen foods, and has a discounted section, as well, that will save you 50% or more on select foods.

ShopFoodEx.com: In business since 2002, ShopFoodEx offers nationwide mail order delivery of non-perishables, health and beauty items, plus cleaning supplies. ShopFoodEx also allows price matching and gives a 50% discount on shipping when you spend $150.

Each online grocery store operates a little differently, so be sure to read through help sections for answers about coupons, shipping costs, and customer service information.

Amazon.com

No need to spend more time in the store when you can let Amazon.com bring the savings to you. You’ll save up to 75% on select Halloween costumes in the Amazon Kids’ Halloween Store today, and pay just half price for Halloween candy and Halloween themed gift baskets.

Walmart

Your favorite superstore is offering big post Halloween savings today. Inside your local Walmart, candy, costumes, and decorations are up 75% off and if you shop online, expect to save 50% or more on the goods. (Costumes online start at just $2, and feature $.97 shipping.) Remember, Walmart also offers free shipping to your local store, so you can buy as much as you like without having to worry about racking up shipping fees.

Spencer’s

Spencer’s Gifts has marked everything up to 80% off in-store, including costumes, decorations, cards, and Halloween gifts. Online, you’ll find things have been reduced to half price. Spend $39 or more, and all orders ship for just $4.99.

The Popcorn Factory

Who doesn’t love a bowl of popcorn? The Popcorn Factory is having a huge 50% off sale on popcorn tins, popcorn balls, chocolate and candy. Hurry, these deals are going fast.

Target

Inside the store, you’ll find that everything Halloween related is being cleared out at up to 80% off. Grab one of these Target printable coupons and you can pick up a few bags of Halloween candy free or for just pennies on the dollar. Online, the Target Halloween Shop still has a few costumes, decorations, and tricks and treats going at half off.

Hot Topic

All Halloween attire is 75% off today at Hot Topic. You’ll find clearance prices on all costumes, masks, makeup, and Halloween shoes and wigs. Use coupon code HTLOYALTYPB1001 and you’ll save an additional 15% off at checkout.

Party City

Party City is having a 75% off sale. Everything with a Halloween theme is on sale, including invitations, treat bowls, baking cups, decorating kits, and more! Even better, select Halloween costumes in stores and online are now sale priced at up to 85% off.

Spirit Halloween

Spirit Halloween is having a one day sale and everything in-store is half price. All costumes, decorations, hats, accessories, and masks are half price until the close of business day tonight. You can find a Spirit Halloween store near you here.

Did you scare up a good deal today? Let us know about it!

How can you get around this holiday season without cutting into your gift giving budget? Frugal travelers are quickly jumping on the latest travel craze known as MegaBus.

What is MegaBus?

MegaBus is a low-cost bus service of CoachUSA and Coach Canada. The fast growing intercity bus company offers discounted travel services to destinations in the United States and Canada. First established as a no-frills bus service in the United Kingdom in 2003, MegaBus began offering low-rate fares to riders on the West Coast in 2007. The MegaBus of today serves multiple destinations on the East Coast, Midwest, Southern United States, and Canada.

In addition to cheap fares, all MegaBus double-decker buses offer free WiFi, restrooms, and discounted hotel and motel rates.

The one dollar MegaBus ticket

Photo by ychlepozicky.com

MegaBus fares begin at just one dollar. Yes, you read that right. While there is a booking fee of $.50, when you buy a ticket, you’ll pay just a buck for your actual bus ticket when you purchase it online. What’s the catch? Not all fares sell at the dollar rate, so you’ll need to not only be thrifty, but up on your investigational skills when searching for the lowest rate. Here’s how the one dollar deals go down:

• ✔Each time a new bus route is opened, tickets are just one dollar. Service to and from Atlanta, GA, for example, is new and costs just a buck to get to eleven different U.S. destinations with coupon code ATL10K.
• ✔MegaBus coupon codes are available in abundance online. There are numerous coupon codes for travel on discount and travel websites online from RetailMeNot.com to AnyPromoCodes.com to the MegaDeals section of MegaBus.
• ✔Registering for a free account gives you travel discount news. When you register for a free MegaBus account, you’ll begin receiving a monthly newsletter by email that is packed with coupon codes and special promotional travel links.
• ✔Get help on social networking sites. MegaBus is very active on social networking sites. Want to find out if a coupon code or discount is available on your route, as the MegaBus folks on Twitter or Facebook.

One dollar seats are limited, and are offered on a first come, first serve basis.

Regular rates at MegaBus

Even if you miss out on the dollar deals, MegaBus offers a great service at a can’t-be-beat price. One roundtrip ticket between Minneapolis, MN and Madison, WI costs $37 with MegaBus and $70 if you travel Greyhound.

Use the MegaBus network map to see if MegaBus services areas you need to travel. Those with disabilities can learn more about special travel arrangements on the MegaBus website.

You can connect with MegaBus on their website, Facebook or Twitter.

Costumes

Photo by Carlos del Vaca

Need a last minute costume to wow the neighbors with? Believe it or not, some of the best costume deals can be had by waiting until the last minute. You may not get the exact costume you’re after and, you’ll quite likely be stuck in line for a long, long time, but even so, many businesses begin marking down Halloween attire the day before Halloween. Here are a few stores that can save you some green:

Party City: This coupon is good for $10-30 off in-store or online orders.

Michael’s: Save up to 40% off the retail price of any one item, including costumes, with this printable coupon.

Jo-Ann Fabrics: Thinking of making a costume this year or maybe accessorizing an outfit? You’ll save 40% off whatever’s in your cart with this Jo-Ann Fabric coupon.

Spirit Halloween Store: Save 20% off any item.

Target: Already, there are many Halloween costumes listed at clearance prices.

Kmart: 50% off all costumes this weekend only. (No coupon necessary.)

Savings.com has several online-only coupons available, as does RetailMeNot.

Treats

Photo by Chung Chu

Holiday themed candy, fun size candy bars and your favorite sweets are all on sale this weekend. Stores are eager to get rid of this stuff before it’s marked at 50% off the day after Halloween. Sales and coupons worth mentioning:

Target: Several coupons are available for candy on Target’s website. These coupons are good not only in Target stores, but also at businesses that accept competitor’s coupons.

Dollar Tree: The weekly insert at Dollar Tree shows that bagged candy has been marked down to just one dollar. Dollar Tree also accepts manufacturer coupons, so there’s real potential for great buys here.

Kroger: All bagged candies have been marked down at Kroger and also, when you register your Kroger card online, you’ll save $2 off any purchase of $5 or more in-store.

Publix: There are several printable coupons worth grabbing, plus a $1.50 off coupon that can be stacked with any manufacturer or store coupon.

CouponCodesBay.com: Large selection of coupons available for candy, costumes and decorations.

Remember, all stores and pumpkin patches will be clearing out merchandise this weekend in order to avoid losing a profit the week after Halloween. It’s worth taking a chance on popping in to your favorite shops to see what’s on sale.

Happy Halloween!

#1:  Angry Birds

The puzzle video game known as Angry Birds has gone mainstream. Not only has Angry Birds moved from the PC to web browsers, but it’s also one of the top downloaded apps for iPhone and Android smartphones. Dressing up as one of the main characters tops the list of popular Halloween outfits this year and costumes are available last minute from Amazon, eBay, Toys R Us, and can even be made from scratch.

#2:  Black Swan

Natalie Portman scored a winner at the Box Office with the film Black Swan and she’s also made an impact on Halloween costume sales this year. Black Swan attire is easy to put together at home or can be purchased as a ready-to-wear costume from Party City, Amazon or any specialty costume shop.

#3:  Playboy Bunny

For adults, the Playboy Bunny never loses her appeal. Because these ladies have been around since 1960, costumes are readily available everywhere, not to mention they’re also easy to assemble on your own. Less is more here.

#4:  Nicki Minaj

Photo by REUTERS/Steve Marcus

Nicki Minaj look-a-likes will score big this year. Dress like the unique and talented singer and you’ll be wearing this year’s fourth most popular Halloween gear. Creating your own Nicki Minaj outfit is a cinch; instructions are readily available online, and there’s even a registered NickiMinajCostume.com domain that can help you get into the look for free.

#5:  Smurfette

The Smurfs have never lost their appeal. Originally introduced in 1966, Smurfettes are the fifth most sought after costume for 2011. Premade Smurfette costumes are available for both adults and kids, though it isn’t difficult to throw together your own look with a little blue paint and a white dress.

#6:  Wilfred

The infamous disgruntled dog from television is also scoring big points as a Halloween getup this season. Coming in at number six on the list, Wilfred costumes are found everywhere from the FX website to Halloween superstores and, if you’re super handy with a sewing machine, you can tackle making a Wilfred costume in a weekend.

#7:  Monster High

These Mattel high fashion dolls have been transformed into the look for grade school aged kids in 2011. Frugal shoppers can save tons by purchasing only a Monster High wig and mixing and matching clothing you already own. Already made costumes are also relatively cheap.

#8:  Tron

Thanks to the rerelease of Tron, a popular 1982 science fiction film, Tron costumes are bigger than ever. Costumes for adults and kids can be found in toy and costume shops, and can also be pulled together in a weekend by hand with a little glo-wire and a full body stocking.

#9:  Captain America

A Marvel Comics favorite, Captain America, is a costume to be had this year thanks to a 2011 Captain America movie. Costumes in abundance can be found on store shelves and with a little ingenuity and time, you can piece together one on your own, as well.

#10:  Pan Am

The ABC TV show Pan Am rounds out the top ten. Stewardess gear isn’t hard to craft yourself or find at your local thrift or secondhand shop. The time deficient can also buy a costume off the rack at Halloween costume shops.

Create a 30 day rule

When minimalist blogger Leo Babauta was trying to get his finances under control he not only paid off old debt, but refused to take on new debt. Think you need the new iPhone? Fine, add it to a list of things you really want to buy, and then sit on that list for thirty days. If you still want the iPhone after a month and you’ve budgeted for it, go for it. As Babauta discovered, with the passage of time also goes the desire to buy everything in sight.

Employ a cash-only system

When you’re armed to the teeth with credit cards and a book of blank checks, it can become second nature to spend money you don’t really have. Remember when you overextended yourself during the holiday season last year and how long it took to pay off all those gifts? Refuse to put yourself in the same position again by shopping with only cash. Believe it or not, because cash is something tangent than you can hold in your hands, folks are less likely to burn through it.

Shop only with a list

Lists can keep us on-task and organized like nothing else. Your daily to-do list lets you see what you’ve accomplished and what you still need to do. Grocery store lists tell us what sort of restocking needs to be done in the kitchen back at home. Problem is, even when saddled with a list, many of still cruise down the clearance aisle at Walmart and toss all kinds of things in our cart that we hadn’t planned to buy. When shopping, stick to your list. Don’t allow yourself to buy anything that’s not on your shopping list and, when tempted, remember your 30 day rule.

Live on a budget

The most trouble-free way to nip unplanned spending in the bud is to live within your means. We can do that most effectively by living on a budget. When you know how much money you have to work with each week, you’re less likely to throw it away on things you can live without. Budgeting tools like Mint.com and Adaptu can help you create a budget and keep tabs on your spending habits.

Leave temptation behind

Photo by Chris Nixon

If your email inbox is overflowing with messages from every deal site online you’re constantly tempted to buy into every great bargain that comes along. If you find yourself buying up things you later regret, unsubscribe from automated emails, deal sites and bargain newsletters. When you need something and have it on your shopping list, you can then go in search of a bargain that will really pay off.