November 2007 Archives

Barnes & Noble offers 40% off this list of bestsellers now until Dec 3, 2007 when you buy in the store only.

Stephen Colbert's "I am America (and so can You!)" for $16.06
"The Daring Book for Girls," by Andrea Buchanan for $14.85
"Olivia Helps with Christmas," for $11.39
"1776: The Illustrated Edition," by David McCullough for $39
"Ernest Hemingway Complete and Unabridged: Four novels" for $10.36
"The Chronicles of Narnia Pop-up book" for $24

And a few other titles. See the complete list here. Find a store near you.

It's that time again when I remind my readers that anybody can sign-up for the Bargain Hunter Daily Digest. Once a day, Mon thru Fri, I email out all the day's blog posts. If you want to sign up, email me at julia.scott@dailynews.com. Thanks!

With the search for holiday gifts, a perfect tree, and a cute holiday dress also comes the quest for Christmas music that is new to your ears but does *not* drive you batty. Here's a CD that qualifies on both counts: that does *not* drive you batty. Here's a CD that I'm pretty sure most of you have never heard before: Duke Ellington's Nutcracker suite, the jazz master's take on Tchaikovsky's classic ballet score, replete with renditions of the Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy, the Russian Dance, the Waltz Of The Flowers, and others. Seriously folks, this music swings so hard I listen to it in July.

Amazon has it for $10 (you also get two other suites on the CD). Tower has it for $7, but it doesn't ship for 2 to 4 weeks. The tech savvy may be able to download or listen to the suite on Rhapsody Online.

Footlocker has a printable family and friends coupon for 30% off in stores, including Lady Footlocker and Kids Footlocker. Expires Dec 2, 2007. Get an extra 10% off if your tab is above $100 *after* the 30% off discount. Find a store
near you.

Online get 25% off with coupon code EM357CLC, but it's unclear when the online code expires. Get free shipping on orders over $75 with code IPFL7V75, good thru Dec 31, 2007. The Web site does not let you use both codes, so in most cases the 25% code will save you more moolah.

Buy.com is yammering about Black Friday II in an attempt to bring on the massive crowds online and in stores like last weekend. Here are their special deals de jour. Among other items, there is a Teac R2 AM/FM clock radio features Digital AM/FM tuner (manual/preset tuning) with an LCD display, easy iPod connection and a rechargeable battery feature for $20 (orig $100). Free shipping. You can also get in with a silver face. Not too shabby.

Thru Thursday Dec 6 Old Navy has a friends and family coupon worth 20% off for in-store shopping only. You can only use the printable coupon once and there are a few caveats. If you shop Sat Dec 1 they also have these doorbusters (it doesn't specify a time, but my experience is these sell out very quickly): printed hoodies are 50% off, women's solid frost free vests are $15 (orig $40), women's solid frost free jackets are $25 (orig $68). Find a store near you.

Caveats: discount does not apply to merchandise purchased with a gift card or to telephone orders placed to stores or customer service 1-800/888 numbers.

A four-day sale starting today and ending Dec. 2. at Bloomingdale's packs some serious savings. Get: 30-40% off select women's coats
25% off purchase of two pairs of shoes
30% off three or more pairs of shoes (shop with friends, folks!)
40% off some regular priced fall shoes and boots
15% off regular priced sleepwear and robes when your tab hits $100
15% off a selection of fine jewlery already on sale
25% off many items for infants, toddlers, boys and girls
20% off any combo of three men's shirts or ties
20% off two pairs of men's shoes or sneakers
20% off all tablecloths, placemats and napkins

Plus many more markdowns on already reduced items. Most items qualify for a $15 gift card for every $100 you spend. Find a store near you. Sale is also online, though slightly different it appears. Get 20% off when you spend up to $300, and 25% off when you spend more than $300. Use coupon code PS1129. Caveats: excludes electronic gift cards, beauty, electronics, home stuff. Other designer and brand name exclusions.

A few fun items landed in my mail box recently. Reader Carole said a post about a free meal was useful even though she couldn't use it. "I passed the word along regarding the McCormick and Schmick's free meal offer on Sunday for veterans. The feedback from a friend of mine in the San Diego area was that the meal was excellent as was the service. Thanks again."

A reader named Ron was honest, but gentle, about certain preventable malfunctions on the blog. "Julia, I really like your email updates. I look at them every day. Just in case you haven't gotten this feedback, some of your links don't work. About one in five that I try. You might want to check them, before you post. Thank you for all your efforts."

Good advice, Ron. I admit it, I have been plagued by bad links and I am working for greater accuracy. If you come across a bad link, please let me know which link is not working. Also try these two things. 1) Make sure you are copying and pasting the *entire* link from the daily digest into your browser window. Sometimes the link is so long it takes up two lines in the digest. But the text from only the first line make it into the link. If even one letter is missing the link won't work. Here's an example of this:
http://www.insidesocal.com/bargain/2007/11/scrooge_alert_maggianos.htm
l

Don't forget that last l, or whatever is cut off. Another thing to try: give the links plenty of time to load, up to five minutes or longer if you have dial-up Internet access. If all else fails, email me.

Lenee sent me an email that put my head in the clouds. "Hi! You earn your place at the paper! Your column has the most impact on our daily lives--great job, keep up the good work!!" Lenee, I'm saving your email for my next performance review!

Lastly, a note from my mother, who throughout my journalism career, has sent me supportive emails about a story or item I wrote. The thing is, she always signs them "a reader" or "a fan." Mom, you know that I can see your email address, right? Okay, just checking. Here's her email about a recent blog post (which she requested, btw): "Loved all the items on Amercian made products. keep up the great work. a reader" Ya gotta love my Mom.

The flyer says it all. Thanks, Jen!

Brace yourself. A reader emailed me a huge list of coupon codes, most of which I have not tested to see if they work. So please keep in mind that some of these will probably be bogus. Still, it seems like many of you will be able to save money with these codes, so here goes:

ONLINE COUPON CODES:
American Eagle Outfitters Coupon Code: 64152219 (15% off from Nov. 27 - Dec. 11, 2007)
Banana Republic Coupon Code: BRHOLIDAY (20% off from Nov 27 – Dec 24, 2007)
Bare Escentuals Coupon Code: BEFAMILY (20% off from Nov. 30 - Dec. 2, 2007)
Barnes & Noble Coupon Code: T4N3B6W (25% off Single Item on Nov 27 – Dec 10, 2007)
Bath and Bodyworks Coupon Code: VELVET10 ($10 off $30 from Nov. 27 - Dec. 2, 2007)
BeBe Sport Coupon Code: FAMILY25 (25% off from Nov. 29 - Dec. 2, 2007)
Children's Place Coupon Code: FFTAHPVAC7 (30% off from Dec. 2 & Dec. 3, 2007)
Designer Linens Outlet Coupon Code: FRIENDS77 (50% off from Nov 27 – Dec 3, 2007)
Golf Smith Coupon Code: FFD07 (UP TO 30% off with some exclusions from Nov. 28 - Dec. 4, 2007)
Guess Factory Stores Coupon Code: FNF30F (30% off from Nov. 29 - Dec. 2, 2007)
Hasbro Toy Shop Coupon Code: FRIENDS20 (20% off from Dec 2 - Dec. 9, 2007)
Illuminations Coupon Code: 999201329 (20% off from Nov. 27 - Nov. 30, 2007)

EyeCare America is giving free eye exams for seniors with a few caveats. They are for folks who have not been diagnosed with AMD (age-related macular degeneration), are age 65 and older, US citizens or legal residents, have not seen an ophthalmologist in three or more years, and do not belong to an HMO or the Veteran's Affairs. To see if you qualify call 800-222-3937. To learn more about EyeCare's free exams go here. Thanks, Dolores!

BargainsLA shares news of a sale at the computer gear wholesale warehouse Market West in Chatsworth:
Speakers for the computer $9.99.
Nice, embossed vinyl different patterns journals $2.99-$4.99.
Boston Electric Floor Heaters $29.99. Retail $60-$120.
I Lamp w/ speakers for Ipods or MP3 players are $13.99. Retails $35 or more.
LA/ OC 2007 Thomas Map guide $21.99. Retail $34.95.
Maxtor One Touch III portable 60GB Hard Drive USB 2.0 @ $40 Original retail $300.

MVisit them at 9839 Independence Ave. in Chatsworth. (818) 700-1650. Mon to Fri 9 to 5. Closed Weekends.

Get 20% off anything that has already been reduced at Gymboree, including newborn girls, newborn boys, baby girl, baby boy, kid girl, and kid boy. This boy's hooded vest is $20.79 (orig $32). The 20% off is taken once you put an item in your account, so the markdown you see is higher than the final price. Unclear when the sale ends or if it is also in stores.

Avon has a decent selection of stocking stuffers for under $1, including Mini Glimmersticks for the eyes in black, brown, emerald, plum, grey or blue. And find emory boards, little tubes of lotion, and a glide-on lip treatment with SPF 15 for 69-cents. I could not get the free shipping code EREPFS to work for me but perhaps I did not meet the minimum (only spent $7.41 plus tax). If you choose an Avon sales rep before you start shopping, you can have them deliver it for free.

The upscale Farm of Beverly Hills in the Topanga mall in Canoga Park has a happy hour that makes their prices...cheaper. From 4 to 7 pm Monday to Friday, appetizers are 20% off, draft beers are $2 off (so in the $3.50 to $6.50 range) and well drinks are $1 off. The Topanga bar menu has lots of tasty looking items, including the Truffled Mac & Cheese, served crisp for $6.80 (orig $8.50) or the Garlic French Fries, served with herb aoili for $4.60 (orig $5.75). How about the Chicken Lettuce Cups, crispy wontons, bell peppers and sweet & sour sauce, for $9 (orig $11.25).

You definitely need more than a Lincoln for this meal, probably a quadruple Lincoln ($20) once you factor in tax and tip.This scarcely qualifies as a Cheap Eats item, but could be a fun splurge.

The Four Seasons in Westlake Village is having afternoon teddy bear tea that is free for children who bring in a new teddy bear or toy. The deal is for every weekend in December before Christmas. Adults are $32, children are normally $21. There are three seatings, at 3:30, 4, and 4:30. To make a reservation call (818) 575-3000 and ask for the lobby lounge. Everybody gets a pot of tea and you also get a tiered tray of tea sandwiches, scones and fruit. The bears and toys will be donated to Toys for Tots.

Get 25% off at Disney online on select merchandise. Choose from their toys, holiday ornaments, home decor, branded warm clothes, and sleepwear.

This set of 6 figures from the "Cars" movie is $9.37 (orig $12.50). Use coupon HOLIDAY25. Expires Dec 2, 2007. Get $5 shipping on orders over $50 with code SHIPFOR5. Not sure if you can combine codes.

25% caveats: excludes CDs, video games, and many other items and brands. To find the stuff the 25% coupon applies to, shop directly through the six categories in this link.

The indoor playground TinyTown in Granada Hills is offering a free baby massage class for parents. Children are $8 for the first one and $6 for every kid after that. As a grand opening special they are also offering $25 off any party when you book before December 1. Contact Kendra at kendra42@sbcglobal.net for details. TinyTown is at 16909 Devonshire St in Granada Hills. (818) 366-0305.

Now that's a label you don't see much anymore. We as consumers are so price conscious (with good reason) that most of the goods we buy (especially toys, cars and clothes) are not American made. A ton of the stuff we consume is made abroad, shipped across oceans in giant containers, then distributed across the country by planes, trains, and trucks. I mention this because a reader (okay, my Mom) requested I do a post about where to get American made stuff. Awhile ago I blogged specifically about where to get USA-made toys, but that didn't touch upon other goods. So here are three Web sites that list a wide variety of items, all made right here in the good 'ol USA.

www.ShopForAmerica.com (clothes, baby stuff, pet gear, kids stuff, housewares, bath&body, sports gear, toys, gourmet food)

ZebulonUSA.com (clothes, bags and luggage, toys and games)

StillMadeInUSA.com (clothes, appliances, baby gear, bed&bath, home decor, kitchen&dining, sports stuff, tools, toys, yard&garden, crafts)

Made in USA (automobile, camping, pets, sports, and many more categories)

UPDATE: Stopped by Carter's and found a super fuzzy latte-colored reindeer sleeper for Maggie and Kieth's new baby ($14). How could I resist? It was half-off and had tiny antlers on the hoodie! Cross them off My Gift List.

ORIGINAL POST: Hope my friends won't notice I'm going to play catch up and get their new baby a present – for the first time – for Christmas. Yikes!

Total Woman Gym and Atmosphere Day Spa is having a membership sale at their Woodland Hills location that ends tomorrow! There are three deals for the women-only gym, which also include access to classes, a dry sauna, steam room and whirlpool. Here is a flyer about it.

1. Basic Gym Membership: $29 monthly/No Enrollment fee.
2. Express Spa Membership:$89 monthly/No Enrollment fee, plus 1 full session swedish massage or european facial a month.
3. Spa Membership: $129 monthly/No Enrollment fee, plus 2 full sessions of a swedish massage &/or european facial a month.

Here's the tricky part. To get the deal you must stop by the Woodland Hills location in the Promenade mall between 5 and 7 p.m. Wednesday OR leave a voicemail for Teresa by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov 28. Her phone number is (818) 251-0719 or (818) 710-7606--at this number you MUST ask for Teresa. Leave your name, two phone numbers where she can reach you, and which membership deal you are interested in. She has to process all the paperwork by Wed so if you do not hear from her by Wed you should call her back. You can also email her at tfasano@totalwomanspa.com. All memberships are month to month with 30-days notice to cancel. You pay first and last month upfront and automatic payment by debit/credit card is required.

To get to the gym: (6100 Topanga Canyon, enter off Owensmouth by the men's Macys or Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, no entrance from inside mall)

The jewelry designer Yeva is having a 30% to 50% off sale this Saturday on her jewelry from 2006 and 2007. The sale is at her studio in Glendale. Many of her pieces, like the necklace, earrings, and ring shown, look like something thrown-together from a pirate's treasure chest. Yeva said prices online are higher than her studio prices, and that's before the 30% to 50% discount. Online necklaces ranged from $85 to $225, rings from $75 to $115, and earrings were $45 to $150, but mostly on the lower end.

It's not the time of year when we should really be shopping for ourselves, but there's nothing wrong with purchasing an item, then immediately handing it over to your hubby/bf/sig other and saying, look what you just bought me for Christmas! You know what's waiting for you under the tree, but you still have to wait.

Read about the materials Yeva uses in her pieces. You can take a peek at her new stuff, which is unfortunately not on sale. Cash, credit card, and check. Exchanges only. Sale hours are Sat Dec 1 from 11 to 9 at YevArts Studio, 333 East Fairview Avenue No. 114 in Glendale. The following weekend (Dec. 9 from 11 to 9) the sale is at Nareh Studio, 14961 Vose Street in Van Nuys. Thanks, Jen!

A new lunch buddy introduced me to Boulevard Burgers in Woodland Hills recently (no Web site unfortunately). The place specializes in charbroiled, basic burgers that have lots of lettuce, a little sauce, and a solid, meaty flavor. Nothing fancy here. Fries are good 'n chunky as are the onion rings. A burger is $3, fries are $2, pay 60-cents more for the combo and get a soda. The cheeseburger combo is $5.80. They have indoor and outdoor seating (on the street and in a back patio), which is a nice touch. They have plenty of other Lincoln Lunch options (if you only have a fiver with prez Lincoln on it in your wallet), like a chicken or roast beef sandwich for $5, tuna sandwich for $4, gyro sandwich for $5, plus breakfast options until 11 a.m.

You can view the menu by clicking here, then click on VIEW MENU. A review from Chowhound is glowing, Yelpers also gave it the thumbs up.

Visit them at 21718 Ventura Blvd. (818) 703-6005.

Macy's has free shipping on tabs of $99 or more with coupon code GIVEGIFT. I like this gray peacoat with a flared collar and extra buttons by Espirit for $115 (orig $185).

I heard coupon code MACYSFF gets you 20% off all regular, sale and clearance apparel, accessories and jewelry, and 10% off all regular, sale and clearance electrics, technology items, furniture, thru Dec 3, 2007 but I COULD NOT get it to work for me. Perhaps it has already been used so many times they nixed the code. Maybe you will have better luck.

Best Buy has slashed the prices on a number of TV-on-DVD seasons. But many have already sold out so don't delay. These can make great holiday presents. Here are a few of the prices: Sopranos season 2 or 3 are each $22, Oz season 2 is $14, Six Feet Under season 1 or 2 are $20 each, Curb Your Enthusiasm, season 1 or 2 are each $14, Da Ali G Show season 1 is $10. I'm really tempted to buy some of these even though I'm totally not a TV person. Sometimes you just want to veg!

The newish airline Virgin America gives you a free RT companion ticket for flights between LAX, Las Vegas, JFK, San Diego, SFO, and D.C. (IAN). Use promo code DIGGNATION and follow these steps:
1. Select the cities you want to fly between.
2. Select your departure and return dates.
3. Make sure you select 2 people to travel. You have to have 2 people on your itinerary to take advantage of this promo. If you want to travel with more people, multiple bookings--with 2 people per itinerary--may be made using the same DIGGNATION promo code.
4. Click the "Got a Promo Code?" link and enter DIGGNATION and click "Apply".
5. Click "Search Flights" and complete your booking.

So many great possibilities with just these six cities. A spring trip to NYC? A vegas getaway? April cherry blossoms in D.C.? Book early for best travel days/times.

UPDATE: Reader Toni says Virgin America announced these one-way fares (not part of the 2-for-1 but just low fares):
$119 Washington Dulles (IAD) -- Los Angeles (LAX)*
$119 Washington Dulles (IAD) -- San Francisco (SFO)*
$39 Los Angeles (LAX) -- San Francisco (SFO)*
$129 New York (JFK) -- Los Angeles (LAX)*
$129 New York (JFK) -- San Francisco (SFO)*
$39 Las Vegas (LAS) -- San Francisco (SFO)*
$39 San Diego (SAN) -- San Francisco (SFO)*

Caveats: Tickets can be purchased online or over the phone (1-877-359-8474), they must be purchased by Nov. 30, 2007 and travel has to be completed by
March 12, 2008. Blackout dates are Dec 20-23, 2007 and Feb 14, 15 and 18, 2008. Now my family really has no excuse for not visiting.

Most of your shopping these days is for new stuff, but here are some good tips for how to make out like a bandit at Goodwill, courtesy of the Budget Fashionista, a fun source for fashion advice. Her advice really applies to shopping at any second hand shop where the threads are of dubious origin. She writes:

"Ah, Goodwill. We know what you’re thinking—sequined holiday sweaters and acid wash mommy jeans. Well, there is some of that—but you may not realize that amidst the trove of fashion faux-pas, there are some bonafide gems to be discovered. If you can just get past the mothball smell, and remember that thrift shopping is a cornerstone for many a budget trend-setter.

Get 20% off your purchase at Snapfish.com and get 50 free prints with coupon code ENTMTGIFT20. Great for sending out holiday cards with pics of the little ones. (They're so much cuter than we are.) Expires Dec 31, 2007, according to Smarter.com. Prints are normally 12-cents each and you get 30 free prints for uploading your first photo. You need to open an account with them to use the deal.

The Toy Association, a trade group that has major toy makers like Mattel as its members, set up a Web site just for toy safety info in light of so many recalls right before the holidays. There's a list with pictures of toys that have been recalled, info on why Aqua dots are being recalled, a description of how toys are made.

They also address buying toys made in China by explaining toy safety standards. "All toys sold in America regardless of where they are made must conform to tough U.S. safety standards...it is companies that are responsible for adhering to rigorous safety standards and conducting inspections throughout the process." They don't gloss over the fact that safety standards are self-enforced and not regulated by the government, but they don't come right out and say it either.

I know this is the way it works because I wrote a story for the Daily News Aug 16, 2007 (too old to be listed on our Web site). Part of the story reads "About 80 percent of the toys on U.S. shelves are made in China, where toys can be made more cheaply than in the United States.The United States government does not regulate toys, aside from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which prohibits lead in toys but does not enforce the law. Instead, manufacturers voluntarily test their products. Safety standards in the toy industry are set by the American Society for Testing and Materials, an organization that develops standards for various industries.Many local toy companies require their own set of tests at independent labs, such as Bureau Veritas in Buffalo, N.Y. Mass retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target require a second set of tests done by labs of their choice."

The Web site BFAds.net, which listed the Black Friday sales at dozens of retailers days and weeks in advance, is extending their life by tracking down online sales today, Cyber Monday. (The thought is that after browsing stores over the weekend people find the best price online and make the purchase today.) They list the sales for Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Circuit City, Staples, Buy.com, Sears, Kmart, Overstock.com, OfficeMax $30 off $200 purchase with coupon code ELF.

Retailers who have extended their Black Friday prices to today are listed here.

One reader got a great deal on a 46-inch LCD HDTV Saturday by outsmarting a retailer that teased a really low price but immediately "sold out" because they stocked an artificially low number of the product. Circuit City advertised a Sharp Aquos HDTV for $1299, he writes. "But by the time I realized I wanted it on Saturday afternoon, they were sold out of it at every store in LA and online. So I took the circular to Sears and got them to price match it (and) include 10% of the difference. They were selling it for $1999 so I got it for $1229. They had to order it though. I'll have it in about 10 days. I'm very, very excited."

Note today's price tag is $2,327. Find a Sears near you.

Caveat: The Sears folks did hassle him a little so he went to a second Sears. At the first one the employee said they don't price match on one or two days sales, which is not part of their price match policy. At the second Sears it wasn't a problem. For a few hours of work and a little bit of driving around, he got his TV on super sale. Thanks for sharing, Josh!

The Web site SheKnows.com recommends 10 sites for women to do their holiday shopping on (although looking at the list I don't see any reason why these sites would appeal more to women than men. It's not like everything's in pink.) Most of these you have probably already heard of (Amazon.com anyone?) A few others sound interesting.

1. Newegg.com -- Competitive prices on more than 25,000 computer hardware, software, consumer electronics and communications products.
2. Overstock.com -- A "Gift Finder" allows you to select the occasion,age range, relationship and interest and provides affordable ideas.
3. Froogle.google.com -- Find everything here from mullet wigs to gourmet gift baskets at the best price thanks to their search engine.
4. Become.com -- Find buying guides, communicate with other shoppers and access "Search Zoom" to help prioritize search results.
5. Surprise.com -- Aggregates a unique gift ideas ranging from maid service to yoga classes from hundreds of different websites.
6. MySimon.com -- Provides a helpful gift guide where shoppers can browse Oprah’s "favorite things" and compare prices.
7. TheFind.com -- Offers an "unbiased and objective product ranking engine." [me: unclear what makes it unbiased]
8. Nextag.com -- Features easy-to-find shipping and tax information.
9. Amazon.com -- One of the largest of the Web’s shopping sites and still a favorite offering gift wrapping, great sales items and used products for those seeking the best deal.
10. Smarter.com -- Keeps close tabs on the "bad merchants" which are quickly given the boot.

For Cyber Monday (the online continuation of Black Friday shopping) Costco has a number of online only deals, with prices good to Dec 10, 2007. A TomTom GPS device is $150 off, a 47-inch LCD HDTV is $300 off, jewelry is discounted, a massage chair is $500 off, a Dell notebook is $300 off, an espresso maker is $200 off. Lots more markdowns on furniture, gifts, appliances, electronics, and gear for your home. Note many of the prices listed are "delivered." So that includes shipping fees, which can be hefty on many items. Use this price to compare others.

It's time to update the Consumer Reports magazine When to Buy calendar from the July 2007 issue of ShopSmart. Based on their infinite wisdom, they suggest certain months for buying certain bigger ticket items to maximize the bang for your buck. In Nov, they say it is a good time to buy a new car, bike, computer, gas grill and toys. In Dec, they list everything in Nov plus a TV, and small consumer electronics (all those competing holiday sales really do add up in your favor). In Jan it's a good time to buy bedding, CDs and DVDs, cookware, houses and condos, linens, swimwear, toys, treadmills, TVs, and winter clothing.

The tech Web site Gizmodo has a list of 10 Cyber Monday deals on consumer electronics worth checking out, like 20% back at 15 retailers when you use PayPal, a 26 inch LCD HDTV for $400, and iPods at Best Buy (16gb touch - $379, 160gb Classic - $332, 8gb Nano - $189). Check it out. The best deals never last so don't delay. Thanks, Scott!

This is a family recipe from my Godmother, Nan. My sister Kate perfected it in high school when she made them every day after school to keep her spirits up. They require 6 ingredients plus chocolate chips and take 15 minutes start to finish, no joke. Pick up a few cookie tins from a discounter, whip up a batch of these, are you have awesome, homemade holiday gifts.

You need 1.3 sticks of butter, 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon vanilla (recommended but kinda optional). 1.5 cups chocolate chips. Makes about two dozen cookies.

Turn on the oven to 350. Melt the butter in a medium sized pan. While it melts mix together the flour, sugar, oatmeal and baking soda. As soon as the butter is melted turn off the stove. Add the flour mixture all at once and stir until it forms a ball. Add vanilla if you have it. Press dough into one big 'ol round cookie on a regular sized cookie sheet about a quarter to a half inch thick and about 12 inches by 10 inches across. Scoot the edges in lightly with a spatula so they don't burn. Cook for 10 minutes. Turn off oven. Take cookie out and spread liberally with chocolate chips, about 1.5 cups. (Don't clump in the middle or they won't melt!) Put tray back in turned off oven for 1 minute so chips will melt. Test a chip. If it is melted take cookie out and spread all the chips with a knife. Best to cool for at least 30 mins before cutting otherwise it gets messy. I cut the cookie into long rows, then cut again crosswise so I have rough squares measuring an inch by an inch. Bon appetit!

FOR THOSE WITH EXTRA TIME: Diversify your tin with batches of lemon bars, gingerbread men and sugar cookies.

Get free gift wrap (normally $5) when you shop Nordstrom online until Dec 7, 2007. Use coupon code GIFTBOX3. I think it's case sensitive. For free shipping on orders over $100 use code HOLIDAY07. Unclear when the shipping deal ends.

Through Monday Bloomingdale's is having a boot sale, clothing sale, and a free shipping offer on purchases of $100 or more. Get 40% off already reduced items in women's, men's, shoes, handbags, jewelry, and accessories. Use code SV1123. Get a second pair of boots at 50% off. See the boot selection included in the sale here. Free shipping on tabs of $100 or more lasts thru Nov 28 with code FS1121. Here's a for $100 that comes in black, white, brown, deep red, and tan. Maybe you don't need it in two colors, but perchance a friend fancies the same shoe?

Here are two recent stories on shoppings tips for two different types of shoppers that ran in the Daily News. Find which one you are!

Tips for tracking down the best bargains on Black Friday
So you didn't stay up all night waiting in line outside Wal-Mart to buy a massive flat-screen television at rock-bottom Black Friday prices. But you do want to cross a few people off your list today and save a buck or two. Here are a few tips to still make the most of one of the busiest shopping days of the year...Keep reading.

Bargain Hunter gives you the lowdown on Black Friday shopping hoopla
The countdown has begun. Not until Christmas, silly. Until stores across the region open before the crack of dawn so shoppers who have scarcely digested their turkey dinners can ring up Black Friday sales. Deals will abound but so will crowds and cranky cashiers. It may not be possible to eliminate all the hassles of Black Friday - one of the biggest shopping days of the year - but a little forethought can maximize your shopping time and your savings...Keep reading.

If there's anything I've learned from watching my blog hits over the past few days it is you guys are hard core! Serious, determined, bargain shoppers. I'd love to hear your Black Friday stories and share them with others. Send me a line or two about how early you woke up, the crowds you braved, a funny thing you saw or heard or did, or some other anecdote about your holiday shopping today. Have fun! ~Julia
PS. My email is julia.scott@dailynews.com.

I'll be quick about this one because who has time to spare on one of the busiest shopping days of the year? BFAds.net lists the Black Friday sale of prices from stores like:

Best Buy Black Friday Sale Items Now Online

Circuit City Black Friday Sale Items Now Online

Toys R Us Black Friday Sale Items Now Online

Staples.com One-Day Customer Appreciation Sale Now Online

Sears Black Friday Sale Items Now Online

CompUSA Black Friday Sale Items Now Online

Kmart Thanksgiving Sale Items Now Online

Kohl's Black Friday Sale Items Now Online

Newegg.com Black Friday Sale

Buy.com Black Friday Sale

OfficeMax Black Friday Sale Items Now Online

PacSun Black Friday Sale Items Now Online

Old Navy Online Black Friday Sale

J&R Black Friday Sale Items Now Online

Lane Bryant is having a tremendous sale online and in stores until Sunday. Buy one item and get a second item free. Storewide. Get two items of a similar price and it's hard to go wrong. Check out their tops, bottoms, maternity, plus other categories. Free shipping Friday only. Find a store near you.

Caveats: excludes permanently reduced items, clearance, Perfectly Price Everyday Items (like their 5 for $25 panties, Goddess, Le Mysterie, Fantasy, Natori, Novado, Glamorise or Spanx.

Happy Thanksgiving to my wonderful readers and their families. I hope you have a wonderful meal, enjoy the company, and take time to recognize one or two things you are truly thankful for. I could write a book about all the wonderful things in my life, but I'll boil it down to just one right here: my husband. Babe, you are my guiding light *and* you know how to cook a mean turkey. Cheers!

Check back for more deals Friday, though posts will be light because I am covering the Black Friday shopping madness for the paper.

The Valley Indoor Swap Meet in Woodland Hills is closing after 25 years of business because the land owner did not renew their lease. He is selling it to a developer and some 438 apartments are planned. Read my story in the Daily News today about the vendors and customers at the meet.

The meet's last day in business is Dec 30, 2007 and many vendors are already starting to discount their goods. Good as Gold in booth N-18 emailed me to say they are offering 10% to 30% off their prices, with bigger discounts the closer to closing date. Other already offer low prices, so the quality and assortment are mixed. A seller at booth N10 was offering 5 big, glossy candles for $10. At boot K1 and K2 all sunglasses are $5. At booth N4 and N5 loosely knit wool hoodies were $40. Booth G4 and G5 had touristy LA T-shirts 3 for $10. The goods for sale are incredibly varied, I even spotted a few food booths and a plant nursery out back.

The meet has two buildings, one open Fri-Sun and another open sat-sun. Park at 6701 Variel just south of Vanowen and just west of DeSoto.

Normally I don't make space for anti-bargains but this one seems especially mean spirited this time of year. A friend informs me that starting Dec. 1 (possibly sooner) the Italian restaurant Maggiano's Little Italy is shutting down it's popular happy hour until Jan 2. Bah humbug. Aren't we already spending enough money on holiday gifts? An employee said they can't keep up with the volume of food and drink being served during the holidays. Well this is one way to cut down on demand. You can call Maggianos at 800-983-4637 (Mon thru Fri 7 to 3) to let them know what you think of their moratorium on happy hour. Thanks, Greg.

PARTIAL REDEMPTION: For a limited time you get a bonus $20 gift card when you buy $100 in gift cards. Buy one online. That extra 20 percent will make up for some of the lost happy hour savings.

Nine West is having a sale on almost all their boots. These sleek mid-length Gerry boots are $50 (orig $90) and there's actually a decent selection of sizes left. A pair of UGG lookalikes are $60 (orig $80) and come in fuzzy brown, navy, or flame. Go for the flame! The full-length Genisis boot is $100 (orig $120) and has lots of sizes. Hard to be basic and sexy, but I think this boot pulls it off. I know Christmas presents are supposed to be a surprise, but I'm sure there are a lot of ladies who would be happy to feign surprise come December 25.

Unclear how long the sale lasts. Find a store near you.

Eastern Mountain Sports is having a sale today thru Nov 25, 2007. They have gift suggestions for under $25, including a collapsible bowl and cup set made of food-grade silicone by Guyot Designs for $12 (orig $15). Lightweight and package for the outdoorsy person on your holiday list. They also make gift suggestions by type of sport, gender, and have novelty categories.

As EMS' name suggests, there are no stores on the western coast, but they do have a decent Web site and a lot of the items are similar to what is sold at REI if you have to try something on first.

Here's how EMS suggests getting triple savings:
-Save 20-40% off regular retail during the sale (caveats: not valid on Merrell, Patgonia, or UGG footwear; telemark skis, boots, or bindings; or snowboards, boots, or bindings).
-Get a $20 Gear Bucks Card for every $100 you spend between 11/21/07 and 12/18/07. Then redeem your $20 card on in-stock items between 12/25/07 and 1/29/08.
-Qualify for FREE Standard shipping when you spend $125 or more online or via phone.

Buy.com has RCA HPNCA250 noise canceling headphones for $15 (orig $60). Sure to impress a teenage gadget geek or good for someone who travels a lot. A little bulky. Free standard shipping, and it's early enough that you don't have to pay for an upgrade to get them before the holidays.

Note Buy.com's "no returns" policy: "Due to manufacturers' policies, Buy.com cannot accept returns on this item for any reason. The manufacturer will handle all exchanges and replacements. Please contact the manufacturer directly and they will assist you with repair or replacements. NO REFUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS PRODUCT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS PRODUCT CAN ONLY BE RETURNED FOR REPAIR OR EXCHANGE."

UPDATE: A friendly reader informs me the same headphones did not get such great reviews at Amazon.com, where he saw the same two positive reviews as were on Buy.com. Suspicious...

Staples emailed me their secret sales for Black Friday, good from 6 to 10 am only that day. They include a TomTom ONE portable GPS for $125 (orig $250) and a HP Photosmart M737 digital camera for $100 (orig $160) and it comes with a free printer after rebate. 2GB ScanDisk cards are $15 (orig $45). If that link doesn't work, you can look at the sales for the Woodland Hills store or check the specific sales flyer for a store nearest you.

Best Buy just revealed their Black Friday sales, including a TomTom ONE LE GPS for $120 and a Panasonic 42-inch Plasma HDTV for $900. See all their sales here. They are open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday. BFAds.net has many other stores and their special sales listed, including Wal-Mart sales, BJ's, Circuit City, and many others. Find a Best Buy near you.

Get two subscriptions to Real Simple for $24 with this offer. Looks like a good deal if other prices are any indication. Amazon has one 1-year subscription for $23, CheapMags.com has it for $29. The coupon inside this month's Real Simple is no better: three subscriptions for $44 ($14.60 each). Unclear when deal ends. I gobbled up the current issue last night and loved their gift guide and tips on how to NOT feel guilty. They also routinely have coupons for White House Black Market, Chico's, Eddie Bauer and Coldwater Creek. Thanks, Mouse!

The
Scholastic Holiday Book Fair is coming up with locations in Thousand Oaks and Culver City. I heard about this from a friend who has gone in past years and reports "the warehouse is HUGE and the deals are excellent...Although kids are allowed, it is not "Small Children" friendly as it is held in a large, sometimes very cold warehouse!"

Find a location near you. Thousand Oaks sale is Friday, 12/14: 12 PM to 6:30 PM and Saturday, 12/15: 9 AM to 6 PM.

Caveats: The sale is exclusively for book fair chairpeople and volunteers, registered homeschoolers, and School Personnel: principals, administrators, faculty, teachers, librarians, and media specialists. But I'm told if you are volunteer at a school, temple or church you will be able to get in.

Here are some of the deals: up to 80 % off bestsellers, chapter books, beginning readers, and activities. Up to 50% off books for all ages, software, and school supplies. Up to 30% off newest releases. Also a lot of $1 or less items. Thanks, Jen!

Get discounts up to 40% off at Saks Fifth Avenue designer sale. Today only! Shop shoe sales, the men's store, Salon Z (women's clothes), or kid's clothes. Of course I made a bee line for the shoes, where I found these silvery Cole Haan ballet loafers for $115 (orig $165). In size 5.5 and 7 only, darn. You can't win 'em all.

Members get triple points and 25% off men's selections. Locations here.

Here's a slew of coupons for toys at Target, good online only thru Wed, Nov 21, 2007. How about $5 off a Playskool toy, A Thomas & Friends playset, or a Leappad Read & Write. Get $10 off a Darth Vader Transformer or $5 off a Star Wars Light Saber. And get $10 off a Power Tour Electric Guitar or a Mio Pup. Shop online at Target.

Buy one get one free at Coldstone Creamery until Nov 30 with this printable coupon.

Caveats: have to order from the Love It Signature Collection (???), served in a cup, extras like waffle cones and toppings are extra. Here is a menu of all the Signature Creations, which may be what they are talking about. Find a store near you.

Borders stores are having a big promotion Wednesday, when you most likely have a half-day at work but also have a million things to do (a final trip to the grocery store, a plane to catch, a drive to start). But if you have 30 minutes to spare I would drop by for these deals, which require you to be a member (free and takes about 3 secs in the checkout line but you need the printable coupon below):

50% off hot new books by TomBrokaw, Stephen Colbert, Danielle Steele, John Grisham, Alan Greenspan and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

24 DVD sets are $20, including: The office season two, Weeds season two, Nip/Tuck season one, and other seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm, Family Guy, West Wing and Veronica Mars.

30 different CDs for $10, and 70 movie DVDs for $9.

Print the coupon, which doubles as a full list of everything on sale Wed, sign up to be a member, save moolah, eat turkey. Find a store near you. Unclear if sale is also online. Thanks, Melissa!

Many of you have probably already noticed that the search function is not working on the blog. As part of our "technical upgrade" a bunch of stuff got screwed up, and this is still broken. The tech guys say it probably won't be fixed until next week. Lame-o. In the meantime, I recommend searching by the categories listed on the bottom left hand corner, or, if you can vaguely remember how old a post is, by month. You can pull up an entire months worth of sales by scrolling down past the categories on the left hand column. My apologies for the downgrade the technical upgrade has brought.

UPDATE: It's back on. Wahoo!

Until Dec 24, 2007 you can get 20% off regular priced items at the women's sportswear store See Jane Run. They don't have shops in LA, but they do have a good Web site. Use code HL07. Free shipping on orders $100 plus. I like these gray walkers by Privo for $80, also in brown or black. They look easy to get into and have laces you don't have to tie! Too bad I just bought a pair of walking shoes at the REI sale. This emerald-colored down vest by Patagonia is $145. Prices before discount.

Caveats: discount not good on sale merchandise.

This is free humor. Today's Unger Report on NPR was so funny I sat in my parked car for a minute after getting to work to listen to the end of his hilarious piece on what to do when it's your turn to say what you are thankful for at Thanksgiving dinner. Click here to download the 3 min 43 second piece. Requires Adobe Flash version 8 or higher. I would recap what he said but I'm nowhere near as funny. If I find a transcript I will post it!

Reader Diana writes in with a recommendation for Renoma Lighting in Van Nuys. The Web site has scanned pages of their products but not item by item details.

"This is a factory outlet and I have bought three sets of lamps - a dining room ceiling fixture, two pendant lights for the kitchen and a floor reading lamp. The prices are factory - about 50% of retail stores and what is really great, if you see a lamp you like and the fixture is bronze, they can make it in chrome or whatever you want. They customize the finish and the shade, etc...I probably will never shop for lighting in a retail store again."

Pretty strong words. I myself have not been there and cannot vouch for it. If you are interested, visit them at 14617 Keswick Street in Van Nuys. (818) 782-2427 or renomalighting@aol.com. Let me know what you think!

The Web site BFAds.net just posted the Wal-Mart sale prices for Black Friday (serious shoppers know that is this Fri Nov 23, 2007). According to the site, the three big deals are a Polaroid 42" 1080p LCD HDTV for $798.00, a Venturer 8" Digital Picture Frame for $49.84, and a Compaq Presario SR5223WM-B Desktop Computer Bundle for $398. Find a Wal-Mart near you. Plan in advance. Save at the register.

The site also lists ads for Babies 'R Us, Costco, Best Buy, Home Depot, Staples, Target, and Kmart. Check them all out here.

A few of you will be a tad upset with me for posting this coupon because it will wreck havoc on your credit card bill. So I'm warning you now. If you are a sucker for H&M do NOT keep reading. STOP NOW!

Everyone else can try to resist a 25% coupon off at H&M good for three days!!! The friends and family sale starts Fri Dec 7 and ends Sun Dec 9, 2007. I know where I'm spending my lunch break that Friday! To get the coupon you have to fork over your email address and register on their site (requires name, address, and dob) and take a brief questionaire. Hmm, I just did all that and it took me back to the initial page, which does say we are extending our f&f discount...so maybe you DON'T have to give any info.

Try it. Print it. Save with it. Unclear if it is also online. Since there is no coupon code I'm guessing no. Find a store near you.

Get 10% off online at Gucci.com Tuesday, Nov 20, 2007 only. The sale excludes all the Unicef Holiday Campaign Items. One day only. Online only. Free shipping within the continental US on all items until Dec 31, 2007.

The North Hollywood T-shirt designer and manufacturer Hank's Online is having a sale through the holidays with prices just above wholesale. Owner Sandy said they usually sell to upscale department stores like Nordstrom's and Bloomingdales. I've never been to their 1,000 square foot warehouse but online the T's look really cute, kind of a mix between the funkiness of an Urban Outfitters and the sexiness of Express. An employee gave me these sale prices: T's are $35 to 40 (orig $70 to $90), jackets are $50 to $60 (orig $100-$130), and pants are $40 to $50 (orig $80 to $110).

They are unloading overruns and samples. Weekday hours 9 to 4 until after Thanksgiving, when they may add weekend hours. Cash and credit, all sales final. Visit them at 11129 Vanowen between Tujunga and Vineland. (818) 980-2227.

The sporting goods store REI is having their fall sale with lots of markdowns until Nov 25. Get up to 30% off on skis, snowboards, accessories, clothing, camping gear and cycling stuff. Search all the 2,510 items on sale here. Sale is online and in stores. Find one near you. May be time for me to get a pair of walking shoes (other than my running shoes, which are so expensive I feel bad wearing them when I'm not running), like these J-14 Sidelines shoes, above, for $55 (orig $79). These Dansko Lolita sandals are also on sale for $80 (orig $110). The ever popular Crocs Cayman are $20 to $30 depending on color.

New subscribers to their email newsletter get a coupon for 15% off one item. Sign up at the very bottom right corner of their homepage.

More than a few readers have written in about the bad link on yesterday's Blockbuster coupon, which really was a steal. Unfortunately, it was too good to be true. Snopes.com, a urban myth-busting site, has the scoop: it was a legitimate coupon at one time. But because of scanners and the Internet and modern technology, the coupon spread to so many more people than intended that Blockbuster decided not to accept it anymore.

In short, I apologize for getting all your hopes up. If you feel like Charlie Brown after Lucy has snatched the football away at the last minute, I understand. I will try to be more vigilant about checking out coupons before I post them, though frauds are awfully hard to detect. Thanks for sticking with me through the occasional bad coupon. I hope all the other sales make up for it. ~Julia

(similar amount of food, totally different layout)

Here's a Lincoln Lunch to end all Lincoln Lunches: a $5 meal at the vegetarian India Sweets and Spices in Canoga Park. So far unparalleled in size and a top contender for quality. For my Lincoln fiver I received a samosa, a pakora (shredded onions and veggies dipped in chickpea batter and fried), yellow rice, yogurt curry, stewed chickpeas, a tangy yogurt sauce to cool my tongue, chapati (like a very flat naan), a big, flat piece of crispy poori, onions and pickles. I couldn't even eat half of it! Everything tasted hot and fresh and was spicy, but not so much that I had to refill my water bottle and or blow my nose. My table wasn't perfectly clean, but the floors were and before I left an employee came out to clean all the tables. Plastic utensils and water are available and you pay after eating. My meal would have been $4 without the samosa and pakora, or $6 with them and one dessert. A la carte dosas are $3 to $5 and samosas are 69-cents each. Here's the menu for their Los Feliz store, so prices are a tad off. I had the #2. Thanks jjohns!

Visit them at 22009 Sherman Way a hair west of Topanga Canyon Rd (the second storefront from the corner on the north side). (818) 887-1417. Parking in the back.

Get $10 off your tab of $50 at Old Navy until Nov 21. Use coupon code TAKE10. Not sure if it is case sensitive. Shipping is $5 flat. This link should take you to a page where you can print the coupon for in store shopping. Find a store near you.

A new discount grocer is coming to town and they are not messing around. To make a splash the new Buck-A-Roo$ store in Van Nuys is giving away 1,000 bags of groceries to the first 1,000 customers who bring in a valid Buck-A-Roo$ flyer. Get a grand opening flyer by stopping by the store beforehand or by printing it here. If you go in for one the flyers are near the cash register but if you can't find one ask a someone who works there. Each bag will contain 7 or 8 items, a spokesperson tells me. A roll of paper towels, a box of cereal, gatorade, a canned good and a few other items.

The giveaway is Saturday Nov. 17 from noon to 4. There will also be free hot dogs, snacks, drinks, giveaways from Movin 93.9, a company spokesperson tells me. STRIKERS BONUS: Get an extra 10% off storewide when you present a valid Writers Guild of America card as long as the strike is still going.

Buck-A-Roo$ has such low prices because they sell closeouts purchased in bulk at wholesale prices. Read more about Buck-A-Roo$ here. Visit them at 17641 Vanowen St. in Van Nuys.

I've been told some of the links are not working. Yikes! What might be happening is that the links in the daily digest are so long they end up taking up two lines. But when you click on them it only puts the first line of code into your browser window (where it says http://...) A link does not work without both lines of code or even if one letter is missing. So capricious! Try copying and pasting both lines of code into your browser window so that no letters are cut off.
If it still doesn't work, let me know which specific link is not working and I will check it. Also give the links plenty of time to load, up to five minutes or longer if you have dial-up Internet access. Hope that helps. ~Julia

Linen's 'n' Things has a blockbuster price on some Thanksgiving essentials. A 22-piece set that includes a turkey roaster and rack, serving platter, 15-piece knife set, salt and pepper shakers and two gravy boats is $10 after a $5 mail in rebate, which you can download here. It used to be $20. Note, you cannot use any coupons with this deal. While supplies last! Looks like the deal is also in stores near you.

The cupboard is bare
With no food to spare
I'm hungry and it doesn't seem fair

To eat lunch without real food
It's going to affect my mood.

Ramen it is. Munch munch munch.
Not so bad, and definitely a Lincoln Lunch.

Woot Wine has a good deal on three bottles of sparkling wine from Mumm Napa for $50 plus $5 shipping. Buy them now and you won't have to worry about serving the fairly nasty champagne sold at the supermarket this holiday season. Or as Woot Wine puts it, on New Year's Eve why settle for what's on sale at the A&P? The package includes two bottles that sell for $14 each at Bev Mo' (Curvee plus their Brut Prestige) and a third bottle of Single Vineyard Deveaux Ranch that seems to be sold only thru the vineyard (and for $30 plus membership, at that). This week only! Woot Wine puts up a different selection of wine every week and once it's gone, it's gone.

Read other Wooters comments on the trio.

UPDATE: I'm told this coupon is a scam. A reader tried to use it and was told it is not valid. I guess it was too good to be true. My apologies.

Get two free video rentals, a tub of popcorn and two 20-ounce Cokes at Blockbuster with the coupon you can download at this site. (Click on 'Download the original attachment') Good thru Dec 31, 2007 but you can only use it once because they mark it on your account. New on DVD are Shek the Third, Ocean's Thirteen, and La Vie en Rose. Humph, I still havent' seen Crash! Find a Blockbuster near you. Thanks, Marsha!

Today until Sunday, Nov 18, Ann Taylor has a 25% off family and friends coupon. It's also good at Ann Taylor Loft, Ann Taylor Factory Stores, and online. Wahoo! Online use code 10701080. In store print this coupon.

UPDATE: A few people have had trouble getting the coupon link to work, so I'm pasting the entire thing below. Hope this helps.

http://i.slickdeals.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=62078&d=1195051751

The Camarillo outlets just announced their post-Thanksgiving hours and individual store sales. Most of their stores are opening at midnight Thursday (i.e. 12:01 a.m. Friday) and stay open until 10pm that day. Sat they are open 8 am to 10 pm and Sun from 9 am to 8 pm. A few of the store sales: Aeropostale 50% off entire store, Anne Klein 30% off one item midnight to 7 am Fri, 40% off storewide at Banana Republic Factory Store, BCBG Girls 15% off entire purchase from midnight to 10am Fri, 20% off entire Diesel store Fri, 30% off your entire purchase at Eddie Bauer Fri midnight to noon, and many more sales. I only got to the E's!

Get all the info by downloading the PDF at the top of this page. Good luck staying awake and braving the crowds!

Amazon.com is giving $5 instant rebates on 150 magazine subscriptions. The discount comes during the last step of checkout. For these mags one year is $3: Marie Claire, Teen Vogue, Redbook, Esquire and CosmoGIRL! Many others are just $5: Wired, Harper's Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and PSM Independent Playstation Magazine. Oprah is $18 for one year. No code required. Thru Dec 31. See all the mags with the $5 rebate. Remember, mags make fun holiday gifts.

Pottery Barn is having free holiday decorating classes Sunday Nov. 25th and Sunday Dec 2nd. They apparently will discuss the basics of holiday decorating, (like how to deck out your home and trim the tree). And all this time I thought I knew what I was doing! Oh, but this may make it worth it: participants receive a complimentary Pottery Barn Design Book (shoot, only while supplies last). Call your local store to sign up.

For a few days the ability to comment has been on the fritz. It seems to be back on for now so please do leave a note or message by clicking on the teeny tiny 'comment' link at the bottom of each post just below the line that separates each post. Thanks! ~Julia

Saw this post on CityMommy and thought it was worth mentioning even though it's second hand. (Or maybe third hand since the person who wrote it got an email about the sale.) She writes "I've shopped at this sale before and it's pretty incredible." The sale is at Over the Moon Children's Boutique (no Web site, unfortunately) Saturday Dec 1 from 10 to 2 in Tarzana. Featured designers include: Binky Couture, Tea Collection, Cakewalk, and Hannah Banana. Cash only, all sales are final and no dressing rooms.

Visit them at The Tarzana Community and Cultural Center, 19130 Ventura Boulevard, Tarzana.

KB Toys will give you a free toy when you buy three. My guess is the cheapest thing you buy will be the free one. Just a hunch. Excludes gift cards. Offer good thru Nov 21, 2007. You can also get a free toy from Melissa and Doug when you buy two of their toys at KB until Nov 19, 2007. KB has a gift finder that let's you search by age and gender. I bet my sister would KILL me if I bought my nephew this ride-on motorcycle for $90, but it looks like a ton of fun. And hopefully noisy! She'll really appreciate that. Max speed 3mph (looks like it comes with training wheels). ZOOOoooooomm.

See all their deals and promotions here. Find a store near you.

Get 20% off your tab at Banana Republic until Dec 24, 2007! Looks like it's good only online, not in stores. Use coupon code BRHOLIDAY. For women they separate out dressy threads by bash, office party, and house party, which seems incredibly useful to me. For work parties they suggest a velvet blazer and lace skirt for $168 and $108 respectively. Fun but not flashing anything inappropriate. For the friend's holiday party they suggest pairing this really cute strapless top for $58 with jeans. You can always wear a little wrap or shawl if it's too much skin for you. Prices are before the discount.

Get 20% off at Lucky Brand Jeans until Nov 17 during their friends and family sale. Use coupon code 7FFAT when checking out. You can see if the discount works before entering your billing and credit card info. I like these low-rise, slim fit Lil Maggie jeans, for $120 but how can you tell if they will actually fit? Last week I must have tried on 37 pairs before finding one that fit. And now I'm thinking I need a different size because all this running is making my pants loose. Of course, as soon as I stop running it will all come back and they won't fit anymore. Sigh. And I thought I was saving money by running instead of joining a gym.

Get 20% off one item at Linens 'n' Things with this printable coupon. Good in stores, not online. Expires Dec 31, 2007. I've gotten a lot of good use out of shoe organizers like this 9-pair rack for $30 (before coupon). They also have a limited selection of tablecloths and linens for your Thanksgiving table. Of course, those will go on super sale right after the holiday.

Caveats: not good on brands like SharperImage, All-Clad, J.A. Henckels, Tempur-Pedic, Godiva Chocolates and a few more. Read the fine print at the bottom of the coupon to make sure it's good on the thing you covet. Find a store near you.

T-day is next week. Egads! I've got my head so burried in bargains the holiday crept up on me. The sale that brought me out of the fog was from Ralph's. Their 12-24 lb frozen turkeys are 37-cents a pound (with club card and $25 purchase), the best deal around it seems. Albertsons has frozen birds at 39-cents a pound and fresh ones for 99-cents a pound. Vons has 17-22 lb frozen Butterballs or Manor House birds for 48-cents a pound (also with club card and $25 tab). Smart & Final has frozen birds for 99-cents a pound. More caveats: most stores limit you to one bird. Prices good today thru Nov 22.

UPDATE: Reader Charles writes in that he topped my turkey prices! "Just returned from Food 4 Less.
Turkeys on sale 4 dollars through 15 pounds, 6 dollars through 20 pounds, and 7 dollars above 20 pounds." So for a bird exactly 15 pounds you pay 26-cents a pound, for a 20 lb bird you pay 30-cents a pound, and for a really Big Bird, say 25 lbs, you pay 28-cents a pound. The smaller the bird you get within each category the more you pay per pound. Still, not a bad deal. Thanks, Charles!

No limits or minimum purchase

Much of JC Penny's is 50% off today, with some exclusions. Among the things half off: towels and bath rugs, men's suits, sportcoats, trousers and topcoats, misses/kids/ladies outerwear, kids fleeces, juniors sweaters and Arizona jeans, ALL WOMEN'S SHOES, fall dresses, Maidenform and Playtex bras, fashion jewelry, sterling silver jewelry, gemstones and pearl jewelry, some slippers and socks, ladies pj's, kids shoes, girls boots, men's sweaters and slippers, men's gifts, boys' fleece hoodies, certain brands of luggage, pillows, blankets and throws, quilts, down comforters, lamps and shades, pre-lit trees, and sheets. Tons of Arizona brands clothes are on sale. Today only from 9 am to 10 pm. Find a store near you.

Get 25% off all pants at Ann Taylor Loft - sale ends today! The pants are marked down even more than the sale price listed (the 25% comes after you add them to your cart). These bootleg cotton pants with little tabs around the hips are $22.50 (orig $49), in size 14, 16, and 18. Some long sizes in a darker shade for $37. I like their site because it lets you search by size, color, material, style, and price. Not sure if stores are having the same sale but you can find one near you. You can also get a $25 style card for every $50 you spend thru Nov 25. The cards can be redeemed Nov 26 to Jan 1 with a minimum $50 purchase.

Get free admission to Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia on Wednesday, Nov 21 when you bring a full bag of canned goods or non-perishable food. Tickets are normally about $30 to $60. The park is trying to fill up the Los Angeles Regional FoodBank in time for Thanksgiving. The ticket is good for that day only (open 10:30 to 6 that day). The food bank's most wanted list includes cans of beef stew, ravioli, cannelloni, spaghetti, tuna, peanut butter, yams, chicken, beef, fruits, vegetables, soups, and baby food; packages of hot cereal, mashed potatoes,stuffing mix, powdered eggs, complete meals, pancake mixes, baby cereal, and rice; and drinks like coffee, juices in non-breakable containers, supplemental drinks, baby formula, and dry milk.

You can also get a free ticket to the roller coaster park on Dec 2, 8, or 9 when you bring a brand new, unwrapped toy valued at $15 or more (with recipt or price tags to prove it). The toys go to 28 Boys and Girls Clubs across Southern California. Thanks, Kristin!

Get $10 off your purchase of $50 or more at Petsmart with coupon code NEXTTEN, or sometimes it automatically deducts $10 from your cart. Unclear when it expires so don't wait if you need something for the furry companion in your life! Sadly, I do not have any pets but I can still shop vicariously for you! This pink studded leather collar is perfect for a sassy canine, for $15 to $25 depending on size. This kitty cave also looks rather enticing, for $28. Maybe it's time to get a hummingbird feeder for the wild birds outside. Remember to type the coupon code in CAPITAL LETTERS.

Graveyardmall.com has some good prices on small toys and items that would make great stocking stuffers. How about $1 Rubix cube knockoffs, 75-cent hackey sacks and 75-cent train whistles? Standard shipping is $7 flat.

Get 20% off of anything that's already been reduced at Gymboree online or in stores. Unclear when the sale ends. Check out the sale girl's clothes and boy's sale clothes. This girl's three-button camel shorty jacket is $25 (orig $39). A grey wool cap for $9 (orig $14.50) will turn any boy into a pint-sized gentleman. Also check out their sales for baby boys, baby girls, and newborns. $6 flat shipping. Find a store near you.

This ends today! A Chili's opening in Newbury Park is serving free meals with a few caveats. First, the menu is set so you don't get to choose what you want to eat. Second, the booze is not free. Third, if you do not have an invitation you can still get a free meal but those with an invitation will be seated before you. So go at odd times if you are crashing the party. They are not taking reservations. The restaurant officially opens Nov 15. They are at 1700 Newbury Rd. (805) 214-9947. Thanks, Lynn!

Get 5% to 10% off most everything at Sears during their friends and family sale. Unclear when it ends, though. Some items say they are discounted thru 11/16/07, others
are marked down thru 11/17/07. A few items are a little more than 10% off, TV's are 5% off. Buy with your Sears Card and get an extra $250 rebate with a 50-inch TV purchase, a $150 rebate with a 40-49-inch TV and a $50 rebate for TV's under 40 inches. No code needed. Find a store near you.

Ouch! If you are used to Target- and H&M-priced clothes, shopping at Baby Laundry Boutique is going to hurt. But the clothes are *so* cute. This brick-red long sleeve T-shirt for a lil boy has a picture of a cowboy bulldog about as determined to get dirty and find trouble as your little boy is. But it's $56! Ease the pain a little with a 25% off coupon good thru Tue, Nov 13, 2007. Use coupon code VETERAN. Shop girls clothes here. Free shipping on orders over $100. Thanks, Jen!

Pacific Adventure Cruises in Marina del Rey has a two-for-one deal for boat rides to Catalina this Sunday Nov 18 only, according to reader Steven. Board at 9:30 a.m. on the way out, then at 4:30 p.m. for the return trip. The boat leaves 30 minutes after boarding. Normally they charge $72 for the round trip ticket, but this Sunday you can get two bodies on their catamaran for that price. Check out their Web site here. (310) 577-9177. Call Michelle to reserve and mention the discount. Thanks, Steven!

UPDATE: The printable coupon is no longer good because so many people clicked on it. I found a similar coupon for Penny's, but its online only. Use code WP41RBG for $10 off a $50 purchase. Should not expire until Nov 20, 2007.

Get $10 off a $50 purchase at JC Pennys with this printable coupon. Good until Nov 20, 2007. Not good online or through the mail and there are lots of exclusions on non-clothing items.

Caveats: not good on cosmetics, perfume, furniture, cookware, cutlery and gadgets, jewelry, small appliances, salon services, and a lot more. Read the fine print. Thanks Nolemon!

Get on the list for a free screening of American Gangster, starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe this weekend at the Sherman Oaks Gallera 16. The CATCH: you have to sit through a 20-minute spiel on the new ArcLight theater coming to the Galleria this winter before the movie starts. BONUS to offset the catch: free popcorn and drinks plus 4 hours of free parking. Gotta RSVP by Tue, Nov 13 at noon. You can get one or two tickets. You should get an email confirming you are on the guest list, if not, they are already full. Thanks, Eugene!

Get 20% off the entire Crabtree & Evelyn store – but don't wait because the sale ends today. The store has tons of great gift options if you are already thinking about your holiday shopping. I know I am! I'm tempted to get this tropical-scented Wakaya Potpourri ($28 – orig $35) for my mother in law even though it's probably not something she would buy herself. She does use potpourri in the guest bath! Free shipping on orders $80 and up.

Take 15% off your entire order when you purchase holiday photo cards, party invitations and other modern stationery products at Tiny Prints. Unclear if the discount is on everything they sell, or just some items. Their designs are simple, modern, and there are plenty of options. Use coupon code: COLORFUL. Expires Nov. 19, 2007. Thanks CityMommy!

(not my actual lunch, nothing like it except the food looks equally tasty.)

One of my favorite places to get very good lunch at a decent price
(not a fiver but much higher quality than any taco stand can offer) is
Gorikee in Woodland Hills. They bill themselves as "California -
Asian" dining. Translation, please. They serve Americanized Asian food that is
fresh, deliciously spiced, and served on oversized plates (always a
sign of good food). For lunch I had a great big Melange plate that came with a
cup of corn chowder, a green salad, rice, green beans, garlicy
brushetta, curry shrimp, and grilled salmon. For $10.95. Everything
was delish, especially the chowder, shrimp, salmon and salad. Their
regular lunch special is $7.95 and comes with soup, a set entree,
daily vegetable, salad and rice. I also recommend their burger, though I
don't see it on the menu anymore. Do not pass up their garlic French fries!
DINNER BONUS: If you order between 5 and 6 p.m. your
entree comes with a soup, salad, and dessert.

Read other reviews here. Visit them at 21799
Ventura Blvd in the northeast corner of Warner Plaza. (818) 932-9149. Closed Mondays.

I don't know how these folks pay their bills but Yossi's Salon in Woodland Hills is again offering free haircuts for the rest of the month. Everyday but Saturdays, by appointment only. Visit them at 5349 Topanga Canyon Blvd, just south of Ventura Blvd. (818) 825-3467.

Everybody's favorite smoothie place has re-started a deal that gets you a free smoothie every time you buy a $25 Jamba Juice card. This time, however, you can only get the 12-ounce smoothie free, not the super big one. You do get to choose the flavor, though, a colleague reports. Find a Jamba Juice near you.

Toys 'r Us claims to be having one of their biggest sales of the year right now, ending Sat Nov 10. The Air Hogs radio controlled helicopter is $50 (orig $65), a Radio Flyer trike is $30 (orig $40), and a Mega Bloks truck with 40 pieces is $13 (orig $26). Free shipping on orders $50 or more. Find a store near you.

Puma stores are having a friends and family sale using this 30% off printable coupon. Expires Nov 12, 2007. Good in stores only. Find a store near you.

Get all the day's new blog posts by signing up for the Bargain Hunter Daily Digest. It goes out once a day and I never sell or share email addresses. Thanks!

The folks at bfads.net are going crazy. In the last few days they have posted the day-after-Thanksgiving sale prices for dozens of items from Target, Office Max, Kmart, and Big Lots. Some of the stores they have posted ads for sent them cease and desist orders so they were removed. Best to print out the lists in case they are taken down later. See the full list of th stores they have advance ads for here.

Until Nov 12 Yoox is having a sample sale with prices up to 90% off. This black Antonio Berardi dress with slanted fringes and is $159 (orig $928), in size 4 only. G-strings from Roberto Cavali are $19 (orig $59). This baby blue spaghetti strap top by RED Valentino is $34 (orig $118), but comes in size 4 only. A single button gray linen jacket by Le Marais is $129 (orig $748). See the men's sales here.

I'm told a link in yesterday's daily digest to the post "Sounds like a steal to me" was bad. Seems like karma is coming back to bite me after I teased a reader yesterday for pointing out I had two bad coupons on the Bargain Hunter. This
time I've got my tail between my legs. I apologize. Here's the good
link.

As you may have already guessed, we're having a lot of computer
problems today. Something about European spammers getting up close and
personal with our servers. Not good! It's times like these when I
realize just how addicted I've become to finding coupons and sales for
my lovely readers. Not being able to blog = not fun. Please check back
and thanks for being patient. ~Julia

They say talk is cheap, which sounds like a good price to me. Commenting on the blog is free, however, and I strongly encourage you to do so! (There's a teeny tiny Comments link at the very bottom of each blog post.) Here's what people have said so far.

One reader named Rod says the column is helping him get ahead in a family contest: "My son and I have a contest every year to see who has found the best bargain. I'm leading by finding a GE ceiling fan on the clearance rack at Target for $3.00, originally $49.00."

A grumpy reader was miffed that I had a bad coupon last week (actually, the second bad coupon on the blog...out of more than 600 posts. Some track record.) The anonymous person writes: "First the coupon was exp. for World Market, now for Linens and Things. SPANK SPANK. How can you prevent this from happening again????" I promise to flog myself 10 times for every bad coupon I post.

Between the two I'd rather have dinner with reader Phyllis, who wrote: "I LOVE your whole column. Enough said!!!!"

Bargain hunter Caryn left this comment: "Hi Julia, I was wondering how I subscribe because I want all the latest!" Just email me at julia.scott@dailynews.com and I'll add you to the daily digest that goes out once a day with all the new sales.

One anonymous reader noticed I've been sending the digest out late: "I was wondering if there was a bargain hunter email today?" There is everyday but it's going out later because of my email troubles (which are almost as bad as boy troubles). I've been lucky enough to receive so many requests to join the daily digest that GMail thinks I am spamming people and locks my account for 23 hours. As soon as it unlocks I send out a flurry of emails, including the digest, which makes GMail lock my account again.

If we were in a relationship, Gmail would be in the dog house. Without dinner. And it's raining. Grrrrr. I'll spare you the back and forth with the tech guys who say they are working on it, yada yada yada. In the meantime, thanks for reading and keep sending me all the good tips!
~Julia

Get 30% off at Gymboree until Nov 11, 2007 online or with this in store coupon. Online use code GYMFRIEND and remember there's $6 flat shipping for a limited time. A girl's pony gown is $23.50 (orig $29) or this red holiday dress is $38 (orig $50). And those prices are BEFORE the 30% off. Slim pickins for boy's holiday clothes, unfortunately.

These items are hot, baby! At least they used to be. PropertyRoom.com auctions stolen and forfeited bicycles, jewelry and cars that police can't find the rightful owners of. They work with the LAPD, NYPD, and some 600 other police departments across the country. PropertyRoom.com picks up the goods, sells them online, and gives a chunk of the sale back to the squad. Just think, you may find a pound of heroin hidden in the trunk of your newly purchased Crown Vic!

But seriously, they have a lot of bicycles for sale, jewelry, electronics, coins, and 1-hour auctions. There's even a category for real estate!

I spotted this 10k gold ring with a blue topaz stone, currently bidding for $1 (two days left in the auction). Not too shabby. If you feel wierd about buying something used or possibly stolen, remember part of the purchase price goes to police. Maybe not your local babes in blue, but a copper somewhere. Also check carefully what the return policy is for the item you are considering, it may differ depending on the item.

To read more about PropertyRoom.com go here. Thanks, Brent!

Today only, ShoeBuy.com is taking $10 off your shoe purchase and offering free shipping. Wahoo! Cheap shoes. :) You can get another 10% off when you register on their site for free. The original Crocs are $20 (orig $30) for adults (shown in Ruby Red, my preference) and that's before the 10% sign up discount. Kids' Crocs are $15.45 before the 10% off discount. Thanks SlickDeals!

Caveats: Some exclusions.

Wine.com offers free shipping when you spend over $100 before Thanksgiving. They have recommendations for wines that go with each part of the meal. For toasts and appetizers here are some ideas for bubbly, then some brightly flavored wines to go with startersfruity reds for the main course. If that's too much booze to keep track of, they generally recommend buying fruity wines with lower tannin levels such as Zinfandel and Pinot Noir to best match the many of flavors on your Thanksgiving table. Now you can sip vino while you gobble gobble! Use promo code 1TURKEY. Thanks, Sarah!

Footlocker has a few coupons for discounts tied to how much you spend. Get $5 off a $50 purchase with code EM217NT2, get $10 off a $75 purchase with code EM217NT3, or get $15 off a $100 purchase with code EM217NT5. Good online, by phone or by mail. The coupons expire Nov 11, 2007. Thanks, Kap!

UPDATE: The mag idea was good but when I saw a Chenille woven scarf...

Here's a great coupon that can be used for holiday gifts. Spend $30 online or in stores at Bath & Body Works and get $10 off. Good thru Dec 2, 2007! Online use code VELVET10, in stores bring in the printable coupon. Get $10 off and free shipping when you spend $65.

This Mani/Pedi kit is $10 (orig $18) and includes a nail clipper, toenail clipper, nail file, cuticle nipper, cuticle pusher, slant tweezers and scissors. It comes in a red hot faux crocodile case. Get three, give them out to your buds (or bridesmaids) and get the discount. All of their fall themed stuff is half off, including this vanilla-scented moisturizing mousse with a touch of shimmer for $6 (orig $12).

Coupon caveats: gift cards, egift cards and gift wrap don't count towards purchase total. Find a store near you.

Until Nov 26, 2007, get $30 off a purchase of $100 or more at Coldwater Creek, according to the sales page at Westfield Topanga. Doesn't say anything about whether you can use it online or in-stores. The discount code is EVENTS07. Usually in stores I find the sales associates get confused if you don't have a physical coupon, so to be sure print this page. Code SHIPFREE (good to Dec 22, 2007) gets you free shipping on online orders of any size, but it may not be stackable with the $30 off coupon. Find a store near you.

Caveats: One per customer, not valid on previous purchases or gift cards.

Laura Lee Designs in Burbank and the Mica Lamp Company in Glendale are both having sales. The Laura Dee sale is on all the wrought iron lighting (chandeliers, sconces, outdoor lighting, and lamps) and furniture that is in their 2,000 square foot warehouse. Sale is through Thanksgiving. Prices are significantly below retail (20% below wholesale), according to an employee at Laura Lee. Visit them at 527 N. Victory Blvd. in Burbank. (818) 842-5300. Mon thru Fri 8 to 5 only. No weekend hours, unfortunately.

The Mica Lamp Company manufactures copper and iron lighting fixtures and is having a three-day sale starting Friday, Nov 9 to Sunday, Nov 11. Again prices are significantly below retail. Cash CC only. People are known to line up for this one as the best stuff goes in the first couple hours, BargainsLA reports. Hours are Fri 2 to 7, Sat and Sun 10 to 5. Visit them at 517 State St. in Glendale. (800) 905-2677.

BargainsLA reports that Culligan Water Systems in Sylmar is having a Sidewalk Sale on "new and used water softeners, reverse osmosis drinking water systems and whole house filters." The sale is brief - this Sat Nov 10 from 9 to 3 only. It's unclear how big the markdowns will be, but people don't usually sell stuff on the sidewalk unless they really want to get rid of it. Savvy? And how about this BONUS: There will be free hot dogs, burgers and drinks. Munch munch munch.

Visit them at 15580 Roxford St. in Sylmar.

A few good sales at the Camarillo Outlets: Until Nov 13, all leather and suede jackets at Calvin Klein are 50% off. If there's a special man in your life who needs a jacket, this could be an awesome sale. Of course, you'd have to convince him to go with you because you really do need him to try them on. Select sweaters at CK are 30 % off.

To Nov 21 all men’s and women’s waffle long underwear are 40% off at Jockey. At Liz Clairborne denim is $17 to $20 and coats are 50% off until Nov 12. Perry Ellis is having their fall sweater sale until Nov 14, with ribbed crew, v-neck, ½ zip, or argyle sweaters at $30 each (orig $69.50) or get any two for $50 (again, fantastic holiday possibilities here). Plus new "holiday sportswear" is 40% to 50% off. Read all the promotions here.

Don't forget to join their VIP Club online, print out a voucher for a free coupon booklet at home, then bring it into their office to the left of the Mikasa store for extra discounts. I checked it out in Sept and the deals were pretty good.

The Web site BFads.net has listed the Black Friday sales planned at two more stores, Walgreens and PepBoys. You can peek at all their sales (including Sears and Old Navy) here. Great for shoppers who have specific items on their list and want to price compare ahead of time.

Get $15 off an online purchase of $90 or more at Footlocker until Nov 30, 2007. When checking out use coupon code LKS17CN5 (there are a lot of options for codes but look for promotional codes, then footlocker promo code). If you've been thinking of getting gear in support of your favorite football team, there's a San Diego Chargers fleeze zip up for $75 or a Charger's knit cap for $18.

Get $20 off a $100 online purchase at Timberland (which isn't too hard these days) thru Nov 15, 2007. Don't think this deal works in stores, only online. Use coupon code SMARTWARMTH. How about these men's Earthkeeper's, which has lining made from recycled materials, an outsole made with recycled rubber, and organic canvas uppers, for $160. Be green and save money. What a winning combo.

Steve Madden shoe stores are having a decent sale on select pairs of boots, heels, platforms, and flats, but it's unclear how long it's going to last so don't wait if you are looking for something trendy but relatively cheap. In today's issue of LA.com, Madden talks about what shoes are in (lower heeled boots, rounded toe pumps, anything in suede) and what pairs are out (super high heels, chunky heels).

The sale is buy one get one half off of about 20 pairs, seems to be in most Steve Madden stores. I saw felt heels in black, red, brown or grey with a small bow on the toe for $40 and also like a pair of brown flats with a green and white folded ribbon on the front for $40. So two pairs for $60ish. Plus 20% off select boots. Find a store near you.

A teaser for free shipping and free returns sucked me into Piperlime's display of low heel boots. Somewhere between free flat shipping and flat shoes I got lost among their delicious boots. Not that I'm complaining. Wandering aisles and aisles of boots - all in size 10 so I can try them on immediately - is my silly version of heaven. (In my serious version we are all doing good deeds). Anyhoo, the prices range from sub-$100 to a few hundred, so watch your wallet. I like the carmel shade of these Kenneth Cole Reaction Make Love boots for $159. I don't normally go for the shorty boots but something about this pair for Me Too Tabitha for $109 caught my eye! For something with a little more flash I would consider these Easy Rider Mia boots with buckles, for $180, in black, brown, or tan. Ahhh, a little slice of heaven.

The San Fernando Valley Entertainment book for 2008 are $5 off today, plus Entertainment.com will ship it for free. Same is true for books covering LA/Long Beach/S.Bay and other locations. I'm really tempted to buy one because I've heard they have a ton of two for ones and restaurants, plus deals on movie tickets and other entertainment options. Unclear when the $5 off deal ends. Coupons are good to Nov or Dec 2008.

Amazon has it for $25 + shipping, Barnes & Noble does not seem to be selling it on their Web site, but I believe they carry it in stores.

A reader writes that Subway is selling their breakfast sandwiches/wraps for $1.99 instead of the regular prices ranging from $2 something to $3 something. It's part of an introductory offer so who knows how long it will last. I didn't see anything about the deal on their site or menu, unfortunately. To find a store near you go here. Thanks, Lisa!

A reader writes that the motorcycle parts and accessories store Cycle Trends in Van Nuys is having a going out of business sale after 35 years. Owner Stan is retiring, she writes, and everything in the store is between 30-75% off, including fixtures and service dept equipment. The markdowns are progressive:

Nov 1 to 16 everything is 30 to 75% off. Nov. 17 to 30 everything is 40 to 75% off. Dec. 1 to 31 everything is 50 to 75% off. All sales final. They are open Mon to Fri 10 to 7, Sat 9 to 6 and Sun 10 to 4. Visit them at 14901 Oxnard St in Van Nuys. (818) 902-9253. Thanks, Marilyn!

A friend said she unexpectedly came across great toys - and cheap - at her local Ross. For $100 she took care of almost all her holiday toy shopping, buying presents for nine kids. I myself did not know Ross stocks toys but around the holdiays I guess it's important because so many people are buying them. Keep it in mind for your own toy needs! Find a Ross near you.

This coupon comes at a fantastic time. You're starting to think about the holidays and a 25% off coupon for Cost Plus World Market pops up. The store has everything from festive decorations, neat chocolates and treats, plus more traditional gifts like Lavender Tea set for $15. Print it out for in store shopping or use coupon code FF11074 online. Good Nov 9 to 12, 2007 only. Print the coupon here. Caveats: not good on booze or gift cards. Find a store near you.

Graveyardmall.com has a 390-piece magnetic links kit for $9 (orig $60, they say). Every piece connects to little magnet balls on either end so you can build all sorts of stuff like shapes and towers and poking sticks. Inclues 288 bars and 102 magnet balls. For ages 5 and up because of all the small parts. Comes in a plastic carrying case.

This Sat, Nov 10, 2007 get a few extra discounts at the Camarillo Outlets when you show your AAA membership card at the Management Office in suite 504 to the left of the Mikasa store. Not sure what the discounts are. You can also chat with AAA reps from 10 to 4 outside Saks Fifth Avenue - Off 5th and check out their antique car display. Take care of your shopping and insurance/travel/antique car needs all in one stop. Who woulda thunk it? The outlets are at (805) 445-8520.

Get 20% off at Sephora online for a limited time. Use coupon code FF2007. Free shipping with code FIFTY at checkout, or if you spend more than $75 (before the coupon). Unclear when the coupon expires so don't wait. I like this Lights, Camera, Glamour! kit from Too Faced for $40. It includes 8 Eye Shadows (.033 oz each), 6 Lip Glosses ( .032 oz each), 2 Blush Powders (.098 oz each), Bronzer Powder (.098 oz), Face Powder (.098 oz), Shimmer Powder (.098 oz), Brow Powder (.049 oz), and Eye Liner Powder (.049 oz). I also love the scent of Armani Di Gio, $47.50 for 1.7-ounces. Don't forget to choose 3 free samples with your order.

A tad odd, I know, but for any cheese fans out there Woot Wine has a steal on a 3-lb round of Point Reyes Original Blue Cheese, made by the Farmstead Cheese Company. It is selling for $30 (plus $5 shipping), much less than the $68 on the Farmstead Web site. Woot Wine sells a set of wines each week and has taken the time to point out the advantages of selling cheese instead of booze: "Ships to all 48 of the states that matter! Sold by cheesemaker. You need not be 21 years old to place your order. You need not be sober to receive your order." Whew, I was worried about that last one.

The wheel measures 2 inches thick by 7.5 inches across. It will last for 6 weeks in the fridge but should not be frozen. Not sure when the cheese makes way for a new wine sale, so don't wait too long if you are interested. After it's gone, it's gone. Read comments and questions posted by other Wooters.

The FR Industries warehouse sale in the industrial section of North Hollywood that has a few interesting items, but also a lot of crap. Some prices were great, others seemed really high. A cute canvas makeup bag was $1 but a flimsy faux-kitschy apron was $10. A big section of long window curtains were $5, others were $25 to $50. Quality ranged from polyester to silk. A set of garden tools, including a satchel, 2 hand shovels, 2 mini rakes, and a pair of gloves, was $13. Sets of bar tools were $5 to $10. Gauzy wine bags were 50-cents each. All sales final.

The sale is run by an importer who supplies curtains and sheets to home furnishing stores. The items for sale are overruns, samples, and discontinued goods. The warehouse is open Nov 2-4, Nov 9-11, Nov 16-18, Nov 24-25, Nov 30, Dec 1-2, and December 7-9. Fridays they are open noon to 4pm, Saturdays from 9 to 4 and Sundays from 10 to 3. Cash preferred, 2% fee for credit cards. Visit them at 11840 Vose St. in North Hollywood. (818) 503-9143.

A long line portended good things of Hugo's Tacos on Coldwater Canyon in Studio City. No line moves quickly enough when you are as hungry as I was, but soon enough it was my turn. I ordered two tacos - carnitas and zucchini/corn/string beans. The 5 minute wait seemed like eternity but it was worth it. Both tacos were tasty and I especially recommend the honey chipotle salsa. (There are six other salsas to choose from.) At $2.25 each the mini tacos were a bit more than I'm used to paying, but not surprising for a thoroughly mainstream Mexican eatery. Hugo's also had shaded tables where you can eat. Read their menu here.

Visit them at 4749 Coldwater Canyon Ave. in Studio City. (818) 762-7771.

Get 15% off a purchase of $100 or more at Banana Republic until Nov 30, 2007. Print the coupon here for instore shopping, or onling use code brglam15. These cozy cords in a creamy latte color are $46 (orig $78) and would go perfectly with this simple top with subtle pleats in deep red for $37.40 (orig $44). I adore this silk pleated dress in shimery gold for $143 (orig $168). Don't forget to check their shoes and bags.

This sale ends Sun, Nov 4, 2007 so don't wait too long to get 30% off everything at Lane Bryant. Use coupon code 000303606. This knit shrug helps ward off a chill, for $0.65 (orig $29.50) and this sparkling red dress will spice up any holiday party, for $69.65 (orig $99.50).

In case you missed the Eastbay 20% to 30% off sale that ends today, there's a coupon to get 20% off of purchases of $99 or more. Use coupon code LKS17N99, good until Nov 30, 2007. Coupon is good on clothing, footwear and more. Shop their site here.

Lighten up the oncoming darkness of Daylight Savings this weekend by logging onto Appreciate the Darkness to get a free sample of Green & Black's dark 70% (cocao, I assume) or their milk chocolate bars. Fun promotion, though I'm wondering how many people are going to be salivating for chocolate so soon after the biggest candy holiday of the year. NOTE: The above Web site will ONLY be good from 3 p.m. PST Saturday, Nov 3 until 3 a.m. PST Sunday, Nov 4.

After you log on to get your free chocolate, remember to turn your clocks back one hour Saturday before you go to bed or first thing Sunday morning for an extra hour of your life.

The sports store Eastbay is having a quickie sale on all its sporting gear. Get 20% on purchases of $100 or more using coupon code IPEB7NJM or 30% off purchases of $200 and more using code IPEB7NW5. Both totals don't include taxes and shipping. Also good by mail and over the phone. No time to find specific items, but I trust you guys will hunt down a good deal. Thanks, Dave!

Play N Trade Video Games in La Crescent is having a sale on used video games, writes in owner Carlos De Leon. Buy two and get one free that is priced less than $30. Carlos said the sale "applies to games for every platform PS3, XBOX 360, PS2, PSP, Wii, DS, and others." Customers can try out games before they buy, he added. Unclear is the sale is online too and how long it lasts.

Visit the La Crescenta store at 3747 Foothill Blvd. (818) 249-9459.

Caveats: dealers excluded.

Every year retailers try to get a jump on holiday spending. A few years back stores started opening at midnight on Thanksgiving day, a few hours ahead of the morning rush on Black Friday. Now WalMart is putting five items on sale as part of a pre-Black Friday sale tomorrow, Nov 2, according to bfads.net. A Toshiba HD-DVD player will apparently be priced at $100, which fbads.net says is "by far the lowest price the Toshiba HD-A2 has ever gone for." It's earlier price was $200. Buying the HD-DVD player also gets you to five free HD-DVDs by mail. For more visit http://bfads.net/Walmarts-Secret-Friday-Sale.

Find a WalMart near you.

UPDATE: best Buy for Business looks like it's selling the same Toshiaba HD-DVD for $100 but get 10% off with coupon code SURV7DAYS. Get the rebate form from SlickDeals.net for 5 free HD DVDs. Yikes! Looks like the Best Buy site has sold out. You may need to shop at WalMart afterall.

JCrew is having a fall sale. This printed silk-wool Suzette dress is $160 (orig $225) and looks super cute. I adore this vintage looking burnt carmel cotton/cordoroy jacket with a little bit of stretch for $80 (orig $118). And for those of us living in a year round summer climate, there's this skirted bikini botton in lime, sunshine, chili pepper, or blue for $20 (orig $42). Finding a top to match is a bit more difficult because there's only this halter tank for $30 (orig $48). But the bottom is soooo cute! Don't forget the men's sale and sale shoes page, which includes a few bags, belts, and headbands.

Unclear how long the sale lasts and if the sale is in stores too.

In case you gave away all your candy to trick-or-treaters last night without saving some for yourself (silly you!) there are a ton of candy sales today. The 99-cent Stores have a variety of sweets for, duh, 99-cents but watch out for really small packs that are actually more expensive by weight than larger packs at other stores. An ad in Wed's paper listed Sugar Daddy Pops, Smarties (aka World's Best Candy), Tootsie Rolls, and 10-packs of Butterfinger/100 Grand/Dots/Junior Mints and more. Most drugstores and grocery stores will have all their big packs of Halloween candy half-off.

Find a 99-cent Store near you.

Last year hubby and I bombed. I'm thinking gift certificates at Target or Home Depot, stores where there is a lot to choose from. That means they might actually use the gift certificates and not sell them on eBay.

Going to stick to my one toy-one book per kid combo. Maybe a tween mag for my oldest niece, but I don't want one that just encourages rampant consumerism.