Recently in Holidays & Occasions Category

A colleague brought in three dozen of the tastiest looking donuts I have ever seen and placed them directly across from my desk. Someone is trying very hard to break my resolution to eat healthy.

Good thing the Daily News had tips yesterday on belonging to the 20 percent of people who actually keep their resolutions. The story covers six promises, including exercising more, losing weight, stopping smoking, reducing stress, seeing your doctor and eating right.

Even the mouse is feeling pinched. Disneyland annual passholders who live in SoCal can renew or buy a new pass and pay for it by the month.

Monthly payments break down renewals to as low as $11.17 a month and as low as $5.42 a month for new passes, which require a down payment of $69. To get the monthly option go to the main entrance ticket booth.

The pass includes admission to Disneyland and California Adventure, discounted rates at Disneyland hotels, select discounts on food, passholder-only events, subscription to Backstage Pass, a collectible Passholder-only publication, up-to-the-minute Extra e-mail updates, access to the annual passport website.

Caveats: You must live in zip codes 90000-93599.
Thanks, Shane!

I'm taking off the rest of the week to celebrate the new year with my family (or stay home sick in bed - I can't tell how bad my cold is yet). I have had so much fun saving money with you all this past year. I can't wait to see what 2009 holds.

Have a fabulous New Year's Eve and I will see you next year!

~Julia

Sales in November and December dropped 1.5 to 2 percent, the first decline since the International Council of Shopping Centers began tracking holiday sales.

The dismal shopping season means thousands of stores could close as part of retailer streamlining and bankruptcy filings in 2009.

Yahoo lists the sales major retailers are having post-Christmas. Thanks, Harrison!

Hi folks,
Before I sign off for a few days to enjoy Christmas I am sharing this holiday picture of a new species I like to call Hubby elf. Enjoy your holiday and see you on Dec. 29!
~Julia

The best sales will come after Jan. 5, says CNN retail expert Clark Howard. But can you wait?

Whole Foods is putting these items on sale.

Stores at the Camarillo Outlets are having post-Christmas sales. Remember to print a voucher for a free VIP coupon booklet, which you can pick up at the management office.

Denim, sweatshirts and more are half off at href="http://www.luckybrand.com/">Lucky Brand Jeans starting Dec. 26. You can get a price adjustment on previous purchases going back 14 days.

Dealio has a long list of pre- and post-Christmas sales. So does DealNews.com.

Get 25% off your purchase at H&M today only. For the coupon join their friends and family email list. The discount cannot be applied to previous purchases or combined with any other offer.

Victoria's Secret semi-annual bra and underwear sale is on. Underwear is $4 and up, bras are $13 and up and other items are 25 to 50% off.

Lacoste men's wear is up to 40% off at Nordstrom. Ship to store for free delivery.

Body Shop has make up, skin care, and more up to 50% off.

Green your holiday with these tips from Recycle Bank, a company that pays residents in 13 states for their recyclables (not including California, unfortunately).

Holiday items you can recycle:

• Corrugated cardboard boxes
• Gift boxes
• Gift catalogs
• Newspapers filled and all of those advertising inserts
• Wrapping paper (non-metallic only)
• Non-metallic greeting cards

Reduce waste by:

• Sending e-cards or cards made of recycled paper
• Avoiding metallic gift wrap because it is not recyclable. There are many alternatives to gift wrap.
• Using real, unbuttered pop corn to ship gifts. (I have not tried this and don't...

Click here to download 50 free songs.

Border's members get 40% off the list price of one item through Tue, Dec. 23, 2008. Some caveats. Join for free in stores to take advantage of this coupon. Not valid online.

Toys are marked down 50% today only at Graveyard Mall.

UPDATE: THE CORRECT CODE IS HOLIDAY, NOT HOLIDAYS. MY APOLOGIES. Gift certificates at Restaurant.com are 80% off with coupon code HOLIDAY, making a $25 certificate just $2. Expires Dec. 25, 2008.

Get 30% off sitewide with some brand exclusions at Babystyle now until 11:59AM PST Dec. 23, 2008.

eBates has some doubled and increased rebate offers for members who shop through their site. Good until Dec. 31, 2008.

Consumer World provides a rundown of major retailer's return policies, including which stores loosened their policies, and which ones tightened returns.

The list has the return policies for Circuit City, Sears, Best Buy, Macys, Target and more.

Shoppers are negotiating for everything in sight, according to the Associated Press. And you can, too! The above story tells how some shoppers are getting discounts on top of markdowns.

For haggling tips from yours truly, click here.

"The best time to shop is 12/24........lots of bargains and no shoppers. Take it from a male who has been there." -a reader named Jim

Has Christmas got you in a panic? No worries. Tightwad Tod at Consumer Reports has nine reasons why you should breathe easy.

I'll add my own reason. USPS Priority mail arrives in 2-3 days, just in the nick of time.

As an aside, if you are looking for an electronic gift, Consumer Reports recommends these digital cameras under $300.

Chances are good you will receive a gift card you do not want this year. With retailers going under left and right, it is wise to use it within a few weeks unless you believe the retailer will remain solvent.

Here are a few ideas of what to do with unwanted gift cards.

• Use it to buy a gift for someone else. Got a friend with a birthday in January? Know what someone will want in July?
• Re-gift it. Are you exchanging gifts with friends after the holiday?
• Re-consider using it for yourself. Perhaps there are staple items you need in 6-12 months like sheets, tools, or basic clothing items.
• If you cannot find any other use for it, sell it online. I recommend selling as a last resort because Web sites that facilitate the buying and selling of gift cards take a cut.
• PlasticJungle.com takes 25-35% of the value for a cash exchange. You get a few dollars more if you take it as an Amazon.com gift card, which has some limitations.
• GiftCardBuyBack.com takes 17-34% of the value. Most exchange rates are about 30%.

Get a $10 gift card when you buy $50 or more at LL Bean thru Dec. 24. While supplies last. Limit one card per customer per day. Gift cards not included. Cards are valid through Feb. 17, 2009.

Get a free upgrade to express shipping from the Apple store online or over the phone (1-800-MY-APPLE) when you order by Dec. 22. Excludes custom-engraved iPods, custom-configured Mac computers, gift wrapping, and gift cards.

Get $10 off an in-store purchase of $20 or more at Office Max now until Jan. 3, 2009. Some limits. Read the fine print.

Digital camera ratings from Consumer Reports.

Nordstrom Rack is having one-day sale today, Dec. 19. Get 25-60% off the last marked price on select items marked with a red dot, pink tag or green tag.

Get 25% off Craftsman tools at OSH this Saturday, Dec. 20 only.

Thanks, SCRS!

Men make up the bulk of last-minute holiday shoppers, according to a recent PayPal survey. Men procrastinate? REALLY???

Okay, that was an unfair, sarcastic characterization of almost half of the world's population. To make amends I'm suggesting a few last minute gifts that your lady will love.

+ A gift certificate to a spa, which gives her options for how to use it. Facial? Massage? New do? The choice is hers.

+ A piece of clothing from a store she shops at frequently. She will appreciate the effort you took to pick something out. Include a...

Thanks to SCRS for this quick rundown of ham prices.

Wal-Mart (Supercenters only)--Sam's Choice brand--$1.98 per pound.

Sam's Club--Ridge Creek brand--$1.88 per pound.

Stater Bros.--Sugartree, Ohse or Jamestown brands--$1.17 per pound with $15.00 minimum purchase, $1.69 per pound without minimum purchase, limit 1 per family, no card required.

Costco--Kirkland brand--$2.29 per pound.

Vons/Pavilions--Butcher's Cut brand--$1.27 per pound with club card and $25.00 minimum purchase, limit 1. Safeway Select brand--$1.99 per pound with club card, no minimum purchase.

Albertsons--Village Market, Farmer John or...

I got so many great tips on what to do with old Christmas and Chanukah cards I wanted to highlight the best ones. There really are a lot of ways to re-use them!

Miya said:

I cut the cards from last year and make gift tags for this year! (Maggie made the same suggestion.)

Toni said:

We've cut up old cards before to make place cards at the dinner table. Write the name on the blank side and put the pretty side facing the other way so people on the other side of the table have something pretty to see.

a91030Mom said:

I punch a hole in the corner, then thread nice red...

A Web site called Gift Arrow has a short quiz you can take to find gift suggestions for everyone on your list. It is free and you do not have to register. The catch is they sell all the gifts they suggest. Compare prices before you buy.

I am taking the quiz for my step-father, who is hands-down the hardest person on my list to buy gifts for. If Gift Arrow can suggest something for him, I'm sold.

Here goes. After six questions I got nine gift suggestions, all of which were either tools or leather wallets. Not bad, but not original.

After another quick round of questions - including whether or not the recipient has tattoos - I got nine more suggestions. All of which were either tools or leather wallets.

Either the site is honing in on the perfect gift for my step-father or has no other suggestions. I'll give it another round.

Nine suggestions. All tools and wallets.

I'm getting the feeling that no matter how I answer their questions I will get the same results. I expected something more because the questions are detailed. What is the recipient's diet? What are his political and religious beliefs? What is his yearly income?

Another round of questions. More tools and wallets!!! *$%^@! The final round. More. Tools. And. Wallets. I doubt my step-father wants a fancy alligator-print wallet. How about tools, Paul?

Thanks for the tip, Jerry!

It is easy to fall into spending traps even with all eyeballs on the crappy economy. TheStreet.com points out 6 of the most costly holiday spending mistakes.

Read and be forewarned!

It may seem early to think about returning presents seeing how Santa has not even begun his whirlwind sleigh ride, but Dec. 26 will come sooner than you think.

Many retailers make their return policies more lenient around the holidays, but taking something back is still a pain. To reduce hassles, keep these tips from the National Retail Federation in mind.

For the giver:

• Brush up on retailer return policies before you buy. Ask a clerk what the store's policy is if you do not see it posted.


• Keep the item in its original packaging, including tags, when you give it to the recipient. Some retailers won't accept returns unless items are in their original packaging.


• For online purchases, check who pays for return shipping before you buy. Rules vary.

For the giver and the recipient:

• Save all receipts, which are the key to hassle-free returns. You may be able to return something sans-receipt, but you will get the lowest marked down price. Lose your receipt and upon return you will lose money.

For the recipient:

• Resist the urge to open or play with a gift you don't want. It is usually easier to return untouched.


• For gifts purchased online, check whether you can return the item to a store or if you need to mail it in.

'Twas the week before Christmas, when all up the Strip
Not a sunbeam was shining, not even a bit.
The towers were shrouded in a gray, foggy cloud
As slushy snowflakes gently fell all about.

The tourists were bundled, their cheeks rosy red
While visions of jackpots danced in their heads.
Those hoping for sunshine could do nothing but mourn
As Las Vegas was hit with a rare winter storm.

Keep reading Vegas Review Journal poem.

Coupons for El Pollo Loco include a free tamale when you buy two, $5 off an order of $25 plus, and more.

Get 25% off your entire purchase at H&M on Dec. 23 only through their friends and family discount. Sign up here to get the discount. Dec. 18 through 21, select reduced-price items are buy one get one free.

Get free standard shipping with any purchase at J.Crew now with code HURRY. Not sure if standard shipping with get it there in time, but maybe. Unknown expiration date. Look in the sale and clearance pages for the best deals.

A three-pack of Hanky Panky women's underwear (one size fits all) are $10 plus shipping at HSN. A sexy present if they arrive on time. I saw these selling for $16 each at a local boutique.

Get a free two week trial at Netflix with code A80022814. New customers only.

With a strong focus on children during the holidays, it is easy to overlook the older members of the family. Here are 20 thoughtful and caring presents for the elderly, courtesy of the Los Angeles Jewish Home.

After looking them over I have to say I'd like to receive a lot of these myself! Maybe I'm aging faster than I think.

• A "coupon" redeemable for you to run errands for them a few times a month.


• Tickets for two or a season pass to the theatre, a play, a movie, a concert or a museum (including transportation!).


• Arrangements to take them to weekly religious activities.


• Pre-paid cab or bus "tickets" for rides when they want them.


• Help with a special project...

I am rarely embarrassed by my cheapskate ways, but recently a girlfriend put me to shame for skimping on holiday cards. I was gushing to her about a deal I found at the 99 Cent Store - 20 holiday cards for a dollar!

But, I told her, I'm not even going to spend that. Instead, I planned to cut the cards I received last year in half, glue the picture part to a fresh piece of paper, and write in my own holiday greeting? (Example above).

My friend, who is a frugal fashionista herself, raised both eyebrows. I giggled nervously. Had I crossed the line from cheapskate to miser?

Her face told me I had. So I backpedaled. I will re-purpose one card and if it looks really cheap I will trash the idea and buy new ones. She gave me a skeptical look. You can't win them all, I thought.

Later I realized the bargain hunter gods had been listening because I walked into my doctor's office that night and was greeted by a plastic bag with a label that read: "free - cards and calendars."

Sha-zamm! I snagged seven respectable holiday cards with envelopes and a 2009 animal calendar. But I'm sending more than seven holiday cards so I am turning to you for a second opinion.

Run with permission from Donna Barstow, whose cartoons you might recognize from the New Yorker. Donna's blog has more humor and cartoons.

Get 25% off one item at Barnes & Noble until 8:59 pm PST Thursday, Dec. 18. Use code P4X8X3H. One per customer. Works with member discounts. Some limits.

Buy one candle get a second one 50% off (max. 25% off) at Yankee Candle now until Christmas Eve.

Get 20% off shoes and free guaranteed delivery by Christmas at Shoes.com when you buy before noon PST on Friday, Dec. 19. To get 20% off use code CHEERS. Some brand exclusions. Bags and accessories excluded.

Jamba Juice's offer for a free smoothie when you buy a $25 gift card ends Dec. 29.

Get 21 tracks of music free from Urban Outfitters.

Wise Bread highlights a number of deals, including a DVD player for $16, 40% off select DVDs at Blockbuster, and toys for 80% off at KB Toys (they filed for bankruptcy -- final sale).

Thanks, SCRS!

The recession has led to interesting shopping habits. A survey conducted last weekend by America's Research Group found:

• Wal-Mart has dominated, drawing two thirds (66.2%) of American consumers to their stores compared with 41.3% last year. "Wal-Mart had as many shoppers this weekend as JCPenney, Sears, Target and Toys R Us combined," ARG CEO Britt Beemer said.


• JCPenney was level with 18.1% this year (18.0% in 2007)


• Sears ticked up with 19.6% (18.2% in 2007)


• Target saw a nice boost to 17.9% (13.6% in 2007)


• Toys R Us rose to 12.1% (9.5% in 2007)


• Best Buy fell to 10.4% (12.9% in 2007)


• In the list of top five gifts...

Check out these nine suggestions for hostess gifts from today's LA Daily News, including Jewish recipe towels, above.

The ideas also work really well for teachers, neighbors, relatives and friends.

Thanks to a reader who goes by the name So Cal Retail Slut for emailing me these tips.

The site Cyber Monday Discount Codes highlights online retail deals. Scroll down if the top part is blank.

Staples has a coupon for $40 off $300 or more that excludes desktop and latop computers, but little else. Expires Dec. 17, 2008. One per customer. May not be combined with any other coupon. Not valid on services, custom printing orders placed online, promotional products, gift cards, postage stamps, prior purchases or any purchases on other provider Web sites.

If are lucky enough to live near a Krispy Kreme, get coupon tags for a dozen free donuts when you buy a dozen by Dec. 25. The tags can be redeemed for a donut in the month of January. Participating stores are listed here. None are in SoCal, unfortunately.

Thanks, SCRS!

Hubby pointed out a few deals to me recently, including a coupons that gives REI members 20% off one full priced item online through Dec. 24. Use code HOLMEM8. Or browse their sale and clearance holiday deals. Ship to the store and it's free!

A chunky seagreen knit hat is $16 (orig $25). A sleeping bag good to 35 degrees is $70 (orig $179).

AmEx cardholders can get deals and coupons through My Wish List. Purchases must pay with their AmEx. Each day a very limited quantity of three different deals are released at 12pm, 3pm, and 7pm EST.

You must have an AmEx card to get into the site to see what prices they have. The daily deals end Dec. 18. Keep reading the details.

Thanks, Hubby!

"In another sign of the grim holiday season, KB Toys filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time in four years on Thursday and plans to begin going-out-of business sales at its stores immediately," says a LADN story.

Wonder how the prices will be. Has anybody been to a KB Toys recently? What were the price any lower than usual?

Last night a reader named Vicki asked this question in a comment:

"I have to give 11 little gifts that cost no more than $1.00, it is for my group. I have no idea what to give them. I don't want to give them a lot of junk? Thank you."

I had a tough time coming up with suggestions. But generally if you are low on money or have a strict spending limit, go for gifts with high sentimental value. Here are some ideas:

• Write a thoughtful note on a card (many stores have a 99-cent card section)
• Give them a print of a picture you took. If you cannot find a $1 frame at a garage sale or thrift store, perhaps create your own homemade frame by gluing the photo on cardboard and then cutting out a frame from cardstock or other thick paper you may have at home. I think with such a strict limit your friends will understand why you made it yourself.
• Give them each a single flower. Perhaps if you tell the florist what they are for and buy 11 of the same flower you can get a discount.
• Buy 11 sheets of nice paper (as your budget allows, of course) and, in your neatest handwriting, copy a poem onto each sheet. Find a poem on Poem Hunter/

Catch me live today at noon! Just stop by this Web site and type in a question. I will reply just as soon as I can type an answer!

Hope you will join me! ~Julia

Here are some last-minute, low-cost gift ideas. What have I left out? Share your ideas - you might just help someone finish their holiday shopping!

• A portable cigar case. Compare rates on NextTag. Good for co-workers, your boss, a male friend or relative.


• A bulb kit. Buy a set of bulbs from a garden store, then plant a few in a pot. Tape a picture of the flower to a toothpick or skewer and plant it in the dirt. Tie with a ribbon. Pots are often cheap at discount stores. In the Valley I like Pottery, Plants and Things at 12144 Magnolia Blvd. Great for girlfriends, co-workers, and neighbors. If you lack time to assemble, Smith & Hawken sells many blooming bulb gifts


• A special piece of art from your child paired with a gift card. Consider having your child dictate a story about the recipient...

Holiday procrastinators have one last chance to get free shipping and guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve. FreeShipping.org has organized a few dozen retailers who are offering free shipping when you make an online purchase on Thursday, Dec. 18.

The list of participating retailers includes Crate & Barrel, Target, Office Max, Macys, JCPenney, Kmart, the Apple Store, Bloomingdales and many more. New stores are signing on daily, days Luke from FreeShipping.org.

Each store may set a minimum purchase requirement. Check the individual retailer for details. Shipping to Hawaii and Alaska may not be included.

My wise Uncle gave me a great idea for a low-budget present that works especially well for boys.

He headed down to Harbor Freight, a super cheap tool store, and bought tools for two of his grandsons, including a hammer, tape measure, level, ruler, and a 7-piece screwdriver. With coupons the starter tool kits cost $5.06 per kid!

He writes: "Then I splurged and bought them each a half pound of nails for another $1.20 at a regular hardware store. Now their all set to go out and play carpenter and pound nails into everything they shouldn't....like trees."

Great idea!! Even if you don't live near a Harbor Freight, you can put together a low-cost tool kit for young kids interested in building things. Thanks, Uncle!

Hubby wants to give gifts to co-workers who have been especially cooperative and hardworking this year. Here are some of the ideas we talked about. What are you giving your co-workers?

• A small piece of chocolate or candy. Bonus points if you know their favorite type of candy.


• A gag gift like a slinky, hula girl figurine, whistle, or something they can play with when bored at work. Visit a novelty shop for other options.


• For a team, get a book of Mad Libs that you can fill out together. Best to do during happy hour when folks are unwinding from office stress.


• A cartoon from the newspaper that you think they will enjoy. Cut the 'toon out, paste it to a stiff piece of paper or cardboard, and write a quick note on the back. Suggest they put it on their desk. Every time your co-worker chuckles at the joke, they will think of you.


• A small tchotchke to keep at their desk or take home, like a fragrant candle, keychain, shot glass, or plant.


• Don't overlook the old standby - a gift card. Sure, a gift card is cliched, but if it is for a store your co-worker patronizes, they be thankful. I think $10 is a perfect amount for co-workers. My faves are Starbucks, Target or iTunes.

Earn double rebates from eBates starting Sunday, Dec 14 at 11:50 pm and ending Monday at 11:59 pm.

Using eBates is free; you just have to register. To get the double rebates log in to eBates, then click on the retailer you want to shop at. You can still use coupons and free shipping codes on the retailer's Web site.

A few sample discounts: 8% at Macys, 2% at Wal-Mart, 4% at Sears, 6% at Home Depot, 8% at Barnes & Noble, 4% at Dell, 8% at Sephora, 6% at Nordstrom. Read more about how eBates works. I've saved more than $20 from using eBates this holiday season.

I know quality at the 99 Cent store is often lacking, but for a lot of holiday supplies that is not a big deal. Here are some of their holiday deals:

A pack of 20 holiday greeting cards is $.99.

Rolls of wrapping paper (40 square feet) are $.99.

A bag of 24 gifts bows is $.99.

Glass ornaments are $.99.

You can also pick up a few gifts and stocking stuffers:

2009 calenders are $.99.

Wine bottle bags are $.99.

A toy glider plane is $.99.

A fashion doll is $.99.

Find a 99 Cent store near you. The 99 Cent chain is in a few western states, but I wonder if your local dollar store has similar holiday supplies. Might be worth it to check it out!

"It's time once again for the wintertime stunt I've been conducting since 2001: a research project I like to call, "How much digital camera can $300 buy you?" writes NY Times tech writer David Pogue.

His story lists the best digital cameras under $300. A coincidence his list comes out right before the holidays? Not a chance.

Get 20% off at Macys during their friends and family sale thru Dec. 15. Online use code MACYSFF and in-store using this printable coupon. Some exclusions, but not as many as usual.

Get 40% off one regular priced item at Old Navy today only.

Get 42% off everything at Kenneth Cole online, in company stores and over the phone today, Dec. 10, only. Not valid on previous purchases or when combined with other coupons.

Banana Republic has a coupon for 40% offregular priced merchandise today only.

I will be answering questions about the holidays and bargains on the blog live this Friday from noon to 1pm. The way it works is you visit the Bargain Hunter (blogs.dailynews.com/bargain), log on, then ask a question.

I will respond as soon as I have an answer. The questions and answers will be displayed on the blog as they are submitted.

I encourage you to join me on your lunch hour for the live chat. ~Julia

We throw away five million extra tons of trash between Thanksgiving and New Year's, according to the green living Web guide SustainLane.com. Wrapping paper is part of the problem. Here are a few earth-friendly and low-cost alternatives.

• Wrap with reuseble cloth, bags, paper, boxes, or old maps. (At my house I have extra world maps from Doctors Without Borders.)

• Wrap gifts in white butcher paper, then let your kids draw on it in holiday colors.

• Wrap gifts with brown paper bags, newspaper, or the comics. (There's nothing ground-breaking about this tip, but follow the next few ideas to shift the focus to the gift decor.)

• Skip scotch tape, and hold the bundle together with string or twine, which you can reuse.

• Focus on the gift-top décor, which you can make with bells, whistles, fake holly or mistletoe, Pez dispensers, dreidels, small, ceramic figurines, gelt, or fragrant plant trimmings, like rosemary

• Use old VHS and cassette tape as ribbon.

• Tie your brown paper packages with old holiday lights for a funky, found-art look.

Buy a $100 Simi Valley Town Center mall gift card this Thursday, Dec. 11, and you will get an additional $20 gift card. The card can be used at any stores within the mall, including Macy's.

You must purchase the card on Thursday but you can spend it anytime after that. The card costs $1 to buy and if you do not spend all the money by the 13th month, the mall deducts $2 per month as a maintenance fee.

To get the deal go to guest services, which is located in the center court of the mall near Ann Taylor Loft, Abercrombie & Fitch and the elevator. The counter is open from 10 am to 9 pm on Thursday.

The mall is at 1555 Simi Town Center Way. (805) 581-1430. Thanks to Porter for sharing this tip!

Bloomingdales - free shipping on orders of $100 or more now thru Dec. 19. Use code SHIPXMAS.

Coldwater Creek - free shipping and 25% off any order until Dec. 10. Use code WXH6276.

Crate & Barrel - free shipping on catalog and online purchases of $100 or more until Dec. 22. Some exclusions.

JCPenney - free shipping on orders over $49 thru Dec. 16. Use code NOV49BT.

Lands End - free shipping with no minimum thru Dec. 15. Click here and scroll down until you see the Land's End logo and a link to activate the coupon.

Nike - free shipping on any order thru Dec. 20. Use code...

I'm already seeing people driving home with trees strapped to the roof. Seems a bit early to me - wait nooooooo, Christmas is only 2.5 weeks away!

Rats. There's so much to do, including a price comparison to find the best deal. Below is a roundup of fresh and faux tree prices.

Fresh

Costco - Fresh cut Fraser trees are $99. Smaller potted trees are $35.

Home Depot - trees for $35.

OSH - potted trees are $9 to $99. Cut 5-7 foot Douglas, Noble, and Fraser firs are $22 to...

I noticed a few good deals from the weekend paper. If I left any out, please share the bargains you spotted by leaving a comment.

Best Buy - no interest for 18 months on purchases of $500 or more. No interest for 3 years on HDTV's that cost $500 or more and Geek Squad service of $100 or more. Price matching.

Circuit City- price guarantee on HDTV's for 60 days so you don't have to worry about prices falling. No interest for 24 months on purchases of $1,000 or more with some caveats.

JCPenney Salon - Thru Dec. 18 get 20% off CHI tools and $10 off a product purchase of...

The last day to shop online and use ground shipping to have your presents delivered is Dec. 19. But many retailers have set that deadline even earlier, on Dec. 16.

Two-thirds of online retailers have the Dec. 19 deadline, according to the 2008 Shop.org/Shopzilla eHoliday Study. One third of retailers have the earlier deadline of Dec. 16.

Here are three places to find free shipping deals: Shop.org's Cyber Monday site, Shopzilla's free shipping page and the site FreeShipping.org.

For presents you are shipping yourself, I like to figure out the cheapest method of shipping using ShipGooder.com.

Buying holiday presents online can save you money, especially if you use these Web sites to get a deal.

Freeshipping.org - Search for free shipping codes by store, category, expiration date, and alphabetical order.

Retailmenot.com - Find discount codes for thousands of retailers by typing in the store name or browsing popular coupons.

Cashbaq.com, eBates.com and Extrabux.com - Get automatic cash rebates at these three sites when you register and shop through links on each site. Compare rebates, which range from 1 percent to 30 percent, before you shop.

DealAlerter.com - Set price alerts for items you want to buy. When the price drops below your limit, the site emails you.

Shipgooder.com - Find the cheapest way to ship a gift by plugging in the starting zip code, the destination zip code, and the package weight. The site compares rates from UPS, FedEx, DHL, the US Postal Service, and local couriers.

PriceSpider.com - Compare how prices for consumer electronics have fluctuated over the past six months to learn what is a "good price." The site also compares prices at online and brick and mortar stores and factors in shipping.

I know you remember at least one Christmas morning when you tore into your presents only to find the thing you wanted most was not among them. It may not matter as much as adults, but the contrast between what you truly covet for Christmas and what you end up getting can be awfully amusing.

With that in mind, I invite you to share what you want for Christmas or Hanukkah (and don't think you can get away with "the company of loved ones"). Compare that with what you will actually end up getting. I will highlight the best entries in a post next week.

Here is mine.

My Dad will get me a copy of "Reporting Iraq: An Oral History of the War by the Journalists who Covered It," just like I asked. He is very good at following specific requests.

From Hubby I want a coupon book for things like "taking out the recycling," "doing the dishes really well" and "driving without talking about other cars." I may get a stuffed animal instead. I love him, but he can be a real sap.

From Santa I want a new cell phone with Internet capabilities so I can blog everywhere, which will give me more gray hair and the frazzled look of someone who checks their email every minute - no 537 times a minute. I'm not worried about my health, but I feel guilty asking for it because it is not very bargain hunterly.

What I will get is a ski trip to Mammoth. No surprise, we are staying with a friend's cousin to save moolah. We will go downhill skiing and I want to go snow shoeing or cross country skiing, too. Whenever I think of the trip I imagine myself alone a forest, crunching through the snow, breathing in the trees.

Current and retired teachers get 25% off in stores today only at Borders with some exclusions like electronics, gift cards, special orders and cafe items. Generally the supplies must be for the classroom. Read the fine print for details.

Get 30% off sitewide on Babystyle with some brand exclusions now through Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008. Use code HOHO30 when checking out. Read the details for caveats.

Circuit City is having an encore Black Friday event. Details here.

Dell's 12-day of deals includes hundreds of dollars off computers. Not sure what kind of computer you need? Check out my buying guide here.

Sears is having a three-day sale this weekend starting today through Saturday, Dec. 6. Browse their sales items, including 15% off appliances, 55% off candles and frames, and many discounts on more items.

The retailer has a fun tool online to help you find gifts by price and personality type. First chose one of seven personality types, from gizmo guru to sports junkie, set your price range and click Go!.

The gizmo results for less than $26 include a heated electronic car windshield wiper, a disco ball and a whistling remote control locator device.

Every two days the online photo store Snapfish has a new holiday deal or discount. The current special is for 20% off all stocking stuffers with the code HOLIDAY2, which expires at the end of today. The stuffers start at $4 and go up to $40.

I like these personalized notepads that include one of your photos, above, for $8. What a sweet gift for a grandparent or distant relative who adores your children.

Check back with Snapfish for their future holiday deals, which end Dec. 13, 2008.

Get 20% off merchandise at company-owned Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf stores this Friday, Dec. 5, 2008. The deal excludes beverages, baked goods and gift cards, unfortunately. But you can use it on mug, tea and coffee holiday gift sets.

While you are there make sure to use their free WiFi.

Online the deal this Friday is you get get free shipping when you buy $30 or more. Browse their online holiday gifts here.

Coffee bean has stores in Southern California, San Francisco and Arizona.

File this under the "thank goodness for Google" category, because the online search giant has shared what holiday gift items people are searching for the most. Of course, you could always just ask the people you are shopping for what they want.

Topping the list are the Nintendo Wii, Wii fit, and the iPod touch. Other popular items are the Xbox 360, Nintendo ds, iPod nano, Uggs, Nikon d90, Zune, and digital picture frames.

The above link also has the top 10 most searched items among video games and toys, specialty food and cold weather clothing. In the last category ugly Christmas sweaters are apparently the new black.

Google has also provided a number of $5, $10 and $20 off coupons for using Google Checkout (a rival to PayPal) at certain retailers like Starbucks, PetCo and J&R. The caveat is you gotta spend $30 to get $5 off and more for the bigger discounts.

Visit the Consumers Union page for gift cards to check what state laws govern your gift card. The site has info about fees on holiday gift cards, common pitfalls, and stats on how many folks have gift cards just paying long term rent in their wallet. (Including me! Oh wait, that's a bad thing).

Protections vary, but I do know California has some of the best laws for consumers - if you are lucky enough to live in the Golden State.

If you have $10 or less on a card, for instance, you can take it into the retailer and get cash for it. Most gift cards, like those for a particular store, will never expire unless they have less than $5 on them and have been dormant for 24 months.

Worried about how to acquire a snazzy new dress for holiday shin-digs with the gloomy economy putting pressure on your wallet? Well, don't.

A recent story in the LA Daily News shares tips for jazzing up clothes you already own with a few new accessories.

"A splash of color here, some shimmer there can transform any outfit from ordinary to show-stopping, depending on how you accessorize," the story says. Here is what the story suggests.

CREATE A WAIST - "Even curvy girls look great with a belted waist. And one of Deyette's favorites happens to be patent leather, which she says is an easy go-to belt for holiday shine.

"For holidays, you want a little shimmer, a little sparkle, a little glitz, even if it's just a beautiful piece of satin ribbon tied around...

Scoop neck and V-neck cashmere sweaters designed by Isaac Mizrahi are now $40 (orig $50) at Target. They come in a range of colors, from basics to pastels, but just two cuts as far as I can tell.

I like the black V-neck cashmere sweater. Classic and perfect for holiday parties, a performance of the Nutcracker, drinks with the girls, or even work. It has a ribbed neckline, cuffs and waistband. Spend another $10 and get free shipping.

I would recommend checking out the quality of the sweater in the store if you have a chance to drop by before buying it online. Also, keep in mind that Old Navy has cashmere sweaters for $42. Basic cashmere sweaters from Macy's start at $77 (orig $110, now 30% off). They quality may be better and if you buy two you get 40% off; buy three and get 50% off.

One shopping deal in particular caught my eye last week. So after I turned in my story for the LA Daily News about the kickoff to holiday shopping Friday, I went home and turned on the computer.

My destination was eBates.com, a site where members get automatic rebates when you make purchases by going through their Web site before shopping at hundreds of retailers online. On Black Friday, all of their rebates were doubled, which meant 7% back at Target.com, 5% back at Wine.com, and 47% back at Magazines.com, among others.

On my list was a few gifts for Hubby, a case of wine to split with my neighbor (some of which I'll use for holiday presents), and a magazine subscription that was up for renewal.

I combined the doubled rebates, which eBates will mail as a check to me in about three months, with free shipping codes at Target and Wine.com. Making the purchases through eBates on a double rebate day saved me $23.80, plus $27 in free shipping. Not too shabby!

You should consider joining eBates (it is free) if you are not already a member. Click here to sign up. Find more about how the site works here.

I couldn't resist the Black Friday sale at Target online, which included free shipping for many items. What I didn't expect was to get slammed for handling charges. Since when is handling charged separately than shipping?

My guess is since retailers started feeling pressure to offer free shipping to compete. So to make money they separate out the handling charge. They can still advertise free shipping, but it is not as big of a discount as it used to be.

In my case, handling was about equal to shipping, so I ended up getting about 50% off "shipping and handling" costs. I am happy I got a discount, but am irked by being charged for something that used to be included in "free shipping." Additionally, handling is one more cost I will have to track and compare when I buy online.

I wonder if eventually pressure to offer free handling will become so great that that will be offered as well. Even so, retailers have to cover costs and will strive to make a profit somehow.

Perhaps it will pay even more to be a savvy spender in the future. We'll get the deals and coupons, while the rest of the country pays for shipping AND handling.

I guess all those shoppers on Black Friday were lying to me. Over the course of the day I interviewed more than a dozen shoppers who all said they were cutting back.

Turns out they were actually spending more - 7.2% more, says the National Retail Federation, which interviewed 3,370 shoppers across the country this weekend, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. Shoppers spent an average of $372.57 this weekend (Thur-Sun), up from $347.55 last year.

"Pent-up demand on electronics and clothing, plus unparalleled bargains on this season's hottest items helped...

I wanted to re-post a recent item with the contents of the 44-page Bargain Hunter Gift Guide that ran in the LA Daily News on Friday because it didn't get posted online until very late in the day. Here is the line up:

+ The greatest gift of all

+ The 1-2-3's of gift-giving

+ Festive finds for the foodie

+ Gifts under $25: Gadgets galore

+ Gifts over $50

+ Gifts to fulfill your urge to splurge

+ Pay it forward: Gifts that help someone with the basics

+ Make giving gift cards fun

+ Holiday treats for Fido and Fluffy

+ Bargain Hunter readers' gift-giving tips

+ More places to look

+ Web sites that can help you save online

Here are a few Cyber Monday deals:

Get doubled rebates today only through eBates at a more than a dozen retailers like Sephora (8%), Old Navy (6%), Dell Outlet (6%), Kohl's (8%), Buy.com (2%), and Barnes & Noble (8%).

Get 25% off your entire order at Bath and Body Works online with code 25PERCENT.

Get 40% off all tops and jackets at Levis.com today only.

Get 20% off your entire order at Shoes.com today only using code MONDAY.

Dell offers hundreds of dollars off various computers and electronic gadgets today.

Many more retailers are having online sales today. Check the Web site of your favorite store to see what they are offering.

UPDATE: Due to an oversight, the Bargain Hunter Gift Guide was not put on dailynews.com this morning. My apologies. You can read the entire gift guide here.

PREVIOUSLY: Check out today's LA Daily News for your very own copy of the fabulous Bargain Hunter Gift Guide. It has tons of gift ideas for every budget, tips for buying gift cards, getting good value for your money, and more.

If you came to this site because you read the gift guide and it said more info was online, you are in the right place! Just scroll down until you find what you are looking for.

If you like what you see, please come back and visit. I'll be writing a lot about the holidays during the next few weeks so expect more tips for saving a buck on gifts, groceries, festive parties, and more.

You can always suggest an idea for a blog post by emailing me at julia.scott@dailynews.com. Thanks!

Hubby cooked our 24 pound bird perfectly. It looked beautiful and tasted delish, but with nine guests, including two who do not like turkey, we have a lot of bird left over. So you may not think it makes sense for me to buy another turkey this weekend.

But you'd be wrong. Grocers are likely going to mark down their unsold turkeys, especially if any are still around next weekend. So why not pick up a smallish 12 pound bird, one small enough you can fit in your freezer, and keep it for a month.

By that time your supply of turkey will be gone and you will have another one (gotten at a good price) ready to be thawed and cooked. Think about it!

Thanks, Kate!

More gift ideas on a $250 budget:

For a gag gift...the eyes of a plastic goldfish light up when you press a button. Attach to your keychain. $4.50 at SkyBluPink. 314 N. San Fernando Blvd., Burbank. 818-845-0226.

For neighbors...make your own spicy, sweet or savory gift basket with travel-sized treats from Cost Plus World Market. $1.29 and up.

For the homebody ... a year of Dwell magazine provides an escape into modern home design and architecture for $20.

For the techie ... a Nextar MA933A-1P MP3 player with 1 GB of memory is $10 at Tigerdirect.com.

For TV lovers...a DVD of "Wall-E" is $17 on Amazon.com.

For Grandma ... a plush bathrobe from Gillian O'Malley comes in...

If you are worried about giving a gift card because retailers are doing so badly, you are not alone. Which means a lot of folks will be giving - and receiving - cash this year. Here are a few ways to dress up cash to make it seem like more of a gift.

1. Wrap the cash with pictures of what it can buy. This makes it seem more like you are giving the end gift and not just the means to acquire it.

2. Hide the cash somewhere in the house and leave the recipient a riddle under the tree (in an envelope or box) that they have to solve to find the cash. Give written and visual cues in the riddle. I've done this twice and both times it was a success!

3. Pair the cash with a small gift, with bonus points for something that is...

If you read the Bargain Hunter frugal and fun gift guide in today's paper, here is the recipe for my fabulous peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. I'll be making them for a lot of friends this year so if you make them you are not alone!

Ingredients:
3 1/3 c flour
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
16 T (2 sticks) butter at room temp or melted and cooled
1 1/4 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 T vanilla
3/4 c peanut butter
16 oz (1 bag) chocolate chips

Directions:
Heat over to 325. Whisk flour, soda and salt in medium bowl...

Retail experts are predicting online deals on Cyber Monday, which follows the Black Friday weekend, will be better than last year, according to a story in Information Week. This year Cyber Monday is December 1.

"Shop.org, the National Retail Federation's digital division, reported that 83.7% of Internet retailers surveyed plan special promotions for the Monday after Thanksgiving," the story says. "That's up from 72.2% last year."

"The group's eHoliday Survey found that 38.8% of online retailers plan specific deals, while 32.7% plan e-mail campaigns and 24.5% plan one-day sales. About 23% will offer free shipping on all purchases, according to Shop.org."

Stay tuned for Cyber Monday deals!

Thanks for reading the blog this week, even though many of you are on vacation. I hope the shopping tips have been handy. Check back Friday for posts about the fabulous Bargain Hunter Gift Guide, which runs in the LA Daily News this Friday.

Next week I am traveling to Florida for a journalism seminar on blogging so posts will be light. But I will do my best to keep you up to date on the latest holiday deals.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy the leftovers!!
~Julia

1. Wear your most comfortable shoes
2. Bring a bottle of water (leave an extra in the car if you don't want to refill from the fountain)
3. Bring a snack that travels well like an apple, cracker, string cheese, pb&j, dried fruit, muffin or trail mix.
4. Write down gift ideas before you go shopping

5. Set your budget ahead of time and write down what you spend

6. Plan your route or decide which stores you definitely want to hit

7. Decide what your shopping goal is. Do you want to finish your holiday shopping in one day? Do you just want to get a certain doorbuster deal? Do you want to shop all night just for the experience?

8. Shop with someone who has a similar shopping goal. Or shop alone if that will make it easier for you to reach your goal.

9. Get a good night's sleep

Good luck and let me know how it goes!

Here is a time line of when LA malls begin their Black Friday sales.

Friday, November 28 opening times:
* 12 AM Camarillo Premium Outlets (to 10 PM)
* 5 AM Glendale Galleria (to 10 PM)
* 6 AM Northridge Fashion Center (to 10 PM)
* 6 AM Valencia Town Center (to 10 PM)
* 7 AM Antelope Valley Mall (to 9 PM)
* 7 AM Burbank Town Center (to 10 PM)
* 7 AM Panorama City Mall (to 9 PM); La Curacao 5 a.m.-9 p.m.
* 7 AM Westfield Topanga (to 10 PM)
* 8 AM Westfield Fashion Square (to 10 PM)
* 9 AM Americana at Brand (to 11 PM)
* 10 AM The Promenade at Westlake (to 9 PM)
* 10 AM Westfield Promenade (to 9 PM)
* 10 AM The Commons at Calabasas (to 9 PM)
Sherman Oaks Galleria: Closed

Wal-Mart openings on Friday, November 28:
Fallbrook, Panorama City and Porter Ranch malls...

More Black Friday ads. Here is the one for Big Lots. Stores open at 6 am.

At Charlotte Russe the entire store is 25% off Friday November 28. A similar deal online has merchandise up to 25% off through a buy one get one 50% off deal.

The PepBoys doorbusters last from 5 am to 11 am Black Friday, though expect supplies to be limited. Read their flyer here.

UPDATE: A pre-Black Friday deal at Bath & Body Works gets shoppers free shipping with no minimum purchase. Use code SHIPFREE when checking out online. Some exclusions. Expires 11:59 p.m. EST on November 27, 2008.

Ann Taylor Loft has a Black Friday deal online and in stores for two $25 shopping cards every time you spend $50. I'm guessing there are quirky rules about redeeming the $25 shopping cards. They also have sweaters for $30. You can also get 20% off when you shop Friday before noon in stores.

Michael's has five coupons for 20% to 50% off starting Thursday at 6pm and going through the weekend.

Buy.com has Thankgiving deals that work only when you pay with PayPal, including a $15 marshmallow gun and a 5-in-1 Wii game set for $21.

Macy's Black Friday doorbusters include an extra 15% off savings pass available in Friday's newspaper (some exclusions). Jewelry is on sale, plus get men's designer sweaters for $20 (orig $50 to $54), any size comforter (down or down alternative) is $40 (orig $110-130), select holiday lane & Martha Stewart Ornaments are 50%and all espresso and coffee makers are 40% off.

Macys.com Web-busters on Cyber Monday starting at 2 am PST include free shipping on purchases of $75 or more, and a buy one get one free deal on women's sweaters.

Stop the presses!!! Rebates for online shopping through eBates.com will be DOUBLED for all purchases made on the site this Friday, November 28 only.

If you are planning on shopping online for gifts or holiday travel, this is a great deal. If you are new to eBates, it is free to join. You register on their site, then click through to retailers from their list, which includes nearly every retailer you can think of. Read more about how it works.

Check the rebate deal eBates has with each retailer because they are different. Some are as low as 1%, others are as high as 25%. For this one day only, the rebates are doubled.

How do you collect your rebates? eBates sends you a check every three months as long as your have earned $10 or more. If not they hold it until you accumulate more rebates.

The deal begins 12:01 am EST Friday (9:01 pm PST Thursday) and ends 24 hours later. Check it out!

The 13th Annual LA DWP light festival in Griffith Park starts today, November 25 and runs until Tuesday, December 30, 2008. The mile-long display of lights is on every night from 5 to 10 pm.

The first few nights (through Dec. 7) are for pedestrians and bicyclists, other nights are for horse enthusiasts. Cars are allowed starting Dec. 8. Shuttle service is available December 12 through 30 if you park at the LA Zoo.

For more details go here. For directions click here.

Recent retailer bankruptcies have put shoppers on edge. Gift cards, that long-time safety gift for hard-to-buy-for people, may be one of the least safe presents to buy this year. Or are they actually a safe bet?

A gift card is safe if the retailer is financially healthy. So which retailers are viable? I wish I could tell you.

But I can share what an expert I interviewed told me. If there are two direct retail competitors (like Best Buy and Circuit City), and one files for bankruptcy and goes out of business, the other one is that much stronger, making it safer to buy gift cards from.

I say "safer" because no one is hands down safe. In this economy there are "less safe" and "more safer." If you are really worried, give cash. If people turn up their nose, they are ridiculous. Giving a gift card is essentially the same as giving cash.

For ideas about how to dress up a gift of cash, check back Friday, when the Bargain Hunter Gift Guide runs in the LA Daily News!

This morning Best Buy released their sales flyer for Black Friday, November 28. The sale starts at 5 am but if you can't wait that long you can shop online on Thanksgiving. That used to be sacrilege, now it's normal competition.

Best Buys flyer prices seem awfully low. Of course, the stores will sell out of these items within minutes of opening. The flyer lists how many will be in each store at the minimum, from 4 to 30 for each of these specially priced items. Don't expect you can roll in at 9 am and find one of these super deals laying around.

A 50 inch Panasonic plasma TV is $900. To get one of these super deals you must get in line and get a ticket. Read Best Buy's rules about waiting in line on Black Friday.

Amazon points out their Black Friday deals require no line waiting in the middle of the night. Browse their Black Friday sales here, including electronic gadgets, books and more.

A Leatherman Micra multitool, above, is $13 (orig $30).

UPDATE: Sears is offering their Black Friday deals online the day before, i.e., Thanksgiving. The flyer is unclear, but it seems that the sale ends at midnight on Thanksgiving. A preview starts at 9pm online Wednesday.

Hubby and I went shopping for Thanksgiving over the weekend and capitalized on a deal I wrote about last week. Vons had one of the best prices for turkeys - $7.88 for a frozen Butterball Turkey up to 16 lbs and $9.88 for one bigger than 16 lbs - so we headed over to our local store.

We found a lot of Butterball turkeys and flipped over the frozen birds to check their weight until our fingers turned white. They were all about 12 pounds each, which did not satisfy Hubby, who is in charge of cooking the bird when we celebrate Thanksgiving at home. He is one fine bird-cooker and he looks forward to leftovers almost more than the actual meal. So big birds are a must.

Luckily an employee from the meat department walked by as we were giving up finding one in the freezer. Were they bigger birds...

Here's a quick quiz to test your Black Friday knowledge. Write down whether each statement below is true or false.

The term Black Friday has been around since the 1960s and originated in Philadelphia.

Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year.

Black Friday gets its name because retailers go from being "in the red" to being "in the black" because so many people go shopping.

In 1939 during the great depression retailers wanted a longer shopping season so President Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving up a week.

How did you do? Keep reading to find out.

I rarely drink caffeinated coffee - I know, I'm a lightweight - but Black Friday is the one work day where I like an extra kick to match the frenzied pace of shoppers buzzing around the mall. As long as I can turn in my retail story before the inevitable caffeine-induced headache sets in I can deal. Caffeine withdrawal on deadline? Not pretty.

To aid me and other coffee drinkers, many Starbucks stores across the country are opening a half hour earlier this Friday to help shoppers rev up for the traditional start of holiday shopping. Some are opening as early as 4 am!

Here is a sampling of LA Starbucks' hours this Friday:

Toluca Lake 4am-12am; Burbank Center 6am-7pm; Lankershim & Magnolia 4am-12am;
Pass Avenue & Oak Street 430am-11pm; Ventura & Vineland 4am-1am; Victory & Empire 430am-12am; Laurel Canyon & Riverside 430am-12am; Tujunga & Camarillo 4am-1am;
Hollywood Way & Airport Access, Burbank 430am-12am; Woodland Hills 4:30-1:00am; West Hills 5:00-11:00pm; Topanga Plaza 4:30-11:00pm...

My top advice for shoppers hitting the stores this Friday to jump start their holiday shopping is to a) create a list of gifts you want to give each person whom you are buying presents for, and b) set a budget.

Last year my Gift List named every person I was going to give a gift to (including cards and homemade gifts) and ideas for what present(s) I wanted to give each person.

This year, my Gift List has a lot more cards and cookies on it than last year. I've also been better at putting aside items I can re-gift and gifts I bought at bargain basement prices during the past few months. I'll try to post my Gift List for this year soon.

To track your spending, create a budget of how much you have to spend this holiday season. (Last year mine was $400). Divide the total budget by how many people you are buying presents for to get an idea of about how much you should spend per person.

As you spend, subtract the purchases from your budget. To motivate yourself, spend whatever you have left over in your budget on yourself! I went over by a few dollars, unfortunately, but making the list definitely helped me from overspending even more.

Thinking of buying a TV on Black Friday or during this holiday season? It's not a bad time to look because many stores have ultra competitive pricing this time of year. Don't expect an across the board discount, but there will be deals to be had.

The folks at BFAds.net, which posts Black Friday sales, has a TV buying guide which highlights TVs with the best performance for the price. The guide has a chart pointing out the difference between LCD and plasma screens, it breaks down the resolution for various sizes of TVs, and lists which brands are trustworthy. The site also has tips for buying a TV by size, from tubes smaller than 26 inches to ones larger than 60 inches.

Not a bad primer if you are thinking about buying a new TV. Remember to check PriceSpider.com to track the going rate of the TV you are interested in, once you have narrowed it down to a handful of choices. The site lets you compare how the price for an item has fluctuated over the past six months.

More info to help you plan your Black Friday shopping trip:

Toys R Us Black Friday sale items with prices

Wal-Mart Black Friday sales with prices. Some of the best deals include a Magnavox Blu-ray Disc Player (NB500MG9) for $128, an Xbox 360 Arcade Console w/ Guitar Hero III and Wireless Guitar for $199, a Polaroid 42" LCD 1080p HDTV for $598, a Samsung 50" Plasma HDTV for $798, a Garmin nuvi 200 Portable GPS for $97, and a Samsung 10.2MP Digital Camera for $69, according to BFAds.net. The sale prices are from 5 am to 11 am on Black Friday and supplies are limited. Find out if that means 2 items sold at these prices, or several hundred before you set on buying one.

Ikea sale items with prices, including a number of bed frames for $100 that are originally $200. A kid's easel is $10 (orig $25), and a down comforter that is $50 (orig $80 to $149). You can also get a free $.99 breakfast before 10:30 am with a coupon at the bottom of this link.

Here is a list of Black Friday ads from dozens of stores, including Best Buy, Costco, Circuit City, Home Depot, Old Navy, Sears and Target. Compare prices to get the best deal!

Kohl's is opening at 4 am on Black Friday, with early bird specials until 1 pm, including 50% off the entire stock of toys made by Fisher Price, Playskool, Barbie, Tonka, Matchbox and Hot Wheels.

Early bird specials also include 40 to 50% off percent off the entire stock of designer apparel for misses, including Simply Vera Vera Wang, ELLE Contemporary Collection, and Daisy Fuentes.

Selected styles within the Chaps apparel for misses line will be 55 to 60%. A high-definition video camera value pack including 2GB SD card, tripod, rechargeable batteries, cable and pouch will be $100 (orig $200).

Jewelery and perfume will also be on sale. For every $50 you spend this Friday and Saturday at Kohl's, get $10 off purchases made from Nov. 30 to Dec. 6.

Find a Kohl's near you. Online deals will not be the same as ones in stores.

PayPal, an online payment service, plans to offer lines of credit to qualified shoppers who want to buy holiday gifts, according to a recent post on a Wall Street Journal blog. I'm not sure if this a good thing (helping people buy gifts for loved ones) or a bad thing (encouraging cash-strapped Americans go deeper into debt).

eBay, which owns PayPal, is trying to expand it's "online-payments business," the post says, which makes sense because eBay recently purchased Bill Me Later, Inc., which lets shoppers pay later for items they purchase now.

Thousands of active eBay members will get offers to use the online service starting today. "The credit can be used at online retailers such as Toys "R" Us Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Apple Inc.'s Apple Store, which use Bill Me Later," the post says. "Shoppers won't get charged interest or have to make payments until April 1, 2009, after which they can opt to pay through a payment plan with interest."

I'd be curious as to what kind of interest rates are being offered. Single digit? Double digit? Nothing comes for free.

If you are planning on going shopping on Black Friday, the day after we gorge on turkey, or if you want help buying holiday gifts, make sure to pick up a copy of the Daily News next Friday.

Inside the November 28 paper will be a spectacular Bargain Hunter frugal and fun gift guide! I've been working my tail off on it, and I really hope it helps readers find great gifts without depleting their bank account.

The guide has tips for buying gift cards (watch out for retailer bankruptcies), ways to spot high-value gifts (as opposed to just plain cheap gifts), and tons of gift ideas.

There's a lot more, but I don't want to give it all away!!! For all the info make sure to grab the November 28 LA Daily News to get the Bargain Hunter gift guide. You won't regret it!

I've been blogging about various ways to save money on Thanksgiving dinner this week. Below are all the posts in one place (except a turkey recipe, which you can see by scrolling down to the next post.)

Thanksgiving supplies you can find at the 99 Cents Only Store, including dishes, produce, and decorations.

Free or cheap ideas for Thanksgiving table settings and name cards, like collecting leaves at the park or dressing up candles that you already have.

Where can you find the best-priced turkey? I compared a half dozen stores and the range is very wide. Find who has the best prices.

It's not (only) about the bird. Click here for recipes for side dishes that cost no more than $1 per person.

Here is a story about the cost of Thanksgiving dinner going up 5.5% since last year. Use these tips and don't be a statistic!

If you aren't cooking at home but are traveling, check out this link for LAX parking coupons.

Hubby has made many a delicious bird using this recipe from Cooks Illustrated. I made many other recipes from Cooks Illustrated with success, so in general I consider them trustworthy.

Roasted Brined Turkey

- serves 10 to 12 -
Ingredients

Table salt
1 turkey (12-14 pounds gross weight), rinsed thoroughly, giblets and neck reserved for gravy, if making
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Procedure

1. Dissolve 1 cup salt per gallon cold water for -4 to 6-hour brine or 1/2 cup salt per gallon cold water for 12- to 14-hour brine in large stockpot or clean bucket. Submerge turkey completely and refrigerate for predetermined amount of time.

2. Before removing turkey from brine...

Get 40% off at regular-priced items at Michael's, a home decorating and craft supply store. Print the coupon here. It expires Saturday, November 22, 2008.

One coupon per customer per day. This discount may be good for those hunting for holiday decorations or gifts.

Caveats: not good on sale items or when combined with other discounts. Not valid on shopping cards, gift cards, classes, in-store activities or The Knack Kits. Excludes Christmas trees greater than 4 feet tall, special orders, digital picture frames, books, magazine and all Cricut products.

Find a Michaels near you.

If you are planning on buying a ton of toys on Black Friday, you may want to leave room in your budget for a toy liquidation sale being run by LA Kids Consignment Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7, 2008.

LA Kids Consignment, which is growing fast, apparently attracted the attention of wholesalers eager to get extra loot off their hands. But unlike their consignment sales, where everything is used, the toys and clothing at the December sale are all new.

Here are a few items to be sold. Dolls that retail for $20 will be $8. Framed artwork that goes for $200 to 500 will be $5 to 60 at the sale. And insulated bags for baby food/milk that go for $25 will be $5, according to Kristin Nelson, who is running the sale.

Also look for arts & crafts, handheld games, preschool toys, infant/toddler gear, Melissa & Doug wooden puzzles and play sets, diaper bags, and girls clothing by Gynboree, Juicy Couture, Flowers by zoe, Lipstik clothing, Madonna's English Roses and Cach Cach.

To get into the private pre-sale Friday, December 5, you must volunteer. Sign up here. Spots are limited.

Regular sale hours are Saturday and Sunday 9 to 5. The sale is at City-Art, 7733 Hayvenhurst Ave., in Van Nuys. Cash only.

There are a lot of Thanksgiving supplies and food at the 99 Cents Only store, including turkey-sized tinfoil disposable roasting pans, 3 lb bags of potatoes, 20 oz cans of cut yams, white dishes with a fancy raised pattern, turkey gravy, wooden utensils (set of 3), decorations, and turkey bags for basting (2 for $.99).

The store I went to in North Hollywood also had tomatoes, butter, milk, onions, garlic, eggs and other groceries you may need for your big dinner.

If you have never shopped at the 99 Cents Only store, don't be afraid. But read my take on the store first to prepare yourself. And remember to carefully inspect produce for freshness, compare prices just like you would at any other store, and always check expiration dates. Just because it is 99-cents does not mean it is a fab deal!

Find a 99 Cents Only store near you. The company has stores in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas. Thanks, Rachelle!

Hubby and I are hosting a few friends for Thanksgiving because we decided not to travel this year and I'd like to set the table in a special way, but not shell out any money, if possible.

Here are some ideas for frugal table decorations, mostly courtesy of Martha Stewart, for Thanksgiving or a fall dinner party:

+ Collect leaves of different colors at a park and sprinkle them on the table. For a similar effect, use paper cutouts of leaves.

+ Tie dried corns together with the husks sticking into the air for a dramatic effect.

+ If you are assigning seats, use a string or ribbon to tie a slip of paper with the person's name to a sweet gum tree spur, those prickly round balls you see on the ground this time of year. Place one on each plate. You may be able to collect the spurs from your backyard, or substitute another type of seedling, like acorns.

+ Line a plate of pears with orange and brown leaves you find at the park. Eat the pears later so they don't go to waste. Substitute the pears for any other seasonal fruit, vegetable or squash that is in season and on sale!

+ Make an artful presentation of your...

Target is going to cut toy prices during the holidays to compete with Wal-Mart, according to a story in yesterday's Daily News. The cuts are prompted by a 24 percent drop in third-quarter earnings.

"Target has fared worse than its chief rival, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., as consumers cut back on discretionary spending and shop mainly for necessities," the story says. "More than 40 percent of Target's revenue comes from nonessentials such as fashions and housewares."

The story continues "During the holidays, Target will remain "keenly focused" on offering low prices on national brands and its own products and will match Wal-Mart prices on identical items in local markets, said Kathryn Tesija, Target's executive vice president of merchandise."

I'm guessing Target will make these price drops crystal clear to shoppers, so stay tuned!

Prices are out for Thanksgiving turkeys! Every Tuesday the newspaper publishes grocery ads, and this week all reveal their prices for big birds. Here's a recap:

Albertsons - $.99/lb for a fresh 10-22lb Foster Farms Turkey with $10 minimum purchase and an Albertsons free frequent shopper card. Price effective Wednesday, November 19 through Thanksgiving. You also need the coupon in today's paper, though stores often have sales flyers at the entrance.

Vons - A Safeway brand or Manor House Turkey up to 16 lbs is $4.88 (making a bird that is exactly 16lbs $.30/lb) with a $25 minimum purchase and a Vons free frequent shopper card. While supplies last. Birds that are more than 16lbs are $6.88. To get the $.30/lb price on bigger birds, it needs to be at least 23 lbs.

Also at Vons, a frozen Butterball Turkey up to 16 lbs is $7.88 (or $.49/lb for a 16 lb bird) with a $25 minimum purchase and a Vons free frequent shopper card. While supplies last. Birds that are more...

Food prices are going up and we're all crunched for money, yada yada yada. To bring down the cost of Thanksgiving dinner, which has increased by 5.5 percent since last year, Los Angeles chef Bret Thompson of MILK restaurant came up with six side dishes that cost $1 or less per person.

The recipes include sweet potato gratin with sage, corn soup, green beans with caramelized onions and toasted almonds (yum!), creamed spinach, apple cranberry bread pudding (this one sounds so good I may try it), and pumpkin profiteroles.

Look at the recipes here. The link is a pdf so give it time to load.

Looking for a recipe to cook the perfect turkey? Stay tuned.

Are you debating buying a video game console like Playstation 3, Wii, or Xbox 360 but don't know much about any of them? Here's an explanation from BFAds.net, which posts Black Friday ads, about the major differences between the three consoles.

The first step is asking the recipient if they have a preference. No use buying something (especially when it comes with a big price tag) if the recipient isn't interested in it.

In addition to the chart via the above link, the post also says:

+ "In terms of technical capabilities, the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 are evenly matched. The Wii is well behind them."

+ "The Playstation 3 is easily the most expensive console and it's...

The cost of putting Thanksgiving dinner on the table has gone up by 5.5% since last year, according to a story in Sunday's LA Daily News. This year the whole meal costs $44.61, up from $42.26, by the story's calculations.

"Meat producers have been struggling this year with higher costs for key ingredients like corn, soybeans and oil, part of why the cost of beef and chicken has risen so much," the story says. "Turkey producers are facing all the same pressures, but don't have the same economies of scale and have to plan a year in advance for the one day a year they count on most."

But there is hope for savvy spenders like yourself. "Consumers will see good prices this year, Rosenblatt said, since retailers will again heavily advertise turkey at prices where they may not make any money on the deal in hopes that shoppers drawn in by the lower price will buy lots of other products."

The story says it costs $19.09 for a 16 lb turkey, which is $1.19 per lb! Fellow bargain hunters, we can do better than that! Stay tuned - I'm going to blog about the best turkey prices soon.

Nordstrom has grouped all their little black dresses priced under $150 for easy browsing. The promotion comes just in time for the holidays, when many gals get new dresses for holiday parties.

You can sort the hundreds of dresses by size, price, brand, best sellers and what's new. A black Jones New York Jersey dress with cap sleeves and plunging V-neck that falls just below the knee is $62 (orig $124).

A black Lauren by Ralph Lauren ruched Jersey dress has a deep V-neck and is gathered at one side for a flattering fit, above, for $89 (orig $134).

I won't be buying a holiday dress this year, despite the fact that the fabulous one I purchased last year has gone missing. (How do you lose a dress???) Hubby's new company is very casual so I'm expecting a bar party instead of the Four Seasons we were treated to last year.

UPDATE: An even bigger discount for these performances just came. You can get Kirov Nutcracker tickets at 50% off through Goldstar. You must join their free membership program to get the discount, which means getting occasional emails from them. I am a member and I don't find their emails intrusive.

PREVIOUSLY: Get 20% off tickets to see the Kirov Ballet perform the Nutcracker at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Performance dates eligible for the discount are Wednesday, December 17 to Friday, December 19, 2008. There are two performances Saturday, December 20 but the discount is not valid.

Before the discount, tickets are $65 to $120. To get the discount enter code SUGAR into the Special Offers box when buying tickets online (through the link above).

The discount applies to tickets in premiere orchestra, orchestra, orchestra ring, founders and loge seating only. Balcony seats are $30 but not eligible for the discount.

Caveats: tickets subject to availability. Other restrictions may apply. No refunds, cancellations or exchanges. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Not valid on previously purchased tickets. Additional Ticketmaster fees apply.

Stein Mart is having a 12 hour sale this Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm with a preview day today, Friday November 14, 2008.

Prices on clothes, shoes, accessories and home items are up to 30 to 50% off. Get an extra 25% off all red dot and clearance items with this coupon.

Caveats: the coupon excludes previous purchases. Cannot be combined with other discounts. Find a Stein Mart near you. The company has stores in 32 states.

Here are a few good online coupons but they expire soon. Read the fine print as each one has different exclusions.

Get 20% off at Bath and Body Works now through November 16, 2008. Use code 20FRIENDS when checking out. Online only. If you are looking for stocking stuffers, they have lip glosses starting at $3.50 and mini cosmetic cases for $5.

Get 20% off your entire order at J.Jill online now through November 16, 2008. Use code HBC481 when checking out. Valid on catalog orders (800.642.9989) but not in J. Jill outlets. Limit one coupon per person. If that code does not work try HL20EP to get 20% off.

Save 20% off your online tab at Steve Madden if you spend $125 or more. Use code SAVE20 when checking out. No expiration date given. Shop items under $100.

Get 25% off LOccitane.com through November 16, 2008 with code FNF25. This brand is a bit more upscale so it may be a good gift option if you want to impress.

Get a free 20 page 8 x 11 custom photo book on Snapfish when you register on the site. The deal expires 11:59 p.m. PST Friday, November 14, 2008.

Upload pictures to Snapfish, create the book (budget about an hour), then pay for shipping and handling. You can customize the layout, background patterns, and how many photos are displayed per page. The free book is normally $30. A great present for the holidays!

Caveats: one book per household. For US households only. Thanks, Marie and Tina!

The Web site DealAlerter.com takes comparison shopping to the next level by letting you set "price alerts" for items you are interested in purchasing. When the price drops below your limit, the site emails you.

This site is especially handy during the holiday season when retailers have steep price drops for short periods of time.

Start by searching for an item you want to buy, like a Remote Control Wall-e (a cool toy my nephew wants). When your item comes up, click on "Set Price Alert" in the upper right corner. Then register your email and create a username so the site can email you when the price drops. The site saves your price alerts on one page so you can log in later and change the settings.

Still not sure how to set a price alert? Browse a quick demo here.

Deal Alerter is run by Consumer World. The site gets its price information through a partnership with PriceGrabber.com. Read more about how Deal Alerter works here.

UPDATE: Here is a link for the Gap, Old Navy and BR coupon that is working. The original one probably broke because so many people tried to access it. I'm a bit worried that stores may not accept it because the coupon has spread virally, so before you spend a long time shopping in the store, ask a salesperson as soon as you walk into the store if they are accepting the coupon. Then you don't waste time or risk being disappointed.

UPDATE: The link to this coupon is broken. I am trying to find another link that works. Thanks for your patience.

PREVIOUSLY: Get 30% off at Gap, Gap Outlet, Banana Republic, Banana Republic Factory Store and Old Navy stores starting Thursday, November 13, 2008 through Sunday, November 16, 2008. Not valid online. Print the coupon here. Some exclusions.

The chains will donate 5% of every purchase made with the coupon to the World Wildlife Fund, an animal protection charity.

Caveats: The 30% discount cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts. Excludes gift cards, merchandise purchased with a gift card, packaging, applicable taxes, shipping and handling charges or telephone orders placed to stores or customer service 1-800/888 numbers. Not valid on Gap (Product) RED, Junk Food, babyGap Home, Converse, and Robeez.

Find a Gap near you. Find an Old Navy near you. Find a Banana Republic near you.

Thanks, Shellmer!

Here's another great reason to start your holiday shopping online now. eBates has doubled some of their rebate offers with retailers like Macy's, Nordstrom, Borders, Dell, and others. It's unclear how long some of these offers will last.

If you are not familiar with eBates, it is a Web site that gives you a cash kickback for shopping at their partner stores. You sign in on their site, shop through links on their site to hundreds of retailers, and get a percentage back of what you spend. Joining is free. You can use my email as a reference (julia.scott@dailynews.com).

With so much competition among retailers for limited shopping dollars this holiday season, eBates has some really good rebate offers. Shop at Macys and you get 8% cash back, Nordstrom is 6% back, Dell is 1-4% back, and Borders is 8% cash back. There are tons more rebate offers for just about any mainstream retailer you can imagine. Read more about how it works here.

Check it out if you are shopping online. The rebates take about 3 months to come, but you can't beat cold cash.

Looking to make a fun holiday drink for an upcoming party but don't want to buy a ton of pricey booze? Check out Cocktailbuilder.com.

Tell the site what alcohol and mixers you have on hand and it tells you what drinks you can make. So instead of rushing out and buying a bunch of alcohol and bizarre mixers you may only use once, you can save money by relying on what you already have.

In the "in my bar" box I typed in a few ingredients, like vodka, lime juice, milk and rum, and the Web site came up with a slew of drinks I could make. If I needed one or more ingredients, the site told me what I was lacking. Cocktail Builder prioritized the drinks by what was most complete.

Click on the "bar menu" tab to printout a menu for your party. Use the "suggest" tab to suggest your own concoction to the site. The site also sells barware under their "shop" tab.

Get 40% off regular-priced CDs at Borders books today and tomorrow, November 11, 2008. The offer includes multi-disc CDs and box sets.

To get the deal you must belong to their rewards program (which is free to join). Limit three CDs per customer. Print the coupon here.

Caveats: while supplies last. No rain checks, special orders, or reservations. Most Waldenbooks and Borders Express stores do not carry CDs. Excludes previous purchases, audiobooks, and shipping. May not be combined with other coupons, sale pricing, or corporate, classroom, or other group discounts. Original coupon must be relinquished at time of purchase.

Find a Border's near you.

Last week I gushed that you can buy Starbucks gift cards for 90% of their value (10% off) from GiftCardsAgain.com. A $20 card for $18? Sweet!.

Then a friend sent me a note. Psst. Didn't I know that Costco sells $100 Starbucks cards for $80? That's a 20% discount, though you cannot but them online and you do have to be a member, which costs $50 to $100 a year. I would call your local store to double check they stock them.

Costco has discounted gift certificates for many byusinesses, including McCormick & Schmicks, 24 Hour Fitness, and a few spas. More restaurant certs here.

Find a Costco near you. Thanks, Mike!

The liquidation of Linens -n- Thing is now online. All items are at least 20% off, says the Web site. Web prices do not apply to in-store sales. All sales are final. No returns.

Deal of the Day items are an additional 20% off. That makes a stainless steel OXO ice bucket $26 (orig $40, sale $32).
You can also search for items by theme - Christmas or Thanksgiving.

Compare prices to rival Bed Bath and Beyond to get an idea of how low the liquidation prices really are. That OXO ice bucket, for instance, is $40 at BBB. With a 20% off coupon, that brings that price down to $32. If it wasn't a Deal of the Day at LNT, it would be the same price as at BBB with a coupon. And BBB accepts returns.

I already blogged about the Toys 'R Us pre-Black Friday sale going on today, but now BFAds.com says there are big sales this weekend at KMart, Kohls, Best Buy, WalMart and Amazon.com (on men's apparel).

For all the details, including sale flyers and doorbusters, click here. Remember to check prices so you don't get carried away by all the sale signs and marketing.

Want to know the cheapest way to ship a business package or holiday gift? ShipGooder.com figures it out for you. Plug in the starting zip code, the destination zip code, and the weight of your package.

The site spits out a chart of how much it will cost to send the item so it gets there the next day, in two days, three days or ground (1-6 days). Results are sorted within each time frame from cheapest to most expensive.

The site compares rates from UPS, FedDEx, DHL, the US Postal Service, and local couriers. You can also check rates for mailing items in Canada.

If, for instance, I need to mail presents to my family in the Bay Area, Ship Gooder tells me it is cheaper to use FedEx ground than USPS. Cool!

Keep this Web site handy, it will be helpful in the next few weeks. Thanks, Tightwad Tod!

I finally used my five-year old Pottery Barn gift certificate! After searching high and low for a use for the card, which had $46 on it, I gave it to my sister. She's a nursing student and could use it more than me, I figure. I certainly had plenty of chances.

There are other, however, more lucrative ways of unloading unwanted gift cards. On GiftCardBuyBack.com you can sell your cards to the site for 65 to 83% of the value. Most redemption rates fell in the 70s.

At TGIFriday's, a $100 card is worth $75 in cash. A $100 Chevron card is worth $82. Browse what they pay for cards at restaurants, apparel stores and other stores.

On their companion site, GiftCardsAgain.com, you can buy gift cards at a 10% discount, roughly. Cards for Jama Juice can be bought for 92% of its value. Cards for Banana Republic can be bought for 90% of its value. Cards for Coldstone Creamery can be purchased for 92% of its value. Cards for AMC/Loews Theaters can be purchased for 85% of its value. Cards for Starbucks can be purchased for 90% of its value. Hot dog!

Cards may be returned up to 30 days after the order date with some rules. Shipping is free in most cases.

Thanks, Vernon!

Black Friday, the mega shopping day renown for price busters that starts after Thanksgiving, is a long way off. But that's not stopping retailers like Toys 'R Us from branding their sales as Black Friday-esque.

Toys 'R Us is having a sale Friday, November 7 from 3 to 10 pm and Saturday, November 8 from 7 am to 1 pm. During the sale, dozens of toys will be on sale. A pitching machine that tosses out plastic baseballs is $20 (orig $35). A sno-cone machine is $7.50 (orig $15). Browse all the sale items here, as provided by BFads.net.

It is unclear if all Toys 'R Us stores will be honoring these prices. Check prices before you buy. Find a Toys 'R Us near you.

Here's a Web site that is similar to Ex Boyfriend Jewelry, which sells baubles from former beaus, but is for wedding rings and white dresses and other nuptial paraphernalia.

The idea behind I Do Now I Don't is to connect people leaving a relationship with those entering one. With the economy in the dumps, the site is becoming more popular, according to spokeswoman Mara Opperman.

In September, sales doubled and listings grew by even more, she said. The site received about 35,000 hits last month, Opperman said.

It is free to list an item, which you can sell through an auction or at a set price. Sellers pay 5% of the purchase price to the site and the buyer pays for shipping.

If you make a deal, send in your ring for the site's gemologist to inspect. I Do Now I Don't holds the buyer's cash until the gemologist makes sure the ring is what you said it is. When all is clear, I Do Now I Don't sends the cash to the seller and the ring to the buyer. The site has turned back three rings and has sold hundreds, Opperman said.

When I checked, the site had 240 diamond rings for sale and 44 wedding dresses. One listing was for a 1.2 ct round cut diamond ring set in platinum for $6,000.

If you are interested in selling a ring but do not have GIA paperwork, get an appraisal from your local jeweler. I Do Now I Don't was founded in January 2007. Some listings are from wholesalers.

Here are three short Halloween stories from Opossum Sally's, a random Web site I found. One is about a clever costume, one is about a grammar ghost, and the last is about how to get three times as much candy. Enjoy!

Clever Costume

My son-in-law Matt has a great-looking Darth Vader mask. One year at Halloween, a friend asked if he could borrow it. Matt agreed, and on Halloween night, his friend came by to pick it up. Matt was surprised that his friend was dressed in his usual attire of jeans and a flannel shirt, with the addition of a black cowboy hat.

"Where's your costume?" Matt asked.

"This is it," his friend replied.

"Well, what are you supposed to be?" Matt inquired.

His friend answered, "Darth Brooks."

Grammar Ghost

One dark night two men were walking home after a party and decided...

Two quick deals wrapped into one post:

Bev Mo's nickel wine sale is on. Buy one wine and get a second bottle of the same wine for a nickel.

Some 150 wines are eligible for the discount. The sale ends December 7, 2008. Could be a good time to stock up on wine for holiday gifts and parties.

This weekend only get free standard shipping on any purchase at MAC cosmetics online. Use code 3DAY when checking out.

Valid through 8:59 pm PST on Sunday November 2, 2008. Good on orders shipped to US and Canadian addresses only.

A reader asked me for suggestions about where she could take her children on Halloween instead of trick-or-treating. I was clueless until I saw this list from the LA Parks Dept with 19 pages of events happening on Halloween.

Check out the list here. Most of the events fall on Halloween, with a few beforehand.

One listing at the Mason Recreation Center in Chatsworth is billed as a carnival with games and activities for all ages from 4 to 8 p.m. The event is free but the food is not. Call (818) 998-6377 for more info.

Also check with your local school, community group, or house of worship for alternatives to trick-or-treating. If you would like to share a Halloween event, please leave a comment so others can find out about it!

I would save these tips for a date closer to the holidays, but these money-saving tips require you to start collecting a few items now.

+ Start saving ribbons and tissue paper to re-package gifts.

+ Look out for wine sales. Most stores offer 10% to 20% off if you buy 12 bottles, but consider trying to talk your way into a discount if you buy 6 or more bottles. Read negotiating tips here. Wine is a great gift around the holidays. Tie a ribbon around the neck and you are ready to go.

+ If you plan to make jam or other homemade treats, start collecting jars and canisters. They don't all have to look alike!

+ Start collecting boxes and receptacles that you can dress up and use to package during the holidays. For example, wrap a plain cardboard box in wrapping paper, stuff it with shredded paper and goodies and bam! Instant gift basket.

+ Start saving shredded paper if you plan to make a lot of gift baskets.

Here is another quick and cheap Halloween costume, this time for a pair. Got the idea from the Budget Fashionista.

Have one person dress entirely in red and the other person in blue. What are you? A red and blue state! To make this more clear, write the name of a traditionally "red" or "blue" states on a piece of paper and pin it on.

You can put the costume together for less than $20. Head to Goodwill if you need a particular color item.

The Web site Deal News predicts we will see some of the best prices this holiday season since the Dot.com bust in 2001. The company has even released numbers on exactly how low they think certain electronic items will go.

A 22-inch LCD monitors for $99, a Blu-ray player for $149, Blu-ray movies you actually want for $9.99, 52-inch 1080p HDTVs for $1,199, the newest iPods for 10% off, and a Canon PowerShot SD1100 8MP Digital ELPH for $139. See more price predictions.

There is no guarantee these items will be sold at these prices. And even if they are, retailers could severely limit stock so that only people who wait outside the store all night will get them at these prices.

You know, the first three people can buy a ginormous TV for $99 when the store opens at 4 am. The rest of us get to pay $699. Whoop-de-doo.

But you might want to jot down these prices for items you are considering buying and use them as a guide. If the item gets near that price and the shipping and return policy make sense for you, perhaps it is time to buy.

On the other hand, it might pay to wait. I wonder if prices will continue to drop through the holidays if merchandise is not selling the way retailers expect.

An upscale wedding dress boutique called the Bridal Suite in Sherman Oaks is closing and is having a sale that ends on Halloween, according to JensList. Look for markdowns of up to 75% and many wedding gowns under $500, I'm told.

After 14 years in business, the owner is liquidating the dresses to prepare for a move to Thousand Oaks. The store also has dresses for mothers of the bride and groom, bridesmaids, plus tiaras, veils, promwear, evening wear, shoes, jewelry and flower girl dresses.

Warning, online reviews said the dresses were great but the service was terrible.

Visit the Bridal Suite at 14532 Ventura Blvd. Open daily from 10:30 to 6. (818) 990-0071.

Thanks, Jen!

Hi folks,
I'm gearing up to write a few holiday stories and I need your help. Please leave a comment or e-mail me your best frugal gift ideas for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza and Festivus. I'm also looking for general tips for being thrifty around the holidays.

The best suggestions will make it into a forthcoming Bargain Hunter story in the LA Daily News!!

Thanks for your help.

~Julia

Still looking for a Halloween costume? Here are some ideas from Frugal Dad for costumes you can make mostly from items around your home.

Hobo/Bum
* Old tattered clothes with a few holes (maybe some of Dad's old work clothes)
* An old, beat-up hat
* An old pair of well-scuffed shoes
* Worn canvas sack on a stick over the shoulder carrying belongings

Spa girl
* Green face paint to simulate a mask
* Towel for head or curlers
* Sleep mask
* Bedroom slippers
* Bath robe
* Pajamas

The second most pressing question of the Halloween season - after what to dress up as - is how to carve your pumpkin. I'm still trying to figure out both (though I was considering not carving a pumpkin this year to save money).

Here are some suggestions in pictures. Hope one gives you an idea.

This is almost enough to make me upchuck the delicious Canadian Thanksgiving dinner I ate yesterday. Many retailers are scheduling Black Friday-type sales for October, weeks before the traditional start of Christmas shopping, according to Black Friday Ads.

Black Friday is the day after (American) Thanksgiving, which falls on November 27 this year.

"Several other retailers have mentioned that they will be having competitively-priced sales in the weeks before Black Friday," said an e-mail from BFAds.

The news is unsettling because it makes the holiday even more gift-driven. And it means four extra weeks of annoying Christmas music.

On the other hand, the additional competition may mean lower prices, which is good for shoppers. And it is a good idea to look out for budget-friendly gifts now. Still, I don't see why they can't just have all their sales shortly before the holiday.

Get a 6 to 10 pound pumpkin for $2 flat at OSH now until supplies run out. On the small end, you are paying $.33 a pound. On the big end you are paying $.20 a pound. Not too shabby.

If you are interested, I would hit up OSH before the weekend. They may run out of 6 to 10 pound pumpkins.

Confirm your local OSH has this deal by going to their Web site and clicking on "View Latest Ad," which should appear in the left column. Enter your zip code and look at the ad for the store you intend to shop at.

Caveats: OSH has 86 stores in California but no other states. Find an OSH near you.

Starting this weekend through Sunday, October 26, you can get a Sam's Club membership for the rest of the year for $10. Business owners and families who do not already belong to the warehouse retailer can sign up at any Sam's Club.

This sounds like a great deal, but a year long membership costs $40, or about $.77 a week. With ten weeks left in the year, that would be $7.7 dollars. So the $10 membership is actually slightly more expensive than the yearly rate.

However, if you can stock up on a lot of goods, buy discount Christmas presents, and get a few tanks of cheaper gas, it may be worth it in the long run.

Renewal rates for 2009 are $35 for business members and $40 for regular members. consumers). Find a Sam's Club near you. Thanks, Frugal Dad!

Every year before Christmas my Mom warned us kids that this year we were not going to receive as many presents. Then Christmas morning we would wake up early, run into the living room, and find presents stacked knee high.

This year, however, the 12-year-old in me believes her. I'm betting there are many folks who will cut back on presents this year. To reign in spending and stay out of debt, check out my story in Sunday's Daily News.

"With the economy in the dumps, reining in spending this holiday season is crucial. Who can afford to overspend when we are on the verge of financial doom? This year, embrace your inner Scrooge. Instead of last-minute splurges, stay out of debt by saving and buying budget-friendly presents now.

"Did it take more than one credit-card cycle to pay off last year's presents? If so, you spent too much.

"If you can't pay it off at the end of the month, don't buy it, or get a cheaper way of borrowing," said Phillip Cook, a certified financial planner at Mogul Wealth Management Inc. in Torrance.

"Focus on your one- and five-year...

If you read my Sunday story about saving money for the holidays while also looking out for super cheap gifts now, you are in the right place. Here are 10 spots you can find discount gifts.

Know of other great places for bargain gifts? Leave a comment!

1. TJ MAXX
2. Ross
3. Thrift stores
4. Yard sales (as long as item does not appear used)
5. Freecycle.org
6. Craigstlist.com
7. Dollar or 99-cent stores
8. Nordstrom Rack
9. Stein Mart
10. Loehmann's

As part of my Sunday story I promised to share ideas for ten budget-friendly gifts. Here goes:

1. Homemade cookies (wrap them in tissue paper and saran wrap to save money on tins).

2. Knit cap or scarf

3. Homemade jam (stay tuned for my adventures making strawberry jam)

4. A paperback book (make a bookmark by taping pictures to a piece of thick paper or cardboard. The recipient will finish the book but still have the bookmark to remember you by.)

5. A magazine subscription

6. A framed picture of you and the recipient, or of your children

7. Low denomination gift cards

8. Coupon books for tasks that are truly coveted, like mowing the lawn, doing the dishes, or making dinner

9. Book of your favorite recipes

10. A heartfelt letter

I'm not breaking a lot of new ground here, unfortunately. Please share your original ideas for cheap gifts by leaving a comment. It will be greatly appreciated!

This Saturday, October 11, 2008 Borders is having a huge sale on games, holiday cards, books, DVDs, and more.

All games are 25% off list price. Holiday cards are buy one get one free. Ten recent bestsellers are 50% off and more than 40 DVDs and CDs are 40% off.

A selection of 90 DVDs are all reduced to $6. Burt's Bee's products are also buy one get one free. Buy a bag of coffee beans and get a medium beverage free.

Hmmm...may not be a bad idea to make one or two purchases as gifts for the holidays, which will be here before you know it.

Coffee deal and other products not available at Waldenbooks and Borders Express.

Caveats: some sale categories have limits (like only two 50% off books per customer). While supplies last. No rainchecks. Less expensive item is free for BOGO offers.

Find a Borders near you.

Babystyle, an online clothing store for infants and young children, has two cheap Halloween costumes. Warning, most of their customs are $20 $40 so keep your blinders on and stick to the following two options.

A $10 Panda costume, above, (orig $36) comes in sizes 0-6 months up to 18-24 months. It does not include tights and shoes but you can improvise.

For infants, a $13 red hot chili pepper suit (orig $26) makes quite a spicy treat! None of the toddler costumes appear to be on sale.

With these prices, I doubt these costumes will last more than a day or two so act quick. You may also be eligible for free shipping!

There is also a 20% off code (use BOO20 when checking out) that may or may not work. The code is good only on online orders and says it cannot be combined with other discounts, which may include sale items like these two costumes. Give it a try! Unclear when it expires.

Caveats: final sale, no returns on these costumes.

Double your rebate when you shop online for Halloween candy, costumes and decorations this week through eBates.

If you have not heard of eBates, it is a site that gives you an automatic rebate when you join their free membership program and click through to retailers like Macys or Home Depot from eBates. They track what you buy and send you a rebate check every three months. eBates has a different deal with every merchant so the rebates can vary widely.

Now until Sunday, October 12, 2008, eBates will double your rebate at Costume Super Center to 14% (orig 7%), Candy Warehouse to 10% (orig 5%), Half Price Costumes to 12% (orig 6%), Spirit to 16% (orig 8%).

This week you can also get a doubled rebate on pet costumes at Petco (12% now, orig 6%) or Sears (4% now, orig 2%).

Remember to keep final price, and not just the discount, in mind when you weigh the value of your purchase.

Get 25 cards free when you order 50 from Shutterfly now until November 5, 2008. The deal is good on 4" x 8" and 5" x 7" greeting cards, designer cards or photo cards.

To get the deal, order 75 cards. You will pay for 50 cards and the other 25 will be free when you checkout. You may be able to get an even better deal if you are not a member of Shutterfly.

Caveats: deal does not apply to note cards. Savings applies to additional products of the same type and size. Taxes, shipping and handling will apply.

I was planning to blog about Halloween costume sales, but with the way the economy is going I'm thinking it may more useful to write about homemade costumes.

Here are 15 resourceful costume ideas courtesy of iVillage readers. Some require a little time or minor purchases.

"Get a white sweatsuit. From there, your tot can be a dog, a cow, or a ghost. Just get some black felt, cut it in shapes and pin (or velcro) the 'spots' to her suit! Add a little black eyeliner to the tip of her nose. For a dog, use the pencil to draw whiskers." --cl-mon71

"Attach balloons to a sweatsuit and be a bunch of grapes!" --cheatize

"I bought a hooded black sweatshirt for my two-year-old girl and hand-sewed black felt triangles on the hood and glued smaller white felt triangles inside the black ones. She just wore it with black pants and shoes and I used eyeliner to draw whiskers. She was an adorable cat and wore the sweatshirt all winter." --barville

"Be a bird! I cut out poster-board wings and tail and stapled on elastic bands. My daughter glued on hundreds of feathers, about $2 at Walmart, and wore a blue sweatsuit." --terri55

"One son was a dinosaur. He wore yellow and green sweats with...

What would today be without a deal on Halloween costumes? It's October 1! BizRate.com has compiled sales listings of costumes and accessories from a slew of online retailers for a direct comparison of prices.

Sort costumes by Price Low-High to see your cheapest options first. But remember many of the cheaper items are for accessories like gloves or makeup kits, so read carefully to see what you are buying.

A child's fairy costume that includes wings, a ribbon and a net headband is $10.

Another great way to put a costume together is to throw a costume making party. Ask everyone to bring items they are willing to give away or lend that could become part of a costume for someone else. Think wacky hats, feather boas, aviator glasses, and extra makeup. Open a bottle of wine and the ideas will flow.

Get 40% off one regular priced item at Michael's now until Saturday, September 27, 2008. Print the coupon here.

Might I suggest using it to start your holiday shopping early? Stash away a picture frame or memento now, break it out later to the delight of your wallet.

I find framed pictures are a great gift for folks who say they don't want anything, because that often means they just want a memory.

Find a Michael's near you.

Nobody has the money to spend much this upcoming holiday season, according to a story in the Daily News. Surprise, surprise. That means that you'll probably be giving and receiving a lot of:

a) re-gifted items (no turn around time required!)
b) heartfelt letters in place of presents (intentions count so this is a good option)
c) experience presents (like making a gourmet dinner for your parents. I tried that last year and it did save me a bundle. It was also really fun.)

It also means there will be a TON of sales and inventory available. Kind of like the housing market, which got us into this whole mess. Buyers will have the upper hand so don't settle for full price!

Here's an earlier post about haggling at chain stores and about being nice to get your way.

If there's one sign that the holidays are just around the corner - and that retailers are as desperate as ever to get our dollars - it is the coupon I just received for the latest version of Tickle Me Elmo.

Like a watered down movie sequel, this once popular holiday toy keeps coming back.

The latest incarnation of this red fuzzy toy is called Elmo Live. It is similar to past versions. He laughs, giggles, tells stories and jokes. Oh what fun!

The toy is not on sale until October 14, but if you plunk down your money now you will get $10 off the purchase price of $70 at KB Toys. Use coupon code ETELTN98. It is good until September 18, 2008. The toy requires 6 AA batteries. (Toys 'R Us and other retailers are also selling it for $60.)

Watch Elmo Live do his thing in this video, below.

If I were in the rat race to get my kids the best toys, I would save a few bucks and go with Up, Up Elmo, which is selling for $20 at KB Toys. Or there is Singing Pizza Elmo for $24.

A lot has changed in the past year but when it comes to finding bargains on September 11, I feel the same way I did last year. I can't do my job. A year ago I told you why and here's that story again, updated slightly.

Forgive me for not posting any bargains today, the seventh anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Trying to save $3 on a sandwich or find a hot shoe sale seems silly and out of place today. Instead, I'm going to try and give blood, something I wasn't able to do that day in New York.

So many people tried to donate on September 11 - we expected waves of injured people to flood the hospitals - that the blood bank was full. They turned us away.

Walking to and from the hospital everyone we passed was talking about the twin towers, you could see it on their faces and hear snips of the awful truth in their conversations.

I was stunned, like so many other people. Was it really possible those two massive buildings that stood almost twice as tall as any other building on Manhattan could collapse? But they did. I saw it from my kitchen window.

We lived on the third floor of a brick building adjacent to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and one of the things we loved about the apartment was three large windows that looked onto lower Manhattan.

We had a picture perfect view. On days when the air was crisp and the sun bright under a brilliant sky - almost impossible to imagine in hazy LA - I ate my breakfast cereal in front of the window, just staring at the buildings. My own postcard.

September 11, 2001 was one of those gorgeous fall days. I had just started grad school at Rutgers in New Jersey and had planned to go into campus that morning. But as it turned out the CDs I needed to listen to had just arrived in the mail. Otherwise I would have taken the subway into Manhattan, transferring to the NJ PATH train at the World Trade Center. With the CDs at home, I slept in.

The sound of sirens finally woke me up. I got out of bed at about 9 a.m. and I remember thinking there were more sirens than usual that morning. You get used to a lot of noise living in New York City. Then I saw a trail of smoke from the first tower. I went back into the bedroom and woke up Hubby, who was then my boyfriend.

"There's something going on," I told him, nudging him awake.

I turned on the TV and one of the people being interviewed on the BBC was declaring this was an act of war. That seemed drastic. Maybe this was just an accident?

When the second plane hit my gut told me it wasn't. From my window I saw the terrible gash the second plane created on the side of the building. There was a lot of smoke. You could see flames.

We tried to guess how many people might work in the two buildings. Tens of thousands, we decided.

Then the buildings collapsed. Dark, smokey clouds billowed.

I bristle when people ask me what it was like to watch. What do you think it's like seeing thousands of people die in a few minutes? It is terrible.

But there was one part that was beautiful. After the towers collapsed - but before the wind blew a blanket of smoke and debris over Brooklyn - the brilliant sky glittered.

A sparkling arc reached like a hand over the bay from Manhattan to Brooklyn. It was incredible and I watched it for a few minutes before closing the windows so the dark air would not foul our apartment. Later I found out it was reams of freed office paper catching the sunlight.

The air cleared and we went to the hospital. We wanted to give blood, to do our part, but we couldn't. Today I am going to try again.

Find a place to give blood through the Red Cross by clicking here. In the Valley today you can give blood at Cal State University Northridge and at the Platelet Donations Woodland Hills Donor Center (platelets only). They like it when you make an appointment first.

If you want to get a jump on your holiday shopping, a Christmas sale run by the non-profit Assistance League of Glendale starts next week, says Natalie, an organizer who told me about the sale. They will have new and used ornaments, decorations, holiday sweaters and winter clothing, silver serving pieces, children's toys, linens and other holiday paraphernalia.

Ornaments are 10-cents to $10. A three-piece Silver plated casserole dish with a lid and a Pyrex liner (to cook the dish in the oven) is $25. A pair of sterling silver candle holders are $20. A glass punch bowl with 8 cups is $5. An embroidered white tablecloth with matching napkins is $10. Decorative tins are 25-cents to $1.

The items they are selling are donated by league members and the community. Everything that does not sell will be sold in the group's thrift shop, which is next door to the main sale.

The Christmas sale is Thursday, August 21 from 10am to 3pm, Friday August 22 from 10am to 3pm AND 5pm to 7pm, and Saturday from 10am to 3pm. It is being held at 314 E. Harvard Street in Glendale.

Free parking in an adjacent lot. Cash, checks and credit cards. Prices are firm. Proceeds support the league's programs, such as Operation School Bell, which provides clothing for need local children.

Seems like news about the real estate market is in the paper everyday. Just Friday the Senate passed a plan to help struggling home owners get better mortgages so they can keep their homes.

If you are a home owner you may be worried about losing your home or you may be curious what homes near you have foreclosed. If you are a renter, like me, you secretly want prices to keep dropping. And you may daydream about buying a foreclosed home as a way to get into the market.

Given the steady stream of news it's hard not to be preoccupied with the housing market. Hence today's focus on foreclosures. I hope you find it useful. Email me with ideas for a future theme day.

A friend of mine gave me an unexpected tip over a dinner of scrumptious Chinese food the other night. If you are scoping out spots to get married, call ahead and you can often get in free.

Renting a setting for your nuptials can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. So gatekeepers are often willing to slip you, say, a $15 pass, to check out the grounds. Not that I am recommending this tactic for the general public.

If you do make arrangements, be prepared to meet with a representative and receive their spiel about the site. Others may just leave you a brochure and comped tickets at the entrance.

Not sure where to get married? Check out LocationWeddings.net for ideas by state, season, and type of wedding. Thanks, Mike!

Hope everyone has a fantastic holiday. I'm taking the day off too, so no daily digest today. See you Monday! ~Julia

Want to take your sweet stuff out on the town but lack the dough to finance a big excursion? Consider these 50 frugal date ideas from The Money and Fitness blog. Some of the ideas are old hat - going for a walk, ice skating - so I'm listing just the best ideas below.

+ Cook dinner together for someone else
+ Volunteer together
+ Go to a minor league sporting event
+ Take him or her to happy hour
+ Watch the stars at night (print a free star map here.)
+ Give each other massages
+ Visit a historical site
+ Go out just for dessert
+ Rent a new Wii game (if you have a Wii)
+ Fly a kite
+ Rent a rowboat
+ Go to an art show

Thanks, Frugal Dad!

The gals at Cheap Chic Weddings have this money saving tip for brides-to-be in the early planning stages.

"Planning your wedding off-season can save you up to 50% on venues and other services and goods," they say. "May through October are the most popular months to wed, while January through March are the least popular. The day you choose can also save you some green...Saturdays are most popular and most expensive. Try pricing your wedding for a Friday or Sunday."

I got married on a Sunday and found there was some leverage because many vendors did not have other gigs that day.

CCW also suggests checking out Isaac Mizrahi's wedding collection at Target, where pieces start at $25.

On the style front, platinum is the hot new accent color, booting brown from the top. "Platinum is elegant and goes with everything."

Ties are nice, but let's face it, would you ever be excited to receive something that doubles as a noose? Here are some quick ideas for last-minute Father's Day gifts.

1. Buy him lunch. The quickest way to a man's heart is still through his stomach (though with Hubby it's a close tie with foot massages).

2. I read it for the articles. Buy him a magazine subscription at Magazine.com, which has competitive rates, then pick up the latest issue in a store. Give it to him with a card that let's him know a full year (or whatever the term is) is coming.

3. Channel his hobbies. Then buy a gift card that ties into his passion, be it golf, fishing, computers, sleeping, clothes, food, travel, sports, cooking, etc.

4. Work together. Call your mother and siblings and ask if anybody is buying him a big gift that you can contribute to. If you are not local you can put a check in the mail and not worry about shipping him something in time. Remember to call him Sunday, too.

5. Call him on Sunday (it's too late to send a card). When you talk to him say something about what he has taught you or what you admire about him. Often a simple compliment will resonate. This next example goes the other way but I think it still shows how saying something nice goes a long way.

The other day my Dad, who I talk to about once a month, called and left a message for me. He said he enjoyed reading my blog post about losing my wedding ring. Then he said something to the effect of "you really have your own way of telling stories." That is one of the biggest compliments you can give a writer and coming from a man who is very well read and who happens to be my Dad, it meant a whole lot. Thanks, Dad!

Here's a new idea for a Father's day gift. A certificate for a four hour poker game between pops and nine of his best buds. The Poker Academy in Reseda provides the dealer, floorman, table and chips. You bring the drinks, decide the stakes, the choose the games.

The package costs $225 (plus tips) when you mention the Bargain Hunter (it's normally $275) and for $50 more you can hold it at your home or another off-site location. If your spouse or father is really into poker, this could be a great way for the family spend time doing something *he* enjoys. Minors are allowed because the Academy is not a casino.

Deal is good through November 30, 2008. Ask for Stuart Locascio when you call the Poker Academy at (818) 343.4626. Also ask for Stuart or another instructor to be the dealer at your event.

Caveats: some blackout dates apply, like Labor Day and Thanksgiving. Must be used by November 30, 2008. Visit them at 18334 Sherman Way in Reseda.

Got a flyer in the mail that I could almost eat! It was full of bouquets of fruit on sticks, which may be a little hard to image if not for the picture at left. Edible Arrangements, the company that makes these tasty centerpieces, will be happy to sell you one for $59 to $200, but I bet making your own would not be difficult.

Choose an arrangement on their Web site to re-create. The one I have my eye on requires strawberries, slices of pineapple, grapes, apples dipped in chocolate. Skewer the fruit and stick them into a head of iceberg lettuce, which you can cut to fit the bottom of the vase or basket you are using.

If you want it to look fancy cover the iceberg head with tissue paper (before sticking the fruit in) and let the ends hang over the edge. Use different length skewers to create layers, with most of the fruit poking out to the side and a few on top.

Wow, this sounds really cool. I may try it at our next BBQ instead of making brownies. For more detailed directions click here.

If you order through EA my flyer says you can get $3 off when you mention the ad and code CCSM4000, which should be good until August 31, 2008. Happy eating!

Spending for Father's Day gifts is going to decline this year, according to a retail group called the National Retail Federation. The average spending will be $94.54, down from $98.34 last year.

Is it me or does that seem awfully high?

I think a card or a phone call is a good gift. If you are compelled to buy something consider a gas card or gift certificate to a food store. Gifts like cologne or a silk tie are more sexy, but a gas/food card will definitely get used. And if you are worried about your budget, chances are he is too.

You can always pair the utilitarian gift with a joke about the unusual gift. I was going to write one but I couldn't think of any!

Keep it simple this Memorial Day instead of busting your butt (and wallet) serving up fancy dishes and pricey cuts of meat. The blog Yum Sugar suggests a low-key menu that includes Chipotle Deviled Eggs, Sticky BBQ wings, a BLT Salad with Buttermilk Dressing and Herb Potato Salad. Yum! I'm hungry already.

Another idea to keep expenses in check is to invite guests to bring a dish, drink, or dessert to share. It's not rude if you ask nicely and a lot of times folks enjoy contributing something.

Cancel it, that's how. Then get outside this summer for your workout! This long weekend is the perfect time for getting the ultimate in free workouts. Just put on some shoes and run around for an hour. For free!

Don't have that kind of motivation? Then adopt a dog from the East Valley Animal Shelter this weekend. The economic downturn means there's lots of Fidos and Fluffys being dropped off (per this Daily News article.) Believe me, it's the ultimate motivation. And talk about a bargain. It's less than $100 to get the animal with shots, license, microchip.

I haven't used my membership for the Woodland Hills Gold's membership since I adopted Bella, my energetic yellow lab in September and Beastie, my even more energetic Newfoundland/border collie in November when he was still a pup -- a BIG pup. Now my workout is all about tiring out the doggies so they don't destroy the house when I'm gone. That gets me out of bed like not even my muffin top can. I run with them an hour on weekday mornings around the neighborhood (early, to avoid the heat) and then hike with them on the weekends. (I like the Angeles National forest trails via Tujunga or Alta Dena, and the Verdugo Mountains in Burbank/Glendale. Lots of excellent trails where dogs are allowed, and not too many people.) I've saved money and got in good shape. It's all good.

And now I have extra money to spend on outdoor gear, yay! See how it's all related? And there's few things better than perusing through the REI outlet online. So many great deals! And you can avoid shipping fees by ordering your stuff and having it sent to the Northridge REI on Devonshire (in that mall at Reseda with the Albertsons) for free pickup _ or the Santa Monica one, if you're on that side of the hills. They e-mail when it's ready. I got a mondo sized dog backpack for big Beastie for only $29.99 (that's him at right in his old, puny sized backpack). Now he's my Beast of burden on the trail. Water please, Mr. Beast!

So many great deals from the site. Like this cute fitness top that's half off. I like it in quasar, whatever that is. Or these Wright socks for $3.93. I looove me some Wrightsocks and highly recommend them for any runner. I will only run in these socks. They are double layered to keep the blisters away. It works.

If REI isn't your thing and want to get all reusable (it's green!), check out Play it Again Sports, the store for reused sports gear. There's one right down Reseda at Nordhoff in that mall on the northwest corner of that intersection, with the McDonalds.

-- Post by Mariel

Here are links to the deals I mentioned in my Sunday story in the Daily News and Long Beach Press-Telegram.

Cheap tickets to Magic Mountain:
http://www.sixflags.com/magicMountain/tickets/index.aspx

Costco Disneyland tickets:
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?whse=BC&topnav=&prodid=11241415&ec=BC-EC19107-ProdID11248536&pos=0F&lang=en-US

More Costco options at:
http://www.costco.com/Common/Category.aspx?ec=BC-EC3125-Cat21124&pos=1&whse=BC&topnav=&cat=29676&eCat=BC|21124|29676&lang=en-US

TSA list of discount tickets:
http://www.tsaspecialservices.com/entertainment.htm

San Diego hotel deals (click on the deals tab):
http://www.sandiego.org/nav/Visitors

Deals at Mammoth:
http://www.mammothmountain.com/plan/deals/index.cfm?seg=1

CityPass Southern California:
http://www.citypass.com/city/socal.html?id=2Qx3na2a

This did not make it into the story but the Web site Vacation Rental By Owner (vrbo.com) often has a wide price range for lodging. Here is the link for the mammoth lake listings:
http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa/california/gold-country-high-sierra/mammoth-mountain/mammoth-lakes

I asked around and mothers resoundingly said the gifts that squeezed their hearts most were homemade drawings, art pieces, and cards. One mom said "art projects from my little girl are always my favorite! They cost a few dollars- if that- but they can really make a girl cry :)." Another suggested going "to one of those places where you paint ceramics and can get them fired. Do a hand print on a plate, etc., to remember how small their hands are."

One mom said a few hours of free time all to herself topped her list of desired gifts. My own Mom asked for a visit, phone call, card, and a meal together or some other event on another day. I think pictures make a great present, too. You can get a nice frame for under $15 at Aaron Brothers, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, and many other stores. Any other ideas, folks? Leave a comment by clicking on the tiny "comments" button underneath this post so everyone can benefit. Thanks!

Here's one more source for discount flowers to show your Mom how much you appreciate her. She may not wipe your butt anymore, but it takes a lifetime to repay her for all she has done. At least, that's the case when you have a Mom like mine.

Look for flowers at LA's flower district, which boasts prices up to 50% off retail. Sure, you have to trek down there, create your own bouquet and refrigerate your them until you see your Mom, but you will likely save moolah. (If you don't know how to arrange the flowers flip through a magazine or do a Google image search until you see a combination you like. Rip it out or take notes and bring it to the flower shop so you know what to buy. I like putting together two different types of flowers with similar coloring for a bold look, like the image above.)

The flower district is in the fashion district, roughly bound by 7th Street on the north, 8th Street on the south, San Pedro Street to the east and Wall Street to the west. Click here for specific locations.

Check here for hours. Scroll down to see the special hours for the public leading up to Mother's Day. Note, it costs $1 to get in Saturday and $2 Monday through Friday. Closed Sunday.

Sending flowers to your Mom to celebrate Mother's Day this Sunday? Here are a few promo codes that will lighten your tab. At 1-800-flowers.com get $10 off your tab of $50 or more with code PAYMOM. I'm told you can get $20 off $100 if you pay with Paypal and use code PAYMOM4. Unclear when the codes expire.

Get 50% off your order at BloomsToday when you sign up for their $9.95/month membership plan. Get $10 off an order of $50 or more at JustFlowers.com with code JF2008. Offer expires May 11. ProFlowers has marked down select bouquets by $10, like this collection of potted roses. Get $10 off your purchase at Teleflora with code PSGG10D.

Get 15% off your Jockey bill online with coupon code SMARTSHOPPER. A semi-reliable source says it is good until May 31, but if you know you need new underwear or socks I would not wait. Sale and regular priced items are eligible for the discount. You can enter the code early in the checkout process to make sure the coupon works.

A pair of mesh capri pants that look great for yoga or a walk on the beach are $25.50 (orig $30). A microfleece robe, above, is $17 (orig $60). Perfect for Mother's Day!

Mervyns has a 20% off coupon with very few exclusions that is good for an entire week! Hint, hint, they want you to use the coupon for Mother's Day, which is Sunday, May 11. Print the coupon here. It is valid Sunday, May 4 to Saturday, May 10, 2008.

Caveats: not valid on gift cards, past purchases, mail or phone orders, Levis, Hallmark or Guess brands. Limit one per transaction. Find a Mervyns near you.

Here are two tips to save money at your wedding, courtesy of cheap chic weddings.

+ Cut back on the number of attendants you have to save on flowers, boutonnières and gifts. Also, less stress from coordinating with fewer folks!

+ Decorate with ribbons. They are loads cheaper than flowers and still look great on sanctuary pews, tablecloths, reception chairs, your cake, and the head table. One way to dress up a room with ribbons is pictured at right.

More tips from CCW and a site where you can buy preowned wedding dresses.

Find a designer wedding gown at the Glamour Closet sample sale this weekend (in Orange County, unfortunately). The press release
says they have hundreds of dresses by designers like Vera Wang, Monique Lhuillier, Reem Acra, Amsale that are marked down by up to 80%. And no dress is more than $999. Bring the bra and shoes you plan to wear on your big day to find the best fit.

Caveats: dresses come in size 8 or 10. Communal dressing rooms.

The sale is at the Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel, 686 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa. (714) 540-2500. Hours are Saturday, April 5th from 10 to 5 and Sunday, April 6th from 10 to 3.

If you are still looking for a prom dress, check out eDressme.com. They have a ton of pricey dresses in the $300s, but also a huge selection of dresses under $99. Many are final sale (not returnable), but not all. A long white gown with turquoise accents around the bust by Faviana, above, is $99 (orig $218).

Show some skin in a black mini with a plunging V-neck and bubble skirt, also for $99. Comes in xs and m only. Browse all their prom dresses on sale.

Get 10% off all the cookies and treats at Good Fortunes now until May 1, 2008. No minimum required. To get the discount order use code DN8. The Canoga Park company has been hand making sweets since 1995. To avoid shipping charges, pick up your order at their shop.

Check out their Mother's Day items, including a gigantic caramel toffee cookie with chocolate drizzle, for $28.50. It measures 11-inches across and weighs just under a pound. You can personalize a message up to 10 sentences or send Good Fortunes a message, check or gift certificate and they will insert it into the cookie. Imagine the surprise!

Get 30% off all the faux retro greetings cards from Paper Relics for an unknown amount of time. Buy online and use code CANDY at checkout. I may have to get a set for my sisters, who send me the most beautiful cards. I like this whimsical Let It Snow card, which is $4 for one, $12 for 4, or $20 for 8. That's before the discount.

A card that has a little fairy standing on a tree limb with an egg in her hands brings home the message "you're a good egg." Perfect for a birthday, graduation, or other congratulatory occassions, with similar pricing. A proper lady decorates a fun "eat cake" card, above.

Still haven't found a dress to wear to prom? Consider checking out a small boutique in Tarzana called Dressed Up! They are putting about 300 dresses for prom, cocktail parties and formals on sale all for $99 each this Saturday. (Sale may start Friday after 1 pm but owner is not sure when he will open that day. Call if you want to get a head start.) Look for dresses by Sue Wong, Morell Maxie, Jessica McClintock, Terani, and Jovani. Sale lasts 10 days but the best stuff will go quickly. Browse their online selection of prom dresses. A sparkly number in gold and silver hues from Sheri Hill, above, is $298.

Here's a video showing some of the dresses for $99.

If you can't find anything on the sale racks, don't despair. Prices through the store are already below retail. I stopped by in January and was surprised to find many snazzy dresses in the $100s and $200s. Many more are higher priced. Owner Michael Weintraub keeps prices below retail by limiting his advertising and operating on smaller profit margins than mass retailers. Weintraub likes to think of himself as "the Costco of better designers" because he sells so many dresses at the store and to movie and TV studios.

Here are some more suggestions for where to find a prom dress.

Visit Dressed Up! at 6000 Reseda Blvd. at Oxnard, hidden in the "Alley in the Valley" strip mall on the SE corner. (818) 708-7238. Hours are Mon to Sat 10 to 6 and Sun 11 to 4:30.

Easter is this Sunday and that means time to eat ham (jellybeans and chocolate are just foreplay). Here's a survey of prices so you can get the best deal.

Ralphs has a Farmer John half ham for $.89/lb and a spiral sliced half ham for $1.29/lb. Vons has the Farmer John whole or half ham for a bit less - $.67/lb and the spiral cut for about the same price, $1.27/lb. Albertsons has the spiral cut ham for $1.29/lb and Smart & Final has the Farmer John spiral cut ham for $.179/lb, the worst deal of the bunch. If you want the spiral cut any of the three chains will do. If you do your own cutting, head to Vons.

Costco has a high end Niman Ranch 6.5lb ham for $70 (that $10.77/lb). No idea if they also sell regular hams. Anybody seen ham prices at Food 4 Less or Trader Joe's?

Caveats: grocery prices come with loyalty cards, which are free and easy to sign up for.

The upscale kitchen store Williams-Sonoma has decent sales online with plenty of Easter items. Mini Easter totes that look like a chick, bunny or pink tulip, above, are $9 for a pair (orig $12). Perfect for holding a few treats. Six chocolate carrots for decoration and eating are $10 (orig $15).

Non-Easter sale items include a set of three earthenware canisters with a blue and white wine pattern are $40 (orig $100). Not bad at all. A stainless steel wine bucket is $29 (orig $49). Thanks, Sarah!

Looking for an Easter outfit? The price comparison Web site Shopzilla.com lays out an assortment of Easter dresses for girls with many options under $15. A white sleeveless dress with a long pleated skirt is $11.50 at Target. Opps, it's sold out, as are all of the Target dresses on the page. Grrrr. A yellow seersucker dress from Sears is $12. Search Shopzilla's assortment of boy's dress shoes and boy's dress pants. Browse all their Easter apparel categories.

Going straight to the retailers, Kohl's marks down dresses and dressy apparel by 40%, including an adorable white dress with eyelet embroidery at the neckline and hem and a yellow daisy tied to the front, above, for $13 (orig $22). A dress from JCPenney has polka dots in three shades of blue for $25 (orig $50). Macy's has many dresses and a few slacks and shirts for boys, but higher prices. One item on sale is a baby girl's dress with contrasting patterns, for $18 (orig $26).

Easter is March 23 so you have two weekends plus the Saturday before the holiday to shop.

Do I know where to get limo deals? A reader named Caryn asked so I looked and found LimoDeals.com, a Web site that lists limo rental companies. You have to call each company to get a quote, unfortunately. But the site does have helpful tips on what to ask before you rent, like if the company provide beverages or if you can bring your own. If possible, go and look at the limo so there are no surprises. Here are tips just for prom rentals.

Before you start calling companies know what type of limo you want and the number of people that will be riding along. Take notes so you can compare afterwards. Many companies will give you a discount when you mention LimoDeals.com, the site says. Here is a list of limo companies in California by city. You can also search by zip code.

Started my hunt for prom dresses yesterday in the Topanga mall in Canoga Park. I was surprised that many retailers, like Macy's and Sears, had very few dresses at relatively high prices. The majority of the dresses I saw were polyester - even at Nordstrom's - so quality is not a great concern, apparently. Makes sense for a garment you only wear once.

The best selection and prices by far were at Windsor's, which had a whole dress boutique at the back of the store. A sales rack had many dresses under $50, and there were plenty of others - short and long - under $100. The bunched aqua dress, above, is $60.

Cache also had many prom dresses, especially in BRIGHT colors, but many were in the $200s and $300s. A classic black satiny halter top with eye-catching bunched lines across the middle was $178. An over the top floor-length dress with a black and white animal print skirt and a daring slit was $238. The best part of the dress was a hot pink band under the black bust. The floor-length black gown, below, is $148.

Chez Marie (no Web site, unfortunately) had a decent selection with long gowns 20% off and all other dresses 50% off. Many were distinctive...

The candle seller Illuminations has a coupon code for $15 off a purchase of $60 or more, good in stores, online, or over the phone. It doesn't expire until March 31, 2008. Use code 999201346.

For Easter they have egg-shaped candles. A set of 6 is $13 and each burns up to 7 hours. Find a store near you.

One place to look for a prom dress is in the LA Fashion District. Christine Silvestri, founder of Urban Shopping Adventures, leads guided tours of the area and has a special tour March 8 just for finding the perfect prom dress. The tour boasts visits to spots that sell "the hottest new dresses of the season at half the price of department stores."

The two and a half hour tour costs $36 per person. Call (213) 683-9715 for more details or to sign up. I blogged about Silvestri once before after she was written up in LA.com.

Other tours include Dress for Success: Women’s Fashion on the Job on March 29, Find Your Colors: VIP Color Lab for Women on April 12, Sample Sale Strategic Shopping on April 25 and August 29, Mom: Flowers, Gifts & Fashion on May 3, Men in Suits: Successful Suit Shopping for Less on May 17, Do-It-Yourself Bridal Planning: Floral, Textiles & Crafts on June 7, Bridal Wear: Beautiful Brides & More on June 14, and Back-to-School Shopping, Moms & Teens on August 23.

Thanks, Greg!

Trim a few hundred dollars off your wedding budget by purchasing a used gown from PreownedWeddingDresses.com. Dresses for sale are listed by "street size" not the size on the label because they vary so much from on designer to the next. Within each size you can search by price (above or below $500).

Here's a simple strapless dress with a full skirt and beautiful criss cross lace back, for $375 (originally paid $650). Seems to be more options in the plus $500 sizes, like this custom made dress from Clio Designs of Beverly Hills. Check out the skirt. It looks like meringue pie! Makes me hungry. Browse all their dresses.

Want to clear out some closet space and sell your own dress? Here's how it works. Sellers pay $25 to sell their dress and get to keep all of the sale price. The listing last for 12 months until they sell the dress. Sellers can upload up to five photos per listing.

Today get 50% off your order at BloomsToday. Teleflora offers $10 off all products with coupon code PSGG10D. Select bouquets are 40% off at ProFlowers. Get 10% off purchases at FTD - no coupon needed. At
1800Flowers.com get 20% off certain flowers with coupon code CUPID14. Take $10 off your purchase at JustFlowers with coupon code JF2008.

Some of the above sites ask if you heard about them on the radio. I recently blogged about a code to get a radio discount for ProFlowers. Wonder if it will work for the others. Thanks Bargainist!

The upscale chocolatier Godiva is offering 10% off online orders of $50 to $600 now thru Sunday, Feb 10. Standard shipping will get your treats delivered by Valentine's day if you order by 8 pm PST Sunday. Use code TRUFFLETEN when checking out for the discount.

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